Pull Up 4 Peace Conference Highlights Atlantic City's Commitment to Building a Safer Community

For three days, Atlantic City welcomed violence intervention professionals, community advocates, faith leaders, youth, and nationally recognized speakers to the Pull Up 4 Peace Conference at Showboat Resort. The event reflected Atlantic City's ongoing commitment to reducing violence, strengthening neighborhoods, and creating a safer place to live, work, and invest.

Hosted by the City of Atlantic City's O.N.E. Neighborhood Evolution Anti-Violence Division and partnering organizations, the conference brought together experts and community leaders from across the country to share proven strategies for violence prevention, youth engagement, leadership development, and community healing.

Mayor Marty Small, Sr., members of the City's Anti-Violence Division, and influencers Shabazz The OG and Wallo 267 joined panel discussions and presentations focused on addressing the root causes of violence through mentorship, opportunity, collaboration, and investment in people. Attendees also heard powerful stories of resilience from survivors and frontline leaders, while participating in conversations on credible messengers, civic engagement, family support, and community rebuilding.

The conference served as another example of the Small Administration's comprehensive approach to public safety. In addition to the work of the Atlantic City Police Department, the City has continued to invest in violence prevention through its O.N.E. Neighborhood Evolution Anti-Violence Division, recognizing that lasting public safety is achieved not only through enforcement, but also through outreach, education, intervention, and creating opportunities for residents.

Those efforts support a larger vision for Atlantic City, one where safer neighborhoods lead to stronger families, thriving businesses, increased investment, and an enhanced quality of life for everyone who calls the city home.

The conference concluded with a Peace Walk from Showboat to City Hall, where participants marched together in solidarity, sending a clear message that violence has no place in Atlantic City and that building peaceful communities requires everyone to play a role.

As the City continues to make investments in economic development, neighborhood revitalization, youth programs, and public safety initiatives, events like Pull Up 4 Peace demonstrate that creating a safer Atlantic City is a community-wide effort. By bringing together local leaders, national experts, and residents around a common goal, the conference reinforced that collaboration remains one of the most powerful tools in building a stronger city.

Photos by City of Atlantic City Photgrapher Edward Lea