The InCredible Messenger Podcast

Jonathan McMillan
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

The InCredible Messenger Podcast is where leaders come to think out loud about gun violence, public safety, public health, and Black male achievement. Hosted by Jonathan McMillan, a national strategist who has designed, funded, and led violence prevention systems, the show features candid conversations with mayors, public health leaders, philanthropy, and community executives. Guests come to share their experiences and expertise. Listeners come for practical insight on what actually works—and what fails—when responsibility meets reality.

  1. Sep 20

    Hope Is a Public Safety Strategy | Tristan Gross

    Hope is often treated like a feeling. Tristan Gross explains why it should be treated as part of a public safety strategy. In this episode of The InCredible Messenger, Tristan joins Jonathan McMillan to break down the science of hope and its practical application in community violence intervention. Hope is not blind optimism. It is a measurable way of thinking built through meaningful goals, usable pathways and the agency to keep moving when barriers appear. IN THIS CONVERSATION Goals, pathways and agency as the three components of hopeWhy someone can have high hope while pursuing a harmful goalRe-goaling without dismissing the need beneath the behaviorMotivational interviewing in community violence interventionHow blocked goals can lead from anger to despair and apathyCreating future memories of success through achievable benchmarksTrauma-informed practice versus trauma recoveryReflective supervision and organizational responsibilityThis episode is for outreach workers, CVI leaders, funders, policymakers and human-service professionals responsible for helping people build a future they can believe in—and reach. EPISODE RESOURCES OU Hope Research Center — Research on hope, adversity and human services.Medical College of Wisconsin — Community-safety research, policy and engagement.414Life — Milwaukee’s public-health violence-prevention initiative.Milwaukee Blueprint for Peace — A community-driven violence-prevention framework.Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers — Behavior-change tools and training.SAMHSA Trauma and Violence Resources — Guidance on trauma-informed practice and recovery.CONNECT WITH TRISTAN GROSSLinkedIn: Search “Tristan Gross” in Milwaukee, WisconsinEmail: tristancgross@gmail.com Tristan is available for conversations, training and presentations on hope theory, behavior change and violence prevention. THE INCREDIBLE MESSENGERWebsite: incrediblemessenger.comWatch, listen and follow: bio.site/theincrediblemessenger The InCredible Messenger combines lived expertise, research and systems thinking to help leaders move beyond programs that sound good and build public-safety systems that work. Executive Producer and Host: Jonathan McMillan© 2026 The InCredible Messenger. All rights reserved.

    Hope Is a Public Safety Strategy | Tristan Gross

  2. Sep 13

    Surviving a Shooting: Forgiveness, Resilience and Justice

    Matt Roberts survived being shot at 19. The physical recovery was only part of what came next.The shooting affected his health, cost him a scholarship, changed his relationships, and left trauma that followed him into adulthood. His mother and friends carried their own pieces of what happened. Matt carried anger and, for a period of time, searched for the person who shot him.Ten years later, Matt wrote a forgiveness letter. Years after that, he met the man who shot him face-to-face. They talked honestly about the shooting, built a relationship, and eventually created Forgiveness Resiliency Program 303—FRP303.In this episode of The InCredible Messenger, Matt talks about surviving the shooting, releasing the anger he had been carrying, living with PTSD, and deciding what justice meant in his situation. He also explains why the prison sentence never felt like justice to him, but working together eventually did.This conversation does not suggest that every survivor should forgive, reconcile, or build a relationship with the person who harmed them. Those decisions belong to the survivor. Matt’s story gives us an opportunity to examine forgiveness, resilience, accountability, restorative justice, and the difference between surviving violence and recovering from everything it changed.IN THIS EPISODE• What happened the night Matt was shot• The physical and emotional impact of surviving• Why Matt initially searched for the shooter• The forgiveness letter he wrote ten years later• Meeting the man who shot him face-to-face• PTSD and the long-term effects of gun violence• The impact on Matt’s mother and friends• How Matt defines justice in his situation• The difference between restorative justice programs and restorative practice• How FRP303 grew from their shared story• Building trust with young people through consistency• The emotional weight carried by people working close to violenceRELATED REPORTINGCBS News Colorado:https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/victims-assistance-coordinator-community-ma-kaing-murder/The Denver Post:https://www.denverpost.com/2023/01/16/denver-shooting-violence-friends-forgiveness/CONNECT WITH FRP303Learn more: https://frp303.com/Follow FRP303: @FRP303Comedy bookings: @FunnyMatt303THE INCREDIBLE MESSENGERHosted by Jonathan McMillan, Executive Producer & Hosthttps://www.incrediblemessenger.com/Share this episode with someone working in restorative justice, victim services, youth development, violence prevention, education, or public safety.#RestorativeJustice #GunViolenceSurvivor #TheInCredibleMessengersurviving a shooting, shooting survivor, gun violence survivor, forgiveness after a shooting, resilience after trauma, restorative justice, justice after gun violence, Matt Roberts, FRP303, FRP 303, Forgiveness Resiliency Program 303, trauma after gun violence, PTSD after a shooting, survivor healing, accountability and repair, community violence intervention, credible messenger, youth mentoring, violence prevention

    Surviving a Shooting: Forgiveness, Resilience and Justice

  3. Aug 11

    The Mechanics of CVI

    The sequence that reduces violence—and why most programs miss it. Soren Tsui, co-founder of Our Power Collective and former leader at READI Chicago, breaks down the irreducible steps for scaling community violence intervention. If you're a city leader, police chief, program director, or working in public safety: this is the framework you need. INSIGHT TO IMPACT: The Four Steps 1. UNDERSTAND what's driving violence (who's impacted, where, what precedes shootings) 2. CHOOSE the intervention that matches those dynamics 3. BUILD the infrastructure (manuals, policies, procedures, training) 4. INVEST in the organizations delivering it (resources, staff, support) The mistake everyone makes: rushing or skipping the BUILD phase. THE RIGHT RESPONDER TO THE RIGHT CALL CVI only works as a permanent institutional pillar in public safety—not a grant-dependent add-on. When a call comes in, the right responder (trained CVI practitioner, not police) handles it. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Opening 1:19 – Shamar: Why methodology matters 3:07 – Locked treatment facility: Consistency over charisma 9:00 – READI Chicago: Why passion isn't enough 12:26 – The funding gap in CVI 17:31 – Trust as precondition for institutional change 20:37 – "The onus is on you" (institutional repair) 31:00 – THE SEQUENCE: Understand, Choose, Build, Invest 42:00 – Denver bureaucracy: Systems failure, not community failure 46:53 – "Show me the line" (policy is changeable) 57:52 – The right responder to the right call 59:00 – Our Power Collective: Building the infrastructure 1:00:58 – Invisible army: Recognition and visibility GUEST Soren Tsui | Co-founder, Our Power Collective LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sorentsui Website: ourpower.org RESOURCES Our Power Academy: ourpower.org/academy READI Chicago: readicago.org WA State Office of Firearm Safety & Violence Prevention: doh.wa.gov/ofsVP FOLLOW TIM Website: theincrediblemessenger.com YouTube: @theincrediblemessenger Instagram: @theincrediblemessenger LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/theincrediblemessenger --- This is the system intelligence that decision-makers and practitioners actually search for. Subscribe to not miss it.

    The Mechanics of CVI

  4. May 26

    How The Media Determines Who Gets Prosecuted or Protected; The Trace's Fairriona Magee

    The national conversation around gun violence is trapped in a broken political binary. In this episode, Fairriona Magee, the public health reporter at The Trace, joins me to unpack the operational reality that traditional media channels avoid. We dive into why mass shootings structurally dominate the headlines while community violence and firearm suicides are systematically pushed into the shadows. Fairriona breaks down the four-step public health architecture and exposes how historical sourcing biases created a passive "let them die" approach in underrepresented communities. We also confront the physiological toll of viral social media footage on our youth—revealing how repeated exposure triggers continuous traumatic stress rather than desensitization. To understand why violent crime drops aren't receiving systemic credit, you must understand the architecture of the information ecosystem.

    How The Media Determines Who Gets Prosecuted or Protected; The Trace's Fairriona Magee

  5. Apr 13

    Why Threatening Prison Doesn't Stop Shooters | Sasha Cotton

    Most cities think they're implementing Group Violence Intervention. Sasha Cotton has seen enough of those implementations to tell you most of them are wrong. Sasha is the Executive Director at the National Network for Safer Communities at John Jay College — the organization that trained the teams behind Philadelphia's 62% homicide reduction and Pine Bluff, Arkansas going over 500 days without a juvenile homicide. In this conversation she breaks down the actual operating model: the call-in structure, the three-part message system, who speaks in what order and why, and the specific ways cities corrupt the model when they implement it without technical support. She also goes somewhere the field rarely goes — the 25% crossover between domestic violence perpetrators and community violence perpetrators, and why you cannot build a serious violence prevention framework without addressing both. And she's honest about the thing nobody wants to say: policing as an institution was never designed to save our kids, and building a strategy that depends on it doing so is a design flaw. Jonathan McMillan brings his own experience as a former outreach worker and violence interrupter to this conversation. This one covers ground most GVI conversations never reach.

    Why Threatening Prison Doesn't Stop Shooters | Sasha Cotton

  6. Apr 7

    After The Shooting, Then What?

    Are you scared of saying the wrong thing to a loved one after they have suffered a death in the family? That was one of many things Oresa Napper-Williams and I discussed during our latest conversation on The InCredible Messenger. We often lean on clichés like "I know how you feel," but unless you’ve walked that specific path, you don’t. We’ve lost the "ministry of presence"—the simple act of showing up with a meal instead of asking a grieving person to make more decisions. But this isn’t just a talk about grief; it’s a masterclass on the "Second Wound"—the trauma inflicted by the very systems meant to help us. The Blueprint for Systemic Change:Oresa didn’t just survive the murder of her son, Andrel; she founded Not Another Child to redesign how systems move. We break down: The Myth of "Contributory Conduct": How denying victim compensation based on a child’s "lifestyle" dehumanizes families and halts community healing. Beyond the "Hand-Off": Why agencies must move past immediate crisis management toward long-term, integrated trauma care. The Receipts: How Oresa worked with Common Justice to strip harmful language from legislation and scale a local tournament into a national model serving 50+ survivors. Key Moments & Conversation Timeline [00:00:00] The Ministry of Presence: Oresa reflects on traditional ways of supporting grieving families and why "saying nothing" is often better than saying the wrong thing. [00:01:10] Competitive Grief: A look at why we shouldn't try to make our grief "greater" than others to seem relatable. [00:05:36] The Birth of "Not Another Child": Oresa shares the story of her son Andrel and how a local basketball tournament evolved into a national nonprofit. [00:10:42] Making Their Names Great: How the program uses photos of lost loved ones to turn the urge for retaliation into a legacy of remembrance. [00:18:25] The Survivor Ecosystem: Moving beyond "silos" and understanding that a nonprofit is a business fueled by passion, but governed by strategy. [00:20:24] Victim vs. Survivor: Oresa discusses the terminology of "victim services" and why she identifies as a survivor who stands toe-to-toe with professionals. [00:34:00] Giving Grace for the Lash Out: Recognizing the trauma of murder and why we must give survivors space to act in ways we might not expect. [00:39:12] Challenging "Contributory Conduct": The fight to change laws that deny families financial support based on the perceived actions of the deceased. [00:43:48] The Second Wound: Oresa recounts the traumatic experiences with hospital staff and detectives immediately following her son's death. [00:54:38] Self-Care & Vitamin Drips: How Oresa maintains her energy through mindfulness, family time, and unconventional wellness. [01:03:00] Advice for New Leaders: Why you should incorporate this work into your life, rather than letting the work overtake your life. Resources: Websites: NotAnotherChild.org, CVINSN.org Social Media: @OfficialNAC | @OresaNapperWilliams Connect with Oresa Napper-Williams

    After The Shooting, Then What?

  7. Mar 30 ·  Bonus

    The GVI Blueprint: How Direct Messaging Stops the Cycle of Gun Violence

    "Today’s victim is tomorrow’s perpetrator." In this raw breakdown of the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) model, Sasha reveals the three direct messages that can pull someone back from the brink of a shooting or a prison sentence. What’s Inside: The Law Enforcement Ultimatum: How direct communication from police serves as a final warning before "natural consequences" kick in. The 24-Hour Lifeline: Why "safety planning" and relocation are more effective than simple social services. The Moral Voice: Why the "pastors, preachers, and teachers" are the only ones who can tell a young person the truth about the pain they’re causing. Policing in the Post-George Floyd Era: Sasha discusses the "jarring" reality of working with law enforcement in Minneapolis and the desperate need for procedural justice. 3. Chapter Markers: 00:00 – The First Warning: Direct Police Messaging 01:05 – Relocation vs. Behavior Replacement 01:40 – The 24-Hour Emergency Safety Line 02:15 – The Moral Voice: Pastors, Coaches, and Grandma’s Church 03:20 – "I'm Not Calling Neighborhood Watch": The Reality of Authority 03:45 – Lessons from Minneapolis and the George Floyd Era 04:05 – Procedural Justice: Making Law Enforcement Equitable

    The GVI Blueprint: How Direct Messaging Stops the Cycle of Gun Violence

  8. Feb 1

    The $11 Million Shift: How Newark Replaced Police with Social Workers

    Newark's Violence Prevention strategy has driven homicides to their lowest levels in 60 years, and Deputy Mayor Lakeesha Eure is the architect behind the 70% drop. In this episode, we break down the radical "$11 Million Shift" where Newark reallocated 5% of its police budget to trauma recovery, credible messengers, and a unique "Sunday Brunch" mediation strategy with gang leadership. Whether you are a city leader or a community advocate, this is the definitive blueprint for holding power without losing the trust of the streets. Key Moments [09:01] The $11M Decision: Reallocating 5% of the police budget. [17:39] Sunday Brunch with Bloods and Crips: Mediating active "beefs" . [28:46] The Academy Shift: Why social workers graduate alongside police officers . [38:08] The 7 Lanes of Work: Organizing trauma recovery and high-risk intervention. [51:22] "Show and Prove": Using data to outmaneuver bureaucratic skepticism. TAKE ACTION: THE NEWARK BLUEPRINT 1. Replicate the Model: Don't reinvent the wheel. Access the exact frameworks used by the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (OVPTR) and the Brick City Peace Collective to see how Newark coordinates its "7 Lanes of Work." Explore the Newark Peace Collective Hub Access Trauma Recovery Resources 2. Support the Frontline: The Newark Community Street Team (NCST) and the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (NAVC) are the "Credible Messengers" you heard about in this episode. Support the boots on the ground: Partner with Newark Community Street Team Join the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition Movement 3. Join the National Movement:Newark isn't an island. Connect with the national infrastructure that Lakeesha Eure credits for scaling this work: The HAVI: Hospital-Based Intervention Cities United: Supporting Mayors & Leaders CVI Leadership Academy: Professionalizing the Field

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About

The InCredible Messenger Podcast is where leaders come to think out loud about gun violence, public safety, public health, and Black male achievement. Hosted by Jonathan McMillan, a national strategist who has designed, funded, and led violence prevention systems, the show features candid conversations with mayors, public health leaders, philanthropy, and community executives. Guests come to share their experiences and expertise. Listeners come for practical insight on what actually works—and what fails—when responsibility meets reality.

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