Drums no guns
FounDATION
Drums no guns
FounDATION
about
drums
no guns
foundation
"Rhythm is universal. We use the drum to unite people of all ages, of all races,
to cultivate understanding
and healing.
We believe there is a universal heartbeat that connects us all."
Dr. ram bhagat
Founder & Director
Drums No Guns Foundation
how do we
heal communities?
Imagine our communities healed and whole. Imagine less violence, more peace, and more love.
For over 30 years, Drums No Guns has been driven to heal, uplift, and empower communities in the wake of gun violence. Through the power of world rhythm music and storytelling, we’ve opened doorways to help people unpack the roots of violence, repair harm, and facilitate healing to prevent future pain.
Our team heals by responding to community violence, creating physical and rhythmic spaces to process emotions – through drumming, dance and drama. We uplift by conducting workshops to help transform the common vision of justice – from a mindset of pay back to a journey of healing. We empower by helping community members create cultures of connection where they live, work and play.
Our facilitators are trained in mindfulness based restorative practices and our own approach: Massive Resilience — a philosophy and curriculum that merges the arts, education, culture and health to inspire community connection.
Drums No Guns Foundation has the firsthand knowledge, skills and expertise to address the collective trauma of gun violence. We have the experience and wisdom. We are here.
Let’s Do This! Healing Community Together.
CORE
OUR
VALUES
our core values
Rhythm
Rhythm is medicine, memory, and movement and restores balance.
healing
Replaces instruments of trauma into instruments of creative and communal expression.
youth justice
Young people are dignified as leaders, culture carriers, and creators.
connection
Drumming circles amplify collective participation over individual performance.
culture
Rhythm is a bridge between generations and drumming carries deep cultural histories and ancestral knowledge.
creativity & freedom
Music and rhythm are expressive art pathways to self-discovery and liberation.
“Use this space to share reviews from customers about the products or services offered.”
"I am the drum, you are the drum, and we are the drum. Where I come from we say that rhythm is the soul of life, because the whole universe revolves around rhythm, and when we get out of rhythm, that's when we get into trouble.
Drumming is the simplest thing that we can do to bring us together. The spirit of the drum is something that you feel but cannot put your hands on. It does something to you from the inside out . . . It hits people in so many different ways. But the feeling is one that is satisfying and joyful. It is a feeling that makes you say to yourself, I'm glad to be alive today! I'm glad to be part of this world!"
- Babatunde Olatunji
what people are saying
“Drums No Guns Foundation is a one-of-a-kind organization that grounds opportunities for strengthened mental and behavioral health supports for Black and Brown youth in community, lived experience, and cultural knowledge of wellbeing.
I've heard directly from students and parents of students about the positive impact DNG programs have on their maturity, self-determination, school performance, relationships, and more. It is a fantastic experience to work alongside DNG and its partners to implement, sustain, and grow programs centered in community healing and transformation.”
- Lauren Ruiz,
Institute for Public Health Innovation
what people are saying
“Drums No Guns (DNG) has created a sacred space where creative arts expression drives profound healing. Their unique approach trades destructive conflict for liberatory rhythm that fosters community solidarity and lasting peace.
Through their dedicated work in schools and the community, I’ve seen first-hand how DNG successfully equips youth to live into their FULL potential.”
- Dr. Carolyn Stauffer,
Generative Futures Consulting
what people are saying
“Drums No Guns Foundation has made a profound impact on our community by promoting nonviolence through the power of the arts. DNG’s innovative programs not only engage youth in creative expression but also foster dialogue around conflict resolution and peace. DNG inspires generations to embrace creativity as a means to build a safer, more harmonious environment.
I have witnessed the positivity and motivation that DNG rhythms play in giving our youth alternatives to violence.”
-Khari Branch-Nkabinde,
725 Arts & Culture
what people are saying
“As a drummer (Hand On Drum, Skin On Skin, Cuero En Cuero), I've been involved in the world of percussion for over fifty years. Through my journey of playing drums with various percussionists, I have witnessed and experienced the smiles and joy on the faces of drummers who I've come in contact with. There are certain feelings and a display of calmness, "No Stress" vibration, when a circle of drummers come together. Drums No Guns makes this happen: A Drum, Not A Gun, Brings People Together, Not Apart, For There Is A Purpose, To Celebrate Life, Peace and Love, Children of the Sun!”
-Kevin Davis,
BancaribÉ
what people are saying
“I met Dr. Ram Bhagat at a Mindfulness in Education Conference in 2015, and his passion and conviction for this work left a lasting impression on me. That connection led to Drums No Guns Foundation visiting the west side of Chicago, in a community calling out for rhythmic healing. Despite having no prior ties to the neighborhood, DNG showed up in a powerful way; bringing people together and even inspiring a local artist to create a mural rooted in that experience. What Dr. Ram Bhagat offers is beyond words. It is somatic, embodied work that calls forth the best in everyone who has the privilege of participating in this deeply meaningful ceremony.”
-Larissa Nikola-Lisa,
Arts Educator/Filmmaker
what people are saying
“In my personal world....DNG has merged the very two things that I enjoy greatly... entertainment and education!
Only topped by providing the opportunity to spread both!”
-Troy Petty,
Drummer
what people are saying
“Dr. B works creatively to address the ‘social arrhythmia’ of violence and trauma with groups and communities locally and around the world.
He invites us to restore collective rhythm through drumming, dance and drama, acknowledging the truth of history and the present while envisioning a present and future of self-actualization and connected community.”
- Dr. Katie Mansfield,
Dancing Resilience
what people are saying
“Dr. B and the Drums No Guns Foundation created a space for me to grieve, heal, and reconnect with parts of myself I didn’t even realize were carrying unprocessed trauma from gun violence. Through mindfulness, drum culture, and community, I found both release and renewal!
That healing unlocked the creative power that led to the birth of my Sankofa Circles Practice, which has become a powerful force in the field of restorative justice. My hope is that Drums No Guns continues to be a global sanctuary for healing, transformation, and peace.”
- LaToya Fernandez,
Graduate Student
what people are saying
“Drums No Guns is a powerful force for good. During a Youth Development Academy session, Dr. Bhagat brought his gift of facilitation into the space. With intention and care, he guided participants through a peace drumming circle that created room for honesty, reflection, and connection. His masterful approach helped us confront the breach directly while fostering understanding and accountability.
Participants left feeling heard, reconnected, and grounded in a renewed sense of trust. Drums No Guns doesn’t just bring people together—it helps communities heal and move forward together.”
- Valerie Slater, Esq.,
RISE for Youth
what people are saying
“As a teacher for 25 years, I have seen how the prevalence of guns among teenagers has resulted in tragedy, violence and permanent negative consequences for themselves and their communities.
DNG and the drumming with youth in Circles in public has resonated with me, and convinced me that communal healing is possible! And I hope that the whole world will be able to hear the message of drums no guns, and find peace and resolution to pursue healing and loving communities!”
- Eric Laurenson,
Science Teacher
what people are saying
"DNG continues to provide unparalleled restorative justice to all demographics by synchronizing the natural rhythms of drumming with the natural rhythm of your body!"
- ANDRÉS GONZÁLEZ
Holistic Life Foundation
what people are saying
impact&Reach
DNG
Drums No Guns Foundation has been fostering resilience and transforming communities for decades, with a vision of cultivating thriving ecosystems for all youth, by healing collective trauma caused by gun violence.
Through ‘Healing Community with Rhythm’ in relationship with programs like Richmond Youth Peace Project and the Ankraha Yoga Gardens, the DNG foundation keeps raising awareness about the impact of trauma from gun violence. While actively promoting peace, unity, and healing, Drums No Guns Foundation creates lasting impressions on generations past, present, and future.
More thaN
$250,000
in funding raised
More thaN
35
u.s. & global community collaborations
10,000+
people
directly impacted
we have
30+
years of
experience
DNG is On the map.
charleston, sc
houston, tx
Harrisonburg, VA
los angeles, ca
baltimore, md
rhinebeck, ny
Burundi
india
Switzerland
Brasil
rwanda
bali
Puerto Rico
jamaica
Colombia
martinique
St. Lucia
washington, dc
oakland, ca
Richmond, VA
denver, co
New Haven, CT
boston, ma
Hampton, VA
petersburg, va
danville, VA
dover, de
Virginia Beach, va
chicago, Il
new orleans, la
portland, or
newport news, va
Salisbury, MD
norfolk, VA
our
team
Our team at Drums No Guns is a creative and courageous collective of passionate advocates, educators, peacemakers, artists, social workers, physicians, yoga teachers, mental health specialists, public health practitioners, youth, public safety professionals, and changemakers, all united in the mission to curb gun violence trauma through collaborative community-focused healing.
From leading drum circles and mindfulness practices to nurturing partnerships and supporting innovative programs, led by our founder Dr. Ram, every team member contributes unique skills and perspectives, in the spirit of unity, resilience, and hope, as we develop effective strategies to address gun related homicides, suicides, intimate partner violence, and mass shootings.
Staff
-
Dr. Ram Bhagat
-
Kiran Bhagat
-
Crystal E. Gooding
-
Kamala Bhagat
Technical Advisors
-
Rashaad Bey, Esq.
-
Dr. Sionne Neely
-
Danielle Taylor
Board of Directors
-
Khari Branch
-
Hon. Nicole Jones
-
Eric Laurenson
-
Dr. Katie Mansfield
-
Valaryee Mitchell
-
Larissa Nikola-Lisa
-
Valerie Slater
We collaborate with a vibrant network of organizational partners, such as the Institute for Public Health Innovation, supporting our Massive Resilience Program – a school-wide restorative justice initiative to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-freedom pathway. We also partner with Happily Natural Day and Kinfolk Community on a school community garden with an Afro-Indigenous labyrinth, designed for community healing circles.
Our partners bring decades of experience to the realms of yoga, mindfulness, and trauma healing. We are working together with the Holistic Life Foundation, Flourish Agenda, and Urban Trauma, LLC to develop a national public health campaign to address Gun Violence Trauma in the most impacted communities.
We also have connected with restorative justice warrior/healers across the United States through the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ), especially Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY) and Youth & Families in Crisis, LLC to enhance our signature Richmond Youth Peace Project fellowship program. Our outreach extends globally, with partnerships reaching as far as India, where we work to mitigate violence and terrorism, Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, Cartagena, Colombia, and the Great Lakes region in East Africa, all united in our goal to break the cycle of trauma caused gun violence, genocide, and war, through the healing power of rhythm.
Partners
-
Armstrong Leadership Program
-
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding
-
Community Healing Network
-
Crater Health District
-
Flourish Agenda
-
Generative Futures
-
Happily Natural Day
-
Holistic Life Foundation
-
Initiatives of Change, USA
-
Institute for Public Health Innovation
-
Kinfolk Community
-
National Association of Community
and Restorative Justice
-
Restorative Houston
-
Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth
-
RISE for Youth
-
Run Richmond 16.19
-
725 Arts & Culture
-
Studio Two Three
-
The Well Collective
-
The Conciliation Project
-
Transformative Changes
-
Urban Trauma, LLC
-
Vishnu Mandir Ankraha
-
Youth & Families
in Crisis, LLC
Stakeholders
-
Eastern Mennonite University
-
Richmond Henrico Health Department
-
Richmond Memorial Health Foundation
-
Richmond City Public Schools (VA)
-
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School
-
Solomon Jefferson Restorative Justice Institute
-
Young Kings in Action
-
Young Queens in Action
-
UNESCO
-
Virginia Department of Health
our
partners
