June 26, 2024
THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018. THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.
AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2024 QUARTER 2 Special thanks to these Austin Forward. Together. quality-of-life plan legacy investors:
How a closed Austin school will be revitalized into a community asset
RECLAIMING OUR ASSETS PAGE 3 THE DISINVESTMENT AND RESURGENCE OF AUSTIN: A LEGACY OF STRUGGLE AND RESILIENCE PAGE 4
OWNING OUR PATH FORWARD PAGE 7
Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life in the Austin community. Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve four impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets.
Officers
CHAIR
Larry Williams
Broker, State Farm Insurance
VICE CHAIRMAN
Bradly Johnson
Chief Community Officer, BUILD Inc.
SECRETARY
Jerrod Williams
Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court
Leadership
Darnell Shields
Executive Director
Andrew Born*
Senior Director of Community Impact
*Also part of the ACT Leadership Team
TREASURER
LaDarius Curtis
Senior Director of Community Engagement & Health, West Side United
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Darnell Shields
Austin Coming Together
Directors
Sharon Morgan Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools
Reverend Reginald E. Bachus Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church
Deirdre Bates* Director of Operations
Dearra Williams
Executive Operations Lead/ Assistant to the CEO
Londen Mance Office Administrator
Sandra Diaz*
Service Delivery Enhancement Manager, Austin Community Hub
Emone Moore Engagement Coordinator, Austin Community Hub
Dollie Sherman Engagement Specialist, Austin Community Hub
A House in Austin
Academy of Scholastic Achievement
Austin Childcare Providers Network
Austin Community Family Center
Austin Weekly News (Growing Community Media)
Be Strong Families
Beat the Streets Chicago
Bethel New Life Beyond Hunger
BUILD Inc.
By The Hand Club For Kids
Cara Catholic Charities
Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures
Chicago Community Loan Fund
City of Refuge
Defy Ventures Illinois
Erikson Institute
Friends of the Children
Friendship Community Development Corp. of Austin
Greater West
Town Community Development Project
Tenisha Jones
Vice President of Community & Government Engagement, Catholic Charities
Reginald Little
Business Development Specialist, Great Lakes Credit Union
Dawn Ferencak
Senior Marketing Strategist, Chicago Parent
Deborah Williams-Thurmond
Community Outreach & Engagement Specialist, Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Clara Bonnlander
Social Services Coordinator, Austin Community Hub
Ethan Ramsay*
Planning and Investment Manager
Grace Cooper Lead Organizer
Mia Almond Project Coordinator
Housing Forward i.c. stars
IFF
Institute for Nonviolence Chicago
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
Kids First Chicago
KRA Westside
American Job Center
Learning Edge Tutoring (fka Cluster Tutoring)
Ruth Kimble
Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers Network
Max Komnenich
Associate Principal, Lamar Johnson Collaborative
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jack Macnamara 1937–2020
FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR
Mildred Wiley 1955–2019
Arewa Karen Winters Community Organizer
Natalie Goodin
Special Projects Manager
Nicholas Galassini
Chicago Neighborhood Recovery Program Associate
Legal Aid Chicago (fka LAF)
Manufacturing Renaissance
Mary Shyrese Daycare
Maryville Academy
Mercy Housing Lakefront
New Moms
OAI, Inc.
Oak Park Regional Housing Center
Open Books
PCC Community
Wellness Center
Project Exploration
Renaissance Social Services, Inc.
Sarah’s Inn
South Austin Neighborhood Association
St. Joseph Services
Marketing & Development
Alicia Plomin* Director of Marketing and Development
Jon Widell Marketing and Development Specialist
Sydni Hatley Marketing and Development Coordinator
The Journey Forward
The North Avenue District, Inc.
Towers of Excellence
UIC Jane Addams
College of Social Work
VOCEL
Westside Health Authority
St. Leonard’s Ministries
Stone Community
Development Corporation
The Catalyst Schools
West Side Forward
Worldvision
Youth Guidance
By Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together
From 2010 to 2020, residents of Austin found themselves increasingly moved by a shared sense of purpose: to reclaim power back over their neighborhood, and revitalize the communal spaces that had long been neglected. This surge of community planning and organizing reflected a growing commitment to collective action and initiatives
that boosted social unity, while also addressing the long-standing issue of disinvestment.
The aspirations for change, however, could not move forward without a solid foundation.
In order to be successful, Austin organizers recognized the need for strong partnerships between local organizations and began working together on strategic resource management. These organizations, ranging from grassroots advocacy groups to established nonprofits, played a key role in uplifting the voices of residents.
Conversations began about transforming underutilized spaces, but with most owned by the City, many questioned whether community input would be taken into account.
Despite challenges, Austin residents refused to let the community be defined by the neglect and decay that had characterized the area for far too long.
Not only did the project drive positive communitybuilding impact, but it also catalyzed economic growth.
ED SIDERWICZ, CATALYST SCHOOLS CO-FOUNDER, ABOUT THE KEHREIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
Through persistence and collective community action, abandoned spaces were revived, such as:
• The Veteran’s Peace Garden
A vacant lot on Madison Avenue was converted into a peaceful oasis by the South Austin Neighborhood Association (SANA), and now serves as an event space to bring together veterans, residents, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• The Kehrein Center for the Arts
After sitting unfinished inside a school at the corner of Washington and Central, an auditorium built in 1956 was finally renovated to become Austin’s premier performing arts center.
These are just two examples of community-led efforts that prove a combination of grassroots organizing, strategic partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to reclaiming community assets can help lead to a more vibrant Austin.
The community renaissance continued in 2018 with Austin’s first-ever qualityof-life plan and the initiatives that grew from it, including the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, a project to repurpose the former Emmet Elementary School into a central hub for on-site job training and complimentary services. n
The history of Austin is evidence of the complex interplay of social and economic forces combined with the enduring spirit of its residents. From its humble beginnings in the late 19th century to its struggles with disinvestment and urban decay in more recent decades, the story of Austin is one marked by both resilience and adversity.
In 1893, the seeds of Austin’s development were sown. This pivotal year saw the construction of one of the community’s first schools, laying the foundation for future growth and prosperity. With Austin becoming part of the City of Chicago in 1899, the Robert Emmet School emerged as a cornerstone of the neighborhood.
During the early 20th century, Austin witnessed a period of rapid expansion fueled in part by the development of street railways and the allure of its infrastructure to a wave of European immigrants. The community’s population increased greatly, and by 1913, the Robert Emmet School expanded to accommodate the boom. The area was estimated to have over 140,000 residents by the 1920s.
A large wave of African Americans moved to Austin toward the end of the Great Migration. The trajectory of the neighborhood took a tumultuous turn. The arrival of African Americans seeking refuge from the Jim Crow South led to a wave of white flight, driven by prejudices and racially motivated practices. This exodus resulted in a dramatic decrease in white residents, businesses, and access to city services, setting the stage for decades of disinvestment and neglect to follow.
The 1960s brought a glimmer of hope to Austin with the extension of the CTA Green and Blue Lines, fostering renewed growth and economic activity in the community. Yet, this progress was overshadowed by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, underscoring the broader context of racial tensions and social upheaval gripping the nation.
The 1970s and 1980s saw a pattern of disinvestment in Austin with shrinking city resources and job opportunities as the community’s large employers left. Grassroots initiatives were established to address these challenges. Westside Health Authority (WHA) started in 1988, plus many faith-based and civic organizations were created.
The political landscape further shaped Austin’s ascent, with the mayoral tenures of Jane Byrne and Harold Washington carrying cultural significance as well. While Byrne’s administration favored interests of the white community, Washington’s historic tenure as Chicago’s first Black mayor offered yet another glimmer of hope for marginalized communities.
The 1990s saw a troubling rise in crime, with the Chicago Police Department recording 48 homicides in 1992 alone. As issues like public safety grew, Austin also faced other setbacks like diminishing employment opportunities. Organizations in the social sector helped, but often worked separately, unaware of one another’s assets or goals. An urgent need arose for comprehensive community revitalization efforts and in response, Austin Coming Together was created in 2010 and has been coordinating collective impact efforts ever since.
This historical context is the backdrop and inspiration for why there is so much dedication to progress today. Despite the troubles of the past, the commitment and resilience of the community run deep. With more development projects underway than ever before, we are seeing intentional reinvestment in the community. Today, Austin is on a clear path to thriving. n
Community Narrative
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Briana Shields
Briana Janeé Arts
Kenneth Varner
Healthy Schools Campaign
Dearra Williams
Austin Coming Together
STRATEGY LEADS
Lasondra Kern
Community Resident
Suzanne McBride
Austin Talks
Alicia Plomin
Austin Coming Together
Cindy Gray Schneider
Spaces-n-Places
Jai Jones
PSPC, The Chicago
Community Trust and Community Resident
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Jerrod Williams
South Austin Neighborhood Association
Heather Sattler
Community Development Consultant
STRATEGY LEADS
Erica Staley
Manufacturing Renaissance
Emily Peters
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
Tina Augustus
Chicago West Side Chamber of Commerce
Roxanne Charles West Side Forward
Melissa O’Dell Defy Ventures
Fanya Berry
Community Resident
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Crystal Bell
Ella Flagg Young Elementary School (retired)
Charles Anderson
Michele Clark High School
STRATEGY LEADS
Ruth Kimble
Austin Childcare Providers Network
Madelyn James
Austin Childcare Providers Network
Pam Price
Chicago Public Schools
Cata Truss Community Resident
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Athena Williams West Cook Homeownership Center
Allison McGowan Community Resident
STRATEGY LEADS
Shirley Fields
Community Resident
Rosie Dawson Westside Health Authority
Athena Williams West Cook Homeownership Center
Baxter Swilley Community Stakeholder
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Bradly Johnson BUILD Inc.
Marilyn Pitchford Heartland Alliance
STRATEGY LEADS
Adam Alonso BUILD Inc.
Edwina Hamilton BUILD Inc.
Gina Young Catholic Charities
Bertha Purnell
Mothers OnA Mission28
Jose Abonce The Policing Project
Ruby Taylor Taproots, Inc.
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
D’elegance Lane
Community Stakeholder
STRATEGY LEADS
Deonna Hart BUILD Inc.
Gina Young Catholic Charities
Aisha Oliver
Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Helen Slade
Territory NFP
Dollie Sherman
Austin Coming Together
Chris Thomas YourPassion1st
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Deborah Williams-Thurmond
Habilitative Systems Inc.
STRATEGY LEADS
Arnold Bearden
Community Resident
Crystal Gardner
Protest to the Polls
Sharif Walker
Bethel New Life INTERESTED IN JOINING AN IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE?
Contact ACT’s Lead Organizer Grace Cooper at gcooper@austincomingtogether.org
By Sydni Hatley
Marketing & Development Coordinator, Austin Coming Together
In order for change to truly benefit the community it impacts, the people affected need to be involved. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
2023 marks the ten year anniversary of the closure of 50 Chicago Public Schools by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel due to a “lack of enrollment.” Of those 50 schools, four of them were in Austin, including the Emmet School.
The low-income areas these schools were in were already facing disinvestment, crime, and dwindling opportunities, and the closures made matters worse.
The four schools in Austin were taken hold of by outside forces that wanted to redevelop them for personal gain.
A 2016 Austin Weekly News article said “The proposal to turn currently vacant Robert Emmet Elementary School, 5500 W. Madison St., into a medical facility and a community center was met with apprehension and skepticism by most of the Austin residents who attended an Oct. 11 town hall meeting organized by Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th). While many said that they liked the proposal in theory, they were worried about how it would affect the neighborhood residents and businesses.”
As a result of negative opinions and pushback from the community on the city’s initial plan, Westside Health Authority acquired ownership of the property in 2018. Around the same time, Austin published its first-ever quality-of-life plan called Austin Forward Together (AFT), a roadmap to achieving the shared vision of a thriving community. The AFT plan’s goals include everything from public safety to improving access to jobs.
Many efforts were birthed from the plan, such as the $121-million-dollar ASPIRE Initiative, a collection of four projects that will create a cradle-to-career pipeline for Austin residents, all strategically clustered around existing assets in an area bound by Madison, Chicago, Central, and Laramie Avenues: the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation; a new early learning, health and recreation center called The Aspire Education & Wellness Campus; new programs and support to increase enrollment at the Austin College and Career Academy; and Aspire Housing, a multi-tiered approach to provide homeownership assistance, plus new or renovated units for sale.
One particular concern… was that the new facility wouldn’t actually benefit residents, especially when it comes to jobs.
2016 AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS ARTICLE
The first ASPIRE effort to begin was the transformation of the three-acre Emmet School and site into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation. Construction is already underway, and once open, the Center will help progress many AFT goals by increasing access to job training in living-wage careers like manufacturing; attracting major commercial anchors; creating paths for youth
interactions with mentors and role models; and much more.
Now, Emmet is the only one of the four Austin schools closed in 2013 that embodies the community’s desire to responsively have their needs addressed.
By offering economic and career development opportunities, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation is adding to the momentum that has been building over the last decade.
The northeast corner of Madison and Central Avenue is no longer a reminder of Austin’s inequitable past, but an engine of new opportunities for generations of Austin families.
The Aspire Center symbolizes a turning point in Austin. It isn’t just about renovating a building, it is about leveraging Austin’s unbeatable spirit and limitless potential. n
Chicago’s Austin community is full of incredibly passionate individuals and groups who truly care for one another. It has beautiful architecture, a rich history, and an immense potential for growth. Unfortunately, decades of disinvestment have led to a complex array of challenges that have created barriers to food access, quality education, and well-paying jobs.
Austin Coming Together (ACT) has worked alongside our 50+ member network to serve and care for Austin families since 2010. ACT’s Austin Community Hub and its provider network engage Austin residents in order to build trusted relationships and help them get connected to opportunities that improve their lives!
150 INDIVIDUALS ASSISTED in connecting to resources last year
$140K FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE directed to families
Show how much you Join the #AustinCares campaign today!
JOB TRAINING AND HOUSING continue to be the most requested resources