From Network to Beloved Community

(Jack’s closing comments at the California Violence Prevention Network’s Annual Conference, October 10, 2019, Long Beach, California)

You are remarkable.

I wish the nation could see and feel the passion, the caring, persistence, and that even deeper – your felt mission that keeps you going, keeps others inspired and people saved.

In Isaiah 6:8 the Lord asks, “Who will go for us?”” And the answer, “Here am I.  Send me.”

I do not know of any group of people in this nation, and I mean that, whose first response is NOT –

• “This is not in my contract
• How long will it take?
• How much will you pay me?”

No, your response is, “Send me.”

How do I know this?  Because I’ve been around about 200 years:  I have run groups, non-profit agencies; I’ve run a large state agency and a huge federal agency.

So I know how special you are.  There is none like you in the nation:

• Because if a child is alone, you say, “Send me.”
• If a youth is shot, you say, (ALL) “Send me.”
• To mother grieving the loss of her son you say, (ALL) “Send me.”
• To a politician who needs to hear of the injustice in your community, you say, (ALL) “Send me.”

Yes, friends, this IS a network.  A network that:

• Communicates new, fresh and hopeful information
• Inspires
• Makes connections, establishes relationships, new partnerships
• Believes a shared mission – stopping violence and building loving communities

But friends, I submit to you that this “Network” is deeper, much deeper.

For if you call, I come.  If I call, you come.  And that’s qualitatively different from a normal network.  We’re all wounded healers trying to heal the unhealed wounders.

So at root, this is what you are: not a network, but a beloved community. A community that when called says, “Send me.” 

Yes, a network, but more, a network fueled by mission and bound by love.  Thank you for doing this life and death work.  You are very special people.  I thank you for what you do.  Thank you for who you are, you members of this beloved community.

The prophet Isaiah in Chapter 58 says it best:

You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water,

Whose waters fail not.

And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

You shall be called the repairer of the breach,

The restorer of streets to dwell in.

A Note about the California Violence Prevention Network

Working as a Senior Consultant with the National League of Cities, I helped to start the California Violence Prevention Network in 2007 with the belief that nothing would change – violence would not be reduced, communities would not come together – unless all governmental and civic entities pledged to specific crime reduction, community building goals along a prevention, intervention, enforcement and reentry continuum.  The Network took hold quickly, spread to 13 cities throughout California, and in 2010 was adopted by then Attorney General Eric Holder who launched it as the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, spreading it to 15 cities across America. 

Attendees at the 10/10/19 Long Beach conference, “Community Healing Through Action — Intersectional Approaches to Violence Prevention,” included schools, street workers, social and mental health workers, academics,  law enforcement, survivors, youth, faith leaders, probation, prosecutors, victim advocates, non-profit/service-provider agencies, and city, county and state administrators.