Kneading Peace

What can the ancient, living art of baking sourdough bread teach us about transforming conflict, healing communities, and nurturing hope?

In Kneading Peace, Jenn blends the warmth of a kitchen with the complexity of global peacebuilding, offering a deeply personal and surprisingly practical meditation on what it takes to build peace in today's fractured world. Through the lens of "critical yeast"-a metaphorical and theoretical extension linking fermentation with social transformation-this book explores how seemingly small, intentional actions can create exponential, lasting change.

Drawing from years of experience in peacebuilding, the author reveals that the path to peace, like sourdough, demands patience, care, and the willingness to keep learning when things go wrong. From staying present in uncertainty, to reconceptualizing readiness, to recognizing that bridges are meant to be walked over, Kneading Peace invites readers to the edge, where the real work begins.

Whether you're a peacebuilder, an educator, or someone simply craving a more just and compassionate world, this book offers nourishment for the soul-and a recipe for hope.

"Kneading Peace is a beautiful and unexpected gift. Jenn takes the humble practice of baking sourdough and transforms it into a profound meditation on peacebuilding. With warmth and wisdom, she extends the metaphor of 'critical yeast' in more nuanced ways, illuminating deeply how small, faithful actions rise into exponential transformation. This book invites us to dwell in the slow, patient work of fermenting peace-where hope grows, even before we know it's ready. A nourishing, heartfelt contribution to the field and a companion for anyone committed to the long road of healing and change."

• John Paul Lederach, peacebuilder, professor, and author