In this episode of Nonviolence Radio, we explore how nonviolence is showing up around the world—in the news, in movement strategy, and in community-based peacebuilding. We take a closer look at the recent Gaza flotilla and its use of dilemma action as a powerful tool of nonviolent action, and we speak with Nina Koevoets, a peacebuilding trainer about the practical and transformative work of building peace from the ground up. From global headlines to grassroots organizing, we reflect on how nonviolence continues to challenge power and open the door to justice.

This episode of Nonviolence Radio welcomes Priyanka Sharma – all the way from India! Priyanka is a lecturer, facilitator and coach and she joins Michael and Stephanie in a wide-reaching conversation about the nature and strengths of matriarchal societies, systems theory, her own path to nonviolence, Internal Family Systems and more. Priyanka speaks candidly about the profound challenge of practicing and living nonviolently; though nonviolence is natural to human beings, it is not always a way of being with others and in the world that is supported by our institutions. Given this, she emphasizes the power of trust in oneself. With deep and enduring trust, Priyanka suggests that we can fortify our strength as we work to embody and manifest nonviolent principles as effective means of responding to and overcoming violence in our world today:

"I think if we have trust in life and in our own creativity and intelligence, we can do beautiful things. But the problem is that we live in violent systems. So, these violent systems teach us first, don't trust yourself. Trust the authority figure. The first thing is to program us to stop trusting our only inner wisdom. So, a lot of the work that I'm doing in systems thinking is to encourage people to trust your own inner wisdom. Like even Mahatma Gandhi said, the change has to happen with yourself first."

This week on Nonviolence Radio, Stephanie and Michael speak with Joe Worthy, a nonviolence strategist who is currently developing the Strategic Nonviolence Academy, a place where those interested in being active and effective leaders can learn about the principles and methods of nonviolence. The Strategic Nonviolence Academy will empower those wanting to lead communities in the nonviolent resistance of oppression and exploitation. This comes by ensuring that incoming students acquire not only practical skills but a deeply felt commitment to the values that ground and continue to nurture nonviolent action.

"…it is a very powerful approach, process, way of life to, you know, change yourself in the world. And I think most important, in this time, is that it is a pathway towards the world that you want to build. And on your way to that world, you're going to transform yourself, your community, and the world while you're doing that."

This Academy aims to be a place where nonviolence is explored and enacted holistically, that is, involving the “head, hearts and feet” of those who join.

This week Stephanie and Michael welcome the renowned sociologist, Arlie Hochschild. They have a rich conversation exploring the stories we tell about ourselves and others that work to sever communities, communities which in fact hold much in common. Having written two books on America’s move towards the right, Arlie has real clarity about the ways in which our stories stop us from engaging respectfully with those whom we disagree with, breeding shame, eroding understanding and shutting down opportunities for connection.

There is a need therefore for story revision, and this comes first from recognizing the humanity of everyone, no matter what their political views. Identifying those core values that connect us all as human beings reveals moments of overlap even among groups who see themselves as wholly at odds. This ‘cross-over’ becomes the basis for building what Arlie calls “empathy bridges.” We must not, she insists, “confuse empathy with weakness” – indeed, it is that quality which has characterized some of the world’s greatest leaders and which may be the path out of polarization today.

This week, Nonviolence Radio hears from John Paul Lederach, an international peace-builder, mediator and scholar. Stephanie, Michael and John Paul have a rich and wide-ranging conversation, one prominent theme is the power of pockets. This plays on the title of John Paul’s latest book: The Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War. In it, he encourages us to remember that we all exist within various communities – pockets of the world – and that each pocket represents a unique perspective which is valuable to every other one:

"…there is simultaneously this deep acknowledgment of the specificity of a context and this deep curiosity about what people have done or need to do.…people at a given location, at a given time, have a need to do something in response to what's happening. And in that innovation, their particular pocket, their particular place where they live, brings forward this kind of combination of resilience and resistance to the patterns that lead us toward violence"

Only by engaging honestly and kindly with these different views can we create – like a work of art – a better, more peaceful world. One wonderful aspect of this pocket metaphor is that it empowers each and every one of us to make a difference. Even the smallest act of love (in the broadest sense of the word) – wherever one is – is an act of creation. Such simple, accessible actions when woven together re-humanize those we might be inclined to dismiss or degrade. Right from within our pockets, we can build alternatives to the toxic polarization we see so much of today.

"It's about assuring the protection of the dignity of the people that I am most proximate with and live with, even if we are different. Then my responsibility is to help make sure that this neighborhood, this town, this area, is brought to a level of dignifying the humanity of the people who live here. And I think that's really a key driver to a lot of this. There's an element to this that I refer to as the principle of accessibility. I think one of the reasons that paralysis works, is a very powerful tool, is that people think they don't have access to the lever that will make a difference. But what if the principle of accessibility is that you have access to it?"

Initiating change from within our pockets directly and immediately reveals the power inherent in treating each other as worthy. When we listen closely thereby recognizing the dignity of everyone, we can construct together a world that has space for all.

In this episode of Nonviolence Radio, we talk with Sulaiman Khatib and Chen Alon from Combatants for Peace, along with filmmaker Stephen Apkon, director of There Is Another Way, a powerful new documentary about their movement currently touring the world to spark new conversations about a lasting peace in Israel-Palestine. Former fighters from opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sulaiman and Chen share their personal transformations and the deep commitment to nonviolence that drives their work. They discuss the challenges of breaking cycles of violence, the power of storytelling, and how nonviolence is not just a strategy but a daily choice. This conversation will leave you thinking about what it truly means to choose peace, even when it seems impossible.

"We don’t choose to be violent. We are taught to be violent, and the choice is ours to break that cycle." — Sulaiman Khatib

On this episode of Nonviolence Radio, Stephanie and Michael welcome Leandro Uchoas, founder and director of Shanti Brazil, an organization dedicated to education in nonviolence and nonviolent action. Leandro spent time studying nonviolence in India at the university set up by Gandhi and was so inspired that he returned to Brazil to further Gandhian principles on the ground there. This episode explores the exciting work of Shanti Brazil, and more, it brings to light the way in which there is an existing and increasingly expanding global network of nonviolent organizations and institutions. Leandro, Stephanie and Michael discuss the ways in which a dedication to nonviolence can bring together local communities from far corners of the globe. Whether in Brazil or the US, India or Finland, nonviolence is a practice and its methods and strategies can – and should! – be shared.

"…we must, at this moment, reimagine how we build our democratic institutions, how they are built. And maybe this must come not from the top. This must come from us, from civil society. And we should be organized and discussing this, about these new institutions and how to reorganize society."

From Leandro we can see how nonviolent activity is thriving even amidst some of the distressing political turns the world is now taking. Sometimes we need to look harder to see nonviolence in action for it grows under a light distinct from the glaring spotlight of mainstream/social media. This is the light of truth and love.

"We should be thinking about our individual preparation. And if you are familiar with the Roadmap model, that we have on Metta Center’s website, it will kind of display this in a clear way. There's plenty of room and time for us to strengthen ourselves individually by learning, by spiritual practice, by bracing ourselves for self-sacrifice and suffering. That's one thing we should be doing, and I think it's the most important one."