Enrichment 2 Empowerment

By fostering safe spaces for youth to organize, share their voices, and advocate for change, E2E helps reduce known public health risk factors for violence—such as social isolation, limited economic opportunity, and lack of political representation—while building protective factors like social cohesion, leadership development, and civic engagement.

Many participants have lived experience with violence exposure. E2E events, such as the This Is New Orleans screenings and discussions, created collective opportunities to process trauma, reduce stigma, and model restorative responses. This community-based healing has measurable impact on long-term health outcomes including mental well-being and resilience.

Public health emphasizes policy, systems, and environmental change as sustainable approaches to prevention. E2E youth leaders directly engaged in city budget advocacy and pushed for greater investment in restorative justice and youth development programs—efforts that align with CDC best practices for preventing violence and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Through surveys, dialogue, and advisory roles, E2E elevated resident perspectives. For example, in one community survey, over 70% of respondents expressed that youth should have more influence in shaping violence prevention strategies, reflecting a broader public health priority of community-led solutions.

E2E connected nonprofits, schools, city agencies, and health institutions around a shared vision of safety and equity. These cross-sector collaborations reflect the “health in all policies” approach, recognizing that preventing violence requires aligned efforts across education, justice, housing, and health systems.

In these ways, E2E does more than create events or campaigns—it advances a population-level approach to violence prevention, promoting conditions where children, youth, and families can thrive free from violence and its lifelong health consequences.