Silence Is Violence

Anti-Violence Forums in the Schools. Beginning with a pilot program at Rabouin High School, the SilenceIsViolence Program for Peace in the schools combines arts workshops with frank anti-violence discussions led by students. The purpose of this program is to recruit New Orleans youth to the movement against violent crime and to call upon them to become peer role models in the community. By offering support for the ideas and projects of students and incorporating their input into our own programs, SilenceIsViolence hopes to instill in these students a sense of positive purpose and pride in the city, as well as to benefit from the special perspective they have access to as young people.

This spring, local anti-violence organization SilenceIsViolence is once again sponsoring Music Clinics for young New Orleanians. Each Tuesday evening between February 26 and April 15, prominent local musicians lead music workshops for young people at Sound Cafe in the Marigny. These music clinics are open to children of all ages and include dinner for participants.

The Purpose:

The Youth Music Clinics are designed to offer young people an activity in the early evening as well as provide an introduction to musical performance. We seek to create a nurturing, non-violent environment, while teaching young New Orleanians both the artistic and the business aspects of music. Professional coaches teach fundamental techniques on a range of instruments, including but not limited to trumpet, drums, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, and guitar, as well as various stringed instruments. Basic principles of music theory are also introduced. The clinics are imagined as accessible forums for young people to explore the world of music and to decide if they would like to pursue music through more comprehensive educational programs.

The Process:

The clinics begin at 6pm each Tuesday and are tailored to the interests and abilities of participants. Each session includes an instruction period, a dinner break, and an informal jam sessions, during which clinic participants have the opportunity to perform with the professionals. In addition, children who participate in the weekly clinics have the opportunity to take one subsidized private lesson per week with a professional musician. Participants who attend regularly will receive free tickets to the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, courtesy of the Fest4Kidz/Threadheads program.

The Participants:

Music Director Shamarr Allen, a virtuoso trumpeter who has played with the Hot 8 and Rebirth Brass Bands and with Bob French, leads the clinics. Participating students can come as often as they like, or just occasionally. Dinner is provided by SilenceIsViolence and Sound Cafe. The Youth Music Clinics are made possible through the support and donations of the community! For more information or to make a donation call Emily Palit (504-621-3853), Baty Landis (504-948-0917), or Music Director Shamarr Allen at 504-473-8790.

WHEN: Every Tuesday, 6pm-8pm
HOW MUCH: Free
WHERE: Sound Cafe, 2700 Chartres Street (corner of Port), New Orleans
WHAT: Musical coaching and performance by the Free Agents Brass Band. Fee food for kids under 12.
MORE INFO: 504-235-6452

SilenceIsViolence seeks to sustain pressure on the criminal justice system through a variety of accountability measures, collectively called VOICE (Violent Offender Intervention through Citizen Engagement). Because our founding concern is with violent criminal cases, and particularly murder cases, VOICE initiatives focus on murder cases and trials. Currently we have three main projects underway:

1. Domestic Violence Initiative

We regard it as the responsibility of SilenceIsViolence to spread the message that peace must begin at home; to demand safety and justice for domestic violence victims; and to insist that these victims’ children be spared the examples of intimidation and retribution that domestic violence feeds upon and generates. To this end, we are making SilenceIsViolence available to help organize presentations and community discussions on domestic violence, in collaboration with the Tulane Law School Domestic Violence Clinic.

In addition, we are working directly with the office of the District Attorney to be sure domestic violence cases receive priority treatment.

Finally, we call upon the community to join us in creating an environment intolerant to batterers, through our words and our actions, and to let NOPD officers and public officials know that domestic violence is a serious concern of New Orleans citizens, with tangible ramifications for our overall public safety.

2. Court Watching

Several murder cases currently in the system are of personal interest to the SilenceIsViolence organization. In these cases, we attend court dates whenever possible and remain informed regarding the details of trial dates and progress. The potential impact of this public engagement in the system was demonstrated when, in August 2007, charges in two murder cases were reinstated after being initially dropped: the case of Michael Anderson, accused of murdering Arsenio Hunter, Warren Simeon, Iruan Taylor, Marquis Hunter, and Reggie Dantzler; and the case of David Bonds, accused of murdering Dinerral Shavers. Because we had been following the details of these cases, we were able to apply targeted pressure and to prevent the DA from abandoning the cases altogether.

Citizens interested in volunteering to watch criminal court proceedings should contact our partner, CourtWatchNOLA: www.courtwatchnola.org.

3. Victim Outreach

SilenceIsViolence has compiled information for victims of violent crime and their families regarding resources through the office of the Orleans Parish DA. When victims and/or their families contact us for help, we offer them this information and try to help summon resources and attention to their cases through direct communication with the DA's office, law enforcement, the Department of Justice, and/or Crimestoppers.

SilenceIsViolence is proud to announce City Walks: weekly evening strolls from one New Orleans neighborhood to another. These walks are intended to nurture connections among neighborhoods, to establish a positive, anti-violence presence on our streets, and to bring new faces to businesses around the city. The City Walks will be held each Sunday evening, with a 7pm departure. We will walk 1-2 miles each week and will have a small reception at our destination establishment. Transportation will be provided back to the departure establishment.

Current walking route:

United for Peace in New Orleans Walk

Saturday, May 31, 6PM

Start: Martin Luther King Blvd. at South Liberty St.

Final Spring City Walk with SilenceIsViolence this Saturday!

START: Martin Luther King Blvd. at South Liberty St.

Walk down MLK to Simon Bolivar Ave.; turn RIGHT.

STOP: 2200 Josephine St. for 2 minutes of silence.

Continue along Simon Bolivar; turn RIGHT onto Jackson Avenue.

Walk up Jackson to Claiborne Ave.; turn RIGHT and continue along Claiborne back to MLK.

Turn RIGHT onto MLK.

STOP: Magnolia St. and MLK for 2 minutes of silence.

Continue along MLK to South Liberty St.

STOP: Entertainment by the PINETTES BRASS BAND.

Please join us as we seek a safe start to the summer.

SilenceisViolence City Walks are intended to nurture community connections and establish positive, anti-violence presence on our streets. Please join other Uptown community organizations and members for this event. All are welcome.

Spring 2008 City Walks schedule (all walks on Saturdays):

March 29: CBD walk with the City Heroes......

April 5: Treme walk with the Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force......

April 19: Uptown walk: National Crime Victims’ Rights Week......

May 10: Holy Cross walk with the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association.....May 31: Central City Walk with United for Peace in New Orleans