It’s a Saturday morning on a hot August day in Madera, California. Laura and her three sons—Emilio, 15; Kevin, 14; and Carlitos, 12—rush to load banquet tables, flower bouquets, and other decorations into a large truck. Today the family will decorate venues for two events and deliver Laura’s homemade desserts for a third client. "Today is a good day," Laura says aloud. 

Jose Eduardo is the AFSC Lovelace Fellow with the Pan Valley Institute. He has collaborated with PVI for over a decade to advocate for access to education, health care, workers' rights, and better living conditions for Central California residents.

I was on the outskirts of New York City on September 11, 2001 when I got the news that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. My twin brother was in his office on the 85th floor. I tried to call him but couldn’t get through. 

The plane hit eight floors above my brother’s office. He ran down the stairs, stepping outside minutes before the building collapsed behind him. He is alive. Thousands are not. That day, I decided to dedicate my life to understanding what motivates violence.