REDUCING VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO.

>> FROM VIOLENCE, INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO COLLEGE AND CAREERS SERVICES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS CHICAGO ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY'S YOUTH TO HELP STOP VIOLENCE.

JOINING US NOW, OUR LEADERS FROM SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY ARE KRISTA HAMILTON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF YOU.

BRADLEY JOHNSON, CHIEF COMMUNITY OFFICER AT BUILD CHICAGO AND CASTRO, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AT THE INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE.

CHICAGO, THANKS TO EACH OF YOU FOR JOINING ME CHRISTA, ACTUALLY WANT TO START WITH YOU THIS IS NOT ANYTHING NEW WORKING WITH YOUTH.

IN FACT, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE MORNING.

MAY CORRECT.

>> WE HAD ARE 100 55TH BIRTHDAY MONTH.

BIRTHDAY.

YES.

>> WHAT AGE DO YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH WHAT WAS IN IN THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR?

HOW IS THIS?

IT CONTINUED THREAT.

>> SO OUR ORGANIZATION WAS STARTED AS A AS ORPHANAGE FOR KIDS THAT ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR FAMILIES DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND 155 YEARS LATER, WE'RE STILL STILL DOING THAT WORK.

SO BIG PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, FAMILY SERVICES.

WE DO FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS, RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAMS.

BUT FROM THAT, WE'VE HAVE THAT WE'VE SPUN OUT ALL THESE OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARE VIOLENCE PREVENTION, OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ALL CREATED EQUAL WHAT WE CALL A CONTINUUM OF CARE.

SO IT STARTS WITH KIDS THAT ARE IN CARE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, BUT IS GONE INTO SO MUCH MORE THROUGH THE YEAR.

AND THE CONTINUAL CARE MISSING IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF GETTING TO THE HEART OF PREVENTION, GET TO THE HEART OF PREVENT.

YES.

SO WE DO SOME INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION WORK.

>> SAME THAT YOU THE INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE.

CHICAGO FOLLOWS REALLY SPECIFIC APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO TACKLE VIOLENCE.

THIS IS KINGS.

IAN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> SO NORMALLY PEOPLE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OF THE BACK STEPS.

SO WE USE THE 6 STEPS PRINCIPLES AND FIGURING NOW AT GATHERING INFORMATION SHARE INFORMATION.

WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, ISN'T IT THAT THE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CREATE SOME TYPE OF NON AGGRESSION?

WE CELEBRATE, RIGHT, BECAUSE OFTEN WE DON'T CELEBRATE THOSE WINDS AND OF THAT DIDN'T WORK.

THEN WE GO BACK TO THAT ONE JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT PIECES DID WE MISS AS WE PUT IN THE RATING SUCCESS SO IMPORTANT AND THE KINGS, AN APPROACH THAT COMES FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR.

YES.

OKAY.

SO NON VIOLENCE THERE.

>> BRADLEY.

YOUR ORGANIZATION PROVIDES RESOURCES TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS FROM AGES 6 TO 24.

BUT LET'S START WITH 6 IN THAT.

THAT'S KINDERGARTEN.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE IS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE AND HOW DO DO IT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK A HISTORICALLY BILL.

FIRST OF ALL MEANS BROADER URBAN INVOLVEMENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING FROM WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE WE STARTED 1969.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STREETS, GANG OF ALSO, THESE ARE YOUNG ADULTS AND OLDER TEENS.

BUT WHAT WE LEARNED WAS DATED.

START THERE AND THAT YOU HAD TO START REACH THEM EARLIER.

HE HAD TO CONNECT WITH THEM SOONER BEFORE THEY, YOU KNOW, WENT DOWN A PAP AND SO WE WORK IN A LOT OF SCHOOLS.

SO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WORKING WITH OUR KIDS WORKING WITH FAMILIES, MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS EXPOSURE TO OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT VIOLENCE, PREVENTION REALLY VIOLENCE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SYMPTOM, A SYMPTOM OF A LACK OF ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.

A LACK OF EXPOSURE OF THE ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.

BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE OPTIONS TO DO THAT.

SO FOR THE YOUNGER AGES, GETTING THOSE THOSE IDEAS AND HE'S AN EXPOSURE, I'M ASSUMING WITH YOUNG KIDS, ESPECIALLY A LOT IS BASED ON.

>> YOUR YOUR FRIEND CIRCLES AND WHAT YOUR PEERS ARE UP TO.

SO IS THAT PART OF IT AS WELL?

IT'S PART OF IT, BUT IT'S ALSO YOUR FAMILY IS ALSO WHO INFLUENCES YOU.

AND SO THERE'S A TRANSITIONAL AGE BETWEEN 6 9 YEAR, THOUGH, WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE START TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES.

AND SO THE SOONER THAT YOU CAN REACH THEM IMPLANT OR TO IMPART SOME KNOWLEDGE OR SOME IDEAS OF THOUGHT.

>> INSIDE OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET ONE WITHOUT.

AND SO IT DOES COME TO PEERS.

BUT IT'S ALSO THE INTERACTION.

ALSO EXPOSURE ALSO THAT STRUCTURE AND ALSO THAT CARE AND THAT LOVE THAT NECESSARY THAT THEY BUILD SAY HERE YOU NODDING SAYING YES TO THAT YOUNG AGE COMPONENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, ALSO SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY EXCITED YOU CAN WE ARE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM COW REACH.

21, WHICH MEANS RELENTLESSLY ENGAGE IN ADOLESCENCE TO CHOOSE HOPE.

AMANDA, SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUNG BOYS.

IT'S GOING TO STARTED EARLY AS 12 YEARS UP INTO 21 AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ENGAGE THEM FROM 12 TO 21.

AND WE'RE GOING WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE THEM.

THEY HIT THOSE MILESTONES AT 16 YEARS OLD.

18 YEAR-OLDS IN 21 YEARS AGO ON THE WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING EITHER.

AND AT 21 WITH THE JOB I'M SCHOOL OR SOME TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, WITH VOCATIONAL PROGRAM OR TRADE SCHOOL.

REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WATCHING THIS PROGRAM.

WE'RE GOING TAKE A SMALL COHORT OF 25 AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW HOW FAR WE CAN GO WITH THEM.

AND AGAIN, THIS NOTION OF CELEBRATING SUCCESSES AND IN WINDS.

>> NOW IN ORDER TO REACH STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS.

YOU HAVE GET IN THE SCHOOL.

AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE THAT SOMETIMES HAS PRESENTED A CHALLENGE.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE A LOT OF STAFF THAT.

WORKS FINE PREVENTION WE HAVE THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE SO WE CAN GET THERE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SO DO THE WORK AND WE DON'T WANT THE CPS LOOK AT US AS CROSSING GUARD.

COULD INTENTIONAL WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK AROUND THE SYSTEM.

THERE'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE BUT NEVER BEEN INCARCERATED.

SO WE SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT A PLAN TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL BECAUSE MY PARTNER'S SHARE.

THERE'S NO AGE LIMIT TO THIS.

THEY'RE STARTING AT A YOUNGER AGE WANTING TO JUMP OUT THE FORT.

SO WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL TO GET HIM AND GIVE THEM DIFFERENT CHOICES THAN BEING THAT OPTION FOR IN HAVING THAT SORT OF EXPERIENCE, A PRESUMED MAKES IT THE FARMER REALLY DOUBLE RELATIONSHIP.

THAT IS THAT THAT YOUTH IS GOING TO LISTEN TO SOMEBODY.

YEAH, DEFINITELY THAT BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE ME.

I WAS ONCE THEM.

>> ITS RELAY DOUBLE VERSUS THE PERSON WHO READ ABOUT THAT, BUT NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

BUT >> WHEN THEY CAN RELATE TO YOU IN ONE THING ABOUT THE YOUTH IN KIDS, THEY SMELL WHEN A PERSON IS GENUINE ABOUT COMING HELP THEM.

>> YOU KNOW, IN OUR WORK WEEK ON A CREDIBLE MESSENGER.

ARE MESSAGES THAT ARE CREDIBLE.

THEY HAVE KIND OF THE STREET CREDIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> BUT THEY'VE ALSO MADE DECISIONS TO BE AN ASSET TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

NOW.

>> YOU I WANT TO GET TO YOU.

BRADLEY IS WELL.

SO THAT YOU IN AUSTIN, BUT ALSO RETURNING TO HUMBOLDT PARK.

CURIOUS, ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN HOW YOU APPROACH PROGRAMMING OR RELATIONSHIPS AND 2 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES?

WELL, >> I THAT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO IS BASED ON THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.

SO HUMBLE PARK IS ACTUALLY WHERE WE ORIGINATED.

WE NEVER REALLY LEFT HUMBLE PARK.

WE MOVED OUR HEADQUARTERS TO AUSTIN.

YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICES IN HUMBLE PARK COMMUNITY.

NOW THE DIFFERENCE IS IS DIFFERENT.

EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL WERE IN.

IS DIFFERENT.

DON'T CARE WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU'RE AND AS A DIFFERENT CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL.

DOES BASIN ADMINISTRATION BASED ON THOSE BLOCKS AND CIRCLING IT.

AND SO OUR APPROACH HONESTLY IS THE SAME.

THE SAME CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION WITH THE FAMILY'S CONNECTION WITH THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WORK FROM THERE.

NOW, WHAT I THINK WITHIN YOU ADAPT WITHIN BUT THAT APPROACH IS THE SAME THAT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT CULTURE.

SO UNDERSTANDING THAT IS IMPORTANT.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT LARGELY IS ALL ABOUT REALLY PROVIDING WAS NEEDED OR DESIRED BY THE COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T PRESCRIBE IT.

WE DO COME WITH A COOKIE CUT CUTTER KIND OF APPROACH.

IT'S MORE OR HERE'S WHAT THIS SCHOOL IS LOOKING FOR A NEED.

HERE'S WHAT THIS BLOCK NEEDS.

SOMETIMES THERE IS GETTING INVOLVED GANGS DIFFERENT.

ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES FROM THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO LATINX OR HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

SOMETIMES A COACH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES TO GANGS THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO APPROACH HAS TO BE DIFFERENT.

BUT ALSO YOU CAN APPLY 20TH CENTURY APPROACHES TO 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITIES.

NOW THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW.

AND SO OUR APPROACH IS ALWAYS DEATH.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN GETTING A GYM?

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING GETTING ON TIKTOK OR IS WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ARE SO WE HAVE TEAMS THAT SCORE OF THE INTERNET.

>> THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A RIVAL ISSUES AND WE'RE GOING OUT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ENOUGH.

PEOPLE ARE MAYBE MOCK IN SOME WIND UP MAKING THE POLLS.

WE'RE GOING TO THOSE KIDS A VOICE.

AND HEY.

>> YOU KNOW, HOW DO MITIGATE THIS FROM HAPPENING?

WHERE ONE P CIRCLES AND STORY OF CONVERSATIONS WE ACTUALLY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED NO SLIDE AGREEMENTS GO TO TO RIVAL WILL AND WE HAVE THEM AGREED THAT THEY WILL GO IN EACH OTHER'S BLOCKS AND THEY SIGNED OFF ON ALLOW OKAY.

>> YOU I WANT TO GET TO SOMETHING THAT HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION.

IS THIS MASS SHOOTING IN THE BACK OF THE YARDS AND YOUR COMMUNITY WORKS THERE.

WHAT WAS YOUR ORGANIZATION'S RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT WHERE A 9 YEAR-OLD WAS LEFT?

>> FROM THE MOMENT WE RECEIVED THE E-MAIL AND SEE PICK CALL FROM A THE EVERYONE WAS HANDS-ON.

I'M NOT ONLY OUR STAFF THAT WORK BACK IN THE YARD, BUT OUR STAFF THAT WERE ON CALL WEST GARFIELD AND ALSO ALSTON.

IT WAS ON IT AND I'M ALSO GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED THAT I HAVE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT MY MY PHONE WAS RINGING.

>> THEY LIKE WHAT?

PEOPLE ARE READY IT ALL HOURS.

THERE HAS NO VIOLENCE SPICE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PARTY YOU CITY IS THAT AND WHEN I SEEN DID, OF COURSE PEOPLE OUT OF AUTOMATICALLY THINK IT'S GANG THING.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS JUST PEOPLE THAT CELEBRATING LIFE AND THIS HAPPENED.

BUT I THINK PEOPLE SAY LIKE WHAT, WHAT?

WHAT?

AND I'M LIKE MY RESPONSES.

WE'RE NOW WALKING THE FAMILY TO HELP YOU THROUGH THE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES AND THE LOVE THING ABOUT BEING IN A PARTNERSHIP.

EVERYBODY.

CAIN WRITES, I FIGURED THERE WAS 11 PEOPLE WHO'S AFFECTED OF ONE PERSON LOVES ONE.

THAT MEANS THAT GOT 22 PEOPLE.

AND I THINK ABOUT THE KIDS.

SO WHEN WE PUT THAT TOGETHER, IT WAS A BLESSING TO BE AND THE COLLABORATIVE WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK TO EACH OF YOU ARE GOING