SYNC 2.0: A Chapter of Growth and Celebration

The beginning of fall signals the end of SYNC 2.0, a national effort to build relationships with community-based organizations (CBOs) that support Black and Brown communities with inequitable risk for violence, and uplift the role of public health in building safer communities.

SYNC 2.0 Accomplishments

Amidst an evolving political landscape, the SYNC learning community navigated the year’s challenging waters together and brought forth six Learning Labs, two open forum coaching sessions, multiple 1:1 coaching sessions, three blog posts, and a SYNC presentation at the National Association of County and City Health Officials conference (photo below). The open forums covered cultivating and measuring hope, and continued a prior Learning Lab discussion focusing on funding and sustainability.

The Learning Lab topics for SYNC 2.0 were:

• Reconnection to ground and support
• Healing with communities and intergenerational organizing
• Strategic fundraising, partnering with philanthropy, sustainability
• Telling compelling stories of hope and healing
• Economic justice and wellbeing as violence prevention
• Recap and celebration

Upcoming SYNC presentations will occur at Safe States Alliance and American Public Health Association conferences later in 2025.

The Last Learning Lab

The final Learning Lab of this SYNC 2.0 year showcased the learning community’s collective accomplishments as well as each individual CBO’s final project. The CBOs had the choice of creating a campaign strategy chart, program action plan, storytelling video, or sustainability reflection to wrap up the year in a meaningful way that illustrated their takeaways, inspirations, and learnings from their participation in the SYNC learning community.

Courtesy of American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions and The Forgotten Third, linked here and here, are two examples of this year’s storytelling videos that demonstrate the community work of SYNC Safety CBOs. A group discussion followed the project presentations in which each presenter shared why they selected their activity, what they learned, and how they will use the activity to support and sustain their work.

During the wrap-up, the SYNC family was asked to reflect on their experience as a part of the learning community this year. The following are a few standout responses to the reflection question, “In the current environment, how has SYNC provided healing and community?”

“SYNC has given me a family that I can learn and evolve with. We have been given a safe space to support each other with the Affinity groups. SYNC has helped make Survivors feel like a part of the ecosystem and like we matter in a few spaces. We are more impactful with the leadership of SYNC.”

“The opportunity to learn about innovative strategies to prevent violence, particularly enjoyed our thinking together during the economic justice session.”

“SYNC connected us and gave us a space to share our experiences, goals, and vision for our organizations. We are grateful for this collaboration!”

As SYNC 2.0 drew to a close, CBOs used a gratitude board to share their appreciation for the project. Amid a flurry of heart stickers, responses highlighted connection, support, healing, education, tools, and deep appreciation for the Core Partners.

Forever in SYNC

SYNC’s Core Partners have brainstormed ways to sustain momentum and strong networks as this second SYNC year comes to a close. Learning community members were given a contact list and were encouraged to continue to connect and share resources with one another. An opportunity for in-person community-building presents itself through one of our Core Partners by way of the Cities United 2025 Convening.

Words cannot capture the warmth, passion, and pride that the SYNC learning community demonstrates in our monthly gatherings. Nevertheless, we end this program year with our hearts full and grateful for the hard work, dedication, and care that SYNC’s grassroots leaders put into their communities.

SYNC 2.0 may be ending, but the movement it nurtured toward equity, healing, and safer communities is only growing stronger.