Mothers In Charge, Inc.
Title: Stopping the Silence, Preventing the Violence
Student Interns:
Sonia Dalal
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Celes LeFleur
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
Academic Preceptor:
Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
Abby Quinn Peterson, DMD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Elizabeth Powell, DDS, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Dorothy Johnson-Speight, EdD, MHS, LPC
Founder and National Executive Director, Mothers In Charge, Inc. (MIC)
Community Site:
Mothers In Charge is a nonprofit violence prevention organization based in Philadelphia that serves individuals and families of various ages who are impacted by gun violence. The organization was founded out of necessity and is passionately committed to fostering a safer community through services such as grief support, anger management, reentry services, education, outreach, intervention, and advocacy. Mothers In Charge uses the PIE approach to reducing gun violence: prevention, intervention, and education.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns observed and participated in weekly group services such as anger management and grief support. The interns worked closely with the Mothers In Charge staff to assist in community outreach efforts through tabling events, annual fundraisers, and youth programs. The interns also created pamphlets and bookmarks focused on oral health, cardiovascular health, and trauma that included educational content and QR codes listing available resources in Philadelphia.
Reflections
“Working with Mothers In Charge grounded me in what community care actually looks like. Every week, I sat in on grief and anger management sessions, where I learned that healing is not linear, and sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is just be there [to offer] an ear, a shoulder, a hand. Quiet, present, and willing to listen. Along the way, I met people who welcomed me into deeply personal moments, who showed up for each other while carrying so much themselves. Their strength, honesty, and openness taught me what it really means to hold space for someone. This summer shifted how I think about care. It’s not always about finding solutions; sometimes it’s just about being there through the hard parts. It’s about trust, consistency, and showing up even when it’s heavy. I’ll carry that with me moving forward, in the way I listen, the way I show up, and the way I hope to care for others, in dentistry and in everything I do.”
Sonia Dalal
“My time working with Mothers In Charge has been a truly wonderful experience that I will cherish for the entirety of my professional career and personal life. I am truly grateful for the connections I have made with the staff and the Philadelphia community. Mothers In Charge and its members have shown me the power of resilience and hope, even in the face of loss. I continually find myself in awe of how kind, giving, and courageous the Mothers In Charge community is, and I have learned the power of acceptance and the importance of community. Although challenging at times, hearing the stories of individuals impacted by violence, trauma, grief, and incarceration has taught me the importance of listening to others’ stories with compassion, empathy, and without judgment. Mothers In Charge has illuminated me on issues of gun violence and systemic inequalities, which will be invaluable within my professional practice as a future social worker.”
Celes LeFleur