The Original Peacebuilder: From a Life of Violence to a Heart - Led Purpose

Peace is a choice that starts with presence. It is an internal call to show people they are not alone. With his unique perspective for understanding both the code of the streets—revenge, loyalty, pride—and the frustrations of bureaucracy, Iran Nazario proves that nonviolence IS achievable in The Original Peacebuilder. A follow up to his memoir, Rage to Peace: From Wounded Child to Gang Member to Peace Advocate, Nazario’s latest work shows that peace is possible when all arms of a community work together toward that same goal.Nazario did not set out to be a peacemaker or activist. Homeless at thirteen and drawn into gang life, he remained fiercely loyal to friends, family, and community. A protector at heart whose journey would transform his life.The Original Peacebuilder traces Nazario’s journey from the streets to the stage, where he speaks nationwide on resilience, adversity, youth and community development. Guided by compassion, he now consults with human and social services groups, organizations, and institutions to strengthen culture, better serve clients, and exceed their goals.More than a memoir, this book is a blueprint for peace, showing that lasting change is possible when individuals act and communities work together with courage and vision. When people consistently show up for those in need, build trust with each other, and treat everyone with dignity and compassion, anything is possible. It is the “shift from being products of our environments to catalysts for change.”Like many cities across the U.S. in the early 1990s, gang violence was coming to a head in Nazario’s hometown. In 1992, the mayor at the time put out a call to all community members to decrease violence—including the gangs. Nazario was nominated by his fellow gang members to represent them, and so began what would turn into a lifetime of activism. A roundtable discussion with the mayor and other city leaders led to Nazario’s role as a liaison between the city and the gang. Here is where he saw that violence on the streets was only one front of the war—quiet battles were happening throughout the city in the forms of racial disparities, poverty, education, and lack of access to equitable employment.The Original Peacebuilder describes how acknowledging these realities and building trust among community leaders and groups—universities, schools, hospitals, police, clergy, government - can have a lasting impact on the safety and security of an entire community. It emphasizes the importance of relationships and connections, especially with the youth in a community. “I don’t want young people to go through what I went through. Not everyone can save themselves 100 percent of the time. No one should have to. Sometimes, you need just one person to step in—to see you, to believe in you, to help you reset.” Read more