A couple of days ago, I learned that one of our community leaders, who attended the South Bronx Pilot Conversation, handed Police Commissioner Kelly our curriculum (developed by Everyday Democracy). He said he would seriously consider giving his full endorsement to the project!

I just spoke with Father Earl Kooperkamp, Rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in the Morningside Heights section of West Harlem. He said he thought of our Conversations when he considered a recent spate of killings in his parish. Three people have died in the last month! That's a murder-rate comparable to the 1980s! It's more murders than that area has experienced for the past decade.

So, he thought about the Conversations for Change and decided he would take action. Fra Kooperkamp is in conversations with his precinct to organize a Pilot Conversation to take place in July! This Manhattan conversation will officially expand our reach into Manhattan!

Several South Bronx community leaders met with Derrick, Detective Ford, and me on April 12th and it was an absolutely amazing experience. As folks drifted in throughout the day (the last one drifted in 15 minutes from the end ;p) we shared stories and began to dream together of the impact these conversations can have in our neighborhoods.

By the end, everyone took responsibility to reach out to their own constituencies to set up Pilot Conversations between their constituencies and the police precinct in their neighborhood!

This is really exciting! Derrick and I have spent the past few months making connections and building alliances with interested community leaders throughout the South Bronx. This Tuesday evening, we're gathering several leaders to plan the April 12th Pilot Conversation for Change. This group will become the "Conversations for Change" Advisory Board.

The Pilot Conversation will gather a couple dozen South Bronx community leaders and police to give them a taste of the full "Conversations for Change" experience. If these community leaders find the the process helpful, we will invite them to join our effort to bring the community together for 5 weeks of conversations this Fall.

Pilot Conversations are coming soon! We've set the date (April 12, 2008). And we are in the process of contacting individuals and groups in the area who hold a stake in the police/community relationship in the South Bronx. There's a growing interest in the pilot conversation right now. There have been tensions in youth/police relations while at the same time, there are signs of hope that conversations can make a difference.

Last year our South Bronx coalition did two "mini Conversations" between members of the initial coalition (mostly Walker Memorial Church members) and the police. Those "mini Conversations" were extremely impactful.

Over the past three months, Derrick Boykin and the youth of Walker Memorial Church have taken major strides in the process of developing trust and relationship with the police of the 44th Precinct, located on the same block as the church. The police attended a service at the church and participated in a basketball tournament with the youth!

The problems are complex and deep, but there is rising hope that change is possible as we consider the impact of conversations designed to lead to change.