John Scardina has worked in multiple fields, including as a teacher, and as a psychologist, but his passion for decades has been around AVP - the Alternatives to Violence Project, Men's work, and the work of the Friends Peace Teams., where John is co-clerk of Peacebuilding en las Americas.

Like so many witnessing the immense suffering in Gaza, Cassandra Dixon wanted to do something to help the situation. Cassandra has made numerous visits to Palestine and has come to know many people there as personal friends, so she strongly felt the call to join the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, carrying thousands of tons of humanitarian aid for the starving people of Gaza.