CURE Violence VIBE - Woodland Hills

08/31/2026

08/26/2026

https://www.wpxi.com/video/community-group-gathers-east-pittsburgh-discuss-ways-end-gun-violence-after-deadly-shooting/12b31027-b8f9-46bc-9bd7-96d0fbf4f375/

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08/23/2026

https://www.thetrace.org/2026/08/new-york-city-cure-violence-research/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_campaign=trace-branded&utm_content=edit-promo

For more than a decade, New York City leaders have prioritized public health strategies to prevent shootings.

08/21/2026

Salute to our CURE VIOLENCE brother for always being a supporter and voice for our movement and communities …and he’s a great and talented Actor!
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine

The Power of "Pay It Forward" Leadership A scene from The Chi popped up on my feed recently, and it served as a powerful reminder of how sustainable community and business growth actually work. In the clip, a young man mows an elder’s lawn simply because she’s in the hospital. Her grandson notic...

08/16/2026

08/16/2026

WORK PITTSBURGH and The Development of the Radical Workforce!

From 2014-2016 -In the cavernous, high-ceilinged bays of an old Pittsburgh warehouse on the South Side—where massive steel trusses loom overhead and wooden framing begins to take shape—something revolutionary was born with the help of Longtime Pittsburgh City Councilwoman and former Council President Theresa Kail-Smith. This was the home of WORK Pittsburgh, a breathtakingly ambitious two-year initiative that proved that second chances are not just charitable sentiments, but sound business investments.

As its Co-founder and Co-creator, Lee Davis, envisioned, WORK Pittsburgh wasn't just a job program; it was a movement designed to rebuild lives. Using the photos of the team and their building process as a backdrop, this story is one of vision, grit, and hope.

The Radical Workforce
When the doors opened, the response was overwhelming: over 200 applications flooded in for just 12 positions. WORK Pittsburgh intentionally sought out those whom society had often written off—primarily, but not limited to, ex-offenders, alongside military veterans and individuals with disabilities. In Lee Davis's own powerful words, the organization stood firmly on the belief that "ex-offenders" and those with “colorful backgrounds”have unlimited potential, skills, and talents. They challenged the stigma of "high-risk" hires, betting instead on raw human resilience.

A Hand Up, Not a Handout
More crucially, the program dismantled the barriers that usually hold vulnerable populations back: Working with retired members of the skilled trades,they provided paid-for work gear, boots, bus passes to eliminate transportation issues, and a dedicated case manager to help navigate any personal hurdles. It was a systemic embrace, built on the motto, "A Hand Up, Not a Handout."

The commitment was profound: as the 12 team members completed each construction phase, they received pay raises. And at the end of that two-year period, they didn't just leave with a certificate—they became entrepreneurs and stakeholders in their own community.

Recognition and Legacy
WORK Pittsburgh's unique model didn't go unnoticed. The initiative was visited by judges,heads of probation and parole,politicians and supported by county council.Media coverage was vast and the initiative received the prestigious GoodWill "Power of Work" Award—a testament to its life-changing impact. The photo of the proud, smiling team alongside former Steelers great Tunch Ilkin(Rest In Peace)captures the joy of that moment perfectly.

To cities, states, and nations looking for a blueprint to combat recidivism and poverty: look at this story. It is undeniable proof that anything is possible. As Lee Davis says, this venture served as a model to "help change and transform people's lives concretely." It is a legacy of hope.

08/06/2026

PAY ATTENTION: A notable trend is unfolding in public safety: government agencies are moving beyond simply funding community-based violence prevention to formally integrating, standardizing, and even absorbing these grassroots efforts into official departmental structures.

This represents a significant shift from the traditional approach, where community violence intervention (CVI) programs operated independently. Here’s a breakdown of the trend, its drivers, and the tensions it creates.

The Trend: Institutionalization and Bureaucratization

Rather than a hostile takeover, this is often described as a process of institutionalization and bureaucratization. Cities are creating new, permanent government departments to house and coordinate these efforts.

· New Departments and Budgets: Kansas City launched a Department of Community Safety with a $20 million budget, while Chicago advocates are pushing for a Department of Gun Violence Reduction with a proposed $100 million budget.
· Elevated Status: New York City created a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety to oversee a new Mayor's Office of Community Safety, aiming to give prevention efforts more political weight.
· Standardization: In Philadelphia, the Office of Public Safety launched the "Peacekeepers Institute" to provide uniform training for outreach workers, creating consistency across a previously "patchwork" system.

Why Is This Happening?

· A "Public Health" Paradigm Shift: Violence is increasingly seen as a public health issue, leading to proposals to place prevention under human services—like a proposed federal Division on Community Safety within the Department of Health and Human Services.
· Federal Funding as a Catalyst: Massive federal investment, like the $250 million from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, made it possible for cities to scale up and embed these programs permanently.
· Reaction to Federal Instability: Ironically, the trend has accelerated as the Trump administration cut federal CVI funding and redirected it to law enforcement. To protect these programs from political whims, cities are pushing to codify them into permanent departments that are harder to dismantle.

The Tensions: Loss of Grassroots Agility?

While this integration brings stable funding and legitimacy, it also raises significant concerns:

· Risk of Bureaucratization: The very qualities that make CVI effective—trust, flexibility, and deep community roots—could be stifled by government red tape.
· Loss of Autonomy: There is a fear of "mission drift," where CVI programs might be forced to align with law enforcement priorities, eroding the trust they've built with communities often wary of police.
· Political Vulnerability: These programs remain at the mercy of shifting political priorities, as demonstrated by the federal funding cuts that created the instability they are now trying to escape.

Examples of the Trend in Action

City Action Key Detail
Kansas City, MO Created a Department of Community Safety Unifies violence prevention and reentry services
New York, NY Created a Deputy Mayor's Office for Community Safety Elevates violence prevention to high-level city government
Philadelphia, PA Launched "Peacekeepers Institute" Standardizes training for the city's violence interrupters
Chicago, IL Proposed a Dept. of Gun Violence Reduction Aims to replace the mayor's office with a permanent department
Federal Level Proposed Division on Community Safety within HHS Would shift violence prevention to a public health framework

In essence, the U.S. is moving toward a new model of public safety that formally integrates community-led prevention into the government's official portfolio. The success of this trend will depend on whether government institutions can absorb these grassroots programs without losing the community trust and flexibility that make them effective.

07/30/2026

We are excited to announce the Up-Coming launch of the National Association of Violence Prevention Workers (NAVPW). 🛡️

For years, the professionals on the frontlines—domestic violence advocates, youth outreach workers, sexual violence educators, and violence interventionists—have carried the weight of our communities. They face high rates of burnout, vicarious trauma, and professional isolation, all while navigating low pay and a lack of standardized training.

We are building a unified voice to change that.

The NAVPW is dedicated to tackling the industry’s biggest hurdles:
🔹 Burnout & Secondary Traumatic Stress
🔹 Lack of Standardized Training/Certification
🔹 Low Pay & Lack of Benefits
🔹 Professional Isolation
🔹 The need for a unified advocacy voice
🔹 Networking & Best Practice Sharing

This venture would not be possible without the steadfast support of the Pittsburgh-based Sommer Law Group and several retired union presidents. Their critical resources and advocacy are instrumental in protecting those who safeguard our communities. At the helm is founder Lee Davis—a highly respected violence prevention pioneer and regional thought leader—who is widely credited as one of Pittsburgh’s original architects of the "Street Outreach" model.

To the credible messengers,managers, program directors, and supervisors: we see you, and we are here to support you. Follow us to join the movement and help shape the future of this essential field.



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Providing support, resources, and advocacy for the professionals in the field because workers face high rates of burnout, vicarious trauma, and unique professional challenges.
For
Frontline staff,Supervisors,Managers,and Outreach Workers