Gloria Contreras Edin, an immigration attorney from St. Paul, overcame a difficult upbringing in East Los Angeles to advocate for immigrants in Minnesota. Driven by her experiences, she works tirelessly to combat injustices faced by migrant communities, finding strength in her dedication and support from those around her, despite the emotional toll of her work. Continue reading Gloria Contreras Edin
When he was called to serve a bilingual church in a neighborhood with a visible unhoused population, Hierald Osorto initially resisted. He had imagined leading a more affluent English-speaking congregation, and as a Latino pastor, he worried about being pigeonholed.
The son of an immigrant who fled El Salvador’s civil war in the 1980s, Hierald grew up attending a Spanish-speaking Pentecostal church in Newark, New Jersey. “It was never quite the easiest,” he says of the poverty and injustice that surrounded him. “But the community always showed up for one another. And it was always done, they said, because ‘we believe in God, and this is what our calling should be.’”
He saw that same spirit when he visited San Pablo, and came aboard in 2021. Continue reading Hierald Osorto
Adam Turkington, a Belfast creative producer and cultural organizer, has significantly influenced the city’s street art scene. Founder of the Hit the North festival, he advocates for public art as a means to foster community and connection. Turkington emphasizes the transformative potential of art in bridging divides and enhancing local identity. Continue reading Adam Turkington
Bryonie Reid, a writer and cultural geographer from Belfast, explores connections between place and belonging through community projects with her sister, Gemma. Their work fosters dialogue on Northern Ireland’s complex history, emphasizing quiet relationship-building and listening as pathways to peace, acceptance, and shared futures amidst challenges and uncertainty. Continue reading Bryonie Reid
Patricia Moore is a community activist and longtime Sinn Féin member from Derry, Northern Ireland, whose life has been shaped by the conflict known as the Troubles and the subsequent peace process. Raised in Derry during some of the most violent years of the conflict, she experienced military raids, street violence, and the daily realities of a divided society from an early age. At 17, she became involved in republican politics and later spent more than a year in prison after being detained during a mass arrest operation; the case against her ultimately collapsed when the key witness withdrew her testimony. Continue reading Hilary Lawrey
Dot Wilson, a lifelong resident of Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, is a community-builder and peace advocate dedicated to fostering connections across divides. Through her involvement with the Corrymeela Community and the establishment of Mill Strand Integrated Primary School, Dot emphasizes the importance of community in peacebuilding, advocating for mutual respect and integrated education. Continue reading Dot Wilson
Alistair Kilgore, a Northern Irish educator and peacebuilder, has dedicated over fifty years to fostering cross-community understanding. He emphasizes reconciliation through acknowledging personal roles in conflict and building relationships. His initiatives include supporting integrated education, challenging sectarianism, and creating inclusive spaces for healing and connection among divided communities in Northern Ireland. Continue reading Alastair Kilgore
Nell McCafferty was a renowned journalist and activist from Derry, known for her fierce advocacy for women’s and civil rights. To her family, she was simply “our Nell,” a mischievous and adventurous sister and aunt. Carmel and Muire share personal anecdotes that highlight her profound impact on their lives and the community she loved. Continue reading Carmel McCafferty and Muire McCallion
Patricia Moore is a community activist and longtime Sinn Féin member from Derry, Northern Ireland, whose life has been shaped by the conflict known as the Troubles and the subsequent peace process. Raised in Derry during some of the most violent years of the conflict, she experienced military raids, street violence, and the daily realities of a divided society from an early age. At 17, she became involved in republican politics and later spent more than a year in prison after being detained during a mass arrest operation; the case against her ultimately collapsed when the key witness withdrew her testimony. Continue reading Patricia Moore
Martina Anderson is a lifelong Irish republican, former political prisoner, and veteran political leader from Derry’s Bogside. Arrested in the early years of the Troubles, she spent nearly fourteen years in prison, including a decade in England, before her release under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Continue reading Paul McLaughlin
