CT Against Gun Violence Virtual Policy Forum

Register online here ($10)

CAGV says:

Racial justice can’t be achieved if people aren’t safe in the communities where they live. Too many people of color in Connecticut’s larger cities live in fear of everyday gun violence, a public health crisis that has not been adequately addressed. With the nationwide awakening to the reality of institutional racism, our policy event this year focuses on the intersection of racism, gun violence and what needs to be done to stop the killing in and victimization of communities of color.

Event speakers include:

Tanya Sharpe, MSW, PhD is the Director of the Centre for Research and Innovation for Black Survivors of Homicide Victims and the Factor-Inwentash Chair in Social Work in the Global Community at the University of Toronto. Dr. Sharpe has studied and written extensively on the trauma inflicted by gun violence on Black communities, and the impact of police victimization on Blacks. Dr. Sharpe is passionate about the development of culturally responsive approaches and sustainable opportunities that allow Black communities to thrive in the face of homicide violence.

Chico Tillmon is the executive director of the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention programs and a Ph.D candidate studying criminology. After nearly 17 years in prison, Mr. Tillmon ueses his life experience as part of the organization Cure Violence, to de-escalate community disputes that have the potential to become deadly. Mr. Tillmon is the recipient of the 2017 Ford Men of Courage Award and the 2018 Congressional Veterans Braintrust Award for his work in Chicago’s most vulnerable communities.

Charlie Grady grew up in New Haven and now serves as a specialist with the FBI’s Community Outreach Program in Connecticut. In 2013 he was chosen to lead Bridgeport’s implementation Project Longevity, the group violence intervention model that has been credited with sharp reductions in group-involved gun violence. In 2014 Mr. Grady launched Hang Time, a grassroots effort to foster community among ex-offenders who for too long have not had a voice. Mr. Grady is also a playwright and professional actor, appearing in movies and TV shows such as “Law & Order.”

Learn more about this event and register to attend here.