New York Faith Communities Respond to Gun Violence
Graphic based on “Stop Gun Violence” by Lyla Paakkanen for Creative Action Network
Cosponsored by
Wednesday, December 1
Online Conference, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Interfaith Peace Walk, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
This conference has now passed — deepest thanks to all our partners, presenters, and participants!
Gun violence has taken a terrible toll on New Yorkers over the past year, and the crisis has been felt, above all, in the city’s historically marginalized Black and Brown communities. The number of shootings soared 97% from 2019 to 2020, from a historic low of 777 to the highest level in a decade at 1,531, and the victims were almost entirely African-American (73.9%) and Hispanic (22.5%). Experts have attributed this increase to a range of new and long-standing issues — including deep-rooted inequality, rising gun ownership, and fraying police-community relations — all of which were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Clergy members, lay leaders, and faith-based activists have long been at the forefront of our society’s response to gun violence, particularly in marginalized communities. But faith leaders are taking on new roles in the current crisis by working as violence interrupters, serving as street chaplains, and leading advocacy campaigns for gun control. This conference will highlight concrete steps faith leaders can take to combat gun violence in their local communities and beyond.
The conference will feature a keynote address from Erica Ford, co-founder of LIFE Camp and an internationally-recognized peacemaker; a multifaith panel reflecting the voices of diverse religious leaders; and small-group workshops on a range of issues. The conference will be followed by an interfaith peace walk on 116th Street in Harlem, supporting local businesses and houses of worship directly affected by gun violence. Please see detailed schedule below.
The conference is open to all religious and civic leaders. It will be held on Zoom — registered participants will receive the Zoom link closer to the date. The interfaith peace walk will begin at 4:00 pm sharp, at the corner of West 116th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. Click here to find it on Google Maps.
Registration is free, but please click here to support our work if you can. Questions about the conference? Please contact Hanadi Doleh, ICNY’s Director for Community Partnerships, at hanadi@interfaithcenter.org.
Conference Program
Click here for more information about our speakers and trainers
9:00 – 9:15 Welcome, Opening Reflections, and Prayer
Hanadi Doleh, Director for Community Partnerships, Interfaith Center of New York
Apostle Dr. Staci J. Ramos, Garden of Gethsemane Ministries
9:15 – 10:15 Keynote Address: Combatting Gun Violence at its Core
Presentation and conversation with a leading advocate, peacemaker, and community organizer at the forefront of reducing youth and community violence in New York City and beyond. Our speaker will be:
Erica Ford, Co-Founder, LIFE Camp, Inc.
Moderated by Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director, Interfaith Center of New York
10:15 – 10:30 Break, or Optional Borough-Based Networking
10:30 – 11:30 Panel Discussion: Faith-Based Perspectives on Gun Violence
Diverse faith community leaders will share lessons from their work, and perspectives from their faith traditions. How have they worked to respond to gun violence? What challenges did they face and how did they overcome them? Speakers will include:
Pardeep S. Kaleka, Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, and Cofounder of Serve2Unite
Imam Souleimane Konate, Spiritual Leader of Masjid Aqsa-Salam, and General Secretary of the Council of African Imams
Pastor Gilford Monrose, President of the 67th Precinct Clergy Council – The Godsquad, and Director of Faith-Based and Clergy Initiatives for Borough President Eric Adams
Danielle Williams-Thiam, Community Educator at CONNECT NYC, and former Community Organizer at Sacramento ACT
Moderated by Dr. Henry Goldschmidt, Director of Programs, Interfaith Center of New York
11:30 – 11:45 Break – Take a Moment to Rest and Refocus
11:45 – 1:30 Hands-On Workshops
Small group workshops will help you build relationships with other conference participants, develop practical organizing skills, and learn about a range of issues related to gun violence. Each 45-minute workshop will be offered twice, with a brief break in between, so conference participants can take two workshops. Workshop topics will include:
Theologies of Nonviolence. Explore the theological and spiritual significance of peace-building and anti-violence activism in diverse faith traditions. Workshop leaders: Peter Murchison, Gun Violence Prevention Coordinator for NY Yearly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and Reverend James Lynch, President of the Buddhist Council of New York.
Faith Leaders and Cure Violence. Learn how religious leaders can support “violence interrupters” working against gun violence in local communities. Trained violence interrupters and outreach workers will lead a discussion of the Cure Violence model, and the role of faith leaders in preventing the spread of gun violence. Workshop leader: Reverend Kevin Jones, Neighbors in Action, Center for Court Innovation.
Impact of Gun Violence on Families. Explore the far-reaching consequences of gun violence for the families and children of victims and survivors. Experts and impacted family members will help you offer compassionate pastoral care to traumatized families. Workshop leader: Natasha Christopher, Survivor of Gun Violence Activist & CEO of Akeal Christopher Community Center Inc and lead for Mother for Safe Cities.
Partnering with NYPD. Learn how to partner effectively with NYPD, to address gun violence in your local community. Workshop will be led by an NYPD community affairs officer, along with a religious leader who has worked alongside NYPD. Workshop leader: Apostle Dr. Staci J. Ramos, Gardens of Gethsemane Ministries, and an NYPD Community Affairs Officer, Gregory Green II and Victims Crime Unit Officer, Catherine Thomas both of the 28th Precinct.
Policy Advocacy Against Gun Violence. Learn what you and your faith community can do to support common sense gun control legislation and policy changes in Albany and City Hall. Hold our elected officials accountable for the gun violence epidemic. Workshop leader: Kercena A. Dozier. Esq., Executive Director at Children’s Defense Fund-New York.
When you register for the conference, you will be asked to rank your workshop preferences. We will try to place all participants in their top two workshop choices, but we cannot guarantee placement.
1:30 – 2:00 Closing Reflections and Prayer
Town hall discussion and reflection on the day’s conversations, and above all next steps toward action. What will we take back to our congregations and communities from today’s conference? How can we work together to end the epidemic of gun violence?
Moderated by Dr. Henry Goldschmidt, Director of Programs, Interfaith Center of New York
Luke Bolton, Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of NYC
4:00 – 6:00 Interfaith Peace Walk in Harlem
Following the online conference, meet in person for an interfaith peace walk. Join hands and prayers to support Harlem residents directly affected by gun violence. We will meet at 4:00 pm sharp at the corner of West 116th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (click here to find it on Google Maps) then walk east to 5th Avenue, stopping at local businesses, houses of worship, and community spaces to reflect and offer prayers of peace.
