Shout out!

I came across someone over the weekend at an event that helps with READI Chicago, and we ended up talking about several different community programs in Chicago because I was curious how it's been going this year. Especially since many violence prevention programs wanted to scale up this year and maybe have been able to start that with more funding this year.

Shout out to READI Chicago, Communities Partnering 4 Peace, Chicago CRED, Youth Peace center, FLIP, Iman, Maafa, and many other community partners working directly with the young people most at risk to commit violence and/or be a victim of violence. So shout out to anyone reaching out in communities and making peace, safety and growth a priority! It shows that providing hyperlocal, trauma-informed services, mediating disputes, direct outreach, life coaching, counseling, education, and employment can changes lives.

I'm a huge believer that everyone everywhere can find some way to listen to, invest in, and help their community.

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sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

Thanks for posting this Scribs. So many cities need groups like these.

Scribbles · 36-40, F

@sarabee1995 Thanks Sara. Gun violence has been on my mind this morning in particular since I was feeling a little irrationally guilty after my own honeymoon and after seeing a picture of one of my childhood friends with his partner who were both killed by gun violence during their honeymoon in Las Vegas many years ago. He and his wife were amazing people. I don't miss them often anymore but when I do, I really miss them.

I'm hoping Chicago can continue to prove that focusing on improving lives in high-risk communities like this is the solution. Research has already shown that it works. But maybe five more years down the road more cities will focus on community programs rather then hiring more police to be ineffective, and imprison everybody. When they can catch them 30 percent of the time.

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