Rebels for Peace is a youth-led initiative to create a more peaceful Chicago. Founded in 2016 by Dajohn White and the One Solution team, Rebels for Peace works directly with youth and schools from several communities in Chicago to discover new solutions to violence. The organization also offers education, empowerment, and support to help youth maintain healthier and more resilient mindsets.
Rebels for Peace believes that violence is a symptom of a deeper problem: a lack of hope and opportunity for youth in Chicago. The organization works to address this problem by providing youth with the tools and resources they need to create a better future for themselves and their communities.
Rebels for Peace has several programs and initiatives that support its mission, including:
Rebels for Peace is a powerful force for change in Chicago. The organization is making a real difference in the lives of youth and helping to create a more peaceful future for the city.
Here are some additional details about Rebels for Peace:
To learn more about Rebels for Peace, please visit their website at www.rebelsforpeace.org or email our Program Manager, Kayla Sims, at [email protected]
Here is what Dajohn says about the Rebels for Peace:
I started Rebels for Peace to enlighten people about the amazing power we have within ourselves. I want to educate them that even in their darkest times, they can still find the light within themselves without any external factors. They don't need to put their pain on anyone else to brighten their spirit, and they don't need to spend hours in therapy or take prescription drugs to heal the pain they feel inside. We believe that people change from the inside out, not the other way around. Once people see that change starts from within, they will stop looking for external factors to bring them internal happiness.Dajohn White, Youth Leader and Co-founder of the Rebels for Peace
The Jetpack for Youth Leadership Internship is a one-month experience that develops in-depth insights into the power of the mind and combines that learning with impactful creative expression and community engagement.
We created this program because youth is the future, and we want to give leaders the push, encouragement, and transformational insights they need to put a jetpack on their flight to success. Together, we can all create change from the inside out.
To show your support of this program, click here
Below are some of our previous youth leaders and their projects:
What I learned from this internship: I learned methods on how to stop and think rather than go and react. I really implement this too shall pass all the time now. On top of that, I now understand that reality is a reflection of my inner self. It's very easy for me to fix my day simply by fixing my ...
My Project: "Uplifting Voices" What I learned from this internship: the content of this internship was a reality check. It helped me put into perspective the amount of agency I need to claim moving forward into this transition in my life. I was able to think about how to engage wit anti- racism, sexism, etc. but i think it would ...
About: Chandrelle Douglas is a Rebels for Peace Intern Alum, and for this summer’s Internship is going to be a Rebels for Peace Youth Leader. She’s excited to delve into videography, lead discussions on the mind and mental health, and work with a team of young change makers like herself.
My Project: "Picking up the Pieces" What I learned from this internship: It has helped me open my mind in terms of listening to people and having conversations even when I feel like I'm right and they're wrong. It has helped me be more open-minded. It's also helped me realize that change can be created in sooo many different ways. ...
My Project: "Chronology to Flimsy Ladies" What I learned from this internship: In terms of the mind, I learned that my mind worked as a camera with an interchangeable lens. Depending on what lens I placed over my mental camera, then bad things could appear worst than they actually were. It was up to me to switch to the positive ...
My Project: "Only my Body" What I learned from this internship: I came away as a better listener, and a less anxious speaker. I appreciate different views as long as they aren't questioning my rights to a full and equal life. I feel like I have learned to be more in tune with myself, I try to react to certain ...
Created by: India Soodan Year: 2020 Description: I have written and compiled short pieces and poems voicing my experience as a mixed/ racially ambiguous person living in racialized America. My goal is to both find my voice as well as publish the book so that any other kids who have had similar experiences can have something to relate to. I also ...
Created by: Rae'Vonne Year: 2020 Description: This is a podcast about the everyday problems Black women face and a few viable solutions to those problems. What was the main impact you wanted people to take away from your project? I wanted to create a space where Black women were finally listened to, without the chance for others to interject or talk ...
Created by: Brandon Tillery Year: 2020 Description: Hey, I'm Brandon Tillery. I'm a freelance illustrator who is currently majoring Graphic design at Columbia College Chicago. Right now, I'm striving to improve my craftsmanship and to have a professional portfolio to impress big corporations. Feel free to visit my Instagram to view some of my illustrations @itsbrandontillery. My main pieces were definitely ...
Graphic Designs by Miles Smiley Year: 2020 Description: This design was part of a series of visual representations of showing we all in this together we all had the same struggles just in different times and ways. Click below to see more of my designs that I made during the internship. What was the main impact you wanted people to take ...
Created by: Layla Brown-Clark Year: 2020 Description: The Blacker The Berry is a short story collection teaching multiracial communities about the Black perspectives of different avenues of Black life from harsh realities such as police brutality to the effects of white supremacy to the loss of Black lives to the beauties such as Black romance, Black successes, and fresh starts for ...
Created by: Evan Year: 2020 Description: A journey a self hoping to invoke others to take that journey as well. It is far more challenging to look internally and ask hard questions. How am I doing? How are those around me doing and how does that make me feel? Where am I? And where do i wanna be? These are just ...
Created by: Ryan Almer Year: 2020 Description: My project is a photo recreation of the Chicago Flag. Each element of the flag has specific meaning; white stripes represent the north, south, and west sides. The blue stripes represent Lake Michigan and the river. The stars are for the Chicago Fire, the World's Columbian Exhibition, Century of Progress Exhibition, and Fort Dearborn ...
Mara Gleason Olsen, Co-Founder and Director, has enjoyed working with all walks of life throughout her career, including MIT-trained physicists, UN directors, US Marines, NHL players, Microsoft managers, prisoners, the Chicago PD, and teens from Southside Chicago and Gaza. Prior to founding One Solution, she co-founded and directed One Thought, a NYC and London-based company that trained hundreds of organizational leaders from around the world. She’s also the bestselling author of One Thought Changes Everything. Mara graduated with a Master’s degree from Columbia University in 2006, and currently lives in Chicago with her husband and co-director, Eirik, and several plants that she works hard to keep alive, despite their frequent travels.
Eirik Olsen, Co-Founder and Director, Eirik Olsen became fascinated by the relationship between the mind and human capability after his experience in the military and deployment in the Middle East. He spent the next decade working with individuals, groups, organizations, executives, youth, health clinics, and programs for families and communities. After running a successful consultancy and training institute around the mind and resilience, he co-founded the One Solution Foundation to try to tackle the biggest challenges we face as humanity: conflict, war, climate change, poverty, etc by elevating the conversation around the mind as the missing key to sustainable change. He considers himself a student of humans, creativity, and the mysteries of life and loves the dance between a macro-level vision and on the ground grassroots work. He currently resides in South Side Chicago with his wife and co-founder Mara and his son Teo.
Prince Jimmar is a co-founder of Rebels for Peace and an Artist from Chicago, that's inspired about transforming his community from the inside-out. He leads and facilitates resilience training for youth from 4-8 grade in schools in south-side Chicago, and co-hosts yearly youth leadership programs, teaching aspiring leaders about resilience, wellbeing and creativity. He also has experience supporting youth currently incarcerated in juvenile prisons, teaching the same foundational training. He is a sought after speaker, hosting classes, workshops and inspiring talks to people from all walks of life.
Josh Downing, Videographer, Photographer, is a writer, director and editor originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. After receiving his B.F.A in film production at Oklahoma City University in 2016, he spent the next two years working as a freelance editor in Los Angeles and New York. He has written and directed short films that have been accepted to national and international festivals and, most recently, he co-wrote and co-directed his first feature film, "All We Have is Now." After switching gears to documentaries and non-profits, Downing wishes to use his video production skills to work for his community and shed a new light on important issues that surround the world today.
Aisat (I-Esha) Oladokun, 23, is a recent graduate from Kalamazoo College. She completed her bachelors of Arts in English and Global Health. Her plans are to pursue a Master’s in Public health to impact more communities about the importance of health, especially gun violence that impacts her neighborhood. Aisat is very dedicated to every community that she enters and has a passion for mentorship and facilitating others through workshops. Through her time in college, she was a mentor to incoming freshmen and has successfully facilitated workshops through the Kalamazoo Juvenile Home. As a member of the Rebels for Peace, Aisat is dedicated to uplifting the lives of others and strengthening mentorships through the one tool we all have, our minds!
For over thirty years, Andrew has helped people uncover their true potential through the mind. He's coached Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs, social impact leaders and students. Andrew has seen firsthand how teaching people about the mind allows them to see for themselves the innate powers they already have and is at the heart of all sustainable human change.
With One Solution, Andrew will help grow the reach of our existing programs and develop new relationships with organizations, funders, and allies who can further our mission.
WEEK 1 - THE FOUNDATION OF ACCELERATING CHANGE
Live Zoom Call + Online Content
In week one we'll host a live kick-off event on Zoom with your facilitators and the cohort of peers you’ll be going through the course with. In online content, you’ll explore why the mind is the most natural shortcut solution for accelerating change.
WEEK 2 - THE HUMAN MIND AND THE WORLD
Online Content + Reflection Activity
In this week's online content, we'll explore how the mind affects how we see and experience the world and why that's important when pursuing change. You'll complete a personal reflection on how this topic relates to your own life.
WEEK 3 - CHANGE IN INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES
Live Zoom Call + Online Content
This week will feature a live session with special guests working on change with individuals and within communities, plus online content where you’ll explore how accelerating change happens in these contexts.
WEEK 4 - CHANGE IN ORGANIZATIONS
Online Content + Reflection Activity
In this week's online content, you’ll explore how organizational change happens with videos from special guests actively working in this context. You'll complete a personal reflection activity to explore how this topic applies to your project.
WEEK 5 - CHANGE IN SYSTEMS
Live Zoom Call + Online Content
This week's session will feature special guests working on systems change, plus online content where you’ll explore how accelerating change happens in this context. You'll complete a personal reflection activity to explore how this topic applies to your project.
WEEK 6 - DEALING WITH OBSTACLES
Online Content + Personal Reflection Activity
This week will feature online content where you’ll explore how to deal with the obstacles to accelerating change. You'll complete a personal reflection activity to explore how this topic applies to your project.
WEEK 7 - BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
Live Zoom Call + Online Content
This week's session will feature a live Zoom session and online content bringing together everything we've learned into an applicable and sustainable approach to accelerating change. You'll take all of this and put the final touches on your 90 second presentation for the Showcase Event next week!
WEEK 8 - SHOWCASE EVENT
Live Zoom Call
The Showcase event will feature YOU and the entire cohort sharing individual 90-second presentations on the project you are working on and how you have grown over the past eight weeks. Friends and family will be welcome.