Center on Halsted has added Edwin Corbin-Gutierrez as its new anti-violence project manager. He will help expand anti-bias advocacy efforts; offer direct assistance to victims of violence; and deliver training to educators and social service providers, according to a press release.
Corbin-Gutierrez’s position is partially funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, awarded to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office, which enables the center to expand its services for victims of sexual exploitation. The Cook County state’s attorney, in offering this partnership, became the first law-enforcement agency in the nation to specifically address sexual trafficking of LGBT minors. In August, the legislature passed the Illinois Safe Children Act. An initiative of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, the Act enhances protections for juveniles involved in the sex trade and provides new legal tools to police and prosecutors to target those who prostitute children. Corbin-Gutierrez joins Lisa Gilmore, director of education and victim advocacy, and Ryan Erickson, community relations and outreach manager, to expand the anti-violence program at The Center.
For the past year, Corbin-Gutierrez served as the project coordinator for the Strength and Unity Coalition at ALMA (Association of Latino Men for Action). There, he worked to build LGBT competency among healthcare providers in the Latino community. He trained providers on the unique needs of gay, bisexual and transgender Latinos, helping to institutionalize LGBT-inclusive policies at organizations like Corazon Community Services and Latinos Progresando. He also advised the Illinois Department of Public Health and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago on their Latino outreach efforts. Prior to ALMA, Corbin-Gutierrez spent two years as a Fulbright scholar in Caracas, Venezuela, working with community organizations to prevent gang violence through public art.
ALMA is one of the center’s resident partners, and Corbin-Gutierrez worked from the office in the center. “Having been at ALMA, it’s been a pleasure to see The Center at work, and it’s an honor to join its efforts in promoting equality for LGBT people,” he said in a statement.
“We are so pleased to have Edwin on staff,” said Modesto Valle, CEO of Center on Halsted. “He has an incredible ability to build bridges into diverse communities, and he has a superb range of knowledge around LGBT issues, immigration, bullying and HIV. This exemplifies our commitment to the Anti-Violence Project and The Center’s role as an advocate for LGBT victims of violence.” Hate violence only exists because of anti-LGBT bias—so the work of the Anti-Violence Project informs all of Center on Halsted’s advocacy and education efforts.