Transatlantic Exchange: Learning from Global Approaches to Violence Prevention

Last month, Empire Fighting Chance was proud to welcome representatives from Peace in Our Cities and the City of Oakland, California, for a week-long exchange focused on violence prevention and youth empowerment.

The visit brought together experts, practitioners, and young leaders to share knowledge, explore promising approaches, and strengthen connections between communities working to create safer, more supportive environments for young people.

 

Learning Across Borders

We hosted Kelsey Paul Shantz and Rachel Locke from Peace in Our Cities, a network connecting cities and organisations committed to reducing violence through partnership, evidence, and community-led action. Alongside them, Holly Joshi and Sara Serin-Christ from Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention shared insights from their city’s coordinated approach to tackling gun violence, gender-based violence, and other forms of community harm.

Together, we explored how cities on both sides of the Atlantic can learn from each other to reduce violence, build trust, and create opportunities for young people to thrive.

 

Seeing Empire in Action

Our guests visited The Mill, Empire’s Easton-based boxing gym, where they met our Head Psychologist, therapy team, and coaches. They joined discussions on youth leadership and empowerment, including an inspiring dialogue between Sara and our female coaches about the role of sport in building confidence, resilience, and personal growth.

The exchange also included visits to local universities, where experts shared research insights, and meetings with Avon and Somerset Police, city leaders, and community stakeholders to discuss early intervention and community safety.

 

Experiencing Bristol

Between meetings, our visitors got a taste of Bristol’s culture, from the Clifton Suspension Bridge to Banksy’s artwork, while deepening relationships with our local partners.

 

Building Partnerships, Creating Impact

This was a powerful example of what can be achieved when organisations, cities, and communities come together to share ideas, inspire action, and learn from one another.

We are incredibly grateful to Peace in Our Cities and the City of Oakland for their collaboration, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen these partnerships, creating safer, stronger communities and giving more young people a fighting chance. 💙

 

Click here to view our Instagram post on the visit!