At Annual March, Little Village Residents Call for Peace

On a crisp Autumn afternoon, Little Village residents and their allies, clad in purple t-shirts, weaved through their southwest Chicago neighborhood marching for peace and an end to domestic violence.

Hosted by the Marshall Square Resource Network (MSRN), participants of the 5th Annual Peace March sought to commemorate the lives of individuals who’ve been killed in acts of violence and unite neighbors on a peaceful front. The march is an extension of the Little Village Neighborhood Network’s goal to reduce violence in the neighborhood, which frequently experiences both domestic and community violence.

“Every October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The last five years, as a Network, we’ve decided to pay honor to that month,” said Jennifer Idrovo, the director of MSRN, a group of community agencies who’ve partnered with United Way to help meet the needs of residents on the east side of Chicago’s Little Village community, known as Marshall Square.

A recent study by Sinai Health System, one of the Neighborhood Network’s partners, found that one-third of individuals in South Lawndale, the larger region where Little Village and Marshall Square are located, have reported domestic partner violence. In addition, 78 percent have reported witnessing domestic violence, Jennifer said.

“We gather here in Marshall Square and we march around the community to let people know that domestic violence is an issue that is very focused on homes and families, but we want to make sure that we call attention to it in the community,” Jennifer added. “Violence affects everyone — their education, their health.”

Julian Zuzarte, caseworker and translator at Taller de José.

Neighbors encourage peace

Carrying signs and chanting positive messages, dozens of residents joined the procession, including Ana Gonzalez, a 13-year resident of Little Village, and her young daughter.

“We want people to know that we are working together to show others it is possible to make peace,” Ana said, as the young girl scribbled away on her sign that read: “Pasos para la comunidad,” meaning “steps for the community” in Spanish.

One of her comrades in the march, Julian Zuzarte, works as a caseworker and translator at Taller de José, another United Way partner agency. Though he doesn’t live in Little Village, he works closely with its residents every day and cares deeply about their safety and prosperity.

“I think it’s a great way to bring everyone together, especially in a festive season, to let them know that these are daily occurrences of violence…and to have this event that is bilingual and brings people together in a city that is pretty segregated,” Julian said.

Accessing resources for care

As the sun set and the march dissolved, the group of peacemakers made their way to Apollos 2000 Theater, where leaders of the march organized a rally, complete with a buffet dinner, ornate alters to celebrate the lives of those lost to violence, speeches from residents and a resource fair for residents to learn about health, educational and violence prevention and response services.

“We want to make sure that we’re highlighting all the amazing things that are happening here in our community, so we have about 15 organizations that are at our rally talking about their youth programs, talking about their peace circles,” Jennifer said, standing alongside her colleague Maritza Guzman, another MSRN leader. “We want our residents to know about all the great things that already exist here in Marshall Square.”

“We want you to know that if you are a victim of domestic violence, there are resources for you,” Maritza added. “You are not alone.”

If you or someone close to you is experiencing domestic violence and wishes to get help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).