“Peace in a Pod”

Monday was the first of four “Peace in a Pod” days with Men’s Choices at Maguire Correctional Facility. Peace In a Pod is a four-day workshop series developed and put on as a community service project by Peacemakers’ Alliance students. Peacemakers' Alliance is a critical literacy and peace education program designed to help incarcerated students improve literacy skills, teach students about nonviolence, and build students’ capacity for critical thinking and conflict resolution.

The Peace in a Pod workshop series focuses on building community, teaching nonviolent communication skills and creating a sense of camaraderie amongst men in the pod (housing unit). Each workshop runs from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm. Seventy-five incarcerated men participated in programming stations and activities throughout the day. Fifteen of the men facilitated the various activities. The sixty non-facilitator participants rotated through the stations throughout the course of the day.

Station A: Video and Discussion- Brené Brown's TED Talks “The Power of Vulnerability” and “Listening to Shame" (Click on the titles in blue to link to the Ted Talk).

Station B: Nonviolent Communication- active listening activities

Station C: Mindfulness- quiet centering while making valentine cards and crafts for children and families

Station D: Creative Problem Solving- cooperative construction exercise- participants built free-standing objects out of newspaper and tape without talking

Station E: Guided Meditation- muscular relaxation

Next Peace in a Pod dates: 2/12, 2/26, and 3/2