Ideas worth spreading

How we cut youth violence in Boston by 79 percent

1,204,702 views |

Jeffrey Brown |

TED2015

• March 2015

An architect of the "Boston miracle," Rev. Jeffrey Brown started out as a bewildered young pastor watching his Boston neighborhood fall apart around him, as drugs and gang violence took hold of the kids on the streets. The first step to recovery: Listen to those kids, don't just preach to them, and help them reduce violence in their own neighborhoods. It's a powerful talk about listening to make change.

An architect of the "Boston miracle," Rev. Jeffrey Brown started out as a bewildered young pastor watching his Boston neighborhood fall apart around him, as drugs and gang violence took hold of the kids on the streets. The first step to recovery: Listen to those kids, don't just preach to them, and help them reduce violence in their own neighborhoods. It's a powerful talk about listening to make change.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Join peacekeeping faith and community groups across the US that support youth at the street level.

About the speaker

Jeffrey Brown

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A key player in the "Boston miracle" that lowered the rate of youth crime and gang violence, Rev. Jeffrey Brown is a Baptist minister.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Join peacekeeping faith and community groups across the US that support youth at the street level.