Alternatives to Gun Violence Program

Folks sometimes scoff at a question we discuss in our program: "What is violence?"
("You're asking me what violence is??? I know what violence is!")

But violence is more than interpersonal--more than just punching, kicking, or shooting.

Violence is systemic. Racism is violence. Classism is violence. Imprisonment, including the school-to-prison pipeline, is violence.

Violence is built into our system, and we can see it clear as day: violence is denying people what they need to survive and thrive, or making access very difficult, especially for certain people based on aspects of their identity or experience.

When we cannot access what we need to survive, and when we have no support to obtain what we need, we are often forced to make difficult decisions that can end up hurting others and ourselves. Decisions that can land us in the court system and in prison, or worse.

A violent system creates violence in society, and thrives on it. (Look into the prison industrial complex--who benefits?)

We are committed to seeing and stating how the pieces connect. We are committing to building peace and wellbeing in ourselves, in our systems, and in society. When people have what they need, crime and imprisonment decrease. Wellness and peace increase.

Think about it.

It's all one.

https://twitter.com/phil_lewis_/status/1425609041221390339?s=21

“The Marshall Project asked incarcerated people what might have kept them out of prison.

Their responses: Affordable housing, vocational programs, cheaper college classes, grief counseling, drug prevention programs, daycare vouchers and more.”

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/10/27/what-could-have-kept-me-out-of-prison

We are so fortunate that our leadership team for the Alternatives to Gun Violence Program includes two brilliant, caring, wise, compassionate, dedicated, powerful men, Mr. Rodney Ray, and Mr. Andre Craig.

Mr. Rodney and Mr. Andre show up every moment they can to give support, love, and care to our program, to the young people in their lives, and to others every day.

Join us in wishing them both a very Happy Father's Day! We love you, we appreciate you! You inspire and uplift us, and we are so grateful.

🖤🤎💛❤️

Hello friends!

If you've attended any of our programs, you've experienced a bit of AVP. O, Andre, Sydney, Terence, and Carly are all Alternatives to Violence Project facilitators who started off as participants in Basic Level AVP workshops and grew from there.

This month, there's an opportunity for YOU to experience an entire Basic Level AVP workshop, too!

Check out the details for this upcoming opportunity.

You must commit to attending the whole time, which is a total of 21 hours. It's 9:00 am-4:00 pm, 3 days in a row: Monday, June 13; Tuesday, June 14; Wednesday, June 15. Believe me, it's worth it, and you might wish it went longer!

Although programs are called "workshops", they are super interesting, fun, active, and interactive. Your level of involvement is up to you, and you will be affirmed and held lovingly throughout.

Contact Andre Craig to register and for more information about this workshop.

Learn more about AVP at avpusa.org

[Image description: Flyer shows a group of humans in a circle, wearing different colored shirts, each stretching one hand into the middle of the circle and smiling.
Flyer text reads:
AVP
ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE PROJECT BASIC WORKSHOP
Mon June 13, Tue June 14, Wed June 15
Workshop hours: 9 AM to 4 PM
Delaware Valley Alternatives to Violence Project is coming back to New Jerusalem! We look forward to meeting you!
Pinkett Tabernacle Friendly Community Church
1915 N. 21st St, Philadelphia]

This is Carly--
When we look at gun violence, there are many pieces of the picture to look at.
How and where fi****ms are acquired is an important piece to consider.
The responses of the shop owners in this articles are really concerning.

Nine local gun shops supplied 15,000 ‘crime guns’ in Philly, new report shows A report by the Brady gun-control group traced thousands of guns from criminal investigations to a handful of gun shops in the Philadelphia area.