WVR Dec 12 Program-Silencing Gun Violence: A Community Collaboration

Thursday, December 12, 7 p.m.
In-person program at
The Center of Clayton
50 Gay Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63105
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; program begins at 7 p.m.
Program is free and open to the public.

The St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC) works to reduce violent crime by promoting coordinated, well-resourced policies, support systems, and interventions among institutions serving those most at risk.

VPC’s public health approach to violence prevention employs an “upstream model” that examines how social determinants of health – the conditions of where a person lives, learns, plays, and works - affect their likelihood of involvement with violence. 

Their public health strategy includes elements like greening of vacant lots which can be hot spots for violence, jobs programs to help high need individuals find employment, expanding free or low cost early childhood education, and mental health programs addressing community trauma and toxic stress A collaboration of over 75 government and nonprofit organizations, the commission includes social services, schools, government, research, workforce development, mental health, and other sectors. Meyers and Mosley will share insights into the commission’s workings and ways citizens can support their work to minimize gun violence

Speakers: 

Jessica Meyers, director, St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC)

Jessica Meyers is the director of the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC), a cross-sector collaborative with more than 75 member agencies. She just celebrated her 6th anniversary with VPC. Prior to her work with VPC, Jessica worked for 14 years doing direct services with victims of violence. For the last 10 years of that, she worked predominantly with murder victims’ families and friends. Jessica holds a masters of public administration from Saint Louis University. She is a proud policy wonk and data nerd.

Justin Mosley, project director, St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission (VPC)

Mosley joined Mental Health Board (MHB) in 2024 as a project director for the Violence Prevention Commission. Previously at Youth In Need he managed the National Safe Place program’s Eastern Missouri division. He e used his public platform with Safe Place to build relationships with service providers and raise awareness through media appearances. He was previously involved in higher education, working financial services, enrollment management, and athletic departments with Washington University, Logan University and Harris-Stowe. A renaissance man, he also served in Mass Transit Operations Management with the Bi-State Development Agency.

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