TKF (Tariq Khamisa Foundation) was formed in 1995 after Tariq Khamisa, a 20-year-old SDSU student, was senselessly shot and killed while delivering pizzas. His assailant was a 14-year-old gang member named Tony Hicks. Believing that there were “victims at both ends of the gun”, Azim Khamisa, Tariq’s father, reached out in forgiveness to Tony’s grandfather and guardian, Ples Felix, to begin the process of healing. TKF is a non profit organization dedicated to breaking the epidemic of youth violence. Through TKF’s school-based nonviolence programs, Azim Khamisa and Ples Felix speak to elementary and middle school children about gangs, violence, revenge, and the importance of becoming “peacemakers”.
TKF’s Mission Statement
TKF’s mission is to transform violence-prone, at-risk youth into nonviolent, achieving individuals and create safe and productive schools.
TKF’s Vision Statement
A world free from youth violence
TKF’s Core Values
Core Values provide a living foundation on which to build TKF. Core Values are a guiding light used to illuminate our path. In difficult times and in difficult situations, Core Values provide direction. At times, Core Values are tough to adhere to. At TKF, we help each other live by these standards in all that we do.
Integrity – We behave with integrity
Integrity is defined as “soundness, incorruptibility and a firm adherence to a code of ethics.” Our integrity demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses in our character. People of integrity are honest and genuine in their dealings with others. People of integrity hold fast to their commitments, rather than their desires. We make many commitments to TKF, to ourselves and to our community. At TKF, we understand that at times these commitments are in conflict. At these times of conflict, we must work to remain steadfast to our true and deep commitments. We must bring these conflicts to the light and work with each other to resolve them. We strive to live a life of integrity.
Compassionate Confrontation – We believe in compassionate confrontation in a context of peace and respect
Confrontation is defined as “to bring face to face, to cause to meet, a clashing of ideas.” In the context of TKF, we believe in confrontation that occurs with compassion in order to achieve a higher understanding with mutually beneficial results. Compassionate confrontation requires compassionate listening. We understand that compassionate confrontation is a healthy ingredient to human interactions. Confrontation is honest. Confrontation creates opportunities for change. We embrace compassionate confrontation. We confront each other with a loving and compassionate intent.
Forgiveness – We forgive others and seek forgiveness
Forgiveness is defined as “the act of giving up of resentment.” At TKF, we see forgiveness as a process, starting with the acknowledgment that we have been harmed. Through this pain, we tap into the power of forgiveness, the release of resentment. Ultimately, we reach out with love and compassion to the offender. We forgive others when they have wronged us. We forgive others who have wronged someone else. We ask for our own forgiveness when we have wronged others. We will not harbor feelings of resentment after forgiveness. We acknowledge that we are all human and at times will fail in forgiveness. We help each other to forgive, to accept forgiveness and to accept each other through the process. We strive to forgive.