Our hearts go out to the family of Adam Toledo, our neighbors, partners and the Latinx community in Little Village and throughout Chicago.
Adam was a 13-year old resident of Little Village. He was a 7th grader at Gary Elementary School, he was a child, and a son. To bear witness to the end of such a short life full of so much potential is tragic, and hits close to home for all of us at United Way of Metro Chicago.
As part of our Neighborhood Network Initiative, we have worked with Latinos Progresando, 33 agency partners, and community members in Little Village for six years to support the health and well-being of every resident who lives there. Today, we mourn with them. We also stand in partnership with leading voices in the Latinx community, who are asking for systems change and a commitment to substantive and sustained investments in Brown and Black communities, along with expanding education and economic opportunities for all young men of color.
The United Way of Metro Chicago Team