Linking Solutions to Violence Summit

The 3rd Annual Linking Solutions to Violence Summit brought powerful voices together for change. Held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, and hosted by the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Mississippi Center for Violence Research in partnership with the Mississippi Public Health Institute, People's Advocacy Institute, and Operation Good, the summit united healthcare professionals, community leaders, students, and residents from across the Jackson Metropolitan Area. We were honored to be joined by students from Jackson Public Schools, whose voices and perspectives are vital in shaping safer and healthier futures. Together, we built partnerships, fostered dialogue, and gathered valuable community input to address firearm and related violence in our communities. We are grateful to everyone who attended, shared their voices, and contributed to making this summit impactful. Special thanks to our partners, organizers, and media outlets for helping us amplify this critical conversation. Stay tuned for more updates and next steps as we continue working toward safer, healthier communities!

The agenda from the summit follows the slideshow below.

Jump to Agenda

Agenda

MS Linking Solutions to Violence Summit III: Linking, Engaging and Intervening in Communities for Solutions to Violence

Thursday, September 4, 2025

Jackson Convention Complex, Jackson, MS

• 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
  Registration Check-In and Visit Resource Tables

• 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
  Opening Remarks – Dr. Lei Zhang; Mr. Fred Womack; Rukia Lumumba, JD; Dr. Matt Kutcher

• 10:30 a.m. – Noon
  

  Storytelling: How Violence Impacted Me - A look at intimate, Gun Violence injury and the effects by – Operation Good Foundation

  Responding to Trauma through the Lens of ACES: Insights and Strategies for Emotional Wellness – Leona Bishop, EdS, BC-TMH, LPC-S

• Interventions for Violence Disruption Discussions:  

  1. Intervention Strategy 1 – Leila Seidfaraji, UMMC; Timothy Bracey, Operation Good Foundation 

  2. Intervention Strategy 2 – Rukia Lumumba, People's Advocacy Institute 

  3. Intervention Strategy 3 – Johnetta Jackson, MS Public Health Institute 

• Noon – 12:15 p.m.
  Break, Visit Resource Tables & Lunch Lineup 

• 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  Buffet Lunch and Be Seated 

• 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
  Intimate Partner Violence Keynote Speaker: Ms. Vera Johnson, MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV) 

• 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
  Evaluation – Ms. Michelle Brassfield, UMMC 

• 1:25 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.
  Data Gallery Walk – MS-VIP Team 

• 1:55 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  Closing – Judge Carlyn Hicks

September 26, 2024

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Jackson Convention Complex
105 E. Pascagoula St.
Jackson, MS 39201

The agenda from the summit follows the slideshow below.

Jump to Agenda

Agenda

Morning

• Registration

  10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

• Opening Remarks

  10:15 a.m. -10:30 a.m.

  Dr. Lei Zhang, Mr. Fred Womack, Dr. Matt Kutcher

• Group Breakout Discussions (Co-occurring)

  10:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  1. Perspectives of Firearm Injured and Injurer

     Mr. Fred Womack & Operation Good Team

  2. Intervention Strategies to Address Root Causes of Violence

     Dr. Matt Kutcher

  3. Conflict, Retaliation, and Resolutions to Violence

     Mr. Jarvis Jones, Mr. Benny Ivey, Mr. John Knight, Mr. Terun Moore

• Lunch & Visit Resource Tables

  12:00 p.m. - 12:40 p.m.

Afternoon

• Data Gallery Walk

  12:45 p.m. - 1:05 p.m.

  MS-VIP Team

• Group Breakout Discussions (co-occurring)

  1:10 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.

  1. Head 2 Heart: How Violence Impacted Me - A look at intimate partner violence, gun violence injury and the effects in the aftermath

     • Group A: Open Discussion (Male Perspective) Mr. Allan Cole

     • Group B: Open Discussion (Female Perspective) Ms. Alicia Nichols

  2. Resource Education: Q&A Session - A resource exchange that allows further opportunity to connect

• Closing & Evaluation Announcement

  2:00 p.m.

  Judge Carlyn Hicks & Ms. Michelle Brassfield