All Photos Courtesy of Ashford Media Group
The fight to prevent gun violence in Chicago gained renewed momentum recently at the Second Annual Strides for Peace Gun Violence Prevention Expo. This groundbreaking event, held at UIC’s Dorin Forum, brought together a formidable coalition of scholars, youth leaders, grassroots organizations, and civic partners to strengthen the city’s collective fight for safety and equity for young people.
It was also an opportunity for service providers, civic partners, public officials and community organizations to network and collaborate.
“The expo became something where we could take a day and put many of these leaders from across the city together,” said Joel Hamernick, executive director for Strides for Peace, one of the principal organizers of the expo. “So, if we can create relationships and conversations, fostering trust with one another, we can strengthen organizations across the board from a collaborative standpoint.”
The theme, “Legacy of Leadership: Inspiring the Next Generation to Rise,” shaped a day of purposeful action. Attendees engaged in mindfulness exercises, participated in panel discussions and explored interactive workshops. Representatives from 140 organizations joined 60 exhibitors to network and share resources.
Building Networks to Save Lives
Vulnerable youth need community support, a point that was a major takaway from the expo.
Citing research from the University of Chicago Crime Lab, he revealed the stark reality: students who transfer schools twice during high school are 80% more likely to become involved in gun violence.
“So we as organizations, through our relationships, can create a safety net for these students, as they’re unfortunately being often torn from the fabric of their communities and being placed in areas where they don’t have the relationships they need for safety and success and opportunity,” he said.
The expo also tackled the challenge of engaging new allies in the fight against gun violence, adults who may be removed from the issue who can still make a difference through mentoring, coaching sports teams or tutoring.
“The combination of fostering relationships and helping people understand how they can get involved is part of the message that we’ve got to get out there,” said Hamernick.
Voices of Resilience
Hamernick referenced a poignant takeaway from a panel honoring the legacies of Blair Holt and Hadiya Pendleton, two Chicago teens whose lives were cut short by gun violence. While their names are etched in the memories of many adults, the panel struck a chord with students in attendance as they heard the testimonies of their friends and survivors.
“From that standpoint, I think that the persuasiveness had much more to do with, ‘These are the voices of credible witnesses, of their friends who went through something that I can relate to,’” added Hamernick.
Workshops throughout the day reinforced this message.
Students took part in conflict resolution training and advocacy sessions and had creative outlets like spoken-word poetry and hip-hop.
A participant wrote a poem on the spot, while another gave a hip-hop performance—a reminder that art can also be integral in addressing this fight.
What’s Next
As Strides for Peace looks ahead, it will use feedback from attendees to shape future initiatives. Plans are underway to expand the accelerator program, which equips small nonprofits with critical operational tools like compliance, fundraising and marketing.
Suggestions for next year’s expo include adding programming for parents and recognizing their vital role in youth development.
Still, this year’s event served as a much-needed reprieve from the relentless issue of gun violence prevention.
“When you’re in that room, and you see so many other people just as passionate as you are about addressing this, it’s just fundamentally encouraging; it is heartening,” Hamernick said.
Strides for Peace will host its next Race Against Gun Violence in 2025, and the expo will return later that year. Until then, the organization remains steadfast in its mission to foster collaboration and build a safer Chicago.
Here are more photos from the Second Annual Strides for Peace Gun Violence Prevention Expo, courtesy of the Ashford Media Group:
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