The Initiative Collective (sometimes truncated to simply "The Initiative") is a group of organizations located in cities throughout the
United States and internationally .Their goal is to promote personal safety through
neighborhood watch activities,
self-defense classes, and other forms of
outreach.[1][2] They are a part of the
Real-life superhero movement.
Founded in
New York City in 2009 by "Zero," "Tsaf," "Lucid," and Zimmer Barnes, the group's initial goal was to patrol the streets of
Greenwich Village to stem a rising tide of
anti-gay violence.[3][4][5] The New York Initiative (NYI) members started by taking on
superhero-like
personae to attract attention when talking to the media (though not on the streets),[6] patrolling on
longboards and donning
bulletproof vests as part of their activities.[3] They were profiled in the
HBO documentary, Superheroes.[6][7]