JPA’s Grandmother Circle

In Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, an intergenerational initiative shows how local grandmothers help young people navigate trauma, build resilience, and recognize their potential. Created by the Juvenile Protective Association (JPA), a historic child-welfare organization, the Grandparent Circle pairs middle school girls with elder women who serve as surrogate grandmothers and trusted mentors.

The initiative took shape after JPA's leadership connected with Grandmother Collective and global models that elevate elder women as community leaders. The insight was simple: alongside clinical therapy and tutoring, young people thrive in warm, unscripted spaces anchored by the care and lived wisdom of community elders.

JPA turned to a 30-year veteran and respected North Lawndale organizer, who recruited a dedicated cohort of local women — self-named "the Generational Avengers" — to facilitate weekly gatherings at two North Lawndale elementary schools. Operating "structured, but unscripted," sessions blend relaxation exercises and affirmations with open dialogue — a confidential space for students to process everything from community violence and personal trauma to Black history, self-worth, and future dreams.

By adapting global grandmother-led approaches to an urban public-school setting, the Grandparent Circle offers a scalable model for emotional well-being, cultural pride, and intergenerational strength — a picture of what's possible when grandmothers are equipped to lead.