MPI’s Senior Field Manager Billy “Bo” Deal Completes Degree, Profiled in Chicago Sun-Times

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) Senior Field Manager of Field Operations Billy “Bo” Deal was the subject of an incredible feature in the Chicago Sun-Times after earning his undergraduate degree in urban community studies from Northeastern Illinois University.

Deal is the first to complete his degree within MPI’s street outreach services. As a former gang member, he’s been working his way up the ranks of community violence intervention (CVI) organizations since getting out of prison in 2004.

“Without that degree, you hit that glass ceiling,” Deal told the Sun-Times. “I want to be at the table where people are making decisions about what is needed in our communities.”

Looking ahead, Deal will continue his work with MPI and Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P), a coalition of 13 community-based organizations focused on gun violence prevention across 27 Chicago neighborhoods. He also serves as co-host of MPI’s podcast “Streets, Beatz & Peace.”

Read the full article here.