Presented by the Safe Communities Institute at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy in partnership with Parents for Peace, a public health non-profit operating America’s only counter-extremism helpline for families.

As society grapples with the growing crisis of extremism, there is hope:
Inspiring voices and powerful grassroots tools, to help protect at-risk youth from radicalization. This unique teach-in is designed to educate parents, teachers, and students about both risks and resources. This event is an opportunity to learn about solutions for a public health challenge exacerbated by isolation during the pandemic.

Panelists will reveal their own journeys of being groomed into bigotry and share effective strategies to combat hate.

WELCOME: Melvin Bledsoe: Co-founder, Parents For Peace

PART 1: How Do Good Kids Become Supremacist Extremists?
MODERATOR: Dr. Erroll G. Southers, the Director of the Safe Communities Institute at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Arno Michaelis: Former White Nationalist leader who once led America’s most popular White Power band, before de-radicalizing and becoming a youth resilience advocate.
Mubin Shaikh: Former Muslim supremacist and Al Qaeda sympathizer, turned undercover operative, disrupting terror attacks.
Ahmed Patel: Brother-in-law of the 2005 London Underground bomber.

PART 2: Empowering Families & Communities as First Responders.
MODERATOR: Myrieme Nadri-Churchill: Executive Director at Parents For Peace.

Chris Buckley: An Afghan war veteran/former KKK member who has designed a de-radicalization program to exit extremism.
Mother of Antifa activist in Syria: The story of her son’s grooming into radicalization and the progress she is making to help him.
Average Mohamed: A Somali-American peace activist and educator, who develops cartoons to promote tolerance and enhance youth resilience.