Community Conversations

Ashley Papagno and Andy Garcia-Romo lead our spotlight on Sunday Friends.

Ashley is Chair of the Board of Directors and Andy is the Community Engagement Manager.

Sunday Friends' mission to empower underserved families to break the generational cycle of poverty.

To learn more about Sunday Friends and how we’ve collaborated visit

peacefulworldfoundation.org/grantees.

Mazin Jamal, founder of Holistic Underground and Anthony DeMauro from the Dalai Lama Fellows co-facilitate a conversation on Restorative Healing.

To learn more about Holistic Underground and the Dalai Lama Fellows and how we’ve collaborated visit

peacefulworldfoundation.org/grantees.

Karen Collins, Founder and Executive Director of the African American Miniature Museum, joins us to talk about the role that art plays in healing personal and collective wounds, using her art work which consists of dioramas depicting historical events and people in the Black community.

Karen was a recipient of the inaugural Peaceful World Foundation Peace Builder Award and the United States Artists 2024 USA Fellowship.

Karen’s work has been featured in the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Magazine and commissioned by the Los Angeles Public Library.

Lara Mendel leads our spotlight on the Mosaic Project. Lara is Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Mosaic Project. The Mosaic Project is one of our grantees and received funding for their growing Outdoor Project and principal program. The Mosaic Project’s mission is to work toward a peaceful future by uniting children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with essential community building skills, and empowering them to become peacemakers.

To learn more about the Mosaic Project and how we’ve collaborated visit peacefulworldfoundation.org/grantees.

Greta Severson leads our conversation on peace activism through the arts with a special focus on Pablo Picasso, Shepard Fairey & Faith Ringgold. Greta is a returned Peace Corps volunteer and seasoned art teacher who has taught all grade levels K-12 throughout the past 20 years.

Greta Severson leads our conversation on the origins of the peace symbol. Greta is a returned Peace Corps volunteer and seasoned art teacher who has taught all grade levels K-12 throughout the past 20 years.