On Friday, May 1, a host of community groups and elected officials held a press conference to announce the fourth annual Boston Peace Month. Speakers talked about how this might be the last year given the way government and private funders have cut support for the violence prevention programs. Underscoring this fear, the House of Representatives cut Department of Public Health funding for violence prevention from the FY10 budget that same day.

Like Swine Flu (the story the attracted many news outlets away from the press conference), violence is a public health issue. We can contain and solve the problem with concerted and well-resourced prevention efforts. While swine flu has killed 1 child thus far in the US and 12 people world wide, thousands have died this month due to violence. In fact, there have been at least 15 homicides in Boston so far this year and 1,465 over the last 20 years with well over half claiming the lives of young people. Just like the swine flu victims, many victims of violence are just innocent bystanders finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time next to the wrong individual.

We know it is possible to prevent youth violence in Boston. After all, there was a 27 month period in the late 1990s in which no one under the age of 18 was murdered in the city. And, we know how to do it—by investing in youth through summer and year-round jobs, leadership and recreation opportunities, physical and mental health programs, quality education, and other social services. Unfortunately, budget cuts are preventing us from addressing this issue.

Still, Peace Month will continue--at least for this year. Join us by attending or supporting one of these events or holding one of your own.

For more information on peace month and the organizing groups, you can also
visit www.louisdbrownpeaceinstitute.org or www.teenempowerment.org.

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• 4/30-5/2 Poverty, Justice, & Jobs Think Tank: The Charles Hamilton
Houston Institute & the Advanced Leadership Initiative, Info: A
solution-finding workshop on poverty, justice, & jobs. The stimulus funds
being sent to cities and states under the Obama administration agenda
provide an opportunity for new ideas on how to make these expenditures
effective for all people, especially those at the bottom. Location: Havard
Law School, Harvard Sq., Cambridge, MA. Time: Varies, Contact:
www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/events/event.aspx?id=100092

• 5/1 EMERGENCY GATHERING: Stop the violence! Save youth jobs and programs!
You can stop the budget cuts! 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. 2181 Washington Street,
Third floor Dudley Square, Roxbury. Stay for Project HIP-HOP’s open mic
6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Followed by a youth party 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. $3.00
admission comes with food and "*Don’t Wait Till We’re Dead*" button
Hosted by United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston for more info contact
united@youthworkersalliance.org

• 5/2 GLSEN Boston Annual Conference: The Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education
Network Info: The conference will have resource tables & brochures from
various LBGTQ organizations as well as other supportive agencies available
to conference attendees (students, teachers, administrators, parents,
community members, etc.) Location: English High School, Jamaica Plain
Contact: by phone – Rebecca 410-428-6051/ email rsp181@mail.harvard.edu or
visit the website
http://chapters.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/boston/resources/article-148.html

• 5/2 Wake Up the Earth Festival & Soul Revival Afterparty: Spontaneous
Celebrations/ Beantown Society/Soul Revival, Info: 10,000 person festival
with 2 stages & DJs born out of the social justice movement,
Location:(Festival)Stonybrook Park & Stonybrook Station, Jamaica Plain
(Afterparty) Spontaneous Celebrations 45 Danforth St. Jamaica Plain, Time:
(Festival) 12-5pm (Afterparty) 6pm-1am Contact: www.reviveyoursoul.com

• 5/3 Darfur: What Next?: A Day of Education, Inspiration, Solidarity &
Action, Andover Newton Theological School & Hebrew College. Info:
Community-wide forum will help all attending deepen their knowledge of the
crisis in Darfur and take purposeful action together. The program will
include Darfuri speakers & musicians. The keynote peaker is Rev. Gloria
White-Hammond, Chairwoman of the Save Darfur Coalition. Location: 160
Herrick Road, Newton Centre, MA, Time: 3-8pm, Contact: Rabbi or Rose at
orose@hebrewcollege.edu or 617-559-8636 Cost: $10, $5 for students/seniors
price includes dinner (all food is kosher; financial assistance is available
upon request)

• 5/8 Boston Master Peace Youth Arts Showcase: Louis D. Brown Peace
Institute, Info: An evening for youth/families to enjoy performances from
youth groups, dancers, singers, rappers, poets, & steppers from all around
Boston, Location: Blackstone Community Center 50 Brookline St. Boston, MA
Time: 5:30-8pm, Contact: Matt Parker 617-935-2739 or go to
www.louisdbrownpeaceinstitute.org Cost: Tickets are $3 in advance & $5 at
the door.

• 5/9 17th Annual Boston Peace Conference: Center For Teen Empowerment,
Info: Teen Empowerment’s annual Youth Peace Conference brings over 800 youth
together each year for an afternoon of exploring the root causes of violence
in urban communities through an original multi-arts stage show created and
performed by Boston youth. This year’s conference is called Reality Check,
Make It Real. Tickets are $3 at the door, $2 in advance, Location: Jeremiah
E Burke High School 60 Washington St. (Grove Hall) Time: 11am-5pm Contact:
617-536-4266 x304 or go to www.teenempowerment.org

• 5/9 Youth Pride 2009: The Friends of GLBT Youth Inc., Info: Youth Pride
is a celebration of straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth.
Largely organized by a committee of young people, this celebration was
started in 1995 as a rally at the steps of the State House and a march
through Boston's streets. It is the first of its kind in the country!
Time: 11am-4pm, Location: Boston Common Parkman Bandstand, Contact: ph:
617-450-1333 or email: info@friendsofglbtyouth.org

• 5/10 13thAnnual Mother’s Walk For Peace: Louis D. Brown Peace Institute,
Info: The Mothers' Walk for Peace is held annually on Mother's Day and is a
community pledge walk in Dorchester, Massachusetts that attracts
participants from all across the state to promote peace and peace awareness,
while remembering the victims of homicide. All proceeds raised support the
peace education efforts and survivor services programs of the Institute,
Time:7:00am, Location: Townfield in FieldsCorner Dorchester, Contact: ph:
617-825-1917 email: info@louisdbrownpeaceinstitute.org

• 5/14 Understanding Our World: Gear Up for Peace Month with Bikes Not
Bombs: Boston Cares: Info: Understanding Our World is a monthly lecture and
discussion forum, focusing on a different region of the world at each
session. Participants will become empowered through understanding, and gain
an appreciation for the region, its history, and the significance of
colonization, religion, and ethnicity. Carl Kurz, International Programs
Director for Bikes Not Bombs will discuss BNB’s international work (sending
over 33,000 bikes to Central America, the Carribean, and Africa in the last
24 years), and the importance of this work in sustaining peace and social
justice. Time: 6-8pm Location: Deutsche Bank 225 Franklin St. 25th Floor
Boston, MA Contact: Ashley Boyd ph: 617-422-0919 x. 209 email:
aboyd@bostoncares.org or visit http://tinurl.com/PeaceMonthUOW

• 5/15 International Day of Families Parents Forum: Parents Forum, Info: A
panel discussion about what parents need and want for their children. Time:
2-3pm Location: CCTV 675 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA Contact: Eve
Sullivan ph 617-253-7182 or visit www.parentsforum.org
• 5/16 Peace Poetry Splash: Bird Street Community Center, Info: Come hear
youth express their hopes and visions for preventing violence through spoken
word presentations. Special guest speaker Rev. S. Harris will be discussing
the changes he has seen in the community as well as ways to move forward in
the coming months. Time: 12-2pm Location: Bird Street Community Center 500
Columbia Rd. Dorchester, MA Contact: Shamekia Franklin ph: 617-282-6110 x.
12 Cost: Free!!!

• 5/22 You Can Go With Fresh: AFSC/Blackstone Community Center Time:7:00pm,
Location: Blackstone Community Center 50 Brookline St. Boston, MA

• 5/23 Revolutionary Reels: “Palante, Siempre Palante! The Young Lords”:
Reflect & Strengthen Info: Reflect & Strengthen’s monthly film series
continues with “Siempre, Palante Siempre! The Young Lords” Fighting for
economic, racial & social justice, the Young Lords emerged to demand decent
living conditions and raised a militant voice for the empowerment of Puerto
Ricans & other Latino/as in the United States and for the independence of
Puerto Ricans. “Palante, Siempre Palant! The Young Lords” documents the
period from 1969 through the organization’s demise in 1976. Time: 2pm
Location: Teen Empowerment 2010 Columbus Ave. Roxbury Contact: Alexia ph:
617-442-2355 email: alexia@refelectandstrengthen.org

• 5/29 Peace Vigil: Youth Transforming Violence: St. Stephen’s Place of
Opportunity for Teens/ St. Stephen’s After School Program, Info: The peace
vigil is being planned by middle & high school students involved with the
after-school program at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the South End. We
are hoping to involve other youth organizations in the area as well. The
theme will be focused on youth’s power to make a difference and be a voice
for peace in their communities and the world. Time: 4:30-5:30pm Location:
Blackstone Square, South End, Boston, Contact: Julia MacMahon ph:
781-420-2652 email: jmacmahon@wheelock.edu

• 5/30 City Year Serve-A-Thon: MFS Investment Management Info: Serve-A-Thon
will celebrate its 19th anniversary as Boston’s premier community service
even. Serve-a-thon is a fundraiser for City Year Boston which unites over
1,500 citizens from across Greater Boston to bring new life to schools,
playgrounds, vacant lots, housing developments & parks, Time: 10am-3pm
Location: Jacson Square, Egleston Square, Highland Park, Roxbury Contact:
John Francis ph: 617 927 2516 email: jfrancis@cityyear.org