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APRIL 2019
Spring Has Sprung!
Flowers aren't the only thing in bloom here in the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods. There is so much happening here in the office and above all, out in our community. It is our goal to keep you engaged, involved and leading our important work. Our vision for Louisville is a city of safe neighborhoods, where everyone is supported, free of violence, and prepared for lifelong success. We can only achieve this together, so stay connected with us on social media, our new and improved website, and when you see us out in these streets of course!
Here is a look back at the happenings in March, and a peek at what's coming this month...
Upcoming Events
National Youth Violence Prevention Week
We want to take a city wide stand against youth violence and elevate the many solutions to this challenge. There are countless ways that you can choose to participate during this week. If you already have something going on that week, lift it up and connect it with #NYVPW, #LouYVPW.
This is an exciting opportunity to lift up Louisville along with a national initiative taking a stand against violence. We hope that you will join in on this effort so that we can be loud with one voice that preventing youth violence is within our grasp.
Click here to log your participation in NYVPW.
One Love Implementation Team Meeting is Tuesday, February 26, 2019 from 5:30-6:30 PM. As a reminder, Implementation Team Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month in Metro Hall.
Participate in a process of facilitating the success of One Love Louisville comprehensive violence prevention action plans.
More Info on the One Louisville Action Plan
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Team work makes the dream work! Every month, we will be highlighting the amazing people who move forward the important work of the One Louisville Louisville Implementation Team. This month's feature is Nicholas Marshall!
Nicholas Marshall was brought into states' care when he was infant. With some difficult obstacles to face including neglect and abuse in his life, he came out of the system with some scars but overall okay. With the support, guidance, and love of some wonderful foster parents, family members, and mentors he was able to be the first to graduate from his family from a university. He graduated from the University of Louisville in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in communication.
He is a big advocate for foster parents and adoptive parents in the state of Kentucky. Nick shares his story in various ways in the community. He has given speeches at the Home of Innocence to give hope and faith to the kids that have been through the same situation and he was a special guest speaker at a Foster Care & Adoption Appreciate Dinner in 2017. Currently he has been helping any way he can with prevention, intervention, and restoration with kids who are in states care, going into states care, or leaving the states care. As a part of the Nativity Academy of St. Boniface Association board he helps bring awareness and fundraising efforts for the school and advocating use of education as powerful equalizer in society. He is a part of The Cabbage Patch Settlement House inaugural “Patch Partners” associate board, where they help bring awareness and fund-raise for the organizations overall goal, which is to provide low to moderate income parents the opportunity for their children to have tutoring, scholarships for college, and after school programs throughout Jefferson County.
Nicholas knows there is a lot work to be done in the community, Kentucky, and the nation. Being a part of The One Love Implementation Team has opened his horizons and educated him on more matters that effect the people around him, especially with inequities and disparities that some face in our society. With the information we are gathering we must realize that we are connected through more than just what’s in front of our eyes, we all have heart beat and must march together to the beat to solve the communities problems together.
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The One Love Louisville Youth Implementation Team met with Mayor Fischer on March 16, 2019. Since their last meeting with the mayor, they had been gathering additional information and engaging with community organizations and members who are directly impacted by youth violence, and determining practical next steps to address the issue. One of the top discussion points raised in the most recent meeting with Mayor Fischer was the threat of possible cuts to services due to the city's budget shortfall in the new fiscal year, and how those cuts could impact violence prevention efforts this year and in the future.
After the meeting, they decided they wanted to keep the same energy they had used for their meeting with Fischer, and speak up in defense of continued funding for the services that support all of us--but especially communities impacted by structural and interpersonal violence--at the Metro Council Meeting on March 21, 2019, at 6 PM. In three days, they collaborated on a 3-minute address and presented it to council.
Click Here to view the Metro Council Address
This is just one example of the many courses of action our youth have planned this year. When given the space, support and the resources, they are agents of change. They are using their voices and talents to improve our community, and we are so proud. Be on the lookout for the Youth Implementation Team Members in the community as we celebrate National Youth Violence Prevention Week!
Applications for the next cohort of the Youth Implementation Team open next Friday, April 12. YIT is a one-year advisory board to the Mayor. Youth ages 16-24 that are invested in preventing youth violence have an opportunity to learn to increase advocacy skills and be more civically engaged in their communities.
If you have any questions about the Youth Implementation Team, are (or have) a young person who is interested in joining the team, or would like to have the group engage in community-building with your organization, please contact our Youth Specialist, Nubia Bennett or visit the website for more information.
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(Above) November Offut (17) of Waggner High school, Youth Specialist Nubia Bennett, and Imani Smith (17) of Eastern High School after the Metro Council Address.
(Left) November addressing Metro Council on March 21, 2019.
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We want you to get to know the members of our first cohort of THRIVE Fellows as the stories they are learning to tell about themselves (as opposed to the narratives they are often given), so we will be highlighting a Fellow in each issue, as told in their own words. This month, we are highlighting Darrell Johnson!
Darrell is a Louisville native. He is an intern for The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods. Darrell keeps his focus on the youth, where he hosts and attend Youth Implement Team meetings. Darrell can be found sharing stories and empathizing in his neighborhood and or at the workplace. Darrell has landed a couple of job and trade school opportunities while working in the Civic Engagement Thrive Fellowship. As an intern in the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, he also supports Cure Violence.
The most compelling moment Darrell overcame in his life was being a victim to gun and gang violence. Now, he is trying to help youth with the same lived experiences he overcame by helping them confidently make accurate, rational, positive and constructive decisions to ensure a better future.
Cities United’s and Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods Civic Engagement Fellowship is a 24-month experience that will serve as a catalyst to changing the landscape for local civic engagement, participation and leadership. While serving as a vehicle to increase the life outcomes of young black men and boys, their families and their community by connecting fellows to opportunities, individuals, and the support needed to be successful, the fellowship will also focus on identifying opportunities to make system level changes. for more information about the fellowship contact our THRIVE Coordinator, Amber Burns-Jones.
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The African World Academy perpetuating the legacy of Dr. J Blaine Hudson presents “A Thunder Brain Buffet”. Come out and enjoy a morning of stimulating and thought-provoking topics. Leaders from various walks of life will share thoughts of today’s world and ways to move forward. Expect a stimulating time with the opportunity to network with some of the best minds of our community leadership, gain historical context and political analysis. Have your mind and body fed with the “good stuff” and commune with good people.
Click Here to register for the event
 Nation Youth Violence Prevention Week 2019 Officially starts Monday, April 8 and runs until Friday April 12. Join us for our Mayor's Press Conference at California Community Center at 11 AM to kick of the week!
"The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness and to educate students, teachers, school administrators, counselors, school resource officers, school staff, parents, and the public on effective ways to prevent or reduce youth Violence. This week long national education initiative will involve activities that demonstrate the positive role young people can have in making their school and community safer."
We want to take a city wide stand against youth violence and elevate the many solutions to this challenge. There are countless ways that you can choose to participate during this week:
- If you have an event going on, lift it up and connect it with #NYVPW and #LouYVPW
- Use (and help get trending) the hashtag's #NYVPW and #LouYVPW during that week for social media posts
- Metro United Way has graciously agreed to host an online portal where everyone can list their activites for #NYVPW
Click here to log your activities into the portal
This is an exciting opportunity to lift up Louisville along with a national initiative taking a stand against violence. We hope that you will join in on this effort so that we can be loud with one voice that preventing youth violence is within our grasp. Please reach out to our Youth Specialist, Nubia Bennett if you have any questions.
Want to be involved in #LouVYPW but are unsure how? Below are just a few events you can attend and support:
That is all for now, but be ready for more great info soon!
We would love your feedback. If you have questions or concerns regarding our newsletter, or have a related event that you would like to communicate with our networks, contact Nubia Bennett .
Take care of each other.
#BeThe1
OSHN Team
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