Our History
Healing to Action grew out of the Coalition Against Workplace Sexual Violence, a cross movement collaboration uniting Chicago’s labor and anti-violence movements to address sexual violence against low-wage workers. Founded in 2012, the Coalition trained hundreds of low-wage workers in the Midwest, and organized survivor agencies behind worker-led campaigns like the Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.
Workers participating in Coalition activities voiced the need for a worker-led, multicultural, cross-industry response to prevent gender-based violence in their communities. In 2016, Healing to Action formed in response to this call to action. It soon released “Digging Deep Into Our Movements: Strategies to Stop Gender-based Violence Against Chicago’s Low-wage Workers.” This groundbreaking report detailed gaps in services and potential innovative strategies address gender-based violence against low-wage workers.
Today, Healing to Action continues to respond to the broader and ongoing demand of survivors to address the root causes of gender-based violence, including economic inequity, racial injustice, ableism, and heteropatriarchy.
Our Mission
To end gender-based violence by building the leadership and collective power of the communities most impacted.
Our Vision
A future free from gender-based violence.
Our Impact
Since 2016:
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HTA collaborated with over 500 workers to deepen their political education and develop new strategies to end gender-based violence in their communities.
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94% of leaders successfully completed HTA’s flagship leadership program
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HTA leaders launched their first grassroots campaign, SexEd Works, to address the root causes of gender-based violence
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Our Model
Introducing a visual representation of HTA’s model -- this is how we work to sustain survivor leadership and grow a movement to end gender-based violence from the roots up. This model reflects our deep belief that real change happens when we move together, in community.
Click on the image to view our model on full screen.