"I have a very simple, easy, all-consuming, impossible charge with which to charge you. Work, in whatever work you do, to stop the weeping...to heal the wounds of the human family." B. Davie Napier, June 1972

When Davie Napier spoke these words as part of his commencement address to students at Stanford University, he was widely known across the United States as a major prophetic voice in the land. Over the previous twenty-four years, Davie and his wife Joy had been deeply influential teachers and mentors to legions of students, first at Yale, then at Stanford.

Throughout their lives, the Napiers were thoughtful activists for racial justice, human rights, peace and the environment. Through them numerous students and colleagues were introduced to the biblical vision of a world transformed, where justice, mercy and peace prevail throughout God's creation.

Joy and Davie were also known and loved for the way they opened their home to thousands of students, colleagues and friends for unforgettable times of laughter, music and life-shaping conversation.

The Napiers spent their last two decades as residents of the Pilgrim Place retirement community. Shortly after Joy and Davie's deaths, their friends set out to find an appropriate way to honor the memory and continue the legacy of this remarkable couple.

Accordingly, we - friends of the Napiers, residents of Pilgrim Place and members of the Napier family - have established the two-part Napier Initiative:

The conferring of annual Napier Awards for Creative Leadership, which will identify and nurture outstanding leadership by college students in the quest for a just, peaceful and sustainable world. Presenting two $10,000 Awards and matching students nominated for the Awards with Pilgrim Place mentors will be the high points of a program undertaken in 2011-2012 by Pilgrim Place in collaboration with the five Claremont Colleges.

The establishing of the Napier Center for Creative Change, in the middle of the Pilgrim Place campus, which will serve as a gathering place for dialogue, prayer and fun. This building, originally serving as Pilgrim Place’s administration building, is now being transformed into the new community activity center. Meeting high environmental standards, it is one of three LEED-certified buildings at Pilgrim Place—an achievement unmatched among independent retirement communities in the United States.

We invite your support of this initiative which seeks $700,000 for the Napier Awards for Creative

Leadership and $500,000 for the Napier Center for Creative Change, a total of $1,200,000. As of Spring 2011,

we have raisedalmost 50% of our goal. Your support will help us bring the Napier Initiative to fruition.