After a long day of traveling through Chicago our class ventured out to Altgeld Gardens, which was an experience I will never forget. The day was filled with travel, schools and food. When we arrived it was hot and we were tired from all of our visits to the other places. We sat down in the front office and Marguerite Jacobs began to tell us her story. The stories she told us almost made me, and some of my classmates, cry. She spoke to us about the injustices of the neighborhood. She told us that there were more than 4000 residents at Altgeld Gardens. She described the community as very close knit. She described the schools to us and what the children are dealing with. Her home and life work revolves around this community. Not only does her community view her as the mother hen of the neighborhood but they look to her for change.
Marguerite Jacobs is a representation of everything that is needed in this world. She told us about the conditions of the schools that the children attend. There is asbestos in the walls of one of the schools that the district wants to remodel. A remodel would mean tearing down the walls with the asbestos in them, but Marguerite Jacobs is trying to stop that. Children are already getting sick at the school and exposing them to more harmful chemicals would be murder.
I do not remember who asked her, but someone asked her a question similar to “how do you find the strength to do what you do?” She responded with that she cares. She said that if someone else didn’t do what she was doing, no one would! Marguerite Jacobs is a woman who makes things happen. She doesn’t let a limited education, money, or lack of faith get in her way. She is the type of woman that works harder when someone tells her it can’t be done. She is a voice for those who cannot, or will not speak. She is an inspiration to society and I wish her all the best in her endeavors.
What I learned about Altgeld Gardens is that it is not one of the projects of Chicago that is poverty stricken. It is a community with great leaders that fight for change and human rights, who just happen to be living in poverty.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Southwest Youth Collaborative
Getting to the youth center was as much of an experience as hearing what this place had to offer. Once we left our tour of Paseo Boricua we again used public transportation to get to the youth center. This involved four buses and two trains. We almost lost Cari when switching to the 72 bus because she wanted some ice cream and we got a four minute warning which was 30 seconds in reality. We had to walk slow and let the other people get on so that we didn't lose one. This was one of the longest days because of all the travel and all the heat. The buses were hot and the trains did not provide the cool that they had on the previous days. So, after what seemed like a full day of traveling we got off the second train and every one looked and felt groggy, not to leave out that we went the wrong way on one bus which caused the trip to be sooooo long. The bus from the train station to the center wasn't long at all, which was a big plus. Once we made it to the youth center they had been expecting us and we were put in a room with NO A/C....
At the center we got to meet 3 important people to the center. Mrs. Odeh, who was the executive director, Charity Toliver, who was the lead organizer and also noted that we all looked very tired, and Chris who was a volunteer at the center. At the center I got a great feel of community from all the people that talked to us. One thing that was mentioned was the fact that many if not all the kids were from the local community and the fact that they stayed involved with the program into their 20's. Mrs. Odeh gave us an overview of the community and how they came to be. The area they are located in was not always populated by the African American community. They started off by being a heavily German dominated area and a very racist area. The park located at the end of the block was the same park that Dr. King walked in and was stoned by the people from the area. After time and time again of the community being broken down and built up again we have what it is now. The room we were in held a piece of art that told us of how much the community has changed over time. The first two slides told of what kind of people have populated the area over the years. The middle piece told us of the present and the last slide told us of what the future was to bring, Peace or Destruction.
The Southwest Youth Collaborative is a center for the local kids to escape the violence of the area. These kids here face and see violence on a regular basis and are, with the help of the center, working towards a future of success. This was seen when we heard the young man Chris tell us of how the center has helped him throughout his life. He was a 23 year old that had been in the center when he was a very young child. He got into much trouble in his teenage years because he worried more about taking care of his family and had to do what ever it was possible to provide for them. After some years away from the center he said he returned so that he could better himself as a person and provide himself as a role model for other kids of the community. Chris is a very inspiring young man that expressed his future steps towards going to college and receiving a college education... Maybe even at Coe..
After Chris was done talking we were invited to join the center in their bake sale. Outside they had grilled hamburgers, and hot dogs and all sorts of candy. I bought a Hamburger and I must say it was well worth the cost. Much better than McDonalds! The stop at the Youth Collaborative was the most exciting for me because of the fact that I was offered a job from the center. This isn't a for sure thing if I don't take the steps towards it, but the idea of moving to Chicago became greater and my interest increased a great deal. The Southwest Youth Collaborative has the full support of the community and should be around for many years to come and continue to provide a beacon of hope in the lives of these young children. To leave we had the joy of riding back in the van and didn't need to use Public Transportation, and when we found that out everyone in the group seemed to end the trip a bit more excited!
Getting to the youth center was as much of an experience as hearing what this place had to offer. Once we left our tour of Paseo Boricua we again used public transportation to get to the youth center. This involved four buses and two trains. We almost lost Cari when switching to the 72 bus because she wanted some ice cream and we got a four minute warning which was 30 seconds in reality. We had to walk slow and let the other people get on so that we didn't lose one. This was one of the longest days because of all the travel and all the heat. The buses were hot and the trains did not provide the cool that they had on the previous days. So, after what seemed like a full day of traveling we got off the second train and every one looked and felt groggy, not to leave out that we went the wrong way on one bus which caused the trip to be sooooo long. The bus from the train station to the center wasn't long at all, which was a big plus. Once we made it to the youth center they had been expecting us and we were put in a room with NO A/C....
At the center we got to meet 3 important people to the center. Mrs. Odeh, who was the executive director, Charity Toliver, who was the lead organizer and also noted that we all looked very tired, and Chris who was a volunteer at the center. At the center I got a great feel of community from all the people that talked to us. One thing that was mentioned was the fact that many if not all the kids were from the local community and the fact that they stayed involved with the program into their 20's. Mrs. Odeh gave us an overview of the community and how they came to be. The area they are located in was not always populated by the African American community. They started off by being a heavily German dominated area and a very racist area. The park located at the end of the block was the same park that Dr. King walked in and was stoned by the people from the area. After time and time again of the community being broken down and built up again we have what it is now. The room we were in held a piece of art that told us of how much the community has changed over time. The first two slides told of what kind of people have populated the area over the years. The middle piece told us of the present and the last slide told us of what the future was to bring, Peace or Destruction.
The Southwest Youth Collaborative is a center for the local kids to escape the violence of the area. These kids here face and see violence on a regular basis and are, with the help of the center, working towards a future of success. This was seen when we heard the young man Chris tell us of how the center has helped him throughout his life. He was a 23 year old that had been in the center when he was a very young child. He got into much trouble in his teenage years because he worried more about taking care of his family and had to do what ever it was possible to provide for them. After some years away from the center he said he returned so that he could better himself as a person and provide himself as a role model for other kids of the community. Chris is a very inspiring young man that expressed his future steps towards going to college and receiving a college education... Maybe even at Coe..
After Chris was done talking we were invited to join the center in their bake sale. Outside they had grilled hamburgers, and hot dogs and all sorts of candy. I bought a Hamburger and I must say it was well worth the cost. Much better than McDonalds! The stop at the Youth Collaborative was the most exciting for me because of the fact that I was offered a job from the center. This isn't a for sure thing if I don't take the steps towards it, but the idea of moving to Chicago became greater and my interest increased a great deal. The Southwest Youth Collaborative has the full support of the community and should be around for many years to come and continue to provide a beacon of hope in the lives of these young children. To leave we had the joy of riding back in the van and didn't need to use Public Transportation, and when we found that out everyone in the group seemed to end the trip a bit more excited!
Roosevelt High School
On Monday the “B” Team headed north to learning how to get around Chicago using the Public Transportation System. We made it to Roosevelt High School with no problems. We met with one of the Assistant Principals, Ms. Josefina Melendez. She explained to us the community surrounding the school, the diverse student body, and the extra programs provided through the school for the students. Refugees from all around the world come to this area and this makes Roosevelt a very diverse school. Because it is so diverse, Ms. Melendez explained that students tend to not form cliques. The school also has many programs in place to help their students, including ELL programs to a health center available for free to students and their families.
Ms. Melendez shared many experiences about different students who have come into the school over the years. The struggles that these students face coming into a new country and a new school. Many of the students haven't been at school recently and have to deal with the cultural differences.
Roosevelt realizes how the community and home life of their students is directly related to their school and providing the free health care program is a way to help their students' have one less thing to worry about.
Ms. Melendez shared many experiences about different students who have come into the school over the years. The struggles that these students face coming into a new country and a new school. Many of the students haven't been at school recently and have to deal with the cultural differences.
Roosevelt realizes how the community and home life of their students is directly related to their school and providing the free health care program is a way to help their students' have one less thing to worry about.
Barrel of Monkeys Presents "That's Weird, Grandma"
Monday night we ended our long day with "That's Weird, Grandma," a theater production by Barrel of Monkeys. It was such a fun way to end our second night in the city. I am pretty sure everyone really enjoyed themselves. I sure know I did! The Barrel of Monkeys teach creative writing in the Chicago Public Schools and then the actors perform first for the school where the student attends and then for the public. The school program is six weeks where they go into the classrooms and work with students and allow them to write whatever they wish. They follow a curriculum and give young students the opportunity to use their imagination and put their own stories to life. Barrel of Monkeys has worked in 32 Chicago Public Schools and more than 7,000 low-income students have had the opportunity to work with the Barrel of Monkey staff. They also have an after-school program. The goals of the after-school program are to build the students’ self-esteem and their enthusiasm for creative writing and performing.
You can tell the actors that work with the students are very enthusiastic and very motivated to have fun with the students. They have wonder personalities and you can tell they love their jobs. Some of the stories we talked about after we left were Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich/Red Black Dragon. This story was about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that came to life into a red and black dragon. Another one that was stuck in my head along with Danielle and Emily’s was I Am Foggylog with a Long Tail. We found ourselves walking through downtown Chicago singing parts of this poem. Some of the stories are written with so much imagination and I think that’s what makes them so great. Students need time to use their own imaginations and write about something they like. No two weeks are the same. They let you vote at the end of the show what stories you liked the most and what ones you could go without seeing. This would make me go back every week to see how it changes. At the end of the show some of us supported the non-profit organization by buying Barrel of Monkey t-shirts!
I think everyone was very impressed by the stories and production put on by the Barrel of Monkeys. I would for sure go back in the future when I am in Chicago.
Kenwood Academy
On Tuesday, June 25th we visited Kenwood Academy. Kenwood Academy is a neighborhood school located in Hyde Park. It was recognized as one of the nations Best High Schools and received a Silver Medal from US News World Report. It's mission is to engage students toward, one word: college. Students at Kenwood take rigorous classes that prepare students for college level work.
On Tuesday, we entered the building and went through the metal detector and gave our ids to the security guard before being escorted to the library. The Library was beautiful, two story building with tons of books, computers, and quiet places to study. While at Kenwood we had a chance to talk to the assistant principal, Mr. Narain, who was a fellow student of Kenwood Academy, math teacher, and now part of the administration staff. He had three very different perspectives on the school which were very interesting to hear about. Mr. Narain received a great education from Kenwood Academy that prepared him well for college. After college he came back to his high school to teach high school math. He mentioned that the need for teachers right now are in math and science areas. He went back to school for his masters in education and became an assistant principal. Mr. Narain was young as an administrator, but other staff respected him because of his knowledge and background of Kenwood. One problem that the school has are people enrolling in school but lying about their address. Because Kenwood is a neighborhood school to be enrolled in the school, the student's housing must fall within the premises of the school's district. Kenwood has a great reputation and many parents try to get their students into the school so that they don't have to send them somewhere else.
We also talked to people who run the GEAR-UP Program. The program has ran for five years starting in 6th grade and 7th grade and now the counselors are with same class who are current sophomores and juniors this year. The GEAR-UP Program is to help students to prepare for college and keep students on track for graduation and course prep work. The program also helps work with parents helping them with fininacial aid opportunities, FASFA form and preparing the parents for when their students leave for college.
We also meet with the local community members who are on the school board for Kenwood as well as other staff members. They all love where they are at in life and their community and they encouraged us to find something that we are passionate about and something that we love to do.
On Tuesday, we entered the building and went through the metal detector and gave our ids to the security guard before being escorted to the library. The Library was beautiful, two story building with tons of books, computers, and quiet places to study. While at Kenwood we had a chance to talk to the assistant principal, Mr. Narain, who was a fellow student of Kenwood Academy, math teacher, and now part of the administration staff. He had three very different perspectives on the school which were very interesting to hear about. Mr. Narain received a great education from Kenwood Academy that prepared him well for college. After college he came back to his high school to teach high school math. He mentioned that the need for teachers right now are in math and science areas. He went back to school for his masters in education and became an assistant principal. Mr. Narain was young as an administrator, but other staff respected him because of his knowledge and background of Kenwood. One problem that the school has are people enrolling in school but lying about their address. Because Kenwood is a neighborhood school to be enrolled in the school, the student's housing must fall within the premises of the school's district. Kenwood has a great reputation and many parents try to get their students into the school so that they don't have to send them somewhere else.
We also talked to people who run the GEAR-UP Program. The program has ran for five years starting in 6th grade and 7th grade and now the counselors are with same class who are current sophomores and juniors this year. The GEAR-UP Program is to help students to prepare for college and keep students on track for graduation and course prep work. The program also helps work with parents helping them with fininacial aid opportunities, FASFA form and preparing the parents for when their students leave for college.
We also meet with the local community members who are on the school board for Kenwood as well as other staff members. They all love where they are at in life and their community and they encouraged us to find something that we are passionate about and something that we love to do.
Betty Shabazz International Charter School
Tuesday morning we woke up early to leave our floor at 7:30am heading to the Betty Shabazz School. This was a charter school that was created in order to create future African-American leaders for the African society. In comparison to all the other schools we visited Betty Shabazz was by far the most interesting once it comes to school culture. Arriving in the morning we were instructed to the cafeteria. We initially were crowded in a corner, but when the more and more kids started to trickle in we were instructed to join in by being a part of the outer circle. Inside the cafeteria there was an inner single and outer circle was a combination of students and staff. There were drums that had an African culture to it. They were wearing African type clothing and the beat they were playing was recognizable as African culture as well. There was a series of clapping and signing that I could not recognize because it was in African language. During the ceremony they brought in an African Flag and with one fist risen in the air they, in unison, said their pledge to their future. I did not get the pledge words exact, but it spoke of liberation and being risen (power). Also during the ceremony there actions that all the students did to stand at attention when it was called. They stood at attention by clutching your right hand in a fist and then crossing arms and tucking the fist under the arm and the other hand grasping your right arm. They even had a relaxed 
state, where their fist would be held by their hand in front. After being introduced in front of the whole school in the middle circle we moved in to another room where we sat in a big circle for personal introductions and asking questions. The older lady that seemed to be the host for our discussions greeted everyone in the room with a hug and there were about 30 people in the room. I really loved how she hugged everyone individual in the room and even connected with each person by looking into their eyes. Giving the hug is an action of caring that was huge in showing the amount of care she possessed for everyone, but looking into each person’s eyes showed I see you the individual and each hug is special. After our group discussion the 8th grade class was split among each Coe student and we went on a tour of the classrooms. Once walking into our first classroom we were introduced by our 8th grade hosts in the African language. I was introduced as Babba Kevin, which Babba represented me as being respected by the students. Then the entire class at a stand and in attention stance welcomed me in the African language. I felt stunned to be given this much attention and felt like I was taking away from their education and being a distraction. Another thing that gave me an uncomfortable feeling was the eerie feeling I got when thinking about the amount of control the teachers had on their children. It definitely had a military feel for a school, but it some cases structure and control is something that is needed in students’ lives. It seemed that these were really successful students with high test scores, but with the high test scores it seemed that a majority of the students had career goals in performing arts. I remember my middle school days and how I wanted to become a college basketball player, but I also really wanted to become a coach and teacher. These are the careers I’m still aiming for and it seems in a couple years I will be in position to accomplish my dream. Talking with the students after the tours I asked about their homes and if they lived near each other and who they hung out with after school. They seemed hang together for the most part since some students lived somewhat close to each other. I didn't get a great perspective on how they saw their public school friends and whether they spent time together. Since I play basketball at Coe College it was easy to talk to Glen, who seemed to be the basketball stud for the Betty Shabazz team. He is off to Saint Francis and he seemed to realize just how good of a foundation he had to build up on as a result of his schooling. I really hope to check up on Saint Francis in a couple years and see Glen Williams play, because most likely I will be doing a grad assistant position or just helping out with recruiting for the basketball team.
state, where their fist would be held by their hand in front. After being introduced in front of the whole school in the middle circle we moved in to another room where we sat in a big circle for personal introductions and asking questions. The older lady that seemed to be the host for our discussions greeted everyone in the room with a hug and there were about 30 people in the room. I really loved how she hugged everyone individual in the room and even connected with each person by looking into their eyes. Giving the hug is an action of caring that was huge in showing the amount of care she possessed for everyone, but looking into each person’s eyes showed I see you the individual and each hug is special. After our group discussion the 8th grade class was split among each Coe student and we went on a tour of the classrooms. Once walking into our first classroom we were introduced by our 8th grade hosts in the African language. I was introduced as Babba Kevin, which Babba represented me as being respected by the students. Then the entire class at a stand and in attention stance welcomed me in the African language. I felt stunned to be given this much attention and felt like I was taking away from their education and being a distraction. Another thing that gave me an uncomfortable feeling was the eerie feeling I got when thinking about the amount of control the teachers had on their children. It definitely had a military feel for a school, but it some cases structure and control is something that is needed in students’ lives. It seemed that these were really successful students with high test scores, but with the high test scores it seemed that a majority of the students had career goals in performing arts. I remember my middle school days and how I wanted to become a college basketball player, but I also really wanted to become a coach and teacher. These are the careers I’m still aiming for and it seems in a couple years I will be in position to accomplish my dream. Talking with the students after the tours I asked about their homes and if they lived near each other and who they hung out with after school. They seemed hang together for the most part since some students lived somewhat close to each other. I didn't get a great perspective on how they saw their public school friends and whether they spent time together. Since I play basketball at Coe College it was easy to talk to Glen, who seemed to be the basketball stud for the Betty Shabazz team. He is off to Saint Francis and he seemed to realize just how good of a foundation he had to build up on as a result of his schooling. I really hope to check up on Saint Francis in a couple years and see Glen Williams play, because most likely I will be doing a grad assistant position or just helping out with recruiting for the basketball team. Verbal Balance at the Corner Cafe
This was quite the interesting experience for our group. As we walked it we definitely looked out of place but were greeted with a friendly upbeat atmosphere. The café was located at 8458 South Green Street Chicago. As far as what the café had to offer it seemed to be pretty modern with T.V.s in the back and an ample amount of seating room. As far as coffee goes I had a vanilla late that was amazing! Nothing better than a coffee at 10:00pm at night. They hosted the Verbal balance which is an ensemble of different talents. Some use spoken word and others use song to convey their talent and life stories. As their faceboook page says they are “Speaking Words that elevate nations, blowing the mind of masses, Journeying to places never seen before....” “We Are Chicago Spoken Word at its Best. The group is a nationally recognized and award winning ensemble and have been doing weekly performances since 2005.
The performance began with a witty host who introduced the group and gave a short performance herself. She didn’t win over the heart of Kevin right away because of the fact he was a guy and told the guys they needed to stand for the ladies in the room to have a seat. After that Kevin stood back a bit looking grumpy but at least seemed to like it more as the show went on. And as it went on, I learned a lesson in that if the crowd is doing something you should be too. While being technologically dumb I was trying to figure out my phone and how to record on it. While doing so I was caught in the act or not acting since I wasn’t clapping the 7 times I was supposed to with the large group, and from then on was used in various ways to make a few jokes out of, and entertain the crowd.
We heard some amazing performances that ranged from serious stories, humorous poetry, and very emotional acts. One performance that was talked about for the remainder of the trip was by FM Supreme and her song Crazy Mama. Her song told us about her complications and while not “toting the Lama” in which we learned all about thanks to Cedric. What surprised us the most though about her act was her “sexy seizure,” in which she fell to the floor in front of our surprised professor and began whaling around. One of the more clever poems was about a guy telling us about his love life which also startled us until the end we were shown the connection he was talking about his pen and pencil.
One of the more serious performances was by Red Storm in which he laid out many of his struggles to us using a serious and witty choice of words that blended in a way that shown his emotional strife to the audience.
Overall this was a unique experience for our group in which we were able to see a different side of Chicago which wasn’t laced with shopping bags, pretty flowers and sculptures.
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Verbal-Balance/291186846448?v=info#!/pages/Verbal-Balance/291186846448?v=wall
Myspace- http://www.myspace.com/verbalbalance
The performance began with a witty host who introduced the group and gave a short performance herself. She didn’t win over the heart of Kevin right away because of the fact he was a guy and told the guys they needed to stand for the ladies in the room to have a seat. After that Kevin stood back a bit looking grumpy but at least seemed to like it more as the show went on. And as it went on, I learned a lesson in that if the crowd is doing something you should be too. While being technologically dumb I was trying to figure out my phone and how to record on it. While doing so I was caught in the act or not acting since I wasn’t clapping the 7 times I was supposed to with the large group, and from then on was used in various ways to make a few jokes out of, and entertain the crowd.
We heard some amazing performances that ranged from serious stories, humorous poetry, and very emotional acts. One performance that was talked about for the remainder of the trip was by FM Supreme and her song Crazy Mama. Her song told us about her complications and while not “toting the Lama” in which we learned all about thanks to Cedric. What surprised us the most though about her act was her “sexy seizure,” in which she fell to the floor in front of our surprised professor and began whaling around. One of the more clever poems was about a guy telling us about his love life which also startled us until the end we were shown the connection he was talking about his pen and pencil.
One of the more serious performances was by Red Storm in which he laid out many of his struggles to us using a serious and witty choice of words that blended in a way that shown his emotional strife to the audience.
Overall this was a unique experience for our group in which we were able to see a different side of Chicago which wasn’t laced with shopping bags, pretty flowers and sculptures.
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Verbal-Balance/291186846448?v=info#!/pages/Verbal-Balance/291186846448?v=wall
Myspace- http://www.myspace.com/verbalbalance
Chinatown
It was the first night in Chicago and already being hit by new culture in Chicago. We went to Chinatown! We didn’t have a ton of time for exploration throughout Chinatown, but rather grabbing a bite to eat and maybe stopping in some tourist gift shop traps. After a block in we decided the safe bet for a restaurant would be choosing the one with the biggest sign. That restaurant was called Won Koh. Once getting our table the environment was very oriental and almost everyone that worked in the building was Asian as well. Then entire area was predominantly Asian and that was to be expected, since it is a tourist attraction and there are deep Asian roots in the area. This area was selected for Asians to settle in Chicago, during the time much of the city was being divided by ethnicity. I personally have not been really treated to Asian cuisine in my lifetime and only have and want one thing. General Tso’s chicken is my favorite and I was not going to budge when my classmates were trying to convince me to get the family meal plan. I didn’t think I could still get the only Asian food I liked and went and ordered a single meal while everyone received a family meal plan. Once the food came out they placed all the family meal plan meals on this rotating huge plate in the middle. It could be rotated to get a taste of all the different foods. I was amazed by this creation of a rotating middle section, but since I was lost in communication I did not receive the family meal plan with General Tso’s Chicken. Luckily the Asian waitress was a good sport and felt bad for me due to my stupidity and allowed me to share or basically other people’s meals. This is just another point towards the importance of communication in life and when working with others. After everyone seemed done with the meal there was a huge amount of leftovers. It was to the point that I thought we might be eating Chinese Food the rest of the week. About 5 or 7 boxes full of leftovers! Once officially done with the meal we had limited time to explore the area and so we went our separate ways. Personally I love the sucker gift shops. I went in and got a Shiny Buddha and an authentic bamboo hat. How do I know it’s authentic? Because it was made in China the sticker tells me so. After the quick round of shopping and exploring we all met back up outside the Chinatown archways entrance and headed back to Hyde Park for the night.
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