Live In Peace, Inc.

Live In Peace, Inc. Live In Peace empowers our youth to reclaim the vision for their future. We operate in the same spirit of the village that birthed East Palo Alto.

We are a team of EPA community leaders, with over 150 years of collective youth development expertise, who function as extended family members to our students and to each other. Our programs provide students with academic skills, personal and professional development, artistic and cultural education, and access to a range of resources, all of which work together to ensure that they can overcome whatever obstacles they face and achieve their life visions.

A huge congratulations to our very own Gerardo Maldonado on his acceptance to San Jose State University! 🎉Rara has been ...
03/03/2026

A huge congratulations to our very own Gerardo Maldonado on his acceptance to San Jose State University! 🎉

Rara has been a cornerstone of our Bike Shop and continues to show up across Live In Peace—especially now through our College Initiative program. We're so proud of dedication, leadership, persistence, and heart and can’t wait to cheer him on as he begins this next chapter in the fall. The journey ahead is bright! 💛

Live In Peace Bike Shop X Palo Alto Black History Month RideWe love getting to connect our communities over cycling, lea...
03/02/2026

Live In Peace Bike Shop X Palo Alto Black History Month Ride

We love getting to connect our communities over cycling, learning about shared history, and honoring the Black History in both of our communities. A great event we look forward to every year and grateful for this partnership!

All month long, we’ve highlighted our Black college graduates — not just for earning degrees, but for what those degrees...
02/28/2026

All month long, we’ve highlighted our Black college graduates — not just for earning degrees, but for what those degrees represent.

Education has always been more than a milestone. It has been resistance. It has been access.
It has been a declaration that we belong in every room we enter.

From classrooms to courtrooms, from boardrooms to community spaces, our graduates are proof that legacy isn’t something we inherit — it’s something we build.

Black history didn’t end on the pages of a textbook. It lives in every application submitted. Every late-night study session. Every obstacle pushed through. Every first-generation graduate. Every dream that refuses to die.

As this month comes to a close, the work does not.

We will keep showing up.
We will keep learning.
We will keep building.
We will keep moving forward.

Because education is liberation. And our legacy is still unfolding.

Legacy looks like discipline, growth, and quiet excellence.Celeste Woods is the kind of leader who doesn’t just complete...
02/27/2026

Legacy looks like discipline, growth, and quiet excellence.

Celeste Woods is the kind of leader who doesn’t just complete tasks — she elevates systems, strengthens teams, and finds solutions where others see obstacles. Detail-oriented and deeply driven, she approaches every opportunity with professionalism, focus, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Her journey reflects steady growth earned through consistency. She has built a reputation for being reliable, analytical, and proactive — someone trusted with responsibility because she handles it with care. Whether managing moving pieces behind the scenes or supporting big-picture goals, Celeste brings structure, clarity, and intention.

What stands out most is her mindset: she is always learning, always refining, always striving to be better than she was yesterday.

Celeste represents a generation of Black professionals who understand that leadership is not always loud — sometimes it’s found in preparation, precision, and persistence.

This is Black History in motion.
This is excellence with integrity.
This is a living legacy.

Legacy looks like family, faith, and forward vision.Gustavo Morales Valdez, proud Afro-Peruvian graduate of University o...
02/27/2026

Legacy looks like family, faith, and forward vision.

Gustavo Morales Valdez, proud Afro-Peruvian graduate of University of California Merced, is building his path toward becoming a lawyer with focus and integrity. As another powerful sibling duo from our college program, Gustavo follows in the footsteps of his older sister—proof that legacy grows stronger when families rise together.

With plans to attend law school, Gustavo is committed to expanding his knowledge and experience in the legal field. His work within legal environments has required professionalism, neutrality, discretion, and the ability to navigate high-pressure situations with maturity and care. These experiences are shaping not just his résumé, but his character.

Beyond career goals, Gustavo is deeply faithful: to his family, his community, and his friends. He shows up consistently and carries himself with humility and strength. As an Afro-Peruvian man pursuing law, he honors his heritage while building a future rooted in justice and opportunity.

His journey reflects preparation, patience, and purpose.

This is Black History in motion.
This is family legacy in action.
This is a living legacy.

Legacy looks like growth and giving back.Eddie Gage is a proud graduate of University of California Riverside, and his ...
02/26/2026

Legacy looks like growth and giving back.

Eddie Gage is a proud graduate of University of California Riverside, and his journey reflects discipline, ambition, and heart. His foundation in dance began years ago with a challenge that still fuels him today: never aspire to be someone else, always strive to be better than the next version of yourself.

That mindset stuck.

More than a decade later, Eddie is still sharpening his craft, still pushing his limits, and still honoring the promise he once made to rise to the highest level of his artistry.

Today, he works with young people in Berkeley, teaching dance and helping them discover confidence, expression, and freedom through movement. For Eddie, dance is more than performance—it’s mentorship, structure, and self-belief. His long-term vision is to build his own dance company, creating space for the next generation to grow in both skill and character.

He represents what it means to evolve: from student to leader, from dreamer to builder.

This is Black History in motion.
This is discipline in rhythm.
This is a living legacy.

Legacy looks like starting early — and never stopping.Sharina Burnett is one of the originals. From the very beginning, ...
02/26/2026

Legacy looks like starting early — and never stopping.

Sharina Burnett is one of the originals. From the very beginning, she has been part of building something bigger than herself — and she continues to grow with intention.

Now married and the proud mother of a beautiful baby boy, Sharina is balancing family, career, and education with determination and grace. She currently works at a hospital as a Unit Clerk in the NICU, supporting some of the most vulnerable patients and their families during critical moments.

But she’s not stopping there.

Sharina is actively completing her prerequisites to enter a Sonography program — investing in her future and expanding her impact in healthcare. Her journey reflects resilience, discipline, and vision. She understands that growth sometimes happens in seasons — and she’s embracing hers fully.

Wife. Mother. Healthcare professional. Future sonographer.

Sharina represents what it means to evolve while staying grounded in purpose.

This is Black History in motion.
This is growth in real time.
This is a living legacy.

Legacy looks like sisterhood, scholarship, and showing up with joy.Taylor Duncan is a proud graduate of California State...
02/25/2026

Legacy looks like sisterhood, scholarship, and showing up with joy.

Taylor Duncan is a proud graduate of California State University Channel Islands, where she earned her degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Teaching and Learning and a sub-plan in Developmental Psychology.

As the older sister to another college graduate in our program, Taylor represents what it means to lead by example. Her journey reflects how one path can inspire another—how achievement can ripple through families and communities.

Currently based in the Bay Area, Taylor is channeling her creativity as a Social Media Content Manager, bringing energy and innovation to her work at New Creation Church. Through storytelling, digital engagement, and visual creativity, she builds community in new and meaningful ways.

Full of joy, vision, and heart, Taylor embodies both educator and creator, blending her passion for learning with her gift for connection.

Whether in the classroom, online, or in community spaces, she shows that education isn’t limited to one setting: it’s expressed in how we communicate, uplift, and inspire.

This is Black History in motion.
This is leadership through love and creativity.
This is a living legacy.

Legacy looks like courage — the courage to follow your own path, even when it changes.Kayla Pitre began her college jour...
02/25/2026

Legacy looks like courage — the courage to follow your own path, even when it changes.

Kayla Pitre began her college journey pursuing a degree in Medical Administration — a path grounded in service and structure. But as she learned more about herself and her gifts, she discovered her true passion lay in beauty, creativity, and connection. Instead of resisting that calling, she leaned into it — trusting her instinct and pursuing her dreams with faith and focus. 

Today, Kayla is a professional hair and makeup artist who has traveled and worked with incredible talent — including styling and doing hair and makeup for Gladys Knight — a milestone that reflects both her craft and her consistency. 

Her journey isn’t about abandoning one path for another — it’s about discovering where your gifts intersect with purpose and being willing to follow that intersection wherever it leads.

Kayla shows us that sometimes the best path is the one you grow into — not the one you start with.

This is Black History in motion.
This is creative courage.
This is a living legacy.

From the Black Panthers' Liberation Schools to MLK's call for critical thinking. From enslaved people learning to read i...
02/24/2026

From the Black Panthers' Liberation Schools to MLK's call for critical thinking. From enslaved people learning to read in secret to today's Black college graduates.

The through-line is clear: education has always been resistance for Black people in America.

Every Black person who educates themselves, who teaches others, who demands better for their community—they're part of this legacy. They're continuing the work.

Because an educated, conscious community is a powerful community. And a powerful community cannot be denied.

This Black History Month, we honor the legacy by living it.

Legacy looks like leadership — at home, at work, and in the community.Marshawn Garner, a proud graduate of Alabama State...
02/23/2026

Legacy looks like leadership — at home, at work, and in the community.

Marshawn Garner, a proud graduate of Alabama State University, represents the power of being first — and building forward. As part of the original group when LIP first launched, he was one of the first five students sent to college. He helped set the tone for what was possible.

Today, Marshawn is a sergeant in the Sheriff's Department in Montgomery, Alabama — a visible and trusted presence in his city. Whether you see him on the news, hosting college fairs, or organizing Halloween events through the department, he leads with integrity and pride. On a fast track for promotion, he continues to rise through the ranks, with his eyes set on yet another advancement this year.

But beyond the badge, Marshawn’s greatest title is husband and father. Married and raising five children, he is a devoted family man, a homeowner, and a steady example of what it means to show up fully. He spends his time investing in his children, his marriage, and the kind of life that creates security and opportunity for generations to come.

From first-generation college trailblazer to community protector and family leader, Marshawn is building a legacy that stands strong.

This is Black History in motion.
This is service with strength.
This is a living legacy.

Address

321 Bell Street
East Palo Alto, CA
94303

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