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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

Introspection

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

  • Ciesemier, K. (2018, March 23). This 16-year-old is fighting to save gun violence victims in Chicago - and you need to know her name. Mic. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.mic.com/articles/188576/this-16-year-old-is-fighting-to-save-gun-violence-victims-in-chicago-and-you-need-to-know-her-name

  • Computer Joe. (2018, June 2). Healing. hopeful. hood. Ujimaa Medics. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.umedics.org/

  • Sirvent, D. S. and R., & 2020, 25 M. (2020, March 25). Bar Abolition;Mutual Aid spotlight: Ujimaa Medics. Black Agenda Report. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.blackagendareport.com/bar-abolition-mutual-aid-spotlight-ujimaa-medics

  • The children treating gunshot wounds on Chicago's South Side. VICE. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/ywqevg/the-children-treating-gunshot-wounds-on-chicagos-south-side

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.

Their Strategy

UMedics

Co-Founders

Martine Caverl

Mutual Aid Project:

Ujimaa Medics

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

What were the societal conditions that created the need for the initiative?

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.

What is Ujimaa Medics?

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

IMPACT

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.”

Mutual Aid Characteristics

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

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