Local Citizens Transforming Conflict, Healing the Community
Our solutions provide opportunities for Asset Based Community Development. We work to empower the entire community.
About You
About You
First Name
LaShawndra
Last Name
Vernon
Twitter URL
Facebook URL
About Your Organization
Organization Name
Milwaukee Hip Hop Cypher
Organization Website
Organization Country
United States, WI, Milwaukee County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, WI
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
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Innovation
Entry Form title
Local Citizens Transforming Conflict, Healing the Community
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
THE NEED: Describe the need for your solution and the size/dynamic of the community (ies) you will engage
The Community Mediation Project is an effort to resolve conflicts between individuals, groups, communities, and organizations. It strengthens relationships in communities and connects groups that otherwise would not work together. Communities that implement community lead mediation programs see a reduction in crime and increased vitality.
THE SOLUTION: Please explain what your solution offers and how it is innovative. How will you put your solution into the hands of users or beneficiaries? Be specific!
The Community Mediation Project trains mediators who will facilitate discussions about community conflict and walk all parties involved through the mediation process to find a solution that serves the entire community. Mediation is often used if a court is case pending, but not necessary to seek mediation services. Studies suggest mediation programs improve cohesiveness of diverse communities. Our goal is to provide community mediations in high risk communities to decrease rates of violent crimes and criminal activity. We plan to focus on youth and young adults from 14-35 in homes and neighborhoods most effected by poverty and criminal activity. We train community members to become mediators and plan activities that discourage crime in these areas.
THE MODEL: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference through use of information technology and media
We address emerging community issues, community organizing, and collaboration strategies. We produce short films and vlogs on our website www.hhc.414.org highlighting the coalitions and speak out sessions to identify the problems. We choose the issues to highlight on the website to encourage conflict transformation. When an issue affects the entire community, we organize community mediations in which stakeholders collaborate to eliminate or reduce the community problem. We also offer the following mediations upon request:
Family Mediations – youth behavior, school intervention, family contracts, communication tools
Neighbor Disputes – barking dogs, property lines, noise, threats, trespassing, and easements
Landlord/Tenant Conflicts - refund of security deposits, damaged property, rent owed or repairs needed
Customer and Business Issues - quality of workmanship, payment plans, negotiations, payment for work, division of goods, rentals
Friends and Associates – money owed, communication problems, threats, phone calls, use of a vehicle, roommate issues, relationships, assaults
Small Claims – disputes over money, goods or services
Personal Property - car accidents, stolen goods, damage to a home or other property
THE MARKETPLACE: Who are your peers and competitors? What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
In 2011 Eternal Sunshine Productions established a membership to the National Association of Community Mediation, and is currently training community members to be Mediators in neighborhoods that lack engagement activities. The Milwaukee Community Mediation Center is an organic effort designed to encourage people to choose mediation in situations where conflict occurs without being motivated by alternatives to sentencing or fines. We refer to this as Proactive Communication, a tactic to recognize conflict before it becomes uncontrollable in an effort to reduce crime and violence. Currently we do not have any direct competitors, as our work is highly collaborative
Social Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
FOUNDING STORY: We want to hear about your “Aha!” moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution’s potential to change the world.
While working on community issues we were at the table of several coalitions. We often felt there should be more conflict facilitation taking place to address some of the entrenchment in our environment. Many were resistant, while others felt it was the key to improving collaborative efforts. We united with several youth and civic engagement organizations to start offering conflict resolution programming and it met positive responses. We decided to take it to the next level and implement a community mediation center that would help the entire community get past disputes.
Specify both the depth and scale of your solution’s social impact to date
We have trained 40 youth and young adult mediatiors, and they are ready to provide community mediations for disputes in the area. We have connected with the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) and are in the process of starting a local mediation center open to the public. We seek to provide several types of mediation including addressing poverty concerns locally in a transparent community mediation with several local organizations.
What is your projected impact within the next 1-5 years? Is your idea replicable? If so, how?
We hope to open an independent community mediation center in the next 5 years. At this time we are a mobile effort, providing services at non profits and community groups as they request our services. With an independent mediation center we can connect more people in the community with resources to help them exit the cycles of generational poverty. We can also continue to increase our capacity on the website, teaching community members to create video and music projects that encourage civic engagement.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and mark growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Six-Month Tasks
Task 1
Establish a Committee to secure a location
Task 2
Initiate a monthly event to heighten awareness and fundraise
Task 3
Recruit 10 new bloggers committed to contribute at least once per week
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
12-Month Tasks
Task 1
Host online community mediations monthly
Task 2
Host our Annual Event in June
Task 3
Broaden our social media campaign with video and music in alignment with the core principles of Milwaukee Hip Hop Cypher
How many people have been impacted by your project?
101 - 1,000
How many people could be impacted by your project in the next three years?
1001‐10,000
Sustainability
Explain how your company, program, service or product is structured
Hybrid model
What barriers have hindered the success of your project to date? How do you plan to overcome these and other challenges as you grow your solution?
Because we are new, our biggest barrier is increasing our visibility. We are gaining online presence, and seek to increase our contracts and connections in providing the services.
How do you see the information-technology and media sectors shifting over the next decade? How will your solution adapt to and/or drive that changing environment?
We are a social media lead company. Our website is a vlog of our work so we will constantly work to increase our technology capabilities.
Failure is not always an option. If your solution fails to gain traction in the next two years, what other applications of the idea could you explore?
I will continue to write grants to fund the project. We have successfully been granted by one local coalition and we seek to continue to increase our presence as establish fundraising professionals.
Expand on your selections, explaining how you will sustain funding
Fundraising at all time!!!
Tell us about your partnerships
We are currently partnered with several local artists, Wisconsin Voices, Urban Underground, True Skool Inc., Urban Diversions, and Eternal Sunshine Productions.
What type of team (staff, volunteers, etc.) will ensure that you achieve the growth milestones identified in the Social Impact section?
We currently have one paid staff memeber, and 2 interns. We are seeking to staff 2 and have 5 interns with stipends.
Changemakers is a collaborative and supportive space. Please specify any community resources you would need to grow and sustain your initiative. Select all that apply
Investment, Human resources or talent, Marketing or media, Research or information, Collaboration or networking, Pro-bono help (legal, financial, etc.), Innovation or ideas, Mentorship.
Specify any resources you might offer to support other initiatives. Select all that apply
Marketing or media, Collaboration or networking, Innovation or ideas, Mentorship.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren’t specified within the list
Summary
Define your company, program, service or product in 1-2 short sentences
HHC414 is a coalition that supports initiatives in the community. We exercise the power of controlling our own media.
Identify what is innovative about your solution in 1-2 short sentences
Our solutions provide opportunities for Asset Based Community Development. We work to empower the entire community.
 | 40 weeks agoFirey Phoenix updated this Competition Entry. |
| 40 weeks agoFirey Phoenix said: Hello Everyone! I just made some updates based on a suggestion from an above comment! If you have time please check out the changes ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 41 weeks agoFirey Phoenix said: Peace! I truly appreciate this feedback. I will begin editing shortly, and will take your suggestions into consideration. This is a ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 41 weeks agoBahiyah Yasmeen Robinson said: I think HHC414 is a powerful voice for the community in Milwaukee! I would like to suggest looking over your entry and revising to ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 41 weeks agoFirey Phoenix updated this Competition Entry. |
| 41 weeks agoFirey Phoenix submitted this idea. |
