Patricia Aguilar
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Patty was born in Coahuila, Mexico and came to the States in 1992. She is a long-time Little Village resident. Patty is married and has three children who attended Rosario Castellanos Elementary School. She has been a strong advocate for parental involvement and has spent many years as an active member of both the Community School Oversight Committee and the Local School Council. Patty’s energy is contagious, and she has greatly contributed to the growth of out-of-school programs at Castellanos, encouraging her friends and neighbors to become involved. Patty has also become a leader in violence prevention. She is a parishioner of St. Agnes Church, and is one of the founders of Padres Angeles, a group that encourages parents to participate in the movement against violence in the community. Patty wants a better community for her family and for all families in Little Village, so that we can all be proud of our culture and our community.
Dolores Castañeda
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Dolores grew up and studied in Mexico, then came to Little Village in 1983. She has dedicated more than 25 years of her life and resources to make her community a better place. A single mother, Dolores has four children. They have all graduated from different universities across the country. For many years, she has been a leader at her children’s school, her block and her workplace. Dolores is a strong advocate for the undocumented, the homeless and for people with disabilities, spending a significant part of her resources to feed and clothe the needy. In 2004, her family became a victim of violence when her daughter was accidentally hit by a bullet during a fight between gangs. Her daughter recovered, and is currently working on her PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dolores is a board member of the Jorge Prieto Family Health Center, an active St. Agnes Church parishioner and a founder of Padres Angeles. Dolores is irrepressible in her energy, determination, fearlessness and commitment to transform her neighborhood into one that is safe and healthy where everyone can thrive.
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Doris Hernandez
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Doris was born in Colombia and immigrated to the States in 1983. She was aware of the issues with gang violence in Chicago, but never imagined that they would impact her life directly. Unfortunately, Doris lost her son to gang violence in 2012 when he was only 16. She transformed the pain and agony of losing a child into a passion of helping other families that have been impacted by similar tragedies. Doris is a founder of Padres Angeles, a group that encourages parents to participate in the anti-violence movement in the community, as well as Grupo Consuelo, a support group that provides comfort in togetherness for families grieving the loss of a loved one due to gang violence. Her incredible determination and willingness to use her story to empower other Little Village families are the characteristics of a compassionate and committed leader.
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