Peacemaker Awards

22nd Annual Peacemaker Award 2022

On May 18th we held a ceremony at Greenfield High school to celebrate and honor young Peacemaker Awardees and the nominators who caught them in the act of doing good work. “It was a very well organized, well-executed, and inspirational evening. Thank you team, you have worked amazingly well together. Blessings.” - Kate S.

This team was a collaboration of individuals from Interfaith Council and Traprock led by Marcia Miller from the First Baptist Church whose generous bequest 22 years ago made the awards possible. Andrea Cohen-Kiener, Kate Mason and Sue Bowman of ICFC, and Diana Roberts and Sher Sweet from Traprock worked together “for months of planning and outreach that … created a flawless evening. Your good teamwork was so manifest, while you were low-keyed and put everyone at ease,” Pat Hynes.

We honored 3 individuals: Liam Black from Four Rivers Charter Public School, Lex Singh from Pioneer Valley Regional School, Austin Sullivan from Mohawk Trail Regional High School.

We also honored 4 groups: Safe and Supportive Schools from Ralph Mahar Regional School, Mohawk Trail Equity Alliance from Mohawk Trail Regional High School, Mahar Social Justice Group from Mahar Regional School and Training Active Bystanders (TAB) from Pioneer Valley Regional School. There were a total of 34 young Peacemakers honored this year.

Marcia Miller has been the backbone of this team for several years and has resigned from the committee and the intense spring coordinating, compiling and editing that makes the event flow. More team members will be needed for the next years to sustain this wonderful, appreciative and promising celebration.

This year Jo Comerford, our Massachusetts State Senator, addressed the auditorium with an inspirational call. Here’s some of her speech:

You’re powerful in collective action and organizing – where you might join a campaign, attend a rally or legislative visit, knock on doors, make calls, send emails.

You’re powerful individually – where you might use your skills and your know-how to disrupt the approach of a bully or speak back to a racist slur. To write a letter to the editor or talk with a friend or roommate. When you let your big brains rip at school or at work. When you’ll wield your greatest democratic strength – your vote.

You’re powerful in opposition to racist hate and to violence of all kinds.

And you’re powerful when you embrace exquisite diversity and the inherent, rock-solid worth of each person. When you embrace conflict resolution and transformation over conflict. When you embrace and care for fellow community members. When you embrace the need to care for our environment. When you embrace a future free of the kind of pain and fear we’re called to grapple with today.

Never underestimate the power you hold and the world’s dire need for you to use it.