General

With May being recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, and specifically, May 15 being observed as National Trauma Survivors Day, there was no better time for leading voices in the community violence intervention (CVI) and restorative justice spaces to speak on the effects of trauma and the strength in healing.

It was all about the mamas as Claretian Associates hosted a “Mothers Appreciation Paint and Chat” on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at the South Chicago SALUD Center. The event was part of Communities Partnering 4 Peace’s (CP4P) Light in the Night initiative, a program aimed at reclaiming public spaces to empower communities.

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) leadership conducted a series of community violence intervention (CVI) training courses at the 2024 Professionalizing Law Enforcement-Community Engagement Training (PLECET) National Conference on May 2 and 3, 2024 in Atlanta. These interactive sessions brought in a host of law enforcement personnel, community leaders, researchers, and scholars from across the nation, all interested in learning more about CVI and how it can play an integral part in the public safety ecosystem.

The past and the present collided in a conversation on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, its lasting effects, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy as the Family Action Network hosted a panel discussion at Evanston Township High School on Monday, April 29, 2024. Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) Executive Director Vaughn Bryant reflected on how Dr. King’s vision continues to inform his organization’s efforts in combating gun violence across Chicago.

The neighborhood of Midway recently celebrated the grand opening of a new Pan de Vida, which translates to “Bread of Life”, location at New Life Centers. This marked a collaborative effort with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide food to thousands within the community. Born from a mother and daughter team in 2010, Pan de Vida, an open food pantry service, had the goal to feed those in need. With this expansion, Pan de Vida now proudly serves in four locations across the city, extending its reach from Humboldt Park to Little Village, Albany Park, and now Midway.

Influence and the power of a platform were the topics of conversation during a panel discussion on gun violence policy at the Community Justice Action Fund Policy and Advocacy Summit on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Washington D.C. The full-day event, which was followed by a lobby “action day” on Wednesday, served as an immersive training for community violence intervention (CVI) professionals, gun violence survivors, and policymakers to learn how to be effective advocates and communicate top priorities for policy change.

Community violence intervention (CVI) experts from across Chicago came together for a panel discussion entitled “Civilian Infrastructure for Public Safety” on Friday, April 12, 2024 at UCAN headquarters in Homan Square. Hosted by Leadership Greater Chicago, the conversation aimed to highlight how organizations such as the coalition of Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P), Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI), and Chicago CRED are playing their part in addressing gun violence.

The Illinois Peace Project invites you to join us for a CVI Rally Day in Springfield, IL on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 to help permanently fund the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RSPA), a comprehensive approach to violence prevention. A collaborative of CVI organizations, faith leaders, and community members will take the trip to make our voices heard.

Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) community violence intervention (CVI) professionals and representatives from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) met at the new Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA) for a CVI and CPD Professional Understanding session. The workshop was the first of two sessions in which both groups are seeking to foster mutual understandings of each other’s roles in the public safety. With the shared goal of reducing gun violence in Chicago, both parties worked to collaborate effectively.

Members of Chicago’s former community violence intervention organization CeaseFire, formerly known as Cure Violence, recently reunited, marking the organization’s historical contribution and its ongoing impact on gun violence prevention efforts. This significant celebration commemorated the enduring legacy of CeaseFire’s pioneering initiative established in 1995 to combat gun violence in Chicago.