Rising incidences of gun violence across the country have affected not only the physical and mental health of individuals and families, but also the economic and social stability as well. This epidemic has become more pervasive during the pandemic, and has been especially devastating on communities already reeling from multiple other risk factors, including multiple counties in New Jersey.

The Acenda Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI) plans to assemble families, public health officials, community stakeholders, healthcare providers, violence interventionists and political leaders to discuss the importance of shifting the approach to gun violence to one of public health.

The event will invite important voices representing communities across the country that have been ravaged by gun violence as well as national public health experts and gun violence coalitions from different states to share their approaches.

View the event here.

Learn more about each panelist by clicking on their name below.

Liza Chowdhury, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), City University of New York (CUNY)

Patrick Young, NOLA Office of Gun Violence Prevention

Solomon Middleton Williams, Newark City Street Team

Tracey Wells-Huggins, Renewed Minds and Raw Wisdom, LLC

David Muhammad, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

Jennifer Kugler, Acenda Integrated Health

Daniel Semenza, Rutgers University

Nashon Hornsby, New Jersey Department of Health

Malcolm Yates, Public Health Management Corporation

Retha Onitiri, Salvation & Social Justice

Christopher Patterson, Illinois Department of Human Services

Aric Johnson, Cure Violence Global