It is the mission of Chicago’s Citizens for Change (CCC) to strengthen communities and reduce youth violence through outreach to the surviving family members and loved ones of homicide victims. CCC will facilitate the resiliency of families and youth through trained crisis teams, a telephone hotline, a web-based guide to Chicago-area services, and peer support opportunities for parents and youth siblings to become involved in restorative peace-making and anti-violence work. Stay tuned for ways to contribute and volunteer.
 

CROSSwalk began as an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace – a march during Holy Week from St. James Cathedral, to Daley Plaza, to Old St Patrick’s Church, and concluding at Stroger Cook County Hospital. CROSSwalk is committed to organize churches and volunteers to raise awareness about youth violence, to support community-based peace-making efforts, and to advocate for change until all children are safe.
 

 

Urban Dolorosa means “The Sorrowing City.” We seek to raise awareness about the epidemic of youth violence in our city and to recruit religious leaders and pastoral care volunteers to minister to families and youth traumatized by violence.

Read more about the unprecedented artistic collaboration.

Read Mayor Emanuel’s Proclamation.

Check out the following media stories:

 
Urban Dolorosa featured on Different Drummers

 
NBC5 – Mayor Emanuel at St. Sabina Concert

 
Manya A. Brachear for the Chicago Tribune (article & video)

 
Photography from Columbia College Students

 
More photos on Facebook

They will feature…

• Documentary photography by award-winning Carlos Javier Ortiz.
• Soprano Jade Maze and Baritone Khary Laurent.
• Chicago Community Chorus with conductor Dr. Keith Hampton.
• Johnson College Prep Choral Program.
• Youth Choir and Marimba Ensemble from Holy Cross/IHM Parish.
• Chamber Soloists of North Park University.
• Spoken Word poetry by Mama Brenda Matthews.
• Artistic Direction by Steppenwolf for Young Adults.

This collaboration combines classical and folk music styles, an African-American youth choral group from Englewood, an Hispanic chorus and marimba group from Back of the Yards, a chamber ensemble from the north side, with documentary photography, spoken word poetry, and a candlelit vigil.

The events will be artistically beautiful, creating an ethos of sacred remembrance, but more importantly, they will bring our city together across neighborhood, racial, ethnic, religious, and economic dividing lines.

We must come together – we must mourn and work together – we must remember forward – if we are to end youth violence in Chicago.

Additional Rehearsal Photos on Facebook

We invite the city of Chicago to join us on a memorial pilgrimage – a series of multi-media memorial events in five neighborhoods – to stand together to remember the children killed by violence and to support peace in our city.

These memorial events are a pilgrimage in poetry, music, photography, and youth performance. In collaboration with artistic direction from Steppenwolf for Young Adults, the memorial events will feature the Chicago Community Chorus, the Johnson College Prep Choral Program, the Youth Choir and Marimba Ensemble of Holy Cross / Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Chamber Soloists of North Park University. The events will combine sacred music by South African composer Fr. Vaughn Fayle (OFM) and words by Rev. Susan Johnson with the documentary photography of Carlos Javier Ortiz, spoken word poetry by Mama Brenda Matthews, the musical and artistic talents of young people, and the reading of the names of the children who have died.

A Pilgrimage in 5 Historic Churches

 
Nov 1, 7 pm – St Sabina Faith Community – 1210 W. 78th Place (Auburn Gresham)

Nov 2, 5:30 pm – 1st Methodist Chicago Temple – 77 W. Washington (the Loop)

Nov 3, 7 pm – New Mount Pilgrim Baptist – 4301 W. Washington (Garfield Park)

Nov 4, 7 pm – Holy Cross / IHM – 46th & Hermitage (Back of the Yards)

Nov 6, 5:30 pm – Hyde Park Union Church – 5600 S. Woodlawn (Hyde Park)

Download Official Announcement & Printable Flier

Announcement for Memorial Events

and Official Public Flier

Please download and share this official announcement and flier.

Your participation is vital to honor these children and families and to support peace in our city.

There was a frank discussion of perceived urban myths, or things people often say or assume about youth violence that are not true.

One youth commented, “We’re not all gang-bangers,” and another lamented that he cannot walk down the street with a group of friends without being hassled by the police. There is the perception that any group of young black teens is a threat. Also the fear that increased police presence – that “community policing” as it is currently practiced – places everyone on edge. For the youth, many neighborhoods feel at times like occupied territories.

This distrust extends to CeaseFire. One persistent myth is that CeaseFire works for the police. That’s not true. CeaseFire is neutral in their efforts to interrupt violence – to convince youth that retaliation is not the answer. When violence escalates, everyone loses.

Union Star were great hosts. Associate Pastor Collier Baggett shared from her own experience on the streets with violence before she found faith. Sadly, like so many in Humboldt Park, she continues to live with this violence. Her grandson Jimmel Cannon was recently shot eight times by police, who allege he threatened them with a BB gun. Once again, Sister Baggett called for peace (not retaliation), urged parents to get more involved in the lives of their children, and exhorted all involved (youth, families, clergy, police) to work together to rebuild communities of trust.

More event photos on Facebook.

Our first Peace Table on July 27 was a promising success. Attendance exceeded our expectations, with 50 clergy, 60 youth, and 20 CeaseFire youth workers. We had a diverse collection of clergy and lay leaders – Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Interfaith, and Muslim. CeaseFire brought high risk youth ranging in age from 16 to early 20s. We sat together at round tables over Subway sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks, and talked – that is, the youth talked and the clergy listened.

Before the youth arrived, we started with a brief orientation for the clergy. David Johnson, a senior researcher at the Consortium on Chicago School Research, gave a compelling overview of their latest research on schools and safety. His point was very clear: all the evidence says that young people feel safer and are safer when they have supportive adults in their lives.

Tio Hardiman, the executive director of CeaseFire Illinois, and Susan Johnson, the senior minister at Hyde Park Union Church, reminded the clergy to be listeners not preachers, and with that the youth arrived. There was a little scramble as we set up more tables and chairs: we had planned for 100, but ended with more than 130. Soon the conversations at the tables were quite animated, the body language very engaged. Of course, some young people were quiet, almost shy. It helped that we had a few social workers and teachers among the clergy as well.

Toward the end, we had an “open microphone” period. Tio encouraged young people to come forward. One spoke in gratitude, another said that young people needed support at home. Then, a clergy woman got up and said that at her table they had talked about how clergy are hypocritical. This opened things up a bit, and several young people spoke about how clergy need to get out of their churches and onto the streets, saying that they looked up to clergy and needed them to help make the communities safe.

The grandmother of the 13 year-old boy who was shot eight times in the back by police earlier that week was one of the pastors. She came directly from the hospital to join our Peace Table. She spoke about her own background of violence and crime before she was saved by the church. She asked for prayers not only for her grandson and the many other children, but for the police as well. The lack of trust for police was a point of concern for everyone, and the outside surveillance of the event by city police was striking.

The conversation has only just begun, and we still have a great deal of work to do. However, we learned some important lessons for future events. Several adults still found it difficult not to speak for the youth, especially if the youth deferred to them. The media presence was a distraction, and a number of the youth objected to being photographed, fearing consequences in their neighborhoods. We think it is important – even if we could get a larger space – not to have a larger event. The clergy were listening, and it needed to feel like a community. The youth felt most free to speak at tables with only two or three adults. We are also thinking about ways to promote youth leadership of the conversations, perhaps event to include youth in planning and organizing future events.

Ideally, we’d like to see such conversations spring up throughout the city – drawing more clergy and adults to get involved with youth in our city. If you’d like to get involved, please let us know.

 
More event photos on Facebook.

Check out one participant’s blog post on the event.

Announcing New Partnership with

Steppenwolf for Young Adults

Hallie Gordon, the director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, has agreed to serve as the Artistic Director for our Memorial Events in November 2011.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults extends Steppenwolfʼs tradition of world-class theatre into the broader community. This includes sharing the principles of ensemble collaboration, superior acting, and the creation of new work, through productions and programs that are specifically geared to teachers, young adults, and families. Steppenwolf for Young Adults presents professional productions of established plays, original adaptations of novels and new works for audiences of all ages. This collaboration with Urban Dolorosa builds on existing efforts to engage young adults with issues of violence and peace-making through theatre and the arts.

Join us first Fridays for contemplative worship and prayer. Taizé worship blends meditative worship with silence and candle-light. We invite all spiritual pilgrims in our larger Hyde Park and South Side community to seek with us the peace of Christ for ourselves and our world. Please join us for worship at 7:30 pm and for a community dinner at 6:30 pm. Let us know if you or your faith community would like to get involved in planning these ecumenical services.

Taizé began in post-war Europe out of an ecumenical commitment to blend contemplative prayer and music with concerns for reconciliation and social justice. It is in a Spirit of unity and prayer that social justice and loving service begin, and Taizé worship fosters this Spirit through accessible choruses and chants, prayerful contemplation and silent meditation, and the communal lighting of candles.

We invite you to our monthly services in the spirit of Taizé on first Fridays at 7:30 pm at Hyde Park Union Church. Please RSVP if you plan to attend the dinner at 6:30 pm. All are welcome, and people attend and contribute from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Contact Us if you want to be added to our Taizé e-mail list or if you would like to serve as a musician, cantor, usher, or organizer. We want our Taizé worship and prayer to serve the broader Southside community, and we welcome shared leadership and input from other individuals, groups, and faith communities.

Research has shown that traditional methods for counseling victims of trauma often re-traumatize the victims. Psychological First Aid is a new methodology, informed by the latest research on trauma and mental health.

This training is for any first-responders, counselors, social workers, or pastoral care professionals who may provide early assistance to children, families, or adults affected by trauma or disaster. Religious professionals, especially, can play a vital role in helping individuals, families, and communities cope with tragedy or disaster.

You are welcome to download and use The Field Operations Guide for Community Religious Professionals.

Training Details:

Our training on January 22 was a great success. We had a diverse group of over 50 pastors, chaplains, counselors, social workers, community leaders, and students. The session was led by Dr. Melissa Brymer and Rev. Peter Kung from the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress at UCLA.

If you missed the training, you are welcome to complete the free online tutorial for continuing education credit. To access the tutorial, please follow these steps:

Step 1:
Create an account (free): http://learn.nctsn.org/login/signup.php

Step 2:
Check your email and confirm your account (click on link).

Step 3:
Return to http://learn.nctsn.org, and enroll in Psychological First Aid Online.