Aniya is a young teen living in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. She is like many other 17-year-old girls: dedicated to school, her family and dance team practices.
Although she comes across as a happy, successful teen, there’s more to Aniya than meets the eye. For 50 minutes every week, she sits in a circle with other young women in her school to share her more difficult thoughts: persistent feelings of loss, grief and despair. Neighborhood violence can make it feel like she’s living in a “war zone,” and there is overwhelming pressure to “make it” to college and escape.
