Trace Live: Safer Together (First Ever! In Philly!)

After three years of historic decreases in gun violence, cities like Philadelphia are proving that it’s possible to build a future where everyone feels safe. On November 18, The Trace will convene the people making it happen for an afternoon of urgent conversations about what's working, the challenges ahead, and how to maintain the momentum.
Join us at the first-ever Safer Together forum to learn more about…
The politics of crime and safety
At every level of government, public narratives, conflicting agendas, and competition for resources can conspire to produce faltering responses to community violence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 
Greg Jackson, who co-directed the first White House Office of Violence Prevention; Patrick Sharkey, Princeton University professor and “Uneasy Peace” author; Ceasefire PA director Adam Garber, and former Inquirer columnist Helen Ubiñas will draw upon their diverse experience in policymaking, advocacy, academia, and media to shed light on approaches that put saving lives first. 
What’s working to stop shootings
Many of the interventions being used in Philadelphia and around the country aren’t new; what’s new is the big gains cities are achieving. So what’s different this time? 
Hear insights from Chico Tillmon, executive director of the University of Chicago's Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy; Deion Sumpter, director of Group Violence Intervention for the City of Philadelphia; Matt Rader, president of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society and an expert on "cleaning and greening" as a crime fighting strategy; and Ben Struhl of UPenn's Crime and Justice Lab, who led an independent evaluation of Baltimore's historic violence reduction.  
Ending cycles of violence by protecting the next generation 
Keeping gun violence from falling will require supporting at-risk youth before new rounds of retaliatory shootings can start. 
Pastor Joseph H. Budd, Jr. of Men Who Care Germantown and Maleka Jackson, Youth Programs Director at Imani Starr Development, will share perspectives on building trust with young people, while Imani youth program participants Ijazz Carter and Ma'isah Young will offer their point of view on what their generation needs in order to be safe. Temple University’s Caterina G. Roman will unpack takeaways from her research on interrupting the pipeline of potential shooters. 
Maintaining the momentum
This is ultimately the most important topic the Safer Together forum will explore. 
David Brown, executive director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, will kick things off by sharing his thoughts on what it will take for Philadelphia to prevent community violence from returning to prior levels. Throughout the event, speakers will return to that essential question as they offer insights on sustaining collaboration, finding the resources in a new funding landscape, and applying vital lessons learned.  
Moderating throughout the day: The Trace's own Jennifer Mascia, Chip Brownlee, Joy Resmovits, and Mensah Dean, who will guide discussions that bridge research, policy, politics, and lived experience. 

What to Expect

Throughout the afternoon, you'll hear conversations that go beyond the headlines. We'll explore how community violence prevention has evolved — and what threatens its progress. We'll hear directly from young people and the adults reaching them before crisis strikes. We'll examine what cities need to sustain the good news on violence reduction, especially as federal funding disappears. And we'll look at the latest research on what strategies deliver the most proven results.

Between panels, the forum will feature extended networking breaks with food and drinks in WHYY's Civic Space — deliberately designed time for the cross-sector conversations that spark collaboration and new approaches.

This isn't a typical conference. Think of it as a working session for the people building safer communities for everyone.