'This work is my heart': Meet the new leader of the Nonviolence Institute.

PROVIDENCE – Lisa Pina-Warren grew up on the South Side of Providence, where she saw firsthand the cost of violence in the shooting deaths or incarceration of friends and family members.

Her grandmother lived in the West End, giving her insight into the Washington Park community.

“My roots are very deep on the South Side of Providence,” said Pina-Warren, whose parents met at the Roger Williams housing complex.

Pina-Warren will now use her deep understanding of the city’s streets, as well many years in the field, in her new role as executive director of the Nonviolence Institute , an organization that serves as a vital link between the community and the Providence Police in the effort to curb violence.

“I was exposed to a lot of violence,” she said, recalling feeling anxious and scared as a child. “I don’t think any child should have to live like that.

"I always knew there could be a different way," she continued. "I wanted to see a way for the community to be safe.”

`It really rocked my world'

Pina-Warren was working at a youth program on Broad Street in 2002 when she encountered former Institute executive director Teny Gross at a candlelight vigil for one of the teenagers she worked with. At the time, the teen had enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was preparing for his departure.

“It really rocked my world," she recalled. "[Gross] was just different. His words really resonated with me. He said `What are we going to do about this?’”

Pina-Warren – who lost her only brother to a violent death in 1996 – became dedicated to putting an end to violence.

“It put me on the trajectory of helping young people make better choices,” Pina-Warren, of East Providence, said.

She began working for the Institute, first as a nonviolence trainer, then as a street worker responding to crime scenes to mediate conflicts between rivals with the intention of interrupting the cycle of retaliation.

She became assistant director of the streetworker program and then director, overseeing that and victims’ services, she said.

“I’ve had a lot of hats,” she said.

The late, great Cedric Huntley

Pina-Warren said she was offered the position by the board July 10, only to learn two hours later that her predecessor, Cedric Huntley, had passed away.

She credited Huntley for being at the table as Father Raymond Malm and Sister Ann Keefe envisioned the then-Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence in response to rising gang violence in the city, as well as the targeted killing of 15-year-old Jennifer Rivera, a key witness in an upcoming murder trial.

“Mr. Ced knew it was really important to bridge the relationship between the police and the community,” Pina-Warren said.

Huntley worked to forge and strengthen that connection and help build the community’s trust in the police.

“Cedric worked hard to have those conversations,” she said.

The Providence Police Department honored Huntley, who passed at age 65 , with a funeral procession following his memorial service July 19.

“Cedric Huntley leaves behind a significant mark in Providence through his commitment to peace and nonviolence. As the former director of the Nonviolence Institute and a tireless advocate in our community, Cedric’s legacy of compassion, dedication and transformative impact will continue to inspire us all,” the department wrote in a post on Facebook.

“We extend our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones. You will be missed Mr. Ced,” the department said.

Looking out for the wellbeing of community, staff

Pina-Warren said she is acclimating to her new role. She has the confidence of the institute’s Board of Directors.

The board released a statement praising Pina-Warren’s commitment in its announcement.

"In these challenging times, the need for NVI's services is greater than ever before and Lisa has tirelessly and compassionately made nonviolence her life's work. She is a dedicated, passionate and inspirational leader and we look forward to her guidance in helping us achieve our mission by sharing the principles and practices of nonviolence," Seth Handy, co-chairman of the board, said.

Pina-Warren replaces Keith Morton, who held the post as interim executive director after Huntley stepped down last year.

She says her vision is to enhance the services the Institute currently offers while working to build capacity in its ranks. She would like to see outreach workers employing nonviolence practices in the city’s schools.

She also intends to focus on the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of the staff, ensuring that they receive needed counseling and support when they encounter trauma in the field.

“Being there for the community and staff during crisis is so important,” she said.  “This work is my heart. It’s been my life for some time.”

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'This work is my heart': Meet the new leader of the Nonviolence Institute.