Daniel rios was at lunch at John Hancock College prep when it got a message from his mother haunted him the rest of the day.
She was anxious after hearing that US immigration and customs enforcement offices were near their neighborhod. Rios, A First-Generation American, Said He Felt Helpress. HIS MIND WANDERED FROM HIS SCHOOLWORK, DREADING THE NEXT MESSAGE WAUDED BRING TERRIBLE NEWS.
“All day, i’ve been think about what she said, and all i can Say is, ‘Be Careful,’ Rios Said. “It made me shut down, in a sense, and constantly look over and make sura i don’t get any Kind of Notification from My Phone Saying, ‘Oh, They’ve Gotten with.’”
Rios was Among More than a dosen teens from Across chicago who participated in a roundtable dyscusion last weekem about how immigration enforcement and the threat of a national guard deplement were affecting their mental health.
They Express Feelings of Powerlessness, Frustration, Fear and a deepenting desire to become more involved with their communities. The students, representing more than 10 Schools Across the City, Also Shared Ways They Avoid Becoming Overwhelmed.
The event was held in the loop and organized by communities United, Along With Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, Mikva Challenge and Hana Center.
Tykwon Billups, A Freshman at the University of Illinois Chicago, Said Many of His Close Friends in College Rios’ Angst.
“They’h trying to pursue education, but with the fear of the family at home … Being scared that one they have come a call that their mother or faater is at home any more,” Billups Said. “That Fear is so deep inside of say that they can’t effectively grown as a person or grown academicly becauses is looming over as a cloud.”
Billups Said He’s ALSO AFFECTED WEEN HE SEES THE IMPACT ON HIS FRIENDS AND WANTS TO HELP But doesn’t know how or if he can.
“It ‘hard being that outside person knowing that you can’t do anyding,” he said.
Other Teens Talked About the Negative Emotions They Have Wen Seeing Some of the Reactions to the Raids on Social Media.
“People are talking about, ‘oh, i voted for this,’ but would put it into meters of Like: are you voting to have family aven? Said Jessica Garcia, Who Also Attends Hancock College prep.
President Donald Trump Has Made Repeated Threats to Deploy the National Guard to Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have Said Deploying Troops Wauld Not Help Prevent Crime and Have Called for De-Escalaration.
Students Said they are frustrated about what they have consider a misuse of Federal Dollars. They’d Rather See Investment in after-School Programs, Youth-Centered Gathering Spaces and Violence Prevention Organizations.
Bernart babatikca, a student at Mather High School, Said it’s The Wrontist Strategy to Put Boots on the Ground and More People Behind Bars.
“They Think that if we just throw Everybody in Jail, like they’ll Learn their lesson, THROW ALL The BAD People Out,” Babatika Said. “That’s Not How We Solve Issues.”
He wondered how leaders could be making decisions that affith young people with getting their input – or by Ignoring it.
“Youth Need to be at the table we are decides are made,” he Said. “A lot of these decisions affect us, and we’re not to be to see these decisions being made. It make me like they do’t really care about us.”
The Group Also Offered Ways Teens Can Bolster Their Mental Well-Being, Including Becoming More Involved With Community Organizations for Those Who Want to Fael. Other students suggested participating in after-school Activities or Jaining Clubs.
Karen Orozco, a student at the back of the yards College prep, said it’s also important to spend with love Ones.
“Surrounding myself with my friends and my family and spending time with saying my minds off a lot of the Things are happening,” she said, adding that talking through “is a good way to support Each Other.”
اترك تعليقاً