Venezuelan migrant children and the mental health journey they face
When Texas sent buses of displaced migrants north to sanctuary cities, it was a political move. But there were real people aboard, including thousands of children who had been through significant trauma. How were cities responding to their mental health needs?
Chicago Health, along with reporters from El Tiempo Latino and The World, spent the past year investigating that question. This is the story of thousands of families, violently uprooted from their homeland, now struggling to build new lives and opportunities for their children. Schools, community members, and human rights organizations have played a crucial role in addressing their mental health needs and integration. Yet, as these families face ongoing hardships, the strength of those support systems is tested every day.
This is the first major project that Chicago Health has undertaken in collaboration with another media outlet. The project also had support from the Fund for Investigative Journalism, International Women’s Media Foundation’s Lauren Brown Fellowship, and Investigative Reporters and Editors Chauncey Bailey Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship.
Explore the two chapters — Boarding a Bus and Building a Life — here.
An award-winning journalist, Katie has written for Chicago Health since 2016 and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief.
Clavel Rangel is a Venezuelan journalist and co-founder of the Network of Journalists from the Venezuelan Amazon.
