Chicago CRED

Beautiful. Profound. Joy. These are the words I use to describe the story of Chicago CRED. CRED's mission is to reduce gun violence. For the last 3 years I've had the pleasure of being a camera operator at the organization's annual graduation. At a certain point each year my thoughts drift to my cousin who was murdered in 2017, a victim of gun violence. As the clouds of grief creep in, being present at the graduation reminds me: Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY COMETH in the morning. Thank you Chicago CRED for the work that you do, lives are being changed and saved. (Arne Duncan, Monica Guerrero, Paul Robinson, Sherry McAdoo-Champion, Emerson Collective) I'm grateful to be a part of the ceremony. I look forward to the story of Chicago CRED being one of the first projects developed and streamed on Museum Culture Network. Thank you Kevin G. Gist for bringing me on. Thank you Brooke Collins for the use of your photos.

In what has become a celebrated annual event, 119 participants of Chicago CRED, a violence prevention program operating on the South and West Sides, proudly received their high school diplomas today at the South Shore Cultural Center. This achievement brings the total number of CRED participants who have earned high school diplomas to 378 over the past eight years. Arne Duncan, Founder of CRED, expressed his admiration, saying, “I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them. They’ve overcome tremendous obstacles to walk across that stage, and they are now in a much stronger position to secure jobs, live safely, and advance their lives.” Elaine Henton, CRED’s Education Director, shared that participants earned their high school diplomas through Penn Foster, a fully accredited online high school. She also noted that many CRED participants have gone on to further their education, earning job-training certificates and enrolling in college courses. “The possibilities are endless for these young men and women. They have the intelligence and leadership qualities to thrive,” Ms. Henton added. “This diploma truly sets them on the path to success.”

Calling all North Lawndale Community Members! Join us TODAY for a Community Meeting on safety in the North Lawndale community. Date: Wednesday, July 24 Time: 6 PM - 7:30 PM Location: UCAN (3605 W. Filmore, Chicago, IL 60624) Join us to address safety, violence, and what can be done to bring about change, together with Chicago CRED. Your input is vital as we strive for a safer North Lawndale neighborhood. Share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback at this important meeting. Together, we can make a difference and create a secure community for all. Save the date and be part of the change! Click the link in our bio to RSVP #NorthLawndaleCommunity #SafetyMatters #CommunityMeeting #ChicagoCRED

City, State Leaders Announce $100 Million For Violence Prevention After Bloody Holiday Weekend. The fundraising milestone is part of an effort to support community violence intervention in Chicago and reduce shootings and homicides by 75 percent over the next decade. https://lnkd.in/gv2i3ASi

Gov. JB Pritzker announces $100 million for violence prevention in Chicago. https://lnkd.in/gZ-zdDrr

Community leaders renew commitment to Chicago violence prevention programs, $100M raised. View coverage from ABC 7 Chicago below. https://lnkd.in/gbnBte7e

With summertime violence surging, community, philanthropic and business leaders joined with state and local elected officials to affirm a historic commitment to work together to expand community violence intervention (CVI) programs in Chicago and in other regions of the state. Read the entire Press Release below: https://lnkd.in/gbxSU6uR

Meet Tyler, an 18-year-old rapper from Chicago's Southside, ready to embrace the joy of summer! Tyler's passion for music fuels his excitement as he dreams of shooting music videos and spending quality time with loved ones. He's eager to explore all that Chicago has to offer and create lasting memories this summer. Tyler is what Chicago Summer Joy looks like! Join us in supporting incredible teenagers like Tyler by sharing a donation. Together, let's empower Chicago's youth to excel in life! #ChicagoSummerJoy #DonateNow #ChiSummerJoy

At a convening yesterday at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago (INVC), 1856 North LeClaire Avenue, representatives from four communities outlined plans to “scale,” which they define as serving up to 75 percent of the people at highest risk of shooting or being shot in their neighborhoods over the next decade. They were joined by elected officials, and philanthropic and business leaders who are raising $100M to support the effort, which is called Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago, or “SC2” for short. Click the link below to read the entire press release. https://lnkd.in/gBGemcUx

Jason Little's powerful journey from victim to mentor exemplifies the resilience and hope of Chicago's youth. In the face of tragedy, he's chosen to empower others, guiding them toward brighter futures beyond the shadows of gun violence. Let's honor his bravery and commitment by advocating for safer communities and supporting initiatives that foster growth and opportunity for all this Gun Violence Awareness Month. Read below. https://lnkd.in/gk3j6bT5 #GunViolenceAwareness #CommunityResilience #HopeForTheFuture