Edible Chicago Spring 24 Issue No. 3

edible CHICAGO

Transforming Communities

Loba Pastry | Indie Grocers Dion's Chicago Dream | Urban Growers Collective | Spring Wines

Photo Megan Marshall

Photo: Megan Marshall

edible CHICAGO Spring 2024

PUBLISHER and EDITOR IN CHIEF

Megan Marshall

COPY EDITOR

Megan Ashley

ADVERTISING

advertise@ediblechicago.com

PRINT DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Bruce Cole

CONTRIBUTORS

Ellen Osborne

Dario Durham

Laura Scherb

Sara Faddah

Xiao Faria da Cunha

Contact Us

Edible Chicago PO Box 47045 Chicago, IL 60647 info@ediblechicago.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Andersonville, Austin, Avondale, Back of the Yards, Bronzeville, Chinatown, Englewood, Humboldt Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Logan Square, Pullman, Roscoe Village, South Chicago, and West Town.

With our third issue, we’ve now shared stories from 16 Chicago community areas. Before taking an issue to print, measure our array of content back against our mission: connecting readers to the makers, producers, and innovators building a more resilient, sustainable food system in Chicago. We certainly have much to learn and more to do – not to mention 61 other neighborhoods that are just as worthy, but I’m proud of this edition and our contributors for bringing those 16 neighborhoods a bit closer over the last three editions.

As advocates for sustainability and community, we’re showcasing the efforts of local initiatives working to promote food justice and environmental stewardship. From urban gardens fostering connection to land in the heart of the city, to grassroots organizations advocating for equitable access to fresh, nutritious food, the stories you’re reading remind us of the power of food.

And our journey continues. We’re expanding with the upcoming spring and summer months. Edible Chicago will be hitting the road to visit farms, attend community events, and connect with local producers and artisans — all in the name of connection. And speaking of, the importance of connection cannot be overstated. And no, I don’t mean in the sense of a corporate return to office campaign. While we strive to bring you compelling stories through the pages of Edible Chicago, there's something powerful about coming together face-to-face. Whether it's at one of our events, a local farmers market, or over a cup of coffee, encourage you to reach out and connect with me. With the team and our contributors. And with our story subjects and advertising partners. Your feedback, ideas, and stories drive us all forward, and we value every one of them.

As this issue is released, we’re hosting a launch party at Hopewell Brewing Co. on March 14. Learn more and sign-up at ediblechicago.com. And if you miss us this time, sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter. We share issue previews and event announcements with subscribers first.

Megan Marshall (she/her) Publisher and Editor-in-Chief megan@ediblechicago.com

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Transforming Communities Through Hospitality, Mentorship, and Artistic Collaboration with Bronzeville Winery

By Xiao Faria da Cunha

Alegendary partnership built upon mutual respect and values, Bronzeville Winery has quickly become a community staple after two years of rapid growth—and was recently awarded “Best Hospitality” at Chicago’s Jean Banchet Awards. What can entrepreneurs and restaurateurs in disinvested communities learn from its success? Co-owners Eric Williams and Cecilia Cuff sat with Edible Chicago and shared their journey behind creating a space designed to engage, activate, and elevate the community.

Xiao Faria daCunha (Xiao): My first question is about the structure: Why did you choose to start a winery restaurant?

Eric Williams (Eric): The owner of this space wanted me to do another Silver Room, but I knew a restaurant and hospitality were needed here. Nowadays, more Black people are into wine. So why spend money at a restaurant that doesn’t reflect the local community? That’s why I wanted to build a wine-focused restaurant.

Xiao: Are you hoping to use this space to activate the community and raise interest?

Eric: Only 20% of our guests are knowledgeable about wine. Most have only a vague idea of what they may enjoy. This space is centered around wine but definitely focuses on the community.

Cecilia Cuff (Cici): COVID-19 shifted interest toward the educational factor: Everyone wanted to learn to make bread or beer at home. We saw the same shift in our community as people finally had time to think about where and from whom their wine came. The story behind [each wine] is an important part that dictates our menu. For example, you can try four different wines in our wine flight. Right now, we have four women-owned wines [featured in a flight]. We’ve also done all Black-owned wines.

Xiao: What about your mentorship programs? That’s part of your education too, yes?

Cici: Yes. And it has two components. For one, Chef Lamar, a seasoned, awardwinning chef, will mentor Chef Dundee in becoming an executive chef. The second part is that 85-90% of our culinary team want to open their own restaurant or space one day, so we help them prepare for that—whether it’s learning [culinary] skills or understanding how to operate a business. The idea is nobody works here for more than a year or two. We want them to move on with their projects.

"Only 20% of our guests are knowledgeable about wine. Most have only a vague idea of what they may enjoy. This space is centered around wine but definitely focuses on the community."

—Eric Williams

Left: Bronzeville Winery's bustling happy hour. Photo ©Michelle Litvin Studio

Xiao: Basically, you’re building a hospitality collective.

Eric: That’s the goal. We want someone to start from being a dishwasher here to running their own thing.

Xiao: How has Bronzeville Winery engaged with the local community besides being a hangout spot? Have you collaborated with other local businesses and leaders?

Eric: We are deeply connected with local artists and let them show their work in public. The same goes for our music and the DJs. We also offer our space for fundraisers and other private events. The idea is to keep everyone here in the neighborhood.

Xiao: And what would you say is the biggest takeaway from running this project?

Cici: Bronzeville Winery showed me that Chicago has many opportunities for entrepreneurs. This space has activated the block and created more safety and visibility than most would have imagined. We hear long-time residents say they’d never expected a space like this in this community. And I think how they’re treated makes a big difference.

Xiao: It’s the respect.

Cici: Yes. And after seeing that impact, I want to work more with entrepreneurs on the South and West Sides, especially in disinvested communities.

Xiao: What about the future? Is anything exciting on the horizon for Bronzeville Winery?

Cici: Eric and I are going to Portugal and Spain in April to make our first Bronzeville Winery wine. That wine will act as a mentorship program in partnership with our existing non-profit to create more minority and women sommeliers. Each vintage will also partner with a different artist on the label — a part of the effort is ensuring every artist earns a liveable wage from the labels.

Eric: Licensing..

Cici: Plus, the amplification of the artists. Get their name out.

Xiao: Anything else?

Cici: We want to bring a James Beard nomination or a Michelin star to the South Side. That will mean a lot to the neighborhood as it redefines what “best” means in the culinary world. Does it always mean the best-looking food and the most exclusive ingredients, or should it be about what’s best for your community?

Eric: And we want Bronzeville Winery to help people in other areas build a positive association with the neighborhood. It happens a thousand times; it will change how people look at this community. Music, art, culture, hospitality. That’s what this neighborhood is about. e

The bar at Bronzeville Winery features an assortment of bottles on tap. Photo: Daniel Kelleghan

Eight Years In with Loba Pastry + Coffee

By: Laura Scherb

ONthe corner of Addison and Lincoln, under a criss-crossing of train tracks, a small miracle unfolds every day as Loba Pastry + Coffee serves imaginative baked goods from behind wintery fogged-up windows. The pastries on offer are surprising in flavor and flawless in technique. The coffee is strong, and the vibe is just right—especially because laptops are banned. And if this all seems like an exciting, new development, then rest assured: it’s not.

In fact, Loba celebrated eight years of business in January. Loba, owned by Valeria Socorro Velazquez Lindsten, could be likened to a phoenix rising from the ashes. Originally located a few blocks south, Loba temporarily closed in 2021 to move. After multiple construction delays, three crowdfunding raises, and an incredible effort on behalf of Velazquez Lindsten, the new space opened in May 2023. Since then, Velazquez Lindsten has been recognized as a Jean Banchet nominee and a James Beard semi-finalist. “I still can’t believe it,” said Velazquez Lindsten. “It’s been a long time coming, but still a huge surprise. I can’t take all the credit either—about half of my team has been with me for quite a few years now, and they’re a part of this too.”

The staff, the space, and the offerings are all a reflection of the care that Velazquez Lindsten has for what she does. “Here, we have lots of attention to detail and care for the customer, which you typically only get in high-end, fancy restaurants,” she said. “I wanted that everyday for everybody.”

That care is clear, especially as you listen to staff members eloquently and patiently explaining the pastries in the case.

“There’s a lot here that you don’t find anywhere else, so we’re ready for the questions,” said Velazquez Lindsten. The pastries stand out in a sea of croissants for many reasons— their textures, flavors, and aesthetics are all uniquely Loba. Though mole croissants are a Sunday staple on the menu, Velazquez Lindsten said that the highlights at Loba are the other pastries with interesting and intricate flavors. “None of the pastries are very showy,” laughed Velazquez Lindsten. “My favorite flavor is [produced by] caramelization, and I love a crunchy texture, so lots of times the only color in the case is brown.”

The offerings at Loba have been created with the community in mind. When cannelés had a moment, Velazquez Lindsten realized that some of her customers avoiding alcohol for religious reasons wouldn’t be able to

The offerings at Loba have been created with the community in mind. When cannelés had a moment, Velazquez Lindsten realized that some of her customers avoiding alcohol for religious reasons wouldn’t be able to enjoy them. She changed the recipe to accommodate that fact, then looked even closer. The cannelés also had to be baked in copper molds, which was an involved process. “It wasn’t that couldn’t do it,” said Velazquez Lindsten. “But I said to myself: what if I could make a version that worked better for me?” She took out the gluten in a nod to her gluten-free customers, used a different mold to make the process easier on her staff, and a Loba staple—the sesame emme—was born.

Engaging with and responding to the community has been foundational to Loba since it first opened. “It’s just being a good neighbor,” said Velazquez Lindsten. “I’m the owner/operator. I’m there all the time, and I see what people need and where we’re lacking. It’s hospitality, it’s being present, it’s kindness. Customers are very important. They’re the ones who keep the business afloat, so it’s not hard to want to make them happy.”

After a long winter, Loba is shining once again with delightful pastries, warm hospitality, and thoughtful care. Visit at 3600 N Lincoln Ave., from 9am-2pm every day but Wednesdays.

Sipping Spring:

Chicago's Wine

Much like the food we eat, beverages follow a certain seasonality. During the bridge seasons in Chicago, I lean on a glass of wine to romanticize an unexpectedly cold fall evening and to eagerly pull spring into March. With this in mind, Edible Chicago asked a handful of our favorite wine experts to share their picks for spring. —Megan Marshall

Koppitsch 'Abendrot'

It has everything! Coferment! Skin contact! Semicarbonic maceration! Lesser known varietals! A blend of Welschriesling and Rosenmuskateller and a few other grapes highlighting their Neuberg vineyard in the Leithaberg mountains of Austria. Ginger ale notes on the nose, acerola cherry flavor vibes, soft cheery acid and easygoing texture. A fun bridge between a red and rose, with the zip of a white. $36 —Maeve Hall, Easy Does It

Llewelyn ‘Juvenilia’ 2022

Pete Bloomberg has been working on the Llewelyn project for the past few years in the same cellar as his mentor, California visionary, Caleb Leisure. Juvenilia is what he calls an “everything but the kitchen sink” wine. An assemblage of Chenin Blanc, Carignane (as both red and rosé), Chardonnay, and a dash of Syrah piquette makes for a pink wine that drinks more white than rosé. It drinks gently like the blush of the earth waking up after a long slumber and is as uplifting as seeing the first crocuses peek out of the soil. $38 —Emily, Diversey Wine

Domaine Paul Blanck Pinot Noir Classique

Paul Blanck Pinot Noir is from Alsace, France. Alsace is known for making incredible white wines. I believe it is harder to make great white wine than it is red; so, if a great white winemaker makes a red wine, it’s likely going to be fantastic—and this Pinot Noir does not disappoint. Alsace’s Vosges Mountains combine

beauty and balance making the wine dry, juicy & fruity, and one of the lightest Pinot Noir wines on the market.

This light red wine is great with a slight chill, which is perfect for spring when temperatures vacillate from day to night. This is a wine that’ll make you rethink and fall in love with Pinot Noir all at once. $30

—Derrick C. Westbrook, Bronzeville Winery

COS ‘Nero di Lupo’ 2022

This light, fresh natural wine is perfect for spring. A 100% Nero d’Avola from Sicily, Nero di Lupo shows tons of fruit with some savory notes on the back end. Red cherry, watermelon, but also coffee grounds and broken-in leather. Throw a slight chill on it before drinking and you’ll be insanely satisfied. $30

—Leigh Ervine, All Together Now

Domaine de la Sénéchalière (Marc Pesnot) “La Bohème" 2022

As soon as I’m ready to wrestle myself out of my winterized cocoon in Ravenswood Manor, I pop open a bottle of Marc Pesnot’s ‘La Bohème’ Muscadet and commune with my seasonal desires. Why is it that winter offers no truly memorable scents, whereas spring makes me think of an abundance of smells?

Pesnot’s work introduces itself as one of those odors — bit salty, slightly acidic but with warm sunny undertones: crisp linen worn on warm nights, the sour embrace of fermenting fruit, cracked asphalt, bubbling kitchens and the overbearing perfume of Callery pear. I’m continuously enchanted by this wine’s tension. Naples yellow in the glass, complex, playful and textured; dripping in gastronomic star potential. Open a bottle at your first dinner party of the season and I guarantee praise from on high! $28

—Lauren Hunter Lee, Red & White Wines

Indie Grocers Rising

Nurturing Local Connections, Supporting Small Producers, and Shaping an Independent Food Economy in Chicago

By Ellen Osborne | Photos by Megan Marshall

Iam on the phone with Dileep Gangolli, the co-owner of the Green Grocer, a small upscale convenience store located in the West Loop. His voice is kind and thoughtful as he tells me about all the ways he’s had to change his store in the past few years. He used to stock more things such as fresh groceries, but he’s had to slim down his inventory and instead focuses on pantry staples, local beers, and imported wines that offer a good quality for price. “A lot of people adopted online grocery delivery as a permanent change," said Gangolli. “With more of our customers working from home, we get less foot traffic and we just aren’t equipped to compete with online stores.” This all makes a lot of sense to me, and it also depresses me.

When I pitched this article to Edible Chicago I admittedly had some biases. I love a good independent grocer who supports local and is also affordable. But that’s getting harder to find. I’ve been wondering what the impact of rising inflation, difficulty with hiring, and the increase in app/online purchases has had on the few remaining independent grocers in Chicago. I expected a lot of the smaller stores to give me the standard reasons as to why they struggle with finding local suppliers (i.e., sourcing locally takes more time, costs more, and the selection can be limited). This line of thinking caused me to doubt the impact independent grocers actually have when it comes to supporting our food economy. And because independent grocers typically do cost more on average than a large corporate chain, I wanted to know: Does it really make a difference shopping independent versus a corporate grocery chain? And why should I, or anyone, seek out independent grocers and spend my money there when it might be easier and cheaper to go to a corporate chain?

So I ask Gangolli a really direct question: “What do you bring to your community?”

Gangolli responds with an extremely humble answer of “I’m not sure. I’m not sure what the community actually requires, I’m trying to figure it out.” And then asks if it’s alright if he puts me on hold. You see, he’s working at his store, and although we’ve been chatting for almost ten minutes, a customer just walked into the store and he needs to ring them up. But Gangolli doesn’t actually put me on hold, instead he just sets down the phone and I’m able to overhear him. He greets the customer by name, chats with her about what she’s planning to make (french fries) and asks if she’s going to double fry them (yes). He even makes a comment about how it would be cheaper to just go and buy some already made (it’s too cold outside and hers

“A guy came into our store and said ‘I just started this company.’ He’s this local Chicago guy who makes a pimento cheese called Bif Cheese; I tried it and I loved it. I told him great, let’s get you in our store to do some tastings ... Now he’s in over 30 stores across Chicago and we sell out every week.”

will be better), and then when I think this can’t go on much longer he asks how the construction in her building is going (the plumbing is taking forever). The man who claims he doesn’t know what he adds to his community is back on the phone again, and I ask how many customers he knows, to which he says “only about half I know.” I end the interview with a bit of joy knowing that in a small shop in the West Loop where ‘only about half’ is no small number of people, a man who deeply cares about his customers is showing up for his community even on a cold winter day.

Overhearing the little snippet of connection and community at the Green Grocer is great, sure. But what about

supporting the small local producers? After interviewing Kosta Drosos, the general manager at Fresh Market Place located at Palmer St. & Western, I’m relieved to hear independents are doubling down on local. Independent grocers are incubators for small, local producers. It’s a store like Fresh Market Place that will give a local company its first break. Drosos himself likes to work with companies just getting started: “A guy came into our store and said ‘I just started this company.’ He’s this local Chicago guy who makes a pimento cheese called Bif Cheese; I tried it and I loved it. I told him great, let’s get you in our store to do some tastings. He sold like 40 units in just a couple hours, the customers loved it. Now he’s in over 30 stores across Chicago and we sell out every week.”

As an independent grocer, Drosos has the ability to make those decisions and help new companies launch into grocery retail.

Katie Fountain, general manager of the Sugar Beet Co-op, was previously working at Whole Foods—where she says getting a new product on the shelf typically took about a year. “Whole Foods is moving towards a centrally managed system, all based out of Austin, Texas. Companies have to be relatively established and have the ability to get their products into one of the distribution warehouses, which is a big cost.”

Most start-up food companies don’t have

“I go to the farm and walk it with the farmers. My farmers have said that we have 24/7 access to the farm; that's the level of access and transparency we value.”

the resources to do this, which is why independent grocers and co-ops are key sites for innovation.

When working with local companies, Fountain has had to balance profits with support. “It can be hard to get a good price for everyone, and sometimes we have to reduce our margins to make it work.” Considering the low margins and high overheads grocery stores are already dealing with, this is a big deal. Not only are independent grocers taking

a risk on a new product, but they are also forgoing bigger profits–all in the hopes of supporting another local business.

But it seems that independents are doing more than just putting a local product on the shelf. Independents and co-ops are also where new, local brands get support through coaching and feedback. Dan Arnett, general manager of the soon-to-open Chicago Market Co-op has been in the industry for over 25 years, and is focused on working with

the small- and medium-sized producers in the area. “We see it as a way to lift up other businesses,” says Arnett. ”We are going to find ways to get items into our store; we are here to co-create values.It’s not about being in competition, but to help build a better food economy together.” Places such as Sugar Beet Co-op are going beyond their store shelves to uplift other businesses: This winter they launched an indoor artisan market. Fountain shared, “We are hosting the Oak Park Artisan market with about 20 different vendors— mainly small scale cottage producers selling items like body care products, soaps, flowers, and baked goods. All kinds of things.” Fountain says they hope hosting these market events will create another stepping stone for local producers to launch their businesses.

Prioritizing Supply Chain Transparency

When it comes to the meat department in a grocery store, it’s a huge investment to go local. Limited processing resources and farm consolidation financially incentivize grocers to buy meat at scale from a limited collection of large suppliers, which is exactly what most national grocery chains are doing.

“Farm-to-meat case” is how Drosos describes their program at Fresh Market Place. “We started working with Slagel Family Farm over six years ago. It [the partnership] began with only certain cuts of meat, but

when we saw the quality and difference, we then went to whole animal.”

Today the store uses only Slagel Family Farm as their beef supplier. And they aren’t the only ones going whole animal butchery. Chicago Market Co-op is working with Living Light Farm to develop a meat program that focuses on regenerative agriculture. Arnett is focused on not just supporting sustainable farmers, but also building transparency and trust. “I go to the farm and walk it with the farmers. My farmers have said that we have 24/7 access to the farm; that's the level of access and transparency we value.” Such transparency can feel unattainable to most consumers, but Arnett is hoping that will change as more people start asking for it—and even knowing it’s an option.

Buying Power

I interviewed multiple friends and family members and asked them why they don’t shop

at more independent or co-op grocery stores.

Cost was the number one reason they cited.

It’s also independent’s biggest struggle. “We don’t want to be a store for rich people” is how Sugar Beet Co-op’s Fountain describes it. But each time a large corporation buys or opens a new store, they increase their buying power, making it that much harder for the independents to carve out competitive pricing. “We do not get the pricing that a nationwide chain would get. I’m buying 10 cases of Hellman’s mayonnaise versus 100 truck loads, so I’m not going to get the same pricing that the large scale retailers get. And that is always going to be the most difficult thing for any independent grocery store owner,” says Drosos.

And I think that right there—the community connection—is what really matters. Independent grocers are living and working in our neighborhoods with us. They are here, providing the pickle maker or kombucha brewer their first break, or sponsoring the little league team. Each of the people I spoke with was extremely passionate about working at a grocery store. Fountain put it this way: “We are all neighbors. Yes, it’s about food, but what we are about is connection. And how we make that connection is through food.”

And so, my challenge for you is this: Find your local independent grocer or co-op and support them by shopping there. It really does make a difference. Your dollars have power.

e

Fountain hopes that smaller local stores will partner together to get collective buying power—something that is typical in most urban areas. Until that happens, independent grocers will continue to focus on other ways they can stay competitive. For Drosos, that means being in the community: “The flexibility that we have as an independent, without the corporate structure, is to our advantage. You can knock on our door, we are here.”

Green Grocer offers regular tastings of new products and boasts a small raised bed garden on the sidewalk. This summer, Dileep has plans to expand the garden, growing cucumbers for his neighbors, Nuki Sushi.

Dileep Gangolli, the co-owner of the Green Grocer, estimates that some 50% of the stores profits are supported by the store’s wine and spirits section.

DION'S CHICAGO DREAM

From Unhoused Veteran to Tackling Food Insecurity

When we first met Dion, the founder of Dion’s Chicago Dream, he had just finished setting up his non-profit. It was two years ago at one of our favorite pizza shops, Vito and Nick’s. We had just sat down and were reviewing questions when he walked in and introduced himself. We had seen some of his work through social media and were familiar with the Dream Fridge in Englewood, a public refrigerator that he would fill with fresh produce for the neighborhood. What we didn’t know was that Dion was a veteran himself who once experienced food insecurity and homelessness, and was now packing boxes of fresh produce into his trunk to deliver to people in need. Flash forward to today - Dion’s Chicago Dream is approaching a new milestone. We reconnected with Dion to hear more about the organization’s impact.

Story and photos by Sara Faddah and Dario Durham

Dion Dawson, Englewood resident and founder of Dion’s Chicago Dream, awarded a $10,000 gift to the Thompson family on Dream Day in February.

and

Sara: Do you remember what we were talking about two years ago? You didn’t own a building, or a fleet of trucks; no employees, either. You were packing food in your trunk and making deliveries. Dion’s Chicago Dream was a single person operation. Where are you today?

Dion: Today? Let’s see, 65,000 pounds [of fresh produce] per month delivered to 1,200 households in 45 Chicagoland neighborhoods and 8 suburbs per week, all free of charge.We employ 26 individuals, own 7 delivery trucks, and a warehouse. We just bought a location that’s going to open in June that’s 20,000 square feet; it’s called DreamVille Campus. And as of the end of 2023, we’re a $4 million organization.

Dario: Two years ago, you showed us your bank account and you had $17.

Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm.

Dion: How wild is that? It feels good but I’m not surprised. I really feel like anything is possible, right? It takes a lot to get to that point, and I don’t even think it was all good. I really think it’s a combination of lived experiences and trauma. Everyone that is not in our circle tries to convince us to be a realist, and it gets us nowhere.

Sara: You started with just a run to the grocery store for fresh produce, then you packed up the boxes in the back of your car and delivered the food yourself. Tell us more about how you started. Who are the people that are food insecure? Because we know it's not always homelessness that leads to food insecurity.

Dion: There’s never really a steady profile on who is food insecure. There’s no middle class right now; ...it’s people in condos, who own

homes, with roommates, in shelters and living outside. It’s not a demographic. You might not have a steady job or you might have a job, but you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t have a grocery store–or there’s a grocery store but no fresh produce.

Dario: You always say you just need a name, address, phone number and number of individuals in a household; no salary info [to request your team’s services.]. You’ve also mentioned that the type of food included in each box is important.

Dion: Grapes is an example, or pomegranate; I had never had either. We could’ve easily left those out of the box because they have a higher price point but...we’re indirectly showing people what they deserve. A lot of credit goes to J.A.B Produce who has been with us every step of the way, they give us some good produce.

Dario: You went through a time where you were houseless and food insecure. How much of that experience led to the work you do today?

Dion: When I look back at my time before and after the military, which was six years, there was nothing I experienced longer than homelessness and food insecurity; most of my life was spent not knowing where my next meal would come from. I came back to Chicago to make Chicago better or at least give something back to it. I don’t remember all my military experience, but I do remember the first time I was on a flight deck in the middle of the night and saw nothing and I freaked out; the thought of Chicago calmed me down.

Sara: You're from Englewood and you’ve said you experienced that when people think of food insecurity, they tend to think of the south side of Chicago. That part of the city does face food apartheid. But what played a part in picking Englewood and what has changed over the last four years?

Dion: I picked Englewood because I was born and raised there, and I feel like I owe a debt to Englewood that I still haven't paid back. As a veteran, if I was a failure, it would have been because of Englewood, and if I was a success, it would have been because of the military. A lot of people talk about what neighborhoods like Englewood and Austin and Garfield Park and North Lawndale need, but they don't invest; they don’t move to them to learn what the community actually needs.

The thing about the grocery industry is it’s extremely expensive to run a grocery store. Razor thin profit margins and so most grocery stores that survive are attached to generational wealth.No grocery store wants to build out a store and then it does not work. They want it to survive. And when it does not, it costs them a lot of money. We [at Dion’s Chicago Dream] spent millions on food and created a model that is direct to consumer and as a result, we didn't have to wait multiple years or do years of fundraising – only to hope for a shot. As a result, we've been able to build and grow.

Sara: I remember last time we spoke I asked you what your 5 year plan was, and you said you hate that question.

Dion: Yes, and I still don’t have [an answer]. Things change. I looked at my life when I started this and nothing about it was linear. Most of the time deciding if something was successful was always post op, not

The Dream Fridge is stocked with fresh fruit, vegetables, and water

open to neighbors

It's really about our residents, our recipients, everybody who has had a moment, before or after of just not knowing where that next healthy option will come from and knowing that we're out there. Always.

during. Nowhere does it say that having that means you’re successful. We’re heavily overexposed; we created jobs, we’re exposed there. We don’t lease our assets [but we buy], we’re exposed there. We buy our food instead of taking donated food, we’re exposed there. You know what I mean? We’re risking everything. I’m meant to risk it; I came in with nothing.

Sara: The fact that you know what nothing feels like, there’s no fear in starting over if it does fail.

Dion: Right. Let’s say we go broke; I didn’t lose the most valuable assets. My most valuable thing that I’ve built is my community, as opposed to money. I didn’t build myself up as a monolith, I made sure that as I’m building, I build my community around me. If I go down here, you can pull me right back up.

Dario: You have employees and no volunteers. Why is that?

Dion: If you never create jobs, you’re never building household wealth in that community. There’s no regeneration going on in that community and no anchor in the community bringing value.

Dario: You spoke a lot about building community and the people around you. Being in Englewood, there’s a lot of community work happening. What are some organizations that you admire that you’ve worked with or hope to work with?

Dion: You got Englewood First Responders with Charles McKenzie, Englewood Heroes with Donya Smith, Branding Englewood with Corie Luckett. There’s R.A.G.E with Asiaha Butler, Imagine Englewood with Michelle Rashad, Think Outside the Block with Pha’tal Perkins, and Growing Home with Janelle St. John, which is the first USDA-certified organic urban farm in Chicago.

Dion went on to mention many more organizations in Englewood that are working for their communities. They have all been listed below for reference.

Sara: Alright we have to ask before we go, what’s your favorite restaurant in Chicago?

Dion: It depends on how long I have to eat. But shout out to you two for introducing me to Virtue in Hyde Park. I love Salt for their burger; simple but good.

After our conversation with Dion, we visited his work in Englewood - at the Dream Fridge, and spent the morning with his team as they surprised the Thompson family with a $10,000 check from Dion’s Chicago Dream. That day, Dream Day, marked a celebration of the one millionth pound of food distributed by Dion’s Chicago Dream.

During the Dream Day celebrations, Dion reflected, “This is what I'm supposed to do in my life, I'm proud to be from Englewood, and everybody that knows me knows that. I just remember what it feels like to not have any cameras when we were doing [this], to not have the team members that we could pay, to not have the vehicles that we own and to remember what it's about. It's really about our residents, our recipients, everybody who has had a moment, before or after of just not knowing where that next healthy option will come from and knowing that we're out there. Always.”

Additional community organizations referenced by Dion:

ENGLEWOOD FIRST RESPONDERS - englewoodfr.com

ENGLEWOOD HEROES - englewoodheroes.com

BRANDING ENGLEWOOD - brandingenglewood.org

R.A.G.E - ragenglewood.org

IMAGINE ENGLEWOOD - imagineenglewoodif.org

THINK OUTSIDE DA BLOCK - thinkoutsidedablock.org

GROWING HOME - growinghomeinc.org

TEAMWORK ENGLEWOOD - teamworkenglewood.org

SOMETHING GOOD IN ENGLEWOODsomethinggoodinenglewood.org

MR. DAD’S FATHER’S CLUB - mrdadsfathersclub.com

TASTE FOR THE HOMELESS - tasteforthehomeless.org e

@EDIBLECHICAGO

Urban Growers Collective

Cultivates Abundance, Sowing Seeds for Health, Economic Development & Equity in Urban Agriculture

Story and Photos by Laura Scherb

"We’re demonstrating what urban agriculture looks like in Chicago: developing food systems in ways that are divested and ignored.” —Brandon Lov

INthe winter months, it’s hard to imagine anything growing in Chicago, let alone greenhouses full of spinach and other greens. And yet, on farms throughout the city’s west and south sides, seeds are already being sown for another year of abundance by food-focused organizations like Urban Growers Collective. A 501(c)3 organization that is Black and women-led, Urban Growers Collective (UGC) was founded in 2017 by Laurell Sims and Erika Allen to cultivate nurturing environments.

UGC’s mission is to support health, economic development, and healing creativity in Chicago through urban agriculture. The organization engages with all aspects of urban agriculture, from providing food and farming best practices to facilitating training and education programs that support community members of all ages — from preschoolers to aspiring farmers. Their South and West side farms produce over 15,000 pounds of produce annually, according to Brandon Lov, UGC’s development manager. The organization prioritizes facilitating market pathways for this produce to make its way through the local food systems and into areas lacking equitable food access in Chicago.

“We’re demonstrating what urban agriculture looks like in Chicago: developing food systems in ways that are divested and ignored,” said Lov. “Grounding our work in an understanding of inequities and structural racism that exist in communities of color allows us to build foundations of what healthy food can look like. It’s culturally relevant and uplifting,” he continued Lov, who is Cambodian-Chinese and Chinese-American, knows how important this grounding can be. Early on in his work with UGC, Lov recognized the farmers’ herbs and produce as the same ones his parents would seek out in specialty stores growing up. “They’re growing the same things that my mom uses in her home cooking here on the farm,” he said. These culturally affirming community connections are what allow us to cultivate a strong community, which is one of the most important things that Urban Growers Collective does.

One of the market pathways is the Fresh Moves Mobile Market, which Lov describes as “a produce aisle on wheels.” The market itself is a shuttle-style bus, retrofitted to act as a farmers’ market stand on wheels. The seats were taken out and replaced with shelves now filled with produce grown by UGC and local partners, pantry staples, and value-added products from local BIPOC businesses and makers. “We take the Fresh Moves Mobile Market to places where folks already are, whether that’s schools, community centers, places of worship, or health clinics so that we can nimbly meet their food access needs,” said Lov. “It’s a way for folks to get more connected and learn more about their food system.”

Like many non-profit organizations, Urban Growers Collective relies on the support of the community. “The thing that all of our volunteers have in common is an interest in getting involved in the food system and that’s what volunteers can expect when they’re coming to support Urban Growers Collective,” said Lov. According to Lov, volunteer opportunities range from individual engagements to opportunities for larger groups. “The work ranges throughout the season. We are really excited to be able to introduce volunteers to the food system based on whatever is happening at our farm.”

Volunteers can also support the market pathways, various activities and programming, and provide donations to the organization. “We have opportunities for everyone. When I first started at Urban Growers Collective, I was an intern with very little growing experience. We try to provide folks with any skills they need and an increased knowledge and awareness of how they interact with the food system so they can heal and grow as individuals.”

“Everyone comes to Urban Growers Collective with some knowledge of how food and the food system works. In our role, we try to understand where they are and connect them with the aspects that we work in, whether market pathways and understanding how it gets from farm to table,” said Lov.

Urban Growers Collective encourages Chicago residents to think about where their food comes from to help make it more equitable, from supporting new farmers and growers in under-resourced communities to challenging some of the structural inequities that exist in the food system here in Chicago and beyond.

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