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Media
Official statements and news coverage that document our work.
Statement on Violence at Lynch Arena
Leventhal: Louis D. Brown Peace Institute 'Beacon of Hope'
Declaring the Peace Triangle
‘People want justice.’ Raising awareness about Boston’s unsolved homicides, one case at a time.
Louis D. Brown Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis
Families aren’t hearing from Boston police about their loved ones’ cold cases
Press Releases
Pressley, Markey Honor Families and Survivors of Homicide Victims
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute Receives $2.5 Million Earmark for New Center in State Economic Development Bill
“Right to Heal” event to be hosted by Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Op-Eds
Leventhal: Louis D. Brown Peace Institute beacon of hope
Every day, we open the paper and read about terrible murders that happen here and across our country. These tragedies can seem like an all-too-common occurrence, yet at the same time something so remote and abstract that it barely registers to the average reader.
But each name is a person who was senselessly killed. Each person is so much more than a headline: They were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, cousins, friends. Each had his or her own unique dreams, ambitions, loves, hopes, fears, worries, joys, and disappointments, but all had this in common: each had so much life yet to live when violence took them.
Chéry: Nurturing peace by changing the narrative
Peace – an ideal that has been sought through all of human history –has different meanings depending on the beholder. Across the many visions of what makes for a safer, more just world, there is one thing we all have in common. We know that peace does not come easily. It takes work and needs to be nurtured.
My son, Louis D. Brown, who would have turned 47 years old today, knew that as well.
Stop the plague of child homicide with counseling, education and healthcare
As we begin a new year, we mourn the loss of those murdered. Just like the 43,368 families mourning the loss of a loved one’s life taken by gun in 2021, I honor the memory of my own son, Louis D. Brown, who was killed in a fatal crossfire shootout 28 years ago this month. Louis was only 15 years old. Since then, I have led the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, principled in Louis’ commitment to the community, and to bring much-needed healing to families like mine.
When it comes to funding nonprofits, the specter of racial bias hurts us all
While the non-profit sector is known for drawing the support of dedicated people who selflessly want to make the world a better place, numerous studies show that racial bias often creeps into the funding process, resulting in organizations led by people of color receiving far less money than those led by whites.
Read More in The Dorchester Reporter
Homicide is an epidemic, too As with COVID-19, we need a national response
Trauma comes in many forms. The current COVID-19 global pandemic is leaving behind the ripples of trauma in its wake as families and communities are robbed of loved ones. People all across America and from every walk of life are grappling with the scale and scope of this crisis and will face the upward battle towards a collective recovery. We can and we will overcome this virus, but we must be intentional about building ourselves back up afterwards—and that starts with treating our trauma.
Read More at The Commonwealth Magazine
Commentary: We owe it to our children to teach them to choose peace, forgiveness, and healing
It’s only March and already 10 people have been murdered in Boston this year. The youngest was just 16. Since 1993, when my 15-year-old son Louis was killed by a stray bullet, Boston has raised an entire generation of young people whom we continue to fail. The young people murdered in Boston this year weren’t even alive when Louis was killed, and I can’t help but think how much change needs to happen if we are to pave a different path for future generations.
Read More at The Dorchester Reporter
Partnership aims to help survivors, end violent crime in Hub
Violent crime is a persistent problem in the United States. In 2017, more than 19,000 Americans died by homicide. That’s 19,000 families shattered and communities changed forever. It’s an experience that too many people have gone through here in Boston. In our city, violent crime has decreased in recent years.
Read More at the Boston Herald