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Upcoming Events
Next Invest in Us Coalition meeting: The INVEST IN US Coalition consists of national and local gun violence prevention organizations committed to building support to fund evidence-based community solutions to end gun violence and educate leaders and the general public about proactive solutions to make our communities safer. At these meetings, we discuss federal and state affairs for gun violence prevention in communities of color, including strategies for congressional appropriations, funding, and legislative events.
This coalition meets monthly . The next meeting will be on Thursday, October 10, at 3 PM EST . If you would like to join this coalition, please email Adzi Vokhiwa at [email protected] , or click the button below.
JOIN THE INVEST IN US COALITION [[email protected]?subject=REQUEST%20TO%20JOIN%20INVEST%20IN%20US%20COALITION&body=Hi%20Adzi%21%0A%0AI%20would%20like%20to%20join%20the%20Invest%20in%20Us%20Coalition%20ahead%20of%20the%20upcoming%20meeting.]
A NOTE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
As we continue our work to end gun violence in Black and brown communities, we are more energized than ever to take bold steps forward. Over the past eight years, Community Justice has grown into a leading voice in policy advocacy, grounded in the lived experiences of the communities we serve. Our commitment to a comprehensive, community-driven approach has never wavered, and with your support, we’re ready to tackle the challenges ahead.
As the new leadership team at Community Justice, we are honored to join this incredible organization and contribute to its ongoing impact. We bring both deep expertise and a fierce passion for justice, and we are committed to strengthening our advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels. Together, we will amplify the voices of those most impacted by gun violence and continue building the safer, more just future that we all deserve.
– José Alfaro , Executive Director & Adzi Vokhiwa , Vice President
SEPTEMBER RECAP
Our Executive Director, José Alfaro, has been selected as part of the Obama Foundation’s 2024 Leaders USA cohort! This is a HUGE moment for Community Justice and a testament to José’s unwavering commitment to building safer, stronger communities.
Thank you to the Obama Foundation for recognizing José’s leadership and giving him this incredible platform to further our mission of ending gun violence through empowering survivors.
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One-Year Anniversary of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
One year ago, President Joe Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a bold step forward in the fight to reduce gun violence. The office, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, Director Stefanie Feldman, and Deputy Directors Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, was created to expedite implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and dozens of executive actions and improve support for communities impacted by gun violence, survivors, and advocates nationwide.
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
Community Justice Attends Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 53rd Annual Legislative Conference
The Community Justice team had an eventful week during the CBC’s ALC. We want to thank everyone who attended our reception on September 11, including our featured speakers: CBC Chairman Steven Horsford (D-NV), Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-FL), and State Representative Justin Jones. Community Justice was pleased to participate in several conversations during the conference, including a roundtable discussion about “Building a Sustainable Violence Intervention Ecosystem at All Levels of Government” hosted by CBC Chairman Steven Horsford (D-NV) and Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA), the “Youth Under Fire: Addressing Gun Violence in Our Communities” panel hosted by Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and the health policy roundtable “Approaches to Gun Violence Prevention: Proven Policy Solutions” hosted by Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL). Thank you to all who supported these events!
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Pictured (L to R):
Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action; José Alfaro, Executive Director of Community Justice; Representative Lucy McBath; Senator Raphael Warnock; Representative Steven Horsford; Adzi Vokhiwa, Vice President of Community Justice
Community Justice Responds to Fatal Police Shooting of Justin Robinson
Justin Robinson, a violence interrupter with Cure the Streets in Washington DC was a dedicated advocate for peace in his community, a role he embraced with passion and commitment. His shooting death at the hands of police stands in stark contrast to the life of service he led, and it leaves a painful void for those who knew and loved him.
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
Community Justice Responds to Apalachee High School Mass Shooting
"Community Justice is heartbroken and outraged following this tragic mass shooting. For so many youth in our country, the beginning of the school year brings with it fear and worry about gun violence. Gun violence is the number one cause of death for children 19 and under, and Black and brown youth are disproportionately impacted. Today’s devastating act of violence once again underscores the critical need for comprehensive action to prevent gun violence, especially within the spaces where our children should feel safe.”
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
Community Justice Responds to Fatal Shooting of Sonya Massey
“Sonya’s death reflects the blatant disregard people hold for Black lives, especially the lives of Black women. Black and brown communities disproportionately experience gun violence but are continuously seen as criminals and perpetrators of violence rather than victims. She called 911 for help and was instead met with violence, aggression, and a complete lack of empathy."
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
CVI Road Trip for Peace
In our inaugural CVI Road Trip for Peace, we traveled across Texas to raise awareness and advocate for community violence intervention, and we stopped in Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, Uvalde, and San Antonio and connected with local communities and leaders working to prevent gun violence. We are thankful to our partners who made each stop of the tour meaningful and successful: ATX Peace, Big Mama’s Safe House, Cognitive Justice International, VIP Fort Worth, Lives Robbed, and Cities United.Thank you to everyone we met along the way, and especially our frontline partners and advocates for sharing their stories and expertise.
AUGUST RECAP
Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Action Plan
We’re proud to have worked with The HAVI, The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR), [[link removed]] the Community Based Public Safety Collective, and the [[link removed]] Urban Peace Institute as coordinators for this report. Endorsed by 115 organizations and 19 individuals – and informed by hundreds of CVI practitioners, researchers, and leaders – this report is the first comprehensive, field-wide guide for investing in and scaling CVI initiatives across the country. The CVI Action Plan strives to save lives, reduce violence in Black and brown communities, and support CVI workers who have committed their livelihoods to ending violence.
READ THE FULL REPORT [[link removed]]
Community Justice Responds to Baltimore Mass Shooting
The stark reality is that Baltimore, like many other cities across the nation, is grappling with an epidemic of gun violence that is fueled by the unchecked proliferation of firearms. Data from the Baltimore Police Department shows that this year alone, there have been over 200 shootings in the city, resulting in a devastating toll on families and communities.
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
El Paso Shooting Anniversary
“Five years ago, our nation witnessed a horrific attack on Latines in El Paso, fueled by hate and racism. Parents lost their children, brothers lost their sisters, friends lost their teammates, and a community lost its sense of safety. This tragedy was a stark reminder of how white supremacy, xenophobia, and anti-Latino racism can manifest into deadly violence when dangerous individuals who have easy and legal access to weapons act on that vitriol.”
READ OUR FULL STATEMENT HERE [[link removed]]
STATE & FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
As the federal funding deadline at the end of this month approaches, Congress is working to pass a short-term funding resolution. This temporary measure will allow the government to continue operating while they finalize legislation to fund several agencies in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS), where community-based gun violence prevention programming lives.
The finalized version of these funding bills may potentially include $55 million to fund CVI programs at DOJ and fund gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Invest in Us coalition has crafted an advocacy plan to engage Members of Congress on the urgent need to fund these life saving programs and research initiatives in the finalized FY 2025 appropriations package. If you’re interested in joining these efforts, please reach out to [email protected].
STATES IN ACTION
In the Northeast , our Northeast Regional Advocacy Manager, Tarria Stanley, co-hosted a violence reduction panel: Charting a Public Health Approach to Safety & Justice during CBC week with multiple partners. This panel discussion brought together experts, elected officials, and advocates to explore alternative strategies for violence prevention that emphasize public health and community safety.
In Minnesota , Community Justice and our partners at the HAVI co-hosted the Communities for a Safer Minnesota Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Summit. This gathering features CVI organizations discussing how to improve access to resources for the CVI field.
In Louisiana , one of our coalition partners, The Vera Institute of Justice, hosted a three-day retreat for criminal justice based organizations from across the state to build power together. We look forward to the next legislative session and continued advocacy for passing legislation that would create a statewide office of violence prevention.
In Georgia , Community Justice met with local gun violence prevention leaders in our statewide coalition, The Georgia Majority for Gun Safety. We have also ensured Black and Brown CVI leaders’ voices are being heard at the State Capitol for upcoming testimonies on the impact of gun safety in our communities.
In Texas , our Invest In Us Texas Coalition and partners at Cities United, joined together for the first Annual Road Trip for Peace starting in Houston to Fort Worth, Uvalde, San Antonio ending in Austin. At each stop our coalition partners hosted site visits and roundtable discussions of the work on the ground across the Lone Star State. Together we traveled nearly 1000 miles bringing together partners and communities for Peace.
UPCOMING TRAININGS & PARTNERSHIPS
*
Cities
United
Annual
Convening
:
October
2-4,
2024
*
Brady:
Building
a
Future
without
Gun
Violence
:
Wednesday,
October
9,
2024
*
Wisconsin
Emergency
GVP
Summit
:
Thursday,
October
10,
2024
*
North
Carolina
Statewide
Convening
:
November
19-20,
2024
NEWS OF INTEREST
State Lawmakers Have A New Strategy For Gun Reform [[link removed]]
A group of state legislators, local politicians and nonprofits on Tuesday launched a national coalition that hopes to circumvent the congressional stalemate on gun reform by pressing for violence prevention efforts at the local level. The coalition, Legislators for Safer Communities [[link removed]] , aims to capitalize on the shifting politics of gun reform by focusing more attention on state legislatures, where violence prevention advocates have scored their biggest wins in recent years.
New York sees drop in gun violence, Yonkers reports 57% decrease [[link removed]]
Westchester's largest city has seen a substantial decrease in gun violence, with a 57% reduction in gun violence with injury for the first 7 months of this year compared to the same period last year.
We can do more to stop gun violence, with more support for community intervention [[link removed]] Agencies already doing the work to curb gun violence intervention could do more to save lives and heal communities if more funding were available, two anti-violence leaders write.
PA Safe Caucus praises governor’s relaunch of Office of Gun Violence Prevention [[link removed]]
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention falls under the purview of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which is led by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. It will bring together public safety and public health experts, gun violence survivors and advocates and leaders from across Pennsylvania to address and prevent gun violence. ‘ [[link removed]]
We’re all sitting ducks’ without more substantial gun control, Warnock says [[link removed]]
Americans “are all sitting ducks” unless Congress passes more substantial gun control, US senator Raphael Warnock said on Sunday, four days after two students and two teachers at a high school in his home state of Georgia were shot to death [[link removed]] , allegedly by a teenager wielding a military-style rifle.
Harris uniquely positioned to tackle gun violence in Black communities, advocates say [[link removed]] Advocates see Harris as the only and best candidate to build on progress in reducing gun violence, particularly in Black communities. Tackling the issue is a top concern for Black Americans, who are nearly three times more likely [[link removed].] than white Americans to die by a gun.

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