End The Violence Campaign

The 2019 End the Violence essay contest was a great success. We reached out to High Schools, HBCUs and Prison Systems nationwide and received an overwhelming number of responses. We are pleased to announce this year's winners!

HIGH SCHOOL: FIRST PLACE MAYA GINYARD Washington DC

HBCU: FIRST PLACE GARREN WALKER Fort Valley State U, Georgia

INCARCERATED YOUTH: FIRST PLACE JOHNNY HERNANDEZ

SECOND PLACE ISAAC BROWN

THIRD PLACE PIERRE REESE

INCARCERATED ADULTS: FIRST PLACE TYLER MICHAEL WATSON-OHIO

SECOND PLACE SHIAN GARNER OKLAHOMA

THIRD PLACE MORRIS JORDAN OHIO

You are more than welcome to read their entries at the links provided below.

We received so many entries with valuable and important ideas about ending the horrific violence in our community that we selected 13 entries for a special

HONORABLE MENTION with a cash award of $50 each.

Honorable Mentions include: Quaran Hamm, Sabrina Kessee, Charles Davis, Roderick Robinson, Ramon Gray, Ed Bryant, Darren Taylor, Raymond Staples, Kiara Dunford, Ronald Ayers, Lewis Brown, Tajay Richards, Tommie Wiley, Ronald Epps and Brandon Caesar.

To read select quotes from these entries select here.

Our Goal:

We Work Citywide

To get rid of weapons of destruction, and to change the mentality of the people who use them.

We Work with Domestic Violence Activists

To create safe havens and to bring services into troubled homes and dysfunctional relationships.

We Work with Leaders from "Returning Citizens" Movement

To provide resources to those who paid their debts to society, by finding their place in the community being productive and positive citizens.

We Support the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk

To promote ending violence, fighting for civil justice and equalities by walking through the communities affected by its injustices unified as a people.

End the Violence 2019

This year's End the Violence essay contest was a great success. We reached out to High Schools, HBCUs and Prison Systems nationwide and received an overwhelming number of responses. We are pleased to announce this year's winners! In the High School category 1st place goes to Maya Ginyard. In the HBCU category 1st place goes Garren Walker. In our incarcerated adults category, 1st place goes to Tyler Watson out of Ohio. In 2nd place is Shian Garner out of Oklahoma and in 3rd place is Morris Jordan also from Ohio. Congratulations everyone! Below we have included select quotes from runners up.

Honorable mentions

Quaran Hamm- "People who are raised in and come from communities where violence occurs on a daily basis end up with mental illnesses that are never addressed."

Sabrina Kessee- "A majority of the youth in my community are suffering from neglect, physical and sexual abuse, addictions, depression, etc. If we had more leaders that would step up and interact with these young people's lives then they wouldn't run to a gang and cause violence amongst themselves and their community."

Charles Davis- "The main causes of violence in my community are jealousy, envy, ignorance and generational violence. Many people are not taught when they are younger to deal with situations that irritate them or place them in an uncomfortable situation."

Roderick Robinson- "Fear and Failure, along with rejection can cause people to act out in violence due to very high stress levels."

Ramon Grant- "After you've been over looked your whole life and not taken seriously, now this gun makes you feel safe and in charge."

Ed Bryant- "What I'm doing towards the solution is being an agent for change within the prison system. I'm a recovery coach for drug addicts, a mentor for youth and a spiritual counselor. [Sometimes your biggest burden can be your greatest blessing.]"

Darren Taylor- "Society didn't get into it's present day condition overnight, nor did it just happen by chance. The violence in the community was by design which means now it has to be redesigned and before it's all said and done this will be inclusive to all nationalities, municipalities and government entities."

Raymond Staples- "There is a phrase called 'Social Engineering'. It means 'the use of centralized planning in an attempt to manage social change and regulate the future development and behavior of a society.'"

Kiara Dunford- "Violence will never completely end, but it can be prevented with people standing up facing the facts of right and wrong and helping make that change."

Ronald Ayers- "The art of development is changing ourselves to change the world by uniting the many to defeat the few."

Lewis Brown- "Our failure to network and assist each other in advancing hinders our progress as a culture."

Brandon Caesar- "Centuries of social breakdowns, racial injustices and institutional racism have led to these conditions our communities face."

Gun Violence

18yr old Jamahri Sydnor killed by stray bullet (2017)
17yr old Ayana McAllister killed in crossfire (2017)
10yr old Makiyah Wilson killed in crossfire (2018)

Domestic Violence

1 in 3 women experience some form of physical violence by their intimate partner
1 in 4 men experience some physical form of violence by their intimate partner
Intimate partner violence and homicide crime accounts for 15% violent crime in DC.

Returning Citizens

25% recidivism rate for juvenile offenders.
30% of adult offenders released from state prisons are re-arrested within the first six months of their release.