Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15-October 15, honors Hispanic Americans by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

As a social impact organization based in Los Angeles serving predominantly Latino children and families  and with 70% of our staff identifying as Latino, Children’s Institute is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by shining a spotlight on some recent events:

Volunteer Partnerships for CII Preschools

In late September, a group of volunteers from the UCLA Latino Alumni Association celebrated Hispanic Heritage month by spending their Saturday beautifying a CII Head Start preschool in Watts.

Nayra Gil, a senior studying Sociology at UCLA, grew up in Compton and said the UCLA campus in Westwood can feel like a different world compared to neighborhoods in South LA, so it is important for people to leave the UCLA campus and give back.

“With my own experience growing up in Compton, a fresh coat of paint may feel minor, but it can make a major difference for a young kid who is building confidence to explore a world outside her neighborhood,” Gil said.

David Huizar, a first generation graduate from UCLA in 2010, joined the UCLA Latino Alumni Association earlier this year. Covered in paint like many of his fellow volunteers after a few hours, Huizar said he received a lot of support from older siblings that led to academic success at UCLA. He volunteers to help open doorways for the next generation of students.

“As the youngest, I didn’t have the opportunity to give back, so volunteer opportunities like this are a chance to pay it forward from those who supported me,” Huizar said.

Please visit our volunteer page here to learn more about supporting CII.

Immigrant Rights Presentations

The recent threat of ICE sweeps across the country heightened stress on children and families in Los Angeles. In an effort to equip families with resources and information, CII is holding sessions about immigration rights. Thanks to support from community groups with a background in immigration law that included the Salvadoran American Leadership and Education Fund (SALEF), Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition (LBIRC), Councilman Joe Buscaino, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), and Little Providence Company of Mary Wellness and Activity, each session features a lawyer or immigrant rights leader who can answer questions about what to do if law enforcement is at your door or if you’ve been stopped while in transit.

For more information on immigrant rights, visit here to read a helpful Q&A provided by Cindy Garcia, Staff Attorney with the Central American Resource Center.

Childhood Trauma Q&A on Univision

In July, CII released a Public Service Announcement and conducted an outreach campaign to educate the public about childhood trauma. The campaign focuses on the risks of childhood trauma, its short- and long-term effects that can last into adulthood, and what parents can do to prevent trauma or support healing within their own families.

On September 27, CII’s Adriana Molina, Director of Project ABC, participated in a Facebook Live Q&A with Univision 34 Los Angeles. Viewers had the opportunity to ask questions about parenting tips and resources to support kids in healing. Click here to watch the full interview in Spanish.

Children’s Institute is holding five specialized workshops on immigration rights for families served by CII. Community leaders and immigration lawyers are educating families on what rights they have when interacting with law enforcement.

As a social impact organization serving more than 26,000 children and families facing adversity across Los Angeles, the ongoing threat of ICE raids can be traumatic for immigrant families. It is our goal to make sure parents are informed and their loved ones are not victims of an unlawful detention. Cindy Garcia, a lawyer with the Central American Resource Center, shared answers to common questions around immigrant rights.

What are my rights if law enforcement asks about my immigration status?
You have the right to remain silent. You should not discuss your immigration status with ANYONE other than your attorney while you are with the police. This includes information about where you were born, how or when you came to the United States, or any criminal history. Say out loud if you wish to remain silent or show your Know Your Rights card. To order a card, click here.

What should I do if I am stopped by police or ICE?
Do not run. Before saying anything (including your name) ask, “Am I free to go?” If yes, walk away slowly. If no, do not walk away. In some states, you must give your name. If you are searched, stay calm and say, “I do not consent to this search.”

What should I do if police or ICE come to my home?
DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. Ask for ID (look through a window). Officers can enter only with a valid warrant or with your permission. Ask to see a warrant. When examining the warrant, look for your name, your address, and a signature. This can help you decide whether or not the warrant is valid (true). The warrant will be in English. If you have trouble reading it or understanding it, get someone else in your house to help you read it or translate it, if possible. An example of a warrant is on page 4 of this document.

If the warrant is not valid, ask the officers to leave. If officers enter (with or without a valid warrant) say you do not consent. Tell them if there are children, elderly or sick people in the house.

What can I do if I am detained while my immigration case is underway?
Talk to your attorney to determine how this will affect your case. In some situations, immigration may choose not to prioritize someone who already has an immigration case underway, but that is not guaranteed. If you decide to inform immigration about your case instead of remaining silent, they could form probable cause to believe you may not be in lawful status and could be detained. It is best to not discuss you immigration status with anyone other than your attorney.

For more information on immigrant rights, click here for English and here for Spanish. Please visit the Legal Aid Foundation here or MALFEF here if you are in need of an attorney.

Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre Derechos de Inmigración

Children’s Institute estará ofreciendo cinco talleres sobre derechos de inmigración para familias que reciben servicios en CII. Líderes de la comunidad y abogados de inmigración educaran a familias sobre los derechos que tienen cuando deben de interactuar con oficiales de la ley.

Como una organización que ayuda a más de 26,000 niños y familias expuestos a la adversidad a través de los Ángeles, reconocemos que las amenazas de redadas de ICE pueden traer trauma a familias inmigrantes. Es nuestra meta asegurar que padres estén informados y que sus seres queridos no sean víctimas de una detención ilegal. Cindy Garcia, una abogada con el Centro de Recursos de Centro América, compartió respuestas comunes a preguntas sobre los derechos de inmigrantes.

¿Cuáles son mis derechos si oficiales preguntan sobre mi estado de inmigración?
Usted tiene el derecho a permanecer en silencio. No debe de discutir su estado de inmigración con NADIE más que su abogado mientras esta con la policía. Esto incluye información sobre donde nació, como o cuando entro a Los Estados Unidos, o cualquier historial criminal. Dígalo en voz alta si desea permanecer en silencio o ensene su carta de “Conoce Tus Derechos.” Para ordenar una carta visita este sitio: https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards

¿Qué debo de hacer si me detiene la policía o ICE?
No corra. Antes de decir algo, incluyendo su nombre, pregunte, ¿“Estoy libre para retirarme?” Si dicen que sí, retírese lentamente. En algunos estados debe dar su nombre. Si lo revisan, manténgase en calma y diga, “Yo no doy consentimiento para esta revisión.”

¿Qué debo de hacer si la policía o ICE viene a mi casa?
NO HABRA LA PUERTA. Pide una carta de identificación (mira por la ventana). Oficiales solo pueden entrar con una orden o con su permiso. Pide ver la orden oficial. Cuando examine la orden, busque su nombre, su dirección y una firma. Esto le puede ayudar a decidir si la orden es verdadera. La orden estará en inglés. Si se le dificulta leer o comprender la orden, pídale ayuda a alguien en el hogar si es posible. Un ejemplo de una orden está en página 4 de este documento.

Si la orden no es válida, pídale a los oficiales que se retiren. Si los oficiales entran con o sin una orden valida, diga que no consiente su entrada. Dígales que “hay niños, gente mayor o gente enferma en la casa.”

¿Qué hago si me detienen mientras mi caso de inmigración está en proceso?
Hable con su abogado para determinar cómo le afectara su caso. En algunas situaciones, inmigración no le da prioridad a gente que ya tiene un caso en proceso, pero no está garantizado. Si usted decide informar a inmigración sobre su caso en lugar de mantenerse en silencio, pueden constituir una causa probable para creer que no está en el estado legalmente y pueden detenerlo. Es mejor no discutir su caso de inmigración con nadie más que su abogado.

Para más información sobre los derechos de inmigración, oprima aquí para inglés u oprima aquí para español. Por favor visite la Fundación de Ayuda Legal aquí o MALFEF aquí si necesita un abogado.

Children’s Institute is proud to introduce Danette McBride as our new Vice President of Community Innovations. Danette will be responsible for leading our community organizing initiatives around addressing trauma in South Los Angeles. Danette will directly oversee CII’s Innovations II, Neighborhood Schools, Project Fatherhood, Children Exposed to Gun Violence, Health Homes Program, and our Census preparation work.

Danette joins CII with a wide range of experience that spans more than 15 years in program management and community organizing. Notably, she has worked for the Office of Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas where she advanced policy and programs related to education, youth, and human services. In addition, she worked at Para Los Niños, Children Uniting Nations, Excel Family Intervention Programs, and the Dangerfield Institute for Urban Problems where she was responsible for life skills training classes, tutoring programs, mentoring programs, and youth advocacy boards empowering young adults and communities to become the “authors” of their own future.

As a South Los Angeles native, Danette found that education was her passport to a world of possibility, and an equalizer that creates opportunities for personal growth and economic mobility. Importantly, this value has informed her work both at community-based agencies and more recently at the Board of Supervisor’s office. She graduated from Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and received her Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Todd Sosna, Chief Program Officer at CII, said Danette is bringing a rare combination of knowledge, experience and passion for community organizing and social services that will be needed to successfully lead CII’s innovative efforts in South LA.

“We currently have a unique opportunity to deepen and expand our work, as part of our neighborhood schools and community engagement initiatives, to achieve real and enduring impact, and I am confident Ms. McBride is singularly well-suited for this critical role,” Dr. Sosna said.

CII’s annual Gears4Kids event partnered with 100 volunteers from some 20 architecture and design firms to teach kids how to build and ride a bike. At the end of the event, each child got to take home a new bike.

Haworth, the furniture and office space manufacturer, made the event possible by purchasing the bikes and tapping into their network of Los Angeles-based design firms. Each firm organized small teams and contributed to Gears4Kids by purchasing essential items like bike lights, bells, water bottle holders and locks.

April Blackadder, Director at Haworth, and Celeste Altimari, Account Executive, were on site with 15 Haworth staff who volunteered for the event. Altimari has been part of Gears4Kids since its inception and said it is always a wonderful event. Blackadder, who was attending her first Gears4Kids, said she understood why they continue to partner with CII to put on the event each year. 

“I would wake up early every Saturday to be part of something special like Gears4Kids,” Blackadder said. “Nothing makes us happier than to witness the smiles from the kids when they see their new bikes for the first time.”

This year’s event benefited children whose dads are part of CII’s Project Fatherhood program, which provides comprehensive parenting skills to men in caregiving roles and uses an innovative support group model where dads learn to be active participants in their children’s lives.

After the teams assembled the bikes, the kids were put through an obstacle course run by The Los Angeles County Bike Coalition (LACBC). Two officers from the LAPD led a presentation on rules for the road with safety tips while riding. Near the end of the event, an In-n-Out Burger truck handed out free meals to keep kids, families and volunteers energized.

Soleil Delgadillo, Volunteer & Community Engagement Manager at CII, coordinated the event with Kelsey Sebastian, Digital Market Manager at Haworth. Delgaillo said it was amazing to see so many different groups from the community come together to support children and families.

“Everyone got the opportunity to meet someone new and walk away with either a bike, a photo, or a meaningful experience,” she said. “And hopefully each person had a great time in the process.”

Gabrielle, a father in Project Fatherhood, worked with the volunteers to assemble a bike with his 7-year-old daughter
Marisela. Gabrielle has been involved with Project Fatherhood for three years and said he could tell the experience was something his daughter was going to remember and appreciate for a long time.

When asked what she thought about her new bike, Marisela kept it simple. “My new bike is awesome of course,” she said. “I loved pedaling it around.”

Thank you to everyone who made Gears4Kids possible: Peoplespace; SAA LA; Wirt; Wolcott; Gensler; HDR 1; HMC LA; HOK; HDR 2; Callison RTKL; JLL; Haworth; Klawiter; Bluescape; Ergtotron; AIS; H Hendy; Forge; LAPD; LACBC; In-n-Out Burger

For the 8^th year, Children’s Institute gathered experts in the field of childhood trauma, along with more than 600 attendees, to discuss new approaches around supporting children and families facing adversity across Los Angeles.

Keynote speakers Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith and Liz Huntley shared their unique experiences with the ways that trauma has profoundly affected their professional and personal lives respectively. The two anchored an array of speakers who ranged from experts in neurobiology and brain development to seasoned social workers with decades of experience working in the child welfare system.

More than 600 professional working in child welfare and social work attended the 2019 Trauma-Informed Care Conference.

Huntley kicked off the event with a very moving account of her childhood in Alabama, and her amazing resilience and professional success despite numerous traumas she experienced. She spoke of one caring kindergarten teacher who saw her potential, leading her eventually to become a lawyer and children’s advocate. 

“When a child is going through traumatic events, if that child has consistency in a nurturing, buffering environment, that can help offset the negative damage,” she said.

Keynote speakers Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith emphasized research and data to support her point that violence is a public health crisis.

Dr. Prothrow-Stith spoke about the different ways that violence is a public health threat that can have generational effects at the community level. As a nationally-recognized health leader, youth violence expert, physician and author, she shared research and data that called for early intervention along with new approaches to address the problem.

Dr. Prothrow-Stith, who graduated from Harvard Medical School and practices as a physician in inner-city Boston, called for early intervention to make real change.  

“We’ve got to think a little differently if we’re going to do some real prevention of this problem,” Dr. Prothrow-Stith said.

Ingrid E. Mürrle, Senior Clinical Specialist, NCTSN Training Center Clinical Manager, and PSB-CBT Program Director at CII, coordinated many aspects of this year’s conference and ensured all sessions aligned with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. CII is a member of the network, which helps ensure child welfare professionals are trauma-informed.

The Trauma-Informed Care Conference inside a ballroom at the InterContinental in downtown Los Angeles.

She said the conference not only gives people new resources to incorporate into their daily work, but it also serves as an opportunity to provide inspiration and reenergize helping professionals who are very susceptible to burnout and compassion fatigue.

“This is great vehicle to bring people together who are doing similar work,” she said. “It is affirming to see so many like-minded professionals in one place where we can connect and reconnect.”

CII offers ongoing trainings throughout the year. Click here to learn more and register for upcoming trainings.

For the second year, Children’s Institute will hold a signature fundraising event designed to raise crucial support for children and families exposed to adversity and poverty in Los Angeles. The 2019 Cape & Gown Gala will take place on October 30 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica.

This year’s event will honor the important contributions of Channing Dungey, Vice President, Original Series, Netflix, and long-time supporters Bridget Gless Keller & Paul Keller.

In addition to her position at Netflix, Dungey is deeply committed to advocating for educational resources and life changing services on behalf of disadvantaged children and families in Los Angeles.

“CII has done a wonderful job bringing healing and opportunity to underserved children and families, a cause that is near and dear to me as a parent. I am humbled by their recognition and honored to champion their efforts in creating programs that bring meaningful change,” Dungey said.

Bridget Gless Keller and Paul Keller have been active supporters of CII’s mission for over a decade. Together, they are leading the charge to build the organization’s new, Frank Gehry-designed Watts Campus. Slated to break ground by the end of 2019, the new campus will house therapeutic programs and a variety of supports for children and families in the community.

“The impact that CII has on the lives of children in Los Angeles is extraordinary, and I can’t imagine what our city would be without it. And to bring the architecture of Frank Gehry to the children of Watts, to help create a timeless landmark for that community, is a profound honor,” Bridget Gless Keller said.

“Bridget and I learned compassion from our parents, we love Los Angeles, and we are committed to helping and mentoring kids. Those passions converge at CII, which is building a brighter future for LA’s children,” Paul Keller said.

The event will include a cocktail reception, seated dinner, awards and live auction hosted by Billy Harris. The revenue from table, ticket, advertising and auction sales will fund CII’s strategic plan initiatives for this fiscal year.

Last year’s inaugural gala honoring Beth & Bob Lowe and Frank, Berta & Sam Gehry was attended by 400 guests and raised over $1.3 million for CII.

For more information and to purchase a table or tribute ad, click here.

A new school year can be just as exciting as it can be stressful. To ensure children in early education programs get the most out of their time in the classroom, CII has gathered helpful tips for parents to incorporate into their daily schedules. While their children will be spending their days in the classroom, there are plenty of opportunities at home for families to support learning: 

• Establish a predictable daily routine through visual aids. It is helpful to place a calendar at the child’s eye-level to help children identify days they will attend school and days they will be home along with other important dates.  
• Attend your child’s school orientation and parent meetings to be sure to get all of the information you need to help your child be successful.
• Get involved! Attend parent meetings, join a parent committee, or volunteer in the classroom.
• Review the weekly lesson plan and be sure to complete any and all family engagement activities at home.
• Play and have fun doing daily tasks such as sorting laundry or experimenting with recipes in the kitchen.
• Support your child in building self-help skills. For example, allow your child to choose their clothes and dress themselves. Activities like this will boost your child’s self-confidence, autonomy and motor skills.
• Read aloud to your child daily to spark their interest in storytelling and establishing a regular reading routine. It is also helpful for family members to read their own books so children can see this part of normal adult routines.

Below is a helpful printable guide. If you would like to enroll your child in an Early Childhood Education program at CII, please visit here. If you are interested in volunteering at CII, check out our available volunteer opportunities.

Consejos para una Transición Exitosa para el Regreso a la Escuela

Un nuevo año escolar puede ser tan emocionante como estresante. Para asegurar que los niños en programas de educación temprana aprovechen su tiempo en los salones de clase, CII ha reunido consejos útiles para que los padres pueden incorporar en sus horarios diarios. Mientras sus hijos pasan sus días en los salones, hay muchas oportunidades en casa para que familias apoyen el aprendizaje de sus hijos:

• Establezca una rutina diaria predecible a través de ayudas visuales. Es útil colocar un calendario a la altura de la vista de su hijo para ayudarle a identificar los días en que asistirá a la escuela, los días que estará en casa, y otras fechas importantes.
• Asista la orientación escolar de su hijo y a las reuniones de padres para obtener toda la información que necesita para ayudarlo a tener éxito.
• ¡Involúcrese! Asista las reuniones de padres, únase a un comité de padres o sea voluntario en el salón de clases.
• Revise el plan semanal de lección y asegúrese de completar todas y cada una de las actividades de participación familiar en casa.
• Juegue y diviértase con los quehaceres del hogar como experimentando con recetas nuevas en la cocina.
• Ayude a su hijo desarrollar habilidades de autoayuda. Por ejemplo, permítale a su hijo elegir su ropa y que se vista solo. Actividades como estas aumentan su confianza, la autonomía y las habilidades motoras en su hijo.
• Léale a su hijo todos los días en voz alta para despertar su interés en contar historias y para establecer una rutina de lectura regular. También es útil que los miembros de la familia lean sus propios libros para que los niños reconozcan esto como algo normal en su rutina.

A continuación hay una guía útil para imprimir. Si desea inscribir a su hijo en un programa de Educación de Educación Temprana en CII, visite aquí. Si está interesado en ser voluntario en CII, consulte nuestras oportunidades de voluntariado disponibles.

CII kicked-off a new fiscal year at the beginning of July. Our dedicated staff are already working to ensure children and families in Los Angeles receive crucial trauma-informed support whether it is through early childhood education, behavioral health or family strengthening services. Over the next fiscal year, CII expects to serve more than 26,000 children and families facing adversity across LA.

For 2019-2020, we have a number of important initiatives that are either launching or entering crucial stages in their development. We have big events, important campaigns and major milestones ahead that we are excited to share with you.

Below are a few of the highlights we are looking forward to during our 2019-2020 fiscal year. Together, we will work toward breaking the cycle of childhood adversity to build a brighter future for children and families in LA.

Helping LA Better Understand Trauma

This month, CII launched a public awareness campaign focused on educating families in LA about childhood trauma. We created a Public Service Announcement (PSA) in partnership with the nonprofit arts organization Film Independent that was directed by filmmaker Mary-Lyn Chambers, with funding support from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Prevention & Aftercare program. The PSA started airing on Univision 34 this week, and is also reaching parents in the downtown and mid-city area of LA through a paid social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram. Watch the PSA here.

Trauma-Informed Care Conference Brings New Strategies to Address Trauma

On August 23, CII is holding our annual Trauma-Informed Care Conference where leaders in trauma research will host workshops and discussions on the important ways professionals in the field can better serve children and families facing adversity. This year’s conference features keynote speakers Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, physician and expert on youth violence, and Elizabeth “Liz” Huntley, accomplished attorney and dedicated child advocate. Click here to learn more about or register for the Trauma-Informed Care Conference.

Expanding Early Head Start at Otis Booth

Our Otis Booth Campus is a hub for many important program activities including early childhood education programs. CII is increasing the number of students we can teach in our classrooms by expanding our Fran Stark Early Childhood Center. Construction to accommodate our new early learners will be completed by the end of this month.

Cape & Gown Gala Returns for a Second Year

On October 30, our annual Cape & Gown Gala will honor Channing Dungey, VP of Original Series at Netflix,  Bridget Gless Keller, CII Trustee and Watts Building Committee Chair, and Paul Keller, Chairman, Mack Real Estate Development. Our signature fundraising event will take place at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica. The Cape & Gown Gala celebrates individuals whose humanitarianism has helped put opportunity within reach for thousands of children and families. Click here to purchase table sponsorships or tribute book ads.

Watts Campus Breaks Ground

At the beginning of 2020, CII plans to break ground on our new Frank Gehry designed Watts Campus, which will house therapeutic programs and a variety of supports for children and families. The building will also be home to the Watts Gang Task Force, which has brokered peace in the community for nearly 15 years, along with the Community Safety Partnership, a nationally recognized model for relationship-based policing. Construction is expected to be completed in 2021.

Sustained Impact Through Neighborhood Schools

This fall CII is launching the Neighborhood Schools program, a key strategic initiative that will significantly increase our reach and impact. Beginning with two schools in Watts, Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School and Ánimo Watts College Preparatory Academy, we will begin the process of deep partnership and collaboration to ensure all students and their families receive additional support and resources. These include behavioral health and wellness services, along with parent education, I DREAM WATTS, and a variety of other programs based on the need and wishes of the school principal, parents and other stakeholders. Please contact Mary Brougher at mbrougher@childrensinstitute.org for additional information.

Empowering Watts to Overcome Trauma

CII is leading a collaboration between 40 different organizations in Watts through Community Innovations, a partnership to better understand the unique needs of families and individuals that have experienced trauma. We will be holding important events throughout the year in Watts and the surrounding neighborhoods to destigmatize trauma and increase access to key programs and resources.

Adding Our Voice to Public Policy Discussions

CII is focused on expanding our reach and impact across LA and the state by developing and implementing policy and advocacy strategies at all levels of government. In June, we hired Terry Kim as the Director of Government Relations & Advocacy who will help CII build relationships with public officials, policy makers and industry associations across behavioral health, early childhood education, and family strengthening to improve the outcomes of the children and families we serve. You can reach Terry at tkim@childrensinstitute.org.

Creating Volunteer Opportunities for Stronger Partnerships

To better connect with the larger LA community and offer opportunities to support the work of CII, we are introducing new volunteer positions that are great for both corporate teams and individuals. From volunteering in our early childhood classrooms, to painting murals at our Head Start sites, our expanded volunteer program will offer hands on experiences to support children and families facing adversity. Visit our volunteer page to learn more and sign up for an upcoming volunteer orientation.

Earlier this year, Ginger Lavender-Wilkerson, Clinical Program Manager at Children’s Institute, was wrapping up a call when she received a report about a recent gun-related homicide in Watts. She left the phone call and scheduled a meeting with an official at the elementary school near the crime scene. Later in the day, she would speak with her contacts at LAPD and the LA City Attorney’s Office to identify kids who witnessed the homicide and may need counseling.

Based out of CII’s Watts Campus, Lavender-Wilkerson said that her role rarely has a typical day, but her one constant is working alongside a wide array of community leaders, public officials and residents in and around Watts. By her estimation, she interacts with upwards of 50 external partners or community members in a single week.

As one of the four CII Values, partnership is essential to almost every role within the organization, but it is especially central to Lavender-Wilkerson’s work. She simply couldn’t do her job without utilizing the knowledge and expertise of other professionals.

“We don’t have all the answers at CII, but there are partners in our community who can help us fill in the blanks,” she said. “Without a strong approach to partnership, none of this would happen.”

In 2009, when Lavender-Wilkerson started at CII as a therapy intern in Watts, she was just getting to know the area while finishing her counseling degree at Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles.

In those early days, she noticed how Watts had a high concentration of government, faith-based and nonprofit initiatives, but that there was limited collaboration between these services. Families, who had endured generations of adversity, were only getting partial access to resources because organizations had not built effective partnerships. Referrals were being missed in areas like health care expansion, poverty reduction and crime prevention.

Without a strong approach to partnership, none of this would happen.

Ginger Lavender-Wilkerson, Clinical program Manager at CII

Today, Lavender-Wilkerson proudly describes her day-to-day as a positive evolution in the way CII collaborates with other organizations to serve Watts. This level of cooperation highlights a shift in the way crucial services are being accessed and demonstrates the heightened enthusiasm around partnership between service organizations.

This push for substantive partnerships comes during a time when Watts is in need of extra support. The area, which is one of LA’s smallest neighborhoods, has experienced high levels of crime and violence during the first half of 2019. Both shootings and homicide are up from the previous year.

Much of Lavender-Wilkerson’s emphasis on partnership focuses on developing a response to these events. She splits her work between two separate initiatives, The REACH TEAM and Community Innovations. Both involve work with multiple organizations and government partners who share important seats at the table when it comes to decision-making on community initiatives and region-wide activism.

In Community Innovations, CII works closely with Partners for Children South LA, Watts Leadership Institute and Saint John’s Child Wellness Center to expand services that will help residents in Watts heal from decades of trauma.

The collaboration combines the expertise of more than 40 different nonprofits to understand the unique needs of communities that experience trauma and the factors that contribute to them. As Lavender-Wilkerson puts it, Community Innovations is designed to empower the citizens of Watts to become a trauma-informed community, link children and families to resources that help them heal from existing exposure and hopefully, limit future activity that leads to trauma.

When Lavender-Wilkerson is not answering calls or attending meetings for Community Innovations, she is partnering with LAPD and the LA City Attorney’s Office to reduce the impact of trauma on children and families exposed to gun violence through The REACH TEAM.

Lavender-Wilkerson leads CII’s efforts while receiving support from Care Coordinator Eztli Herrera-Gardea and therapist Maria Reyes. The team responds anytime there are reports of shots fired in Watts and provides free counseling services to children who may have seen or heard the shooting.

I feel extremely lucky to have found a partner in Ginger, who deeply understands and appreciates the needs of these children and families we are helping in South LA through The REACH TEAM

Lara Drino, LA Deputy City Attorney Lara Drino

To do this work, the team is in constant contact with local schools, housing projects, Watts Gang Task Force and churches so they have a reliable group of sources who can share information about the people or areas of the city that may have been affected by a shooting. These key connections also help reduce residents saying no to services because of stigma tied to counseling.

With LAPD and the LA City Attorney’s office as the primary external partners with The REACH TEAM, Lavender-Wilkerson is constantly in contact with Lieutenant Gena Brooks of LAPD, and CII member of CII’s Board of Trustees, and Deputy City Attorney Lara Drino. The three are on the phone sharing details on weekends or sending text updates throughout the week at any time of day or night.

Drino said Lavender-Wilkerson has been a great partner in growing The REACH TEAM’s connection to Watts.

“I feel extremely lucky to have found a partner in Ginger, who deeply understands and appreciates the needs of these children and families we are helping in South LA through The REACH TEAM,” Drino said.

Lavender-Wilkerson said she expects the number of people she works with on both Initiatives to grow. While it may mean more phone calls and meetings, it also means the number of people in Watts accessing these services is growing too.

“This is hard yet rewarding work. It requires a certain skill set that is adaptable to the population it serves, ” Lavender-Wilkerson said. “We’re becoming more and more embedded in this community and these key relationships are growing.”

On Wednesday, the Individualized Transition Skills Program (ITSP) at Children’s Institute came together for a special trip to The Broad in downtown Los Angeles. The visit to the famed contemporary art museum served as a chance for foster youth in the program to see the incredible art collection for the first time while building important bonds with peers with similar experiences in the foster care system.

The group of 30 youth, who ranged from 16-21 years old, were excited to take advantage of the trip and see a portion of the more than 2,000 pieces of artwork The Broad has on display between their private collection and secure vault. Moments after entering, the group appreciated some of the more famous pieces like a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting or the giant inflatable dog by Jeff Koons. The group was especially engaged touring the special exhibit Souls of Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power.

Cynthia, an 19-year-old in ITSP, moved through the museum with peers Alice and Alexis and their Transitional Development Specialist Alejandra Bueno. While standing near a giant canvas about female empowerment, Cynthia said she had never seen art like this before. More than the art, she said she appreciated getting the opportunity to hang out with other foster youth in a unique setting.

The main thing is that they get to be around their peers and hang out with youth like them.

Julio Cruz, ITSP Program Supervisor

“We are really spending quality time with each other,” she said.

ITSP works with youth who are preparing to age out of the foster care system. The program is designed to motivate and empower youth to achieve academic and professional success through one-on-one support from counselors that double as advocates and mentors. Youth in foster care are a population that struggles when transitioning to adulthood. Less than 13 percent attend college and more than 40 percent experience homelessness at some point in their lives. As a testament to the program’s success, ITSP celebrated 94 percent of their youth graduating high school and making plans to attend college in May.

Julio Cruz, ITSP Program Supervisor, said outings to places like The Broad are important to expose youth to things like art, but also serve as an opportunity for them to simply connect with other foster youth. He said that foster youth don’t always get to hang out with each other and it is nice to be with people who have gone through similar experiences. The unique circumstances of entering foster care can sometimes be hard to discuss with classmates who have not endured this type of trauma.

 “The main thing is that they get to be around their peers and hang out with youth like them,” he said.

Hajah, an 18-year-old in ITSP, spent most of her day navigating the museum with Justin Stewart, a Transitional Development Specialist at CII. She echoed Cynthia in appreciating the opportunity to meet other youth while getting to take part in a new experience.

I feel like this is one of our best outings, because it exposes them to something they don’t normally see while also letting them relax.

Justin Stewart, ITSP Transitional Development Specialist

“It’s different. I haven’t seen anything like this before and I really like it,” she said. “Being at The Broad has given me a chance to reach out to people I don’t normally get to interact with and that’s cool.”

Stewart said he was seeing a different side of the youth at the museum. During the year, he works with Hajah and other youth on a number of academic or professional skills. These sessions are important, but can be serious.

“I feel like this is one of our best outings, because it exposes them to something they don’t normally see while also letting them relax,” he said.

In August, the group will be attending a Los Angeles Sparks game together. They’re already looking forward to connecting and spending more time together.