The divide between whites and blacks in the U.S. is widening. Tribes are forming, violence is surging, and young black activists are finding themselves on the leading edge of the struggle.

Ben McBride of The Empower Initiative and the Global Immersion team have co-created a strategy that fuses the very best of our two organizations to convene, organize, train, and mobilize the black, millennial influencers who are leading the way. In 2016, we will pilot a Peacemaking Learning Lab into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for 20 national, hand-selected black leaders. A foreign yet familiar conflict will set the context for the training and the Middle Eastern peacemakers embedded within the conflict will serve as our teachers and guides. Our goal is to form and then fully resource these leaders to become the Everyday Peacemakers who humbly, creatively, and collaboratively guide a national non-violent movement that begins to eliminate the divide.

The Project: A 10-month peacemaking training for 20 national, hand-selected black leaders.

• The training will begin within a foreign yet familiar conflict (Israel/Palestine) where black leaders and Middle Eastern peacemakers will cross-train and grow collaborative relationships.
• The training will continue as they return to their own neighborhoods resourced with common language, new tools, an international network, and integrative, movement-building coaching.
• The training will conclude with 20 black leaders more fully activated as peacemaking practitioner-trainers who will humbly, creatively, and collaboratively guide this national peacemaking movement.

The Opportunity in front of us is to invest in the formation of these 20 black leaders and, in so doing, strategically contribute to a just future for blacks and whites in America.

The Cost: $4500/leader = $90,000. We’re well on our way as $10,000 has already been raised!

The Invitations:

• Make a year-end financial contribution or commit to monthly contributions in 2016 to help this prophetic, strategic, and urgent project become reality.

GIVE NOW through Thresholds, our fiscal sponsor. Choose “TGIP/Empower Initiative: 2016 Project” from the drop-down menu.

• Help us spread the word and, in so doing, help this prophetic, strategic, and urgent project become reality.

1. Will you share this project with a friend and invite him/her to match your contribution?
2. Will you share this project with your pastor and connect him/her with us?
3. Will you share this project with your organization and pursue a year-end gift or grant?