They Wanted to Stop Violence. Their Solution? Train Community Leaders

What began as a response to rising violence during the pandemic has evolved into a powerful community-led initiative in Pasadena. The Institute, a revitalized version of the Vision 2020 Institute which previously operated in the City from 2010 to 2015, celebrated its fourth cohort graduation on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Flintridge Center.

“The Institute is a community-driven approach to creating sustainable solutions that prevent community violence; it is a collaboration of diverse neighborhood and community representatives with a shared commitment to equity and justice,” states program documentation.

“The program provides leadership development and training that empowers participants to understand community violence and its root causes; it recognizes the uniqueness of all community members and the role everyone can play in preventing community violence.”

The 10-module training program features facilitators who are 80% Pasadena residents. Each module is led by a unique community leader: Brandon Lamar (Introduction and Leadership Development), Chris Finney (Community Dynamics, Gang History, and Outreach), Eshele Williams (Mental Health), K-Rahn Vallatine (Trauma), Diana Zuniga (Financial Literacy), Florence Annang (Community Organizing), Hilda Franco (Gender Dynamics), Raul Ibanez (Restorative Justice), and Florence Annang/Chris Finney (Project Work).

The core team is KRahn, Live Above The Hype, Florence Annang and Chris Finney.

Success stories from previous graduates demonstrate the program’s impact. Edwin Hernandez developed “Dads are Dependable Solutions (D.A.D.S) with the mission to empower fathers to thrive personally and parent effectively.” The program celebrated its first graduation with eight fathers on Oct. 15.

Heavenly Hughes co-founded “My Tribe Rise, a nonprofit focused on public safety, food and housing insecurities, economic development, and solutions to cure violence.” On Oct. 12, the organization hosted its “3rd Annual Brothers Connecting Brothers Retreat — an event dedicated to healing, repairing, restoring, developing and empowering Black and Brown Brothers in our communities.”

Andrea McCraw established “Emancipate Me, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with community resources.” On Oct. 5, she collaborated with Flintridge Center to coordinate the organization’s first resource fair, providing “expungement support, voter registration information, and education and career resources.”

Another graduate, Lisa Watts, is currently showing her artwork, “Community Collage,” at the Armory Center for the Art’s Art is Life Event.

Past graduates from Cohorts 1-3 include Derek Blow, Sonya Cruz, Ruben Felix, Dennis Haywood, Heavenly Hughes, Gladys Johnson, Espirit Loren Jones, Denise Robinson, Yvonne Trice, Marquis Wyatt, Jouslyn Griffin, Lisa Watts, Miriam Tellez, James Decuir, Cassie Hair, Michael Villa, Sergio Lambert, Brandon Fuller, Steven Williams, Carl Walton, Jason Fletcher, Jonathan Townsend, Michael Burnes, Andrea McCraw, Paul Scott, Randall Ellis, Maria Castellon, Jasmine Richards, Clarence Jackson, Neil Smith, Haywood Crenshaw, Edwin Hernandez, Sir Bailey, and Dino Bradley Jr.

The next cohort is scheduled for Spring 2025. Located at 236 W. Mountain St., Suite 117 in Pasadena, the program operates through the Flintridge Center, building on its principles that “The Institute is rooted in the principle of collective efficacy, relying on the resources and leaders within our community to address its most pressing needs.”