300 N. Mason Block Party
Safe & Peaceful grantee The 300 N. Mason Street Block Club celebrated its 41st annual back-to-school party. Community activists and elders provided school supplies and more than 150 backpacks for children, and the day was complete with food, games, and live entertainment courtesy of the Jesse White Tumblers.
Pullman Playground Built Amid a Newfound Peace
Sherman Scullark, a member of the Risky Road gang faction, reached out Detective Vivian Williams to let her know how tired he was of the violence marring Pullman, according to a recent Tribune story. Kids didn't play outside and they knew not to go to the basketball courts, a hotspot for rival gang shootings. He sought
READI Chicago Program in the New York Times
In the New York Times, Tina Rosenberg writes about the READI Chicago Program to help young men caught up in criminal activity find legal work. It's run by Heartland Alliance and is one of the four core strategies to reduce gun violence funded by the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities. Rosenberg, who founded Solutions Journalism Network, which
Peace Gardens Grow
As spring brings green, a back-to-back Safe & Peaceful Communities grantee illustrates all that can bloom from one planted seed Each Saturday, 15-20 kids showed up, ready to learn, play and get their hands dirty… ● "Beeology 101" taught them about how important bees are to the economy and ecology ● They imagined having fairies and pirates living in
From Exception to Norm
Chasing23's Darius Ballinger writes about how he's channeling pain to elevate potential I went through a lot growing up, had real pain: When I was five, my father died from a seizure; I'm the oldest of two, raised by a single mother. I spent most of my adolescent years in West Pullman. I didn't see black men
The Metropolitan Peace Academy: Professionalizing Street Outreach in Chicago
By Vaughn Bryant In Chicago, 764 people were murdered in 2016, a 58 percent increase over 2015. That number would have been even greater without the invaluable work of street outreach workers. In cities such as Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago, street outreach workers have been indispensable in diffusing violent situations, helping to prevent such situations from
Pilsen Peace March
Safe and Peaceful Communities grantee, Mujeres Latinas en Accion, hosted a peace march in Pilsen in response to the recent shootings in their community. Over 100 participants joined the march to show their solidarity for peace. They marched from Mujeres Latinas office on 2124 W 21st Pl to the Boys and Girls Club on 2157 W
One Corner at a Time
Tamar Manasseh and a group of volunteers put on hot-pink T-shirts, got their lawn chairs, some hots dogs, went to the corner of 75th Street and South Stewart Avenue and cooked dinner. That is how Manasseh, the founder and president of Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK), reclaimed one of the most violent corners in Chicago. After
A March for Peace in Pilsen
On Saturday, September 23rd, over 100 people gathered at the headquarters of Mujeres Latinas En Acción (MLA) for the Pilsen Peace March. Men, women, and youth marched in solidarity to promote peace and nonviolence for teens. Upon arrival, individuals gathered in the basement where they greeted their fellow participants and continued to prep for the day's
Live in the Spirit – Drum Circle for Peace
The rhythmic beat of African drums reverberated throughout Hamilton Park, 513 W. 72 ndStreet on Saturday, August 26th; and local youth were in the spotlight at a pulse-pounding "Drum Circle for Peace" program presented as part of this summer's Safest Summer 2017 Initiative "Praise in the Park." The musical extravaganza was part of a Back-to-School program that