Edie Darling: Ambassador of Peace

posted on Aug. 09, 2023 at 2:26 pmAugust 9, 2023

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Edie Darling is an Ambassador of Peace.

“I’ve always believed we can have a peaceful way of living,” she says. “An Ambassador of Peace supports unity and justice for all.”

Edie Darling is a retired law enforcement sergeant and former Senior Chaplain in the Department of Detention and Corrections. She has dedicated her life and served the citizens of Pinellas County for nearly three decades in the law enforcement field. Her commitment to people and the community has extended beyond that field. She’s an author, spiritual leader, motivational speaker, humanitarian, and most of all an Ambassador of Peace.

She’s also the founder of 3 is Enough, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and formerly the radio show host of Wake Up with Edie Darling, a syndicated podcast. Her show strived to bridge the gap between communities and law enforcement by proactively bringing communities, leaders, citizens, and law enforcement together at a round table of peace to address issues that impact communities negatively, impede the safety of all, inhibit investigations, and hamper police relations.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”

― Jimi Hendrix

“God called me into the law enforcement profession as a means to understand what was needed,” she says. When she was just a child, her two older brothers were robbed at gunpoint just outside their home. A Caucasian police officer came to their house to take a police report and Edie witnessed with her very own eyes the officer treat her family with utmost respect. His actions were counter to the stereotypes that her community was accustomed to witnessing. She grew up learning, she should run every time she sees the police as their sole mission was to take blacks to jail, experience police brutality, calling them racial epithets, telling you to sit down, and shut up, and treating them inhumanly or even killing them.”

However, before the Caucasian police officer left, he shook everyone’s hands and when he shook Edie’s hand, she felt something – a torch of some sort pass to her – after the handshake. She wanted to do what he just did, change lives forever. Afterward, she told her mother she knew what she wanted to be when she got older … a police officer. “Going into law enforcement for me was my way of bringing justice to those who deserved it,” she added. “I wanted life to be peaceful for all people.”

“Peace is always beautiful.”

― Walt Whitman

“Look at George Lloyd,” Edie says. “A human life was being taken right before our eyes. He was handcuffed, held down, and strangled. He just happened to be an African American man. You are innocent until proven guilty. He wasn’t allowed to be brought to justice to be tried by a group of his peers in court. He was murdered at the hand of those who took an oath to serve and protect.

“There is now seemingly a push to identify illegal aliens, to identify people purely by the color of their skin. We need to address matters peacefully. Not demonize groups of people. We need to bring parties to the table on both sides and come to a peaceful resolution to move forward together. We need to oppose injustice to humanity.”

“Mother Teresa and Princess Diana brought hope. Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life. He spent 27 years in prison. He was fighting against apartheid and when he got out of prison he ran for president [of South Africa]. He was not bitter but willing to be an agent of change who was willing to work alongside those who was considered the oppressor. My passion is to bring humanity back together as one. Everyone’s common issues are different, but how do we collaborate? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘A riot is a cry of the unheard.’ My job is not only to build communities but give a voice to the voiceless and to support the inalienable right of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as defined in the Constitution of the United States of America.

“This is not about me. I care for you because I love you as a member of the human race which goes beyond religion, national origin, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural dynamics, or political affiliation. I love you because you are my brother, you are my sister and what negatively impacts you, impacts me.”

“There is no ‘way to peace,’ there is only peace.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

As a spiritual leader – Edie has brought all cultures together peacefully, side by side dispelling myths that diverse cultures and ethnicities could not work together for the common good. Edie envisioned what many could not see. “We are a family, brothers, and sisters who are related as members of the human race. That is our bond and when we can see each other as family, we come to realize that what oppresses one of us, oppresses us all.”

Citizens in Pinellas County joined Edie Darling, Ambassador of Peace for a Peace Walk throughout the Lealman community.

As one who is committed to the mission of peace, wherever or whenever there is a disconnect, Edie brings a humanistic approach that honors the totality of any person, group, business, organization, government, and or community. This begins with communication and opportunities for meaningful dialogue, healing solutions with love, and compassion, free from judgment and assumption builds trust. She assists all willing and concerned stakeholders who feel their voices are not being heard, to be heard. She equally assists them in structuring mutual respect, positive focused solutions, and results through peaceful processes and practical peaceful approaches that are mutually gratifying.

The work Edie does is not limited to our local communities but can be replicated nationally, as well as internationally. She does not go into a community to take over but helps each unique community identify key players whom they feel reflect the true tapestry of their community. Those individuals will be trained, equipped, and released into their God-given purpose as agents of change.

Hillsborough County community leaders with Rise Up For Peace, Johnny “Jay” Johnson and Ms. Patricia Brown unite with One Voice One Sound

For her efforts as a law enforcement officer, community leader, activist, Senior Chaplain, and Pastor, Edie received the Key to the City of St. Petersburg, received distinguished recognition as a First Lady in African American History by the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum, and was recently recognized as the Keynote Speaker and Grand Marshal for the City of Tarpon Springs Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.

Edie Darling Ambassador of Peace honored as the Grand Marshal and Keynote Speaker at the 2023 City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration.

Edie Darling Ambassador of Peace was a speaker at 2022 New Hope Church SOAR Women’s Conference.

The City of Tampa Police Department also extended gratitude for her outreach efforts that created a concept of unity addressing the impact and aftermath of COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd, and increased violent crimes within the city’s most economically challenged communities. To that end, what she initiated has become an ongoing collaborative relationship between communities and law enforcement.

Edie Darling Ambassador of Peace with City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor

In addition, Edie has received innumerable letters of recommendation to receive a Presidential nomination as a United States Ambassador at Large – Ambassador of Peace. A position that does not currently exist but is vitally necessary, now more than ever, with the ever-increasing acts of violence threatening the safety and wellbeing of all.

Edie needs the support of city leaders, government officials, elected officials, organizations, and all those who are willing to use their collective voices locally, nationally as well as internationally ensuring this endeavor gets placed in the hands of those who can present it to the President of the United States.

Sgt. Taurean Mathis, Edie Darling and City of Tarpon Springs Chief of Police Jeff Young

Some of those who have written letters of support include:

Former Pinellas Board of County Commissioner Ken Welch
Pinellas Board of County Commissioner Charlie Justice
Former Mayor Rick Kriseman City of St Petersburg
Former St. Pete Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin
Former City of St. Petersburg City Council Members Gina Driscoll, Lisa Wheeler- Bowman & Amy Foster
Former Mayor Chris Alahouzos, City of Tarpon Springs & former City Commissioner Connor Donovan
Former Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association, Inc., President George Lofton
Former Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter
Former Tarpon Springs Police Chief Robert Kochen
Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway
City of Gulfport Police Department Chief Robert Vincent
City of Clearwater Council Member Kathleen Beckman
Former City Manager of Clearwater William B. Horne, II.

Former United States Congressman (FL-13), Charlie Crist said in a letter addressed to Edie Darling, “Your relevant professional experience, as well as your faith and passion for helping others, has made you an excellent candidate for this position. You would be an asset to America’s foreign policy team and are more than capable of assisting with our mission of achieving peace domestically and abroad.”