On October 12, 2014 I'll be running the Chicago Marathon, and my motivation to make it to the finish line again this year is the fact that I'm running to benefit Taller de José, a community resource center in Little Village, Chicago. I've been accompanying clients at Taller de José since August 2011, and the mission has become very near and dear to my heart. Will you accompany me along the journey to run for those I serve?

Monday, September 29, 2014

"Happy" Birthday to Me?

As I've mentioned, in my current position at Taller, I don't get the opportunity to accompany clients very often. When I do, it is because they are long-term clients with complex, difficult, cases. When I realized that I would be going to court with one of these clients on my birthday, I was bracing myself for a tough day. This particular clients' story is a heartbreaking one that involves the Department of Child and Family Services and a history of abuse and trauma. I've written about this case before because it effects me strongly every time in I see her, as these types of emotional cases tend to do. I am so glad she has trusted me to accompany her through this process and I never dread going, but I generally wouldn't describe my time with her as "happy."

But on my way to meet the client, I realized how grateful I was to have the opportunity to accompany her today. In walking with her, I was reminded of the power and importance of accompaniment. I was reminded of all the people who have accompanied me, and I was feeling particularly grateful for their presence in my life on a day when so many people were reaching out to make my day special.

At Taller, we hope that the act of accompaniment transforms the accompanier as much as the one seeking the accompaniment. As a staff member, I have felt honored to serve as a witness to the joys and sorrows of so many men and women, and each time I accompany one of them I learn something. Today that lesson was gratitude.

And how grateful I am! From my roommate surprising me with a hot breakfast and a delicious
Enjoying my delicious birthday treat!
birthday treat to coworkers who celebrated with me at lunch. From the friend who treated me to birthday dinner, to the one who sent me a special delivery at work. From the friends who called, texted, or emailed, to the friends and family who sent cards and packages. And though not necessarily birthday-related, I am so grateful to everyone who has accompanied me throughout this marathon training with their prayers, encouragement and financial support. I am so blessed with so many companions in my life, both today and on all days.

But back to the reason I was reflecting on this accompaniment in my own life in the first place. I am so glad to report that my client's court actually went pretty well today! In more ways than one, it really was a very Happy Birthday.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

20 reasons for 20 miles

I'm preparing to run 20 miles tomorrow, the longest run of the training season! To add an extra little motivation to my running, I decided to give 20 reasons why I'm running for Taller de José:

I'm running in honor of...

  1. Julieta, an elderly client who feels isolated and alone and looks forward to the time with her Taller de José compañeras as much-needed opportunities for companionship.
  2. Our generous volunteer compañera(o)s who collectively donate almost 170 hours of their time to Taller de José each week
  3. Antonio and his colleagues who came to Taller de José because they sought to accompany one another, working collectively to improve the working conditions at their job. 
  4. Raul, who relies on the support of the compañera at Taller de José to help him navigate the complex health care system and financial assistance programs at the hospital. 
  5. Our partnering organizations who work together with Taller de José to provide legal representation,  medical services, counseling, financial assistance, and much more to individuals in need. 
  6. Ariel, who reached out to Taller de José for help finding GED classes; now that her children have graduated from high school and been accepted into college, she was inspired by their achievements and now has time to pursue her own education and career goals. 
  7. Fernando, who with the help of his compañero from Taller de José, studied for and passed his citizenship test and has now been sworn in as a new citizen of the United States. 
  8. The Congregation of St. Joseph, whose continued support enabled Taller de José to open its doors and then to grow by leaps and bounds in the past 6 years. 
  9. Daniel, who was finally able to put a troubled past behind him through the process of expunging his record, opening doors for future employment and positive contributions to his community. 
  10. Alma, who is working tirelessly to be reunited with her family and rebuild her life after experiencing severe domestic violence. 
  11. Jaime, a victim of identity theft who was afraid and confused by the notices he began receiving from collection agencies; his compañera walked with him through the process of reporting and resolving the issue, clearing his name of several thousand dollars of credit card debt. 
  12. Those who support Taller de José through their generous financial support, ensuring that we are able to continue providing our services complete free of charge. 
  13. The many friends of Taller de José who donate their time and talent to help us grow our capacity through outreach and fundraising (like the other members of Team Taller de José who are training as well!). 
  14. Susana, who sought the support of Taller de José when she was anxious about attending her doctor's appointments alone. 
  15. The staff members at Taller de José who accompany one another, supporting each other to best serve our client-companions and allow ourselves to be transformed by the experiences as well.
  16. Rogelio, an elderly neighbor who visits Taller every so often for help filling out forms or understanding the mail he receives in English. 
  17. The board members who share their expertise and insight to strengthen Taller de José as an organization and ensure that it is sustainable for as long as the need exists in the community. 
  18. Adriana, who struggles to make ends meet, but brought a warm tamale to share with her compañera, making the wait for the bus more bearable on a cold, early morning. 
  19. Our research partners from area universities who have helped us grow in our understanding of what "accompaniment" means and how it can lead to systemic change in our community. 
  20. Amanda, who was nervous about going to court, but was relieved when her compañera walked with her each step of the way as she filed for guardianship of her adult daughter with severe disabilities. 
And thank you to everyone who has accompanied me along the journey of running in honor of all these individuals (and so many more)! Here's to a safe run for everyone who will be conquering the 20 miles along with me tomorrow!

Edits: So we actually ended up running more like 20.25 due to a slight snafu in directions on the course of the 20 miler (and it went great!) So reason 20.25 that I'm running for Team Taller de José is that I really enjoy it, especially when I get to run with good friend and teammate!
At the starting line and excited to start the 20 mile run! 

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Coloring Compañera

When it comes to seeing clients at Taller de José, my current role is more of a supporting one. I do occasionally still meet with and accompany a few client-companions, but I primarily serve as a resource for our staff—the compañeros and compañeras who work directly with clients. Right now, we are in the midst of training several new compañeros, so that role has been a little more active. Generally, as new staff members are seeing their first clients, I do my best to space out those appointments so that I have time to sit in on some of them, offering feedback and suggestions if needed. But as I mentioned in my last post, often the schedule at Taller de José doesn't work out as planned. Last week was one of those times.

On a late afternoon, several clients arrived well past their scheduled appointment times, so two appointments that I was supposed to observe ended up occurring simultaneously. In addition, one of our experienced staff members also had a few questions regarding resources for the client she was meeting with. Initially, I spent a few minutes observing each appointment, getting a feel for what the client needed and seeing that the staff members felt confident in responding to the clients' questions. One client had recently been attacked by a dog and incurred large medical bills as a result. She had received notices from the police and animal control regarding her rights in response to the attack, but she was illiterate and spoke only Spanish. She was feeling alone and unsure about where to start. Both of the other two clients with simultaneous appointments were seeking affordable housing for their families.

Initially, the appointments were going well. But soon it became clear that the 3-year-old child of one of those clients was having a hard time sitting still, making it difficult for both the client and compañero to focus and talk to one another. So in between walking between the appointments to check in, I grabbed a few crayons and a coloring book. Often, this will occupy an antsy child, but this particular boy quickly made it known that he was not interested in coloring unless it was going to be a group activity. Yeah, right, buddy, I thought, I'm already trying to be in 3 places at once, sitting down to color with you is the last place I need to be right now. 

But then, in a stroke of inspiration, I realized that perhaps that was exactly where I needed to be. Rather than having me hovering over their shoulders, what the staff members needed from me in that moment was to be able to focus on listening to their clients. So I took the boy out into the hallway where I became his coloring companion. For the first time in 15 minutes he was quiet. And in that quiet, as I sat in the hallway, I began to hear snippits of conversations from all three appointments. I heard the compassion in the voices of the staff members. I also heard some uncertainty as they encountered new situations, but then I heard them grow in confidence throughout the appointments, occasionally coming to me for support or reassurance. On the other end of the conversation, I heard some fear and uncertainty in the voices of the clients, but I also heard their hope; I heard them bravely tell their stories to strangers, reaching out to find the support they needed. I heard the relief in their voices when their compañero or compañera let them know that they weren't alone in overcoming their obstacles.

As I listened to these bits and pieces, I realized how honored I was to be able to witness the strength and courage of both the clients and the compañeras as they journeyed together. I was grateful to have the opportunity to play my supporting role in the hallway with my crayons and coloring book. Playing the supporting role has also made me grateful for all the support I have received over the years. I have been so blessed to be part of a staff that supports and accompanies one another, mentoring and welcoming new staff members. I have been so thankful for everyone who has supported our work at Taller de José through their volunteer time, their financial gifts, and their prayers. And as marathon day looms close, I am reminded of all the support I've received leading up to my past races, and especially on race day— I have been blessed with some amazing fans the past 2 years! I've said in the past how much I appreciate the spectators on the sidelines, and my experience on the sidelines—or rather, in the hallway— this past week gave me a whole new appreciation for what it takes to play that supporting role.