Chicago Conference Tackles Gun Violence Solutions

Community leaders, organizations seek real-world fixes to reduce violence

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:52pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a spent bullet casing on a dark surface, lit by a harsh camera flash, conceptually representing the gun violence crisis in Chicago.A conference in Chicago seeks to move beyond awareness and rally community-based solutions to address the city's ongoing gun violence crisis.Chicago Today

The third annual 'We Are Our Own Medicine' Gun Violence Prevention Conference in Chicago brought together community members, activists, and organizations to discuss practical, grassroots-driven solutions to address the city's ongoing gun violence crisis.

Why it matters

Gun violence remains a major public health and safety issue in Chicago, with high rates of shootings and homicides. This conference aims to move beyond just awareness and focus on developing tangible, community-based programs and policies to curb the violence.

The details

The conference featured panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities for attendees to share best practices, learn from each other's experiences, and collaborate on new initiatives. Key topics included improving mental health resources, strengthening community policing, providing job training and economic opportunities for at-risk youth, and changing cultural narratives around violence.

  • The third annual 'We Are Our Own Medicine' Gun Violence Prevention Conference took place on April 19-20, 2026 in Chicago.

The players

Alees Edwards

A community organizer and one of the lead organizers of the 'We Are Our Own Medicine' conference.

'We Are Our Own Medicine' Gun Violence Prevention Conference

An annual event in Chicago that brings together local leaders, activists, and organizations to develop practical solutions to address gun violence in the city.

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What they’re saying

“We can't just keep holding rallies and vigils. We need to get our hands dirty and create real change in our communities.”

— Alees Edwards, Community Organizer

What’s next

The organizers plan to publish a summary report from the conference highlighting the key ideas and action steps discussed, with the goal of sharing these solutions with policymakers, funders, and other stakeholders.

The takeaway

This conference demonstrates a shift in the gun violence prevention movement, moving beyond awareness campaigns to focus on developing and implementing community-driven programs and policies that can have a tangible impact on reducing violence in Chicago neighborhoods.