Adela Barajas has been an advocate for crime victims for more than 15 years after her own family faced the pain of losing a loved one.
His sister-in-law Laura Sánchez, aged 19, was murdered in the 2007 while leaving one of the young women who would participate in the court of honor at the party of 15 years of his daughter in South Central Los Angeles.
“They shot him in the back,” said Barajas. “She left her four children between the ages of 5 and 17 alone.”
He added that, ironically, Sánchez’s mother had also been killed by a stray bullet eight years earlier during a Thanksgiving dinner.
The activist said that what impressed him the most was when he tried to take his nephews to therapy to overcome the loss of their mother; at that moment he realized how difficult it was to get an appointment.
Barajas did not want to miss the time known as the “therapeutic window”, which is the time interval between the injury and the treatment during which the healing process is most effective.
“I saw how difficult it was for me to get them therapy and I speak English, so I didn’t imagine what it would be like for the parents who don’t speak the language,” he explained.
It was at that moment that he decided to go to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to ask for help, and also contacted then-area councilwoman Jan Perry ; both joined his cause.
15 years ago Barajas founded Life After Uncivil Ruthless Acts ( LAURA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents of South Los Angeles.
With the Barajas organization, he has been able to help people from the Crime Survivors network and other families, but he emphasized that it has not been enough and it is not for lack of interest but for lack of resources.
The week of action
The week of 24 to 34 in April the Annual Commemoration of the National Victims’ Rights Week was held of Crime. The LAURA organization brought a group of 30 mothers, whose children were murdered, to carry out a protest in front of the Capitol and raise their voices as soon as to the necessary resources in their neighborhoods.
Through the AB bill 993, family members of the victims are asking for $200 millions for the mental health of those who have suffered from crime in their communities in the state of California. The aid will also include expenses such as funeral homes, pending bills, medications, among others.
“We said that enough of them telling us what to occupy; better we take the mothers so that they ask them personally and they say what they need as a community”, said Barajas.
One of the main resources that they plan to provide with the money they ask for are trauma recovery centers , where aid does not have to wait six or 12 months as is usually the case today.
“Because with that waiting time it is another concern that those affected have to face”, said Barajas.
During its time of existence the LAURA organization has helped relatives with different types of support such as funeral assistance, service referrals, help and resources from Covid-19, response to prevent or intervene in an emergency, youth leadership development, and college scholarships in South Los Angeles and throughout Southern California.
The organization LAURA recently received a grant from the Ward 9 Councillor, Curr in Price, from $150, to continue efforts to help families in need.
Lights for the Deceased2007
To conclude the Annual Commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, family members and crime survivors of the city of Los Angeles came together to hold a light vigil in honor of lost loved ones.
The event was organized by the Office of Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Prince , the largest network of crime survivors in the nation Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and LAURA.
Barajas gave each of the relatives, mainly mothers, a T-shirt and a candle with the photo of their loved one who they lost unexpectedly.
“The first of May is the Mother’s Day of murdered children and for me it was a way of giving them a gift and to close with a prayer the week of action that we carry out”, said Barajas.
To learn more about the LAURA organization visit: http://www.laurala.org/