Where Peace Lives: Building Safe Communities
Watch the film
Where Peace Lives: Building Safe Communities is a short documentary film directed by award-winning filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper and produced by Atlanta-based production company Coffee Bluff Pictures.
The film introduces community violence intervention (CVI) and shines a light on the lifesaving work being done across the country and the CVI professionals and trained credible messengers helping to make our communities safer every day. Through candid conversations with leaders and practitioners, Where Peace Lives: Building Safe Communities offers viewers an introduction on how CVI operates and how it works to prevent violence and promote healing.
Interested in hosting a screening? Please get in touch!
With gratitude
We are deeply grateful to the community violence intervention leaders and practitioners who shared their stories for this documentary and the numerous organizations and partners who provided footage and imagery to be included in this film. The stories in this film represent just a fraction of those doing this lifesaving work every day.
Our thanks to all those who work to prevent violence, support healing and strengthen communities — past, present and future.
Frequently asked questions
Where Peace Lives: Building Safe Communities is short documentary directed by Deborah Riley Draper and produced by Coffee Bluff Pictures, that introduces community violence intervention (CVI) through candid conversations with CVI leaders, violence interrupters, and credible messengers working across the country to prevent violence and promote healing.
Community Violence Intervention (CVI) prevents violence by deploying coordinated, community-driven strategies. It uses trained credible messengers to defuse conflicts, stop retaliation, and connect at-risk individuals to essential resources like counseling and job training.
Yes, community violence intervention works because gun violence is preventable. Over the last three years, many cities across the country have seen notable declines in homicides. Cities investing in comprehensive safety strategies, including community violence intervention, are seeing meaningful and sustained progress.
Credible messengers are trusted members of the community who have the relationships, experience, and local understanding needed to reach people at the center of conflict. Because they are known and respected, they can step into difficult moments, help defuse violence, build trust, and connect people to support that can change the course of someone’s life.
Hospitals play an important role in preventing future violence by supporting hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) and partnering with community-based organizations. HVIPs bring together doctors, nurses, social workers, and violence prevention professionals with lived experience to support people after a violent injury—helping reduce the risk of future harm.
The documentary is available to stream on the Agree to Agree website at agreetoagree.org/where-peace-lives. Organizations interested in hosting a screening can reach out directly to FIP@AdCouncil.org. We can provide screening guides, sample invitations, and more—please get in touch!