Message from the Executive Director

Dear Friend,

Happy Election Day! There is much at stake here in Illinois and we encourage you to exercise your right to vote to make your voice heard about the many critical issues facing us and our community. You can visit chicagoelections.gov for information about registration, polling locations, and more.

It’s hard to believe that the end of the year and the holidays are quickly approaching. Resilience will spend the balance of the calendar year hosting various events, workshops, and support groups; I hope you’ll join us for some of these activities. I also hope that you will keep us in mind as we approach our annual giving campaign and GivingTuesday. Your support and generosity allow us to continue to provide Legal and Medical Advocacy, Trauma Therapy, and Education and Training across our community at no cost to survivors or their loved ones.

November is always a month full of important occasions. Before Thanksgiving and GivingTuesday, next week we will be celebrating Transgender Awareness Week. At a time that feels especially tumultuous for the transgender community, we are working toward a more inclusive and safe world where transgender folks live lives free of violence and discrimination and full of support and joy.

In November, Resilience also celebrates Native American Heritage Month. We are proud to reflect on and honor Native American heritage, as well as the amazing Native American and Indigenous people who create change in the anti-rape movement. Our staff and volunteers are proud to empower survivors of various ethnicities and cultures to work toward a more equitable world for everyone. We hope you will join us in celebrating this occasion all month long, along with the upcoming holidays.

With gratitude,

Erin Walton
Executive Director
Resilience

Meet Courtney O'Connor

We're proud to celebrate the people who connect our incredible community and bring us together in this work. This month, we're shining a spotlight on Courtney O'Connor, Social Media Manager of Revival Recordings, a partner of Our Music My Body. Read our interview to hear from Courtney about preventing sexual violence in the music industry and how conversations around sexual violence have shifted since #MeToo went viral. Click the button below to read our interview with Courtney.

Get involved in our Annual Giving Campaign and GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday is quickly approaching on November 29, 2022! This day is hugely important to nonprofits around the world. Thanks to dedicated, generous supporters and ambassadors like you, Resilience was able to serve more than 1,400 survivors and their loved ones via advocacy, trauma therapy, and anonymous crisis support in the previous fiscal year. Can we count on you to reach even more survivors this year?

This giving season, we’re on a mission to raise $50,000. We would be honored to have your support. A gift from you would get us one step closer to reaching our goal. You can click here to donate. If you’d like to be an ambassador for Resilience this GivingTuesday, you can click the button below to view our social media toolkit! There are many ways to get involved with Resilience during this season. Thank you for being a dedicated member of this community: Our staff, volunteers, clients, and many more appreciate your support!

U.S. Senator Durbin Visits Swedish Hospital to Highlight Efforts to Support Victims of Sexual Assault

U.S. Senator Richard Durbin visited Swedish Hospital to highlight the hospital’s efforts to support victims of sexual assault. The Senator met with SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurses who have received extensive training on forensic evidence collection and trauma-informed medical care and support for sexual assault survivors. The Hospital’s Pathways Program is the recipient of two significant Department of Justice grants that have recognized the Hospital’s leadership in creating a model program for responding to domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault in the healthcare setting. Senator Durbin visited the dedicated SANE room in the Swedish Emergency Department and heard nurses share stories of how the program is working to provide critical medical, emotional and legal support to sexual assault victims. Swedish Hospital partners with Resilience for legal and medical advocacy for survivors of sexual harm. In a press conference following the tour, Senator Durbin applauded the continued efforts of the SANE nurses and both Swedish Hospital and NorthShore for supporting and growing the program.

Train to become a Volunteer Medical Advocate this spring

Resilience is always looking for more Volunteer Medical Advocates to join our ranks. Applications for our spring training are open now. The deadline to apply is February 16.

Orientation Sessions (by invitation only): February 20, 21, or 23

Training Dates: March 13, 14, 16, 20, 21, 23, 27, 29, 30; April 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 19

Are you interested in becoming a Volunteer Medical Advocate later this year? Join us for a future training. We host them four times throughout the year. Please reach out to us at volunteer@ourresilience.org with questions! To learn more about our volunteer program, click here. 

Workshop: Communication with Partners Around Intimacy – Virtual

Monday, November 14, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. via Zoom

This free workshop is open to survivors of sexual violence ages 18+. Participants will learn techniques for communicating with partners related to intimacy, including boundaries, asking for what you need, starting the conversation, and more.

Please contact Erica Hungerford, LPC, NCC, at ehungerford@ourresilience.org to request to join the workshop or with any questions.

Life Transitions & Identity Art Therapy Workshop – Virtual

Thursday, November 17, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. via Google Meet

Join this two-hour workshop to explore life transitions and identity in a group. The workshop will provide an opening mindfulness practice, an art directive, and open work time. Participants will use common items and materials that can be gathered on their own such as paper, magazines for collage, pens, markers, and more. Learn how to use art as a reflective process that involves exploring concepts, ideas, and thoughts with art and images in order to understand and create personal meaning. Connect with other survivors of sexual violence while using art expression as a coping strategy.

This workshop is open to adult survivors 18+, who are Illinois residents, all genders are welcome. Appropriate participants may be anyone who has experienced sexual violence, including harassment, abuse, or assault. No previous artmaking experience is necessary.

Interested participants may contact Art Therapist Annalise Castro, MAATC at acastro@ourresilience.org to receive the meeting link.

Pinot’s Palette Paint & Sip Fundraiser hosted by the Associate Board

Thursday, December 1, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Pinot's Palette Logan Square (2768 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647)

Take some time this holiday season to enjoy an evening of art and support a good cause. Join the Resilience Associate Board for a winter-themed sip and paint event at Pinot’s Palette in Logan Square! Proceeds will go to funding the important work Resilience is doing in fighting rape culture and empowering survivors across the Chicagoland area. In addition to painting, we will raffle prizes that can be gifts for you and your loved ones.

Learn more and register by clicking the button below!

Self Care Zine Making Workshop – Virtual

Thursday, December 1, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. via Google Meet

Join this two-hour workshop to create your own zine in a group. The workshop will provide education on different forms of self-care, demonstration and steps on how to create your own zine, and open work time. Required materials to participate are one piece of computer paper, scissors, and drawing materials of choice i.e. pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc.

Learn how to use art as a reflective process that involves exploring concepts, ideas, and thoughts with art and images in order to understand and create personal meaning. Connect with other survivors of sexual violence while using art expression as a coping strategy.

This workshop is open to adult survivors 18+, who are Illinois residents, all genders are welcome. Appropriate participants may be anyone who has experienced sexual violence, including harassment, abuse, or assault. No previous artmaking experience is necessary.

Interested participants may contact Art Therapist Annalise Castro, MAATC at acastro@ourresilience.org to receive the meeting link.

Holidays & Survivorship Support Group – Virtual

Monday, December 5, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. via Zoom

This free workshop is open to sexual violence survivors of all genders, ages 16+. This will be a space to share struggles of the holiday season and receive support from peers and group leaders. Topics may include but are not limited to: family issues, significant dates around this time of year, triggers related to the holidays, and more.

Please contact Erica Hungerford, LPC, NCC, at ehungerford@ourresilience.org to request to join the workshop or with any questions.

Let's Talk About Sex Training – Virtual

Thursday, December 8, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join us for an introductory-level training designed to introduce participants to the basics of being comfortable with talking about sex & intimacy with clients, presented by Erica Hungerford, LPC, NCC. By providing an understanding of pleasure inclusivity, queer sex & identities, non-monogamy, and kink, as well as offering skills to help prepare participants for these conversations, this training seeks to provide a foundation to work from when approaching common issues related to sex, sexual identity, and gender identity. This training also seeks to help participants navigate professional boundaries while encouraging clients to have authentic conversations about their sexual concerns. Group discussion will be used to support learning. 3 LCPC/LCSW CEUs are available. Sliding scale pricing is available. Click here to learn more.

Comfort Boxes Workshop – Virtual

Thursday, December 15, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. via Google Meet

Join this two-hour workshop to create comfort boxes in a group. The workshop will include inspiration examples, education on cope ahead skills (DBT), with open work time and the opportunity to gather objects. Required materials to participate are a box or container of any kind along with common items to adorn the box and materials that can be gathered independently such as paper, magazines for collages, pens, markers, and more.

Learn how to prepare to care for and comfort yourself while using art as a reflective process that involves exploring concepts, ideas, and thoughts with art and images in order to understand and create personal meaning. Connect with other survivors of sexual violence while using art expression as a coping strategy.

This workshop is open to adult survivors 18+, who are Illinois residents, all genders are welcome. Appropriate participants may be anyone who has experienced sexual violence, including harassment, abuse, or assault. No previous artmaking experience is necessary. Interested participants may contact Annalise Castro, MAATC at acastro@ourresilience.org to receive the meeting link.

40-Hour Crisis Intervention Training – Virtual

January 30, 31; February 2, 6, 7, 9

This training provides an in-depth examination of how sexual violence impacts individuals, communities, and broader society. Trainees will gain basic crisis intervention skills, explore the neurobiology of trauma, and learn how to respond to disclosures. They will also learn about the legal and medical remedies available to survivors and explore how sexual violence impacts groups of survivors experiencing multiple forms of oppression. This training will conclude with an emphasis on vicarious trauma and self-care and empower trainees with resources they may share with their communities. Click here to learn more.

Questions? Contact Jenna Barrus, Outreach and Training Manager at jbarrus@ourresilience.org or (872) 356-8217.

Resilience is hiring, apply today!

Resilience is looking for new talent to join our ranks in support of survivors of sexual violence. The following positions are currently open:

• Advocacy Volunteer Supervisor
• Legal & Medical Advocate, MDT
• Legal & Medical Advocate (Austin Location) (Bilingual)
• Legal & Medical Advocate (Austin Location) 
• Prevention Educator (Austin Location)
• Prevention Educator (Central Location)

To learn more about careers at Resilience, click here. Do you know someone who might be a good fit? Send them this email!

Get Connected with Resilience's Remote Services

Click here to connect with an advocate remotely
Please fill out this form to be contacted by a trauma therapist to schedule or confirm a one-time remote session
Click here to view our COVID-19 resources on our website

Resources

Safety planning resources for survivors from Futures Without Violence
Resources about public charge and COVID-19 from Protecting Immigrant Families
What to do if you have COVID-19 symptoms (English, Spanish, Polish) 
Tips on Managing Anxiety about COVID-19 (English, Spanish, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Arabic)
Tech safety for victims and survivors of domestic violence

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