Good News That You Can Use! February 12, 2021 STOP the Violence News & Updates Our purpose is to change the community narrative about violence and stop the spread of the disease of violence in the City of Pittsburgh. While we are concerned as well with the surrounding areas and will share solutions and events in those areas, we only have jurisdiction over the City. This Newsletter contains information on ways that YOU can get involved with violence prevention and community safety initiatives. Please share this Newsletter with people in your networks. We would like everyone in the City to see it because it will take all of us speaking and working together to STOP the Violence! If you're interested in helping, click HERE. Special Training: We are seeking individuals and organizations that want to play an active role in violence prevention efforts. A virtual training for all STOP the Violence volunteers will be conducted on Tuesday February 16 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. If you're interested in attending, click HERE. Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh STOP The Violence Newsletter Media Appearance: The Newsletter made an appearance on the WPXI news on February 5. The story also featured Jay Gilmer and Rev. Cornell Jones who stated that "this is the start of a community movement against violence." Thanks to Michele Newell for her interest. Hopefully more media attention will come. To see the story, just click the box. I am most interested in learning more about (select one only): Trauma Response Team of Neighborhood Resilience Project Select Youth Mentoring Opportunities Select Resources for individuals returning from incarceration Select Positive ways to engage with the Pittsburgh Police Select Services of Center for Victims Select Other volunteer opportunities Select Solutions: Valerie Dixon Victim Advocate, Community Resource & Anti-Violence Activist Valerie Dixon has directly experienced the effects of violence and suffered the trauma associated with a loss and that pain led her to dedicate her life to preventing violence. On June 25, 2001, Robert James Dixon, the one and only son of Valerie Dixon, was brutally murdered with a stolen .357 Magnum handgun. This event drastically changed Valerie’s life. Just two weeks away from attending the Atlanta Falcons summer practice camp, Robert had a bright future; but within 5 weeks of Robert’s death, 4 of his close friends were also murdered. In spite of her own intense trauma, she knew something had to be done since it seemed that no one cared. This led her to become a voice for families that were suffering from these unimaginable tragedies. Valerie Dixon is multi-talented, extremely passionate and dedicated to her community. Violence affects all of us in some way. Some of us experience trauma after being directly or indirectly victimized. Others are responding to needs created as a result of violence. We are all poorer due to the lives lost. Entire communities suffer when young lives are snuffed out. The contributions that would have been made by those lost are invaluable. For the last 20 years, Valerie has been a tireless advocate for families who have experienced violence and for measures to prevent violence from affecting more lives in the future. She now assists other families who have suffered from the trauma of losing a loved one to violence by directing them towards and guiding them along the path of healing. She has also has extended her efforts towards implementing initiatives and policies that directly address issues of violence. She is a one-woman dynamo and willingly assists anyone who needs help. Below are four ways Valerie serves and helps. How can you help? Center for Victims -Director of Family & Community Support- Valerie has been helping traumatized families at the Center for Victims since the death of her son. She now serves as Director of Family and Community Support where she can use her vast knowledge of support and resources to assist victims and their families. “I received a referral from someone who needed relocation because her house was shot up and the family was in a hotel. Since they couldn’t afford to stay there forever, I paid for the hotel for a few more nights, made a referral, and they relocated permanently. In another situation, a grandmother was taking care of her grandkids after the dad was killed. She needed beds and a car seat. I found these items and helped her with food.” She also supervises the Center For Victim’s Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program. VOD is a service that seeks to make things as right as possible for everyone after a crime occurs. In a VOD, victims and offenders meet face-to-face in a safe and structured environment with trained facilitators to talk about what happened, who was harmed, and how the harm can be repaired. The victim can ask an offender questions and receive answers about what happened and why, tell the offender how the crime affected them, and help decide what needs to happen in order for everyone to move forward. The offender can agree to take steps to repair the harm created by their crime by paying restitution, completing volunteer work or making other amends. Please contact Valerie if you’re a crime victim either recently or in the past and need material assistance or support or if you are interested in taking our 40 hour training course to learn how best to care for victims. Then you can help prevent violence too. For any assistance, call the Center For Victims Hotline at 866-644-2882 or Vdixon@centerforvictims.org. P.A.C.T. Initiative P.A.C.T. Initiative -Founder- Ms. Dixon also helps families in a variety of ways through the P.A.C.T. (Prevent Another Crime Today) Initiative which she founded. Above: A PACT Initiative billboard offering a reward for information to solve a murder. One of PACT’s unique programs is its unsolved homicide billboard campaign. The yellow billboards request for the community to “Get Involved” by providing a tip that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the homicide. A $5,000.00 reward is offered. Billboards have been posted throughout Allegheny County. To date, this effort has contributed to 39 trials and 35 convictions. A PACT Initiative billboard remembering Valerie's son Robert James Dixon Another unique service is that “we can act as intermediaries to find help and, when necessary, accompany family members to meet with law enforcement. The trust that we have with community members can facilitate people cooperating with the police. We need people to come forward to save lives. If we don’t care enough to do it, who will?” PACT can also act to assist families in the midst of intense grief after losing someone to violence. PACT can provide families with resources to assist them in their healing process and create an avenue where these impacted families and communities can get involved in violence prevention and intervention initiatives. For more information on Valerie’s painful journey, listen to this interview: https://www.pittsburghurbanheroes.com/2013/heroes/dixon.html PACT is in need of volunteers and funds to help more families who might otherwise fall through the cracks in the system. PACT can be reached at makeapac1@gmail.com Former Steelers player LaMarr Woodley and Valerie Dixon in 2012 Pittsburgh Outreach Team -Volunteer- “Valerie is always there when we need her. She is not afraid to go anywhere or speak with anyone. She is a mom to every young person in this city that will listen to her” said Rev. Cornell Jones, Coordinator of the Pittsburgh Outreach team (featured in the November 2020 STOP the Violence Newsletter). The Pittsburgh Outreach team is deployed to reduce tensions in situations where rivals are expected to be present. It also responds after a violent incident to reduce the risk of retaliation and provide aid to victims, their families and nearby community members. Her own loss and personal history make her relatable to many. Valerie was born and raised in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District and East Liberty and is a proud graduate of Westinghouse High School. Ms. Dixon then attended OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Center) after which she was accepted as an apprentice by Plumbers Local 27, obtained her journeyman’s plumbing license and practiced that trade for 10 years. After switching into the health care field, she rose to supervisor level for the UPMC Health Care Program. “Involvement in the Pittsburgh Outreach team enables me to meet young people, learn about new resources and opportunities and connect with families. It’s challenging, but I would recommend it to anyone who is passionate about the community and wants de-escalate tensions.” More information on the Pittsburgh Outreach team can be found by contacting GVI Coordinator Cornell Jones at cornell.jones@pittsburghpa.gov. Coalition Against Violence & Black Political Empowerment Project -Leader- Ms. Dixon is also active as the Vice Chair of the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) and as the Co-Convener of the Coalition Against Violence (CAV), a broad-based coalition of community and religious leaders, police, representatives from education and government institutions, and concerned citizens of Allegheny County. The CAV exists to facilitate the implementation of strategies and initiatives addressing the issues of violence and crime that plague many neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh and communities throughout Allegheny County. Those strategies are contained in the Strategies for Change, a collection of over 833 strategies broken down into 27 categories from Anti-Bullying to Zero Tolerance. There’s something for everyone to do to prevent violence and change a culture which increasingly sees violence as a way to solve problems. The CAV also sponsors youth summits in schools that help teenagers learn how to relate to the police and how to avoid all levels of violence, how to commit to boldly and actively support as well as how to collaborate with organizations, agencies, initiatives, and programs already working quietly and diligently to help reduce violence. According to Tim Stevens, Co-Convener of B-PEP and a veteran community activist, “Valerie is one of the most dedicated people I know. She will do any and everything necessary to help someone and she’s extremely passionate about reducing community violence. This work is personal for Valerie. She will tell her very painful story whenever necessary to positively impact someone’s life. I’m proud to call her my friend and colleague. Valerie is truly one of the gems of our community!” To connect with the Coalition Against Violence and its Strategies for Change, please click HERE. https://www.coalitionagainstviolence.net/ Tim Stevens and Valerie Dixon, Co-conveners of the Coalition Against Violence What Will You Do? When asked why she does it all, Valerie stated that “I find it very satisfying to engage with young people. When I help someone, I may be the first person in the ‘system’ to care. This can cause someone to change their mind about themselves and about committing violence. "I don’t want anyone else to go through what I’ve gone through. If I can help someone avoid this pain, I’ll do it. "To conquer this problem and change the culture, we need more people to get involved. As a first step, just contact me at 412-403-0194.” Valerie Dixon (far right) with a Women's Intergenerational Healing Group at the Center for Victims Black Pittsburgh Matters Featuring STOP the Violence The Black Pittsburgh Matters television show hosted by City Councilmen Reverend Ricky Burgess and Daniel Lavelle featured the City’s Health, Safety, and Violence Prevention Initiative on January 27. Click on the picture to see the program. Guests were Jay Gilmer, STOP the Violence Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, Von Madden, President/CEO of Shadow Student Athlete Development Services and member of the Group Violence Intervention Reach Outreach team, Valerie Dixon, Director of Family and Community Support at the Center for Victims and a member of the Group Violence Intervention Pittsburgh Outreach team, and Laura Drogowski, Critical Communities Manager for the City of Pittsburgh Solutions: STOP the Violence Prayer Team You Can Help Too! Stopping violence will take the efforts of the entire community – a community movement. The ultimate objective of the City’s STOP the Violence office is to convert a culture of violence into a culture of non-violence. One component of this movement is the STOP the Violence Prayer Team. “I believe that prayer changes things and the more people praying for the same things, the better,” said the Reverend Cornell Jones, formerly a chaplain at Western Penitentiary and now the City’s Group Violence Intervention Coordinator. If you can commit to praying for the City’s anti-violence efforts, please sign up. You will receive periodic updates on prayer concerns and success stories, as well as information on other volunteer opportunities that you can pray for and share. Rev. Cornell Jones A training for all STOP the Violence volunteers will be conducted on Tuesday February 16 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Prayer Team volunteers are encouraged to attend. The STOP the Violence Prayer Team will be led by a team of volunteers. If you would like to be part of the leadership, or just pray, please sign up HERE. Solutions: Center that CARES Increasing Opportunities for Youth and Families “Being bored and broke can sometimes cause young people to get themselves in trouble. If someone has access to a weapon, that trouble can turn into serious violence. And it’s usually over matters that are relatively trivial, like alleged disrespect over social media or a girl’s attention. One solution in my neighborhood, the Hill District, is the Center that Cares.” This is the assessment of Mia Mitchell, 21, (see photo-right) an intern with the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety’s STOP the Violence Office and participant in programs at the Center that CARES for over 10 years. The Center That CARES (Children/Adults Recreational & Educational Services) is entering its 20th year and has helped over 2,800 pre-k to college youth and families. CARES exists to enhance the quality of life for everyone it touches. CARES does this through promoting academic success, preparing youth for leadership, and encouraging everyone to make healthy and productive choices. CARES has programs and services for all ages. During the academic year, CARES serves approximately 160 students daily through an Afterschool Enrichment Tutorial program. During the summer, CARES offers a 7-week camp and a summer basketball league providing safe recreational activities and mentoring for participants. CARES gives students opportunities to learn inside and outside of the classroom. The tutoring and learning that CARES gives causes 80% of students to maintain or improve their grades. Not only are the learning experiences academic, but they’re also fun. CARES students have opportunities to connect with other nonprofit organizations such as Venture Outdoors, which enables students to kayak, fish and ride bikes where they are able to have fun while also learning. “My mom got me involved with the programs at CARES when I was 8 years old (see young Mia with Rev. Glenn Grayson of CARES in the photo-right). When I was 14, I received a stipend to help younger kids. I learned a lot about myself by helping them." "When I was 18, I got to spend a week in Ireland where I had a chance to experience the world outside of Pittsburgh and connect with students in that country. This trip changed my life and opened my eyes. In Ireland, I saw kids as young as 15 who were drinking beer and smoking cigarettes and didn’t seem to have any purpose. If I didn’t get involved with CARES, I’d probably be doing the same thing right now and maybe working at Macy’s or Family Dollar with no plans or goals! Instead, I’m now a third-year student at Lincoln University studying Criminal Justice and hope to have a career helping people and caring for my community through law enforcement.” The latest initiative of the Center That CARES is “CARES CommuniTea Cafe”, a coffee shop, located at 1836 Centre Avenue (across from the Hill House) which will serve the entire community. It’s open from 7 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday and on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. When you stop in, look for Mia’s photo on the wall! To support or become involved with the programs at the Center that CARES, please call 412-26-CARES or visit their office at 1852 Enoch Street, Pittsburgh 15219 or go to the CARES website at http://centerthatcares.org. Learning: Group Violence Intervention + Group Violence Intervention (GVI) is a strategy to reduce shootings and homicides in urban neighborhoods by using a three pronged strategy: law enforcement in partnership with the community, informed street outreach and social services to prevent violence, and involved community members reinforcing community norms rejecting violence. For additional information on GVI, including its history and rationale, see this hour-long webinar from Mayors Against Illegal Guns entitled Re-imagining Public Safety: Group Violence Intervention and Intimate Partner Intervention: Webinar. The password is: MA1Guniversity! The first half of the webinar is on GVI, the second half on Intimate Partner Intervention. Pittsburgh’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) violence prevention strategy was featured in the October STOP the Violence Newsletter which can be accessed HERE. The non-law enforcement elements of GVI are coordinated by Rev. Cornell Jones who can be contacted at cornell.jones@pittsburghpa.gov. Conflict Resolution Training If you would like more information on violence prevention and some suggestions on ways to be involved with anti-violence activities, please click on and watch the two-hour training video to the right. Our outreach teams include violence interrupters, but there are lots of other roles to play. After viewing the training video, please let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to be involved! Facts & Stats Below are selected crime statistics from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. These statistics are from the period January 1 to January 31, 2021. These only cover the City, not the areas of Allegheny County which are outside of the City. A few January statistics of note: shootings and homicides were higher in January 2021 than in the two previous years. Five lives lost in January is five too many. Each life is too valuable. Each family is affected forever. And our communities are poorer as a result. Preventing violence will take all of us. We need to speak out, offer alternatives, and make sure that our family members and friends know that we will do anything to keep them safe and that gun violence is not an acceptable way to settle any dispute. If you are interested in working to change these negative statistics, please click HERE to contact the STOP the Violence Office. What will you do to help? City of Pittsburgh Police Zones The following statistics cover the 157 non-fatal shooting victims from 2020. These were the victims from the 136 non-fatal shooting incidents in 2020 (some incidents had more than one victim). As you can see, the victims were overwhelmingly male, black and between the ages of 18 and 34. Tips for You: Do you know when to walk away? It's always best to walk away from any situation before tensions rise, fights break out, or it turns ugly or violent. Such situations can arise almost anywhere -- a playground, a bar, a street corner, even in a house. Can you recognize the warning signs? Substance use can make a normal situation turn bad very quickly. Please remember that you are too valuable to lose. Do you know when to walk away? Parents: What are you teaching your children about domestic violence? If your child has been a victim of domestic violence, please call 911 immediately. If your child has been exposed to domestic violence but was not the direct victim, please don't ignore it. Help your child by addressing the situation yourself or find help. If not addressed, your child's future mental and physical health may be affected. The Center for Victims can help you. Start by calling 1-866-644-2882. More Domestic Violence Help: Violence is not an acceptable method to resolve issues between friends or partners. If there are threats, please seek help! Some resources are in the Domestic Violence Resource Guide which you can access HERE. Do You Have Any Ideas? The Stop the Violence Newsletter is produced monthly by Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the STOP the Violence Office of the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety. Please send any ideas, notices or suggestions to: STOP the Violence Office. January Survey Responses Last month we asked: Have you been inspired to take action as a result of reading a STOP the Violence Newsletter? Survey results: Yes: 80% No: 20% Thank you for your responses. Thank you for taking action! Don't give up. Previous Newsletters Click on the dates below to find past issues of the City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Newsletter: JANUARY 2021 DECEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 2020 OCTOBER 2020 Coming Events If you are aware of an anti-violence event that is open to the public, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you. To register for the February 13th workshop mentioned above, please call Mary Ann at 412-807-1611 or email at: mahvizdos@verizon.net. The Civic Leadership Academy is a free, 11-week course that encourages more informed, effective and inspired community and civic leadership by giving City residents an opportunity to learn about their local government. The Civic Leadership Academy is held twice per year and applications are open to anyone who lives in, or owns and operates a business, within the City of Pittsburgh limits. Each class meets with over 15 departments, offices, bureaus and authorities of the City of Pittsburgh to learn about their operations, programs and services. Learn more about the Civic Leadership Academy at pittsburghpa.gov/oca/cla and apply at applycla.pittsburghpa.gov. or contact Leah Friedman at 412-255-4773 or leah.friedman@pittsburghpa.gov Community Resources If you are aware of an resource that can contribute to violence prevention or reducing the impact of violence, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you. Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh STOP The Violence Newsletter City of Pittsburgh | 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Unsubscribe neighborhood@highlandparkpa.com Update Profile | Customer Contact Data Notice Sent by jay.gilmer@pittsburghpa.gov powered by Try email marketing for free today!