Austin Weekly News, April 22, 2020
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‘Wash your hands!’ Violence Interrupters urge West Siders
Anti-violence group confronts ‘the other’ epidemic in Black communities By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago
Chicago is flattening the curve, but as the social distancing orders wear on, the city and state have struggled to encourage participation among residents who are lowincome and Black, the same population that is most vulnerable to the infection and has made up the bulk of fatalities. West Side social service agency UCAN says people are willing to take the social distancing advice — given that it comes from somebody they know and trust. According to Frank Perez, the director of violence intervention and prevention services at UCAN, street outreach workers are some of the people best positioned to help spread the social distancing gospel among disenfranchised communities that have little faith in public officials. Those workers would typically intervene in crime hotspots on the West Side to de-escalate conflicts before they resort to violence, and to prompt reconciliation and prevent retaliation when violence does occur. “We already had an epidemic called violence,” Perez said. “But now we have another epidemic that is disproportionately affecting Black and Brown communities.” Young adults on the streets listen to violence interrupters because they are credible messengers, Perez said, people born and raised in the neighborhood, many of whom were once involved in gangs and know what it’s like to be caught up in a cycle of violence, poverty and incarceration. That makes them uniquely positioned to create peace in the community — and to teach people how to protect themselves from the epidemic. The violence interrupters know from experience that it takes a lot of privilege to follow some of the guidelines recommended by health officials, Perez said. Many West
Siders live in small apartments crowded with several other people and lack the amenities to make staying at home a practical option. So Perez’s team of outreach workers are trained to give practical advice that reflects the experiences of people in the hardest-hit communities. And when it comes to people hustling on the streets, dealing, gambling, or selling loose cigarettes, their advice is helping people to take Provided small steps that can keep them SENDING A MESSAGE: The violence interrupters know from experience that it takes a lot of privilege to follow some of the guidelines recommended by health officials, said Frank Perez, the director of violence intervention and safer. “We’re giving prevention services at UCAN. them real life tips. somebody’s mindset, whether to break the gain traction but now the outreach workers Don’t pass around that 40oz, don’t pass around that blunt that cycle of violence or to take the pandemic are making a significant impact among seriously, is to offer them something useful people that had yet to be reached by the you’re all toking on,” he said. city’s engagement efforts. People are taking to nudge them along. In addition to spreading the word at crime “That goes a long way in reinforcing the the social distancing order more seriously hotspots about handwashing and staying relationship and showing them that you now, even asking Woods and other violence at home, the outreach team has also been interrupters for help getting hand sanitizer really care,” he said. connecting people in the neighborhood with Violence interrupter Reginald Woods and masks. resources they need to make it through the UCAN is supplying outreach workers with said people are willing to learn more about health emergency. Outreach workers have COVID-19 and how it affects communities personal protective equipment, but does been canvassing door to door passing out on the West Side, but they sometimes don’t not have enough to distribute through the flyers with health recommendations and trust city officials when their neighborhood streets and is accepting donations. Those information on social services available to has been left behind for so long. interested in donating masks and other them through the city and through UCAN’s “We can definitely give a better outlook on PPE to help the outreach workers distribute caseworkers, who can help residents access what’s going on in our community. Coming them can reach out to Claude Robinson at food, employment opportunities and health from us as credible people to them, they Claude.Robinson@ucanchicago.org. services. If they had enough supplies, they understand it better. Everybody don’t listen Pascal Sabino is a Report for America corps would also be passing out masks and hand to the news. Everybody don’t listen to the member covering Austin, North Lawndale sanitizer, Perez said and Garfield Park for Block Club Chicago. police,” Woods said. According to Woods, it took a few weeks to CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org Perez said the best way to change
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