1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Hey, dear listener, Today I let you Know USA, We're 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: featuring an episode from the latest season of Motive. It's 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: a podcast from our friends at WBEZ in Chicago. In 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: this episode, we're going to go to Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. 5 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: It's also called Labillita. It's a very Mexican part of 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: Chicago on the southwest Side, but it's also home to 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: long standing gang rivalries. We're going to meet Cecilia Manyon, 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: who's a former gang member who's dedicated her life to 9 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: help victims of gang violence. For example, after a shooting, 10 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 1: she's the one who helps families sort out healthcare options 11 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: or funeral arrangements, counseling services, and other times she actually 12 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: talks people out of retaliating. Here's host Patrick Smith in 13 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:58,639 Speaker 1: after the gunfire from season five of Motive, Lawyer, Lawyer. 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 2: And Party. This is how it starts. The crackle of 15 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 2: the police scanner a shooting close to midnight. Cecilia Manyon 16 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 2: is sitting in her idling SUV on Chicago's West Side 17 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: listening to the police scanner. There aren't a lot of 18 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 2: details available right away, but a man was shot in 19 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 2: the Little Village neighborhood. That means he's Manion's responsibility and 20 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 2: she knows where he's headed. 21 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 3: I'm on my way to say, I'm on Sinnay Hospital. 22 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 3: I'm gonna make a phone call. 23 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 2: Before she drives to the hospital, Manyon calls her supervisor, Hey, we. 24 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: Got a bonafight shooting on Sir A Mecan Sawyer. 25 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 2: Okay, and argues with her about who is going to 26 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 2: take the case. Manyon is supposed to be off today. 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 2: She was at the same hospital working until about four 28 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 2: a m. Last night. Her supervisor tells her to leave 29 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: it for tomorrow, but Manyon isn't hearing it right. Okay, 30 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: So what's the plan. 31 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go there and see every kid anything. 32 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: Manion works for a nonprofit called in Lass. Her title 33 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 2: is Victim Advocate. Basically, if you're shot in little village, 34 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: she shows up to try and help to minimize the harm. 35 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 2: She helps families navigate healthcare, funerals, counseling. She actses a 36 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,679 Speaker 2: conduit between victims and cops, talks people out of retaliating 37 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 2: whatever is needed. Manion gets paid for forty hours a week. 38 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 2: She works basically around the clock. 39 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 3: So you could follow me and okay. 40 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: So you're gonna have to go left, so I'll be 41 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 2: right on. My cars are here, so I'll just fuddy okay. 42 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 2: Mount Sinai Hospital is one of the go to trauma 43 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: centers for gunshot victims on Chicago's West Side. It's where Manyon, 44 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: who goes by Sessi, spends many of her nights. Tonight, 45 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: she beats the ambulance to the hospital, stands outside the 46 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 2: metal gate, waiting chainsmoking cigarettes, sipping on an iced latte 47 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 2: from Dunkin Donuts, just one per night because any more 48 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: would be too much sugar with her diabetes. She's fifty 49 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 2: and not quite five feet tall. Her stature makes it 50 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 2: hard to picture her navigating the dangerous spaces in which 51 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 2: she works until she starts talking. She is brash and profane, 52 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: in control of whatever room she is in. Sese is 53 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: basically always in black leggings and a black T shirt, 54 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: her brown hair and a ponytail, and her long pointed 55 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 2: fingernails painted different colors. Well she waits for the ambulance, 56 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 2: sec hears on her scanner that the paramedics transporting the 57 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 2: gunshot victim have asked for police to meet them at 58 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: the hospital. Entrance. SEC says that means the folks in 59 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: the ambulance are worried about gang members showing up at 60 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: Mount Sina, So. 61 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 3: Emotions probably got escalated there and that's why they ask 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 3: for backup. 63 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 4: Okay, So usually when there's a shooting and you're involved, 64 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 4: gang involved, their friends come here to the hospital. 65 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: It's horrible. 66 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: Are they showing up for a good reason though, to 67 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: like check on their friend or is it kind of 68 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: just You're like, that's bullshit. It's it's just it's just 69 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: to show what force to show. 70 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 3: Honestly, I'm what the hell they come forth, because I 71 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 3: think they're annoying more just like when the ambulance people 72 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 3: go into their job and then they got all their 73 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 3: friends like surrounding him, like move the fuck out the way. 74 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,559 Speaker 3: Let these to their job, right, and then they want us. Yeah, 75 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 3: it's annoying. 76 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 2: A massive iron fence and gate protects the entrance to 77 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 2: the er. Another metal fence surrounds the parking area where 78 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: ambulances pull up to the emergency department. Both barriers were 79 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 2: put up after shootings outside the hospital. 80 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 3: Because a lot of people attack. 81 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: The ambulance. 82 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 3: And I think this is the ambulance coming in here. 83 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 2: As the ambulance arrives, the safety fence slides open and 84 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: Secy crane her neck to see inside. She watches as 85 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: paramedics wheel the victim into the hospital. 86 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: He looked alert, he looked up when he were getting out, 87 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 3: he'd looked younger, fanic male. So we'll find out who 88 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 3: it is. 89 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: Sessi's goal is to talk with him and meet his 90 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 2: family and offer whatever help they need. But Mount Sinai 91 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 2: has gone on lockdown, bracing for a busy night of shootings. 92 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: That means SEC will spend her night outside of the 93 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 2: tall iron fence. 94 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 3: So what I'm doing now is I'm gonna wait here 95 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,479 Speaker 3: today and we're gonna wait for family or friends to 96 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 3: come second and find out who it is. 97 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 2: Okay, this work that SEC is doing, it's part of 98 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: a big bet that the city of Chicago, and really 99 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: the whole country is making an investment in former gang 100 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 2: members mostly and in a different way to try and 101 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: address gun violence. We want you to be successful, because 102 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 2: if you're successful, that means a mission is successful and 103 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 2: you're working hard to keep our city safe. Many American 104 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 2: cities suffered a spike in gun violence during the pandemic. 105 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty one, Chicago had more than eight hundred murders, 106 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 2: the most in twenty five years. 107 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 5: Gun violence in America, for those who think of this 108 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 5: from an economic standpoint, listening to me estimated to cost 109 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 5: the nation two one hundred and eighty billion. We set 110 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 5: again two hundred and eighty billion dollars a year. 111 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 2: And as some Americans question the ability of police to 112 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 2: guarantee public safety, the country is turning to people like 113 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 2: SESSI to slow the shooting. Anti violence workers who live 114 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 2: in the neighborhoods who can prevent gang retaliation or help 115 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: shooting victims heal mentally and emotionally. 116 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 5: And there are programs that have demonstrated that they can 117 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 5: reduce homicides, but up to sixty percent in urban communities. 118 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 2: This bet that we're making, it's about on empowering and 119 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 2: pain people rooted in the communities suffering the most, so 120 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 2: that they can solve the problem themselves. That is the 121 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 2: work that SECI does, pushing hope, resilience and peace. From 122 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: wbeas Chicago. I'm Patrick Smith. This is Motive season five. 123 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: Ooh you spelling the gun smoke you spelling? 124 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 3: Sometimes I wish I was with my daughter. You know, 125 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 3: sometimes it hurts to be here. 126 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 2: Before my children bury me. I have to bury a child. 127 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: It turns anybody different when they carry that gun. I've 128 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: been reporting on Chicago anti violence efforts for years, and 129 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 2: the fact is we still don't know if this approach 130 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 2: can make a meaningful dent in shooting numbers. But I 131 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 2: have seen the dedication of the people doing this work 132 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 2: and the toll it could take on them. Talking to 133 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 2: people like Ceci shadowing them. It's taught me so much 134 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 2: about what drivesh cargo shootings and what it might take 135 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 2: to stop them. That's why this season of Motive, We're 136 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: going to take you out to the streets to hear 137 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: directly from the workers, hear their insights firsthand, and get 138 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: some sense of what the work is really like. 139 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: Oh my god, yeah, I used to live close to here. 140 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 3: I don't want to put exactly your yeah, but I 141 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 3: used to live in this area and it's very different. 142 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 2: So Sessey patrols the streets of Little Village in her 143 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: dark blue Chevy SUV. This is the neighborhood where she 144 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: grew up, where she joined a gang at thirteen, and 145 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 2: where she now spends most of her working hours. 146 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 3: Like I said, I lived on this blog for many, 147 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 3: many years. There seems to be a barist to call 148 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 3: it the stuff down. 149 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 2: Little Village is a mostly Latino neighborhood about six miles 150 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 2: southwest of downtown Chicago. It features the city's second busiest 151 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,319 Speaker 2: shopping district. There's a landmark archway that welcomes visitors to 152 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 2: the neighborhood. 153 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 3: In Spanish, this used to be a good restaurant too, Concordia. 154 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 3: This is too, that's really good too, that restaurant. 155 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 2: Known affectionately as LaVita. The neighborhood has been dubbed the 156 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 2: Mexican capital of the Midwest, and it has the restaurants 157 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 2: to prove it. 158 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: My favorite. I was going there since I was a kid. 159 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 3: My grandfather would take us there. Yeah. 160 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 2: Little Village is also home to long standing gang rivalries 161 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: and boundaries. On one corner we see a young man 162 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 2: standing waiting for the light to change. 163 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 3: That young man right there that's standing there, he doesn't 164 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 3: look affiliated whatsoever. Somebody from another gang can come. 165 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: And shoot him. 166 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 3: So I do have cousins here that aren't affiliated in 167 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 3: this area, and they moved out because they didn't want 168 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 3: to be victims of violence. 169 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 2: Sese serves clients throughout Little Village, mothers who have lost 170 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 2: children to gang violence, gang members who are recovering from 171 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 2: being shot bystanders caught in the crossfire. One of her 172 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 2: clients is a man in his forties who were calling Joey. 173 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 2: For reasons that will become obvious, we've changed the names 174 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 2: of Joey and his family. We're also going to withhold 175 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 2: some identifying details. Joey was shot eleven times while standing 176 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: just a few feet from his house. An apparent victim 177 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 2: of Little Village gang violence, Sese is trying to help 178 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 2: him recover both mentally and physically. She visits him about 179 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: once a week. During one of her long days out working, 180 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: Sese walks up to Joey's single family home for one 181 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 2: of her first visits with him since he got out 182 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: of the hospital. Joey's just starting the recovery process after 183 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 2: the shooting a few weeks ago. Sese comes in through 184 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 2: the back door of the home, where she is immediately 185 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: greeted by a gaggle of kids gathered in the family's 186 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 2: small kitchen. And I'll just go back to school. 187 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 3: I know, God, We're gonna try to get you some 188 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 3: school supplies. He locked the door. 189 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, yeah, okay. One of the kids asked me 190 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 2: to lock the door behind me. Joey lives here with 191 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: his partner, the couple's five children, and Joey's elderly parents. 192 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 2: The family has mostly not left the house since the incident, 193 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 2: except for Joey's partner, who has to leave for her 194 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 2: shifts at a fast food restaurant. After checking in on 195 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,839 Speaker 2: the kids, Sessey walks through the kitchen and into the 196 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 2: living room at the front of the house where Joey 197 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 2: is watching TV. 198 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 3: It's my weekly visit with him, checking on him. He 199 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 3: missed a doctor's appointment today. I bring him a table 200 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 3: that he's been desperately meeting. 201 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 2: Joey is sitting on a love seat. There's a colostomy 202 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 2: bag on his right side. He's shirtless, covered in tattoos 203 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 2: and in bandages, each covering an entrance or exit wound. 204 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 2: A semi circle of staples runs over his belly like 205 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: a frown, says. He sits down on the couch to 206 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: his right as. 207 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 3: You can see all the equipment around us. He cannot 208 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 3: get up, and he can take a couple of steps. 209 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 3: My goal is for him to be up and walking 210 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 3: within the next thirty days, following up with doctor's appointments. 211 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 3: And he's very, very compliant with doctors. He can't do 212 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 3: for himself more or less for his kids right now, 213 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 3: So I mean, I'm gonna stick by him and to 214 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 3: make sure he's at one hundred percent. 215 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 2: I mean, how much how much pain are you in 216 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: right now? 217 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 6: The dam would a big gun. 218 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 2: You got one of you got at least one of 219 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 2: your chests, one of your shah here, here, here, and all. 220 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 6: In the stomach. 221 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: What do you need right now? The most that you're 222 00:12:59,360 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 2: not getting? 223 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 6: Like, how would you make my medicine where it can 224 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 6: be calm? I'm in pain? 225 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 4: Like? 226 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 6: What time is it? It runs out like ten twenty? 227 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 6: Like I got three hours with this medication in my 228 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 6: system and then it runs out and gives me pain. 229 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 6: I don't know how to go through all this. 230 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 5: Mm hmm. 231 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 6: I ain't doing nothing, baby, I ain't doing nothing. All 232 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 6: this is trying to change. 233 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 2: Sessey reminds Joey to drink water and breathe. She keeps 234 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 2: an eye on him to make sure he isn't getting 235 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 2: too worked up since the shooting. Joey's been struggling with anxiety. 236 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: He calls Sesse at all hours of the night with 237 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 2: his mind racing. Joey was shot on the block where 238 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 2: he lives. He was standing outside with his elderly neighbor 239 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 2: when a car pulled up and someone opened fire. Joey 240 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 2: got hit eleven times and was rushed to the hospital 241 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 2: in critical condition. His neighbor, who had owned a local business, 242 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 2: was killed a few times. While we talk, Joey says 243 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 2: his neighbor's real name. We're bleeping that out to help 244 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 2: keep Joey and his family anonymous. Joey's telling of the 245 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 2: shooting starts off almost painfully innocent. One summer evening, he 246 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: had gone with his children to a neighbor's house to 247 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: see their new litter of puppies. Then he went across 248 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 2: the street to smoke a cigarette, and. 249 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 6: I to come across the street to talk to me, 250 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 6: because I don't want to smoke a cigarette, but the 251 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 6: kids the cigaret smells. So I went across the street 252 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 6: and I'm waiting for him standing there, and then one 253 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 6: when I looked and ready started to talk to all 254 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 6: I heard was a kids screaming, And then I heard 255 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 6: he said ah, And then I started like when I 256 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 6: turned this way, I him bloke him out of me. 257 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 6: And then that's and then I can blook him out 258 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 6: this side. And I was in I know blows coming 259 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 6: out here too, and I started feeling like somebody's punching. 260 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 5: Me real hard. 261 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 2: This is not Joey's first experience with the Little Village 262 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 2: gang violence. He's been shot before, and about twenty years ago, 263 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 2: a rival gang beat him almost to death put him 264 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 2: in a coma. 265 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 6: I left the gang when that happened. I was slow. 266 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 6: I'm not the same person. 267 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 2: His brain was damaged, his personality changed. 268 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 6: I was not like I used to. I don't know nothing. 269 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 6: I don't know how a gang bang no more. I 270 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 6: don't know that stuff. God took that away from me. 271 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 6: Good amen. I don't know how to do that when 272 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 6: I got are that at the Koma. I'm slow. I'm 273 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 6: on disability right now. 274 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: You know you're gonna hear the term gang banging throughout 275 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: this podcast. It's a broad term that can mean violence, shootings, beatings. 276 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 2: It can also be standing on the corner holding a block, 277 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: dealing drugs, or flashing gang signs. Joey says after the beating. 278 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 2: He was done with all of it. He's gone so 279 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 2: far as to have his gang tattoos removed, renounced his affiliation, 280 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 2: which makes his shooting all the more perplexing. Everyone agrees 281 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 2: no one was targeting Joey's neighbor. He was old, retired, 282 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 2: not involved in anything. 283 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 6: I think he was there the wrong time to be. 284 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 2: So then why were they shooting at Joey. Sesse and 285 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 2: Joey both vacillate between two possible explanations In one version. 286 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: Even though Joey isn't involved at all anymore, people know 287 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 2: that he used to be, they know what part of 288 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 2: the neighborhood he is for, and they know his family, 289 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 2: which makes him an acceptable target for rival gangs. 290 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 3: And the way the gang life is, I mean, just 291 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 3: from my experience, is once you're a gang member, you're 292 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 3: always a gang member. 293 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 4: Is that true? 294 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 6: That's what they say. They say, your life is mark 295 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 6: whoever you know, don't matter you take your tattoos or 296 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 6: not they wanted to hit me. 297 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 2: The other possibility, they say, is that someone from the 298 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 2: other side just decided to drive into rival gang territory 299 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 2: where Joey lives and shoot at the first man he 300 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 2: saw standing on a block, likely as revenge for a 301 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 2: prior shooting. 302 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 6: They did it because dead friends got hurt, dif ferends 303 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 6: from that side got hurt, so they look for who 304 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 6: they can get from the other side. But they can hurt, 305 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 6: don't matter you change or not, as long as they 306 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 6: got somebody from that gang. 307 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: So somebody on the other side got shot, and they 308 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 2: just said, we're gonna go back to that, to your territory. 309 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 6: And try to get somebody from over here, and it doesn't. 310 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 3: Matter you know who it is. 311 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 6: Yeah, they were looking for somebody to kill. 312 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 2: This kind of entrenched gang violence where people get killed 313 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 2: and families upended for almost no reason at all, it's 314 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 2: what Sessi is dedicated to fixing. She tries to help 315 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 2: Joey make sense of what happened to him, understand it's 316 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 2: not his fault, and also tries to help keep him 317 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 2: safe after violence hits so close to home. 318 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 6: Happened right there, but the trees across the street. Do 319 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 6: you know who did it? Yeah? 320 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, there plminary investigation right now. 321 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 2: Okay, sorry, I'm just gonna say this because I yeah, no, 322 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,719 Speaker 2: I don't, I don't want to. I'm not gonna say 323 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: names because the police are investigating. 324 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 6: It's okay. 325 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 2: Are you cooperating with the police? 326 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 6: Yes, yeah, I want I want. I want the guy 327 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 6: in Joe I in justice. He hurt me. I just 328 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 6: want the guy to get locked up. Really he did 329 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 6: that on purpose. 330 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 2: But police are moving slowly. Even though Joey says he 331 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 2: knows who shot him and told them as much, police 332 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 2: haven't made an arrest and detectives haven't taken Joey's statement. 333 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 2: Joey says they told him he was too impaired by 334 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: his pain medicine to make an id right now. They 335 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 2: want to wait until he's off the Mets, but that 336 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 2: could be a long wait. The Chicago Police Department wouldn't 337 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 2: discuss the case or the reasons for delaying the identification 338 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 2: of the alleged shooter. In the meantime, Joey and his 339 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: family are paralyzed by fear. This is where he grew up. 340 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 2: People know he lives here, and if the gang that 341 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 2: did the shooting finds out he's cooperating with police, he 342 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 2: could be in even more danger. 343 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 6: Oh you know, I want to I want to a 344 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 6: the guy that did this, and I'm scared to be 345 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 6: around because they know me, they know where I live. 346 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 2: Considering you know the fear that you're talking about, how 347 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 2: did you decide that you wanted to cooperate. 348 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 6: Because that was not right what he done. I'm gonna 349 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 6: change your man. I know they're gonna try it again. 350 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 6: I'm not stupid. They're gonna wait to everything settles. They're 351 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 6: going Grammy Monday. 352 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 3: Right now, it's really unsafe for him to be here 353 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 3: in this location because they know where he resides. So 354 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 3: we are trying my best. 355 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 2: Right now. 356 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 3: I have a lot of cases, but right now I'm 357 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 3: working on trying to get anything to relocate him. 358 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 2: While we talk, Joey's fourteen year old son, Matteo, comes 359 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 2: into the room and listens to his dad and SESSI, 360 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 2: Matteo just finished eighth grade. 361 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 3: So he just graduated. I'm very proud. He's very very smart, 362 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 3: not affiliated, not involved in any gang that doesn't catch 363 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 3: his eye whatsoever. And I think that his dad being 364 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 3: a target can put him at risk of being a 365 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 3: target as well. 366 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 2: And I mean, how are you dealing with what's happened 367 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: to your dad? 368 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 7: So right now through the time I wake up, I'd 369 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 7: be like helping him out that's how you feel kind 370 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 7: of nervous because if I like, I'm worried about walking 371 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:45,919 Speaker 7: past here because I'm because, as she was saying, like, 372 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:47,479 Speaker 7: I'm probably the next target. 373 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 2: After about an hour of visiting with Joey, it's time 374 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 2: for Sesse to head out. She gives him Mateo some 375 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 2: last minute tips on tending to his bullet wounds. 376 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 3: Remember when you're doing your wound. Since there's no saving water, 377 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,479 Speaker 3: we want to make sure listen to me home. Daddy 378 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,719 Speaker 3: could use a regular water. Open it, make sure it's 379 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 3: nobody else's drinking out of it or nobody is touching it. 380 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 3: And Mammy knows how to do the won't care. 381 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 2: There are practical things Sese is doing for Joey tonight. 382 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 2: She's brought him bandages and water bottles. She often pays 383 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 2: for them out of her own pocket. She's also helping 384 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 2: Joey deal with police, and she arranges transportation to the hospital. 385 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 2: But it's also clear her mere presence is a salve 386 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 2: to Joey. Everyone else in this house is reeling from 387 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 2: the same trauma. Sese is like an island in the storm, 388 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 2: untouched by the roiling waters. 389 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 3: Okay, guys, I will see you see you enjoy your 390 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 3: ice cream? Yes. Yes. 391 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 2: As we leave, Mateo, the fourteen year old, walks with 392 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 2: us out to the backyard. Most fourteen year olds I've 393 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 2: met willing are not particularly interested in talking with me 394 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 2: or being interviewed, but I can feel Mateo's yearning for 395 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 2: some sort of activity outside of his nuclear family and 396 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: the house they're hiding in. He stops at the tall 397 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,360 Speaker 2: fence separating his home from the outside world, a border 398 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 2: he cannot cross without risking his young life. We step 399 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 2: out onto the sidewalk, leaving him behind. SEC tells him 400 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 2: she thinks his dad needs his diaper changed, and she 401 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,360 Speaker 2: implores him to clean up a little before his mom 402 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 2: gets home from work. It's a beautiful, warm summer night 403 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 2: in Chicago. SEC warns Mateo one more time against leaving 404 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 2: the property. He says he knows, and he promises. He 405 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 2: only goes out to get the mail, then he heads 406 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: back inside. This is going to be a long summer 407 00:23:52,800 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 2: for Mateo, filled with dangerous and difficult choices. MH. Sese 408 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 2: is sitting at her kitchen table in a cramped rented 409 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:19,160 Speaker 2: house near Chicago's Midway Airport. She's in her signature black 410 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 2: leggings and black T shirt. She holds a cigarette between 411 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 2: two fingers. Piles of papers and stacks of folders cover 412 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 2: the table and one of the tall chairs next to her. 413 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 2: Cecy's children buzz around her. Sitting with her is Jesus Salazar, 414 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 2: a big guy with a playful smile who most people 415 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 2: call Jesse. Sesse watched Jesse grow up, both of them 416 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: in the same little village gang. Then about six years ago, 417 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 2: Jesse helped pull her out of the gang life, convince 418 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 2: her to join him, helping gun violence victims and mediating 419 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 2: gang disputes. 420 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 8: We were both shot at one time. 421 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 3: My hair I gotta my hair was on fire, my 422 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 3: sweater I got a almost a grace in the head. 423 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 8: So we were doing a mediation between you know, and 424 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 8: it was an internal beef that was happening in the community. 425 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 2: And so you say, like it was the same gang. 426 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 8: Same gang, you know, and they had previous encounters, violent encounters, 427 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 8: and what we were trying to do was stop them 428 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 8: from you know, encountering each other and displaying violence on 429 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 8: each other. And unfortunately we were outnumbered that day. I mean, 430 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 8: we got bombarded and it was probably fifty or sixty 431 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 8: young people out there fighting and we were breaking up 432 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 8: the fights, and then aired after that, the shooting broke out. 433 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 8: Two people were shot, and you know, we were in 434 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 8: the middle of it. 435 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,719 Speaker 3: I remember when Jesse started doing this work and his 436 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 3: mom would say, I don't know why he's over there. 437 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 3: The same reaction I got from my mom when I 438 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 3: started doing this work. You're crazy. You're gonna end up dad. 439 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 3: You know, our parents were scared for us, but we 440 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 3: felt that we were doing that help, like we were 441 00:25:58,640 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 3: put out there to do. 442 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 2: Sesse first tried to leave gang banging after the oldest 443 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 2: of her nine children was born. She was out for 444 00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 2: a while, but then her brother was killed by rival 445 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 2: gang members. That trauma of her brother's sudden, violent death 446 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 2: and her rage over it, pulled her back into the 447 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 2: gang life. She says. When Jesse would see her out 448 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,639 Speaker 2: on the street, he would ask about her children, and 449 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 2: she would feel ashamed that she was out gang banging 450 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 2: instead of at home caring for them. 451 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 3: I would see, Jesse, where's the kids at older at 452 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,160 Speaker 3: the house, you know, but I'm out here. And when 453 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 3: Jesse came and approached you, he approached me quite a 454 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 3: few times, and I was like, no, I hen, no, 455 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 3: I don't want that. I'm out here. I'm on these 456 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 3: streets and this is me. He says, come on, just 457 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 3: try it. And I said, okay, Jesse part time in 458 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 3: a couple of months, I'm out of here. He's like, 459 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 3: come on, just part time. I hope with the kids. 460 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 3: He's like, don't worry, we'll work out your times. You 461 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 3: can pick up the kids from school. So that was 462 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 3: in November. So February comes around. You're like, hey, I 463 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 3: gave you three months, man and do something. And he's like, 464 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 3: so we're giving you a full time position. I'm like, okay, 465 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 3: all right. I was so far into the work as 466 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 3: soon as I started. I was so far into it, 467 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:27,919 Speaker 3: and here I am. 468 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 2: Cesc says now she's driven to provide the kind of 469 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 2: help and support that wasn't available to people in her 470 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 2: community when she was younger. She imagines a person helping 471 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 2: her mom after her brother's death and tries to be 472 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 2: that person for grieving mothers. 473 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:45,679 Speaker 3: Now living in little village. I'm losing a brother, losing 474 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 3: a lot of friends in the community. My brother was murdered. 475 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 3: I'd see what my mom went through. I see what 476 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 3: a lot of these parents go through and I would 477 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 3: like back then if I knew there was somebody out 478 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 3: there to have get support from my mom? 479 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,640 Speaker 2: What helped you wish she had gotten I just wish that. 480 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 3: There was support where she could have got mental health 481 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 3: and helped her walk through it instead of me supporting her. 482 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 2: Sessey was just thirteen years old when she first joined 483 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 2: her gang. She was in it off and on for 484 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 2: more than two decades. 485 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:23,199 Speaker 3: Our females are going to jail for committing crimes because 486 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 3: they have to have that be that big bitch, you know, 487 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,359 Speaker 3: be the baddest bitch there. And I can relate to 488 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 3: that because I've been shot, I've been stabbed, I've been 489 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 3: in jail. 490 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 2: Who's that Mommy? That's mommy? And you what's your name? 491 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: Oh that's a nice name. Sorry, I'm interrupting your your place. 492 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 3: You could keep talking. 493 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 2: Angelo is Sessy's youngest child. He's sweet and alternates between 494 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 2: shy and fascinated by the microphone. CEC's house is constantly 495 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: whirrying with commotion. Often Cese's grandkids are over staying for 496 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 2: a while or just stopping in to eat. Frequently, a 497 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 2: cousin or a kid from the neighborhood is sleeping on 498 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 2: the couch. Friends and coworkers stop by unannounced all the time, 499 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 2: so do the many families of murder victims who Cesse 500 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 2: stays in touch with. She maintains no real line between 501 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 2: clients and friends, no line between work and life. All 502 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 2: around the one story house are reminders of the incredibly 503 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 2: difficult work Sese has dedicated herself to. 504 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 3: If you can see, I got all my prayer cards 505 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 3: and my candles said, it goes on that side and 506 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 3: on my walls, and I got some in my desk, 507 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 3: and I got some in my bag. So these are 508 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 3: other cases that I'm working on right now that I 509 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 3: work anybody who needs top I don't care where they're from, 510 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 3: what color they are, I don't care. So these are 511 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 3: just these are actually uncle and nephew. 512 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 2: And you've got here what's essentially like a spreadsheet, a table, 513 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 2: name of parent, name of victim, email picture. Provided you're 514 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 2: handling so many of these that you have to have 515 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 2: a sort of like cataloging system. 516 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 3: It is, it is, actually, it really is. 517 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 2: So how many homicide victims have you, you know, families 518 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 2: have you worked with? 519 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 3: Oh, I can't count, I can't count that high. 520 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 2: Just this year. You can't count that many this year. 521 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 3: I have them in the computer. I want to say 522 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 3: it's been over thirty, almost forty. 523 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 2: Just you have have worked. 524 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 3: With that, I've worked with. 525 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 2: The scale of loss that Sessi's describing can be difficult 526 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: to wrap your head around, but nearly forty murder victims 527 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 2: in just one neighborhood for just part of a year 528 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 2: is astounding. It gives a glimpse of the toll Chicago 529 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 2: gun violence takes. The sheer number of people who are 530 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 2: forced to suffer through the unimaginable, the number of people 531 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 2: who are desperate for help making sense of the senseless. 532 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 2: The scale feels almost suffocating inside Cesse's house, surrounded by 533 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 2: mementos of the dead, each one not just marking the 534 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 2: end of a life, but a violent end, each mini 535 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 2: memorial proof of a life taken too soon. There's a 536 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 2: strange sort of expertise you gain doing the kind of 537 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 2: work Sessi does. You learn the process for identifying a 538 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 2: body at the morgue, which cemeteries have the cheapest plots, 539 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 2: which funeral homes will ship a body back to Mexico, 540 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 2: and how to save money on funeral costs, which is 541 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 2: where SEC's manual button maker comes in. She works the 542 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 2: button maker on her kitchen table while she talks with Jesse. 543 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 2: It makes a loud cathunk as she pressed a photo 544 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 2: of a long haired man with big sad eyes into 545 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 2: pin after pin. She's trying to help a family bring 546 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 2: down their funeral expenses. 547 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 3: When you walk in a funeral home, they do charge 548 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 3: a family member for the prayer cards that are usually given. 549 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 3: They're charging for one hundred of them, like maybe one 550 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:22,640 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty dollars, one hundred and twenty five dollars 551 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 3: for one hundred. So I use my own ink, I 552 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 3: use my own printer, I buy this. 553 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 2: The man on the buttons is Renee Castillo. He was 554 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 2: killed a few days earlier while walking through the little 555 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 2: village neighborhood where he lived with his mom. He wasn't 556 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 2: in a gang. No one knows who killed him or why. 557 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 3: And he was thirty one, thirty one fighting cancer and 558 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 3: they shot him. 559 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 2: How is his family doing? 560 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,719 Speaker 3: They're hanging in there. They're really worried about funeral expenses, 561 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 3: but they are hanging in there. 562 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 2: Sessi is working with Renee's family. She has been since 563 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 2: Right after the shooting, she sat with his mother and 564 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 2: brother in their home as they talked about Renee's life, 565 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: walked them through arranging the funeral. She's trying to be 566 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 2: that support, the shoulder to cry on, the guide to 567 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 2: an unknown and terrifying world that her mother didn't have. 568 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 2: One of the buttons of Renee will likely stay here, 569 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 2: added to Sesse's collection. So would you say you have 570 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 2: something from every family you've helped? Yes? Yeah, How do 571 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 2: you're considering the work that you know? You're here at 572 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 2: the kitchen table, dining room table, doing, you know, making 573 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 2: buttons of someone who's just murdered. You've got these reminders everywhere. 574 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 2: How do you talk to your kids? How do your 575 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 2: kids think about the work that you do? 576 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 3: My kids have my back. My kids will go out there, 577 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,239 Speaker 3: my kids. If there's a homicide and I have to 578 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 3: run out of the house to go deal with these family, 579 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 3: my kids are behind me. Believe it or not, mob, 580 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 3: we're going with you. 581 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 2: And I'm like, no, did it mean that you talk 582 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 2: to your kids about death and violence? Probably more than 583 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 2: more earlier, but they see it, so yeah, I guess 584 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 2: I wondered if they forces conversation. 585 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 3: No, We've had a lot of family members that's been 586 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 3: passed because of the violence. They see their friends growing up, 587 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 3: they know what it is. 588 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,520 Speaker 8: I feel like, unfortunately, it's it's a part of like, 589 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 8: you know, Chicago culture, to experience death at a very 590 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 8: young age, you know, just through friends, family, you know, 591 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 8: your classmates, somebody, right, the strategy will happened to somebody, 592 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:36,320 Speaker 8: and you're you're exposed to it at a very young age, 593 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 8: and we normalize it, right. I feel that, you know, 594 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 8: in order for us to cope and survive, you have 595 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 8: to normalize the fact that, you know, my friend was 596 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:48,840 Speaker 8: shot and killed, or my uncle was shot and killed, 597 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 8: or my brother was shot and killed. You know. And 598 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 8: it's unfortunate, right because it happens so often in our 599 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 8: community that we're kind of desensitized to it. 600 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 2: Now that desensitization, it may feel like a necessary part 601 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 2: of doing the work Sesse and Jesse do. It may 602 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 2: be a reality forced on way too many Chicago children, 603 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:17,960 Speaker 2: but living with this much pain and loss takes a toll, 604 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,399 Speaker 2: and the work leaves a mark on the people who 605 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,960 Speaker 2: do it. Something I saw during the year I spent 606 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 2: with Sesse and other anti violence workers this season on 607 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 2: motive will be on the streets in two Chicago neighborhoods, 608 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,359 Speaker 2: both on the city's west side, Little Village where Sesse 609 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,719 Speaker 2: works and East Garfield Park, where we'll be headed next week. 610 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 2: We'll keep tracking Joey's story as he struggles to get 611 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 2: the detective in his case to talk with him and 612 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:48,520 Speaker 2: make an arrest in the shooting. 613 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 6: I heard he's on vacation. That's cool to ticification because 614 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 6: you work hard. But what about me? Man? Who got 615 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 6: to get this guy? 616 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 2: We'll get to know East Garfield Park and the workers 617 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,720 Speaker 2: trying to make it safer. You don't want a person 618 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: like him back on the streets, causing man, And we'll 619 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 2: follow the fall up from a gang murder of a 620 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 2: seven year old girl. I will never forget the old one. 621 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:10,359 Speaker 3: I want my daughters killed as. 622 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 2: Locked up throughout it all. Sesse is going to be 623 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 2: riding co pilot with me. She'll serve as our resident expert, 624 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 2: helping make sense of the work, the violence, and the 625 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 2: rivalries and allegiances behind all of it. 626 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 3: They're going to keep going back. That's their home, that's 627 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 3: where they grew up. That's what they knew, Like ooh, 628 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 3: that's what I mean above family sometimes family. 629 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 2: As that's coming up this season on Motive. A quick disclosure, 630 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,479 Speaker 2: almost all of the reporting for this season was done 631 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 2: before sec came on as our resident expert. I was 632 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 2: just a reporter shadowing a subject. But as we wrapped 633 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 2: up reporting and began producing this season of Motive, we 634 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 2: wanted Cesc's help to shape this podcast, so we hired 635 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 2: her as a paid consultant, so you'll be hearing from 636 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 2: her in a couple different roles as a subject, but 637 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 2: also as an expert and commentator. Motive is a production 638 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 2: of wb EZ Chicago. I'm Patrick Smith. Marie Mendoza is 639 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 2: our producer. Our editor is Rob Wildebor. Our executive producer 640 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 2: is Kevin Dawson. Tracy Brown is our Chief Content Officer. 641 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 2: Special thanks to Jeff Els for some original music. Our 642 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:26,239 Speaker 2: story consultant is Cecilia Mannon additional help from Samantha Deere, 643 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 2: Jesse Dukes, Natalie Moore, Kate Kahan, Shannon Heffernan, Alden Lowry 644 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 2: and Joe Deso