Deeply Rooted Initiative to Address Community Violence Using Abolitionist Principles: Summary Report

This summary report communicates takeaways that emerged from two facilitated community-academic forums hosted by the Greater Lawndale Healthy Work (GLHW) Project located in the Center for Healthy Work at the UIC School of Public Health. The forums were hosted in November 2023 and April 2024 to provide space for community leaders to share their critical analysis of the root causes of community violence and for community and academic partners to share their thoughts about the barriers, enablers, and their vision for safe communities rooted in abolitionist strategies. The takeaways can inform the work of community-based organizations, institutions, and academia, recognizing that community members directly affected by violence are powerfully positioned to imagine, guide, and construct life-affirming worlds.