1. To expose our students to cultures and languages that they are usually NOT expose to in our schools and in their community
2. To increase knowledge, curiosity and empathy
3. Work toward a more understanding, flexible and peaceful world

By Thomas DiGrazia

The ACR Hawai`i is calling all peacemakers to volunteer to provide peacemaking services on Oahu to government entities and officials in need of assistance to help resolve public policy disputes.

Here is a recent example:

The facilitation services several of its members provided to the Kailua Neighborhood Board’s Subcommittee on Homelessness

At the instigation of Sen. Laura Thielen and invitation of the Kailua Neighborhood Board, an experienced team of professional peacemakers over an eight to nine month period, assisted the two Subcommittee co-chairs and community participants in designing, organizing and implementing a facilitation process to address the Kailua community’s homelessness challenge in an initially contentious atmosphere.

At our first meeting, the room seemed to be divided into two camps. One camp wanted the homeless just to leave and the other camp wanted to help the homeless not be homeless. There were some immediate safety concerns that were referred to law enforcement and the mental health providers. What our team provided was a calming down facilitation process in which each side was given the opportunity to listen and be listened to. We worked together using a very light facilitation touch in keeping the meeting very peaceful and positive.

The ACRH members supported the diverse stakeholders participating in the Subcommittee’s work to better respect each other’s points of view; find connection on homeless issues and programs; educate themselves through expert advice and information; and begin to find local solutions and remedies to the challenges represented in the Kailua homeless population. Each facilitation team member spent approximately 5-7 hours per month engaged in this project. A testimonial in support of the ACRH members’ contributions to the project by the Subcommittee’s co-chair can be viewed, below.

At a time when the need for community members to be heard and channel their energies in a collaborative and constructive manner was never more important, the need for peacemakers and facilitators to help structure productive public policy conversations is paramount.

Please consider joining the ACRH experienced team of facilitators and peacemakers as an intern and team member. 

• Your participation will contribute to a grassroots movement to help resolve such community issues relating to the carrying capacity of the tourism industry, government-citizen interaction, vacation rentals, protection of the environment, disaster preparation, and related issues.
• In the process of your participation, you will learn through observation and practice from skilled professionals important peacemaking and communication skills that will aid your career and personal development.

Interested? Please contact Thomas DiGrazia at digraziat001@gmail.com. 

           TESTIMONIAL by Levani Lipton:

“Having a facilitation team help us with addressing homelessness in our community has been valuable. We have an issue that is complex and multifaceted with many perspectives on how it should be addressed. We had community members with different levels of interest. For some individuals homelessness hit very close to home and was emotionally charged. Others while sympathetic, couldn’t relate to the issue and only voiced their concerns. The facilitators helped to bridge this major difference by helping us to find common ground. Having peacemakers helped us to eventually build a beginning framework for how to address multiple needs while taking into consideration different perspectives. To do this well is an art form and requires skill. We appreciated that the experienced peacemakers worked alongside and helped to train the next generation, providing a learning opportunity for both.

Our society is riddled with conflict and very serious issues most of which start with community involvement and activism. More than ever we need peacemakers to help negotiate and help citizens participate in the process of problem-solving. I strongly support and encourage members of Association of Conflict Resolution of Hawaii to take on more endeavors like ours and play an instrumental role in empowering community members to address issues locally. I feel this will be more sustainable with public commitment and investment then going the traditional route of hiring consultants. It is a process and takes time, but this is chance to make a valuable contribution to society.

Mahalo ACRH!”

Levani Lipton, MPH, MPA, Co-Chair Kailua Neighborhood Board Subcommittee on Homelessness