Can Peace Grow in Newark?

Over the last few decades, a number of anti-violence efforts have sprung up in Newark, a city that struggles to fight major social issues even as its renaissance continues apace.

But the leaders of one new effort that involves Maplewood and South Orange say it stands apart and that it will make a difference.

is the brainchild of Theo Koffler, its founder and president. Koffler explained that the program teaches young people and their educators fundamental social and emotional skills to help them make positive decisions in stressful situations.

Jasmin Zeger, Program Director, explained how those personal skills are then applied to the broader world: "After students discover their own strengths, they then observe their communities and consider how they can make a difference."

Itamar Stern of Mindfulness pointed out that the program is not proscriptive but collaborative with its students and counselors: "It's basis is in group sharing and learning from each other. We're not coming into any of our communities with a lesson plan or an agenda we have to get through."

This week at the Robeson Building on the Rutgers Newark campus, more than a dozen adults from Maplewood, Newark and South Orange spent two days being trained as Mindfulness Counselors. Among the group are moms from Maplewood and South Orange, a personal finance consultant, a bartender, a young writer from Newark, and "Loose" — a member of the Crips gang.

The Mindfulness program is being brought to Essex County by the of South Orange and Maplewood. "It's our gift to the community," said Stephanie Jelley on a recent afternoon at the HK offices on Valley Street in Maplewood. Jelley is a co-founder of the Center with Tom Kerns of the HK Community Fund.

The newly trained Mindfulness counselors will spend 12 weeks working with local youth at an as-yet-named high school or after-school program location in Newark.

Chris Beljour from South Orange was extremely energized by the training. "It's been wonderful!" she said during a break. Beljour, who is raising a family in South Orange, said that the once-a-week, approximately 90-minute sessions she will lead over twelve weeks is "doable" for her busy schedule, but also will be meaningful to the young people she works with.

Sajdah Bilal of Newark was very excited that, beyond the sessions, the counselors and participants will be linked with other Mindfulness participants and graduates through a blog that connects people across Uganda, Rwanda, Toronto, San Francisco — and Maplewood, Newark and South Orange.

"As we develop," said Bilal, "we get to contribute to that language — and how the program develops."

In the hallway talking with Stephanie Jelley of the HK Foundations Center, Loose — a Crips gang member — was feeling positive about the effort and making connections with people from different walks of life in Newark and beyond.

The counselors will begin working with the students this September. Each student will have a volunteer project to complete by the end of the twelve weeks. Patch plans to continue to follow this story and profile some of the young people who will be participating.

Stay tuned.