UCAN’S REACH 21 program engages more than a dozen Black male youth ages 11 to 21 through mentorship, mental health support, job training, education, life coaching, and more.

Sixty years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic march through Chicago’s Marquette Park, marchers retraced the route to honor the event.

As summer breezes by, community organizations all across Chicago are setting students up for success as they prepare to head back for another school year.

“Credible Messengers” passes the mic to the people leading Community Violence Intervention (CVI) work in Chicago. From insights on how they got into the work to the future they envision for our city, they share their lived experiences and how they’re fostering change in their communities.

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives is hosting a job fair at the Metropolitan Peace Academy (2100 S Morgan St, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL) on August 5, 2026.

On July 15, the MPA welcomed research fellows from the Black and Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun Violence as part of the Collective’s professional development intensive in Chicago.

Calling all peacebuilders and changemakers: The application window for the 2027 Peace Portraits will open August 3, 2026.

Look back on the first six months of the year with Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) in our new video.

A recent film festival at the Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA) brought light and voice to CVI organizations across Chicago.

What does it take to create safer communities? According to leaders from Chicago’s philanthropic and civic communities, the answer starts with partnership.

Meet Peace Portraits honoree Nicole Reed, Executive Director of the Still Searching Project.

Community Violence Intervention (CVI) takes the spotlight in a series of new PSAs from The Ad Council that bring awareness to the life-saving work occurring in cities across the country.

Public Equity launched its Integrative Wellness Program which aims to empower its staff and reinforce their overall well-being by incorporating evidence-based medical and therapeutic practices.

WTTW reports that the city’s Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations continue to respond to violence this summer through street outreach, crisis intervention, and victim services.

UCAN Chicago, in partnership with Chicago CRED, held a Peace Walk and Light in the Night event to close out Gun Violence Awareness Month on June 26.

Meet Peace Portraits honoree Steven Perkins, Director of Field Instruction at Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI).

Meet Peace Portraits honoree Benny Lee, CEO and Founder of the National Alliance for the Empowerment of the Formerly Incarcerated (NAEFI).

Meet four new Metropolitan Peace Academy graduates as they look back on their training experience and the lessons they’ll carry into the future of their violence prevention work.

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) and other Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations at the South Shore Cultural Center to honor the newest graduates of the Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA).

On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Chicago’s leading Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations came together at “The Art of Peace: 10-Year CVI Anniversary Celebration & Expo” for an evening of reflection, education, organizational activations, community-building, and more.

Meet Peace Portraits honoree Diane Latiker, Executive Director of Kids Off The Block (KOB).

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives recently sat down with leaders representing several Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) organizations to get their thoughts on why Community Violence Intervention (CVI) is essential to improving Chicago’s public safety strategy. 

The Streets, Beatz & Peace Podcast is back with a special edition episode focusing on the recent rise of “teen trends,” and how Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations collaborate with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to make our streets safer this summer.

Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) and Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) came together in strong support of the 13th annual Strides for Peace Race Against Gun Violence in downtown Chicago.

Meet Peace Portraits honoree Tavares Harrington, Outreach Supervisor for the Austin neighborhood at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago (INVC).

A recent collaboration with the Lake County Peacemakers has been underway at the Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA), bringing county violence interrupters to the Pilsen training facility to share with and learn from Chicago’s Community Violence Intervention (CVI) network.

The Illinois Peace Project (IPP) celebrated the second year of the Peace Portraits digital storytelling series with a screening and cocktail reception on May 28, 2026 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

June is recognized as Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time to honor gun violence survivors and advocate to put an end to gun violence.

Leaders from Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) recently partnered with community-led collective “We Are Our Own Medicine” to host a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Activation Training, bringing together community members from various organizations to learn about engaging local CVI groups and building relationships.

Meet “Peace Portraits” honoree Luis Bahena, Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago (SC2) Outreach Supervisor at New Life Centers.