SUNDAY 5:00 pm
Opening session: Why we are here. Making the case for Peace. Staff introductions.
Dinner/Table Conversations
Agreements Exercise: Establishing norms for discourse. Practicing self-governance, deliberation, and building consensus.
Ice Cream Social
Art Activity: What I brought with me. Each day will include some art activities that draw from visual art, collage creation, drama, writing, music, dance.
MONDAY
Breakfast/Table Conversations
Opening and Debrief: Every morning begins with a debrief of the previous day, where we popcorn around the room and people bring up what stuck with them, what they are still trying to wrap their head around, and what they disagree with. This establishes that we are all learning, and normalizes being comfortable sharing where we are on the journey.
Story of your name: Participants explain the story of their name: where it came from, who gave it to them, etc. Activity furthers introducing ourselves while learning about and acknowledging differences.
Presentation: What is Peace? Introduction to Peace as a journey, a path rather than a destination. With Biblical and secular examples.
Lunch/Table Conversations
Presentation-Active nonviolence: Introduction to nonviolence as an active force, as opposed to passive. Overview of the myth of redemptive violence, with relevant cultural examples. Active nonviolence vs pacifism.
Presentation-The hero narrative: How change happens. Why we need accomplices, not heroes
Presentation-Finding accomplices: The art of the one-on-one meeting. Finding people who are likely to want to help you.
Dinner/Practice one-on-one
Success story: Each night is an hour-long success story session, a deep dive into a successful nonviolent movement or campaign. Providing frameworks and stories that do not rely on the myth of redemptive violence.
Art Activity: Ideas from today turned into words or images
Pre-game: Setting up the trip to the Delta – what to expect and what to look for.
TUESDAY
Breakfast/Conversations
Opening and Debrief
Travel to Delta: Emmett Till Center; Lunch; to Money – Barn, River site
Dinner/Conversation re Fear: After seeing the Emitt Till story play out, exploring the idea that standing up for what you believe has consequences
Success story
Art Activity: Graffiti Wall
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast/Table Conversations
Opening and Debrief from Till experience
Honest questions: Asking hard questions within a safe structure. Pairs of participants will ask each other a given question, listen, and reflect back without judgment.
Lunch/Table Conversations
Presentation – Practice in advance: The value of preparation and training, using examples from the Civil Rights Movement.
Dinner/Conversation
Success story
Art Activity-Drama: In small groups,creating tableaus of stories from the week so far
THURSDAY
Breakfast/Table Conversations
Opening and Debrief
Pre-game: Setting up the trip to Philadelphia – what to expect and what to look for
Travel to Philadelphia: Freedom Summer, the levee, Nanih Waiya Mound, Choctaw Mennonite Church, Lunch
Travel home
Dinner/Conversation: Diversity as strength
Reflect on having spent time with Black and Native folk, seeing the similarities and differences of their struggle
Success story
Art Activity: Music
FRIDAY
Breakfast/Table Conversations
Debrief trip to Philadelphia
Downtown Jackson walking tour – The long shadow: The Courthouse, Greyhound station, and Farish St., the fairgrounds. Showing how past actions have future consequences.
Lunch at Country Fisherman: Buffet soul food, discussion around food as spiritual practice and carrier of culture (Optional activity based on funding)
Debrief morning
Honest Questions
Dinner/Conversation
Success story
Art Activity: Participants choice: collage, writing, wall art, more graffiti, drama
SATURDAY
Breakfast/Table Conversations
Debrief the week
9:30 am – Closing ceremony
Open Door Mennonite Church 