Brownsville Anti-Violence Project Convenes Community Leaders and Stakeholders

The Brownsville Anti-Violence Project (BAVP) held their first stakeholders’ luncheon last Friday (April 5, 2013) in the Heritage House at the Stone Ave Branch Library. Over 60 Brownsville stakeholders were in attendance!  The day started with an icebreaker called “The Human Treasure Hunt”, which encouraged stakeholders to get to know one another and learn fun facts about their neighbors. One of our stakeholders even serenaded us all!

After the ice was broken, James Brodick and Viviana Gordon delved right into informing stakeholders of existing justice center programming, future justice center plans, and CCI survey results specific to Brownsville.

Once the basics of the Brownsville Community Justice Center were covered, Erica Mateo and Kayin Latson, the BAVP team, delved right into the two components of the anti-violence project: offender notification meetings and the public education campaign. Assisted by lovely Ife Charles, City-Wide Anti-Violence Coordinator at the Center for Court Innovation, the BAVP talked about changing the narrative of Brownsville by saturating the community with positive messaging and pro-social activities. Ife talked about the groundwork laid in Crown Heights through SOS (Save Our Streets), and the importance of getting an anti-violence project off the ground in Brownsville in order to save lives.

The BAVP also announced the upcoming Arts to End Violence Contest/Tour set for summer 2013, and ways to get involved. All stakeholders were given a packet with information about the anti-violence project, a 1 page stakeholder’s survey, an adult campaign advisory board one-pager and interest form, and a youth advisory board flier and application.

Big shout out to all Brownsville Justice Community Center staff, Justice Community youth and Peacekeeper Jesse Gordon, who did a great job helping the BAVP throughout the event.

The Heritage House was packed for the AVP's first stakeholder event.  

Probation Officers from the Brownsville NeON site, Peacekeepers and clergy were among the attendees.

NYCHA REES Zone Coordinator Eric Steiner and Brownsville Community Baptist Church Minister Lee get to know each other in the ice breaker.  

Ife Charles speaks about SOS and gets the room pumped up! 

 Justice Community Participants present the winners of the Human Treasure Hunt with movie tickets!

Peacekeepers Douglas Covington and Jesse Gordon and Chaplain Sharon listen to remarks.

AmeriCorps member Desiree Knight mingles with guests before the start of the event.

The "Magic" food servers: Davon, Wendi and Ben!