Three years ago, 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee was murdered in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood here in Chicago. He was playing in a park when a gunman lured him into a nearby alley and shot him because of his father’s alleged gang ties. In response, Chicago Public Schools provided two weeks of mental health supports at the elementary school Tyshawn attended. They hoped it would be enough help to get the school back to normal.

But what does normal mean when you grow up in a constant state of fear?

Auburn Gresham, located on Chicago’s Southside, had experienced 838 violent crimes in the 365 days before Tyshawn’s murder. Violence is a part of everyday life for children like him. Already in 2018, there have been more than 430 shootings and 95 homicides in Chicago, and we are less than three months into the year. Is two weeks of support enough to help Chicago’s youth cope with the trauma of these experiences?

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