Partnerships
Tlatlayeni is an emerging Latina immigrant-led worker cooperative dedicated to reclaiming and restoring the teachings and practices of their ancestors with respect, gratitude, and collective care. Grounded in principles of the restorative economy and guided by a popular education approach, Tlatlayeni’s work centers collective well-being, cultural preservation, and community empowerment, especially for migrant women in their community. Tlatlayeni primarily serves families and individuals in Back of the Yards, Gage Park, and Chicago Lawn. To see the video and learn more, click here.
BACKGROUND
In 2022, a group of Latina women began exploring healing practices in collective spaces such as Casa Domitila Barrios, with the intention of finding alternative options for their community. All were women from immigrant families who had lived and worked for more than 20 years on the south side of Chicago, particularly in Back of the Yards, Little Village, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, and West Lawn, where they had established their homes.
As daughters and mothers, they shared a deep connection to these neighborhoods, giving them firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by women in these communities, including lack of access to adequate services, emotional stress related to migration, economic pressures, and limited support for physical and mental health care. From these shared experiences, they recognized the need to reconnect with their roots and culture as a path toward community healing. Thus, the idea of a project in the south side of Chicago was born.
During this time, Co-op Ed Center (CEC) introduced the cooperative model as a viable pathway to sustain and expand this work. At the same time, the City of Chicago developed its first Community Wealth Building program to support the creation of worker cooperatives and other solidarity economy entities. As a result, this project received a Pre-Development Grant in the spring of 2023. CEC took on the responsibility of leading and administering the grant to support the following objectives:
- Strengthen members’ capacities
- Develop a business plan and marketing materials
- Establish a structured support network for technical assistance
To achieve these goals, CEC brought together various community partners who support the development of cooperatives and solidarity economy entities, providing comprehensive services and building a network of technical assistance providers.
This network included the following partners and services:
Co-op Ed Center: Intensive, foundational education on cooperativism and restorative economy, centered on cooperative culture.
Co-op Partners / Food Partners: A range of essential services, including business plan development and marketing materials.
Elizabeth L. Carter, Esq. LLC: Legal services related to strategy, cooperative governance, and business formation in accordance with state laws and regulations.
Illinois Institute of Technology: Guidance and internship opportunities to support the business planning process, in coordination with Co-op Partners.
Embrace Corazón Counseling, P.C.: Collective therapy and healing practices.
Hand to Hand Consulting: Grant writing and fundraising strategies.
Corazón de Valor y Fortaleza: Group support and access to training in foundational and technical skills.
PROGRAMS
Tlatlayeni offers a range of core healing programs, including:
Healing Circles: Specialized circles focused on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing.
Cultural Connection: Art classes and workshops that honor ancestral roots and cultural traditions.
Conscious Movement: Movement circles that relax the body, calm the mind, and allow for emotional expression.
Herbal Medicine: Workshops on herbalism to reconnect with Mother Earth and share ancestral plant medicine.
In the future, Tlatlayeni envisions a Community Gallery featuring rotating art exhibitions designed to promote a positive approach to art and to share, in a personal and meaningful way, the community’s visual and creative expressions.
Over the past few years, the five members of Tlatlayeni have developed the cooperative’s work, each contributing their knowledge and experience in holistic health and ancestral and cultural preservation. They prioritize relationships with knowledge keepers in their countries of origin to enrich their mission. They organize healing circles for women and community workshops that integrate ancestral practices with cooperative principles such as bartering and solidarity economy practices. They have also established a physical space, laying the foundation for future community programs.