Coming Around Full Circle
I grew up on the south side of Chicago. My mother always emphasized the importance of staying engaged in youth organizations. She felt as…
National Mental Health & Trauma Awareness Month
May marks National Mental Health Awareness Month and National Trauma Awareness Month. This month I reflect on my previous and current work with trauma…
Honoring the Invisibilities of Women’s History Month
Content warning: violence against women, physical forms of violence, sexual violence, rape, domestic violence, colonial violence, trauma, bystander Woman’s History Month was something that…
International Women’s Day
A few years ago, I worked as an Event Specialist for corporate grocery retail. My job included leading cooking demonstrations and creating department and…
Support Black Community as an Ally
Disclaimer: this post is a reflection of a staff member. I do not claim to be an expert on anything, with the exception of…
Black History Month Highlight: Project Oz
During Black History Month, ICOY invited member organizations to join the celebration by submitting a blog post highlighting a black hero who has impacted…
Meet the Rising. Elevating. And. Leading. (R.E.A.L.) Youth Initiative
Background of the R.E.A.L. Youth Initiative Rising. Elevating. And. Leading. Youth Initiative (R.E.A.L.) is an unassociated group facilitated by previously incarcerated young people. It…
Black History Month
7 Ways to Honor Black History Month – ICOY Assistant Executive Director Sarah Daniels While it has been proven time and time again of the…
Continuing the Conversation: LGBTQIA+ Youth Homelessness
Recently, ICOY’s blog posts have detailed the importance of addressing LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. This issue is a pervasive one, with LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing disproportionate…
Meaningful Strategies to Address DCFS/ POS Worker Safety
In the wake of two murders of child welfare workers while on the job, keeping frontline staff and families safe is our top priority….