Community Healing Starts with Listening

At The Community Builders, in partnership with our residents, Community Life (CL) initiatives bridge the gap between families and opportunities to thrive – that includes mental health support for youth, adults and seniors. In Chicago, Rose Mabwa led a TCB partnership with Rush University and Illinois Institute of Technology, to convene three generations of residents who developed resources to address trauma in the community.??

As we know, communities of color are among those hardest hit by the pandemic. These impacts are compounded by police and street violence in some neighborhoods. In Chicago, many of our teenage residents are reeling from the combined trauma of pandemic isolation, and violence. They are grieving.?

Throughout the resident listening sessions, teens shared their experiences and expressed their need for stress relief, trauma-informed care and community relationships. With these resident-led insights, we are making new investments in mental health, starting with a youth night where teens connect with graduate student mentors and a youth room for teens to unwind and spend time together. It is their own physical and emotional safe space.?

These steps are just the beginning! The Community Builders will continue to listen to residents and partners as we bring better mental health to our communities.