LOVE - "Leave Out Violence"
(Monday, November 14, 2016)

PROJET  ​L O V E -  "LEAVE OUT VIOLENCE"
Photos of the evening:  © 2016 By: John Zimmerman
​LOVE’S STORY
 
LOVE is a non-profit organization based in Montreal and founded by Mrs. Twinkle Rudberg in 1993. Following her husband’s murder by a 14-year- old boy, Twinkle became convinced that the young perpetrator was himself a victim of violence. Thus, LOVE was born. The organization has made a significant impact on youth aged 13 to 19 by helping them end the cycles of violence in their lives and by training them to become leaders in violence- prevention within their communities. LOVE’s programs have been enthusiastically endorsed by schools, government, community organizations and corporations who believe in the immense potential of our youth. Over the last 20 years, LOVE has launched programs in Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver.
 
LOVE’S VISION
 
To   inspire   youth   to   build   a society free of fear and violence. LOVE believes that youth offer concrete reality-based solutions to their own problems and that changes in youth  attitudes  and  behaviours are best made through peer-to-peer communication. This approach gives participants the ability to change themselves, while also building the capacity to help others.
 ​
MEDIA ARTS PROGRAM (MAP)
 
MAP gives youth the tools they need to depict their experiences with violence through photography, writing and group discussion. Through the lens of a camera, youth articulate the impact of violence on their lives and explore positive alternatives.  They are supported and supervised by qualified professional, sometimes for several years.
 
MAP allows participants to build self-esteem by highlighting their achievements and sharing them with the community. They also develop critical thinking about the world around them.

Pierre G. Couture, the executive director of the LOVE in Quebec, and representative youth from the MAP program will speak about how photography is not only a tool for change but has become a means for youth to develop their creative talents, find their voice and discover new life paths.
 
“I started MAP in 2012, and I have met so many interesting people since then. They have showed me a world with more diversity and less darkness.” Sacha C.,19.