The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s Campaign for Peace — a drive to raise $25 million to build a new center to further the Institute’s transformative work on behalf of survivors and families impacted by homicide — continued to gather momentum last week with the Massachusetts Legislature’s appropriation of $2.5 million toward the project.
The measure benefiting the Peace Institute, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Worrell (5th Suffolk) and Sen. Nick Collins (First Suffolk), was included in the economic development bond bill passed by the House and Senate Thursday night.
“We are grateful to the entire Massachusetts legislative body, and we extend special thanks to Representative Chris Worrell and Senator Nick Collins for their leadership in securing a $2.5 million earmark for the Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning in the economic development bond bill,” said Clementina Chéry, the Peace Institute’s founder and chief executive officer.
The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s Campaign for Peace seeks to raise $25 million to construct a Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning in one of Boston’s most impacted neighborhoods. The new center will allow the Peace Institute to expand its pioneering services and programs in the areas of homicide response, victim advocacy, and violence prevention, and will transform a vacant lot into a hub for healing, education, and positive change in the community, the city, and the entire state.
“Families of murdered victims have a unique understanding of how violence impacts individuals, families and communities,” Alexandra Dorrelus and Rachel Rodrigues, the Peace Institute’s co-executive directors, said. “As we celebrate our 30th year of existence, we look forward to scaling our programs and leading the movement for peace right in the heart of Dorchester.”
The bill now awaits Governor Healey’s signature.
“As the representative of the 5th Suffolk District, I am filled with pride to have championed the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute earmark to receive significant bond funding in the 2024 Economic Development Bill,” Representative Worrell said. “This vital investment recognizes the critical work the Institute does in supporting families affected by violence and promoting peace within our communities. The funding will enhance their capacity to provide essential services, foster healing, and advance their mission of transforming society’s response to homicide. It is a testament to our commitment to building safer, stronger, and more resilient communities, especially for those disproportionately impacted by violence.”
“I am proud to have sponsored the Louis D Brown Peace Institute Earmark in the 2024 Economic Development Bill. With this $2.5 million in bond authorizations, the vision for the Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning moves closer to the finish line,” Senator Collins added. “I look forward to working alongside the Institute to support the development of their new facility and the expansion of their vital services as they continue to protect our communities from the impacts of violence.”
The Peace Institute was founded in 1994, one year after 15-year-old Louis D. Brown was caught in a fatal gang crossfire near his Dorchester home while on his way to a Teens Against Gang Violence meeting. Over the three decades that have followed, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute has provided support and resources to thousands of people whose families have been impacted by homicide, trauma, grief, and loss. The organization will mark its 30th anniversary on Dec. 20, with lighting of the Prudential Building in the Institute’s signature purple, followed by a celebration event at Venezia Boston.
About the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Marking the 30th anniversary of its founding this December, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a leader in homicide response, violence prevention, and peacebuilding, filling a gap in much-needed local services while developing an innovative, effective model that leads the field of Community Violence Intervention. Clementina Chéry co-founded the LDBPI in 1994 to honor the legacy of her son Louis D. Brown, a homicide victim, and to continue the peacemaking work he led. The LDBPI created The Peace Curriculum to promote peace and violence prevention and to provide ways to deal with murder, trauma, grief and loss. The Peace Curriculum was recognized by the United States Department of Justice for its contribution to the reduction of juvenile crime in Boston. In 1996, the City of Boston began referring survivors of homicide victims to Clementina to guide them through the aftermath of the murder of a loved one. Clementina worked to ensure that all survivors were treated with dignity and compassion regardless of their life circumstances. Today, the LDBPI delivers coordinated and consistent services to families impacted by violence and is an integral partner to cities and organizations nationwide in transforming society’s response to homicide. The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute recently launched the transformative $25 million Campaign for Peace to support expansion of its programs and services and construction of a new Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning. More than just a building, the planned Center will transform a vacant lot into a hub for healing and education and drive positive change in the community, throughout Boston, and across the Commonwealth, and will be a model for cities nationwide.
About Louis D. Brown
“If true peace is to happen, it will be up to my generation, regardless of which side of the street we come from.” This was the vision of Louis D. Brown, a 15-year-old youth activist. With dreams of obtaining his Ph.D, he set his sights on becoming the first Black president of the United States. Troubled by the increase of violence in his community, he joined the Teens Against Gang Violence (TAGV), a peer leadership group that educated youth on the impact of gang violence and advocated for its reduction.
On December 20, 1993, while en route to a TAGV Christmas party, Louis was killed in the crossfire of a gang shootout near his Dorchester home. That sudden, tragic loss birthed the
organizing work that became the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. Today, the organization is guided by Louis’s passion for life, legacy of peacemaking, and wise words: “Make the impossible possible; work smart, not hard; and try to do the best you can and not what people expect to see.”