Healing Trauma Through Community Building in Little Village - Alicia Martinez, MSW; David "Tiny" Estrada; Shipra Parikh, PhD, LCSW

Episode 35

Guests: Alicia Martinez, MSW; David “Tiny” Estrada; Shipra Parikh, PhD, LCSW

Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW

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This episode is sponsored by Designs by Tee, bringing you positive, socially conscious tees and accessories. Use code TeePod5 for $5 off your next order.

In this episode, I talk with Enlace Chicago’s Violence Prevention Manager Alicia Martinez, Street Outreach Worker David “Tiny” Estrada, and Social Work Educator and Clinical Supervisor Dr. Shipra Parikh, in the Little Village community in Chicago. They talk about the work they do in their community with families and youth by engaging in assistance services, counseling, conflict mediation and restorative justice, youth leadership and advocacy, anti-adultism, school transformation with restorative justice and a trauma-informed approach, and much more. Alicia explains that Little Village is a primarily Latinx community that is resilient and hardworking, but deals with structural barriers that affect basic needs, survival, employment, health care, and opportunities. David discusses how COVID-19 is currently the biggest challenge facing the community, and how Enlace has shifted how they work to continue to support their community, from phone calls with youth to organizing food distributions. Shipra talks about the increased gentrification and the community’s response, specifically supporting local businesses rather than larger corporations that move in. Alicia explains that one of the ways COVID-19 has hit Little Village hard is that most residents are considered essential workers and have been exposed to greater risk, resulting in families losing loved ones. We talk about how Chicago often gets talked about nationally in a negative way and David shares a story of how Black and Brown communities came together for peace and to support each other. Alicia, David, and Shipra all talk about what they love about this work and how Enlace Chicago models within their organization the kind of world they want to see. We also talk about the election. I hope this conversation inspires you to action.

www.enlacechicago.org

Twitter: @EnlaceChicago

Instagram: enlace.chicago

Facebook: Enlace Chicago

LinkedIn: Enlace Chicago

www.drshipraparikh.com