Whereas teaching youth the practice of nonviolence may encourage a more peaceful society and promote principles of mutual respect, unity, dignity, and equality;

Whereas the practice of nonviolence has been instrumental in promoting unity, safety, and equal rights in various movements across the globe;

Whereas the impact of the civil rights movement, particularly in the Southern United States, continues to serve as an example of the power of nonviolence philosophy and how it may be used to create change;

Whereas the Sojourn to the Past program annually takes high school students to the historic locations of the civil rights movement, teaching them how the practice of nonviolence influenced the civil rights movement by mitigating discrimination, violence, hatred, bigotry, and inequity in schools and communities across the United States;

Whereas students visit historic sites in Atlanta, including the Martin Luther King National Historical Park, where students are able to learn about the life of Dr. King and his impact on American history;

Whereas Atlanta served as an epicenter during the civil rights movement, and other Southern cities such as Selma, Birmingham, Jackson, Montgomery, and Nashville also have historic monuments and sites relevant to the civil rights movement;

Whereas the goal of the Sojourn to the Past program is to inspire students to become civic leaders with a duty and ability to unite people in their communities in equality and justice through knowledge, understanding, and compassion;

Whereas the Youngstown Sojourn to the Past students successfully petitioned the Youngstown School Board, the Youngstown City Council, and the Youngstown State University trustees to declare the first week in October each year to be Nonviolence Week;

Whereas the Sojourn to the Past program has afforded participating students with a life-changing experience by allowing them to visit the American South and serves as a catalyst for them to become activists and apply nonviolence principles throughout their lives and professions;

Whereas, as youth violence is becoming increasingly common in United States society, the practice of nonviolence may serve as a tool to dismantle egregious acts such as school shootings and other forms of mass shootings, bullying, and the continued violence plaguing United States communities;

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in this resolution referred to as the CDC), youth violence is common, and according to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 19.7 percent of students reported being bullied on school property in 2025;

Whereas, according to the CDC, youth violence results in considerable physical, emotional, and economic consequences;

Whereas, according to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 8 percent of students had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in 2025;

Whereas youth violence can significantly inhibit a child’s access to education and his or her ability to feel safe, secure, and confident in an academic environment;

Whereas sexual violence on college campuses is a pervasive issue plaguing the American education system;

Whereas hostility toward homosexuality and gender nonconformity continues to plague gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth and adults in the United States;

Whereas gun violence is an issue that continues to impact all Americans, with 4 out of every 10 gun deaths being firearm homicides and hundreds of mass shootings occurring annually;

Whereas thousands of Americans have died as a result of gun violence, families have been impacted by egregious acts of gun violence, and youth have been particularly vulnerable to its impact in their schools;

Whereas the practice of nonviolence is one that may be beneficial to people of all age groups, and beneficial to United States society overall in combating increased violence and loss of life in our society; and

Whereas the principle of nonviolence has been a core philosophy of many successful social change movements: Now, therefore, be it