Most mental health facilities involve white rooms, kleenex boxes, and an overall “clinical” feel. Kanesha Walker Amaro, is the founder and CEO of consulting firm “Flipped Conscious. She is creating opportunities for mental health to be dissected in black and brown communities that feels more comfortable. Her tool of choice is improv, though the exact relationship between improv and mental health is still being discovered.

News Package, The Real ChiDonell McNairyNovember 28, 2018Ebony Ellis, The Real Chi, Chicago, safety & violence, economic justiceComment

“Know Your Rights” Campaign Begins on the Westside

First Defense Legal Aid is determined to de-escalate police-related violence and educate Westside community members about their rights when encountering police. The kickoff event for the 24 ward’s “Know Your Rights” campaign took place on Oct. 13 at the Austin Health Center.

Photo Essay, The Real ChiDonell McNairyNovember 2, 2018Ebony Ellis, safety & violence, Chicago, The Real ChiComment

For our schools, In our streets

PHOTO ESSAY: On April 20th, students around the nation staged School Walkouts to protest against gun violence and for increased gun control. They chose April 20th because it marked the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting massacre of 1999.

ENOUGH: School Walkout to End Gun Violence | Gary Comer College Prep, Chicago

VIDEO: On March 14th, 2018, students from Gary Comer College Prep in Chicago, IL decided to participate in the nationwide school walkout to honor the victims of the Parkland tragedy and end gun violence.

In Chicago, not all protests are equal: A look into the politics of policing black and brown youth

As the dust settles on last week’s National School Walkout, youth activists have been praised and sanctioned by the public for their civic participation. However, in Chicago not all students have been treated equally, with many from majority black and brown schools facing heavy scrutiny from school administrators.

South Side students on National School Walkout Day: “closing our schools is violence”

VIDEO: On March 14, students nationwide walked out of their schools to stand in solidarity with Stoneman Douglas High School students in a symbolic protest for stricter gun laws in light of the Parkland, FL shooting that happened a month ago.

Organizers and Community members tell City Hall they want #NoCopAcademy

VIDEO: Supporters of the movement urged the City of Chicago to reconsider the proposed allocation of these resources, and instead use the estimated $95 million budget for community building initiatives.

Safety or surveillance? City starts multi-million dollar lighting project on South and West Sides

VIDEO: Is there an impact on public safety and crime based on the quantity or quality of streetlights? We discovered that the Chicago Infrastructure Trust and Department of Transportation will spend $160 million dollars to install 250,000 LED streetlights.