West Palm Beach: Healing in Place

The West Palm Beach stop of the Leading the Way Tour convened several trusted, community-based organizations with deep, on-the-ground experience in young leader development, gun violence prevention, and reentry support. Among these were Inner City Innovators (ICI), Love, Hope & Healing Inc., and Pathways to Prosperity—groups that have long served as anchors within neighborhoods most affected by violence.. Their participation not only highlighted the depth of local expertise but also underscored a shared understanding that effective public safety cannot be achieved without centering those closest to the challenges. Collectively, these organizations demonstrated that West Palm Beach’s grassroots infrastructure—though historically underutilized in formal decision-making spaces—possesses the insight, relationships, and credibility necessary to contribute meaningfully to a comprehensive and sustainable public safety strategy.

West Palm Beach’s foundational strengths lie in its longstanding grassroots activism, the philosophical alignment many community leaders have developed with key figures in law enforcement, and the emergence of cross-sector leadership invested in collaborative solutions. This alignment offers the opportunity to bridge historical divides and to craft a safety framework rooted in both community trust and evidence-based practice. While momentum generated under previous political leadership slowed with the transition to a new administration, the underlying community-driven efforts to build trust, support youth, and reduce violence have not diminished. In fact, these efforts continue to evolve through the persistence and adaptability of local leaders who refuse to allow progress to stall.

Through the voices of these community based organizations and the young leaders they serve, it is clear that the work has never ceased—it has shifted, recalibrated, and strengthened in response to changing conditions. And now, more than ever, the call to organize, coordinate, and reassert community priorities is amplified. West Palm Beach stands at a pivotal moment: one where renewed collaboration between community organizations, local government, and system partners could unlock a more holistic and effective public safety ecosystem. The readiness is there, the expertise is present, and the opportunity for unified action is unmistakable.

Moment That Mattered

Anquan Boldin, co-found of the Players Coalition, attended the Young Leader Collective meeting during the tour stop. Driven to engage in this work after the loss of his cousin to violence, his connection to young people and commitment to his home state of Florida, was evident in his transparent and natural engagement with each young person in the room. 

Since the tour stop, Anquan has continued to work alongside the local partners in West Palm Beach, holding true to his commitment to work alongside young people as they navigate the complexities of life and its intersections with violence.

What’s Next for West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach’s community leaders, supported by Cities United, are prepared to reinvigorate efforts to develop and implement a truly comprehensive public safety plan. This renewed approach aims not only to reengage city partners but to intentionally expand the focus countywide, leveraging the interest and momentum emerging in neighboring communities. The energy, expertise, and collaborative spirit needed to lead are already present—what is required now is alignment.

Stakeholders across sectors, including law enforcement, have expressed a clear commitment to solutions that extend beyond traditional policing. The challenge ahead is to operationalize that commitment by building real, resourced alternatives rooted in community-led strategies. Establishing a shared language around community violence intervention (CVI), strengthening coordinated leadership structures, and demonstrating political courage will be essential to the city’s transformation.

“This isn’t a moment, It’s a movement” - West Palm Beach Tour Stop Attendee