New England Streetworker Conference
Thank you for joining us at our 2025 Conference. See you in 2026!
The largest gathering of outreach and violence prevention professionals in the region!
The New England Streetworker Conference unites frontline workers for expert-led workshops, peer learning, and networking. Attendees will gain new skills, share best practices, and connect with others committed to building safer, healthier communities, all through the lens of this year’s theme: Culture Cures: Embracing Strength, Overcoming Trauma, and Cultivating Joy.
Stay tuned for information on our 2026 conference!
2025 Keynote Speaker
Erica Ford
Founder & CEO of LIFE Camp, Inc.
We chose Erica Ford, aka the “Peace Doctor,” as this year’s keynote speaker because she is this work. For over 30 years, she’s been a leader in the community violence intervention (CVI) field, living, breathing, and building a vision of peace, healing, and justice.
Right now, with budget cuts, political pushback, and the relentless pressure of this work, many of us are feeling the weight. It can feel heavy, even hopeless at times. That’s exactly why we need someone like Erica.
Erica is here to remind us that we matter, that this work is bigger than the moment we’re in, and that now more than ever, we can’t give up. Her voice is strong, clear, and purposeful; we know she’ll leave us inspired, grounded, and ready to keep pushing forward.
The 2025 Legacy Award
Minister Randy Muhammad
2025 Legacy Award Recipient
Randy Muhammad, a native of Boston, MA, is an exemplary leader whose journey from a troubled past to a position of influence and service within the Nation of Islam and the community is both inspiring and transformative. Born in the vibrant City of Boston Minister Randy Muhammad embarked on a remarkable life journey that would ultimately lead him to a place of significant impact. His story is one of redemption, resilience and unwavering commitment to community upliftment.
In 1989 Randy Muhammad underwent a profound transformation renouncing his past as a founding member of one of Boston’s local gangs his remarkable journey towards redemption and spiritual growth commenced when he embraced the teachings of the Nation of Islam a turning point that illuminated the path of his future endeavors.
The Legacy Award is given annually to an outreach worker who has dedicated their career to creating peaceful and healthy communities, and whose impact spans from the individuals they served directly to the broader community. This person is both a peacemaker and a social innovator, creating new programs where needed and collaborating across public and private sectors to advance systemic change. They are tireless advocates of the next generation, with the ultimate goal to break the cycle of violence and poverty and provide our youth with more equitable pathways to success.
2025 Workshops
Go Viral or Go Further: TikTok for Impact
Facilitated by:
Iya Thomas, Founder of Snap Scene in Queens, New York
Learn what makes TikToks, Reels, Snaps, and Shorts perform. This 75-minute interactive workshop gives you the tools and strategies to create content that connects, converts, and delivers results, viral or not.
Sacred Piece- Crafting Talking Pieces for Peace Circles
Facilitated by:
Ebony LePenn of High Frequency Academy, Ltd. in Boston, MA
This hands on workshop invites participants to connect and engage with the healing energy of Mother Earth as our natural guide and partner in creating tools that carry spirit, story, and intention through the ceremonial crafting of talking pieces drawing on traditional practices.
Understanding the Intersection Between Trauma and Restorative Justice
Facilitated by:
Patrick Stephens. Center for Community Alternatives / Credible Messenger in New York
Explore how trauma shapes behavior and discover restorative justice approaches that help outreach workers address trauma-related challenges in the communities they serve.
Stem and Soul: crafting Your Own Self-Care Bouquet
Facilitated by:
Keena Lunde, Kustom Events, Lowell, MA
Unwind with music, create your own floral arrangement, and learn the symbolism of fall flowers. Ground yourself in self-care with calming scents and creative expression.
Hands On Defense Workshop: Fighting for Fair Housing
Facilitated by:
Leslie Credle, Naia Wilson, & Jose Lorenzo of Justice 4 Housing in Boston, MA
Discover how the Hands On Defense Model challenges housing discrimination against people with incarceration histories. Learn how to appeal denials, advocate for yourself and others, and join a growing network ensuring access to housing justice.
Conflict Mediation and De-escalation Training
Facilitated by:
Jeffrey 4X Lewis of the Torch Light Cafe in Boston, MA
Build practical skills for resolving conflict, mediating tense situations, and de-escalating challenges. Learn strategies to keep yourself and your community safe and supported.
Building Culture Through Icebreakers and Community-Building Activities
Facilitated by:
Will Vilas-Novas of UTEC in Lowell, MA
Learn fun and effective icebreakers and group activities designed to build trust, strengthen connections, and foster a positive, engaging community culture.
More Than Music: Deconstructing Hip-Hop as a Tool for Healing, Resistance & Joy
Facilitated by:
Corey “R.E.K.S” Christie, Organizer/Activist/Consultant/Artist in Boston, MA
Hip-hop is more than beats and bars, it’s a culture of resistance, creativity, and healing. In this interactive session, participants will explore hip-hop’s five elements and how they can be used in youth work to build connection, foster identity, and reclaim joy through music, movement, and creative reflection.
Sisters in Streetwork Circle
Facilitated by:
Lisa Pina-Warren, Nonviolence Institute in Providence, RI
Linda Ketsith, UTEC in Lowell, MA
Anita Morales, CTVIP in New Haven, CT
A supportive space led by and for women in streetwork to share experiences, uplift one another, and strengthen the collective power of women in the field.
Flowing Beyond Barriers: A Creative Journey from Stagnation to Flow
Facilitated by:
Samantha Stichman
18 Degrees
Pittsfield, MA
Move from feeling stuck to creative flow through mindfulness, reflective writing, and expressive art. This hands-on workshop blends meditation and creativity to foster resilience, healing, and joy.
Hood Health and the Science of Self
Facilitated by:
Dr. Sujan Dass
Show and Prove Youth Outreach
Atlanta, GA
A workshop on biochemistry, health disparities, and how to live longer and better on a budget!
This Work Will Not Kill Us
Facilitated by:
Dr. Stacy Seward
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, MA
As Streetworkers, we encourage healing in the people we serve. But this work can be exhausting as we care for and support others. This begs the question, who cares for us? This session is a space to name how we address what is going on with us, talk honestly about what’s working and not, and remind ourselves that protection can be found in good policy AND in supporting one another.
Thank you to this year’s conference Partners & Sponsors!
A Community to Encourage and Empower
| Meet Your Planning Committee |
Liz Brown
Engagement and Events Coordinator, Alternative House
Location: Boston, MA
Fun Fact: I do a lot of crafting, I make my own earrings and trinket dishes out of shells!
Juan Carter
Outreach Manager, Giffords Center for Violence Prevention
Location: Providence, RI
Fun Fact: “A hidden passion of mine is art. I was accepted into an art program, where I was a sketch artist and photographer.”
Shawnic Coleman
Statewide Youth Engagement Coordinator, EOHHS (Homeless Youth Services)
Location: Lowell, MA
Fun Fact: “In high school, I was in the Lowell Sun newspaper for asking former Governor Deval Patrick to the prom as a joke.”
Liz Giannetta-Ramos
Program Director, COMPASS Youth Collaborative
Location: Hartford, CT
Fun Fact: “I love to dance salsa. Not sure if I am really good at it but I get by!”
Leonard Jahad
Founder and Executive Director, Connecticut Violence Intervention and Prevention
Location: New Haven, CT
Fun Fact: “During my career, I unknowingly hired a police officer who helped get me off the streets when I was young.”
Natalie Johnson
Associate Director, Capacity Building Assistance, Health Resources in Action
Location: Boston, MA
Fun Fact: “I had the dubious honor of winning “most improved” my senior year of high school!”
Alivia Langley
Program Manager, Connecticut Violence Intervention and Prevention
Location: New Haven, CT
Fun Fact: “When I was younger, I was in a movie with Robert De Niro and 50 Cent.”
Sako Long
Northeast Regional Director, Department of Youth Services
Location: Lowell, MA
Fun Fact: “I fish at least 50 times a year.”
Christian McCloskey
Youth Services Coordinator, City of Fall River
Location: Fall River, MA
Fun Fact: “I am the sole proprietor of a small nonprofit, McCloskey’s Irish Pub. It hasn’t made a penny, but it is the 2nd most famous fictitious bar in the state, right behind Cheers.”
Nichelle Sadler
Executive Director of the Training Center for Excellence, UTEC
Location: Lowell, MA
Fun Fact: “I still wash dishes by hand. I’ve never used my dishwasher!”
Leslie Rivera
Senior Director of Training and Capacity Building, UTEC
Location: Lowell, MA
Fun Fact: “I love music, I love to sing, I can’t remember any lyrics!”
Manuel Sequeira
Director of Stakeholder Engagement, UTEC’s Training Center for Excellence
Location: Lowell, MA
Fun Fact: “When I was shorter (I’m 6’1) Skee-Lo’s song ‘I Wish’ was one of my favorites.”