Document Type

Report

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Abstract

In the winter and spring of 2023, the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University, in partnership with New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, under the leadership of the Honorable Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, hosted a series of community conversations to bolster the statewide urban policy agenda on collaborative, evidence-informed solutions to prevent and reduce violence in urban centers and for all New Jerseyans.

These conversations were held at Kean University in Union Township and in four member cities of the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association (NJUMA): Atlantic City, Bridgeton, Camden, and Trenton. Additionally, we facilitated two round-table discussions with members of Region One, including the New Jersey Chapter of the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and with partner stakeholders based in and around Paterson.

This series brought together resident leaders, state, county, and municipal government representatives, community-based, non-profit, and non-governmental organizations with local, regional, and national portfolios, and academic experts to champion a commitment to community wellness and safety. These conversations consisted of panels of organizers and elected officials. They thought- leaders — many of whom were themselves born and raised in the cities with which we collaborated — and provided community members with the opportunity to share their thoughts with panelists about their life experiences and the issues, topics, concerns, and ideas important to them.

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