CDYR Winter 2021 Newsletter
Hello CDYR community! We’ve been working on some big things for the past few months, and we’re thrilled to share them with you below.
Devon-area COVID-19 Relief Wrap-Up
We wrapped up our Devon-area pandemic relief grants! We were able to support 71 families in the West Ridge, all of whom were immigrants facing lost or reduced employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And we were also able to add our voice to a news report about gaps in government pandemic aid! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the GoFundMe, and to the Crossroads Critical Response fund, for letting us do this work. Click here for a full report.
Summer Youth Retreat Application Open!
The CDYR Leadership cohort is a year-long cohort, starting with the summer leadership retreat for youth ages 15 – 21 who trace their heritage to South Asia and the diaspora, and who want to grow as leaders and changemakers. Participants learn about how systems of oppression shape our world; develop belonging, community, and solidarity across diverse and intersectional desi identities; and build the technical knowledge and skills needed to create social change, such as critical thinking, communication, leadership, advocacy, and community organizing skills. Apply here. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of April 5. Please share the link with anyone you think may be interested!
New Collective Members
We welcomed 3 new members to the CDYR Collective this past year. The collective is a team of adult allies working to advance our core mission of developing and supporting youth leadership in the Desi community in Chicago.
Tanvi Kapatral (she/her)
Tanvi is a college student, born and raised in Chicago, who is hopeful for the future, as long as we center youth and lead with unconditional love.
Nirali Shah (she/they)
Nirali attended the 2019 CDYR retreat as a youth participant, where she was motivated by the power of storytelling to create social change and question dominant structures. Nirali is inspired by balanced reciprocity within natural ecosystems for community building.
Shruthi Kannan is a teacher and singer living in Rogers Park. She joined the CDYR Collective in 2020, after volunteering with the summer retreats for 3 years. She believes in the power of intentional intergenerational relationships to heal inherited wounds and clear the way for a just and equitable future for our communities. Shruthi loves trains, cooking, and staying in.
Click here to meet the entire collective team.
New grants
CDYR is at a turning point, as we continue to expand our focus to include year-round mobilization for youth justice. We’re excited to announce that we’ve received three grants funds from two partners to support our operations.
These include $2,100 from the Chicago Foundation for Women to increase operational capacity; $5,000 from the Crossroads Fund Youth Grant for action grants and our summer retreat; and $30,000 from the Crossroads Racial Justice Pooled Fund for expanding operations and engaging youth.
We’re very grateful to these longtime co-conspirators for having our back as we move to the next stage of our work. And…look out for a part-time job posting in the near future!
Support our work
As an all-volunteer organization, we rely on the community’s support to carry out our work. Please follow this link if you’re able to donate to us. Recurring monthly donations are now possible!
CDYR in the community
CDYR youth leaders Srijana and Misha led a conversation between CDYR and the Niles North HS Indo-Pak Club about anti-black racism and racial solidarity in the South Asian community
Collective members add their voices to a news report about what working-class South Asians want from the Biden administration
Tanvi K, new collective member, speaks to global solidarities against state violence.
