Drums No Guns Foundation
Drums No Guns (DNG) Foundation is a local program in Richmond, Virginia, with a global footprint. DNG helps people of all backgrounds unpack the root causes of violence, resolve conflict, and facilitate healing through drum circles, performances, workshops, edu–concerts, and interactive art experiences
IPHI is a proud supporter of Drums No Guns (DNG) Foundation. Since 2023, IPHI helped DNG with its Massive Resilience Program.
The program is a school-based restorative justice initiative to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-freedom pathway. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School (MLK), located within the East End, one of Richmond’s most socially vulnerable communities, serves as the central hub of a connected ecosystem for restorative justice and healing centered engagement. This emerging school-to-freedom pathway includes three elementary schools, one middle school – MLK, one high school – Armstrong High School, and one university – Virginia State University.
To date, the Massive Resilience Program has supported more than 1,000 students in the area.
For more information, visit:
- Massive Resilience Program Evaluation Report
- Freedom Mural event flyer
- Rhythms for Justice event flyer
- Massive Resilience Program process charts
Funder Acknowledgment:
- Richmond Memorial Health Foundation
- Richmond & Henrico Public Health Foundation, Health Equity Fund
To learn more about Drums No Guns Foundation and how you can work with this initiative, please contact Lauren Ruiz at [email protected].