On July 29 and 30, 2011, three of CDF’s staff participated in the first Kingian Nonviolent Training event held at the Clarkston Community Center.
Over the course of the two days, a group of over 50 people received some foundational training on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s methodology of nonviolent conflict reconciliation. The Clarkston Community Center invited distinguished community, law enforcement, and government leaders to receive the Introductory Two-Day Training, in hopes that participants of the training will then teach the Kingian Nonviolence principles and strategies to Clarkston Community youth and residents.
The training was led by civil rights activist, Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr. and Senior Nonviolence Trainer Charles Alphin Sr as well as other members of the training team of Lafayette and Associates.
Dr. Lafayette established Lafayette and Associates to teach the foundations of nonviolence. In addition to his work with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement, Dr. Lafayette has served as Director of Peace and Justice in Latin America; Chairperson of the Consortium on Peace Research, Education and Development; Director of the PUSH Excel Institute; and minister of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Tuskegee, Alabama.
The two day event was filled with excitement and energy around exploring how each of the attendees can be a part of the broader nonviolent movement and help facilitate this nonviolent approach in the Clarkston community more specifically. We look forward to learning of additional next steps to capitalize on the energy present in this two day event.