# Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago Press Conference 7.15.25

- Date: July 15, 2025
- Type: Video
- Length: 58:26
- Topic: Press conferences
- Video: [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsZb0solx8A)
- Transcript: Machine transcription, 7,247 words ([text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/youtube/DsZb0solx8A.txt))
- Mayor: [Brandon Johnson](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor)

## Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago Press Conference.

## Transcript

[0:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=14) This is Matt DiMario, really glad to be here. We're going to get started. We have a full agenda packed, ready to go. But really excited to be able to be here today. Today is about celebration. First, I want to start out by welcoming you to Little Village. I won't say my usual greatest neighborhood in the city, because you guys already know it. You're here, you see it, you smell it, you feel it.

[0:44](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=44) But this has been my home for the last 25 years. It's fun to be on this stage. My daughter graduated from here on this stage last year, I have a senior in high school here, I have a sophomore, and my wife works here at Farragut. So Farragut is in us, all around us, and we're really excited to be able to celebrate at this special place. A big shout out to Mr. Nadavadi, the principal here, and the Farragut team for opening up their doors for us. Well, like I said, today is about celebration.

[1:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=75) Today is about celebrating people, about celebrating peace, hope, empowerment, and opportunity. Today is about the belief that peace is possible in Chicago. Do we truly believe it? But building peace is not easy. We've lost too many lives in Chicago, and before we really begin, I want us to take a moment of silence for gun violence victims in Chicago. Despite having one of the least violent 4th of July in years, we still had too many shootings.

[1:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=108) And we all know about the horrific mass shooting in River North. So let's take a moment to pause and reflect through a moment of silence. For community violence intervention, it's about engaging directly with those at high risk of shooting or being shot

[2:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=139) and connecting them to hope, healing, and opportunity. It's about getting them to put down their guns, get some treatment, go back to school, and get a job. Most important, they stop shooting, and peace is built. It's about meeting them where they're at, seeing what they need, and acting. It's important, I was just talking with Vail from Enlace, it's important that all of our interventions are about meeting them where they're at, and providing the needs, meeting the needs, providing the necessary response for their mental health,

[2:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=172) job placement and whatever that need is walking with them it's about walking together and it's hard work it's dangerous work and it doesn't always work but we believe that it's having a very positive impact on the city of Chicago right now I know that it's having an impact here in Little Village because gun violence shootings and homicides are down 80 percent year to day last year. Let me say that one more time. Shootings and homicides are down 80% since

[3:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=209) last year in Little Village. And that's an incredible testimony to the community that has come together, seven different agencies here locally that are working together, working together with education, with law enforcement, and across all partners. It's about putting down our own banner and raising the banner of peace here in Chicago. We are grateful to all of our partners in peace and the funders and the public and private sectors that help make this a reality. You're going to hear from some of them in a few minutes. First,

[4:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=245) I want to introduce a good friend and fearless leader, Susan Lee, who's the executive director of an initiative we call SC2, which stands for Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago. And I first met Susan in 2016. We broke bread and ate tacos here little village as she came from California dreaming about what could be done different here in Chicago. Susan's a national expert in this field and it's safe to say that Chicago would not be a national leader in CVI today without her work for Chicago Pred, the city

[4:37](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=277) of Chicago, and now for SC2. We've been working together for a long time and it's been a joy. Please welcome Susan A. Good morning. Thank you, Matt. This is indeed a national leader in CVI right now, and it's not something I think we would have thought of back in 2016. Right now, we are providing something like two dozen organizations are serving nearly

[5:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=311) half of the city, city's 77 neighborhoods. In some of those neighborhoods, we are trying to go to scale and see if we can move from impacting individual lives to actually having community-level violence reduction. That is what SC2 is about. A growing body of research is showing us that we do make a difference with individuals, reducing their risk. They are less likely to get shot. They are less likely to be rearrested. That means that they are living more safely and staying out of trouble.

[5:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=346) Since we announced SCQ on February 1st last year, which kind of seems like a lifetime ago, at South Shore Cultural Center with the mayor, the governor, the business, and philanthropic community, We are now staking up in four neighborhoods, Austin, Humboldt Park, Little Village, and North Lawndale. And North Lawndale began two years before the other three in a separate pilot program, but now is part of SC2. Three other communities are in the pipeline and working to improve capacity and quality of services.

[6:23](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=383) Inglewood, New City, and Garthell Park. You're going to hear from some of those CEI leaders in these communities a little later in our panel. I do want to take a moment to highlight the numbers, and Matt certainly emphasized the best story in Chicago right now. But gun violence has declined every year in Chicago since 2021. This year, in fact, shootings are down by about 40%,

[6:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=414) and homicides are down about 30%. And we are outpacing in that reduction some of the other major cities in the country, which is remarkable, given that those cities started a strategy before we began ours and really in 2016. You know, that 40% we talk about down in shootings

[7:26](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=446) or 30% down in homicides, it's not just numbers, right? It's actual people who are not having to experience the cycle of violence anymore, which so harms our kids, our families, and our communities. And we all hope this downward trend continues. But as Matt mentioned as well, we have still mass shootings like the one in River North, and numbers are still too high. Even though we are reducing numbers, in absolute numbers, Chicago still has an unacceptable level of shootings and homicides.

[7:59](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=479) So we are far from done. In fact, we believe that this work must continue, must expand, and must serve more people who are in the thick of violence. Towards that, SC2 is helping to serve 1,000 more participants this past year, in addition to the other participants that have been served through existing services. Our goal is to see gun violence cut in half within five years from the modern peak in 2021, when we have over 800 and over 4,400 shootings.

[8:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=520) If we can maintain the current trajectory, we could come close to that goal potentially this year or possibly next. And then our goal is to cut it in half again over the coming decade, from 400 homicides to around 200 homicides, which would put us on par with some of the safest big cities in America, like Los Angeles and New York.

[9:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=553) I think when I first came to Chicago, people really related the sense that this violence was an intractable problem, that there was not a solution. But we have, within our reach, the ability to become one of the safest big cities in the country. So, give ourselves all a round of applause. It may be a hard work to get us here.

[9:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=583) Our larger goal is for CVI to become a permanent feature of Chicago's public safety strategy. And that requires stable and robust funding from our public sector partners who have all stepped up great over the last few years. and all of you. All of whom are here today, so I'm going to invite Arnie to help each of them come up and say something. Thank you so much for all of your leadership and her strategic thinking has been just absolutely critical for us getting where we are today.

[10:23](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=623) A couple quick things in these dichotomies, we have to understand both. We absolutely have to celebrate the success and the progress. In our nine years doing this work, this is the best point we've ever been at, so that's remarkable. At the same time, we are still wildly more violent than New York, wildly more violent than L.A. And our neighborhoods are still desperately impacted, including this past weekend. So we can't be satisfied. We can't sort of stop now. But we think if we keep this momentum going over the next three, four, five years, we

[10:55](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=655) have a chance to choose to make history here in Chicago. I'm a little older part than most of New York. I was born in 1964. The last time we were under 400 homicides was in 1965. It's been my entire life. Six decades. That's crazy. It doesn't have to be that way. I always say it's never our children's fault on the southwest side. It's our fault, wherever we think we are. Adults, community leaders, you know, community members. Our kids deserve so much better. And collectively, we have a chance to break through and do it.

[11:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=687) This work is humbling. It's incredibly difficult. It's exhausting, but to do it together, public sector, private sector, business community, philanthropic, community organizations around the city, I've honestly never seen a coalition like this, and as difficult as the work is, that's what gives me extraordinary hope. Because folks are putting their eagles to the side, working together with huge urgency and huge humility to try and actually make history here in Chicago. So just to be a small part of this team, it's just the privilege of my lifetime.

[11:57](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=717) I want to thank you all for your hard work. Well, before I get up to Mary, just very quickly, Captain Cook, can you please stand up? Captain, can you please stand up? Yeah. Captain's been on North Mondial Collaborative the past couple of years. The theory of collaboration is great. The day-to-day reality is very difficult. And Mary, if she's coming your way, you're getting a superstar. Come join your team. But, Captain, thank you so much for your leadership. We wish you all the best.

[12:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=750) Public safety is a public good. And to have a public sector actively engaged to try and build this permanent public health infrastructure. It is critical. The philanthropic community is amazing. The business community is amazing. The civic community is amazing. But they can't do this by themselves. And so we're starting to build this permanent public health infrastructure to get our men, and our women, but primarily our men on south and west sides, an off-ramp from the lives they're living. And the police can't do this by themselves. We can't lock our way out of this. We can't incarcerate our way out of this. We have to give people a chance

[13:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=782) to do something different. And being able to do that collectively, that's why these numbers are starting to change. It's my honor to introduce the mayor. This is not like a theoretical issue for him. This is very personal. One of the communities we're expanding in is Austin. The mayor's lived there for how long? Two decades there. So this is not where he's looking from on high at what's going on. He's living in one that was most impacted by violence. Numbers are going better. They're going the right way. There's still a long way to go. Just a warm welcome to Mayor Johnson.

[13:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=820) Thank you, Marnie, for that introduction, and thank you for your steadfast dedication to this work. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I'm thankful for all of you for your commitment and our endeavor to build the safest, most affordable, big city in America. And we will do that, and we will do that together. I have a partner in the city council who is here with me today, Chairman Jason Irvin of the 28th Ward. Could you give him a round of applause?

[14:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=851) You know, as Marnie said, this work is difficult. And I understand we lost another worker, another person, to violence. And, you know, as we continue to come together and highlight the good work that we are doing, I want to express my deep condolences to all those who knew and loved and worked with Prince and those who continue to show up on the front lines every single day.

[14:42](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=882) because as peacekeepers, you are doing the work of angels. It may not be apparent to you every single day, especially the hard days, but as peacekeepers and CVI organizations, across the city, you are the ones that are making the true difference in our city.

[15:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=913) That is why, gathering today, I want to make this emphatically clear. I'm going to announce that we are, as a city, committed to expanding CVI programs in our neighborhoods. Thank you to all of you. But the long-standing partnerships between law enforcement, CVI sector, the private sector partners, the city, the county, the state, all of these investments that we are making to address the root causes of violence in our communities.

[16:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=960) Chicago continues to see a promising decline in violent crime, but we all know that there's still work to be done. You know, this past 4th of July, for example, it's one of the least violent 4th of July weekends we've had in six years, but there's still more work to be done. By no means are we celebrating the news, because this is really a matter of life. Any incident of violence in our city is a tragedy, and it's intolerable. People of Chicago are counting on us.

[16:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=993) They are counting on us to do the hard work in preventing violence but also healing our communities. That work has to be continuous. With the decrease of violence that we are experiencing right now, we know that we have to continue to lean into the strategies and the investments that work. At the onset of my administration, the city launched our new violence prevention and intervention strategy called the People's Plan for Community Safety, partnering with and investing in CVI organizations

[17:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1027) as a cornerstone of this strategy. It is crucial, it's an incredibly crucial part of our larger effort to bring the entire city of Chicago together along this journey. City government, local businesses, civic organizations, philanthropists, faith, youth, community groups, and all of our residents. It's going to take the entire city working together to strengthen our communities and to ensure that we are investing in the root causes of crime.

[17:41](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1061) When I ran for this office, many people critiqued our vision and they said that our investments would take too long. Well, it turns out it just takes commitment and the commitment of each and every single one of you in this room are proving the naysayers wrong. we can invest in our people, work collaboratively, and save lives with individuals who are on the front line, who know exactly what our communities need, and that's each and every one of you in this room. We're going to continue to take our work, block by block, to address the points of need.

[18:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1102) And whether it means investing in new affordable housing to revitalize our communities, or whether it's the commitment to hire young people, which this year we have hired 29,000 young people across this city for summer jobs. I'll give forward to all of the work that we're going to do together to continue to sustain and grow our communities. It's going to take some time to see the safest,

[18:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1134) most affordable big city in America to come to complete fruition. But with this partnership, I know we will get there. We'll get there together. So to everyone in this room that's providing the growth, CVI programming, making it possible for people to see themselves in these positions, thank you for believing in the promise of this work. And to everyone who's contributing to the decline of violence, thank you for your hard work. It is truly an honor to serve the greatest free city in the world, the city of Chicago.

[19:25](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1165) Thank you very much. Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. It's now my honor to introduce a good friend to go back a long way, so she's an old man, President Craig McCoy. In all the years I've known her, she's been relentless, her integrity has been untrushed, and she's always fighting to create opportunities for the disadvantaged. Cook County jail is part of her portfolio. It's very simple for folks to understand.

[19:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1196) Violence is down significantly now, and arrests. ...are also down. That's the sweet spot. ...you are down in that spot. ...President Patrick, we will thank you just for a lifetime of service. Thank you for being part of this infrastructure. It's helped us get to a better place. If you're in leadership, we have a chance to do something we've done all the time. Thank you so much.

[20:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1233) Good morning, everybody. Good morning. I'm grateful to be here among so many people working to build a safer Chicago and Cook County. I want to acknowledge Commissioner Alma Anaya, who just didn't please, who's with us today, and thank Alderman Jason Irvin, who's already been recognized. Thank you very much, Alderman. All of us envision a future where the safety of you and your families doesn't depend on your zip code.

[21:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1268) It's a future where community violence intervention work is a permanent and central part of how we keep our communities safe, not a one-off initiative. We're working across sectors to realize this vision. We're working together strategically and intentionally to invest in the safety of communities most impacted by the gun violence crisis. In 2021, Cook County saw over 1,000 gun homicides.

[21:41](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1301) It was a level of tragic loss that we hadn't experienced since the 1990s. And we weren't alone. This was part of a nationwide spike in violence across many big cities. Today, I'm happy to report that this year, gun homicides in Cook County are down 45% for 2021. But I want to be clear. We're not here to celebrate or pat ourselves on the back. We're here to discuss our progress, keep the public informed,

[22:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1334) and recognize the courageous people, creative and courageous people, leading the work. Today is about strategy, transparency, and solidarity. But it's also important that we reflect on what's working. Only then can we ensure continued progress toward our goals. In 2021, in response to the gun violence crisis, the city, the county, and the state came together to form the Government Alliance for Safe Communities.

[22:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1367) This alliance represents an unprecedented level of collaboration. Through the alliance, we've collectively invested over $350 million in Federal American Rescue Plan, ARPA funding, and community safety over the past four years. $350 million. As a result, government grant opportunities and data collection are better aligned. Government leaders meet regularly with the community organizations that we fund.

[23:21](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1401) We share feedback. We talk honestly about what's working and what's not working. Our focus is on responsive community building for community organizations. We're working together to make the most of local public funding, especially as we navigate a hostile federal landscape. Through this work, we've developed a new model for tackling our biggest challenges. This collaboration is building a strong, cohesive community safety ecosystem. And the evidence of that strength is right here in the auditorium today. This level of

[23:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1436) coordination takes time and commitment, but working together is the right way. The right will change. You can't break cycles in silos. I'll say that again. You can't break cycles in silos. I also want to emphasize that this collaboration does not stop with government. Thanks to our SE2 coalition partners, we're scaling our violence intervention strategies

[24:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1469) to meet the ongoing needs of communities most impacted by violence. Cook County and our government partners are deeply grateful for this cross-sector support and engagement. Together we're making progress toward long-term community safety. Community violence intervention, or CVI, is a vital part of that progress. This year, we've lost many community members to gun violence. Each loss is a tragedy.

[25:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1500) But we're also seeing a significant reduction in shootings and homicides. There are many factors likely contributing to the decline. Research on these trends is ongoing, but it's a fact that we've responded to this gun violence crisis with unprecedented levels of investment in community violence intervention. And we know that researchers, experts, and people from the communities most impacted by gun violence agree. See the eye of programs reduce crime and violence.

[25:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1531) CVI works. That's why we're pressing forward and working to sustain and scale this model that's quite literally saving lives. Next week, Cook County will announce $25 million in grant awards under two complementary initiatives, Cook County Community Violence Intervention Grants and Wraparound Services for Survivors of Gun Violence. These grants build on more than $100 million in community safety investments that Cook County has made over the last three years. These investments focus on supporting those closest to gun violence,

[26:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1563) and they're part of our larger community safety investments, which includes addressing re-entry and gender-based violence. More grant opportunities will be announced later this year. We know that this is a very challenging time for community-based organizations. It's also a very challenging time for local governments. You're navigating a perplexing funding landscape while providing life-saving services in the community. We stand with you, and we're very grateful.

[26:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1594) To all the people working on the ground, to the outreach workers, case managers, and victim advocates, thank you, thank you, thank you. You have turned the CDI model into a movement. You're the unsung heroes and heroines who are rising to the challenge of building peace in our communities. You're meeting the moment with courage, commitment, and grace.

[27:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1627) I also want to thank all the public, private, and non-profit leaders who are here today. And a special thanks to my Chief of Staff, Lynn Haynes-Turner. She's been instrumental in driving the work of our government alliance. I also want to recognize, acknowledge, and thank Julie Stash, who's here with us today. We've had it from the Harvard Foundation. I'm in front, Julie. Thank you.

[27:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1660) and was a real supporter of our work through the Foundation's Safety and Justice Challenge. I also want to nod to Eric Smith, who's with us from BMO Harris. The Commercial Club and the Civic Consulting Alliance have stepped up in a big way, along with philanthropy, thank you, Julie, to support this work. By working together, we've built great momentum, and I'm confident we'll meet our goals. I want to emphasize today that this is about being strategic, transparent, and united in solidarity.

[28:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1695) All the residents of this city and county are community safety stakeholders, and our residents deserve to know that cross-sector support and effective safety strategies are at work in their communities. Before I conclude, I want to acknowledge older person, Mike Rodriguez, who has joined us. Thank you very much, Mike. And thank you all again for your great work.

[28:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1728) You heard from the city, heard from the county, you're going to hear from the state. And you must have to be honest, we're going to have no help coming from the federal government. They want to see us kill each other. They want to see chaos. They want to see mayhem. And so we're all we have. The cavalry's not coming. And it's up to us to be as smart, as collaborative, as committed as we can to try and make decisions despite that opposition. Not going to come from there. The state has been just simply a marketable partner. We took a very risky, honestly, pilot program that we funded privately, not to hire just outreach workers,

[29:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1764) but to hire guys who still have at least one foot, maybe one and a half, maybe two feet, still in the streets, to keep peace on their blocks. Very controversial, very risky. Unfortunately, we've lost too many of our peacekeepers there. but giving them a chance to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem has borne unbelievable results and prior to the big reductions this year before the big reductions on their most violent rocks in the city violence was down 41%

[29:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1796) which was leading to a 31% reduction in the communities they serve We now have over a thousand men and women, many younger, who will be locked out of the traditional economy, where people never look at them, they're now employed to help keep their blocks safe. We took that small pilot program, because of outside research from Northwestern to verify the impact, the state came in and took the small pilot to an entirely different scale. And that, for me, is like the beauty of this, that private sector innovation can lead to public sector investment and scale.

[30:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1831) And it takes something on a few neighborhoods, on a few blocks, with certain guys to go over it, more than 100 blocks, year-round, over 1,000 men and women now working to keep the neighborhood safe. That's an important piece of this puzzle. And there's no way we'd be seeing these kind of reductions without that help. So to our Deputy Governor, thank you so much for your leadership, you and the Governor. Taking that risky bet is not easy for government to do. You guys have done it perfectly well. Thank you so much.

[31:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1864) Thank you, Arnie. Hello, everyone. As it relates to the Peacekeeper Program, before I joined the governor's office, I was a secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, and we were introduced to the Peacekeepers Program through Chicago CRED, and we looked at the data, and at DHS, people said, there's no way state government is going to fund this. But we persisted, we pushed through, and we proved that it makes a difference. So thank you to our private partners for the encouragement,

[31:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1896) and then also for our academic partners for proving that it works. So again, I'm honored to be here on behalf of our Governor, J.B. Pritzker, and I'm honored to be a part of this prestigious lineup and to be a partner on this important work. And partnership is the word that reverberates for me when I think about how we achieve this progress. And gratitude is what I think about when I think about who

[32:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1929) has been doing the courageous work in communities. And it's our community-based partners, our CVI workers, their families and friends, and our peacekeepers. So please stand or wave if you're a peacekeeper or if you're a CVI worker.

[32:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1963) We're from the state of Illinois' steadfast commitment to creating safe and healthy communities. In 2021, the governor signed the Imagine Public Safety Act. When he signed that bill, he also signed an executive order declaring gun violence a public health emergency. Since that time, the state of Illinois has invested over $400 million in CVI work and youth programs, and $116 million is devoted to that ongoing effort in this coming fiscal year.

[33:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=1999) We are seeing real measurable progress, as has been discussed. Violence has decreased in Chicago. Violence has decreased in Cook County. And this is something we want to elevate, even as we continue our work together, because we want to get to zero. I want to lift up, because I represent the state, that Reimagine Public Safety Act work is all through the state of Illinois, and firearm-related hospital injuries have indeed decreased by almost 40 percent all across the RPSA communities in

[33:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2034) Illinois in the month of May, and 30 percent for the entire past fiscal year. We will continue to work tirelessly until every community across the state and every block is safe. What we all know is that community violence intervention takes patience and impatience. And I'm proud to stand with you in this work. Thank you so much.

[34:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2067) Thank you, Grace. You know, I've done this work nationally, and between the east and the west coast and in the middle. and Chicago is the envy from lots of jurisdictions for the alliance that you see at the stage today. The public sector, business, and philanthropy are all sort of going in the same direction. This is not something you find anywhere else in the country at this moment.

[34:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2098) So I am really proud. out to introduce Esther, who is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities, which really began this momentum of us building the best CBI infrastructure in the country, and again to recognize Julia Stash, who is one of the founding members of PSPC. And had PSPC not taken that leap of faith and courage to make that initial investment,

[35:28](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2128) we would really not be here. So I do want to welcome Esther. The other really important partner here is business. Again, business hasn't traditionally been involved in violence reduction, certainly not CPI, and we have them showing up in a big way. And the business sector is represented by Eric Smith, who is the vice chair of BMO and co-chair of the Civic Committee's Public Safety Task Force, which has been supporting CVI and police reform, while also developing strategies to hire from and invest in the communities plagued by gun violence.

[36:06](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2166) So I welcome them to come and say a few words. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for having me. I'm very honored to be here to continue to acknowledge and celebrate the work that we all are collectively doing together. Nearly 10 years ago, the philanthropic community came together through the creation of a multi-part agenda and holistic approach, began building a network of organizations to directly reduce gun violence and to build evidence of their effectiveness.

[36:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2207) 10 years later, from 2016 to now, we are now part of a 70-plus member coalition unlike anything we have seen in Chicago or across the country, with investments in the public safety ecosystem topping over $200 million over this past decade. Business, government, and community all united in the mission to reduce gun violence.

[37:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2242) In 2024, PSPC, in partnership with the Civic Committee, embarked upon this unprecedented effort, known as SD2, to invest deeply in communities that are most impacted by violence. Collectively, through our joint effort, we were able to succeed in our goal of raising $100 million. This huge milestone lays the foundation to help bring CVI to scale in communities where it is most needed,

[37:55](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2275) and as Susan and others have stated, to make CVI a permanent feature in Chicago's public safety strategy. While we know that SD2 is not the single answer to creating safety, We want to acknowledge that our efforts are but one part as we work on and advocate for strategies that include effective policing, better gun policies, more investments in high-risk young people, and community-building initiatives that activate safe spaces and create community cohesion.

[38:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2309) Through one of our strategies known as the Chicago Fund, this summer alone we were able to award $1.3 million in advance of Memorial Day to 227 grassroots organizations working in 24 community areas across the city to lead projects focused on youth engagement, wellness, arts, and neighborhood connectedness. This is the work of PSPC. This is the work of our partners.

[39:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2342) But what we know is that it does not stop there. Today, we acknowledge that violence is down, yet we know that there is still harm and lives lost due to gun violence. This is not something we can easily move past. So no, we are not done because we know that it will take much more. And going forward, we are determined to continue our efforts, collaborate, and support communities doing the hard work on the ground to demonstrate that effective violence reduction strategies do work.

[39:38](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2378) We appreciate each peacekeeper, each street outreach worker, each interventionist, each coach who are on the front lines every day. CPI works, and we need each person here to remain committed to saving lives and creating safe and peaceful communities. Thank you again for having me.

[40:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2411) Good morning. Good morning. And thank you to Esther. I'd like to acknowledge our mayor, Mayor Johnson, President Fred Winkle, our deputy governor, Ho, our community leaders, our donors, and also, most importantly, the amazing CPI workers that are here. On behalf of the business community, it's truly an honor to be able to acknowledge that we play an important role through collaboration and making the investments across all of Chicago

[40:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2443) to ensure that regardless of the zip code, that every child has the right and the opportunity to succeed in life. And that starts first by ensuring that we have public safety and that Chicago is one of the safest big cities. We know that there's been significant progress that's been made, but there's still a lot of work to be done. In 2023, our Public Safety Task Force released a four-point plan that includes supporting CBI, hiring from the community, supporting police reform, and over time investing in communities.

[41:21](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2481) All four of these efforts have their own unique timelines. The CBI work, of course, is what we're talking about today. Reducing gun violence is our first priority, and we're very heartened by the positive trends that we're seeing. The hiring initiative is bringing business leaders together with workforce training programs. It includes job fairs and CBI organizations amid employers. Here, again, there has been progress, but there's still a lot of work for us to do.

[41:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2514) both to prepare employees for jobs and to help employers make the most of the talented and amazing people that are coming out of the CPI programs. Our work with the Chicago Police Department has two major steps as part of that. First, we want to make sure that we can support CPD, and we're conducting a major workforce allocation study as part of that effort. And in partnership with the Crime Lab, we've launched a major training initiative for mid-level police officers.

[42:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2551) I also want to give a special thanks to the Su Ling Jin Foundation for their generous support in funding this work. As all of these efforts begin to bear fruit, the community investments will also follow. As a first step, we're starting to identify promising business opportunities and what our mayor commonly refers to as high-promised neighbors, just like Little Village. I also want to highlight something that we just announced, and that's a new data dashboard that's been created by the National Opinion Research Center

[43:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2585) that combines crime trends with other criminal justice data, public sentiment, and community data to ensure that we have transparency around the trends that we just highlighted. It will keep us, our members and our partners and the public fully informed about all of the work that is underway. As business leaders, we understand that a safe city is the foundation of a strong and growing economy. And we have our steadfast commitment here as part of that effort.

[43:37](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2617) Thank you. Thank you, Eric. You know, SE2 is an ambitious initiative. It is like an initiative that hasn't happened before. There's no playbook here. And there is a team behind doing this work. And so I just want to acknowledge the very small but lean and very efficient team that is working on this.

[44:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2651) So if you are a SE2, either the central member organization or community folks who are involved in it who also have a heavy lift of doing things differently, please stand and be recognized. Thank you for your hard work. So SE2 would not exist without the infrastructure that has been built over the last nine years.

[44:49](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2689) And that infrastructure has been built by the community partners that have been working in the 28 communities, but also really Metropolitan Peace Initiative. who has provided this centralized capacity-building support NTA. And they are also a partner in the implementation of SD2. So I'm going to invite Dominique McCord. She always calls me online, saying her name right, so I'm going to call her McCord, MPS Chief Program Officer,

[45:21](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2721) to come and share a little bit about the rest non-SD2 areas as well as their partnership in SD2. Thank you, Susan, and good afternoon, everyone. As Susan mentioned, and she got my name right this morning, I am Dominique McCord, Chief Program Officer of the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, better known as MPI.

[45:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2754) It is an honor to be here, surrounded by so many people, organizations, and partners who have dedicated their lives to making Chicago stronger. When MPI was first invited to help shape SD2, we understood the weight of what was being asked. This work is not easy, but it is essential, and it is worth every effort. For those who may not know, MPI is a strategic partner supporting Chicago's community violence intervention ecosystem.

[46:28](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2788) We are both partners and practitioners as conveners. On the one hand, we provide direct services such as behavioral health, workforce, legal aid, and training through the Metropolitan Peace Academy. On the other hand, we serve as the strategic convener for Communities Partner for Peace, CP4P, a coalition of 15 community-based partners working in some of Chicago's most impacted neighborhoods. Together, this work reaches people at its highest risk of shooting someone or being shot, and we help them to choose a different path.

[47:06](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2826) We connect them to trauma-informed and holistic supports that strengthen their voice and choice. As an S-2 implementation partner, we're shaping the vision and reinforcing the foundation for what a meaningful citywide expansion could truly become. We are called upon to help train the workforce, increasing hiring, training, and promoting retention to the folks who are at the foundation of this work. Peacekeepers, outreach workers, case managers, and victim advocates.

[47:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2859) This is something we've refined over the years at the Metropolitan Peace Academy, MPI's renowned training center that prepares and supports peace builders in the CBI field. To date, the academy has trained over 700 individuals, extends to building a shared data infrastructure, ensuring that CBI partner organizations are all working from a common, real-time platform that can track progress and informed strategy.

[48:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2899) Additionally, we have established fiscal protocols to make sure every dollar is invested and aligned with best practices and where it's needed most. This expansion underscores the importance of capacity building for hyper-local organizations with deep roots in Chicago neighborhoods. We are acutely aware that those needs are different in every single community. As a daughter of the West Side, I've seen the way violence can fade the fabric of community.

[48:53](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2933) I've seen the pain of mothers and fathers, the silence of young men and women carrying trauma. But I've also seen what is possible when you invest in people who live there and give them a reason to believe in their future and you give them tools to help them build it. This is why this work is important to me. We are bringing intentional, coordinated, and community-led safety strategies to our communities. I don't know if the stakes are high.

[49:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2964) Last year alone, more than 2,800 people in Chicago were shot, and over 500 lost their lives to gun violence. But there's something else that matters. In the neighborhoods where CBI is embedded, shootings have gone down tremendously. In some CP4 communities, we've seen reductions in gun violence as high as 40% in multi-year reductions. This is not luck. It is investment, strategy, and trust built over time.

[49:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=2996) SD2 is active in former CP4B communities North Lawndale, Austin, Humboldt Park, and Little Village with plans to expand to Garfield Park, Englewood, and New City in the near future. As others have said today, this is not a victory lap. There is still much work to do, but we are seeing steady progress, and more importantly, we are seeing communities lead the way. At NPI, we are proud to support this leadership. We are proud to bring structure, training, and strategy to the table.

[50:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3030) But the real work happens in the communities. As C2 is scaling the current CBI infrastructure, it is something the city needs to make peace not only possible but permanent. And MPI is honored to play a part in this effort. Thank you. Whenever we do these events, I think it's vital and important to hear from the people on the ground doing the work.

[51:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3061) Now I want to give a quick shout out to my team. George Roque, Benny Estrada, Major Emanuel C.A. These three leaders have been doing this work for over 30 years, and it takes long-term commitment and investment. But I'm proud to be able to introduce you now to our local SC2 director, someone who's been a leader, who's a voice of positivity and hope and faith, Mr. Aaron Revis.

[51:55](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3115) Before I introduce myself, Brother Matt, he stole my intro, man. And I wanted to give a shout out to my brother, Rock, and my brother, Benny, for all the hard work they've done in this community for 30 years. Coming up in 30 years, 30 years. My mentors, my friends, you are appreciated and loved.

[52:26](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3146) Thank you. My name is Aaron Rebus. I am a man of God. Director of SC2 and Little Village. And the pilot of a plane we're still building as we fly it. not knowing when or where or where we'll land. Many of you doing this work have come through the justice system. Many of you have been shot or are deeply traumatized by gun violence.

[52:57](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3177) But it's a gift to take those life experiences and use them in service to others. We can't change the past and we don't know what the future holds. But today, I thank God for SC2. It's to direct. Direct the staff to the participants. Direct the participants to the right resources.

[53:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3207) Direct peace into our streets where Payne once lived in Little Village. And direct the attention of the nation and the world. We started this year with the phrase, if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far we have to go together

[53:59](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3239) make history we must be of saving lives but join it for that not so they can make money

[55:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3300) As an Abbey kid, not in a courtroom or at a funeral home, but here at Ferrigan High School, on the southwest side of Chicago, in the little village community, with the energy of joy. So let peace ring loudly in our streets, for God has answered our prayers. And it's called SC2, the governor's office.

[55:44](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3344) the little village of young souls and the young hearts that are here today and let the world be that

[56:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A?t=3399) we do want to hear from the folks who are actually moving SCQ forward in the neighborhoods and so we're going to have a very short lightning round quickly introduce them all and then we'll have a couple of lightning round questions

Sources and methods: [how we get and count this data](/about#methods) · [report an error](/about#corrections)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/DsZb0solx8A · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt