Hana Adham
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
I addressed racism in school systems by holding an anti-racism conference for teachers, informing them about things they might be doing and solutions on how to make the school a more inclusive environment for BIPOC communities.
How are you seeing your learning and experiences in the program impact you now?
This program lays down the foundation of your social justice journey and makes you never want to stop! The day after I ran the conference I saw an immediate shift in the content the teachers were covering. I saw teachers asking about proper name pronunciation and trying again and again until they got it right. My history teacher made more effort to use diverse visuals and share different perspectives on topics covered in class.
Jennifer Li
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
To address homophobia and transphobia in schools, I made educational infographics and slideshows that teachers could use to educate themselves about the LGBTQ+ community.
This program has helped me think critically and outside of the box. Now, when I face a problem of any kind, I'm using what I learned and applying that to issues I face in life, no matter how big or small they are.
Maria Khan
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
Through educational social media posts and a stress management workshop, my partner and I addressed the topic of mental wellness and the stigma surrounding this topic. Over the summer of 2021, we expect to launch our podcast where we bring a professional to talk about mental health.
How do your learning and experiences in the program impact you now?
This opportunity has allowed me to connect with so many people within the community who have taught me, guided me, and most of all, come together to create meaningful change. I have grown stronger as a leader and am now equipped with the toolset to create peace in an equitable manner.
Aidan Morton Ninomiya
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
I endeavored to empower high school students to take on the climate crisis through municipal government engagement. My initiative informed students with facts through the project's Instagram account and a short video series.
What is one thing you would say to future participants?
Manage your time and resources well throughout the project! There will certainly be unexpected obstacles and blessings to any project, so make sure you budget for a little troubleshooting -Gantt charts are always helpful. Also, make sure that you reach out to your fellow peace innovators for support, because they are likely experiencing similar circumstances to you.
Heraa Muqri
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
My Peace Innovators initiative, Project: Break the Stigma, was designed to address youth mental health, encourage youth to maintain a good mental state, and break the stigma around the subject. This mission was achieved through workshops, informational social media posts, and our podcast, “Speak Out”.
What is one thing you would say to future participants?
Make sure you maintain accountability with yourself, get support, and rest as needed. You won't be able to address issues in the community if you don't take of yourself!
One of the greatest strengths of the program is its focus on providing participants with a basic model to address community issues through their Peace Innovators initiative and encouraging them to build onto it using their experience.
Saaniya Saraf
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
We each have a carbon footprint meaning that we each have a role to play in reducing our global footprint. To help community members live more sustainably, I ran a fundraiser where $1 was donated to Reep Green Solutions for every Instagram account which shared my Sustainable Living Bingo Card.
What do you believe is the greatest strength of the program?
How much it enforced taking into account the views of all stakeholders! Whether it be stakeholders who face the problem, those who are working towards fighting the problem or even those who deny the problem exist; they each carry valuable insights that can help with building solutions.
Understanding the history behind the issue you are passionate about as well as the attitudes which drive it today is a crucial part of advancing peace.
Hamad Sultan
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
I addressed social-media related mental illness by creating two applications. "SafeSpace" uses a deep learning model that filters out toxic comments and connects people with help in a safe way. The second application was a website that scans sentences for signs of mental illness.
How do your learning and experiences in the program impact you now?
I have become more aware of issues and problems in my community and the world and in what way can I drive peace advancement and create a meaningful and impactful solution.
Marina Wheaton
What problem did you strive to address through your Peace Innovators initiative?
The long-term goal of this project was to break the cycle of generational poverty by encouraging youth to attend post-secondary education through my initiative, PostEducation. This involved providing them with envelopes that include application, academic, financial, and scholarship information
How do your learning and experiences in the program impact you now?
For years, I have been passionate about issues related to poverty, but didn't know how to start my own project. Through this program and it's wonderful resources, I was able to not only start my project, but now have the information I need to continue creating impact.
Being apart of the Peace Innovator's program is one of the best things that will ever happen to you. You will be able to create amazing impact within your community, learn a lot about yourself and meet a lot of phenomenal people along the way.