Peace & Social Justice in Action

Aligning yourself with advocates and activists who share your convictions can bring focus to your vision and help galvanize your actions.

For Educators

• The Children’s Defense Fund provides a voice for the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves, paying particular attention to the needs of poor children, children of color, and those with disabilities.
• Educolor seeks to elevate the voices of public school advocates of color on educational equity and justice.
• Global Citizen is a community of people who want to learn about and take action on the world’s biggest challenges.
• The Global Oneness Project offers multicultural films, photo essays, and articles that “explore cultural, social, and environmental issues with a humanistic lens.” Sign up to get their lesson plan of the week, stories, and more, sent to your inbox.
• GLSEN is a national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) students.
• The Peace Alliance empowers civic engagement toward a culture of peace. Their network includes volunteer grassroots teams in cities, towns, colleges, and high school campuses nationwide.
• Teaching Tolerance has lesson plans that promote social justice, challenge bias, and engage students in discussions about diversity, as well as a free newsletter.
• The Trevor Project is a national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people; there are many opportunities for getting involved.
• World Citizen designates International Peace Sites to promote a more just and harmonious world. AMS is an International Peace Site, and your school can apply to become one as well.

For Students

• DoSomething.org mobilizes young people worldwide to sign up for a volunteer, social change, or civic action campaign that will have real-world impact.
• Global Citizens Action Project is a movement of engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.
• Great Kindness Challenge is an annual event based on the belief that everyone has the power to change the world.
• Kids for Peace focuses on youth leadership, community service, global friendships, and thoughtful acts of kindness.
• March for Our Lives is a student-created, student-led movement with a mission to effectively address issues of gun violence. There are opportunities for starting local chapters, participating in rallies, and more.
• Peace First provides grants, networking opportunities, and other resources to help young people around the world become powerful peacemakers.
• Sandy Hook Promise’s “Start with Hello Week” is a program that teaches students skills for reaching out and including peers who may be dealing with chronic social isolation, and for creating a culture of inclusion and interconnectedness in their schools. It can be delivered via student ambassadors (as well as in classes or assemblies).