Linda Harllee Harper passed away in May 2023. The Council honors her memory, her commitment to improving public safety, and her role as a member of our organization and the Violent Crime Working Group. In early 2023, Harper was appointed by D.C. Mayor Bowser as Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, a role she assumed as she continued to lead the efforts of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Harper was a justice reformer and advocate for court-involved youth and their families. She was also an experienced leader and change agent in juvenile justice, criminal justice, public safety, and social services with over fifteen years shaping and managing public safety, restorative justice policies, and youth development programs to improve the lives of our undervalued and underserved youth and their families. Linda moved between the non-profit sector, for-profit sector, and government – either organizing for social change from the outside or reforming institutions, policies, and practices from the inside.
We have accomplished a lot together in our first five years, but we are just getting started. Will you support the Council as we build bridges across ideological divides and craft consensus for solutions?
