The story of a South Asian's involvement with a community center exploring spaces for non-violence.

Arun Sripati.

Another Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

Another young man of Indian origin working his way through the hoops and hurdles of making it in the professional world of the USA.

Another volunteer with the Johns Hopkins University chapter of Association for India’s Development – an organization committed to empowerment of the poor in India.

The story we want to share is his attempt to document and present the violence in Baltimore in another light – in the light of those tarnished as the criminals, of those who live in among the poorest neighborhoods in the USA, caught within the cycles of poverty and violence.

But this story is greater than the individual we highlight – it is the story of a young man from another culture, another country trying to find out how non-violence could provide a solution in an intensely violent environment.

On his website, Arun writes:

Baltimore actually consists of two cities. Have you been to the other one?

Young men like Chris Elser are the innocent victims of attacks by other young men. Why? Young men turn to drugs and crime when they should be energized with the eagerness to actualize their potential and change the world. Why? The only systematic response to crime is to heighten surveillance and keep everyone living in fear by posting security bulletins. Why? Men hardly hesitate to take another's life over a few dollars, or to "own" a block, or for supremacy in drug-dealing. Why? Things often become more important than people. Why? It almost feels uncomfortable to be confronted by these questions.

Like us, members of that community wondered why Arun wanted to know about this community, its problems and the solutions it is trying out. He says

The Rose street community center is located about six blocks away from the medical school. For my first meeting I setup an appointment to meet Mr.Clayton Guyton and Mr.Walker Gladden. Mr.Guyton was the founder of the center, and Mr.Walker was the youth coordinator. They were curious about what drew me to them. I explained to them that I had come there after hearing them speak at a Season for Non-violence event at Hopkins, and that I wanted to learn more. And I wanted the story to reach a wider audience. They welcomed the initiative. The material in this article is compiled largely from my first meeting with Mr.Walker, and in smaller measures from the other interviews. I have included them all here for clarity of presentation.

While this story is more about the Rose Street Community Center than it is about Arun, it is also a story of a member of the South Asian community trying to help local communities in dire situations find solutions in whatever ways he can.

What could be more important? After all, Gandhiji did say that you can only begin by working with your neighbor.