Louis D. Brown Peace Institute

The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a center of Healing, Teaching and Learning for people impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss.

“If true peace is to happen, it would be up to my generation, regardless which side of the street they come from.”
– Louis D. Brown

Louis was a 15 year old sophomore in high school, looking forward to college, interested in engineering, and aspiring to be the first Black president of the United States. On his way to a Teens Against Gang Violence Christmas party, Louis was fatally caught in the crossfire of a shootout. During that time, there were no resources in Boston for survivors of homicide victims which left Louis’ family leaving the hospital empty-handed and empty-hearted.

Louis’ murder was high profile. The media speculated on why a teenager was murdered in broad daylight. Was he in a gang? Was it a drug deal gone bad? When it was reported that Louis was in fact an honor student killed on his way to advocate for peace, there was a major shift in public opinion. This shift in opinion led to an outpouring of support. But for Louis’ family, this begged the question of what the response to their family would have been if he were in a gang or selling drugs? Would the same resources be poured in? His mother, Clementina Chery, founded the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute to continue Louis’ legacy of peacemaking, and to give survivors the resources she wished were there for her, regardless of their circumstances.