Rep. Kamlager-Dove gives $1 million to violence intervention programs in South LA

Gun and gang violence claims more than 100 lives a year in South Los Angeles and on Friday, Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove provided $1 million to community groups working to build peace on the frontlines of this crisis.

On Friday morning, Rep. Kamlager-Dove presented two $500,000 checks to nonprofit groups 2nd Call and the Experience Christian Ministries (ECM) at the ECM church in South Park.

These organizations work with vulnerable youth, gang members and current and formerly incarcerated individuals to heal trauma, provide safe passages to school, foster peace agreements between gangs and create job training pathways.

Their ultimate goal is to reduce community violence and build a brighter future for residents of South L.A.

“I know that it is hot in these streets because I get emails every night about a pop off that has happened,” said Rep. Kamlager-Dove,  referring to gun violence during a discussion with nonprofit leaders and program participants on Friday. “It shouldn’t have to be that hot when you’re trying to go to the grocery store, when you’re trying to go to church or you’re just trying to go to the park and chill.”

The LAPD’s South Bureau, which covers most of South L.A., frequently reports the highest number of annual homicides out of any bureau. Last year 111 people were killed in the South Bureau, according to LAPD’s annual homicide report. This number, while jarring, is a decline from 145 homicides in 2022 and 167 homicides in 2021.

Such organizations as 2nd Call and ECM see this trend as evidence that their community based approach to reducing violence is working and are excited to expand their efforts using the new funding.

“This critical funding allows us to leverage the influence and strength of the African-American church to bring healing, reconciliation, and peace to our community, said Pastor Anthony Crawford, Executive Director of ECM. “We are grateful to Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove for her continued investment in South LA and in black churches that have served this community for decades.”

ECM will use the money for its Community Healing Collaborative, which trains former gang leaders and faith leaders in violence intervention and turns neighborhood churches into safety hubs that offer spaces of healing for survivors.

This model is based upon Crawford’s own experience using ECM’s congregation to spread peace in South Park, which is home to some of Los Angeles’ most dangerous gangs. As a pastor, he has helped foster multiple peace treaties between rival gangs and created spaces for community healing that help break cycles of retaliatory violence.

“We’ve all heard that hurt people, hurt people. Well as much as that is often the truth, healed people, heal people,” said Crawford. “So it is very important that our work focuses on healing and restoration, because a lot of the reason why there is violence and unrest in communities and in families is because there is a lot of unhealed trauma.”

2nd Call also puts mental health and healing at the forefront of its mission. The nonprofit group facilitates weekly classes in California State Prisons, local churches, schools and employment training programs. Each course begins with a module called “Trauma Informed Life Skills,” where participants use a healing circle to discuss childhood trauma, the effects of growing up in dysfunctional families, the importance of healing family connections and motivations for breaking the cycles of poverty and violence.

The grant money provided by Kamlager-Dove will be used for 2nd Call’s Youth Program, which offers mental health support and healing circles for at-risk and system-impacted youth. Former program participants often become mentors to the next group of participants and help guide youth towards work and educational opportunities that keep them away from violence.

“I’m honored and humbled to be sitting here next to you Congresswoman and to be able to accept this, because what it means is there’s a legacy,” said Skipp Townsend, founder and CEO of 2nd Call. “That legacy is going to be peace.”

Kamlager-Dove said she was excited to be providing this funding to help families impacted by the justice system as the cause is close to her heart.

“The reason why it’s so important to me is because I’m from a system impacted family,” she said. “I know when they wake up at night sweating and nervous and when they are looking over their shoulder, it’s because they’re not quite sure that the government has forgiven them and sees them as a real person.”

“These dollars are personal to me,” she added.

2nd Call and ECM are two of 15 organizations that Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove secured a total of $12.4 million for through community project funding requests this fiscal year.