“’I’m not anti-gang; I’m anti-violence.”

JUNE

Labels and taxonomies can be limiting.

Talia Wright-Rivera runs SOAR Boston (Street Outreach, Advocacy and Response), focused on decreasing gang-related violence in the city by building relationships with high-risk young people.

Talia helped us understand the grieving that happens after a shooting. She described how friends of the dead gather at the scene with candles, liquor, and marijuana to linger and mourn. She pointed out that “ganging” is normal: sports teams, clubs, groups of friends — most folks have the desire to be part of something bigger, to connect through ritual, uniform, or shared signals.

Talia reminds us that labels and taxonomies can be limiting.

^{The project: Working with Boston’s Department of Public Safety, Agncy mapped what happens after a shooting in the city—a response that cuts across departments and organizations, bridging city and state agencies, local non-profits, and hospitals.}