MPI Celebrates New Class of Graduates from the Metropolitan Peace Academy, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle Praises CVI Efforts

Metropolitan Peace Academy graduates are celebrated at their Fall 2025 graduation on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at the South Shore Cultural Center.

As Chicago closes out the year with historic declines in gun violence, Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) celebrated its newest class of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) workers to graduate from the Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA). The ceremony took place on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the South Shore Cultural Center.

The MPA is the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives’ premier multi-disciplinary training program, designed to streamline and strengthen the field of CVI. The Academy provides intensive and robust gun violence prevention training for street outreach workers, case managers, victim advocates, and trauma recovery specialists, in addition to community trainings for Chicago residents and police officers. 

Nearly 60 street outreach, case management, and victim service professionals walked the stage, representing Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) and other violence prevention organizations from around the city. MPI Director of Training Tina Cooper led the evening as emcee, recognizing the accomplishments of Case Management Cohort 10, Victim Services Cohort 5, Outreach Cohort 21, and Outreach Cohort 22.

In his opening remarks, MPI Executive Director Vaughn Bryant praised the graduates for their dedication over the last several months and commitment to keeping Chicago safe.

“What you’ve earned tonight isn’t just a certificate — it’s a deeper set of tools, language, and confidence to show up in tough moments, with skill and compassion,” Bryant said. “As you know, this work takes more than knowledge — it takes heart, discipline, and a commitment to people that doesn’t turn off at 5 o’clock.

“We honor not only what you’ve accomplished at the MPA, but who you’re becoming — leaders our communities can count on.”

Bryant also took time to acknowledge CP4P, which is approaching its 10th anniversary. Since 2017, the coalition of 15 community-based organizations serving 28 Chicago neighborhoods has played a significant role in helping to reduce shootings across the city. In fact, Chicago is experiencing four years in a row of declining gun violence for the first time in two decades.

Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle served as the evening’s keynote speaker, delivering a message of gratitude for the graduates’ efforts in advancing CVI. Earlier this year, her office approved a $20 million budget for CVI, which will help serve more people and save more lives.

Cook County Board of Commissioners President Toni Preckwinkle delivers the keynote speech at the Metropolitan Peace Academy’s 2025 Fall graduation.

“We see it in the data: arrests, shootings, and homicides are all down. Every day, you are supporting our most vulnerable neighbors and connecting people to what they need to rebuild their lives — housing, employment, trauma-informed care, and stability,” President Preckwinkle said. “You understand that safety grows when people have support and opportunity. To do this work requires deep knowledge of your community and an extraordinary combination of resilience and compassion.

“[…] From our end, Cook County will continue to show up through funding, through partnership, and through policies that advance safety, equity, and justice.”

Throughout the evening, several reflection videos played as graduates spoke about their experiences at the MPA and their personal motivations for serving their communities.

“I’ve lost loved ones to violence across the city. I want to help change lives,” said Najawa Stith, a trauma outreach worker at Advocate Trauma Recovery Center. “I want to help people who look like myself. And representation matters, so I just want everyone to know that they can come from these neighborhoods, come from the struggle, and make an impact on people’s lives too.”

Dr. Vanessa Perry DeReef, Chief Training Officer at MPI, closed the evening by thanking the graduates for their tireless work in helping to protect Chicago residents.

“You will leave out those doors as leaders in a movement that is changing the trajectory of our communities,” Dr. Perry DeReef said. “You are all well-equipped to bring solutions and real change to our neighborhoods with your wealth of knowledge, lived experiences, and commitment to keeping Chicago safe.”

To date, 681 CVI professionals have graduated from the Academy.

Learn more about the MPA here.