Roseland Ceasefire Holds First Fundraiser to Kickoff National Anti-Violence Prevention Month

Even though this weekend saw the murder of one person and 15 others wounded, gun violence is down overall. Just last week, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was touting the good news this year’s Memorial Day weekend saw in gun violence reduction.

According to Chicago Police Department data, the city has seen a 22% decrease in homicides and a 32% decline in shootings compared with 2024.

The 5th District, which includes parts of the 9th and 21st Wards, went the entire holiday weekend without a single shooting incident.

Bob Jackson, the head of the violence intervention group, Roseland Ceasefire, said this is a first for the organization and the community in recent memory.

“I was very elated to discover that no one got shot or killed in the 5th District over the Memorial Day weekend,” reflected Jackson, who attributes the decrease to residents and the police’s willingness to work with Roseland Ceasefire.”

Compared to the same period last year, the 5th District saw an 8% increase in murders and 40% decrease in shooting incidents. Over a four year period, murders have decreased by 41% and shootings by 64%.

June is National Anti-Violence Prevention Month and to help continue the downward trend, Jackson is hosting the organization’s first fundraiser June 7 and 8, starting with an Anti-Violence Basketball Tournament from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Pullman Community Center, 10355 S. Woodlawn Avenue and performances by local gospel choirs at eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. Chicago Avenue, Sunday from 3:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

The teams confirmed are: Thornridge High School, Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Corliss High School and Christian Fenger Academy High School. The choirs performing are: Travis Crockett & the Powerful Voices of Praise, Sidney Buckner & YIU, Erik Kurt & True Worship and Joshua Cooper & 1-Akord.

Roseland Ceasefire was founded in 2006 as part of the organization started by Dr. Gary Slutkin at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Ceasefire model is to treat gun violence as a health epidemic. Over the years the theory of treating gun violence as a major public health crisis has gained increasing acceptance in the United States.

Roseland Ceasefire workers cover Pullman, West Pullman, Roseland in Chicago and Harvey, Markham, Ford Heights, Calumet City, Calumet Park, Riverdale and Park Forest in south suburban Cook County.

Tickets are available on eventbrite or by calling Roseland Ceasefire at 708-577-4533.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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