Few leaders have transformed pain into power with the magnitude and longevity of Dr. Erica Ford. A pioneer in community-led public safety, a visionary in youth development, and an architect of national and global movements, Dr. Ford has spent over 40 years building a legacy rooted in liberation, healing, and systemic transformation.
Raised in Southeast Queens, New York, and shaped by personal loss and systemic injustice, Dr. Ford’s path to activism began early. “By 20, I had already lived through more mass shootings than some countries,” she shares. But what might have silenced others, lit a fire in her. With guidance from the December 12th Movement and mentor Viola Plummer, she became a frontliner—rallying students across CUNY, confronting police brutality, and carrying the voices of Black and Brown youth to global platforms from the United Nations to Cuba, South Africa, and China.
When asked what values drive her, Dr. Ford responds, “Peace is not passive. It’s an active practice of justice, healing, and unity.” This philosophy powered her founding of LIFE Camp, Inc. (Love Ignites Freedom Through Education) and her role in co-developing the New York City Crisis Management System, a $100+ million initiative that redefined public safety and reduced gun violence through credible messengers and cross-sector collaboration.
Dr. Ford also shaped a cultural movement—fusing music with activism during the rise of hip-hop, collaborating with legends like Salt-N-Pepa and LL Cool J, and co-founding The Code Foundation with Tupac Shakur’s family. Today, her Peace Mobile and the global adoption of orange as a symbol for peace continue to ripple across borders.
Her latest achievement, The Peace Doctor’s Playbook: 365 Days to a Stronger, More Powerful You, is a personal and collective roadmap to transformation. “This work isn’t about fame—it’s about futures,” she says. And with every initiative, policy, and life changed, Dr. Ford is shaping a world that believes in peace—and builds it.
About Dr. Erica Ford
Dr. Erica Ford is a world-renowned peace advocate, transformational leader, and founder of LIFE Camp, Inc., a trailblazing organization addressing violence through education and community-led public safety. A pioneer behind the NYC Crisis Management System and the global Peace Mobile initiative, she has influenced national policy and trained generations of leaders. Her legacy includes co-founding The Code Foundation with the Shakur family and launching peace-centered campaigns embraced globally. Author of The Peace Doctor’s Playbook, Dr. Ford is a cultural and civic force turning vision into infrastructure and healing into movement.
