By Robert J. Hansen | OBSERVER Staff Writer
Local gun violence prevention leaders Freddie Dearborn Jr., Barbara Dearborn and Rasheed Shepherd from Advance Peace will attend a meeting hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention on June 12.
The meeting will focus on healing-centered community violence intervention and the importance of increasing mental health support to improve the well-being and safety of impacted communities.
“Urban gun violence takes a toll on individuals and communities, especially among African American males aged 15-34,” DeVone Boggan, Advance Peace CEO and founder, said in a statement. “Advance Peace local leaders are working tirelessly to foster community-wide transformations in cities most impacted by firearm violence. We are helping to build life-affirming infrastructure that will help to deliver sustained reductions in gun violence. This is an extraordinary and welcomed opportunity to continue to help communities impacted by gun violence thrive in peace.”
Advance Peace supports municipal and community efforts to reduce retaliatory gun violence within impacted neighborhoods. Its Peacemaker Fellowship program offers attention intensive mentorship, life skills training, cognitive behavioral supports, and other transformative experiences to support individual healing and growth.
The Biden administration in September established the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to reduce gun violence and implement and expand upon key executive and legislative action. It is overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Advance Peace said the meeting represents another step in President Biden’s commitment to ending gun violence in our country.
Advance Peace operated in Sacramento from 2018-2022, when it worked with the city to reduce gun violence within the neighborhoods it worked in during that period.
During 2018 and 2019, no children in Sacramento died by gun violence, according to Advance Peace.
However, from 2018 through 2023, 62 people age 19 or younger were victims of gun violence throughout Sacramento County. Thirty-four of those victims were Black.
Advance Peace was touted by Attorney General Rob Bonta last month at a press conference on gun violence in Fresno, where Advance Peace has worked since 2021 and has significantly impacted interrupting gun violence.
“I’m proud to stand with our local partners to identify best practices, foster community involvement, and work toward community-driven solutions to eliminate gun violence and protect survivors,” Bonta said.
Fresno experienced a 40% decrease in gun-related incidents in 2022 vs. the previous year and potentially prevented 66 shootings, according to Advance Peace.