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First initiated in 1984, World Peace Day is in its 40th year of celebration. This year’s theme was ‘Cultivate a Culture of Peace.’ Founded in 2012, Peace Day Philly continues this tradition by curating demonstrations of peace around the city of Philadelphia in the lead-up to International Peace Day, observed annually on September 21st.
Each year the program has expanded, and 2024 was no exception. Among many of the events to choose from was a Back-to-School mental health fair hosted by WeLovePhilly and a literacy fair, produced in collaboration with House of Umoja’s Peace LIT!, proclaiming reading as an act of peaceful resistance. WeLovePhilly provides holistic, transformative education to underserved youth by supporting students’ autonomy through positive community experiences.
As stated in the organization’s About Me: The House of Umoja is a 56-six-year young non-profit organization that uses the nucleus of the family, kinship of community, culture, education (STEAM and life skills), agriculture, and nutrition to continue to reduce violence evident among at-risk and under-served youth and their families while maintaining sanctuary and mobilizing and empowering community. Together, these two organizations are an undeniable powerhouse of positivity within the West Philly community. House of Umoja spearheaded its kickoff festivities with a ‘Bury Your Beef’ ceremony and a group art project. The art project’s focus was to craft word-powered signs to hold up during a Literacy Walk to the One Art Community Center, where the remainder of the festivities were held.
Once gathered, attendees were treated to complimentary food and snacks, school supply giveaways, and community partners offering resources, services, and additional crafts, games, and workshops to add to the excitement. The One Arts Community Center, itself an urban wonderland, presented a whimsical escape nestled in the heart of West Philly. It’s a vibrant hub of engagement, wellness, spirituality, and apprenticeship that caters to the community, which you might not guess from its appearance. In addition to housing the WeLovePhilly program, the center offers sound meditation, yoga, a grief support group, monthly open mic events, and much more.
While curiously strolling through the backyard oasis, I found many things to explore. My wandering led me to fellow guests and even some friendly animals. While observing a shy horse – from a distance -I chatted with Penny, the mother of one of the participants enrolled in WeLovePhilly’s Cyber-Security Apprenticeship program. There to support her son, Penny maintained, “To my surprise, it was a beautiful event with a great community. I feel saddened that in our community, a lot of people don’t know about this beautiful environment.”
Nearby, I conversed with a twelfth-grade student named Autumn while we fed the more outgoing chickens, ducks, and peacocks, all waiting eagerly to accept our popcorn offerings. While Penny was unaware of the official Peace Day Philly, her demeanor exuded nothing but peace. Autumn shared that the event “represents unity, getting the community together to do something fun, and trying to involve as many Philadelphia residents as possible to participate.”
Later, I was able to engage in a soothing sound bath facilitated by the Member Experience Manager of One Arts, Carley Simone, and her healing crystal singing bowls. The participants were highly energetic young people, contrasted by the aromatic and relaxing scent of sage in the air and the meditative vibrations of the singing bowls. Afterward, I took the opportunity to speak with Carley, and she graciously gave her flowers to the One Arts Community Center and WeLovePhilly for the magic, love, intention, and fortification that they bring into the community. She shared that House of Umoja was “a beautiful addition to the experience, especially for what they stand for and being a staple in West Philly… I hope everyone feels well and got poured into in some way.”
Overall, the event emphasized community wholeness. What struck me were the diverse reasons people gathered that day. For many, Peace Day Philly as an official event was unknown, but experiencing it was a unifying experience. House of Umoja and WeLovePhilly showed us peace is mightier than the sword. Regardless of our motivations for attending, a culture of peace was cultivated and the sense of community was undeniably magical.
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