Memphis Allies Stories

Breakthrough keynote speaker:
Gun violence intervention a ‘viable part of public safety ecosystem’

When Memphis Allies leadership was visiting other gun violence programs across the country, before launching the initiative here, DeVone Boggan was one of the national experts who shared what he has learned.

Boggan, the founder and CEO of Advance Peace and the Peacemaker Fellowship, will be the keynote speaker at Memphis Allies’ Fourth Annual Breakthrough Conference on April 29 at the Memphis Hilton. The conference is free, but registration is required. This year’s theme: Cultivating Champions for Memphis.

“When we were doing our research and due diligence, DeVone’s input was invaluable,” said Memphis Allies Executive Director Susan Deason. “He remains a trusted advisor, and he will bring much insight to our Breakthrough audience.”

Prior to founding Advance Peace, Boggan served as director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety in Richmond, California. He assumed that role in 2007 and through an intervention model built on street outreach, counseling, social services, employment and stipends drastically reduced the city’s homicides and injury-involved shootings.

Violence intervention work has grown and expanded since then, with increasing awareness. But the public, Boggan said, still needs more education. Memphis Allies’ rapid growth is encouraging, Boggan added, and it shows how much support the initiative has garnered in just four years of operation.

“But that doesn’t mean more support is not necessary,” he said. “Folks don’t understand that when you get to scale, that is when you reach the tipping point. They see it more as a ‘nice program’ rather than a viable part of the public safety ecosystem.”

Memphis Allies has served more than 1,500 people since its inception; 91% of them did not pick up a new gun charge while in programming. Currently, Memphis Allies serves more than 600 people daily; the goal is 800.

From the start, Memphis Allies has emphasized reaching those at the highest risk of gun violence. Boggan said it is crucial that as programs expand, they continually evaluate this.

“I would encourage any organization to really inspect what they’re doing to ensure they’re reaching the right people,” he said.

Speaking to the challenge of sustaining this work and growing it, Boggan said it is also essential that the community understands violence intervention is not just about decreasing crime. Rather, its long-term goal is to create transformative change in individuals, families, neighborhoods and communities.

“It can’t be seen as a one-off,” Boggan said, adding, “This work doesn’t survive on passion and lived experience alone. It requires champions from where decisions are made.”

This year’s Breakthrough Conference will also include panel discussions with national and local violence intervention and community health experts. There will be time set aside for networking with local stakeholders to build new partnerships and solutions, plus breakout sessions on violence, youth mentoring, substance abuse, trauma-informed care and more.