Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

02/20/2026

🤯 DID YOU KNOW CVI is more than just street outreach? It also includes trauma treatment, education, employment, and community health.
Come to the CVI Convening on Feb. 24 to learn more and celebrate the historic decline in the number of shootings Chicago had in 2025.

Chicago CRED Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

02/18/2026

The Justice Collaboratory is spotlighting the transformative power of partnerships through conversations with The Notebook’s contributors. On Feb 26, Teny Gross, Sam Castro, and Andrew Papachristos will share lived experiences, research insights, and on-the-ground strategies that illuminate how solidarities take root in preventing gun violence.

Join us as we explore the people, the work, and the practices that lift our energy and bring us together. RSVP: https://bit.ly/4tgnv9P

February 26th, 1:00PM EST
Community Violence Intervention: Building Data & Relationship
Panelists:
1. Sam Castro, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnership, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago
2. Teny Oded Gross, founder and CEO of Institute for Nonviolence Chicago
3. Andrew V. Papachristos, Professor of Sociology and the Faculty Director of CORNERS: the Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research & Science at Northwestern University

Explore partnerships between researchers and street outreach workers as they collaborate to address gun violence, highlighting lessons learned, opportunities for solidarity and reasons for hope.

Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P
Yale Law School
Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

02/13/2026

SAVE THE DATE 📅 APRIL 24-25 & REGISTER NOW
The We Are Our Own Medicine Gun Violence Prevention Conference offers a collaborative, in-person experience that leverages unique, cross-sector expertise to strengthen our community through education, training, and partnerships that provides a platform to exchange knowledge and refine our safety initiatives.

More than 500 people are expected for this year’s conference, with breakout sessions giving voice to our youth, families impacted by gun violence and funders sharing best practices for grant writing and violence prevention programming.

We Are Our Own Medicine is a community-centered conference that promotes: a) awareness, b) healing, c) prevention, d) leadershipThe We Are Our Own Medicine Gun Violence Prevention Conference offers a collaborative, in-person experience that leverages uniqu

02/11/2026

Did you catch Say More with Mary Dixon & Patrick Smith on WBEZ last Thursday? They discussed “What’s driving the historic drop in Chicago crime and violence" with special guest, Teny Gross, CEO at Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

Teny shares that "Chicago is more ambitious than any other city in the U.S. People from around the country are coming to Chicago to learn what we're doing."

Find out why by listening to the interview at https://www.wbez.org/say-more-with-mary-dixon-patrick-smith

Plus, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Assoc. Dir of Support Services, Les Jenkins, along with one participant and one Chicago CRED participant called in to share their stories and what made them transform their lives.
https://www.wbez.org/say-more-with-mary-dixon-patrick-smith

Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P

Hear what Chicago’s talking about — and chime in on topics that matter to you — from tariffs to construction, the Bears to “The Bear.” Weekday mornings at 10am

02/10/2026

Community and violence prevention groups have long had professionals embedded in areas where violence is prevalent. Last year’s violence decrease can be attributed to those workers being embedded in the neighborhoods while the groups offer wraparound services to people at risk of perpetuating violence.
"The work that we are doing is definitely having an impact in the communities.” - Nekenya Hardy, Assoc. Dir of Outreach & Intervention, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago
https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/09/gun-violence-way-down-on-west-side-but-prevention-groups-say-success-is-threatened-by-trump-cuts/

Block Club Chicago

The city's major decrease in murders and shootings in 2025 was led by a small group of community areas primarily on the West and South sides. New efforts helped violence prevention groups achieve that success, but the gains could be undone by Trump budget cuts.

02/10/2026

Announcing our own Assoc. Director of Behavioral Health, Kelly Carroll, will be a part of a Feb 26th free webinar hosted by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education alongside Kathryn Bocanegra, Assistant Professor at University of Illinois Chicago Senior Advisor to Illinois Attorney General, and Edwin Galetti, Vice President, Violence Intervention & Prevention Services at UCAN.

“Built on Trust: Community Partnerships for Firearm Violence Prevention Research” will focus on building trust-based partnerships between researchers and community-based organizations. We're excited to talk about our wellness initiative, Project STRIVE, research partnerships with Corners and Rush, and what factors and practices create true partnerships and trust building.

Please register today! This is sure to be a very educational and inspiring discussion with experts in , behavioral health, and healing from trauma.
https://kpcenterforgunviolenceresearch.org/events/

02/06/2026

MONDAY, FEB 9 at 5:30pm, please join us at Loyola's Students Demand Action expert panel discussion Addressing Gun Violence. We'll be speaking on the impact of community violence intervention and the need for community-driven public safety strategies.
sda Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P

02/04/2026

🚨 "People at high risk of shooting or being shot are behaving and living more safely. They are putting down their guns...and avoiding risky situations — all of which points to the impact of community violence intervention programs...After cutting gun violence in half over the last four years, Chicago should be doubling down on this strategy...CVI is changing lives and saving lives by engaging directly with those closest to the violence and enlisting them to help stop it. In order to become the safest big city in America, CVI should be a permanent feature of our public safety strategy. The case for investing in CVI has never been stronger." ☮️ Crain's Chicago Business
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/chicago-crime-fewer-arrests-less-violence-due-cvi-op-ed-says

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Breakthrough Urban Ministries New Life Centers University of Chicago Medical Center UChicago Medicine

02/03/2026

This , we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s reminder that “nonviolence is for courageous people. It’s a way of life.”
In the face of injustice and division, choosing nonviolence takes courage, discipline, and love — and it’s how we protect our communities and move justice forward. ✊🏾🕊️

02/01/2026

Black History Month isn’t just history — it’s action. ✊🏾
As we honor the legacy of Black leaders who fought for justice, like Martin Luther King Jr., we recommit to nonviolence and community care— because every life deserves dignity, safety, and opportunity. Justice and peace are inseparable. Together, we can build safer, stronger neighborhoods guided by peace, courage, and justice.

01/30/2026

Welcome to the neighborhood, New Sound Cafe! ☕☮ Support local/small businesses in Austin! 5958 W. Lake St.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/30/new-sound-cafe-in-austin-channels-the-legacy-of-iconic-1970s-gospel-record-store/
New Sound Cafe Block Club Chicago

01/30/2026

Did you see us in Crain's Chicago Business? Want to know how has helped to dramatically decrease the number of shootings in some of the most historically violent communities? Find out what Chicago business leaders already know about the future of Chicago's public safety strategy and why investing in is good for business. https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/chicagosfuture


Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives