20 Cities · Shared Vision · Shared Responsibility

Leading the Way
Showcasing What Works
‍2025 Tour

Across the country, jurisdictions are building comprehensive public safety ecosystems—systems designed to identify, engage, and support individuals most at risk of being impacted by community violence. These ecosystems are rooted in community, centered in justice, and built to create new pathways to opportunity.

This moment calls for more than programs—it calls for transformative partnerships. Communities are demanding solutions that prioritize people over punishment, healing over harm, and hope over hopelessness. The Leading the Way Tour is our collective response.

Throughout the tour, we will engage with young Black leaders, community-based organizations, elected and appointed officials, funders, system leaders, and residents most impacted by violence—all in service of building safer, healthier, and more hopeful communities.

community voices,
‍national change

Leading the Way Mid-Tour Reflections

The Leading the Way Tour, launched in the spring of 2025

Sustaining the Power of Resistance Turned Resilience: Newark, NJ

Newark, NJ is widely recognized as having one of the strongest

Pittsburgh & Allegheny County Aligning To Safe Lives

Local government holds a unique and powerful role in shaping safety

See the movement

Every city has its own rhythm, its own beauty, and its own solutions. Explore images from each stop on the tour—capturing the people, energy, and purpose that drive this work forward.

20 Jurisdictions.
Shared Vision.
Shared Responsibility.

Cities United will highlight programs and jurisdictions that are redefining public safety and begin to provide structured pathways for learning, action, and leadership in the broader field. Whether you’re a policymaker, a youth leader, or a community advocate — your voice, your leadership, and your commitment are essential. The momentum is already in motion. Let’s make sure it keeps moving

Voices in Motion

Watch short-form videos from the tour that spotlight youth leaders, community breakthroughs, and behind-the-scenes moments of transformation.

What’s Working: Key Takeaways

Practical lessons, models, and insights to guide community-led safety work across the country.

From Program to Ecosystem: Scaling What Works

Isolated programs are not enough—communities need ecosystems.

1. Map the existing safety assets and gaps in your city.

2. Build connections across health, housing, education, and reentry.

3. Align messaging and data to track impact across systems, not silos.

3 Steps to Building a Youth-Led CVI Strategy

Empowering young people isn't optional—it's essential. Here’s how to build a safety strategy with youth at the center.

1. Create space for youth voices in planning and decision-making—not just feedback.

2. Resource their leadership with stipends, training, and real authority.

3. Let youth lead messaging, campaigns, and community events to build peer trust and credibility.

How to Strengthen Government-Community Partnerships

Public safety grows when residents and governments co-design solutions.

1. Schedule regular strategy sessions that include grassroots leaders.

2. Provide transparent funding and accountability updates.

3. Use trusted community liaisons to bridge language, trust, and history gaps.

Why Leading the Way
‍Matters

The Leading the Way Tour was created to amplify the progress cities like yours are making through Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and holistic public safety strategies. Across the country, communities are designing and implementing comprehensive ecosystems that are community-led, data-informed, and rooted in healing and opportunity.
These ecosystems go beyond policing and punishment—they focus on prevention, accountability, and support for those most impacted by violence. Leading the Way is a national effort to recognize and accelerate these solutions on the ground.

What’s Happening on Tour

As cities face rising challenges—and rising expectations— there is a growing need to invest in community-led strategies that center equity, healing, and long-term impact. Now is the time to highlight success, share power, and deepen our collective commitment to change.

Highlight Local Models that Work

Showcase the strategies, organizations, and leaders that are making a measurable impact in your city—so that others across the country can learn, adapt, and build from your example.

Strengthen Government-Community Partnerships

Ensure that the people closest to the challenges are also the ones helping design the solutions—and that they’re resourced to lead. We bring everyone to the table: government leaders, system partners, grassroots organizers, and directly impacted residents.

Build Capacity for
Long-Term Sustainability

Support jurisdictions in refining their strategy, engaging youth, shifting narratives, and building cross-sector alignment. We provide coaching, tools, and follow-up resources to ensure that the work doesn’t end when the tour leaves.

Amplify the Voice of Young Leaders

Young people are not just the future of community safety—they are the present. We create intentional space for youth leaders—ages 18 to 24—to engage in strategy sessions, share their stories, shape solutions, and build their civic power.

Get
Involved

Join us in Leading the Way! Attend a local event, partner with Cities United, or help amplify the work happening in your community. Together, we can create the change we want to see.

Leading the Way Showcasing What Works ‍2025 Tour

community voices, ‍national change