We believe that

all New Orleans public schools should have full-time, licensed mental health professionals that receive regular trauma-informed training and support.

It’s time for action in New Orleans. Join us in advocating for systemic change in the Education and Criminal Justice sectors of our city.

Curious how we got here? Read our report about the newest phase of our campaign, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through their Culture of Health Leaders program as well as our report with results from our community charrette, then read our newest narratives in our Educate and (Just)ice sections.

 

Read the Call To Action One-Pager to learn more about what you can do!

Who's behind the numbers?

What are the stories that make up the statistics?

 

the institute of women & EthniC Studies brings you a campaign to reframe how we view youth that have experienced trauma & TAKE ACTION TO MAKE our SYSTEMS MORE TRAUMA-INFORMED.

Read the stories. Assess your attitudes. Adopt compassion.

EDUCATE - local educators advocating for trauma-informed schools

(JUST)ICE - Youth experiences with the criminal justice system, advocating for reform

Original Stories - narratives from local youth that have experienced trauma

WE ARE IWES! - iwes educators advocating for the need for trauma-informed schools

We THE 504! - champions that have advocated for youth in our education system

 

Keep up with us on social!

Check out the latest from our Twitter & Instagram feeds below:

🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 12 🌟 On the final day of your gratitude campaign, we celebrate the heart and soul of IWES—our incredible staff! 💛 From the earliest days in 1993 to now, IWES has been driven by a passionate team committed to imp
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 11 🌟 As we near the end of our gratitude campaign, today we're shining the light inwards and celebrating someone very near and dear to our hearts, our fearless leader, Dr. Lisa Richardson! Lisa is a guiding light who ha
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 10 🌟 Kiley Mayfield is a powerhouse within the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) landscape in Louisiana, and we are consistently impressed by her remarkable commitment to addressing health inequities in under-resourced Bl
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 9 🌟 Today, we celebrate Tim Spahn Sattler (@TSATProductions), a dedicated and longstanding partner who has dedicated himself to New Orleans' youth — especially those that most of society has given up on — fo
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 8 🌟 Today, we have the privilege of honoring one of our long-time partners here at IWES, a trailblazer in early childhood care and education, Melanie Richardson (@504mrichardson). 🌟 As the co-founder and executive dire
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 7 🌟 Today we shine a big spotlight on Brianna Moore (@BreatheBlackGirl_) for her incredible contributions to adolescent health and education in our community! 💛 As a partner of our Adolescent Health department, Brianna
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 6 🌟 In the spirit of this holiday season, we’re celebrating those who make a difference in our community, and today, we are proud to recognize Astacia Shari Carter (@stashari). As Chair of the IWES Institutional R
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 5 🌟 Today, we honor Lesley DeMartin, a true advocate for student mental health and well-being! 💛 As the Director of Mental Health Services and High School Counselor at Morris Jeff High School (@morrisjeffschool), Lesle
🌟 12 Days of Gratitude: Day 4 🌟 Today, we celebrate Kathryn Brong, the Clinical Director of @bridgehousegracehouse, who infuses compassion into everything that she does to support women on their recovery journeys. Her unwavering dedication to helpi