Summary

Social-ecological inspections into community violence advance our understanding of a single story of violence solely within urban communities, to a more critical discourse of examination. Undoubtedly, the environmental and social determinants of community violence influence variances in community health and dimensions of overall quality of life. Community violence is systemic, with compounded intergenerational effects rooted in racism, discrimination, and marginalization. The reality of daily violence and repeated traumas that many communities experience requires an urgent, multilevel response. Advocacy efforts must be directed at dismantling the structural components within communities that support social disengagement and a culture of normative violence. Community-engagement interventions that are respective of trauma-informed care and community building, have numerous implications for bridging micro- and macro-level social work practices.