I grew up on the South Side, where gun violence was never just a headline. It was something we learned from an early age to anticipate, something that would lie in wait, ready to change the course of our lives and those around us.
When I was 7, I lost my cousin, Vincent Avant, who was shot near his home, and the following year, I lost my brother, Terrell Bosley, an aspiring gospel bass player, who was shot and killed at church while getting ready for rehearsal. It is not lost on me that they were killed in spaces where they should’ve been safe.
Gun violence survivors have a saying that we’re all part of a club no one wants to be in, and it’s true. Having a loved one ripped from this world by an act of violence leaves a lasting impact that illuminates the importance of fighting for change.
After my brother’s death, my parents and I committed our lives to fighting for gun safety, especially for Black families like ours, who bear a disproportionate share of this epidemic. Together, we fight the injustices and failed policies fueling Chicago’s violence.
My mother leads Purpose Over Pain, a survivor group of more than 500 parents that provides resources and helps families solve their own cases. My father leads Strong Futures, supporting formerly incarcerated people with jobs and conducting street outreach. In 2011, I co-founded BRAVE Youth Leaders, a youth violence prevention group.
De-escalating tensions, hostilities
Our work has shown us that everyday people, both victims and former perpetrators, are building local groups to stop violence before it happens. Alongside these unsung heroes, my parents and I have learned that the fight for gun safety must go beyond trauma — it must prevent families from experiencing the pain we live with every day.
That is the foundation of Chicago’s community violence intervention network. Our philosophy is simple: Have trusted community leaders and resources show up before violence escalates, build trust where there is none and create pathways that lead the most vulnerable among us away from harm.
When put into practice, they work.
Chicago is currently experiencing historic lows in violent crime, with homicides down 30% in 2025, thanks in part to violence intervention programs.
Despite our success in reducing violence, these very programs have come under new attacks by conservatives, who are attempting to discredit them. Community violence intervention programs are being mischaracterized as fraudulent, with the basis of these arguments being isolated events that are weaponized to cast doubt on an entire field.
Punchline for conservatives
Chicago activists are used to our city being used as a punchline by conservatives because of our public safety issues. For years, we have been taunted and unwillingly cast as a symbol of failure and an example of what happens when leadership abandons “law and order.”
The irony is astounding: Just as Chicago invests in solutions built by historically neglected communities, those same solutions are being attacked by those attempting to speak over us.
Renewed attacks on our movement, mere months after Donald Trump slashed more than $1 billion in federal funding for gun violence prevention and related public safety programs, have little to do with accountability and much to do with control. The gun industry invests in politicians who maintain a narrow definition of public safety, centering enforcement alone, despite the established truth that prevention saves lives.
The Center for Policing Equity notes, “A public health strategy for gun violence should be holistic and community-centered, using a restorative approach to address the social factors that cause disproportionate harm.” While extremists are banking on arguments that paint community work in opposition to safety, advocates know that our services are essential to it. These programs fill the gaps that enforcement can’t reach and provide direct access to resources that many who are in need would otherwise not have.
These attacks should concern anyone who is invested in saving lives and keeping Chicago’s children safe. If our programs are weakened, fewer young people, like my cousin and brother, will get the chance to see their future.
For those of us living with the realities of gun violence, the way forward is clear. We will not be intimidated, nor will we allow our work to be maligned. We will continue to support our community leaders who are working tirelessly to change Chicago for the better, and call on our elected officials to invest in proven solutions.
At the end of the day, for families like mine, this is not about winning political or ideological wars. It’s about survival and building a thriving city for all of us.
Trevon “Tre” Bosley is co-founder of BRAVE Youth Leaders, a local youth gun safety organization, and board chair of the March For Our Lives Action Fund.