OUR HISTORY

OUR ORIGIN:

Founded in 1996, Men As Peacemakers (MAP) is a 501c3 non-profit based in Duluth, MN.

In the early 1990s, Duluth suffered a series of horrific domestic violence-related murders, and all of them had been committed by men. The community expressed its outrage, and a large group of citizens began efforts to decrease this violence. In meeting after meeting, the community members involved were almost always women. This seemed backwards. Men committed the violence, but women were shouldered with the responsibility of finding a solution.

In the fall of 1995,  a group of Duluth men decided to organize a retreat of male community leaders to discuss this problem and begin to develop a solution. They invited a diverse group of men in the community to discuss the role men have in preventing and ending violence. Fifty five community leaders - members of the American Indian and African American community, clergy, businessmen, academics, and others - responded to the call. This gathering ended with a commitment to develop strategies that would decrease violence against women and girls in our communities. Out of this, Men As Peacemakers was born.

TODAY:

Today, MAP is a local, statewide, and national resource for communities looking to develop and implement proven, innovative, community-centered strategies that address violence against women and children. Each year, MAP serves approximately 1,050 youth, engages 250 volunteers, and provides presentations, workshops and trainings to at least 10,000 people.