The Power of Education and the Beloved Community

Graduation Celebration with College Unbound

The Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, in partnership with College Unbound (CU), recently celebrated the graduation of six staff members who earned their bachelor’s degrees earlier this summer. This marked the second graduating cohort from the program, which is designed to remove barriers that often prevent Black and Latino learners from pursuing higher education.

CU provides a flexible, student-centered model tailored for adult learners balancing work, family, and personal responsibilities. The Institute supports over 20 staff members currently enrolled through tuition assistance, reducing financial obstacles to degree completion.

Samuel Castro, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships and a graduate of CU, reflected on the achievement:

“They say we can’t do it because we come from the hood…Can’t nobody tell me what I can’t do in life.”

Education as a Pathway to Safer Communities

According to Chicago’s Violence Reduction Dashboard, the city has seen a 37% decrease in shootings compared to last year. Leaders in the community link this decline, in part, to the professionalization and growth of the community violence intervention (CVI) field. The CU program supports this development by fostering student-led research and exhibitions that strengthen the work of CVI practitioners.

Representative La Shawn K. Ford, speaking at the commencement, described education as “a ticket out of poverty,” underscoring the link between higher education and violence prevention.

New Opportunities and Community Impact

Graduates of the program have expressed ambitions ranging from advancing CVI efforts in Chicago to founding nonprofits that support youth, employment, and community resources. Their achievements are inspiring others in their families and neighborhoods to pursue higher education, helping to address socioeconomic disparities while contributing to safer communities.

Continuing the Work

The CU partnership demonstrates how investment in education can have far-reaching social impacts, particularly in communities most affected by gun violence. Support for tuition assistance not only empowers staff to complete degrees but also contributes to broader goals of equity, opportunity, and peace in Chicago.

Graduation highlights and graduate reflections can be viewed here.