Dear DNAinfo Editorial Board,

We write this letter in response to the story entitled, Back of the Yards Bloodshed Has
Local Leaders Pleading for Help, which DNAinfo published on March 31, 2016. We offer this
letter as an attempt to bring truth and balance to the way Alderman Lopez characterized the Back
of the Yards, to address his proposed solution to bring peace to our community, and to demand
that he employ specific strategies to help bring peace to our community.
First, there is violence in the Back of the Yards, but violence does not define us. The
Back of the Yards continues to be a neighborhood of hard-working, honest, and decent people,
many of whom made the trek to this country to achieve a better life for themselves and their
families. That is what defines us. To say that a culture of gangs and violence have replaced the
longstanding neighborhood culture of hard work, determination, and togetherness is offensive
to the overwhelming majority of residents that work hard to create dignified living spaces for
themselves and their families in the Back of the Yards.
Second, to say that there is a culture in the neighborhood that normalizes violence and
gives refuge to gang life undermines the longstanding efforts to bring peace to the Back of the
Yards. Alderman Lopez is not reflecting the voice and experience of our community. Residents
and community leaders want nothing more than to live in a community that promotes peace,
education, and opportunity. In fact, there have been longstanding and effective efforts to achieve
peace (i.e. Peace and Education Coalition of the Back of the Yards). Rather than communicate
that experience, Alderman Lopez is perpetuating the popular narrative told by the media and
those who do not know our community. Additionally, his narrow-minded statement puts the full
onus on the community and ignores systematic barriers to achieve peace in our community (i.e.
poverty, lack of resources and development, decline of the surrounding industrial/manufacturing
areas, the division into many political districts, effects of an unjust immigration system, etc.).
Third, while law enforcement is an important part of the efforts to create peace, it is not
the only solution. Residents and community leaders have been working on the issue of violence
for a long time (way before Alderman Lopez moved to the new 15th Ward to run for office).
Increasing law enforcement presence may be a temporary fix, but our experience tells us that the
issue is complex and calls for a multi-pronged community-driven approach. Alderman Lopez
won his seat about a year ago. Increasing law enforcement presence is a popular political
response, but what real solutions has he proposed to address the underlying issues that create
violence in our community? Simply put, a police state will not bring peace.
Fourth, if Alderman Lopez is sincere in his attempt to bring peace to our community,
then why has he not involved community residents? For instance, none of the people who signed
the letter to Sheriff Dart live in the Back of the Yards, including Alderman Lopez. Our
experience tells us that change will come when the residents are united. Where are the Back of
the Yards residents in his plan to bring peace?
If Alderman Lopez is truly interested in joining the fight to bring peace to the Back of the
Yards, we demand that Alderman Lopez:

(1) Engage Back of the Yards residents in a long-term strategy to reduce violence in the
community, including joining current efforts to create peace;
(2) Help create a neighborhood-wide peace task force that includes community residents and
institutional leaders;
(3) Engage in dialogue with community residents and institutional leaders before imposing a
solution in our community;
(4) Employ a strengths-based view of community residents, particularly of those that
Alderman Lopez views as urban terrorists (otherwise he sends the message that he has
given up hope on our young people);
(5) Demand the implementation of effective community policing strategies and launch
initiatives that will help develop and heal relationships between the community and
police;
(6) Leverage resources for after school programming for out of school activities throughout
the community;
(7) Help us change the narrative promoted by the media by highlighting positive stories from
our neighborhood;
(8) Bring jobs and job training opportunities to the neighborhood;
(9) Promote restorative justice culture and programming in the community; and
(10) Recognize that our community is not only comprised of voters that he can court during
election time, but a community that requires constant attention, nurturing, and
accompaniment.
Signed,

Rafael Yaez
Claudio Rivera
Jess Iiguez
Marco Lpez
Linda Coronado
Claudia Alvidrez
Jos Alonso
Mayra Hernndez
Hugo Ortiz
Rolando Santoyo
Miguel Ramrez
Sara Lpez
Salvador Lpez
Fredy Domnguez
Hugo Domnguez
Sara Jimnez
Jocelyn De La Torre
Edy Domnguez

Fabin Garca
Rubn Cardoso, M.D.
Luz Mara Franco
Nancy Cardoso
Pete Llamas
Arely Campos
Eva Muro
Germain Garca
Vernica Lpez
Hallie Trauger
Edward Vogel
Daniel Miguel
Sandra Villalpando
Paola Rodrguez Horta
Vanessa Valentn
Jaime Corro
German Palomino
Adriana Oropeza

Andrs Guzmn
Osvaldo Pina
Maureen Kelleher
Claudia R. Caldern
Edgardo Caldern
Luis Rivera
Evangelina Daz
Marivel Vargas
Adrin Garca
Adriana Santoyo
Jisela Santoyo
Ramn Muoz
Janeth Muoz
Josefina Camarillo
Michelle Flores
Rosa Muoz
Nancy Ibarra
Leslie Hernndez

Edgar Flores
Francisco Garca
Gilberto Cardoso
Gregory Michie
Pedro Ramrez
ngel Tomayo
Mara Vzquez
Sr. Angela Kolacinski
Venus Muoz
Priscila Gonzlez
Fr. Bruce Wellems
Cindy Agustn
Nery Zavala
Irene Lopez
Mara G. Galvn
Edwin Gonzlez
Brenda Rodrguez