��ѻ��ý

A first-of-its-kind national convening brought together more than 50 survivors, researchers, policy leaders, law enforcement, and grassroots advocates from across the country to build a roadmap for gun violence prevention rooted in healing and community wisdom. 

Held May 28-29, 2025, at the Johns ��ѻ��ý, the event, titled Engaging Black Women and Girls in Reducing Gun Violence: A Road Map for Safer Communities, centered the voices and experiences of Black women and girls in the fight to end gun violence. 

Hosted by Sustain Equity Group in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and with support from the Joyce Foundation, Everytown for Gun Safety, and the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, the two-day convening focused on uplifting the experiences of Black women and girls and driving community-centered solutions to address the unique and disproportionate ways they are impacted by gun violence. 

The Burden of Gun Violence Among Black Women and Girls

“Black women and girls are often on the frontlines of trauma and healing, but they are rarely centered in the systems that shape prevention,” said Dr. Sylvia C. Washington, Director of Community Engaged Research and Partnerships at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “This convening brought them to the forefront where they belong.” 

Centering Healing, Community, and Research 

The event opened with remarks from national and local leaders, including Kayla Alexis (Sustain Equity Group), Keshia Pollack Porter, PhD ‘06, MPH (Johns Hopkins, Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management), Louisa Aviles (Joyce Foundation), Angela Ferrell-Zabala (Everytown for Gun Safety), and Josh Horwitz, JD and Sylvia C. Washington, PhD, (Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions). 

A series of key sessions explained the scope of the issue and the power of community-informed response: 

• Sylvia C. Washington, PhD, presented data on the impact of gun violence on Black women and girls, reinforcing the urgency for race and gender-specific strategies.
• Two panel discussions framed by the social ecological model, offered insights into interpersonal and community-level perspectives on safety, mental health, neighborhood violence, media representation, and policy. 

Panelists included survivors, mental health practitioners, grassroots leaders, and youth organizers from across the country including representatives from , , , and . 

Participants later engaged in community strategy sessions using the social ecological model as a guiding framework to address violence at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. These small-group working sessions gave space for solution-building rooted in real experiences and community wisdom. Attendees collaborated to finalize shared goals and build a working draft of a national roadmap for prevention.  

"It's important that we're focusing on Black women and girls in the gun violence prevention spaces because we've historically been doing the work," explains Kayla Alexis, CEO and founder of Sustained Equity Group. "We've been carrying the trauma, carrying the load, and we've not been the ones that are getting the resources to support the networks and the funding that are necessary to sustain it." 

Sessions emphasized sustainable community investment, culturally grounded healing, authentic partnerships, and the inclusion of gender-specific data in all violence prevention efforts. 

Looking Ahead: Making the Invisible Visible 

Attendees said the convening amplified a core truth: Black women and girls have always been part of the story of gun violence in America, but they are rarely recognized as central to the solution. This event made that visibility real through research, community voice, and policy design. 

“Our vision is that every prevention effort from local programs to federal policy reflects the experiences and leadership of Black women and girls,” said Washington. 

Together, participants charted a path forward that acknowledges pain, restores power, and places Black women and girls at the forefront of safety and healing.