Peace Institute partners with Philadelphia-based violence prevention organization to implement response protocols that address the homicide epidemic

Boston – Over the past 25 years, the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute has provided resources to the City of Boston and communities of color to heal from murder, trauma, grief and loss. With Boston’s homicide rate up 27%, the Peace Institute’s work is vital in supporting Survivors of Homicide Victims. The Institute is now expanding its services and access to its resources to cities nationwide in an effort to address the homicide epidemic. 

The Peace Institute has partnered with the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP), to establish new homicide response protocols. Homicides in Philadelphia have increased 23% from last year, impacting many of the same Black and brown communities that are bearing the disproportionate impact from the spread of COVID-19. Pain and anger from generations of disregard for Black lives are prompting unrest across the nation.

Within this partnership, the Peace Institute and AVP are implementing protocols following a murder that will stop retaliation, spread peace, and promote healing for those impacted. The strategy is rooted in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s social-ecological framework that interventions are needed at multiple levels to interrupt cycles of violence. The Survivors’ Burial and Resource Guide: A Step-by-Step Guide for Regaining Control, written by the Peace Institute’s Chaplain Clementine Chéry, will be provided as a first step by AVP to entities across the City that come in contact with family members of someone who was murdered.

“Without a space and the resources for learning and healing, cycles of violence are perpetuated,” said Chaplain Chéry. “I’m looking forward to working with the City and the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia to incorporate the Peace Institute’s decades of experience to AVP’s protocols. Only by working together – community advocates, police, educators, faith leaders, funders, legislators and those impacted – will we truly transform the City’s response and create a peaceful community for the next generation.”

Kendra Van de Water of the AVP remarked, “Our inner-city and Black and brown communities that experience systemic discrimination, racism, and poverty, are also dealing with a disproportionate impact from COVID-19. With the Peace Institute’s resources, we are able to support families who are experiencing grief from a murder during this time of isolation. Our partnership will help us support families through their healing.”

The Peace Institute’s efforts in Philadelphia reach beyond responders and families. This year, Chéry held a training with Harcum College students in the Criminal Justice Program. The Program is for students who plan to pursue a career as a police officer, FBI/CIA agent, or detective, or to go into similar fields in the criminal justice system. Anthony Berry, a student who attended the Peace Institute’s training in March of 2020, said he “felt inspired.” 

“We need to become a stronger whole,” said Berry. “And we need to work together to improve the City, so that communities thrive and the streets are safer for everyone to live, work and play.”

“We need to start education around cycles of violence and the response to homicide to the students who will enter jobs in criminal justice, and that’s why I invited Tina to speak to my class,” said Jaclyn Mason, the director of the Criminal Justice Program at Harcum College. “I saw the impact firsthand that hearing from someone like Tina can have on students who want to enter this field.” 

The Peace Institute’s new Philadelphia partnership is one of the multiple partnerships across the country to help support a city’s ability to respond to homicide in a way that is effective and equitable. Due to recent racial injustices, Massachusetts’ legislature has passed a new bill that will create a police standards board, ban chokeholds, prohibit officers from shooting into moving vehicles, and create uniform standards for training officers across the state. The Peace Institute looks forward to working with AVP to see similar progress occur in Philadelphia. The Peace Institute’s resources are a critical step toward making Philadelphia a safer community, and ensuring that all families impacted by murder are treated with dignity and compassion, starting with the death notification, regardless of the circumstances.

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About the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

Chaplain Chéry founded the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, based in Dorchester, MA, in 1994 after the murder of her 15-year-old son Louis. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of homicide response and has served families of murder victims for more than 25 years. Through her leadership at the Peace Institute, she has trained thousands of public health professionals, law enforcement officials, and religious leaders in the best practices for supporting survivors and interrupting cycles of retaliatory violence through the “Survivors Burial and Resource Guide” and “Always in My Heart” children’s workbook.

City considers new homicide response protocols to curb epidemic of violence

Philadelphia – Homicides in Philadelphia have increased 23% from last year, impacting many of the same Black and brown communities that are bearing the disproportionate impact from the spread of COVID-19. Providing resources to heal from murder, trauma, grief and loss is particularly important because of the recent murders of African-American men and women by white police officers. Pain and anger from generations of disregard for Black lives is prompting unrest across the nation. Facing the culmination of these factors, experts are teaming up to provide culturally relevant resources to Survivors of Homicide Victims across the city of Philadelphia. 

The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP) is working to ensure that every Survivor and every agency in Philadelphia serving Survivors of Homicide Victims has access to the necessary resources after the tragedy of a murder. The strategy is rooted in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s social-ecological framework that interventions are needed at multiple levels to interrupt cycles of violence. 

As a first step, AVP is providing the Survivors’ Burial and Resource Guide: A Step-by-Step Guide for Regaining Control to entities across Philadelphia that come in contact with family members of someone who was murdered. The purpose of the Burial Guide is to help families heal, regain control of their lives, and achieve peace after the traumatic death of a loved one to murder. The Burial Guide is a step-by-step tool to assist Survivors and Providers in managing the crisis and chaos in the aftermath of homicide. 

“Our inner-city and Black and brown communities that experience systemic discrimination, racism, and poverty, are also dealing with a disproportionate impact from COVID-19,” said Kendra Van de Water, the director of the Intra-Familial Homicide Initiative of the AVP. “With this resource, we are able to support families who are experiencing grief from a murder during this time of isolation. This tool will help families have better access to more practical and culturally relevant resources  through their journey of healing.”

Without a space and the resources for learning and healing, cycles of violence are perpetuated. But through training and resources – community advocates, police, educators, faith leaders, funders, legislators and those impacted – will we truly transform the City’s response and create a peaceful community for the next generation. 

AVP’s outreach goes beyond responders and families. This year, a training with Harcum College students in the Criminal Justice Program was held for students who plan to pursue a career as a police officer, FBI/CIA agent, or detective, or to go into similar fields in the criminal justice system. Anthony Berry, a student who attended the training in March, said he “felt inspired.” 

“We need to start education around cycles of violence and the response to homicide to the students who will enter jobs in criminal justice,” said Jaclyn Mason, the Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Harcum College. “I saw the impact firsthand that attending a training like this can have on students who want to enter this field.” 

“We need to become a stronger whole,” said Berry. “And we need to work together to improve the City, so that communities thrive and the streets are safer for everyone to live, work and play.”

AVP hopes to continue supporting the City’s ability to respond to homicide so that it is effective and equitable. The Burial Guide and subsequent trainings are critical steps toward providing equitable services to families who are disproportionately impacted by murder and ensuring that all families are treated with dignity and compassion, starting with the death notification, regardless of the circumstances. 

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About Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia

The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP) is the only organization in Philadelphia whose mission is to reduce the entire cycle of violence by providing intervention, prevention, and support programs. AVP was founded 30 years ago as a support group for families who had lost a loved one to murder. AVP’s original program, Families of Murder Victims (FMV), quickly became a valuable support for co-victims of homicide by offering court accompaniment, advocacy, and support.

Today, The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia is helping children and youth resolve conflict nonviolently, while assisting victims and their families to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of violence. Our mission is to end the cycle of violence in Philadelphia through comprehensive and collaborative programs in local communities. To find out how to help, visit our donate and get involved pages.

Peace Institute aims to surpass $400,000 fundraising goal to support Survivors of Homicide Victims 

Boston — Join the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute for a virtual Father’s Day event to honor and lift up the voices of men impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. The goal of the event is to recognize those experiences, provide strategies for healing, raise awareness about mental health, build a support system, and interrupt cycles of violence. 

In May, the Peace Institute held a virtual walk-a-thon for its 24th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. The event was an enormous success, reaching more than 24,000 people and successfully raising more than $375,000, 95% of the organization’s goal and more than any other Mother’s Day Walk for Peace has ever raised. The Father’s Day event will build on that success, but shift focus to how homicides impact men. In the midst of millions across the country protesting the murder of Black men, this event creates space for those impacted by all forms of murder to heal and unite their voices. 

Funds raised at this year’s Father’s Day Event will, in part, support the Peace Institute in supplying its Re-Entry Survival Kits to incarcerated individuals as they are released from prison or jail and return to their communities. In addition to information about support resources to help them and their loved ones through the healing process, the Kits include a backpack, hygiene kits, a clothing voucher, grocery gift card, CharlieCard, Lifeline cell phone, and the I AM Poem Book. 

“The purpose of this kit is not only to fulfill an immediate tangible need, but more importantly to serve as an initial incentive to build trust and commitment,” said Milton Jones, Director of Reentry Services.

“The Peace Institute has a multi-faceted approach to healing that includes providing resources to those impacted by murder on both sides – victim and perpetrator,” said Peace Institute Founder and President Chaplain Clementina Chéry. “Our Father’s Day virtual event will provide a space for healing, and funds to support recently released incarcerated men. Our efforts will help disrupt cycles of violence at multiple levels, which means supporting both the Survivors of Homicide Victims and those returning to our communities.”

To support Father’s Day, donate to the Peace Institute. And the following are details on attending the event on Saturday, June 20.

What: A healing dialogue for men impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss.

Who: Louis D. Brown Peace Institute network, Survivors of Homicide Victims, community members, faith leaders, formerly incarcerated individuals.

When: Saturday, June 20 from 9-10 a.m.

Where: A live stream will be available at Mothersdaywalk4peace.org on Saturday, June 20.

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About the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a center of healing, teaching, and learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. The Peace Institute works to create and sustain an environment where all families can live in peace and all people are valued. Our impact extends to community and society through tools, training, and technical assistance. We believe all families impacted by murder deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion, regardless of the circumstances. 

10,000+ Join 24th Annual Event Online

Watch the event here

BOSTON — The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute hosted its 24th annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace yesterday, raising $330,000 to support the organization’s services, advocacy, and training. Peace Institute President and CEO Tina Chéry and NECN’s Emmy Award-winning anchor Latoyia Edwards moderated the virtual event, welcoming guests including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Beth Israel Lahey Health President and CEO Dr. Kevin Tabb, and Survivors of Homicide Victims. In partnership with NBC 10 Boston/NECN, the event was held virtually for the first time ever and has received over 10,000 views in just 24 hours. Advocates, influencers and community members participated in the event to recognize victims of homicide and celebrate Boston’s great potential to create communities of peace.

The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is a beloved Boston tradition and the Peace Institute’s largest fundraising event. The Peace Institute is a trusted place of healing for those who experience the murder of a loved one, and the organization works to demand dignity and compassion for all victims and their families, regardless of the circumstances. Supporters can still donate to the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace by visiting https://www.mothersdaywalk4peace.org. Funds will be raised until Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2020. 

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Peace Institute announces $400,000 fundraising goal to support Survivors of Homicide Victims

BOSTON, MA — The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is hosting its 24th annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace online this year with a virtual walkathon this Sunday, May 10, at 9 a.m. Broadcast partners NBC10 Boston and NECN will broadcast the event live on TV and across social media platforms. Participants — including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Beth Israel Lahey Health President and CEO Dr. Kevin Tabb, Survivors of Homicide Victims, advocates, community members, and influencers — will unite to recognize victims of homicide and celebrate Boston’s great potential to create communities of peace. 

“Nothing can stand in the way of the Peace Institute’s determination to spread peace, end murder, and transform society’s response to homicide — not even a global pandemic,” said Peace Institute Founder and President Clementina Chéry. “I am thrilled to bring the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace online and continue our decades-long tradition of fighting for a safer, more peaceful world. Uniting to heal our communities is more important than ever this year.”

The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is a beloved Boston tradition and the Peace Institute’s largest fundraising event. It helps support the organization’s services, advocacy, and training. The Peace Institute is a trusted place of healing for those who experience the murder of a loved one, and the organization works to demand dignity and compassion for all victims and their families, regardless of the circumstances. 

“The Peace Institute does invaluable work supporting families impacted by homicide, trauma, and loss,” said Attorney General Healey. “I’m excited to join this year’s virtual walkathon to help demonstrate the impact we can have when we unite around a shared purpose to end violence in our communities.”

“The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a beacon of hope and love, and our City is better and stronger because of the organization’s work,” said Mayor Walsh. “The Walk for Peace is a time for our City to focus on healing and building community. I’m looking forward to this year’s virtual walk-a-thon.” 

“I lost my brother to gun violence on August 20, 2017. When my brother was killed, our family walked into the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute for the first time. We needed help, too,” said Representative Miranda, this year’s co-chair of the Walk for Peace. “We are all impacted when we lose loved ones to violence. Together, we can heal and have an impact.”

While people are feeling particularly isolated and alone during the COVID-19 pandemic and forced to practice social distancing, the Peace Institute’s resources can be a lifeline. Homicides continue to happen and the need for healing persists. That is why the Peace Institute has announced a fundraising goal of $400,000.

“It is times like these that expose the systemic racism experienced by communities of color, immigrants, and others impacted on a daily basis by murder, trauma, grief, and loss,” Chéry wrote in an email to supporters announcing the event’s shift online. “You have proven year after year how deeply you care about the communities we serve and we continue to be grateful. We are looking to you, this year especially, to help us reach our goal of $400,000.”

Register, start a team, donate, fundraise, or volunteer as a social media ambassador for the Mother’s Day Virtual Walk-a-thon for Peace by visiting https://www.mothersdaywalk4peace.org. 

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“All the wonderful staff at the Peace Institute are instrumental in our growth, our process of grieving, and trying to navigate the process of losing a really special person. We’ve received all types of counseling and support, including support going through the trial for my brother’s murder case in 2018. I don’t think we could have gotten through it without the love and support of the Peace Institute,” said Terrin White-Goodman, Terrell’s sister. Valencia Jones, Terrell’s mother, said, “Going to my first Mother’s Day Walk for Peace, I was nervous and emotional. When I saw hundreds of walkers supporting victims and survivors, and all the people who came to support us, it made me feel like, ‘I can do this’.”

Peace Institute Founder Clementina Chéry Attends State of the Union as Special Guest of Senator Markey Boston, MA – Louis D. Brown Peace Institute Founder and CEO Clementina “Tina” Chéry attended yesterdays State of the Union Address as United States Senator Edward J. Markey’s guest. At meetings in the Capitol, she shared the Peace Institute’s vision to create and sustain an environment where all families can live in peace and all people are valued. 

In his announcement, Senator Markey said, “Tina is a teacher, a healer, a change agent, and one of our greatest forces for breaking the cycle of violence in Massachusetts and throughout the country. She is leading a movement for peace and justice for survivors of homicide and other forms of violence, and giving them dignity in their hours of most need. While our neighborhood streets suffer from the scourge of gun violence, Tina Chéry wages peace. Thanks to her leadership, our families, our communities, and our government agencies have the tools to respond to violence with compassion and fairness so that futures aren’t lost to grief and the cycle of violence. I thank Tina for her dedication to the values of peace and potential, and for developing and sharing invaluable tools and resources through the Peace Institute for survivors.”

 

 “I’m grateful to Senator Markey for inviting me to join him at this year’s State of the Union, and for recognizing the work the Peace Institute does to transform society’s response to homicide and support those who experience murder, trauma, grief, and loss,” said Chéry. “I attended the speech on behalf of all those working to address the root causes of violence to make our communities safer, and on behalf of all Survivors of Homicide Victims. I hope others will join us in waging peace for the next generation and learn about the mission of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute — named for my son Louis who was killed 26 years ago at the age of 15 and who dreamed of being the First Black President of the United States.”

While in the Capital, Chéry visited the offices of Senator Markey and of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who last month formally endorsed the Peace Institute’s effort to create a nationally recognized Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. Chéry brought with her The Survivors’ Burial and Resource Guide, A Step-by-Step Workbook for Regaining Control, which the Peace Institute provides across the country to Survivors of Homicide Victims after the loss of a loved one.

 

About the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Chaplain Chéry founded the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, based in Dorchester, MA, in 1994 after the murder of her 15-year-old son Louis. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of homicide response and has served families of murder victims for more than 25 years. Through her leadership at the Peace Institute, she has trained thousands of public health professionals, law enforcement officials, and religious leaders in the best practices for supporting survivors and interrupting cycles of retaliatory violence through the “Survivors Burial and Resource Guide” and “Always in My Heart” children’s workbook.