The peacebuilders of unRival Network see beyond the familiar logic of winners and losers—us and them. Instead, they ply the ground for change with music and dance, ritual and drama, movies and laughter, hospitality and shared meals. Their resolve and artistic care leads them into endless and beautiful creativity.
Our partners are artisans of peace, and their approaches work. They are transforming violent conflict into new forms of living. They are seeing through the storm to the rivalry, scapegoating, and self-justification that lies within—and to the human need for healing underneath it all. We invite you to join us in the un-rivalrous spaces we’re creating for the peace they are building.
We embrace our interdependence, celebrate each other’s successes, and grieve each other’s setbacks.
To be instruments of peace, we must sometimes admit when we have been obstacles to peace.
We offer each other the attention and life-giving listening that can transform rivalry into friendship.
No one is expendable. Every story deserves to be told and generously heard.
Each of us imagines a more just and peaceful future. Each of us contributes something unique to that coming reality.
We raise issues, address conflicts, take risks, and approach the future with open hands that don’t create victims.
A nonviolent way of life pursues economic, political, and social justice, practicing equity and restoring relationships.
We Accompany our network by documenting their successes and extending their capacities. We engage in practical research that sheds light on the intersections of peacebuilding and rivalry, and how this work contributes to durable change. We focus on better understanding those embodied practices that are succeeding on the ground, developing resources and best practices from these insights.
We Connect artisans of justpeace who feel alone in advocating for dignity and refusing to join in rivalry. We meet their longing for connection to others of like mind, and their desire to find rest with those who understand the power and difficulty of nonviolent action. We create safe, unrivalrous spaces for growth, nourishment, learning, and ideation.
Our central work is to tell and Amplify our network’s stories: narratives that erode belief in violence leading to peace. We bear witness to the powers of nonviolence being discovered by unheralded peacebuilders who are crafting sustainable peace in their communities. Such stories are often told from the margins, and they are rarely neat and tidy. We believe these “stories from below, told in beautiful ways” can inspire hope and undergird meaningful change.
Jason Ferenczi brings academic preparation in history and education into dialogue with organizational development, cross-cultural communication, and leadership studies. Jason previously served as a Program Director at Cornerstone Trust (2011-2020), a private, family foundation. He oversaw granting in leadership development around the globe, with a special focus in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Jason holds a master’s in history and a Ph.D. in education, although his greatest formation has come in the school of life, particularly travel in 130+ countries. He is the father of four middle- and high-school girls and lives in Grand Rapids.
Lyle writes widely on topics at the intersections of religion, literature, and popular culture. His essays, poems and stories have appeared in dozens of publications. He brings his love of learning, research, and storytelling to the unRival team, interviewing artistans of peace and amplifying their narratives while working to identify the analogies between their singular struggles and contexts. A member of the Colloquium on Violence & Religion, Lyle was also the 2017 winner of the Raymund Schwager Memorial Essay Prize, for his work comparing the philosophies of Rene Girard and Giorgio Agamben. He holds a PhD in English from Loyola University Chicago.
William Price, III tells stories through motion pictures and digital media. He is an award-winning writer-director-producer, actor, cancer survivor, and father of two. William has collaborated professionally with Grammy-winning bands, non-profits, startups, and healthcare companies as well as aid and justice organizations. His personal work reflects a darkly tinged spirituality that aches for transcendence and embraces the brutal tension between beauty and suffering; this spirit informs his efforts as a screenwriter, director, actor and creative director—forming pieces that often orbit around questions of identity, relationship, terror, and hope for mercy.
A native of Wisconsin, Jillian now lives in Durham, North Carolina. She worked for eight years in corporate finance. She enjoys music, art, baking, and spending time with her family.
The unRival Network draws together activists, nonprofit leaders, researchers, donors, and artists committed to nonviolence and justpeace. Our diverse connections form a deep well of learning and potential for change.