Civic Leaders Monitor Youth in Conflict Resolution

More than 150 elementary, middle and high school students participated in the Western Justice Center Foundation's 2007 Peer Mediation Invitational on March 20 and March 27. The theme of the invitational was "Empowering Youth to Transform Conflict". The students, the majority of whom serve as peer mediators on their campuses, were invited to the Western Justice Center Foundation and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena to engage in mediation role plays and interact with peer mediators from other schools. A few schools that do not already have a peer mediation program, hope to start programs on their own campuses. Attorneys, judges, professional mediators and community members served as coaches in the mediation role plays and provided helpful feedback to the students regarding their mediation skills and collaborative problem solving. Students also provided and received constructive critique from their fellow peer mediators. Following the mediation role plays, elementary school students danced to music from the Middle Eastern ensemble, Kan Zaman, while the middle and high school students listened to a riveting account of former gang member Joey Ray Lucero's dedication to peace after a life of crime. Elementary school students also had time after the mediation to visit the Children's Workshop, which allows youth to safely learn and master their responses to conflict through interactive computer, CD and puzzle programs.

For most students, this was the first time they had heard traditional music from the Middle East, but that did not stop them from dancing throughout the performance. The musicians explained their unique instruments and spoke about the origins of the music, emphasizing the importance of embracing and learning from different cultures. Joey Ray Lucero, a motivational speaker from Homeboy Industries, inspired middle and high school students with his account of being arrested for murder at the age of twelve, which he says he did not commit. Lucero spent six months at the California Youth Authority. His motivational speeches reflect on his childhood and life in prison. Joey Ray is a third-generation gang member, and he reminds youth that they have a choice, and that gangs are about "fear and power" rather than respect. He emphasized the importance of thinking for one's self, of education, and of having hope.

Hon. Dorothy W. Nelson from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Chair of the Western Justice Center Foundation Board, along with Executive Director, Najeeba Syeed-Miller, honored each school for their support and contribution to peace-building during the event's closing ceremony. The Peer Mediation Invitational proved to have a profound impact on the youth. One student expressed that the event gave him "hope for the future," while another felt that now she could "really change other people's lives." The coaches also shared their deep gratitude for the opportunity to work with the students.

The Peer Mediation Invitational was organized by the Western Justice Center Foundation in collaboration with Centinela Youth Services, Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center, and Dispute Resolution Services, Los Angeles County Bar Association. This event could not have been possible without the tremendous support of our sponsors: California Pizza Kitchen; Navigant Consulting, Inc.; Bank of the West; Wells Fargo Bank and The Walt Disney Studios.

The event meets an unmet need for students and schools engaged in conflict resolution programs to network with leaders in the field, interact with others involved in these programs throughout Los Angeles and Pasadena, deepen their knowledge of conflict resolution, and feel supported and valued for their dedication to peace. The Peer Mediation Invitational is an annual event and will continue to provide these opportunities for the youth and communities of Los Angeles County.