September 25-26

Chicago, IL

2026 National Gun Violence Prevention Expo

September 26

National Youth Expo at Gary Comer Youth Center

Register Now

Prosperity Through Collaboration

The 2026 Strides for Peace Gun Violence Prevention Expo has gone national! Now in its 4th Year, the Expo will foster, celebrate, and promote collective action and community-driven solutions to end gun violence by convening organizations, advocates, and change makers.

Resource providers, civic partners, public officials, community organizations, and more from across the nation will join to create a wide-spanning network in the mission to end gun violence.

Youth-specific expo programming will take place at Gary Comer Youth Center on September 26th. Register Here

6 Events

9 Panels

45+ Speakers

This Year’s Theme

Prosperity through Collaboration

Engagements highlight leadership development, organizational wellness, life-changing mentorship, women in violence prevention, and the work of formerly incarcerated leaders.
Brainstorming the future of community violence intervention through field-building, emerging research, the role of AI and technology, and strategies for building connected ecosystems that strengthen collaboration, innovation, and long-term outcomes.
Exploring innovative financing strategies, including public and private-sector partnerships, collaborative funding models, and the role of government in community institutions.
Building community within the work, including approaching cross-sector programming with a deep commitment to collaboration and overcoming obstacles to thrive.

A Weekend of Collaboration, Community & Content

Over the course of two full days, you will meet and hear from the people who are on the front lines on combatting gun violence in Chicago, Philadelphia, NYC, Los Angeles and beyond.

Day One – Friday, September 25

Panels, Marketplace & Expo

Together, we pause to consider our goals, hopes, and direction. This is about aligning with ourselves and with the journey ahead. This is a chance to reconnect with what brought you here—your questions, your hopes, your turning points—and consider how they’ve shifted or deepened.

Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.

Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.
Quisque venenatis tellus sit amet dui pharetra, a finibus nunc lacinia. Aenean ipsum felis, tempor ac nibh ut, venenatis ullamcorper libero.

Day Three - Saturday, September 26th

Panels, Films & Dance-Off

We explore the possibilities beyond this moment, making space for growth, action, and forward momentum. As we end our time together, we honor the experience, the growth, and the connections made along the way.

Meet Our 2026 Thought Leaders