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性视界传媒淕uess what?!性视界传媒� A 12-year-old Pittsburgh school boy spoke excitedly with his teacher one morning last fall. 性视界传媒淢y mommy and daddy were having a fight last night, and I asked them if we could have a peace circle! We sat and talked, and they性视界传媒檙e not fighting anymore!性视界传媒�

The boy had been involved in a program to introduce peace circles to schools聽性视界传媒� moments in the school day when a class sits together and shares their thoughts and feelings around a certain topic. Like other school systems, Pittsburgh had begun this program to help reduce violence by giving students tools for better communication. Happily for this boy and his family, what happened in the classroom didn性视界传媒檛 stay in the classroom.

性视界传媒淭he idea of people sitting in a circle and talking has been used around the world for thousands of years,性视界传媒� explains Dr. Stephanie Myers, chair of Black Women for Positive Change (BW4PC, supported by Everytown for Gun Safety). 性视界传媒淧eace circles provide a structured process for discussing issues, making decisions, and resolving conflict.性视界传媒�

The strength of peace circles is the round robin format. 性视界传媒淓veryone has an equal voice,性视界传媒� says Dr. Myers.

Peace circle questions can be fun or serious, but always help to strengthen relationships. Examples include questions to help students voice what they性视界传媒檙e experiencing, such as 性视界传媒業f you could make a weather report that describes your day, what would it be?性视界传媒� Other types of questions help students come to know each other性视界传媒檚 values and perspectives more, such as 性视界传媒淣ame one male and one female who are good role models for young people.性视界传媒� All of this builds understanding and community.

Los Angeles runs peace circles in its schools. Birmingham, Alabama is introducing them. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 important to get young people to engage. Ask them 性视界传媒榳hat性视界传媒檚 troubling you? how can we help you?性视界传媒� A lot of the time they are scared, especially if someone is bullying them,性视界传媒� explains Dr. Carthenia Jefferson, committee chair of the Birmingham Black Nurses Association and the National Black Nurses Association Ad Hoc Committee on Violence Reduction. 性视界传媒淭here is always something you can do to decrease violence, to help de-escalate.性视界传媒�

Dr. Jefferson and her colleagues are joining BW4PC for a Month of Nonviolence. BW4PC性视界传媒檚 original Day of Nonviolence was so successful that it expanded to a week. Now it is a full month of dozens of activities across the U.S. ranging from conversations about bullying to workshops to help cities develop peacebuilding strategies.

We all can join the October Month of Nonviolence and help create stronger, happier communities. Some thoughts:

• Convene a meeting in your living room or backyard, of your kids and grandkids. Ask each other what is going on in your lives, what makes you afraid and what gives you hope?
• Ask your faith leader to give a sermon on nonviolence
• Introduce peace circles to your school — toolkits are available
• Create a nonviolence strategy for your family, school, or community; involve children as well as adults
• Urge your elected officials to create a violence prevention strategy around domestic violence, shootings, political violence, or other violence
• Sign up on the Month of Nonviolence website () and get support to do an activity in your neighborhood

De-escalating violence can be as simple as asking someone how they性视界传媒檙e feeling, and then really listening. The twelve-year-olds are showing us how.

Melinda Burrell, PhD, @MelindaCBurrrell, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a former humanitarian aid worker and now trains on the neuroscience of communication and conflict. She is with the National Association for Community Mediation, which offers resources for community approaches to difficult issues.