March 11, 2005

Building a culture of peace in families—community—world

Carry the Vision peace conference April 2

You’re invited to join a community conference—open to all people and young adults (14-25) to engage in learning about vital resources for building a culture of peace in three critical areas: family life, local community and global community.

As part of an international movement, “A Season for Nonviolence” will draw upon the wisdom and inspiration of three great leaders who brought about socially beneficial change through nonviolent means: Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez.

In support of this vision for an empowered, nonviolent world, District 8 Councilmember Dave Cortese, Resources for Families and Communities and the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment are collaborating to bring the conference to the Evergreen community on Saturday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 800 participants are expected to attend.

What makes this conference unique and groundbreaking is that each participant will have an opportunity to make a commitment to at least one simple but profound act he/she will carry out in the promotion of peace. The event will feature inspiring keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops.

Concurrent with the adult program will be a program for young adults with inspiration, education and support for their own activism.

To realize peace, we must prepare for peace. We must educate ourselves, discover the tools necessary for building a culture of peace and commit to simple and profound acts that support a better world for us all.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for youth. Price includes lunch and parking. The conference will take place at Evergreen Valley College, 3095 Yerba Buena Road, San Jose. The $25 registration fee includes lunch, provided by the San Jose Sikh community.

For more information or to register, go to the Web site: http://www.carrythevision.net or contact Adrianna Cota at (408) 277-5242 or email adrianna.cota@sanjoseca.gov. For more information about the Season of Nonviolence go to www.interfaithspace.org/snv.

Conference keynote speaker

Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta

The keynote speaker for “A Season for Nonvio-lence” is Dolores Huerta, who is the most prominent Mexican-American civil rights activist in our country today.

Dolores Huerta

Huerta, co-founder and first vice president emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO (UFW) and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, is the mother of 11 children, 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

It was through her work with the CSO (Chapter of the Community Service Organization) that Huerta met Cesar Chavez. They both realized the need to organize farm workers.

In 1962, after the CSO turned down Chavez’s request as their president to organize farm workers, she joined Chavez and his family in Delano, Calif. There they formed the Nation-al Farm Workers Association (NFWA), the predecessor to the UFW.

For more than 30 years she has dedicated her life to the work for justice and dignity for migrant farm workers, working with Cesar Chavez in peaceful, nonviolent resistance.

All other workshop presenters and panelists also represent organizations in our community that are using the principles of nonviolence to make a difference in our world.