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Friend —
Peace and blessings on this beautiful Friday afternoon!
I wanted to drop you a quick note with today’s newsletter. In case you missed my message on Saturday — our Emergency Response program is well underway. Check out this PIX11 interview with two of LIFE Camp’s Jr. Violence Interrupters - new on our team - that your dollars helped to hire.
Friend, I’m so grateful for you and your support. Together, we will make Peace a LIFEstyle.
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Upcoming Events
Click flyer for more details
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WHAT YOU’VE MISSED AT LIFE CAMP!
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I Love My LIFE Day: Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
November 1, 2019
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A few weeks ago, our community lost 14 year old Aamir Griffin to a stray bullet. On November 1st, in partnership with the Queen's Borough President's Office, LIFE Camp led an "I Love My LIFE Day" assembly at Aamir’s high school to offer his freshman class a space to reflect and heal. This event consisted of meditation, music, guest speakers and performances: all geared towards healing and making Peace a LIFEstyle.
LIFE Camp has been offering I Love My LIFE Day Assemblies for the past 10+ years. These assemblies create an upbeat, reflective, and engaging experience for students and teachers. We look forward to continue working with the Cardozo High School community as we all heal and build together.
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I Am A Father Peace March
November 2, 2019
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Together we rise. On November 2, LIFE Camp participated in the FAITH (Fathers Alive In The Hood) “I Am A Father Peace March & Fatherhood Symposium.” This community peace march served as a nonviolent action base to strengthen relationships with men/fathers within our community. The event brought awareness to the importance of education, spiritual wellness, mental health, and uniting as a community to make our voices heard.
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Work, Learn, Grow: American Museum of Natural History
November 5, 2019
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LIFE Camp’s Work, Learn, Grow (WLG) program took a field trip to the American Museum of Natural History. The students took particular interest in the exhibits on minerals, rocks, ocean life, large land mammals, and dinosaurs.This trip to the Museum was the first for many of the participants.
The WLG program is LIFE Camp’s 22-week-long youth empowerment program that aims to expand the horizons of our participants, while preparing them for the workforce.
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Pain On Beats: Community Outreach
November 8, 2019
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In response to the drastic escalation of violence in Queens, LIFE Camp took the Peacemobile and our Pain on Beats program into the community. We provided therapeutic and wellness services, built relationships and gave young people the opportunity to put their “pain on beats” onboard our mobile recording studio.
Pain on Beats is an unconventional therapeutic program LIFE Camp runs, where we invite impacted folks to release their pain, hurt and trauma through music.
Special thanks to Sean Chandler and his Rochdale Mentoring Program. We're excited to build together!
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10th Annual Clothing Drive
November 9th, 2019
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Last Saturday, LIFE Camp and our community partner, Ms. Penny Wrencher, co-hosted a coat and clothing drive in honor of Ms. Penny Wrencher's son Dre. With the cold weather officially here, this drive was highly essential in bringing warmth to those in need. LIFE Camp, along with volunteers and local stores in the community, donated coats, clothing, and footwear.
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The Gathering For Justice Presents: Radical Readz
November 14, 2019
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LIFE Camp took our WLG program to sit down for a conversation with Cyntoia Brown, author of Free Cyntoia: My Search For Redemption in the American Prison System. Special guest speakers included Carmen Perez, Tamika Mallory, Jamira Burley, and Cyntoia Brown herself. After sharing excerpts from her book and discussing different trials and tribulations over the course of her life, a Q&A panel was held where she was able to engage with our students directly.
This event was hosted by our friends at The Gathering For Justice.
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PEACE IS A PROCESS
Peace is a process. Part of this process includes equipping everyday people with the tools they need in order to resolve conflict peacefully. The New York City Crisis Management System trains and deploys VIPS (Violence Intervention and Prevention Specialists) to high-risk areas to help de-escalate gang violence and retaliation, teach non-violent conflict resolution, and to promote peaceful alternatives. The Crisis Management System is directly responsible for a 15% overall decrease in shootings in New York City, with as much as an 80% in individual service areas, and 0% shootings in areas directly supported by VIPS. The system works. Help us strengthen this system and expand our work to more communities in need. LIFE Camp is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible. And life-saving.
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