Kansas City, Missouri, Urban Peace and Justice Summit was convened by POSSE (Peers Organized to Support Student Excellence) in 2007 to bring together youth and young adults age 15-25 that were considered "high risk" because of their affiliation with a gang, clique, or block. The summit provided youth with an opportunity to address the violence in their communities in a proactive way and connected them with important local resources for support in living healthy and productive lives. It also created an opportunity to forge partnerships between organizations, businesses, government agencies, community members, and foundations with the means and interest to help youth and young adults prevent and avoid gang and gun violence.

Activities at the summit included youth speak out, workshops, resource fair, and a venue for attendees to perform positive rap music they had created individually and through a local youth-led outreach called Town Movement. Since the summit, Town Movement and POSSE have produced a CD called Message to the Youth, which offers rap songs with positive messages and hope. POSSE and Town Movement are using this CD as a way to raise awareness and funds for their organizations, and POSSE staff are helping youth leaders of Town Movement realize their goal of becoming a youth mentoring organization using the medium of rap music

Technical Assistance Resource Tools:
Video: The First Annual Urban Peace and Justice Summit