Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced this evening (May 18, 2022) the Summer of Hope initiative, an 8-week boots-on-the-ground activation led by Safe Hopeful Healthy Baton Rouge, a program dedicated to treating violence as a public health epidemic. The summer initiative includes programs, activities, and events set to kick off the first week of June. Mayor Broome announced the initiative Wednesday evening at the monthly Community-Based Public Safety Ecosystem Convening. Watch Mayor Broome’s announcement here.
The Summer of Hope activation will focus on violence reduction, amplify positive activities during the summer, and provide proactive mitigation and intervention in our most vulnerable neighborhoods. The goal is to engage Baton Rouge residents through various street engagements and programs, as well as celebrations and conversations through partnerships with community organizations.
“It has been a priority of my administration to keep meeting people where they are. I believe that our efforts of consistent on-the-ground outreach will amplify and connect residents to available community resources while providing opportunities for all to engage in meaningful conversations and celebrations. This will positively influence the reduction of violence within the Baton Rouge community and build sustainable opportunities to improve community health, wellness, and safety,” said Mayor Broome.
To engage those with idle time, Summer of Hope aims to offer numerous opportunities for everyone. The goal is to address shootings and gun violence that impact youth and families, critical domestic violence incidents, and highly polarized altercations.
Starting the first week of June, a calendar of events for Summer of Hope will be posted at safehopefulneighborhoods.com and healthybr.com
One of the planned activities is called Healing the Block, which will be a series of dinners and conversations hosted by the Baton Rouge Community Street Team that will allow residents to share their ideas and concerns about issues impacting their neighborhoods.
Another event will be the Unity Fest on June 18, in coordination with additional pop-up community festivals, to amplify cultural awareness and celebrations centered around joy and community pride.
Residents can also expect a messaging campaign called ‘This is Your House’ that will empower parents and guardians to reclaim control of their homes, and open communication with families to support them in uplifting youth.
Programs such as the Mayor’s Youth Workforce Experience, will employ 500 Baton Rouge youth ages 14-24 and engage local businesses and organizations beginning June 6.
Individuals and community organizations are encouraged to join Safe Hopeful Healthy Baton Rouge’s Community-Based Public Safety Ecosystem Convening every 3rd Wednesday which works to break down silos among community members and amplify collaboration for collective impact. Email shhbr@brla.gov to get involved.