Chris McDonough, a community development worker in Derry, Northern Ireland, focuses on bridging divides between Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods through dialogue and youth engagement. With a commitment to reconciliation and social equity, he believes true peace involves understanding diverse identities and overcoming historical trauma, emphasizing the need for ongoing healing beyond the Troubles. Continue reading Chris McDonagh
Shelley Cowan, a disability advocate from Northern Ireland, founded Justus to promote inclusivity for adults with disabilities. After a decade of health struggles, she regained mobility and earned a master’s degree. Along with caregiver Tracey Farry, they foster connections across cultural divides, transforming personal challenges into community empowerment and empathy. Continue reading Shelley Cowan and Tracey Farry
Martina Byrne, a community builder in Hilltown, Ireland, transformed her personal experiences of isolation into a proactive initiative to connect women. Co-founding a thriving women’s group, she fosters community through diverse activities. Motivated by her desire for connection, Byrne emphasizes peace, trust, and women’s roles in grassroots change, nurturing relationships for lasting impact. Continue reading Martina Byrne
Vincenta Leyden, raised on the border of Northern and Southern Ireland, reflects on her complex identity shaped by the Troubles. Through poetry and art, she explores emotions and fosters connections among communities. Leyden urges a critical examination of inherited beliefs, recognizing the lasting impacts of conflict on everyday life and societal norms. Continue reading Vincenta Leyden
Manorhamilton, Ireland Nula McNulty is a lifelong resident of North Leitrim, Ireland, who returned home in 2003 after years working on Ireland’s east coast and two years in China as a food technologist. Raised on a mixed farm near the Northern Ireland border, she grew up during the Troubles with a father from the North and a mother from the South. Her upbringing instilled in … Continue reading Nula McNulty
***Kyra Andresen just completed her first year as an art history major at St. Olaf College and she is spending the summer interning with A Peace of My Mind. We are grateful for her help and for all she brings to the table! Kyra shared the reflection below for this series of stories.*** John and I were in Omaha for the Child Saving Institute’s “Reclaiming … Continue reading Reclaiming Hope
One of A Peace of My Mind’s roles in the world is to foster hope. In people and in organizations. There are good folks in the world doing good work and if we can amplify and encourage those efforts, we all do better. We all know it’s tough out there. The world can be discouraging. Sometimes it feels like the challenges of the world are … Continue reading Hope
We could all use a little hope. It’s the belief that something better is possible. That we have the ability to make a difference. That there are solutions available to our complex challenges and that we can find them together. That whatever today is like, tomorrow can be better. We traveled to Alexandria, Virginia to work with LEAD21 on the culmination of a year-long staff … Continue reading Hope
December 21 is the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The longest night. In Minneapolis, where I live, that means that there is only about 8 hours and 47 minutes of daylight. We celebrated with friends over the weekend. Reconnected with some of our community after two years on the road. We walked up a snowy path and gathered … Continue reading A light in the darkness
We spent a week in residence with the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University and their community partner Seeds of Promise in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was election week and a good time to ask the question, “What is one hope you have for our country during these divided times?” If I were to have answered the question, it would have … Continue reading Civil Discourse
