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10 Years of CVI: Inside Chicago’s ‘Art of Peace’ Celebration and Expo
On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, those same organizations came together at “The Art of Peace: 10-Year CVI Anniversary Celebration & Expo” for an evening of reflection, education, organizational activations, community-building, and more, as they marked a decade of partnership in helping to reduce gun violence in Chicago.
Community Violence Intervention Activation Training Informs Community Members on License-to-Operate, Neighborhood Engagement
Leaders from Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) recently partnered with community-led collective “We Are Our Own Medicine” to host a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Activation Training, bringing together community members from various organizations to learn about engaging local CVI groups and building relationships.
Illinois Peace Project Celebrates 2026 ‘Peace Portraits’ With Premiere Screening and Cocktail Reception
The Illinois Peace Project (IPP) celebrated the second year of the Peace Portraits digital storytelling series with a screening and cocktail reception on May 28, 2026 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
2026 Gun Violence Awareness Month Events in Chicago
June is recognized as Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time to honor gun violence survivors and advocate to put an end to gun violence. Organizations all across Chicago are planning a number of activities across the city and throughout the month. Find the many ways you can support.
Chicago’s Summer Safety Strategy Centers Community Violence Intervention and Youth Investment
At least 26 people were shot over Memorial Day weekend, including one fatality — a slight increase from 2025, when Chicago recorded its least violent Memorial Day weekend since 2010. During that period last year, 25 people were shot, including four fatalities.
WATCH: Peace Portraits Featured on ABC7 Chicago’s ‘Our Chicago’
Ahead of the launch of the 2026 Peace Portraits, Metropolitan Peace Initiatives Communications Manager Camille Travis and Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Outreach Supervisor Tavares Harrington appeared on ABC7 Chicago’s Our Chicago to discuss the project and the honorees being celebrated for their work.
Chicago Reporter Highlights Chicago Peacekeepers Program, 35% Decrease in Homicides in Single Year
A recent in-depth piece from The Chicago Reporter featured Community Violence Intervention (CVI) leaders from Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P), who shared some of the complexities of the Peacekeepers Program and the powerful impact the Peacekeepers have made in their neighborhoods.
Overheard at the 2026 CVI Rally for Legislative Action Day
Community Violence Intervention (CVI) advocates and professionals from across Chicago made their way down to Springfield, Illinois, on Thursday, May 14, 2026 to amplify a simple but strong message: CVI saves lives and deserves sustained funding.
Overheard at the Third Annual ‘We Are Our Own Medicine’ Conference
The third annual We Are Our Own Medicine Conference brought together leaders across the Community Violence Intervention (CVI), faith, and public health spaces at New Life Covenant in Humboldt Park.
Illinois Peace Project Announces 2026 Peace Portraits Honorees
Illinois Peace Project is proud to announce the honorees for its 2026 Peace Portraits series, a visual project dedicated to spotlighting the extraordinary individuals working every day to build safer, stronger, and more peaceful communities.
‘This Work Is Life or Death’: North Lawndale Collaborative Hosts Quarterly Community Meeting on CVI Efforts and Public Safety
It was a packed house at the North Lawndale Collaborative‘s (NLC) quarterly community meeting, as residents, Community Violence Intervention (CVI) professionals, and elected officials gathered to hear insights on the work being done on the ground to combat violence in the area.
CVI Convening Celebrates Reduction in Citywide Gun Violence, Looks to the Future of CVI in Chicago
Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI), alongside other Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations, public officials, and advocates, convened to provide Chicago with a public safety update and mark the city’s historic decline in gun violence last year.
City of Chicago Launches First-Ever Center for Formerly Incarcerated Women
The City of Chicago recently launched its first-ever women’s Community Re-entry Support Center (CRSC) in partnership with the Women’s Justice Institute, in addition to awarding five community organizations serving residents returning from incarceration.
Crain’s Chicago Business Details Chicago’s 10-Year Low in Violent Crime
Chicago is set to close out the year with historic declines in violent crime, as detailed in a new report from Crain’s Chicago Business. City leaders, law enforcement officials, and Community Violence Intervention (CVI) experts acknowledge that their combined efforts have helped make 2025 one of the city’s safest years in decades.
Chicago Bears Honor New Life Centers CEO Matt DeMateo with 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker Award
New Life Centers (NLC) CEO Matt DeMateo was recently honored with the 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker Award from the Chicago Bears for his impactful social justice work in Chicago. The award comes at a joyous time as NLC celebrates 20 years of service.
Community Violence Intervention Advocates, Legislators Reimagine Public Safety Policy at Panel Discussions on RIFL Act
Chicago remains on track to record its lowest number of shootings since 1965, but after a year of facing threats to sustainable funding, leaders in the field of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) continue to explore new, innovative ways to save even more lives.
WATCH NOW: Chicago Business, Civic, Faith, and Nonprofit Leaders Join Forces to Denounce Federal Immigration Operation
A group of more than 30 business, civic, faith, and nonprofit leaders from across Chicago recently came together to denounce the federal immigration operation that has played out in recent months across the city and surrounding suburbs.
‘This Work Is Personal’: CVI Leaders Testify Before Illinois General Assembly, Push for Sustained Funding
In the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to cancel public safety grants, several Community Violence Intervention (CVI) leaders from across Chicago and the state testified before the Illinois General Assembly, calling for sustained funding as they continue in the fight to reduce gun violence.
Apply To Be Spotlighted in the Illinois Peace Project’s 2026 Peace Portraits
Calling all peacebuilders and changemakers: The application window for the 2026 Peace Portraits is now open.
Statement of CVI Community Regarding ICE, CBP, and Troops
As individuals and organizations committed to reducing gun violence and enhancing public safety in Chicago, we strongly object to the immoral, illegal, and unjustified actions of federal law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in our city.