Luis Gutierrez, CEO, Latinos Progresando Luis is founder and CEO of Latinos Progresando, home to the largest Latino-led family based immigration legal services program in Illinois. Latinos Progresando has been a key partner of Taller de José, and Luis served on the Board of Directors from 2009-2017. “I understand first-hand the need for Taller de…
Leticia Villarreal Sosa, PHD, LCSW, Associate Professor Dominican University It is hard to quantify all the different ways that Leticia has supported Taller de José. She got involved early on with our work and was key in helping Taller de José to understand and better communicate about our work. Her leadership in developing the model…
Aniela Tyksinski works as a Community Advocate at Sarah’s Inn. Weekly, on Mondays and Tuesdays, she partners with and shares an office at Taller de José to provide domestic violence services to community members for whom Taller de José is a safe, accessible, and trusted location. Last time around, she was still getting settled into…
This is the last year of my master’s program in Social Work. I plan on continuing my studies to pursue my PSY.D. However, much like every chapter coming to an end it is bitter-sweet. Nevertheless, I have been appreciating my journey and my internship at Taller de José. Enjoying the days as they come helps…
My parents are immigrants from Mexico. It has been my goal as a first-generation Mexican American to achieve all the dreams and goals my parents were not able to. Coming from a close-knit family, it was not hard to do because I witnessed firsthand how hard my parents worked to provide for my family. These…
By Claire Whalen (She/Her/Hers) I love cloudless days. Not only is there something extraordinarily beautiful about seeing the bright blue of the sky stretching uninterrupted with the sun beaming brightly down, but it reminds of me of a place I called home for four years. I was fortunate to attend a university where we had…
Join us in supporting the important services that Taller de José provides Latinx communities across all of Chicago with a night of fun at Lo-Rez Brewing and Taproom.
By Anna Mayer She/Her/Hers In early 2012, my client, Maria, developed a severe case of cataract in both eyes, which left her completely blind. The loss of vision made it extremely difficult for her to care for her two children, especially her oldest son, a 15-year-old with Down syndrome and other conditions so severe that he is…
by Katie Wojda (she/her/hers/ella) When I went on the “Service Plunge” retreat at the beginning of my freshman year of college, I felt right at home. I had only just met these 200 eager, social-justice-driven freshmen, but I knew I was in the right place because everyone was there to learn about how to…
by Angie Solano I will forever be grateful to Taller de José for the opportunity and experiences I have gained. Back in May, I remember feeling nervous when meeting with clients wondering if I would have the answers to their questions and all resources they needed. Through my time with Taller de José I am thankful it…
