“Gun violence prevention isn’t in my job title, but so much of my work involves me helping young people cope with and curb community violence,” writes LaToya Winton of Communities In Schools of Chicago. Above, attendees of a 2018 rally to bring attention to gun violence in Chicago. John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
By La Toya Winton, Chalkbeat Chicago, August 18, 2023
Half of Chicagoans will witness a shooting before they turn 40. And the average age of a Chicago resident witnessing gun violence: 14. That’s according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
What does this disturbing data say about the collective trauma Chicagoans are experiencing? What does it mean for the long-term well-being of our children? These questions loom large for me since I work with teens and preteens who attend Chicago Public Schools. My goal is to help students stay in school by giving them the tools to cope with trauma, set goals, make progress on their graduation plans, and prepare for life beyond high school.
For the past two years, I’ve worked at a K-8 school in Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood, providing one-on-one counseling and other programs through the nonprofit Communities In Schools of Chicago.
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