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'People felt they were heard' - April 26 meeting
By Richard Muhammad on Monday, May 5, 2008
"Building on the rich history and culture of Washington Park, this community of choice offers world-class opportunities for youth, adults and senior citizens through quality education, a range of affordable housing, and a robust economy. This vibrant neighborhood, which shares its name with the immense Washington Park just to the east, is connected to the rest of Chicago with one of the best transit networks in the nation. Washington Park's economic revival attracts quality jobs, goods and services. It offers rich cultural opportunities, housing for all income levels, a safe environment, and is a place that people feel proud to call home."
— Working vision statement for NCP/Washington Park
From easy agreement on a mission statement to heated discussions about housing, community history, and social and political realities that have impacted residents, the second Community Planning Workshop for Washington Park at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 5700 S. Prairie, ignited the passion of neighborhood residents and pushed the quality-of-life planning process forward.
Cecelia Hunt of St. Edmund's Redevelopment Corporation presents the working vision statement.
The meeting began with a prayer and then a recap of the process and previous planning workshop from Alderman Cochran. Cecelia Hunt, of St. Edmund's Redevelopment Corp., presented a draft vision statement, which was accepted with a mention of seniors added to it. Next, workshop participants added new information to a working list of programs, events, happenings and other efforts to build the community. Then came the breakout sessions and a working lunch.
"Today was excellent. Our discussion was a little heated, but people actually felt that their voice was heard," said the Rev. Jesse Knox, whose church hosted the meeting. The buy-in from stakeholders, both new participants and a consistent core group of participants, were good signs, he said. Some 100 people attended the Saturday session.
"What was important is that some of the people weren't sure people would allow their voices to be heard. I allowed that, but at the same time we were going to respect each other. If you have something to say, you need to listen to what someone else has to say. And, then we decide what we are going to do," said the Rev. Knox, who facilitated the day's discussion of housing.
"I think people are actually excited about what's taking place," he added.
What took place April 26, under the sponsorship of the Washington Park New Communities Program, was a half-day of continued discussions where neighborhood events and projects were mapped out, a vision statement was approved, and break out sessions were devoted to youth and education, jobs and retail, housing and community identity/history and safety and wellness. The day yielded hopes for the future and uncovered some concerns about the past.
Goals and projects
By the end of the day, the group had developed a compilation of goals, points of interest and sometimes potential projects:
- Jobs: Expand access to existing employment and related programs; create a financial literacy program; expand the reach for financial institutions; foster business creation and offer technical assistance to entrepreneurs; identify the skills of existing residents to match them with future employment opportunities.
- Retail: Fully utilize access to and profile of the Dan Ryan Expressway to create regional opportunities for drawing and serving consumers; allow for multiple retail outlets in the community; create spaces and places that foster the entrepreneurial spirit; communicate with residents to find out what they want; and let community history drive retail choices.
Existing projects and programs are being identified and added to the planning map.
Eric Young Smith
- Community history/identity: Recognize the extremely rich history of Washington Park; create an information center which documents and preserves that history; become part of a south side historic preservation and tourism district that includes Bronzeville and other neighborhoods; preserve community landmarks.
- Housing: Keep people in their homes by freezing taxes and providing other information and assistance; engage in historic preservation; encourage energy efficient and sustainable "green homes"; embrace senior supportive living and different models for homeownership, like coops, to help some renters into ownership and help stabilize housing the neighborhood environment; engage in simultaneous support of existing housing stock and creation of new housing.
Each breakout group began a list of issues and ideas for future projects.
Eric Young Smith
- Education: Most of the goals are centered around younger people, including a pageant or competition including oratory or debate contest that recruits participation of youth to represent schools, churches, etc., at a big event that includes trophies and recognition; increase opportunities for personal involvement of youth in community; organize trips outside the community to expose youth to the wider world; promote volunteer activities as avenues for career exploration, connections with other people and increased life experiences; engage in career information sessions for youth through partnerships with local universities and colleges; create adult education programs that begin with adults sharing what they know and how it can benefit the community, then expand into areas where more growth and greater skills are needed.
Local residents, faith leaders and stakeholders ran the breakout sessions with Jobs and Retail facilitated by Lanyaird Smith and Karin Norington-Reaves; Community Identity/History facilitated by Murray Johnson and Bishop Edward Peecher; Housing facilitated by Rev. Jesse Knox III; Safety and Wellness facilitated by Karin Norington-Reaves and NCP manager Lynda Jones; Youth facilitated by Torrey Barrett; and Education facilitated by Cecilia Hunt.
An example of the excitement and energy put into developing new ideas included support for K.L.E.O. Community Center plans for an Open Mic night for youth, with a June kick-off. The session would allow for youth expression, provide a chance for recognition and promotion of positive activity, with the winner receiving a small monetary prize and neighborhood bragging rights by hosting upcoming Open Mic sessions. It would also be an opportunity for youth to meet one another in a neutral setting with the chance to build relationships that could help curb violence.
The youth breakout group also responded well to the idea of a Peace Festival, though unsure of its size and scope. But it would be used to promote non-violence and use entertainment to draw troubled youth to a venue where they could hear appeals for peace and find out what programs exist to help them. The group ended its discussion by exchanging e-mail addresses and phone numbers to follow-up on ideas outside of the monthly Community Planning Workshop.
Strong opinions
Thirty-five people participated in an often-heated discussion about housing and community history, recounting their own connections to the neighborhood and some skepticism about the NCP planning process. The group suggested protecting and supporting existing residents while attracting newcomers, and agreed that new housing should be responsive to local income levels. But there was disagreement about the range of those incomes. Cecilia Butler of the Washington Park Advisory Council pointed out that 2000 Census data are no longer accurate; that the percentage of renters has dropped from the previous level of 89 percent; and that the $17,000 median family income has grown along with recent condo conversions and the demolition of Chicago Housing Authority units.
Edward "Doc" Chaney asked, "Is the desire not to have gentrification?" Rev. Knox responded that a range of incomes was desired but that $300,000 homes might be inappropriate.
There was talk of preserving local landmarks such as the Shulze Bakery building, the Raber House at 58th and Lafayette, and the unused 1892 train station on Garfield Blvd., which Cecilia Butler said could become a library, history museum and coffee shop with wireless internet service.
One way to capture Washington Park's history was suggested by Harold Lucas of the Black Metropolis Convention and Tourism Council. He said Washington Park and other areas of historic Bronzeville can become an international tourism destination through the proposed Black Metropolis District National Heritage Area, which was introduced in February as House Bill 5505 by Congressman Bobby L. Rush. The area would reflect the restrictive covenants map that once determined where Blacks could live. "We're flipping that map and saying, 'This is our national heritage area,' " Lucas said.
Della Mitchell, executive director of Brand New Beginnings, told about the group's building at 103-115 E. 58th Street, which used to be empty "and where rapes took place and drug dealing went on." Now it is affordable decent housing for families, she says, and there are jobs in the building as well. She would like to build more housing on the lot across the street.
The discussion several times shifted to discussion of the neighborhood today, how it used to be, and what it could become.
Monique Cook-Bey works for Chicago Youth Programs at 5350 S. Prairie and sees that "kids are rebelling and the elders have turned their backs on them." She remembers that when she was a child and her mother came to her school, "It wasn't to cuss out the teacher. I'd like to see the community of Washington Park come together as one, even if we disagree on some things."
The planning process
Cecilia Butler asked why the meetings of the Washington Park NCP steering committee aren't open to the public. "We've been ignored enough in Washington Park," she said. "It's insulting." Scott Goldstein of the planning firm Teska Associates responded that the steering committee does not make any decisions about the neighborhood, as its role is only to organize planning logistics. "The decisions about the neighborhood's future and its plan will be made at these community meetings," he said.
Cecilia Butler told the group about recent changes in the housing market.
Eric Young Smith
Edward Chaney also questioned the process. "The underlying feeling among the homeowners," he said, "is that the plan has already been written and we are invited to these meetings to provide documentation that there was community participation."
Bishop Edward Peecher, who led the discussion of community identity and history, responded. He shared his personal history as a Black Panther who "was fighting for community development when there was no community development. I'm not here playing games; I'm not here to be a front for someone else. I'm here because I believe we can make real changes."
Monique Cook-Bey was moved by the heartfelt stories and commitment of residents. "A lot of us have been so hurt and scarred by all the things that have happened for decades," she said. "We have to get past that and learn to trust each other."
"We're hitting our mark ladies and gentlemen," said Alderman Cochran, whose 20th Ward Office is acting as the lead agency for NCP/Washington Park, as the day came to a close. "This process is built on a coalition of people. We've got some outspoken people here who have hit points that are very, very important—about what has happened in the past and the damages that occurred, the theft and racism and all those other things. They are important to be heard. History is important. We should know that as we go forward," he said.
But, Alderman Cochran added, "The dynamics that have been put in place, the dynamics that we will be putting in place, will be positive for our community."
The next session was scheduled for May 17 at St. Edmund's Church.
Patrick Barry contributed to this report. Please send any corrections or questions to LISC Scribe Richard Muhammad at straightwords@sbcglobal.net, or call 773-616-5058.