Introducing
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Learning about UMedics was affirming for my aspirations to be a community birth worker as a foundation for my career. But it also reinforced my concern that if I don’t settle down and stay in a specific community for long that I won’t be an effective community organizer.
UMedics is able to respond with culturally and locally specific approaches that gives them credibility in the West and South sides of Chicago. They can build relationships and trust quickly because the founders and leaders in the organization are born and raised in Chicago.
Inspiration and Reflection
References
Mutual Aid in Social Work
I’ve never lived in a single city for more than 4 years. While I think I could contribute most to NC, I feel torn about staying because I know we need a lot of work but I don’t want to continue enduring the issues I grew up with.
Now, I’m envisioning a totally different dynamic and approach to advance reproductive freedom. At this point, my ideal role in the movement is more of a facilitator and connector than a ED or #girlboss.
I’ve always thought I needed to use my (relative) socioeconomic privilege to help more vulnerable Black people in the US and globally. But really, I'm fighting for everybody Black
My growing familiarity with and appreciation for mutual aid has provided a valuable counter narrative to my ideas of service and “giving back” to Black people.
The people on the West and Southside are TOO familiar with the fear and grief of gun violence. Everyone there understands the need for this kind of training and the benefit of acquiring these skills.
To train community members in “Urban Emergency First Response” to provide immediate treatment to other community members after shootings, primarily.
How did community members mobilize, assess needs, and support each other?
What was the focus of the initiative’s work and the strategies used to engage?
They train people how to:
1) maneuver to protect themselves,
2) help the injured
3) manage the chaos, and
3) how to interact with police and paramedics when they arrive.
Amika Tendaji
One of their challenges was getting community members to see themselves as someone who could make a difference. With training, everyone could provide life saving care. Modeling this by training youth has been effective to dispel doubts.
UMedics
Co-Founders
Martine Caverl
All of this is fueled by racism
The West and South sides of Chicago have lots of gang activity and gun violence compared to the white communities
often leads to violence
Widespread Poverty and Extreme Income Inequality
RACISM
Intense Residential segregation
Anti-Black Racism to be specific
These social conditions combined with slow ambulance response times and inadequate hospitals and trauma centers in the area
Underfunded schools and high dropout rates
Divestment in predominantly Black communities
Limited access to well paying jobs/careers
High Volume of preventable death and serious injury
Healing. Hopeful.
Hood.
A group of Black community organizers, activists, pastors, healthcare professionals, mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, and cousins
a Mutual Aid group based in Chicago, Illinois
Ujimaa is Swahili for collective work & responsibility.
aka "UMedics"
2 training for trainers sessions
by Kennedy Bridges
Less hopelessness and helplessness from watching neighbors and loved ones die
5 People have been aided by UMedics trainers
8 trainers under 18 years old
Nearly 2000 people have been trained
“The collective work and responsibility framework: we aren’t trying to be heroes, we believe our liberation is bound collectively and we are thusly responsible to the greater collective.”
Too often, the MIC excludes, neglects, or disrespects Black people. But this movement mobilizes Black folks to care for ourselves, to be healers in our own communities.
It doesn't matter who you are, what you can pay, or if you have insurance. They are prepared to train and help anyone in need.
The people they train live in or love people who live in communities where shootings often occur. “They are the ones they’ve been waiting for”
How did the initiative push back against or provide a counter-narrative to mainstream social welfare programs?
"Solidarity
not Charity”
The US medical industrial complex operates in the "ivory tower" with doctors and medical providers at the top. UMedics approach democratizes life saving medical information to a predominantly Black community.
This effort carries on the long tradition of Black healers: plant medicine healers, granny midwives, The Black Panther Party's medical programs, etc.
UMedics brings a racial justice lens and cultural specificity to community health