Continue to Reduce Violence in Los Angeles

The LA Times reported promising news from 2022 that the year saw "fewer homicides and shootings than in 2021," but as our Executive Director Fernando Rejón noted, there is much more work to do. 

Urban Peace Institute will further this decline in 2023 by implementing the LA Peace Plan, a transformative vision for community safety in Los Angeles. The Plan was released in partnership with the 20-member Los Angeles Violence Intervention Coalition, who represent Black and Brown unity to reduce violence and create peace.

Throughout 2023, Urban Peace Institute will focus on galvanizing support for the Peace Plan to urge City leadership to follow this revolutionary path forward to community safety. Read the LA Peace Plan and prepare to show your support.

Ensure Peacemakers Receive County Funding

In 2022, Urban Peace Institute and Peacemakers from the Coalition advocated for $12.8 million to be allocated to community violence intervention from Year 2 Care First Community Investment (CFCI) funds. The funding was passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to further advance the County’s Care First, Jails Last vision.

The next step is ensuring these hard-earned funds get into the hands of trained Peacemakers whose dedication and success in saving lives made this victory possible.

Host the 2nd Annual Peace Walk & Yoga

At our 1st Annual Peace Walk & Yoga, 40 Los Angeles residents walked with us and gathered to practice yoga with local peacemaker Ebay Williams of H.E.L.P.E.R. Foundation to call for ending gun violence. 

This year, we look forward to hosting the 2nd Annual Peace Walk & Yoga on Saturday, June 3rd in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Wear Orange. Urban Peace Institute aims to bring together gun violence survivors from all walks of life to unite in our shared goal to end gun violence and achieve peace. Stay tuned for more info!