Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission

King Teams
Young people across Arkansas join King Teams sponsored by local community-based organizations. They perform community service projects and pledge to a nonviolent lifestyle.

Community by community, they build - Arkansas youth united to make their community, state, and world a better place. That is the spirit and goal of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission King Teams Program. Youth from throughout the state are joining with their peers to build up their neighborhoods. The program gives youth an alternative to gang affiliation.

The King Teams Program helps empower youth to gain an appreciation for community service through teamwork. King Team involvement helps youth make choices that will have a positive impact on their lives . Service projects are a reflection of the talents and dedication of the team members. Tutorial programs, neighborhood clean-up, and feeding the hungry are examples of some of the projects. Regardless of the type of project, the central theme of the program always shines through-join together to build up the community.

The King Teams' community service work can build the bridges of unity and understanding between races and cultures and stimulate interracial cooperation. Each team must analyze its resources to determine what they can do in their community.

Program Goals:

Inspire youth to undertake community service projects and activities to help others.
Encourage youth to embrace nonviolence for settling disputes.
Provide youth with an alternative to negative influences.
Help youth realize and fulfill their ability to bring healing and hope to their families, schools and communities.

To be a King Team member, each youth must:

Sign a nonviolence pledge;
Commit to promote human equality;
Pledge to be drug-free; and
Perform Commission-approved community service projects.

Establishing King Teams:

Teams must be connected to an existing community-based organization, church, school, etc.
Team members must be between ages 12-19. For youth under age 12, projects must be operated through school.
Teams must consist of at least five members and a coach who shall serve as the Team's sponsor/supervisor.
The Coach must have proven leadership in the community and must be at least 21 years old.
Teams must submit a monthly report to the Commission.

Incentives:

Team members are part of a state-wide network of youth committed to building up their communities.
Members are given discounted rates to the "I Have A Dream" Arkansas Youth assemblies.
Members receive periodicals from the Commission.
Members are provided with King Team paraphernalia.
Outstanding teams will receive special honors/awards during the annual King Holiday celebration.

Six Principles Of Nonviolence

Principle One:	Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. It is active nonviolent resistance to evil. It is aggressive spiritually, mentally and emotionally. It is always persuading the opponent of the righteousness of your cause. It is only passive in its non-aggression towards its enemy.

Principle Two:	Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding. The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation. The purpose of nonviolence is the creation of the Beloved Community.

Principle Three:	Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice not people. Nonviolence recognizes that evil doers are also victims and are not evil people. The nonviolent resister seeks to defeat evil not people.

Principle Four:	Nonviolence hold that suffering can educate and transform. Nonviolence accepts suffering without retaliation. Nonviolence accepts violence if necessary , but will never inflict it. Nonviolence willingly accepts the consequences of its acts. Unearned suffering is redemptive and has tremendous educational and trans-forming possibilities. Suffering has the power to convert the enemy when reason fails.

Principle Five:	Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate. Nonviolence resists violence of the spirit as well as the body. Nonviolent love is spontaneous, unmotivated, unselfish and creative. Nonviolent love gives willingly knowing that the return might be hostility. Nonviolent love is active, not passive. Nonviolent love is un-ending in its ability to forgive in order to restore community. Nonviolent love does not sink to the level of the hater. Love for the enemy is how we demonstrate love for ourselves. Love restores community and resists injustice. Nonviolence recognizes the fact that all life is interrelated.

Principle Six:	Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice. The Nonviolent resister had deep faith that justice will eventually win. Nonviolence believes that God is a God of justice.