Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

06/16/2026

“You cannot separate young people from what you’re trying to do for them. You have to include them,” Diane Latiker of Kids Off The Block, Inc. (KOB) states. Meet the next 2026 Illinois Peace Project Peace Portraits honoree!

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

06/12/2026

"Sometimes, just the nature of being young, is you're gone participate in high-risk behavior. That's a normal thing. So, we as adults have to put some parameters around that, so our presence curbs their behavior," Vaughn Bryant said on teen trends. via ABC 7 Chicago https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-police-department-setting-emergency-assistance-center-cornell-square-park-mass-shootings/19263600/

06/12/2026

What an incredible evening! Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for the 2026 Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA) Spring Graduation as we celebrated a new class of leaders dedicated to building safer, stronger communities through Community Violence Intervention. Congratulations to all of our graduates! Stay tuned for a full event recap and video highlights coming soon! Learn more about the MPA https://metropolitanpeaceinitiatives.org/metropolitan-peace-academy/

06/11/2026

June is , a time to honor survivors and support efforts to end gun violence. Organizations across Chicago are hosting events throughout the month. Find ways to get involved and show your support:

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

06/09/2026

Meet Illinois Peace Project Peace Portraits honoree Tavares Harrington, Outreach Supervisor for the Austin neighborhood at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Harrington is an integral part of building peace on the West Side, managing more than a dozen outreach workers who de-escalate hostile situations, provide case management services, and support those most vulnerable to gun violence.

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

06/09/2026

June is National ! Last week Metropolitan Peace Initiatives , Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P , Illinois Peace Project and other organizations came together in strong support of the 13th annual Strides for Peace Race Against Gun Violence in downtown Chicago.

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.

06/09/2026

“We want [young people] to have a good time in public spaces...We just want them to do it in a safe way.” LISTEN NOW: How Chicago is Responding to Teen Takeovers, our latest episode of Streets, Beatz & Peace Podcast with Metropolitan Peace Initiatives Executive Director Vaughn Bryant and Chicago Police Department Director of Community Policing Glen Brooks.

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.

06/09/2026

"The difference between life and death is often measured in minutes of transport time and the presence or absence of a Level 1 trauma bay" 'After Historic Drop in Homicides, Chicago Sees Shooting Surge — Study Reveals Impact of Trauma Care Access'

Through the first four months of 2026, Chicago recorded 130 homicides — up from 120 during the same period in 2025 — and 421 total shootings, a 5% increase over last year's pace.

06/08/2026

"While shootings have declined from their peak in 2021, the South and West Sides are still struggling with everyday violence, and some parts are seeing their numbers creep up." 'Some Chicagoans Worry the Urgency Around Violence Is Fading — Even as Shootings Are Ticking Up in Certain Neighborhoods' via The Trace //www.thetrace.org/2026/06/chicago-gun-violence-south-west-side/

chicago gun violence

06/08/2026

We're so excited for the Metropolitan Peace Academy Spring 2026 Graduation this Thursday! Our keynote speaker is Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Andre and we have Zion Ali Music as our musical guest.