Check out AC4’s new Urban Violence Project

The Urban Violence Prevention project is an initiative of AC⁴ designed to strengthen the capacity for promotion of peace and harmony in cities where lives of youth are disrupted by violence. The focus of the project is to provide practical support and advice to young community leaders who serve as agents of change.

The project started in the cities of Medellin, Colombia and Newark, New Jersey with the aim of expanding to other cities. In these cities, gang and other forms of violence have been endemic for decades. It has been paired with poor education and lack of employment opportunities. However, during the last decade, many inspiring young leaders have emerged. They are passionately working to bring about positive change in their neighborhoods. They are cognizant of their role as change agents in promoting peace and they do this largely through the arts and sports, venues that have proven to be successful in violence prevention. Through hip-hop, graffiti art, and soccer, youth organizations and individuals have designed projects with great impact in their communities.

The Urban Violence Prevention project aims to enhance the already existing enthusiasm and motivation of these young leaders by informing them of new practices and processes they can use. It is also intended to bring light to their successes by sharing their stories and initiatives on a bigger scale and platform. We work with youth organizations in promoting their art and sports projects, provide recommendations on fundraising through crowd sourcing outreach, and hold workshops where we introduce AC⁴ theories and skills such as the Dynamical Systems Theory (DST) and Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM). Through the tools and concepts of DST the participants can map the complexities of their systems and identify areas in which the youth can focus their energy and find means to intervene for improvement. Through CMM we provide them with the opportunity to share and honor their own experiences and stories, to capture their own joys, and to transform pain into something positive through perspective taking. The project aspires for collaboration between AC⁴ and youth organizations by combining our theoretical and practical expertise and resources with their skills in survival, resilience, and creativity.

If you are interested in learning more about the Urban Violence Project at AC⁴, please contact Venera Kusari at vk2285@columbia.edu.