Outreach in 21 Cities to Prevent Violent Extremism
Communities Impacted by Terrorism and Hate Crimes Prioritized
Public Education Campaign Features Free Training Program and PSA of Mother Who Lost Her Son to Extremism
[WASHINGTON, DC] — Human rights organization, Clarion Project, will launch a national public education outreach campaign across the country this coming Monday to combat the rise of hate crimes and reduce the threat of homegrown terrorism. Clarion Project will work with the local community to train leaders in identifying and addressing risk factors. Clarion Project also provides schools a series of workshops that offer a positive counter-message for youth against the lure of extremist ideologies.
The effort named Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) is modeled after the group’s successful efforts in Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN and features a training program for parents, teachers, local officials, and law enforcement.
Cities include Austin, TX, Minneapolis, MN, Pittsburgh, PA, Tucson, AZ. Orange County, CA, El Paso, TX, NYC, NY, Las Vegas, NV, Charlottesville, VA, Orlando, FL, San Bernardino, CA, Chattanooga, TN, Boston, MA, VA Beach, VA, Thousand Oaks, CA, Aurora (Denver), CO, Savanah, GA, Atlanta, GA, Tuskeegee, AL, Taos, NM, and Washington, DC.
The PVE training emphasizes the fact that radicalization can affect all children at any age. A child can be radicalized by gangs, race supremacists, religious extremists, and social militarization.
“Over the last 30 to 40 years, extremism patterns in the United States have shifted between ideologies. Since 2010, we’ve seen ideologies surfacing simultaneously with increased lethality, while forecasts over the next 10–20 years present a frightening scenario driven by increased levels of dehumanization and polarization,” says Shireen Qudosi, Director of PVE Education. “This is the world our kids are living in today. Every parent, every educator, and community leader deserves to be prepared. Every child deserves to be protected. On November 20, 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child reinforced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by recognizing that childhood is entitled to special care. It’s time we fulfilled that duty to our children.”
The training follows a three-stage strategy:
∙ Understanding how radicalization and recruitment processes work.
∙ Identifying the vulnerabilities in a child that could potentially draw him or her toward
extremism.
∙ Presenting a lecture series on PVE that puts academic and field research right into the
hands of the communities most impacted and at risk.
The effort also features a 90 second PSA featuring the heartbreaking story of Christianne Boudreau, whose son was recruited online by radical Islamist extremists, ran away, and later died fighting in Syria with ISIS.
PSA Script — 90 Seconds
Here in the United States and Canada, our kids are at risk of being radicalized. I know this too well from my own experience.
Once our kids get on the path to extremism, it’s very difficult to change their minds.
Together with leading experts, Clarion Project has developed a unique Preventing Violent Extremism training program to help keep our children safe from radicalization.
The program is designed to educate community leaders. It raises awareness about how extremists exploit vulnerable children and young adults.
The training provides a comprehensive understanding of the push and pull factors.
What makes a child run from their environment and what drives a child towards a radical group.
It’s important that we educate ourselves and community leaders about extremism.
Contact Clarion Project to get further details.
For more information, please visit Clarion Project.
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