| WHAT: |
The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment, in partnership with Baptist Children's Hospital, will host "Silence the Violence," an invitation-only symposium for community leaders to address the recent outbreak of violence in Miami-Dade County against children under the age of 17. Presenters and participants will examine the causes of violence, identify the best ways to reverse this alarming trend and describe programs currently being offered in the community. They will also develop an advocacy agenda containing a list of actions to reduce violence in Miami, which will be shared with agencies such as the local government, school district, The Children's Trust, healthcare providers, the judicial system and law enforcement agencies. Presenters will include keynote speaker Leonard Pitts Jr., Pulitzer Prize winner and Miami Herald columnist; Suzanne Keeley, Ph.D., president of The Melissa Institute; Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., research director of The Melissa Institute; and Modesto E. Albety, chief executive officer and president of The Children's Trust. The Melissa Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and prevention of violence through education, community service, research support and consultation. The Institute’s mission is to prevent violence and promote safer communities through education and application of research-based knowledge. The Institute is named for Miami native Melissa Aptman, a college student who was murdered in St. Louis on May 5, 1995. A year after her death, Melissa’s family, friends and violence prevention experts established the organization to honor her memory and make a difference by working to prevent violence and assist victims. |
