The REACH Team supports children and families exposed to violence in South Los Angeles. We host workshops and support groups educating on the effects of being exposed to violence, how to cope with trauma, and promoting wellness to help build resiliency in families and communities. The Reach team hosts two healing art workshops per month. Many of the participants say they use the time for themselves and as a form of self-care. In the summer, we are continuing the group but we are including the children and taking advantage of the family workshops available to us.

Annually in June, the team hosts a Healing from Gun Violence event since June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month. In preparation for this event, the healing arts group participants completed the Stained Glass Windows workshop. It was such a great workshop to complete before our event. Participants were able to reflect on their losses and/or trauma in a safe environment and created their stained glass windows with messages of hope. Participants agreed to have their art displayed to give hope to those attending the event and impacted by gun violence.

At the event, the team engaged the community in a larger scale version of the stained glass window workshop. Community members of all ages wrote their words of hope or what has helped them cope in challenging times. I found one to be the most impactful; a teen with his friends attended the event and added to the window. He wrote, “You can solve some problems by walking away.” He engaged in conversation with me about the ways he has walked away to not escalate situations. A lesson we can all learn from a teen.