Young Peacemakers’ Toolbox:

A Resource Hub for Children and Their Communities

  • BPFNA’s Young Peacemakers’ Toolbox seeks to support families, children’s ministers, teachers, and other adults who work with children and youth as they guide younger generations to become peacemakers in their communities. It is a digital library of podcasts, children’s books, videos, and information loosely organized around the importance of teaching Young Peacemakers about Caring for Self, Caring for Others, and Caring for the Environment.

    Each item contains relevant information about the resource and has been reviewed by a team of trusted advisors who care deeply about giving children and their communities quality educational materials for healthy human development and growth.

  • In 2021, BPFNA, under the leadership of then-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Doris García Rivera, sought to develop a new ministry project to support BPFNA’s global network of Young Peacemakers (a.k.a. children and youth) in a tangible way. In partnership with the Hispanic Theological Initiative and the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, an organization that helps mentor and support Latinx PhD students in theological institutions of higher education, BPFNA hired an intern, practical theologian, Jasmin Figueroa, to take the lead on this project.

    Together, they explored several major shortcomings among contemporary Christian resources that cater to children (especially those developed in the U.S.):


    1. They often fail to address the complex lived realities that many that children face

    2. They do not always represent the diverse families and cultures


    3. Few are offered in languages other than English and many are not accessible

    4. They do not often bridge the gap between teaching Bible stories and teaching crucial life skills.


    Because of these growing edges, it was important that whatever project they came up with identified solid resources to use when working with children and youth.

    Thus, the Peacemakers’ Toolbox was born!

  • The team recognized that they wanted a wide range of bilingual, inclusive, culturally competent, and trauma-informed resources through various media such as: books, podcasts, curricula, teaching guides, and videos. While they initially focused solely on acquiring resources from the Christian publishing industry, few met the criteria. As a result, they decided to expand to include and highlight the rich, thoughtful lessons that are found in many non-Christian resources. This also allowed for them to explore and include interfaith and non-Christian religious and cultural educational resources as well.

    At the end of the discernment process, the decided to explore resources that:

    1. Represented children from different ethnicities, nationalities, family structures

    2. Addressed difficult, yet underrepresented realities in a trauma-informed and age appropriate way

    3. Equipped adults with relevant information to help them support the children in their lives towards these aims

    4. Were bilingual and/or offered in different languages

    5. Comprised different forms of media (ex: books, podcasts, videos, info-sheets, and others)

  • From 2021-2023, the project consisted of three phases:

    Phase 1: Resourcing

    We compiled a team of partners to research and organize a list of resources for the database. These team members were trusted people from within and outside the organization, who are committed to creating theologically rich and age-appropriate communities for children to thrive. After we completed our call for volunteers (towards the beginning of the pandemic, no less!), four people generously joined the Resource Team.

    After months of research, each person contributed to a huge list of resources organized around these themes*:

    AAPI Stories

    Black Stories

    Disability Stories

    Environmentalism

    Foster Care

    Gender/Sexuality

    General Theology

    Gentle Parenting

    Healthy Body Image

    Healthy Communities

    Illness, Grief, Death

    Immigration Stories

    Indigenous Peoples’ Stories

    Individual Wellness

    Interfaith Stories

    Intergenerational Stories

    Mental Health and Wellness

    Latinx Stories

    Muslim/SWANA/MENA/South Asian** Stories

    Prison Abolition

    Race and Anti-Racism

    —
    * Please note that many of these categories overlap with one another, so you may find certain resources in multiple sections.
    ** “S.W.A.N.A. is a decolonial word for the South West Asian/ North African (S.W.A.N.A.) region in place of Middle Eastern, Near Eastern, Arab World or Islamic World that have colonial, Eurocentric, and Orientalist origins” (source: https://swanaalliance.com/). MENA, similarly, refers to the Middle East and North Africa.

    ---

    Phase 2: We gathered another team of five people who work with children in different professional capacities to review and offer feedback on our list of sources. Most importantly, this team included several clinically licensed mental health professionals who work with children and youth.

    To compile their feedback, we divided and sent each person a set of resources at random, with the exception of resources in Spanish (which went to Spanish speaking team members) and theological resources (which were most often sent to pastors).

    We asked them to evaluate each resource by answering a survey filled with questions about whether it is developmentally appropriate, if it responsibly and accurately represents different cultures and religions, if they have any critiques or caveats they would like to share, and most importantly, whether they would recommend it to their own communities. Each survey also offered space for them to note their impressions and/or concerns in their own words. Because of this, most of the resources highlighted in the toolkit include their verbatim or paraphrased impressions.

    ____

    Phase 3: Designing and Marketing

    Once all of the responses were collected and organized, Jasmin met with BPFNA’s Web Specialist, Set Juárez; Communications Manager, Erica Saunders; and Executive Director, Jason Smith, to envision what the Young Peacemakers’ Toolbox would l

    ook like. They ultimately wanted it to be easily accessible, and for each entry to contain links, images, and summaries about each resource; the Vetting Teams’s notes (if any), and any additional resources that users could incorporate into their work or parenting.

Meet the Teams

It was important for us to invite a mix of people to serve on our Resourcing and Vetting Teams. While we knew the value of having experts outside of the organization contribute suggestions and feedback, we also wanted to include friends and ministry partners of BPFNA who know the organization and would themselves use the Peacemakers’ Toolbox. Each team consisted of people who care for children in a personal and professional capacity. They included parents, teachers, ministers, licensed mental health counselors and social workers, and laypeople. More importantly, they are people who understand the importance of teaching children to cultivate peace and wisdom as a valuable resource for their own flourishing.

*Please note that the people represented below do not represent the entirety of the teams. Because of professional restrictions, some were not able to be highlighted on the website.

The Resourcing Team

  • Anita Peebles, M.Div

    Rev. Anita (she/her) is an ordained American Baptist pastor currently located in Seattle, living on the land of the Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples. She is a 2018 graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and a 2014 graduate of Oberlin College. Anita was ordained by an Alliance of Baptists-associated congregation in April 2018. She interested in ecotheology and feminist theology, and loves thinking about how to make Christian social justice education and rituals accessible to young children. Anita spends time with the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches, the Alliance of Baptists, Young Clergywomen International and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America~Bautistas por la Paz. When she’s not prepping kids’ crafts or sermonizing, she enjoys writing, kayaking, dancing, singing, eating at church potlucks and watching movies with her partner and her cat.

  • A young woman with a buzz cut and glasses gives a gentle smile

    Geneva McAuley, M.Div

    Geneva McAuley (she/her) is a Kansas City resident and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She has worked with children for many years, most recently serving as a Children’s Minister and Coordinator of Children’s Spiritual Education in her last two pastoral appointments. She has a certificate in Justice Ministry Education from Auburn Seminary; a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary (where she was one of the first recipients of the Graduate Certificate in Theology, Women, and Gender); a B.A. in Biochemistry and Biomedical Ethics from Westminster College in Fulton, M.O.; and has received graduate-level training in Bioethics from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. She is a fierce advocate for children, women, and the LGBTQ+ community, and is passionate about disability and mental health awareness, education, and justice. Geneva currently lives in Kansas with her spouse, Chad, and goldendoodle, Finley.

The Vetting Team

  • Carissa Boncardo, LMHC

    Carissa Boncardo is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor currently practicing in Mamaroneck, New York. She works with children, adolescents, and adults in both individual and family settings. Her goal is to build a private practice where she can create a safe space for her clients to share and grow in their own unique ways.

  • Monique Evans, LCSW

    Monique Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in providing family therapy and individual therapy to clients of all age groups across the lifespan.

    She completed 4 years postgraduate training in family therapy at an esteemed institute in NYC, and utilizes trauma informed, evidence-based treatment modalities to treat a range of issues/ presenting symptoms including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, other mood disorders, family and couples’ communication, school issues, and adult mental illness. Monique operates from a culturally sensitive and anti-oppressive lens to collaborate with clients so they can gain clarity, break old habits, and find solutions with a renewed perspective on their lives and relationships.

  • Lauren N. Perez, LCSW

    Lauren N. Perez specializes in trauma, anxiety, and relationship concerns, including family issues. Lauren is particularly focused on helping individuals and families break generational patterns of unhealthy relationships within themselves and others.

    Lauren's practice is open to adolescents, families, couples, and individuals. She draws upon her clinical experience in traditional psychotherapy, as well as alternative approaches including hypnotherapy, spiritual connection, reiki, and intuitiveness. She is an active listener who has expertise in mindfulness practices and teaches tools that clients can utilize in their daily lives, such as meditation and breathwork. This multifaceted approach is calibrated to help clients release themselves from suffering and trauma, as well as build healthy communication skills, so they are empowered in all areas of their journey.

  • Rev. Rebecca Hewett-Nelson

    Rebecca grew up in Virginia, then studied at Elon University and Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Previously a board-certified chaplain, Rebecca worked in the Providence Health Care System in Los Angeles, supporting patients, families, and medical staff. She then served as Minister for Family Life at Millbrook Baptist Church in Raleigh prior to joining the Emmaus Way community in 2020.

    As a pastor at Emmaus Way, Rebecca brings passion for the ways that adults and children can learn and grow together through embracing common joys, igniting imagination, and working alongside each other to build just and loving community. Rebecca is also an advocate for public education, currently serving on the board of Pastors for North Carolina Children. Rebecca lives in Raleigh with her husband, Ryan, and two children, Atticus and Isaac. They love to play outside and enjoy listening to and making music together.

The Resources

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The Sponsors

  • Hispanic Theological Initiative

    The Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) cultivates Latine PhD students for leadership positions in the academy, the church, and the world.

    Learn more

  • American Baptist Home Mission Societies

    The American Baptis Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) develops programs, publications and resources that encourage, educate, develop and strengthen Christian leaders to answer God’s call to meet the needs of those living on the margins

    Learn more