GAMING 4 PEACE IS A CREATIVE RESPONSE, A COMMUNITY GATHERING & A
CALL TO ACTION. Here, gamers, activists, parents, teachers, students, frontline violence
interrupters, organizers, and young people from across the country alike come together to
use gaming to confront violence, mental health, lack of opportunity and investment in
communities of color, and celebrate those working together to find solutions and create
access points to creative pathways. Our mission & objective is to re-imagine gaming,
e-sports & entertainment as a tool for healing, education, anti-violence and therapy, all the
while creating opportunities for the at-risk, low income, system-impacted young people we
serve.
LIFE Camp Inc., a beacon in America’s fight against violence, has revolutionized how
communities confront and heal from trauma since its inception in 2002. Spearheading the
New York City Crisis Management System and launching transformative initiatives like Peace
Week, LIFE Camp Inc. has set a national standard for community-led peace efforts.
Gaming 4 Peace is a day-long symposium that will take place at York College in Queens
as a part of the larger Game Changers Weekend taking place on April 6-7.
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Erica Ford, co-founder and CEO of LIFE Camp Inc., shares “I turned to gaming as a platform
for peace because I see its incredible potential to reach and engage young people. Gaming
isn’t just entertainment; it’s a way of life for many, offering us a unique opportunity to weave in messages of peace-building and conflict resolution. By embedding these crucial skills and values into games, we can guide our youth towards empathy, cooperation, and a deeper understanding of community harmony. It’s about connecting with them in their world, through the games they love, to steer them towards a more peaceful path.”