Spirit of Peace Awards Ceremony
Youth Community Gathering
Interfaith Community Partnership
For over 30 years, Stop the Violence Increase the Peace Foundation has been at the forefront of community-driven peace building in Southern California.
The Stop the Violence, Increase the Peace Foundation was founded in 1993 — built through the combined leadership of founding board members whose contributions formed a powerful, disciplined movement to reduce violence and uplift communities across Los Angeles County, Inglewood, and the tri-county region.
Our mission is to promote awareness, empowerment, and accountability around the impacts of violence and trauma — offering a path forward for individuals, families, and entire neighborhoods.
We envision communities where every child grows up safe, every family is supported, and every neighborhood has the tools and resources needed to thrive.
Through intervention, education, advocacy, and partnership, we are creating the infrastructure for generational peace — one person, one family, one block at a time.
Educating individuals, families, and communities about the root causes, impacts, and prevention of violence — building a shared understanding that drives collective action.
Equipping youth, families, and community members with the tools, resources, and skills to create lasting change in their own lives and neighborhoods.
Holding ourselves, our partners, and our community to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and disciplined service in everything we do.
The Stop the Violence Increase the Peace Foundation was built through the combined leadership of six founding board members whose contributions formed a powerful, disciplined movement to reduce violence and uplift communities across Los Angeles County, Inglewood, and the tri-county region.
Their collective work established the Foundation as a cornerstone of community intervention, youth empowerment, and regional peacebuilding — creating a lasting organizational culture rooted in Awareness, Empowerment, and Accountability.
Together, they built a regional movement that supported major community events — such as Taste of Soul — with a record of zero violence for more than 20 years, reaching more than 400,000 Angelenos annually.
Beginning in 1992, Khalid Shah initiated community-based intervention work that evolved into the Foundation's operational model. He helped establish the Foundation's three principal pillars — Awareness, Empowerment, and Accountability — and has been central to long-term sustainability for more than two decades. His leadership ensured a violence-free environment for more than 400,000 Angelenos at the annual Taste of Soul.
As one of the earliest guiding figures, Dr. Guruge provided profound moral and philosophical grounding — infusing the organization with principles of nonviolence, compassion, and disciplined service. Former Sri Lanka Ambassador, senior official at UNESCO, and Dean at the University of the West, his global stature enhanced the Foundation's credibility and broadened its worldview during its formative years.
Patricia Click was a respected community affairs leader with Southern California Edison and a longtime Board Member of the Foundation. Her expertise in corporate-community partnerships helped the Foundation build long-term trust and collaborate with major utilities, nonprofits, and civic agencies. She championed programs focused on education, safety, and community empowerment across Los Angeles County.
A revered faith-based leader and longtime civic figure, Leonard Jackson brought deep moral grounding and governance leadership to the Foundation. His decades of service at First AME Church positioned him as a bridge between the Foundation and the region's faith community. His historic role introducing Nelson Mandela during Mandela's Los Angeles visit reflected his lifelong commitment to justice and human dignity.
Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad is a noted scholar, author, and civic leader who contributed decades of experience in public policy, community advocacy, and social justice. Former Professor of Political Science and African American Studies and Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political & Economic Institute. His books include Souls for Sale and Saving the Race.
As founder of Recycling Black Dollars, Muhammad Nasserdeen brought an essential economic-empowerment perspective to the Foundation's early leadership. His advocacy for Black business development, cooperative economics, and community self-sufficiency helped broaden the Foundation's understanding of violence prevention as a long-term economic issue — embedding economic empowerment into the Foundation's sustainability strategy.