One of the most visible social challenges being examined at UX4Good is that of urban violence. Day after day, we’re assaulted with stories on the news about shooting and killing in urban communities. The flashing lights of police cars illuminate mothers weepoing over the bodies of their dead sons and daughters. Many of us feel powerless to help reverse the epedemic of violence that plagues many of America’s communities where, according to the Centers for Disease Control, homicide is the leading cuase of death for African American males aged 16-24.
For additional background on CeaseFire, read the post from earlier this afteroon on the UX4Good blog: www.ux4good.com/2011/01/28/challenge-2-urban-violence-cea…
A UX4Good team has assembled to help CeaseFire find more effective ways to utilize the assistance of people outside of the affected urban communities help the organization with their cause. CeaseFire is also looking to better leverage key influencers within the community (perpetrators’ friends, signifiant others, family members, faith leaders, and business leaders in the community) shift social norms that allow and encourage violence so they can change behaviors.
Saturday morning, the CeaseFire team will be joined by an expert from Ceasefire and a real-life “Interrupter” who actively confronts violence in his own community. Before that happens, the CeaseFire team is asking some early questions so they can make the best use of their time.
The UX4Good CeaseFire team acknowledges they need to clarify the motivations and extent of desired involvement of well-meaning individuals from outside the community. They’re also seeking to better understand the current support “deficits” that CeaseFire has, so they will see where opportunity for improvement lies.
To follow the UX4Good team on Saturday as they work through the challenge, monitor hashtag #ceasefire and follow UX4Good liveblogger @andyangelos.
View the trailer for the film “The Interrupters” now playing at the Sundance Film Festival: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXmm0MZLGxY
To learn more about CeaseFire, visit www.ceasefirechicago.org or follow them on Twitter @ceasefire_il.
Special thanks to Tanarra Schneider (@saltysweetgirl) on the CeaseFire team for her assistance compiling these notes.
Uploaded by ux4good on 28 Jan 11, 5.59PM CST.
