Written by Sandy Zumbi
As I started my journey with NVI, I realized how little I knew about the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel. For decades Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza has created systemic human rights violations against Palestinians, resulting in the displacement of communities, restrictions on freedom of movement, home demolitions, and unequal rights issues, to name a few (Amir, 2021). For someone who is always looking for ways to stay hopeful in the midst of chaos, I was met with disbelief. Yet, I could not stop there. I started looking into organizations and volunteerism that went towards providing aid to Palestinian communities.
It was quite a relief to see the amount of organizations that partner with local communities to alleviate the stress and despair that the occupation causes Palestinian communities. They also help raise awareness of the horrors these communities face, including the daily impact of life under occupation.
For several years now, NVI has worked with Hebron International Resource Network (HIRN) to reunite families by giving them a home and by working on renovation projects to keep families on their lands. HIRN has recognized the importance of building and preserving communities and has tirelessly been aiding communities to become self-sufficient in collaboration with neighborhoods and other organizations. NVI, currently being the U.S fiscal sponsor of HIRN, works to ensure that the organization's projects run smoothly. Another organization that helps HIRN in its fight to preserve Palestinian communities is Amos Trust.
Amos Trust is a nonprofit organization in London, United Kingdom that works with grassroots partners in Palestine, South Africa, Nicaragua, Burundi, India, and Tanzania to promote and build sustainable rural communities. In addition, Amos Trust works toward finding creative ways to equip and support people and organizations to push for change through nonviolence, reconciliation, and peace. Among the various projects the organization undertakes is Amos Travel. Each year, the project organizes guided eleven-day trips through Nablus, Nazareth, and Galilee for people to meet different partners in Palestine.
As I reflect on this nonprofit’s work, I could not have asked for a better person to speak to than Nive Hall. Nive, a social activist and the community engagement partner at Amos Trust from the UK, gave me a perspective as he recounted the program’s course.
Amos Travel program started 20 years ago as the organization wanted to offer an alternative to Christian pilgrimages to the holy land/sites from the bible. The pilgrimages were mainly organized by Israeli travel companies with Israeli tour guides, drivers, etc.., which according to Nive did not include the narrative of Palestinians. What they were offering was aimed at the same market, but to the more socially liberal, socially justice centered churches who wanted to go and explore some of the politics of the region as well as meet and hear the stories of the Palestinians. But after four years of going on these trips, Amos travel decided to diversify itself some more into what it is today.
The program started offering trips with various aims. First, it attracted people who wanted to travel to that part of the world for other reasons and who wanted to have that experience of seeing the political situation for themselves. Second, they organize an annual trip called “Taste of Palestine'' which explores Jerusalem and the West Bank with the overall heading of food. Not only do they get to interact with farmers and providers on these trips, but they also help promote palestinians’ artistic culture. Third, it served as a resource for those who were engaged in the struggle for equal rights and those who wanted to show their solidarity on the ground practically. As a result, Amos Travel added a home rebuilding program to their trips to the West Bank. So far, they have organized six home rebuilding trips in the past 10-12 years by partnering with other organizations on the West Bank on homes demolished by Israeli occupation authorities. The project would, however, not be possible without fundraising and devoted teams of volunteers. These incredible human beings step outside their comfort zones every other year to help families and the community actually rebuild demolished homes. I was thrilled to find out that NVI is actively one of the many supporters that stand and advocate to make sure the homes being rebuilt are not demolished again. Nive notes, “That’s the kind of real boots on the ground activism thing which is really great.”
Nive also mentioned how rewarding these trips are to them but mainly to their local partners. Local partners are given a platform to tell their stories and a platform to meet individuals from other places. This is important to their partners because their opportunities for travel or communication are restricted due to the Isreali occupation. They also really appreciate people coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with them on the ground offering solidarity. “We always receive a vast amount more than we give in terms of hospitality, welcome, and more. There is something intangibly magical about it that is hard to describe in words. Actually, standing alongside a family putting the concrete blocks for their rebuilt house can’t say in words how much that means on both sides.” This is shared joy for the volunteers because these experiences are life-changing and for the families receiving a new home. “Solidarity is the key word here”.
Nive also shared that creativity is something they talk about a lot at Amos Trust. The organization strives to find creative ways to engage local communities and the people they reach. One of the phrases they use is “When words fail, art speaks.” They believe that art speaks to the heart and words speak to the head. And you can see a reflection of that throughout the different projects they undertake. This drew me to examine the song “Keep Your Head Up'' by Ben Howard on Amos Trust’s “HOPE'' Spotify playlist. The playlist was created alongside the organization’s second published book of poetry, prose, and creative writing. The book has contributions from a team of talented individuals Zena Kazeme, Arundhati Roy, Ben Okri, Cornel West, Angela Davis, Robert Cohen, Maya Angelou and one of their partners Abdelfattah Abusrour.
“Keep Your Head Up” is a favorite because it resonated deeply with me. Although the song could be interpreted in many different ways, I see this song as a lesson. It reminds listeners to stand firm and be true to themselves and their beliefs.
"Now walking back, down this mountain,
The strength of a turnin' tide.
Oh the wind so soft, and my skin,
Yeah the sun is so hot upon my side.
Oh lookin' out at this happiness
I searched for between the sheets,
Oh feelin' blind, I realize,
All I was searchin' for, was me.
Oh oh-oh, all I was searchin' for was me."
Here, he is talking about how he opened his eyes to see all the essential things in his life that he could not see before, almost like the failed relationship he was in taught him how to rediscover himself and see clearly again. Most often, happiness or good things do not look perfect. We may carry scars from past experiences, but those only make us stronger. We search for perfection but miss the point that what we are looking for is right under our nose, right in front of us, right in us the whole time. As lost as one may find themselves in the middle of whatever circumstance or situation you may be dealing with, it is crucial to keep your head up. There is always hope. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. All you need to do is look within you, and then you will find what you’ve been searching for all along.
It is hard to imagine the horrors that many communities in Palestine endure under the Israeli occupation. Yet many open their homes and welcome anyone willing to learn about their culture and hear their stories. Their stories are so powerful but yet too often ignored or misconstrued. But despite it all, I find it highly profound how these trips bring people together. The cultures of those who participate are so different from one another but point out that we are all human beings who, as citizens of this world, have the right to equal human rights. We all have a right to have a place called home and the right to feel safe within the walls of our homes. As Nelson Mandela said, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”
On an ending note, I can only leave us with Nive’s remarks that left me inspired and reminded me of the power of storytelling.
“Hope is an interesting word. We talk about it a lot at Amos Trust. We have one of our little phrases we use all the time which is “We do hope”. I think it’s a hard time to be a human rights activist. There is a lot of threat to our human rights, like across the board. And to advocate for the rights in Israel/Palestine is a complex area to work in. And it is easy to be hopeless. Am I hopeful? Yes! We think hope is kind of a bit like love. It is something that you do. Hope is a verb for us. Hope is something we do, we must believe that there is a better world coming, otherwise we might as well stop. It is almost an imperative for us to hope.“
Credit: Amos Trust
References
Amir, M. (2021, August 6). Post-occupation Gaza: Israel’s war on Palestinian futures. Taylor and Francis Online. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2021.1958357
AMOS TRUST Home. (n.d.). Retrieved, from https://www.amostrust.org/
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Remember Dr. King's statement that humanity MUST choose between nonviolence or nonexistence? The answer is obvious and we need to build global movements that use the tools and values of nonviolence now more than ever.
Not including NVI, below are 17 leading groups that inspire, train or mobilize nonviolent resistance and social change. All work multi-nationally and across multiple social movements.
Please consider becoming a consistent monthly or annual donor and ask yourself if you can devote 1% of your income to the global nonviolence movement. Can you devote $/€ 5/month to each of them? Please, also, contact them or visit them and see how you can volunteer.
All of these groups are in financial need and have great potential. Those with asterixes are in most need. Please flag/star this email so that you can come back to it repeatedly and try not to skim. (They are listed here in no particular order).
*Africans Rising- “The Movement envisions that Africa-wide activism, solidarity and unity of purpose of the Peoples of Africa will build the future they want – a right to justice, peace, dignity and shared prosperity.”
Acción Noviolenta en las Américas- “Education, Training and Research in the Americas in Spanish, French and Portuguese.’ Please join the webinars that we co-organize with them.
The Institute Novact of Nonviolence “is a non-profit association dedicated to conflict transformation and peacebuilding. It has been working in the Euro-Mediterranean region for more than 20 years."
CANVAS-”From CANVAS' headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia, we operate a network of international trainers and consultants with expertise in building and running successful nonviolent movements. We work to build more just, democratic, and responsible society.” Srda Popovich and Slobodan Djinovic are brilliant people-power coaches.
Commons Library: A world-class open English library of training and organizing materials. Also grassroots-engaged and activist in Australia. Operates on a shoe-string.
Ekta Parishad “is a mass-based peoples’ movement for land rights with an active membership of 250,000 landless poor and is regarded as the biggest peoples’ movement in India with an iconic status globally. Since its inception as a Gandhian organization in 1989, Ekta Parishad is constantly promoting nonviolence as a way of struggle, dialogue, and constructive actions toward building a peaceful and just society.”Ekta Parishad is a mass-based with an iconic status globally." Ramesh Sharma is simply brilliant.
*Kawakibbi Foundation “is an organisation which merges intellectual research with activism. The foundation was born out of the Arab Spring, and we work towards a world free of tyranny and in which society trumps the state, extremism in all its forms have no appeal, and individual rights are sacrosanct.’ NVI met with Ahmed Gatnash this year and was so impressed that we will soon fiscally sponsor them.
NVXXI-Non-Violence XXI “est une association française qui collecte des dons et des legs depuis 2001 dans le but de financer des projets à caractère non-violent et de promouvoir concrètement la culture de la non-violence au 21e siècle en France et dans le monde. Elle regroupe aujourd’hui les principales organisations non-violentes françaises.”
Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente. “Founded in 1974, MAN aims to put forward the specific contribution of non-violence in the everyday life, education and social and political fights. MAN wants to promote the principles and methods of nonviolent strategy, to support a positive resolution of the interpersonal, intercommunity or international conflicts. By thinking, acting and training, MAN thus seeks to promote justice and freedom.”
Beautiful Trouble. A great online resource center for creative nonviolent action and training. A leader in support of artistic activism and social change. It's co-led by the extraordinary Nadine Bloch.
Metta Center & Nonviolence Radio. They have wonderful podcasts and many Gandhian inspired resources. Michael Nagler and Stephanie Van Hook are a treasure.
Pace E Bene: “Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service is now an independent, non-denominational 501(c)3 organization spreading the power of nonviolence. “Pace e Bene” (pronounced “pah-chay bay-nay”) is an Italian greeting from St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi meaning “Peace and all Good.” Pace E Bene coordinates Campaign Nonviolence with the help of the indefatigable Ken Butigan and many others.
Nonviolence News “Each week, Nonviolence News brings 30-50 stories of “nonviolence in action” to readers, illuminating the scale and scope of how nonviolence is actively shaping our world.” This weekly newsletter is the best site for nonviolent action news and movements, thanks to the superstar Rivera Sun.
Waging Nonviolence: “Waging Nonviolence is a nonprofit media organization dedicated to providing original reporting and expert analysis of social movements around the world. With a commitment to accuracy, transparency and editorial independence, we examine today’s most crucial issues by shining a light on those who are organizing for just and peaceful solutions.” They have great in-depth articles about nonviolent movements. NVI fiscally sponsored WN for years before they spun off under the inspired leadership of Eric Stoner and others.
*Solidarity 2020 and Beyond “is one of the broadest international networks composed of grassroots leaders utilizing nonviolent action to work together strategically on key issues at the local and international level including climate crisis, women's rights, anti-authoritarianism, indigenous and land rights, and self-determination. S2020B is active in 100+ countries, mainly in the Global South, where we build people power and impact by providing expert level training and spaces for members to learn and share with each other., trauma healing and self-care, participatory research projects, and emergency and small grants to empower locally led initiatives working for peace with justice and positive change. We provide small grants to locally-led advocacy campaigns and activities such as International Peace Day for youth in Kenya; nonviolent action training workshops in Mekong River countries and Palestine; Social Justice clubs in Uganda, environmentalists in El Salvador, and support for tribal and marketplace women in Cameroon and India. Dr. Stephen Zunes, a S2020B Organizing Committee member describes S2020B as "the most effective and efficient international network of grassroots activists making a real difference in the world that I have had the pleasure to work with". NVI fiscally sponsors S2020B and its Director Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh.
Training For Change: “Training for Change is a training and capacity building organization for activists and organizers. They believe strong training and group facilitation is vital to movement building for social justice and radical change. One of the great training collectives”. Founded by none other than our dear friend George Lakey.
*Nonviolence Education and Research Center in Turkey. This is the primary resource center for the many countries with Turkish language speakers supporting all kinds of marginalized communities. Training, research, activism in a challenging environment. Based in Istanbul. NVI helped found this center.
Sincerely,
Sami Awad & Michael Beer, Co-Directors
P.S. Please let us know of more groups that we could highlight next year. If you are really wanting to focus on Palestine, please look at NVI's remarkable partners who are supporting Israelis and Palestinians who seek to build a shared future together.
Diversity and Equity as an Act of Nonviolent Civil Resistance
In a time when societal and institutional shifts are met with increasing polarization, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a matter of social progress—it is an act of nonviolent resistance. For organizations, companies, and communities, embracing these principles is a powerful statement of defiance against the structures that have historically perpetuated inequality and exclusion.
In the spirit of nonviolence, this article challenges the misguided notion that diversity and equity are mere buzzwords or trends. Instead, it asserts that these principles have always been foundational to thriving organizations and successful business models. Just as nonviolent civil resistance seeks to dismantle systemic oppression without resorting to harm, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion disrupts the perpetuation of privilege and opens pathways to fairness, justice, and mutual respect.
The American ideal of meritocracy—the belief that hard work and talent should determine success—has shaped generations. It’s the foundation of the American Dream: if you’re driven and capable, you will succeed, no matter your background. But is that really how it works?
History tells a different story. Deep-rooted inequities in race, class, and systemic privilege have long obstructed true meritocracy. The reality is that talent alone isn’t enough when barriers to opportunity are unevenly distributed. If we want to honor the principle of merit, we must ensure everyone has a fair chance to prove their worth.
This is where Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) come in. Contrary to misconceptions, DEIA isn’t about lowering standards or prioritizing one group over another. It’s about eliminating obstacles that unfairly limit access to opportunity. Done right, DEIA strengthens—not weakens—meritocracy by ensuring that success is based on ability, not privilege.
One of the most persistent myths about meritocracy is that success is always earned. If someone is wealthy or powerful, the assumption is that they must have worked harder, been smarter, or deserved it more than others. But is that the case?
The word “deserve” implies entitlement—something granted, not necessarily earned. A child born into privilege does not inherently deserve better education, healthcare, or career prospects than a child born into poverty. Yet, in practice, society frequently rewards people not for their abilities but for the advantages they were handed at birth.
True merit should be based on talent, effort, and achievement. But when access to education, economic stability, and career opportunities is skewed by race, gender, and class, meritocracy becomes a convenient illusion. Without addressing these structural imbalances, what we call “merit” often turns out to be nothing more than inherited privilege.
Beyond systemic barriers lies an even deeper question: Who determines what is valuable?
Historically, the dominant culture has defined success in ways that benefit those already in power. This is why unpaid labor—such as caregiving and domestic work, disproportionately performed by women and marginalized groups—has been chronically undervalued, despite its vital role in society. It’s why certain career paths, often occupied by privileged groups, are disproportionately rewarded with wealth and status, while others remain underpaid and overlooked.
The same bias applies to education and professional advancement. People from underrepresented backgrounds often have to work twice as hard to have their skills recognized because traditional measures of merit reflect the values of those who have always held power. DEIA seeks to change this by expanding our definition of value, ensuring that different perspectives, talents, and lived experiences are acknowledged and rewarded. Without this shift, meritocracy remains a closed system that excludes countless individuals who could contribute just as much, if not more, given the chance.
DEIA: An Evolution of Merit, Not an Abandonment of It
Critics often argue that these initiatives undermine meritocracy. But that argument misses the point. DEIA is not about giving unqualified people an advantage—it’s about making sure qualified people aren’t excluded due to systemic bias.
The idea isn’t to replace one group with another or push an agenda but to remove barriers that have historically shut out diverse, talented individuals. Done correctly, DEIA hiring ensures that merit remains the primary factor while broadening the pool of candidates to reflect the diversity of our society.
DEIA’s advocates recognize the challenges of implementation. Critics are right to demand clarity and rigor, particularly in fields where technical accuracy is paramount. But this is not an either-or proposition—it is an evolution of merit, not an abandonment of it. Efforts to widen the talent pool and address systemic inequities by fostering inclusion do not dilute excellence; they strengthen it.
The broader question we should be asking is: How do we balance addressing systemic inequities while ensuring that processes remain transparent and fair for everyone?
Like any policy, DEIA initiatives can be poorly executed. Some organizations have implemented it in ways that feel performative, leading to tokenism or hiring practices that prioritize optics over ability. These missteps should be addressed—but they don’t invalidate the core purpose.
Consider corporate diversity programs that hire candidates from underrepresented backgrounds but fail to provide mentorship or support. These efforts may look good on paper but do little to ensure long-term success. The solution isn’t to eliminate these values but to refine them—to ensure that equity efforts are substantive rather than symbolic.
Throwing out these principles due to flawed implementation would be like abandoning democracy because of political corruption. The answer isn’t to dismantle it but to make it work better. One way to do this is to expand the discussion beyond race and immigration because the real impact is much broader. True meritocracy requires removing barriers for all people—regardless of disability, gender, economic background, or any other factor that has historically been used to exclude individuals from opportunity.
A fair society does not measure merit based on how well someone fits into a narrow mold of success. Instead, it recognizes talent, effort, and potential in all their forms. The ultimate goal is to level the playing field so that everyone has an equal shot at success—one that isn’t determined by privilege or systemic disadvantage.
The truth is, DEIA has likely played a role in the life of someone you know and care about, even if you haven’t noticed it. Whether it’s ensuring accessibility for a disabled friend, promoting workplace fairness for women, or creating opportunities for first-generation college students, these initiatives make our society more just and inclusive.
Rather than eliminating it, we should be working to refine and strengthen these policies so they can better serve their purpose. If we truly believe in the promise of meritocracy, we must acknowledge that it can only exist when every individual has the same opportunities to succeed—not just the privileged few.
DEI as Nonviolent Civil Resistance
Implementing these practices—especially at a time when the White House is pushing back on these initiatives—becomes an act of nonviolent civil resistance. By continuing to embrace these practices, CEOs, business leaders, and other decision-makers are standing up for justice and equity despite political pressure to abandon them. This resistance is not about confrontation, but about maintaining a commitment to fairness and inclusion in the face of systemic oppression. As Cesar Chavez said, “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”
Practical Steps for Business Leaders
Even when facing a cultural backlash against DEIA initiatives, CEOs, owners, executives, and Board of Trustees can continue to uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion in meaningful ways. Here are a few practical steps:
- Commit to Long-Term Change Over Short-Term Solutions: True DEI efforts go beyond hiring quotas. Invest in training and programs that support diverse employees’ growth and ensure they have access to mentorship, leadership opportunities, and career advancement. Measure your progress through data but also listen to employees’ feedback and adapt strategies to their needs.
- Cultivate an Inclusive Workplace Culture: Focus on creating a culture of belonging where all employees feel heard, valued, and empowered. This involves breaking down silos, encouraging collaboration across diverse teams, and taking active steps to address microaggressions and biases.
- Foster Equity Through Transparent Decision-Making: Evaluate policies, pay structures, and career development opportunities to ensure they don’t unintentionally exclude marginalized groups. Implement transparent, equitable processes for promotion, compensation, and hiring.
As Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, has powerfully stated: "The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice." Similarly, the true measure of these programs is not how many diverse candidates are hired or included but whether these initiatives genuinely contribute to justice by addressing the systemic barriers that have long excluded marginalized groups.
In the face of corporate retreats from these commitments, it’s important to remember that the true goal of such initiatives isn’t merely to increase representation or check boxes. The American Dream should not be a myth. It should be a reality for everyone.
George Cassidy Payne has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working across various capacities to empower communities and drive social change. He holds a Master’s degree in the Humanities from Emory University, where he developed a strong foundation in critical thinking, ethics, and human behavior. George’s career has focused on advocacy, organizational leadership, and building inclusive environments that champion diversity, equity, and social justice. Passionate about creating systems that promote fair opportunities for all, he continues to work on initiatives that align with his belief in the power of diversity to drive both organizational success and positive societal impact.
