While much of our focus this summer was on Camp, Seeds around the world were working harder than ever to lead change in their communities.
We’re so proud of these efforts, and that’s why we’re excited to offer a glimpse at their experiences and their work in this series, Seeds in the Lead.
Seeds Reads
- Maine Seed Muna (2013) had her article about how the World Cup inspires and unites the African diaspora published by ABC News.
- Israeli Seed Ilan (1998) wrote about the role of humor in the digital messaging of the diplomatic world for Medium.
- UK Seed Sabrina (2017) wrote a piece for Solutions Not Sides sharing three teenagers’ perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian realities.
- Afghan Seed Mujib (2002) documented a growing grassroots Afghan peace movement for The New York Times. (Read more articles by Mujib ››).
Planting Seeds in Communities
Maine Seed ZamZam (2017) is part of a group called 21st Century Kids that installs diversity-centric murals and public art pieces. The most recent, painted on the side of the Maine Immigration and Refugee Services building, hopes to send a message of togetherness.
Israeli Seed Keren (1999) was chosen by Hebrew-language newspaper TheMarker as one of 20 women who are changing Israeli medicine for her work to prevent sexual harassment during medical care.
Maine Seed Jonah (2015) published his photos of American Roots, a Portland-based clothing company that aims to create jobs for members of the local immigrant and refugee communities. The company’s mission “seeks to create products with a commitment to their community, workers, and country to promote a more sustainable way of life.”
Palestinian Seed Yousef (2005) took part in a panel discussion with Yossi Klein Halevi, a well-known Israeli author, at a DC arts festival to promote empathy. From The DC Line: “Reflecting on the festival, [Yousef] said, ‘If we can’t have a civil conversation, how can we make peace?’ As a result of their conversation, Halevi offered to provide a blurb for [his] upcoming book, and the two agreed to promote each other’s books and to work together on peace-building efforts.”
Yousef also spoke at the Foundation for Middle East Peace’s recent event, Gaza’s Next Generation: Life Inside the Strip & the Struggle for Palestine’s Future.
Yousef’s memoir, The Words of My Father, is due out mid-September. We got the chance to speak with Yousef about the book and his experience at Seeds of Peace, so keep an eye out for it in an upcoming post!
Maine Seed Salim (2013) worked at Maine Senator Angus King’s office this summer. On his time there, Salim said, “Words cannot express how grateful I am for this extraordinary experience. Working at Sen. King’s office allowed me to explore the important issues at hand that need attention, cooperation, and even compromise.”