The story of The City Peace Project begins with Pastor Danny’s personal experience as a Chaplain and lead crisis responder for youth violence intervention. His role exposed him to the tragic trend of families losing loved ones to a culture of senseless violence. He recalls a vivid memory of a funeral where the air was gripped with the familiar aroma of marijuana as angry, heartbroken kids smoked and drank to numb the pain. He could never forget the piercing wail of a mother mourning the loss of her son, and the cold silence of friends and family paralyzed by shock.That funeral was a marking moment in Pastor Danny’s ministry as that picture of God’s shepherdless children catalyzed his desire to reverse this trend.
Nearly everywhere Pastor Danny went, kids would recognize him as the community “priest,” and they were always eager to reciprocate the attention that he would give them. Every opportunity to connect with the youth at the local McDonalds or community skatepark would open his eyes all the more to the depth of their personal trauma, leaving him with a stronger sense of responsibility to invest in their lives.
“I wanted to be there at the beginning of the story- not the end,” Pastor Danny explains as he reflects on how the focus of his role shifted from being a chaplain to pioneering a program for youth to cultivate their character and values. Danny’s spontaneous moments of engaging with youth in random pockets of the community occur much more frequently now that students recognize him as the Pastor who spreads the message of love and peace on their school campus and encourages his ‘peacemaker’ students to do the same.
The City Peace Project is grounded in the belief that a cultural transformation will be the fruit of investing in this generation; one youth at a time. We have witnessed the tremendous ripple effect that can come from just one student’s commitment to being a ‘peacemaker,’ and we move confidently into the future with the HOPE of witnessing a wave of peacemakers victoriously shifting a culture of violent chaos to one where peace reigns.
RACHEL MEJIA
Rachel is an administrator for The City Peace Project (TCPP). She uses her previous work experience in Marketing Finance at Apple to handle the administrative duties and day to day accounting. She has spent most of her life in San Jose, and longs to see the city at peace and kept safe for her four children. Working with TCPP has opened Rachel’s eyes to the many people in need of support in our community, and has brought her hope that we can each make a difference in our city as well as in God’s Kingdom.
JUAN HURTADO
Juan is currently a Student Specialist for our Junior High programs. He has much practice helping parents be the best that they can be for the sake of their children. Having been a Middle School teacher, Juan brings experience, knowledge and genuine care to every student he meets. As a native to San Jose, Juan is very familiar with what our youth face day to day. Consequently, he wants to help students turn away from distraction and to embrace opportunity. He believes that every young person can have a bright future.
SHAWNA FATTAHI
Shawna is a Student Specialist for The City Peace Project. She is especially passionate about empowering students to recognize and utilize their unique strengths and creative giftings. In addition to mentoring students, Shawna engages with The City Peace Project community on social media platforms by curating constructive content for the youth. Since working for TCPP, she has grown in her appreciation for the rich, close knit culture of her hometown San Jose, and she has also picked up skateboarding to “keep up with the kids.” On a typical Saturday morning you might find Shawna catching the sunrise somewhere in Santa Cruz, or catching up with a friend over coffee downtown.
FERNANDA AVALOS
Fernanda has been working for The City Peace Project as a student specialist for almost a year now. She grew up in San Jose and graduated from DCP El Primero, where she was a student of TCPP mentoring group. TCPP helped her overcome the struggles she was facing which is why she now is a partner of the TCPP. She believes her story and experiences will be able to help guide youth to become the best versions of themselves.
The City Peace Project exists to empower youth to thrive in every sphere of life. Through personal mentorship, TCPP promotes life altering values and skills that equip students to cultivate lives marked by love and peace.
To witness a generation empowered and transformed by active love, hope, & peace.
TCPP provides personal mentorship that emphasizes essential disciplinary skills, fosters consistent accountability, and instills character defining values in youth.