LYNN — Today marked the one-year anniversary of the Lynn CALM team, a community-led response program that assists residents experiencing nonviolent mental health and quality-of-life issues. 

Lynn CALM is an unarmed team that responds to emergency calls when police presence is not required. Trained team members work closely with individuals who are seeking help with non-violent, mental health, and quality of life service issues, ensuring the well-being of those struggling. 

Mayor Jared C. Nicholson highlighted one of the origins of the organization being the controversy and anger toward the murder of George Floyd in 2020. 

The lack of compassion by responding officers, leading to Floyd’s death, sparked conversations about the safety within police enforcement around the nation. In Lynn, that controversy was taken into consideration by Lynn’s Racial Justice Coalition and the mayor, kick-starting a program that would help bring more peace to the situation rather than force. 

“Through hard work, we established not unanimity, but something approaching a working consensus,” Nicholson said. “It shows, I believe, that even on an issue that has a very wide range of opinions… tangible, even imaginative progress is possible when we’re made open-minded and centered upon interest.” 

One year ago, Community Manager Javier Valdez joined the movement as a leader in creating a safer and more caring city. He shared that his favorite part of working with CALM has been meeting people and creating deep and lasting connections in the community. 

“Chatting with people, hearing people out, and being able to just give them the opportunity to express the challenges they’re going through,” is what keeps him going, Valdez said. 

Approaching people with “dignity and meeting them where they are” mentally, physically, and emotionally has been an essential step alongside actively listening to their challenges, Valdez said. 

During its first year in a prominent role in Lynn’s safety, CALM responded to 1,200 interactions with residents, Nicholson said. 

“Every one of those interactions has been an opportunity for the team to build trust in a new program, and even if it’s sometimes small, a meaningful way for people to change the way they perceive and relate to their community,” Nicholson said. 

Speaking from her own experience of calling the CALM team, Adesuwa Usuanlele, Associate Director of Youth Programs and Community Projects at the Lynn Food Projects, shared how forthcoming and reliable the organization has been not only with residents but also with callers who report. 

On her way to the grocery store one day, Usuanlele saw an older gentleman in a wheelchair slouched over. Being nervous and fearful that the man was more than unconscious, Usuanlele called CALM. 

After leaving the store and going to work for a couple of hours, Usuanlele became worried about the man’s safety and well-being, and when she checked where he was before, he was no longer there. 

She then reached out to the organization again, and they updated her on the situation and the man’s location, which Usuanlele appreciated, given how much worry it had caused her.  

Community Support Specialist Jorge Taya shared that outreach and response to specific calls go hand in hand as public support systems. Seeing the impact the organization has had not only on the community but on individuals has solidified a sense of purpose that what they’re doing is making a direct impact, Taya said. 

“It makes me happy to see them happy,” Taya said. 

Jesse Warren, an Advisory Member, shared how citizens’ safety has now evolved into something much bigger than just an organization. It’s now a consistent resource for those who believe bringing a calm presence to non-violent situations is better than escalating them. 

“Having the Lynn CALM team here itself is a progressive thing, and it shows that we’re looking to move society in a different direction, or in the right direction,” Warren said. 

He added that the color of CALM leaders’ neon orange shirts further represents the city’s vibrant essence. “Having that color, I think, just lets people know that we’re here, and we want to stay, and hoping to stay a long time,” Warren said. 

Providing a connection to community support is a citywide practice, no matter the age, gender, race, or economic background of a resident, but Usuanlele highlights its significant impact on Lynn’s youth. 

With the younger generation being more tapped into local, national, and international politics, that level of awareness has led them to be more critical toward the systems they live in, Usuanlele said. 

“Being visible to young people so that they know there could be a safe world that doesn’t always involve police shows them what community care can look like and how being really well resourced and knowing who to call can give them,” Usuanlele said. 

Executive Director of My Brother’s Table in Lynn, Diane Kuzia Hills, shared how treating the individuals who need genuine human interaction with respect has not only been a critical step in her field, but an ongoing mission for CALM. 

“There’s always someone who wants to be loved,” Kuzia Hills said. “In order to love, we need to know them. To know them, we need to understand them. To understand them, we need to hear them. To hear them, we need to listen.” 

As a driving force in creating a community response program for those who need a little more love and care, Program Administrator Abdel Kawaf shared how the CALM organization will continue to shine with the consistent efforts of leaders, advisory members, volunteers, and the citizens of Lynn. 

“As we look ahead, we’re excited about our future,” Kawaf said. “We will continue to grow our teams, render our partnerships, and expand outreach services… we will seize every opportunity to increase the positive impact of this work.”

If you or anyone in your community requires assistance from the Lynn CALM Team, call (781) 905-2256 or email [email protected]. All organization information can be accessed on their website, www.lynncalmteam.org.