south side gathering meeting report
DESCRIPTION
On February 9th 2013 accelerate 77 held a community gathering on Chicago's south side at Chicago State University. The meetings aim to gather community leaders and other interested parties, providing a space for interchange and idea exchanges on how to foster a stronger network within each region.TRANSCRIPT
South Side Gathering Meeting Report
----------------------------
Saturday February 9th, 2013
1:00 – 4:00 pm
Chicago State University Library
Attendees Richard Alton Green Community Connections (AC77) [email protected]
Angela Mosley Best Ends Consulting Inc [email protected]
Beatrice Jasper Greater Englewood Development Corp.
Ben Fenton UIC MUPP Program (AC77) [email protected]
Brian Bonanno Andersonville Development Corp [email protected]
Caitlin Sarro UIC (AC77) [email protected]
Clevan Tucker Roseland Heights Community Assoc. [email protected]
Daniel Block Chicago State University [email protected]
Dave Avery Artist- (AC77) [email protected]
David Welch Windy City Harvest/Washington Park Consortium [email protected]
Dylan Amlin Chicago Youth Climate Coalition (AC77) [email protected]
Fara Taylor ICA-USA [email protected]
George Lopez Fishin Buddies [email protected]
Grace Rink CCGT/Quercus Consulting [email protected]
Jean Hill Imagine Englewood If… [email protected]
Jeanette Foreman Foreman [email protected]
Joe Zefran Chicago State University [email protected]
John Kidd III Fishin Buddies [email protected]
John Owens Roseland Pullman Urban Ag Network [email protected]
Joseph Clair [email protected]
Julie Samuels Openlands [email protected]
Kadi Sisay ICA Board [email protected]
Liana Li The Resource Center [email protected]
Marcella Reddick Morgan Park Farm [email protected]
Marseille Muriel CSU Geography Grad Student [email protected]
Nina Winn ICA-USA (AC77) [email protected]
Pancho McFarland Green Lots Project [email protected]
Raven Johnson Imagine Englewood If... [email protected]
Sally Pollack Artist - (AC77) [email protected]
Seva Gandhi ICA – USA (AC77) [email protected]
Sharon Louis South Shore Sustainability Collaborative [email protected]
Terry Bergdall ICA-USA (AC77) [email protected]
Tyra Taylor ICA-USA [email protected]
William Hausle Community Youth Development Institute [email protected]
Yusufu Mosley Imagine Englewood If... [email protected]
---------------------------
Event Agenda
----------------------------
1:10 - Welcome & Introduction to CSU: Professor Daniel Block,
Chicago State University, Professor of Geography and Director of the
Neighborhood Assistant Center.
1:15 - Introduction to the Institute of Cultural Affairs
(Organizing Sponsor) – Dan Duster ICA Board Member
1:20 - Brief Overview of AC77 – Ben Fenton
1:25 - Brief Overview of Website & Map – Caitlin Sarro
1:30 - Participant Introductions
Your name
Name of organization – affiliation
What you are working on
What brought you here today
2:15 - Vision Workshop: What do we want to see in the south side
in the next 1-3 years as a result of our actions? Seva Gandhi
3:15 - Small Group Work Seva Gandhi
3:45 - Closing Reflection & Remarks Kadi Sisay
Fully Utilized Recreation Resources
Self-Sufficient and Self-Sustaining Communities
Community Based Agriculture
Community Collaboration and Shared Power (empowerment)
Engaging and Preparing the Youth
for a Sustainable Future
Education for
Real Life skills
Residents Reclaim Assets and Land
Increase recreational land use in minority communities
Social enterprise: LOCAL JOBS, LOCAL PEOPLE
Eliminate food deserts Empower voice from bottom-up and Building a political
voice
Youth engaged in community
sustainability
Multifaceted education through gardening
Transition vacant land to community spaces
More instructional swimming programs
Community businesses providing jobs
35% reduction in solid waste through organic
waste recycling
Community grass roots organized events across
organizations (schools, block clubs, churches, businesses,
government)
More young leaders of environmental
organizations and initiatives
training disassociated people in sustainable
technology
Self-determination of residency./landlord
requirements
Nature centers, hiking trails
10% reduction in imported energy
More Farmers Markets Stop gun violence – remove guns
instill hope within youth
Annual skill sharing day
Broadband access for every household
Equestrian parks, camping
Focus on cleanup Fewer lawns and more gardens in front
Community grass roots organized events to get
people together
Jobs programs and education
Turn vacant houses into homeless student
centers
Increase in locally- owned coops in waste/recycling
urban ag, energy and housing
Community based food production
Communities will have an easy method to stay connected
social enterprise- local jobs local people
Individual plans of action for each
abandoned buildings
Green economy (environmental projects and
companies) provide many new jobs
(especially on the south side)
Local aggregated food economies
(community based food production/businesses)
Community meetings with alderman and staff to support
their programs and get support for what we see is
needed
Curriculum to support training
Maximize garden bounty
Open and effective communications to end
duplication and competition
CPS and charter schools have adopted
environmental work
Greening relationships across cultures
Restorative justice conversation
Vision Workshop What do we want to see in the South Side in the next 1-3 years as a result of our actions?
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Fully Utilize Recreation Resources
Increase recreational land use in minority communities
More instructional swimming programs
Nature centers, hiking trails
Equestrian parks, camping
Discussion Topics:
Recreational equality
Reconnecting with the land
Expanded eco-recreation
FULLY utilize existing resources
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- 1. We have to act in order to keep these available land resources and not lose
them – underutilized means it could be on the chopping block
2. How? Create an awareness campaign and let everyone know whats going
on
3. How? Create community forums
4. How? Use technology to put information at the fingertips of the people. If you
know it and its there you might use it.
As a Group: Public Awareness Campaigns
◦ community meetings/forums
◦ technology – information accessibility; through broad band
Kidd – Continue to develop/create broadband access point to bring the
information to the community
Tucker – Informational campaigns in the senior community
Taylor – use parks/preservers more, bike paths, trails
Overall 70-80% increase in Forest Preserve use in minority communities
nature centers
hiking trails
camping sites
equestrian parks
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Self-Sufficient and Self-Sustaining Communities
Social enterprise: LOCAL JOBS, LOCAL PEOPLE
Community businesses providing jobs
10% reduction in imported energy
Focus on cleanup
Increase in locally- owned coops in waste/recycling urban ag, energy and housing
Green economy (environmental projects and companies) provide many new jobs
(especially on the south side)
Discussion Topics:
Turn the resources into local value
Re-imagine land use
Providing continuous jobs
Creating micro and macro business
that are community owned and
operated
New urbanism
Re-purposing resources to improve
community and create jobs
Community self sufficiency
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- 1. Redefine self-determination as it applies to how housing is allocated and
managed
2. Create stronger landlord requirements and accountability
3. Redefine residency requirements
4. Create co-op Housing and Farmers every 10 miles
5. Have a 10% reduction in overall community energy either through efficiency
or community energy
6. Have a 35% reduction in solid waste to landfill through organic waste
collaboration & minimization of material flows
7. Have a 20% reduction in storm water leaving the community & comparable
reduction in Lake Michigan withdrawals
8. Increase in locally owned co-ops in sustainability areas like waste/recycling,
transportation, urban ag, housing, and retail/wholesale
9. New connection between vacant land & building via urban farmhouses,
hybrid housing/ag co-op passive
10. Locally owned, bio-diesel powered 'Gold Line' from 95th to Randolph, 10/15
minute service along Metra Electric
11. Dash Bus System
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Community Collaboration and Shared Power (Empowerment)
Empower voice from bottom-up
Building a political voice
Community grass roots organized events across organizations (schools, block clubs,
churches, businesses, government)
Stop gun violence – remove guns
Community grass roots organized events to get people together
Communities will have an easy method to stay connected
Community meetings with alderman and staff to support their programs and get support
for what we see is needed
Open and effective communications to end duplication and competition
Greening relationships across cultures
Restorative justice conversation
Discussion Topics:
Do we strive for empowerment or shared power?
Empowerment means competing for power - perpetuating hierarchy
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- 1. Use restorative justice teaching method to bring people together on
collaborative events.
2. Find cooperative ways for us to work together while still maintaining
individuality – how do we do that? Do we meet once a month? How do we
have this functioning collaboration?
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Community Based Agriculture
Eliminate food deserts
35% reduction in solid waste through organic waste recycling
More Farmers Markets
Fewer lawns and more gardens in front
Community based food production
Local aggregated food economies
(community based food production/businesses)
Maximize garden bounty
Discussion Topics:
Healthy people, healthy land
Farmers markets, back yard gardens
Every family should have a garden
Community agriculture should be there
for the people and not for profits
Increase agra-employment
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- Creating a Network of Gardeners
1. Business plan for Gardeners
2. Community Education for Gardens
3. Developing distribution infrastructure to maximize food production
4. Focus on identifying grant opportunities
All vacant lots – become community gardens and urban agriculture used toward local
food production
Have more cooperation between organization dealing with green energy
Way more compost being used
◦ better sorting of city waste
Have a sustainability department at all universities
Green roofs and green patches to catch water runoff
Better lake routes
Planting only (or more) native plants
Low income housing – what about rent control?
More local markets and street vendors
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Engaging and Preparing the Youth For a Sustainable Future
Youth engaged in community sustainability
instill hope within youth
More young leaders of environmental organizations and initiatives
Discussion Topics:
“For the Future” - the youth are the future
Youth focus: not re-education as a whole
Engage youth first
Preparing can be a one way activity while engagement can be two way
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- 1. We need to connect with a media focus and building a culture out of these
programs
2. At Roosevelt University we can create mandatory community service with an
office of engagement that would facilitate more collaboration and working
with other schools
3. Get participation from (all) High Schools and college students in community
projects
4. Have collaboration between urban agriculture groups and environmental
justice organizations
Individual accomplishments in the next 6 months
Jeanette Foreman – create media network to empower youth on the South
Side; create Black Youth Media group out of existing youth groups
Marcella Reddick – find students in need of service and connect them will
gardening projects
Dylan – Create office of engagement – work with Mansfield Institute of Social
Justice – Black media project with garden education – link BSU
Sally- Connect international experience, bring art into project
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Education for Real Life Skills
Multifaceted education through gardening
Annual skill sharing day
training disassociated people in sustainable technology
Jobs programs and education
social enterprise- local jobs local people
Curriculum to support training
CPS and charter schools have adopted environmental work
Discussion Topics:
Multifaceted education through gardening
Curriculum belongs to the educator but education belongs to the educated
Education as a central idea
Education for real life skills
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- 1. We could teach many real life skills through urban agriculture (ex.
entrepreneurship and the importance of local community and healthy
lifestyle and nutrition)
2. Imagine Englewood have that as a large portion of their organization and
strive to create awareness. Within the next 6 months – Imagine Englewood
wants to gather the community to have a session to teach about using urban
agriculture to educate. A77 will be a communication and collaboration
resource and Kadi Sisay will facilitate planning sessions.
Vision Workshop
What do we want to see in the south side in the next 1-3 years as a result of
our actions? ----------------------------
Residents Reclaim Assets and Land
Transition vacant land to community spaces
Self-determination of residency./landlord requirements
Broadband access for every household
Turn vacant houses into homeless student centers
Individual plans of action for each abandoned buildings
Discussion Topics:
The next 1-3 years will create more vacant land if we can't prevent all the houses
currently slated to be torn down from being destroyed.
Reclaiming resources for residents
We need to change how community assets are reclaimed
Small Group Work Notes---------------------------------------------------------- Residents reclaim assets = Power to the people
1. Given the newness of the cook county land bank – establishing locally elected
bodies within the next 6 months of this is critical
2. Get people ready to do this through the Center for Green Technology – establish SS
Center
Personal actions toward goal
Dick – visit/talk to Ben @CCGT to reclaim land
Joe – develop co-op (Action Plan Co-op) to redevelop land: create housing co-op
with shared resources
◦ finding low cost land to purchase & building co-ops
◦ creating local level for land trust
Sharon – maintain contacts in state land trust process/board
◦ create community dialogue in land trust process & involved with new legislation
◦ establish relationships with local business entities to set up housing placement
program for employees
(South Shore Sustainability Collaborative)
◦ Bringing CCGT & other
Collaborative Actions/ Long Term Actions
Dick & Sharon will meet with Ben from Neighbor Space to discuss how to reclaim land
Joe - Establish advisory groups in each community for Cook County Land Bank,
establish policies/guidelines for involvements in that process through lobbying &
creating awareness
South Side campus of CCGT (Sharon has location picked out) to bring resources &
classes to SS communities
Closing Reflections & Remarks
----------------------------
What did you experience here today?
“I experienced the opportunity for true connection and collaboration.”
“I see that there is a certain sense of shared values and vision for the world we say we want
to see”
“I see shared values but also a collection of one voice”
“I liked the diverse talent in this room and the different careers we are coming from and
that will be valuable if we harness them”
“It's very valuable to have organized that is centered geographically- specifically to the
South Side”
“What I get out of it Is inspiration – it reminds me that I have to keep doing what I’m doing
and get better at it because sometimes it's frustrating. It always inspires me to do this work”
“I'm encouraged. I do the work each day but you don't always see the results each day”
Who might we invite the next time?
The Youth! - things are always thrown at them rather than engaged with
Other organizations within these communities
Churches, the communities faith based organizations
Government officials
Progressive communication people – progressive community based media/PR
More educators so that we can have them to talk to the youth
What might we do differently?
More time doing concrete planning for something
Longer invitation online with an outline of groups and group summaries and then you
sign up for specific genres and then you know who and what you'll work on
Create facilitation for next meeting (chat board or a collaborative meeting space)
WHATS NEXT?
Group Decision:
NEXT SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY GATHERING
Sunday March 10th 3-6pm
Morgan Park Community Farm and Gardens
10970 South Vincennes