Anthony Cooper Sr. Paves the Way for Local Violence Intervention

On today’s show host, Dana Pellebon is joined in the studio with long-time Madison leader, Anthony Cooper Sr. the CEO and Founder of Focused Interruption which provides community violence intervention and prevention in Dane County. Their work includes mentorship, trauma-informed care, and direct support to survivors of violence and individuals seeking a fresh start. 

Cooper discusses how his experience of incarceration paved the way for the work that he’s doing now with Focused Interruption and how he draws on his prior experience working for Nehemiah. He says that crisis intervention is important for everyone in the community, in addition to the victim and the perpetrator. 

With Focused Interruption, Cooper works to address gun violence in a preventative way, though much of their work includes working with perpetrators of violence, navigating law enforcement and investigations, and community needs. This means pointing out challenges and moving toward repair in situations where “trauma is stacked on top of violence,” says Cooper. Community members are partners in this work, in helping the folks at Focused Interruption identify situations before they escalate. 

They also discuss how important it is to show up in your community spaces in order to make a positive impact, what it would look like to have community rather than community policing, and how Focused Interruption takes care of its workers.

Anthony Cooper Sr. is a dedicated and visionary leader, serving as the CEO and Founder of Focused Interruption, a pioneering organization specializing in community violence intervention and prevention in Dane County. His leadership is defined by a deep commitment to creating safer, more inclusive communities through innovative and compassionate approaches.

Featured image of Anthony Cooper Sr. and Dana Pellebon in the WORT studio.

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