About Us

Nonviolence Works! is a collective of peace activists from progressive, spiritual, and interfaith communities in the NYC area. We are connected to the Friends, Zen, DSA communities in NYC.

We sponsor an online conference for peace and nonviolence studies every year. We started in 2020, when we made history by bringing to the table leading American, Iranian, and Israeli peace activists, including Nader Talebzadeh, Father John Dear, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, and Kathy Kelly.

Sho-An Sander Hicks and friends helped develop the raw ideas in 2021 into the website “Nonviolence Works!” The new title came from the influential book Why Civil Resistance Works by Erika Chenoweth and Maria B. Stephan.

In 2025, we are celebrating the third anniversary of “Peaceful Lake, Powerful Mountain” our activist retreat at the Zen monastery Dai Bosatsu Zendo, high up in the Catskill Mountains.  Teachers include: Luisa Giugliano, Lo Nathamundi, Aharon Dardik and Sander Hicks.

Our Network:
Co-Founder Sho-An Sander Hicks is active in the American anti-war movement, Zen Studies Society, and Quaker communities, DSA Religious Socialism, DSA Electoral, and Brooklyn Democratic Party. He served as an active volunteer on successful DSA-endorsed electoral campaigns, including Zohran for Mayor, Valdez for Assembly, Mitaynes for State Assembly, and Aviles for City Council, among others.