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Urban Peace Institute

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Urban Peace Institute

UPI develops and implements policy and systems solutions to reduce violence and achieve safety.

Urban Peace Institute reduces and prevents community violence by applying a public health approach to understand the underlying reasons for violence and create innovative, holistic ways to change the conditions that lead to them. We provide technical assistance and training to communities throughout
California and across the country, supporting safety efforts to ensure that children can learn, families can thrive, and communities can prosper.

10/08/2026

On Tuesday, UPI co-hosted a Hug Act press conference celebrating how the newly signed bill, AB 1646, will impact incarcerated youth and their families in LA County. Supervisor Janice Hahn and Holly J. Mitchell introduced a motion (which passed!) to ensure the LA County Probation Department is prepared to immediately implement the Hug Act when it goes into effect January 1, 2027.

The Hug Act made history! In California, it was the first bill authored by currently incarcerated youth to pass all the way through the state legislative process. Nationally, the bill made California the first state to establish physical contact at visitation for juveniles as a right, not just a luxury.

Shoutout to Chevonda, Mark and Lawrence for using their voices to share what the Hug Act means for families like their own. Thanks to Isaac G. Bryan Hoops4Justice and all the co-sponsors for making this bill possible and to Liberty Hill for helping us celebrate!

10/07/2026

Join Urban Peace Institute for a Know Your Ballot Party, the next event in our Community Conversations series. Together we’ll break down what’s on your 2026 General Election ballot, from state and county measures to local races, and talk about what it really means for our communities.

Your vote shapes decisions that affect our lives and communities like who runs our city and state, whether voting laws are fair, and if billionaires pay more in taxes. But ballots can be long, confusing, and full of measures that can be difficult to understand. Join us to break bread together and make sure you have the information and confidence to decide how you want your vote represented!

All are welcome! Whether you’re a first-time voter, returning to voting after a long break, a community leader, or simply a neighbor who cares, there’s a seat for you.

Food and drinks provided. Please RSVP at the link bio. We hope to see you there!

10/02/2026

The Hug Act (AB 1646) was signed by Governor Newsom this week! UPI was a co-sponsor of the historic bill that was thought of and co-written by youth incarcerated inside of LA County’s Los Padrinos and Barry J. Nidorf juvenile halls. Nearly three years ago, our policy coordinator, Olivia, began going into juvenile halls with Hoops4Justice to work with youth on local policy advocacy. When asked what he would change about the system, one incarcerated youth said, “I just want to hug my mom”. The Hug Act was born from that simple yet powerful statement.

The Hug Act establishes incarcerated young people’s right to hug their loved ones, regardless of what county they’re in. As Olivia states, “For the first time in California, incarcerated youth have changed the conditions of their own confinement from juvenile hall. Their actions will positively impact other kids and families they will never meet. This monumental achievement highlights a key understanding for all of us - when youth are empowered, they can and will transform the world for the better”.

Thanks to AB 1646 author Isaac G. Bryan , Supervisor Janice Hahn for supporting youth, all of our co-sponsor partners, Los Angeles Room & Board for hosting the celebration, Liberty Hill , and most importantly, the youth who used their passion to create change and their families who supported them

09/14/2026

📢 UPDATE: The Hug Act press conference has been postponed. Sign up for updates using the QR code on the flyer (or link below) and we’ll reach out to you with more info soon!

Thank you to everyone who’s interested in celebrating this historic youth-led bill with us! 🧡

https://forms.gle/ZGLoWxoYhRESVz5o9

07/27/2026

Shoutout to GIFFORDS for hosting another incredible Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Conference last week! Each year, we have the honor of gathering with CVI leaders, practitioners and partners from across the country to build power, strengthen relationships and learn from one another. The collective commitment to strengthening CVI and supporting peacemakers on the frontlines was palpable throughout the two days.

UPI had the opportunity to present on the CVI Action Plan alongside committee leaders, and lead a panel on building power through coalitions alongside LA CVI leaders, Ben “Taco” Owens and Tina Padilla.

As our executive director, Fernando Rejón, said in his closing remarks, “Stay united. Keep building. Keep believing. Because when we move together, we harness power.” ✨

Learn more about UPI’s work to advance community-led safety and justice and connect with us at urbanpeaceinstitute.org.

07/20/2026

UPI is honored to be featured alongside Arise & Go in the new Ad Council community violence intervention (CVI) campaign! From the start, the goal was to ensure the campaign accurately reflects the realities of community violence intervention: the challenges, the nuance, and the impact.

CVI is making communities across the country safer every day. The frontline practitioners leading this work are saving lives and strengthening neighborhoods.

This collaborative campaign is an important step toward increasing public awareness that CVI is essential to public safety and ensuring the narrative about CVI is shaped accurately, reflecting the impact, expertise, and lifesaving work of those on the frontlines.

Learn more about the new CVI campaign at agreetoagree.com/safety.

06/03/2026

UPI trained and certified 24 community violence intervention (CVI) practitioners in Northern California last month! Over the course of 40 hours, practitioners from Sacramento, Oakland, and Stockton gained additional tools to better engage and support individuals most impacted by violence. This is how we keep communities safe.

The Northern California CVI training is part of a larger training and certification project that UPI is leading through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) initiative. UPI’s training approach is unique in that courses are developed and led by expert practitioners with firsthand knowledge of how true community-led safety works. Every training increases the number of qualified, professional CVI practitioners on the ground reducing violence and saving lives.

We’re incredibly grateful to the new graduates from and . Your commitment to transforming your communities is paramount to public safety!

04/28/2026

We’re joining our CalVIP Coalition partners in calling on California leaders to increase the California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (CalVIP) Grant by $55 million!

Citis across the country are seeing historic reductions in violence—LA included. Community violence intervention is essential to creating and maintaining safety. CVI saves lives!

04/17/2026

UPI’s second Community Conversations event is happening this month! This time, we’re breaking down where our tax dollars are really going in LA County and envisioning how we can collectively create change. When communities control the conversation about resources, we all get closer to justice.

Join us to sit down with neighbors, organizers, and fellow advocates who care deeply about our communities as we share ideas, ask questions, and leave with clear and tangible ways we can build a just Los Angeles that works for everyone.

Whether you’re deeply familiar with county budgeting or just learning about it for the first time, your voice is essential for building power! Community Conversations is UPI’s ongoing series for people who want more than headlines.

Together we’ll create real dialogue, real connections, and real tools to push for change in Los Angeles.

Light refreshments will be provided.

🗓️ Thursday, April 30th
⏰ 5:30pm
1910 Sunset Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90026
RSVP at the link in bio!

04/10/2026

UPI celebrated our latest cohort of Los Angeles Violence Intervention Training Academy (LAVITA) graduates this week! 23 intervention workers graduated, representing 10 community violence intervention (CVI) agencies from across Los Angeles—from the Valley to South LA to the Harbor.

This cohort came in strong and built an even stronger license to operate (LTO) throughout the 144-hour, 12-week training. Together, they built a network of CVI practitioners ready to support LA communities during both crisis and peace.

Certified, professional CVI workers are essential to strengthening coordination across neighborhoods and organizations, and to advancing non-aggression agreements and peace maintenance across Los Angeles.

Special thanks to Deputy Mayor Karren Lane from the Office of Community Safety for showing up to support the graduates. “The Mayor believes that we cannot make the city safe without you. And so, you have chosen to become a part of the city’s safety response.” We’re grateful to Senior Field Deputy Gandy Diaz for sharing words of support from . Thanks to Paul Carrillo for MCing the event and to members of the Professional Standards Committee (PSC) for attending.

Most importantly, our sincerest thanks to the LAVITA graduates—your willingness to show up and engage thoughtfully with instructors and peers demonstrates your deep commitment to peace and safety. Congratulations!

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Address

1910 W Sunset Boulevard, Ste 800
Los Angeles, CA
90026

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12134040124

Website

http://www.urbanpeaceinstitute.org/

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