A great podcast, well worth a listen, here is a background summary:
Cease Fire was a non-profit organisation that focuses on reducing gun violence through building relationships and providing opportunities for young men and women in Chicago.
Gary Slutkin an epidemiologist started CeaseFire, he views shootings as a public health issue. Gary noticed the similarities between infectious diseases and violence, that being that if you go after the most infected areas that you can cure the cause.
Ameena Matthews was born into violence. Her father ran a gang, and her brother was killed on the streets of Chicago.
Eventually, she left that world and joined CeaseFire.
The idea was simple: Former gang members used their street credibility to mediate conflicts between warring factions.
Ameena Matthews is now the executive director of Pause for Peace, an anti-violence organisation, and a congressional candidate for Illinois’s 1st District.
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