Impact & Partners
At ABL, our impact extends beyond direct services, we engage in powerful conversations and strategic coalitions that shape the future of violence prevention and community healing. This page features interviews, media highlights, and partnerships that reflect our mission in action, along with the community groups and coalitions we proudly support.
Media & Interviews
Explore interviews, podcast features, and news segments that spotlight ABL’s work and vision. These conversations highlight our founder’s journey, our community-centered approach to violence prevention, and the real impact being made on the ground. Each feature offers insight into how we advocate, empower, and partner for lasting change.
Shoutout SoCal
Brown, founder of AB Livewell, shares her unique approach to creating safer and healthier communities and the challenges she has faced along the way through her work.
Landmark Forum News
Landmark Forum News interviewed Amanda Brown about her journey from a Connecticut upbringing to the Streets of inner-city San Diego working in gang violence interruption.
CanvasRebel Magazine
Brown shares her passion for building a legacy of trust and safe relationships in all aspects of her life and her mission to empower individuals and communities through restorative practices.
SD Voyager
Discover Brown's inspiring journey from graduate to a successful business owner in the gang prevention and anti-human trafficking space in this exclusive interview with SD Voyager.
ACES Connection
Brown was a member of the planning team for the four-part Trauma-Informed Learning Community series, which brought together cross-sector service providers, agencies, and schools.
Anti-Trafficking Summit
Brown hosted the Anti-Trafficking Summit - Survivor Voice - Trafficking from a Restorative Dual Perspective along with Armand King from Paving Great Futures.
Rally Against Gun Violence
San Diego's NBC 7 covers downtown Rally Against Gun Violence with a press conference of local advocacy groups and city leaders including AB Livewell's Amanda Brown.
HARC Advisory Group
San Diego County contracted with HARC to conduct a community needs assessment on gun violence reduction. Brown was a member of the Violence Reduction Advisory Group.
No Shots Fired Program
With the guidance of Brown, local law enforcement and Shaphat Outreach have partnered to create the No Shots Fired program to solve gun violence in San Diego.
STOLEN
Brown is highlighted on Episode 7: "The Solutions" of STOLEN, which is a documentary series that sheds light on the reality of sex trafficking and the people fighting to break the cycle.
Bounce Back Generation Podcast: Amanda Brown on Violence, Healing, and Credible Messengers
In this powerful episode of the Bounce Back Generation Podcast, Amanda Brown—violence prevention and reduction expert—discusses how we can shift our perspective on violence through compassion, credibility, and systemic change. Drawing on her work with victims, perpetrators, communities, and police, Amanda explores the role of trauma, credible messengers, restorative practices, and personal transformation in breaking cycles of harm.
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Topics covered include:
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How fear and childhood experiences influence violent behavior
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The role of credible messengers in healing communities
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Restorative practices, power dynamics, and prevention strategies
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Amanda’s personal journey into violence reduction work
Watch the full episode and learn how small, informed actions can create lasting change.
Make Peace and Justice Your Full-Time Job
This article explores how individuals can turn a passion for social impact into a meaningful career in peace and justice. It explains that peace is more than the absence of violence — it is the presence of safety, dignity, equity, and opportunity within communities. The piece highlights how peacebuilding work addresses conflict, promotes justice, and creates long-term systemic change across sectors such as nonprofits, government, education, and policy. It also outlines the key traits and skills successful peacebuilders share, including strong communication, leadership, analytical thinking, and program design. Ultimately, the article emphasizes that building peaceful and just societies requires trained professionals who are committed to transforming empathy into action and addressing the root causes of inequality and conflict.
This Is How Restorative Justice Heals Lives
This opinion piece highlights how restorative justice offers an alternative to traditional punitive systems by focusing on accountability, healing, and meaningful dialogue between those harmed and those responsible. Rather than relying solely on punishment, restorative practices create structured opportunities for individuals and communities to address harm, understand impact, and work toward repair and reconciliation. The article shares real-world examples demonstrating how restorative justice can reduce conflict, rebuild trust, and promote long-term healing — particularly for young people and communities affected by violence. Ultimately, it emphasizes that justice rooted in connection and understanding can transform lives while strengthening safer, more compassionate communities.
Community & Coalition Participation
ABL is proud to serve as a thought partner, strategic advisor, and participant in several local and national coalitions dedicated to systemic change and violence prevention.
San Diego County Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Board
The Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Group is a group of public health, justice, and community partners who advise County leadership on programs to help reduce the number of people in jail. Group members meet regularly to guide the County’s investment in justice system prevention, diversion, and reentry programs and services. Advisory Group members meet to consider data, best practices, and convene community listening sessions to receive public input on the project.
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The nine Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Group members represent diverse community perspectives. They are service providers, equity and justice-reform advocates, victim services advocates, and people who have spent time in the justice system.
State CVI Coalitions Alliance (National Monthly Meeting Agenda)
Ending gun violence requires more than lawmakers. Americans from every walk of life have a role to play in making our communities safer.
Our coalitions unite essential voices—from gun owners and veterans to young people and medical professionals—bringing Americans together to speak up and act. Together, we are making change in communities, companies, courthouses, and statehouses across the nation.
CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking)
CAST is involved in empowering communities during their walk and knocks (door knocking) in some of the most violent epidemic or Hot Spot areas designated by SDPD. CAST connects with community members, handing out resource information at least 1 to 3 times a month..
CAST is known to empower and engage residents through assisting people who experience violence with methods to prevent retaliatory violence. Their innovative approach to confronting community fears of violence has set them apart to ensure that even the most disadvantaged areas are referred to social service, empowering residents to be a vibrant part of their community and showing up. CAST conducts this outreach in partnership with SDPD area division leadership and conduct community meetings from this outreach process, called Problem Solving Meetings at least 1 a month.
CAST build bridges of trust between the community, and Law Enforcement, Probation, District Attorney Office, Court System, U.S. Attorney, Individuals, Families, Churches, and Schools.
San Diego Gun Advisory Group
In July 2024, the County officially launched the Gun Violence Reduction Program. Over the next 12 months, 14 key actions will be implemented, in coordination with community stakeholders, to strengthen and enhance gun violence reduction efforts in our communities. Check out this site periodically for program updates and to provide your input.