Michael Allen is Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Together Chicago—an organization that exists to be a catalyst for lasting change by reducing gun violence and increasing thriving communities in Chicago. In this conversation, we talk all about the issue of gun violence and how Together Chicago has addressed this complex issue through 5 strategic areas: economic development, educational achievement, violence reduction, gospel justice, and faith-community mobilization. Michael was born in Kingston, Jamaica and immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his family in 1977. In 1986 he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Early in his professional career, Michael was called into ministry under the leadership of Dr. O.S. Hawkins, First Baptist Church – Ft. Lauderdale (1989). In 1997, Michael served as Assistant Pastor of Urban Outreach and Evangelism at The Moody Church in Chicago, IL . Michael also served as the Associate Pastor at Sagemont Church in Houston, TX (2002) and most recently as the Senior Pastor at Uptown Baptist Church. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the board of the Pacific Garden Mission. Michael holds a Masters in Divinity from Trinity International University, a Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Studies from Trinity College – Miami, FL and an Associates in Computer Electronics.