ALBANY, NY – Earlier last week, Chaplain Clementina Chéry, the Founder and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute (LDBPI) delivered the keynote address at New York State’s Office of Victim Services Seeking Solutions Summit.  

This year’s summit was entitled Restorative Justice: A Survivor-Centric Approach.  According to organizers, the event brought advocates and allied professionals together to learn from experts about ways restorative practices may be implemented into their own programs and community. Participants learned how restorative practices have evolved and discussed where the field may be headed in the future.

During Chéry’s presentation, she led the audience in an “I Am” exercise. “I Am” is a tool that the LDBPI uses, where participants affirm their assets and strengths. Hearing the participants’ responses reminded Chéry “that the journey to creating a more peaceful world can be joyful.” 

Following the event, Chéry shared this observation: “Oftentimes, those who work within our systems of justice must do so strictly by the book. Many do not feel the latitude to show up and be themselves. Thus, it is remarkable to witness the power of providing space for people to be human. When providers experience transformative moments within their own lives, it is imperative that they bring those skills into their work. By sharing the tools of the LDBPI, I believe peace is within greater reach.“

Chéry founded the LDBPI following the murder of 15-year-old Louis, after whom the center is named, in 1994. He was a peacemaker and the LDBPI stands as part of his living legacy.  Its programs and services help interrupt cycles of retaliatory violence by teaching the value of peace and supporting survivors in healing from the crisis and chaos after the murder of a loved one.

Informed by CDC guidelines and survivor experiences, the LDBPI has developed best practices and toolkits for appropriate and effective homicide response. In 2013, the LDBPI published The Survivors’ Burial and Resource Guide “an important tool for survivors and agencies who serve survivors after their loved one is murdered. It is currently used by four trauma-one hospitals in Boston. The Burial Guide and related training have been requested from across the country and beyond, including San Francisco, Philadelphia, and the US Virgin Islands.” Learn more about their Best Practices, tools and training opportunities at: https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/training/.

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The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s mission is to serve as a center of Healing, Teaching, and Learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. We have been an integral partner to the City of Boston and have developed best practices in serving families and communities impacted by murder for 28 years. We offer resources to families seeking support and training to providers in the field of homicide response. Learn more at https://www.ldbpeaceinstitute.org/

Chaplain Clementina Chéry, Founder and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, delivers the keynote address at the 2022 New York State Office of Victim Services Seeking Solutions Summit. Credit: Shaulita Francis