El Cajon refugee kids make art for United Nations goals to end hunger, poverty and war

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Peace and Justice Art from El Cajon kids and teachers were featured in Sacramento at the California Vision 2020 Conference Sept 21, as part of the United Nation’s International Day of Peace Celebration, and in discussion rooms at the conference on Sept. 22 and 23.

Peace and Justice Art from El Cajon kids and teachers were featured in Sacramento at the California Vision 2020 Conference Sept 21, as part of the United Nation’s International Day of Peace Celebration, and in discussion rooms at the conference on Sept. 22 and 23.

"These students are the perfect voice for the U.N. goals promoting peace and Justice. I recorded the kids' heartbreaking stories of kidnappings, bombings, and scary escapes from war and hunger in Syria, Iraq, and five other countries,’ said Kira Carrillo Corser, Posts for Peace and Justice Project Co-director and art teacher.

The Posts for Peace and Justice Project, a national project, worked with refugee students and their teachers and artist volunteers at Chase Ave. Elementary School to create three 8-ft. x 5in. painted fence posts, with beautiful inspiring tops, based on the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals of Ending Hunger, Ending Poverty and promoting peace and justice with strong institutions to protect freedom.

The art was started with 4th and 5th grade refugee students and teachers Janice Raymond, Barbara Austin and Jen Jones, plus two retired school principals Sue Geller and Karen Degischer, current school Principal Brian Handley, and three volunteer professional artists, Maria Kostelas, Kay O’Neal, and Nora Kearney-Johnson and Kira Carrillo Corser. The combination of having adults mentor and paint with the students, makes the learning deeper and the Posts more educational to help teach the public about the UN goals and making the world better. These are three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This project is a global partner of the UN. This class was funded by a grant from the Friends of East County Arts and was on display at the Superintendent's office at the El Cajon School District during the summer.

See more about this local artwork, with words and images as pleas for Peace, on Posts for Peace and Justice Facebook Pageand www.postsforpeaceandjustice.orgwebsite.

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