How Long Will I Cry? (40 page)

This project involved three key groups of
collaborators. The first consisted of the 80-plus students at
DePaul who were intimately involved in every step of the writing,
editing, production and promotion of this book. I’m incredibly
proud of them, and I’m awed by their passion, wisdom and skill.
Special thanks are in order for the three first-rate research
assistants who worked on this project: Erika Simpson, Lisa
Applegate and Molly Pim.

The second collaboration was with the amazing
creative team, cast, crew and staff at Steppenwolf, who transformed
the stories that my students and I collected into a powerful
theater piece. I regret that I can’t recognize them all by name,
but I do want to express my lasting gratitude to artistic
consultant Kelli Simpkins, dramaturg Megan Shuchman and director
Edward F. Torres, all of whom I cherish as theatrical mentors and
creative co-conspirators. I also want to thank Steppenwolf Artistic
Director Martha Lavey for her faith in the project—and in a
first-time playwright. And finally, a huge and heartfelt thanks to
my friend and fellow schemer, Hallie Gordon, the artistic and
educational director of Steppenwolf for Young Adults, whose vision
inspired this project and whose leadership made it a reality.

The third—and most important—group of
collaborators was composed of the approximately 70 Chicagoans who
lent their voices to this undertaking. For all of them, speaking
with my students was a big leap of faith, and for many, it involved
dredging up painful memories. For some, it even meant placing their
own lives at risk. I am aware of the awesome responsibility that
comes with collecting their stories, and I hope that my students
and I have proved up to the task. In any case, I am grateful beyond
words to all those who took part, and I regret that we could not
fit more of their powerful stories into this book.

I want to offer special thanks to Joy
McCormack, not only for sharing her story but also for her wisdom
and collaboration on this project from the start. I’m also deeply
grateful to other members of the MMV family, Siu Moy, Victor
Valencia and Francisco Valencia Sr. And this project would not have
been possible without community leaders who welcomed my students
into their neighborhoods, including Jaime Arteaga, Max Cerda,
Deanna Hallagan, Rev. Robin Hood, Father David Kelly, Diane
Latiker, Mama Brenda Matthews, Edgar Ramirez and Jenice Sanders.
And finally, I want to express my deep gratitude to John Zeigler,
the managing director of Egan Urban Center at DePaul, whose
knowledge of Chicago communities and relationships with local
activists were invaluable to this effort, as were his wisdom,
support, enthusiasm and friendship.

Many other people at DePaul also deserve
recognition, beginning with my colleagues in the English
Department. When I proposed the project to Anne Clark Bartlett, who
was then department chair, she said, “Let’s figure out how we can
make this happen.” I got the same response from Lucy Rinehart, who
replaced Anne as chair and went out of her way on countless
occasions to help me leap bureaucratic, logistical and financial
hurdles. I am immensely grateful for her leadership, as well as for
that of Craig Sirles and Michele Morano, the former and current
director, respectively, of the Master of Arts in Writing and
Publishing program. I also want to thank Cathy Clark and Jennifer
Wright for saving me (and many others) from chaos on a daily basis.
And I must give special recognition to two gifted colleagues, Chris
Green and Jonathan Messinger, who joined me in teaching a series of
classes that gave graduate creative-writing students at DePaul
hands-on experience in developing, producing and launching a book.
After their work in the classroom was complete, Chris and Jonathan
donated their own time and expertise to the project. This book
would not be possible without them.

Charles Suchar, dean of the College of
Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, has been unfailingly supportive
of this undertaking, as have others in his office, including Molly
Bench, Susanna Pagliaro and Midge Wilson. Thanks are also due to
Mark Laboe, Rubén Álvarez Silva and other members of the University
Ministry at DePaul, as well as to Elizabeth Ortiz, José Perales and
Miranda Standberry-Wallace at the Office of Institutional Diversity
and Equity, and to Sara Miller-Acosta, Abena Apea, Cate Ekstrom and
Paula Starkey at the University Office of Advancement. I am also
grateful to Mary Devona, Marla Morgen, Anastasia Katinas and Jose
Padilla at DePaul’s Office of the General Counsel.

The project received extraordinary
logistical, pedagogical and financial backing from the Irwin W.
Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning, an institution
that makes me proud to teach at DePaul. I am indebted to Howard
Rosing, Jeffrey Howard, Marisol Morales and the rest of the Steans
Center’s staff for their foresight, flexibility and steadfast
support. The Beck Research Initiative for Women, Gender and
Community—another project that makes me proud of DePaul—also
provided vital financing and resources. I am deeply grateful to
Beth Catlett and her colleagues at Women’s and Gender Studies, and
to Irene and Bill Beck and their family, whose belief in the power
of positive action is inspiring.

This book was made possible by a grant from
the Vincentian Endowment Fund at DePaul, where I am thankful to
Rev. Edward R. Udovic and his staff. Additional support for
printing and distribution came from the William and Irene Beck
Foundation, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Now Is The Time, a
citywide effort against youth violence.

Funds for programming connected to this book
came from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, where I am grateful
to Peter Handler, Sunny Fischer and Richard Driehaus. I would also
like to thank Robin Willard, Kathryn Eckert and Annie Tully at the
Chicago Public Library, which co-sponsored events for this book, as
well as hosting a tour of the theatrical version of
How Long
Will I Cry?

The goal of collaborative storytelling is to
empower narrators and audience members to make connections with
each other and with the broader world. So my final thanks—and my
final plea—is to readers. Please share these stories (and this free
book) with others, speak out about your own experiences, and stand
up against bloodshed and injustice however you can. It will take
many more voices—strong, loud and insistent—to change the narrative
of violence in Chicago.

—
Miles Harvey

RESOURCE GUIDE

The following groups are involved in
anti-violence efforts in Chicago. We regret that we do not have
enough space to list all the organizations that are working to make
the city a safer and more equitable place. For more information
about the services available to families of victims and to young
people in need of legal services, gang-tattoo removal, shelter and
other resources, please contact Chicago’s Citizens for Change
([email protected]), which is compiling a
comprehensive guide.

Albany Park Community Center
1945
W. Wilson Ave., Suite 3000
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773.583.5111
Website: www.apcc-chgo.org

The mission of Albany Park Community Center
is to serve, support and educate diverse and multicultural
community members as they determine their own path of growth and
development. The organization envisions a vibrant community, in
which members respect and celebrate diversity, use their skills and
talents to help themselves and others live in safety and harmony
and realize their hopes for a better life.

Alternatives, Inc.
4730 N.
Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773.506.7474
Fax: 773.506.9420
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: http://www.facebook.com/AlternativesYouth or
http://twitter.com/alternativesinc
Website: www.alternativesyouth.org

Alternatives is a comprehensive,
multicultural youth development agency serving more than 3,000
young people and their families each year. Programs include
counseling, leadership development and academic enrichment, as well
as substance abuse and violence prevention.

Association House of Chicago
1116
N. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60651
Phone: 773.772.7170
Fax: 773.384.0560
Website: www.associationhouse.org

Based in the Humboldt Park neighborhood and
offering programs and services locally and citywide, Association
House helps participants gain independence through six service
areas: community services, citizenship classes, child welfare,
behavioral health, out-of-school time and El Cuarto Año alternative
high school.

The Black Star Project
3509 S.
Martin Luther King Dr., Suite 2B
Chicago, IL 60653
Phone: 773.285.9600
Fax: 773.285.9602
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.blackstarproject.org

The Black Star Project is committed to
improving the quality of life in Black and Latino communities of
Chicago and nationwide by eliminating the racial academic
achievement gap. The group’s mission is to provide educational
services that help preschool through college students succeed
academically and become knowledgeable and productive citizens with
the support of their parents, families, schools and
communities.

BUILD
5100 W. Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60644
Phone: 773.227.2880
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/BUILDChicago?ref=t or
https://twitter.com/buildchicago
Website: www.buildchicago.org

BUILD impacts communities by equipping
at-risk youth with the life skills, training and resources
necessary to emerge as leaders and active community change-makers.
BUILD targets the at-risk demographic for participation and exposes
them to multiple community resources, education, leadership
training, mentoring and opportunities traditionally unavailable
within their communities.

Chicago Area Project (CAP)
55 E.
Jackson Blvd., Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 312.663.3574
Fax: 312.663.5873
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chicagoareaproject.org

CAP empowers a broad base of community
stakeholders to work together to improve neighborhood conditions,
hold institutions accountable, reduce anti-social behavior by young
people, protect children from inappropriate institutionalization
and provide youth with positive models for personal
development.

Chicago’s Citizens for Change
(CCC)
5315 N. Clark St., Suite 310
Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 312.488.9222
Email: [email protected]
Social Media:
http://www.facebook.com/ChicagosCitizensForChange
Website: www.chicagoscitizensforchange.org

Founded by Joy McCormack, who tells her story
in the final chapter of this book, Chicago’s Citizens for
Change aims to reduce youth violence through programs and
partnerships that strengthen communities and promote restorative
peace-making by supporting families and youth who have experienced
loss due to violence. To ensure that no family walks this journey
alone, CCC is committed to building a citywide response
network to support families and loved ones of homicide victims and
to providing opportunities for organizations, social services and
justice systems to work together in a coordinated effort to serve
Chicago’s citizens.

Community Organizing and Family
Issues/POWER-PAC
1436 W. Randolph St., 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: 312.226.5141
Fax: 312.226.5144
Email: [email protected]
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Community-Organizing-and-Family-Issues-COFI/142663769103557
Website: www.cofionline.org

POWER-PAC is a cross-cultural, citywide
membership organization of low-income parents. Its mission is to
build a strong voice for low-income, immigrant and working families
by uniting parents across race and community around issues of
importance to families. POWER-PAC members are from throughout
Chicago, including the neighborhoods of Austin, Englewood, Grand
Boulevard, Humboldt Park, Lawndale, Little Village, Pilsen and West
Town. To download the Parent-to-Parent Guide on Restorative
Justice, please go to:
http://www.cofionline.org/sites/default/files/COFI%20Parent%20RJ%20Guide%20english%202012%20update_0.pdf

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office -
Victim Witness Assistance Unit
2650 S. California Ave., 1st Floor
Chicago, IL 60608
Phone: 773.674.7200
Website:
http://www.statesattorney.org/index2/victimservices.html

The Victim Witness Assistance Unit was
created in 1981 with the guiding philosophy that victims should be
afforded their place in the system, informed about the status of
the case, supported as the legal process proceeds and referred to
outside agencies when additional help is needed. Besides providing
in-person court support, victim-witness specialists co-facilitate a
monthly support group.

Cure
Violence
1603 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: 312-996-8775
Website: http://cureviolence.org or
http://cureviolence.org/community-partners/illinois-partners/

Formerly known as CeaseFire, Cure Violence
reverses the spread of violence by using the methods and strategies
associated with disease control—detection and interruption,
identifying individuals involved in transmission, and changing
social norms of the communities where it occurs. The group was the
focus of the acclaimed 2011 documentary film
The
Interrupters.

Demoiselle 2 Femme
9415 S.
Western Ave., Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60643
Phone: 773.779.9371
Fax: 773.779.9471
Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/Demoiselle2Femme,
https://twitter.com/demoiselle2femm,
http://www.youtube.com/demoiselle2femme, and
http://d2fcatalyst.com/
Website: www.demoiselle2femme.org