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Thad Smith of WestSide Bee Boyz, for example, makes a call for more Black bee-
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RAYMOND RODRIGUEZ, A STUDENT OF THE PROGRAM, WORKS ON A PIECE OF WOOD GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO. HE HAS BEEN TEACHING THE PROGRAM FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS.
ams, shop drawings and give and math skills spe-
Danjuma Gaskin, an instructor ofthe am, said the foundation of skills the in different areas ofthe industry is important to make students
learning skills that can be applied hen it comes to ing industry. the training and having those hands-on skills that really make you valuable to find
architect for 10 ogram himnew employa couple of hen he needed eached out to the at the proam as a shop assistant in 2014. He later am instructor, a position
Gaskin said job placement after graduaoftheir practi-
“We’re not exactly sure completing the training, but they get good exposure to the machines and steps. Hopefull ation where they can learn on the job and some similarities between things that they learn her and what they’re doing in the Near the end ofthe course, pr interviews are delive lessons and in the woodshop
Applications are accepted based on the expectations of the program and the goals of the applicant, Rappe said. He said their pr and they test on basic ensure applicants can the context of woodwo cally give applicants a those foundational skills, to follow through in the pr always open.
Rappe said that since the first 1993, they have maintained about a 90% job placement rate for their roughly 1,050 total graduates.
“Job placement is really built into the program. It’s really ultimately our goal, to get people working,” Rappe said.
DOUG RAPPE, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, GIVES A LESSON ON SANDING TO THE STUDENTS OF THE WOODWORKING PROGRAM. RAPPE IS THE ONLY INSTRUCTOR WHO HASN’T GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM HIMSELF THE OTHER INSTRUCTORS HAVE ALL GRADUATED THROUGH THE PROGRAM WHILE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE PAST.
By faith, the West Side singer-songwriter says, one can do anything
By DEBORAH BAYLISS
Like a lot of African Americans, the path to success for singer songwriter Teddy Austin started in the church
“I always wanted to sing,” Austin said about his dream coming true. “Growing up on Chicago’s West Side in our respective churches, we had a great opportunity once a month to do music our way. We would invite other churches, and we really had a great time”
As a member ofthe United Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church on Laramie Avenue and Lake Street, his sights were set on his path with the motivation he received from the church’s Pastor William A. Treadwell. “By faith,” the minister reminded him, “you can do anything.”
With those words, his own talent, and being surrounded by gospel singers like Darrius Brooks, Austin wrote his first gospel song titled “You Just Call Him,” more than 30 years ago.
“It was pretty successful, and it is being used in the new movie “Heathen” that I’m also featured in,” he said. He appears with Koryn Hawthorne, the American contemporary Christian music and gospel singer who was a finalist in season 8 ofNBC’s The Voice at 17.
Born at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital, Austin lived all of his young and adult life up until age 43 on Chicago’s West Side.”
Now 67, looking back on his childhood, Austin in the late 1960s saw first-hand rows of West Side buildings going up in flames from fires set in response to the assassination ofthe Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
“I was just a child, but I can remember the riot and how frightening all ofthat fire was,” Austin recalled. “My mother told my brother and sister to take me back home because I was crying. Roosevelt Road was destroyed. We lived on 21st Street by Cermak and Kildare, Kostner, in that area. I remember us driving down Roosevelt Road and it was fire after fire.”
In 1971, Austin and his family moved from 21st Street to the Austin community.
“I really didn’t know a lot about the Austin area, and I was supposed to go to Lindblom [Math and Science on the South Side] but I didn’t like traveling in the cold. I asked my mom what
schools were in the area and she said Austin is right down the street. I visited and it had everything, so I went there.”
Archery, horseback riding, the driver’s education cars, the swimming pool, and all the other opportunities that were offered at that time, impressed him.
“My data processing teacher got me my job at IBM,” Austin said. “It was an opportunity for youth to have summer employment. I worked there my junior and senior year.”
Austin retired from IBM after 32 years ofemployment there.
Austin’s mother, father, sister, brother, uncle and grandparents all have made their transitions.
The youngest member ofhis family, Austin moved to Atlanta in 2000.
“I really didn’t have to work,” Austin said. “They had proper ty, I had property. In 2000 I was still working for IBM. I was [functioning], but I was dying on the inside. I kept up a good front.”
When IBM announced the jobs were moving to Atlanta in November 1999, Austin took them up on the move.
“I had been praying for help to go on and what better way than to start a new job in a new place with new people,” he said. “I didn’t have to do anything. IBM took care ofand paid for everything.”
With his brother and sister gone, Austin learned how to cook as he raised his brother’s son and his sister’s two daughters.
“It’s the unspoken r ule that brothers and sisters have,” Austin said.
Austin’s music career started in 2000 before he moved from Chicago to Atlanta. He was hired to write jingles for commercial radio station 1390 Chicago.
Along with his song-writing talents, Austin describes himselfas more ofan interpreter
With a soulful, bluesy, gospel, cadence to his voice, Austin delves in various musical genres with his rendition ofsongs like “God’s Grace” by Rev. Luther Barnes, “Cloudy” by the Average White
Band, “Love Holiday” by Earth, Wind and Fire, and other popular songs.
“I like to be known as a great soul singer because a soul singer could include gospel and everything else,” the self-taught musician said.
His own song titles include “You’ re My Curiosity,” “How Did We Get Here,” “God’s Grace” and others.
You can find him performing wherever he’s invited to perform. He also holds his own concerts.
“I t ry to encourage and uplift with my musi c, ” he said.
With roles in movies such as “Hidden Figures,” the “Fighting Temptations” and the “Immortal Life ofHenrietta Lacks” with Oprah Winfrey, Austin can easily add actor to his resume. As a matter of fact, acting came first with his movie role in The Fighting Temptations.
Other roles followed.
“I’m the organ player in Hidden Figures,” he said, adding that he is also in “Just Mercy” with Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx... T he entire church scene in “Just Mercy” was constructed by Austin.
Among those he admires, Austin said he holds Aretha Franklin in the highest regard. He also did some light consulting on the movie “Respect,” starring Jennifer Hudson and Marlon Wayans.
“I first met Ms. Franklin when she was at the Arie Crown Theatre and I snuck in and she let me stay and watch her rehearsal. The rest is history and I’m a friend ofthe family.”
Austin’s friends and fans speak highly ofhis musical prowess as a self-taught musician.
“In addition to his wide-ranging musical talent, has had the privilege ofsinging with legendary artists like Ms. Aretha Franklin,” said his friend Neisa R. Jenkins. “For me, his most memorable song, “Boundaries” exemplifies the depth of his artistry… His music, rich with emotional and stylistic diversity, continues to leave a lasting impact on me and fans alike.”
Austin’s songs are available on digital and streaming outlets, including iTunes, Amazon and wherever music is sold.
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‘SEE THEIR MAGIC COME TO LIFE’:
Repor ting and photos by DELANE
Y NELSON
WhenMichele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School gets out each afternoon, students trickle across West Harrison Street to BUILD Chicago’s Austin campus, an impressive 51,000-square foot, three-story building buzzing with youth from all over the community.
BUILD, a West Side nonprofit that offers violence intervention, education, community wellness and engagement, serves youth as young as 6 and up to age 27. The renovated Austin facility, which opened in February 2023, boasts a full-sized gymnasium, an onsite cafe, a fitness center, study areas, an acre of outdoor gardens and fruit trees, a game room and a dedicated mental health services wing named “The Soul.” It offers free Wi-Fi, a variety of communal spaces, a laundry room and private showers
a recording studio, a performance space, a wood shop and the Maker’s Lab. The campus was designed based on what community young people said they wanted — and needed — from a space like this.
“We say that we are a restorative justice campus, and that starts when a young person walks in the building. It’s taking the time to find out what they’re interested in, [and we] can match them to what would best meet their needs to be gin with,” said Edwina Hamilton, senior manager ofthe organization’s Peace and Justice Center.
She said that in addition to explor-
“The young people sit here and a lot of restoring happens, a lot ofhealing happens. They come here and they’re like, ‘Hey, I see kids like me. We’re feeling the same vibe,” said Ricardo Miranda, manager ofthe organization’s STEAM education program. “We’re providing these spaces where anybody can come here and feel safe. They’re redirecting that negative energy when they come into these spaces and being able to explore. They’re able to heal through it.”
“Art is therapeutic,” added Daniel Perez, BUILD’s communications manager. “It’s never going to be a one avenue road that
at’s why lethora ofactivities kshops and training, so that everyan find something
outh can learn tradike sculptext door oung people have access to sewing machines, 3D printers, laser cutting machines and label makers. also proing, jewelry making and
“[They’ll say] I ca but with technolo much,” Miranda said. “Sitting them in with the computer and getting their ideas out, and then watching them come to life or seeing the sketch that they did there in watercolor, then they bring it over here, they make a t-shi to use the different machines, li printers and we place where they can come and their minds and free their minds and see their magic come to life.”
Robust arts and enrichment pr ming gi oung people a crucial oppo
ing musi ep ship workshops that teach youth how to build a social media presence, create a logo, construct a website and even attain an LLC designation.
Miranda added that BUILD is in the process oflaunching a store where youth can showcase and sell their ar t and merchandise.
“It’s easy to go hit the corner and make a c ouple hundred bucks selling drug s, but you c an g et shot, you c an go to jail,” M iranda said. “So let me c ome in here, learn how to make a T- shi rt . L earn how to make something that is
ve cut fundams focused on academics, arts, sports and mentoring as COVID relief funding runs out. Arts programs in public schools nationwide have suffered for decades, as schools shift focus to core academic subjects and the number ofcertified art teachers has fallen, according to a 2021 report by The American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
BUILD’s arts programs fill that gap.
“It makes such a difference to be seen as potential, instead ofbeing told that you have to make money in one way, because there’s also that stigma around the arts not bringing you money — here we’re more embracive of, ‘We’re going to give
oftraining and civic eng organization Vazquez ings mediums participants are interested in, is a way to process and express difficult life experiences.
“They ha sometimes they ity,” she said. “I thing, something beautiful. really look at their scars as depth in their story. It’s important for us to give the power back to the youth and stop telling them what to do, and really listen to what they need.”
f How ormer Un Tracy Abram
How former University of Illinois basketball player
Abrams is illuminating the West Side
By HOPE BAKER
University of I ball player Tracy Abra ed to helping youth on C and West sides thrive. the Woodlawn native fou Positive mentor for grade school students.
ormer Uni Illinois baskety Abrams is dedicatChicago’s South Back in 2019, ounded Chicago Impact, a mentorship program
followed by a reflection. They also work on fundamental basketball skills
Five years later, the prog to g row, and it now has with six Chicago Public S Theodore Herzl Elem in North Lawndale, and suburban Dolton.
ogram continues , and it now has partnerships Public Schools, including Theodore Herzl Elementary School four in south
Dana Turner, principal at John M. Smyth IB World School on the Near West Side, said Abrams and his team have been working with male students in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades at her school for the last three years.
“Tracy checks in with the kids and he checks in with their teachers,” Turner said. “He’s just an all-around good person and he cares.”
“Kids who participate keep so it’s going pretty well,” A Ch C icago Positive Impact u to empower underserved leadership development, li experi and his team ofsix work two day a week, for h Typically, the curriculum re r ading an article or wat adin
ep coming back, ell,” Abrams said.
Impact uses basketball youth through elopment, life skills training, and enriching experiences. Abrams at the schools two hours each day.
the curriculum consists of eading an article or watching a video,
At Smyth, Chicago Positive Impact functions as an after-school prog ram that is funded by a CPS Out ofSchool Time Grant.
“I’ve seen a huge improvement in how children hold themselves accountable for their grades, for their behavior and for their attendance,” Turner said. “Tracy’s program has definitely contributed to that for these specific students.”
Outside ofschool, many students from Smyth also pa rt icipate in Chicago Positive Impact’s basketball tournaments and camps, which the organization hosts at Mount Carmel High School in Woodlawn.
during that time that he decided that he wanted to work with youth and give back to the community where he was raised.
“That’s when the whole idea came together,” he said.
“We welcome Tracy, an alumnus of Mount Carmel, and Chicago Positive Impact, because he does important work for the youth ofthe South Side,” said President ofMount Carmel High School Brendan Conroy. “In fact, for this work Tracy was named the Mount Carmel Humanitarian ofthe Year two years ago.”
inspiration for the creation of Chicago Positive Impact. The basketball-centered program was run by the Chicago Police Department’s 3rd District and took place at Jackson Park.
The injuries resulted in two extra years as a student-athlete for Abrams, where he earned master’s degrees in both rec-
Abrams graduated from Mount Carmel in 2011 and then a ttended the Uni ve rsity
I llinoi s. Durin his time at the Uni ve rsity
I llinoi s, A brams had to redshi the 2014- 2015 and 2015-2016 seasons due to injuries.
A lthough thi would discour age some people Abrams kept a positive attitude and focused on recovering. He returned for the 2016-2017 season and pl all 35 games. After a six-year career as a student-athlete, Abrams graduated with a bachelor’s de gree and two master’s degrees. He also graduated with a plan.
Being unable to play for two years caused Abrams to think about what life after basketball would look like for him. It was
“I didn’t really have any guidance or motivation, so when I started going there 2 to 3 days a week that outlet was extremely impactful for me,” he said. “They would talk about the importance ofdecision making and the sacrifices that it takes to be successful and things like that and I thought that was really big.”
Today, Tracy provides that same sort ofmentorship to students like Mekial Holmes, who is a senior at Kenwood Academy High School. Holmes got involved with Chicago Positive Impact when he was a 12-year-old at John J. Pershing STEAM Magnet School.
These days, Holmes helps Abrams manage Chicago Positive Impact’s social media platforms. He also provides assistance at fundraisers and basketball tournaments
policy, organization & leadership.
“If I didn’t get hurt, I wouldn’t have been able to get my masters degrees, which helped me come up with my goal, my mission statement and my vision,” he said.
Abrams said that a mentorship program he attended as a kid served as
“Tracy is a role model,” Holme s said. “He’s like family to me now.”
Holmes said he simply wanted to get better at basketball when he first started participating in Chicago Positive Impact. However, his involvement with the organization eventually became much deeper than that.
Holmes said an experience with Impact when he was 12 years old stands out as particularly impactful. The program was hosting a basketball tournament and Abrams, who knew Holmes liked to rap, encouraged him to rap for everyone at the tournament.
“It gave me confidence and taught me that I can be a leader,” he said.
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For several years, HSI has been cultivating the concept of Historically Black Community Based Organizations (HBCBOs) to honor the legacy, servant leadership, community impact and sustainable strategies so important to this select group of agencies. HSI’s roots grew out of Claire Christian Methodist Church, still located in North Lawndale, and its community ministry. Black Churches and Black Settlement Houses were the forerunners of HBCBOs and are an important part of this narrative.
Toward this end, HSI will be launching its second documentary, “Heading West, Part II, If the Lions Don’t Tell Their Story, (...the hunters will take all the credit).” Our first documentary was entitled: Heading West (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNisTfoQgjQ), depicting the story of the Great Migrations of African Americans from the South to the Westside of Chicago. On December 12th at Malcolm X College, our annual fundraiser will premier this new documentary that will also feature many of our HBCBO leaders, elders and ancestors.
• Comprehensive Behavioral Health and Human Services since 1978
• Headquartered on Chicago’s Westside
• Over 100 Employees
• 16 Chicago locations in Austin, West Garfield, North Lawndale, Humboldt Park, Bronzeville, and Englewood
• CARF accredited since 1991; Medicaid Certified and Licensed
• Serves over 8,000 persons annually
• Constructed 160 affordable housing units for seniors and persons with disabilities
• Participated in and led various community collaboratives since 1984.
• Launched new website: www.habilitative.org
by DEBORAH BAYLISS
There’s no mistaking how much Thad Smith, founder and owner of WestSide Bee Boyz LLC, loves his bees.
As an African-American b eekeepe r, Smith is unique in the field and brings a unique perspective to the industry.
The history ofBlack Americans beekeeping dates back to letters from George Washington indicating that people he enslaved kept hives to provide Mount Ver non with honey. And at one time, all students at the historically Black college, Tuskegee University in Alabama, were required to take beekeeping classes, according to Modern Far mer, a nonprofit dedicated to
raising awareness and catalyzing action at the intersection of food, agriculture, and society.
Smith dates the beekeeping history back a bit farther to ancient Egypt.
But how exactly did beekeeping pique his interest?
“Long story short, I was homeless and did some things and had to do some time,” Smith said.
After serving his prison sentence, Smith found himself at Sweet Beginnings, which has several apiaries operating throughout Chicagoland, and is a wholly owned subsidiary ofthe North Lawndale Employment Network.
“I fell in love with it and that was in 2013. And he got his start.
In 2014, Smith turned his passion keeping into what is now a thriving ness with apiaries throughout the South sides.
By incorporating sustainable methods neglected and abandoned properties, his be operation serves as an urban center tainable community development and an urban outpost for Midwest permacultur studies, according to Smith.
You can find one ofhis apiaries the Lawndale community
“Lawndale is where I learned b Smith said. “The other special meaning me is that my grandmother owned a rant in Lawndale. I was born in C so the West Side has a strong cultural significance to me.”
W hen Smith first started, there was Black, master b eekeeper by the name of Michael Howard.
THAD SMITH, FOUNDER
“He’s one of my heroes in this industry. I met him at the Democratic National Convention
OWNER OF WEST SIDE BEE BOYZ LLC. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THAD SMITH
Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has been dedicated to providing backbone support for a network of 50+ non-profit, faith-based, public, and private entities with the shared mission of increasing collective impact to improve the quality of life for residents in Chicago’s Austin community.
Together, we will create a thriving Austin community!
With the release of the AFT Highlighted Agenda, ACT is going “on the road!”
Our team will be on tour and available to co-host discussions about the new phase of the community-led AFT quality-of-life plan and its vision and strategy, with block clubs, churches, community organizations, coalitions, etc. Want to host a discussion? Contact gcooper@austincomingtogether.org
ast summer]. It’s really me and him in the city doing things with bees. There’s other eekeepers you may not hear about as being in the forefront and doing ust me and him.”
er he brings his bees, Smith attracts ttention with people asking a lot of questions, giving him the opportunity to talk rigin and the life of bees.
“There are 20,000 bee species on the planet and close to 800 in Illinois, and we really only the honeybee and that’s because ofhoney,” Smith said. “People like to put es on the West and South side because there’s a lot of vacant land, but the honeyd out the native bees that were before the honeybees got there.”
eople talk about saving the bees, he said, they are usually talking about the honeybee.
“Honeybees are the largest growing livestock in the last five years and are never going to go
CONNECT TO SERVICES Connect to resources in Austin by emailing hub@austincomingtogether.org
Learn all about and get involved with Austin’s own quality-of-life plan, Austin Forward. Together. (AFT), at austincomingtogether.org/qlp
Contribute to our work and you’ll impact Austin families! austincomingtogether.org/donate
out ofstyle,” he said.
The native pollinators, he added, do a better job at pollination than the honeybees that are brought in.
Smith explained. “Right here in Chicago, the rusty patched bumble bee is on the endangered species list but we don’t even talk about it here.”
With all the focus on the honeybee, he said, attention is taken from the native bee which has declined, some species at a 70% to 80% decrease.
“Right here in Chicago, the rusty patched bumble bee is on the endangered species list but we don’t even talk about it here,” Smith said.
Without bees, many ofthe world’s most important crops would fail, impacting the food supply ofhumans and countless other species, according the Earth Day.org, an environmental advocacy group.
“Being a beekeeper means, I’m a keeper ofall bees,” he said. “My honeybee should not be over any other species. We should find a way to work together with all the species. All bees matter.”
Smith is working with a couple ofschools as a way to engage Black youth and to pique their interest in running a beekeeping operation aside from just working directly with the bees
The connection with bees and food production is a critical part ofany education to beekeeping.
“Black beekeepers and Black farmers need to work together,” Smith said. “It’s essential that the apiaries are located in areas where there is no pesticide spraying.”
Business is thriving and he’s looking to expand.
“I consider myself a honey palace where you can buy at any point, up to six different kinds of honey,” Smith said.
Howard does not have hives in operation, but r uns Eden’s Place Nature Center and Eden’s Place Far ms on Chicago’s South Side. He’s also the founder and CEO Fuller Park Community Development,
“We have a full farm and we feed a lot of people,” Howard said.
Beside the few that stand out, Howard said he agrees that not enough African Americans are in the beekeeping field. He added that it’s vital for African Americans, who have the highest numbers in chronic disease, to get involved with farming and beekeeping as a way to have better control oftheir food sources. For Bee Boyz products and other information go to www.westsidebeeboyz.com.
step at a time
Naïve? Not quite. The white woman says she knows she can’t do it alone
By DEBORAH BAYLISS
Itwas pouring rain on the ear day in April ers gathered for towards her 825-mile walking pilg from Chicago advocate for racial equality
ing on the early spring il when friends and supportRachelle Zola’s first steps 825-mile pilgrimage to Montgomery, Alabama, to
A for mer special education teacher, the 76-year-old white woman from Little Village dedicated her life to advocating for children and their families. She shared her story in her one-woman show, Late: A Love Story, while on her pilgrimage and will resume performing at the Y-Theatre in North Lawndale once she’s back in Chicago.
But is it reallypossible to end the systemic oppression of Black Americans in this country?
In no way naive about her mission, Zola believes a col
said she believes it’s possible with a collective effort
Her advocacy work extends now to include working toward racial equality in this country.
“Only when we imagine a liberated world can we reconcile and accept our accountability to create it,” Zola said.
There’s been no real effort since the United States signed the International
C onvent i on on the Elimination ofAll Forms ofRacial Discrimination (“ICERD” or “Convention”) in 1966, according to Human Rights Watch.
Progress toward compliance remains elusive in areas of reparative justice, criminal justice, use of force by law enforcement officials, economic opportunity and health care
Still, Zola feels compelled to take steps to help make it happen.
Back in 2021, she embarked on a 40-day hunger strike in support offederal legislation called HR40 that establishes a com-
BELOW: PHOTO PROVIDED BY LATE LOVE
mission to study and develop reparations proposals for African Americans. It was first introduced in 1989 by U.S. Rep. John Conyears of Michigan and was moved out of committee April 21. Though legislators said they had the votes to pass it, they pushed for an executive order instead. In June, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed his own executive order for a reparations study in the city.
Zola, with no idea what she would encounter on those back roads to Alabama, walked alone for stretches at a time with only corn and industrial fields in sight. At times, her driver, Andy Swindler, would drop her off and drive ahead and then pick her up once she was done for the day.
Her walking start time and distance varied throughout her journey.
“I only had a driver, Andy Swindler, for two months and three weeks,” Zola explained. “After that, I was driving my own RV. I would walk six or seven hours sometimes I was walking six hours regularly and some days 10 miles, somedays 16.”
“Never once was I harassed,” Zola said, adding that had she been a Black woman, that likely would not be the case.
The only negative comments came from two white males in different areas of Illinois. One ofthem said to her there is no
racism and that he has Black friends who agree with him that everything is okay. He went on to remark how Black people dress inappropriately. Ultimately, he drove away with no response to Zola’s chiding about judging African Americans.
Careful to never talk about politics, Zola kept her focus since her pilgrimage was about human rights.
“People would ask why I was walking and I would say I’m walking for racial equality and can I explain to you what that is?”
Some ofthe white people who had never considered inequality or its impact, were enlightened by what she had to say, Zola said, adding that Black history is not being taught in schools the way it should be.
A Republican movement is taking place to make sure African American it’s never taught.
At least 18 states have restricted whether or how race is taught in schools, re ports show.
In 2023, The College Board stripped down its Advanced Placement course on AfricanAmerican studies after Florida Gover nor Ron DeSantis banned the curriculum in the state’s high schools.
For mer president Donald Trump has said getting and keeping critical race theory —
or the idea that race is a social construct embedded in the nation’s legal system and is not merely the result ofan individual’s prejudice — out of the school curriculums is a matter ofnational survival.
Countless people in the various towns helped and supported Zola along the way, embracing her, cheering her on and taking part in her healing circles.
One ofthem was 74-four-year-old Edgar Moore, Jr., who was 14 in 1965, when he joined the late U.S. Rep. and civil rights
leader John Lewis and more than 600 others as one ofthe original Bloody Sunday foot soldiers in a march for civil rights that crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge — a march that was met with brutal and deadly violence.
Edgar and his wife Donna Lee, joined Rachelle Sept. 7 to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge before joining her at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, to catch the performance ofher Late: A Love Story.
“It was amazing meeting him and sharing his story and talking about how they were ambushed by the police on that Bloody Sunday and his experience,” she said.
Meeting him in Selma, Alabama, Zola said, added so much to her crossing to pay homage to all the civil rights workers and marchers who were ambushed that day. She was also joined by other friends and supporters for the crossing.
As Edgar shared his story, one could hear the pain of recalling those memories.
“I was close to the front,” Edgar recalled. “As we went across the bridge everything seemed calm and like a regular march. Once we got across the bridge, we could see all the state troopers and highway patrol and the sheriffs, policemen and the Ku Klux Klan, I guess, you know.
LEFT: CHARLES WILLIAMS, LUSH PHOTOGRAPHY
BELOW: LATE A LOVE STORY EXPERIENCE | MICHAEL BRACEY MONTGOMERY
Edgar remembers seeing people on horses, some with dogs.
“At first it didn’t register that they meant to do us harm that day, so we walked all the way up to where they were at, and when I knew anything there was tear gas tossed and they started charging people with their horses and hitting people in the head with billy clubs,” he said. “Dogs were on top of people.”
Before making it to safety, he recalled hearing the horses galloping behind him. As for Zola?
“I feel there’s something in Rachelle’s heart that told her she had to do something and she’s doing it,” Edgar said.
After collecting and sharing stories with a diverse range of people, Zola arrived Sept.12 in Montgomery, Alabama, the final steps ofher 825-mile pilgrimage, where she was joined by people from Montgomery and beyond to walk the last steps from the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church to the Alabama State Capitol building. A final gathering took place at St. John’s AME Church.
The Chicago Tool Librar y, that it is, where you can check them out for free or cheap
Ina city where the cost oftools can quickly add up, the Chicago Tool Library is turning the traditional library model on its head.
The Chicago Tool Library operates similarly to a public library, but instead of books, it offers a variety oftools for borrowing.
Humboldt Park resident Onicia Muller stopped by at the library to pick up piping tips because she is baking cookies for her son’s birthday
“Since I don’t plan on baking often, I’d rather borrow from a friend or visit the Tool Library. My friend didn’t have them, so here I am,” Muller said.
To access these tools, individuals ages 18 and older, as well as community groups, must obtain a membership and be residents of Chicago. Members can easily find the right tools through an online inventory and assistance from librarians. After completing a project, members simply return the tools and can begin planning their next endeavor.
Tool Library memberships operate on a pay-what-youcan basis, allowing members to choose their contribution according to their financial situation. While a $100 annual membership is recommended, many members pay less or more and once enrolled, there are no rental or late fees.
The inspiration for starting the Chicago Tool Library in 2019 came from Executive Director and Co-founder Tessa Vierk’s desire to promote self-sufficiency and sustainability in the community, inspired by the concept of tool libraries that exist globally, particularly in places like Califo rnia Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, where tool libraries are integrated with public libraries, Vierk saw how accessible they made borrowing tools for residents.
“In Berkeley and Oakland, they have tool libraries that are part ofthe public library system, making them even more accessible. Anyone with a public library card can borrow tools, which I think is really special. I was familiar with the concept, and it seemed sensible. It makes sense for every community, big or small, rural or urban, to share resources,” Vierk said.
Vierk said she realized it made sense for people to share resources and was surprised that Chicago, with a community full of artists, urban far mers, theater professionals and tradespeople did not have a tool library.
“At the Chicago Tool Library, we offer ‘pay what you can’ memberships so anyone, re gardless ofincome, can join and receive the same service.”
The Chicago Tool Library has empowered residents to take
Tessa Vierk IMAGE
CERVANTES
on home improvement projects or repairs by providing access to tools that might otherwise be too expensive.
Basic tools, even for small projects like a kitchen backsplash, can add up quickly, making the library a valuable resource for those who can’t afford to buy them. This allows more people to tackle projects they might not have been able to pursue otherwise.
“It doesn’t make sense to own tools for projects you may only do once or twice in your life. Access to tools can help a wide range of people accomplish various tasks. At the Chicago Tool Library, we offer ‘pay what you can’ memberships so anyone, regardless ofincome, can join and receive the same service. This ensures everyone can take on projects to improve their lives, communities, or lear n new skills,” Vierk said.
The Chicago Tool Library has been in West Garfield Park for about a year-and-a-half, and has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the West Side community, officials said. Residents have been very welcoming, and the library hopes to establish a lasting presence in the area, according to Vierk. In the past, the library was located in the Bridgeport neighborhood before moving to West Garfield Park in 2022.
One change the organization made after moving to the West Side is that it grew by acquiring enough tools to offer memberships to community groups.
Vierk mentions how local independent developers used tools from the library to build a new community space called Starling in North Lawndale. Throughout the summer, community groups across the city, particularly on the West Side, borrowed tables, chairs, and canopies from the library for various events, including numerous Juneteenth celebrations.
“We’ve had organizations like the Austin Green Team, Austin Chamber of Commerce and numerous community gardens on the West Side using the library to suppo rt their projects,” Vierk said. “It’s been really exciting to see how we can assist not just individuals, but also community groups, block clubs and nonprofits in the area.”
T he organization is conducting its annual member survey to better understand the needs of its community. According to early results, members are more interested in seeing additional locations than in having educational workshops.
“There are a lot oforganizations around the city focused on education, but no one else is offering tool lending. So, we feel confident that, even if we focus solely on that,
BY HECTOR CERVANTES
others are doing great work in education,” Vierk added.
The l ibrary’s re presentatives noted that while they offer a low-cost service, it is not entirely free. As a nonprofit, the library relies heavily on community support and contributions to maintain its operations and continue serving residents
“I often joke that we’re as free as you need us to be. If you have the means, we encourage you to contribute and support us. But ifnot, that’s okay too — we want you to come in. We suggest a $100 donation for a one-year membership, and I can’t think ofa single DIY project where you could buy all the necessary tools for that amount. It’s a great deal, and many people pay much less than that for their membership,” Vierk said.
Vierk estimated the library has saved Chicago residents more than $2 million in tool purchases or rentals during its first five years, demonstrating a significant impact. It has been particularly helpful to those with limited resources, such as new homeowners who have invested most oftheir money in their homes and need af fordable access to tools for their projects.
“Our goal is to create more thoughtful consumers and help people feel comfortable and curious about different types ofeconomies that aren’t solely focused on buying and owning.” Tessa Vierk
T he environmental impact oflending tools versus individual purchases is significant. While some tool libraries attempt to calculate the carbon emissions saved, a crucial measure oftheir environmental benefit is that many individuals borrowing tools might not have purchased them at all due to financial constraints. This lending model not only reduces the need for new tool production, but also encourages sustainable practices among residents
“We’re not necessarily saving items from a landfill, but what’s more interesting from an environmental perspective is showing people that alternatives exist to simply buying everything. Our goal is to create more thoughtful consumers and help people feel comfortable and curious about different types ofeconomies that aren’t solely focused on buying and owning,” Vierk said.
CARLA AGARD-STRICKLAND AND MARSHA AGARD USING TOOLS FROM THE CHICAGO TOOL LIBRARY AT CARLA’S HOME | JAMESON JOHNSON
By SAM TUCKER
Frontand center ofGarien Gatewood’s task in reducing crime and violence in Chicago is his People’s Plan for Community Safety, a “triage strategy” that Chicago’s first deputy mayor of community safety is now pushing to dial in on four communities in Chicago that rank high in a range of factors that contribute to a lack of public safety
The plan targets blocks in Austin, Englewood, West Garfield Park and South Lawndale community areas are where Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gatewood, who has held the position since June 2023, are beginning their strategy to make Chicago’s communities safer
The Austin Weekly News interviewed Gatewood to learn his blueprints for keeping the West Side, a community that’s faced decades of divestment, crime and hardship, safe.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
AWN: Could you describe your “healing-centered approach” to public safety? What do people need to know about this approach to reducing crime and violence?
I would refer to the approach more as a layered approach to safety. The reason why is because there are areas and communities that have not had the necessary investments that other communities have seen. It shouldn’t matter if you are in Ravenswood or Englewood. You should have the same level ofsafety and the same level of access to resources.
This means that you have to be very thoughtful around how you layer the resources that you bring into spaces. It’s never just going to be a response from our community violence intervention partners, the police or fire departments All ofthese entities genuinely have to work together to bring the safety that we all want to see. The People’s Plan for Community Safety has been a driving force in helping us really understand how we layer our approaches and safety in the City of Chicago.
AWN: How are you specifically addressing the root causes ofcrime and violence on the West Side of Chicago?
We have four community groups that we are laser-focused on, two of them being Austin and West Garfield Park.
Obviously, we wanted to take a holistic approach that hadn’t been taken before. We looked at a myriad of factors, from unemployment rates to high school diploma rates, people who were rent-burdened, shootings and homicides on particular blocks, calls to 911 and median income
All ofthese things went into determining how we would approach our work. But that wasn’t enough. We then took 50 school closures and layered it on top of Chicago Police Department’s most violent beats throughout the city. Once we layered all of these things together on the map, it was obvious to us that some of the most violent areas in the city, and not just violent, but some ofthe most disinvested areas in the city —because disinvestment leads to violence — were on the West Side. That comes as no surprise to a lot of folks.
We partnered with aldermen and community members to identify key community partners, organizations, faith leaders and leaders in education. We knew in order to do this work and do this work the right way, it had to be inclusive.
We weren’t just going to show up in the neighborhood and tell the neighborhood, “here’s the work that you need to do.”
In building the People’s Plan for Community Safety, we compared it to quality-of-life plans throughout the city. We looked at the quality-of-life plan in Austin and did a side-by-side comparison ofthe work that they were doing and the work that was aligned in the plan.
We went to community leaders to determine what made the most sense. We asked: what is happening on these blocks where we’re seeing the most trouble? Now, we’re going through a process ofidentifying “community conveners” who will be stationed in those communities. They will work with this administration handin-hand to continue to push safety and hypercharge those quality-of-life plans.
We need to build on the positive work that is already happening. But more importantly, we need to show up and bring resources to these communities. Resources look different. Sometimes resources are access to leaders and entities in government. Also, it’s access to train-
ing on using 311 systems [instead of calling 911].
i i 311 t [i t d f lli 911]
We did a series this summer called “Take Back the Block.” We did a few on the West Side, and one ofthem was in the Austin neighborhood where they removed four tons oftrash — four tons.
We were able to show up in those communities and not just remove that trash, but also repair street lights, repair sidewalks and really dig in deeper with the community.
Then to continue that relationship, we’ve followed up to work together to address needs. We understand that safety comes from all ofus working together. We’re going to continue our rapid response work, but we will always continue to move our root-cause work forward because if we don’t: ten years from now, two other folks will be in our position having the same conversation.
We owe it to the city not to let that happen.
AWN: In a nutshell, what is your vision for the West Side of Chicago? What can community members expect to change in their neighborhoods?
My vision is to listen to the West Side of Chicago and build the work together. It’s not my responsibility to say what the West Side should do. It is our responsibility to show up and work hand-in-hand, and that is why we have taken this approach with the People’s Plan for Community Safety
Previous administrations have done great work, but this work is so intentional through embedding in communities. We are having quarterly public meetings to update folks on the work that we are doing in and with communities
AWN: What is your vision for a timeline for the People’s Plan for Community
Safety? How long will it take to reduce statistics on violent crime in Austin and West Garfield Park?
If you compare this time last year to where we are now, we have seen significant statistical decreases in crime. It’s not just because ofthe people’s plan. It’s because of the work ofthe Chicago Police Department, the Mayor Johnson administration —and more importantly — community members.
We need people to pick up the phone and call 911, and have strong relationships with all ofthe government and community violence interrupters.
We’ve done a lot of work with some of the street outreach organizations that represent the Austin community: Black Men United, the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago and a lot ofthe key players over there. We continue to work with them hand-in-hand. The vision is simple, we continue to work together.
What has happened in communities all
around Chicago and the country has been purposeful investment. Those investments take time, but we are already seeing the results. The first year in the office, the mayor saw a 13% decrease in homicides. In his second year, we are sitting right under a 10% decrease in homicides. The violence is unacceptable, and one homicide is a homicide too many. This has impacted us folks in this administration on a personal level — which drives us to show up stronger for the people ofthe City of Chicago.
[Editor’s note: according to the City of Chicago Violence Reduction Dashboard’s current data, the city experienced an 8.1% decrease in total homicides from Jan.1 to Oct. 2 compared with the same time period in 2023.]
AWN: What is your strategy for approaching multi-victim shootings in Chicago?
At the beginning ofthe summer, my
team, along with Deputy Mayor Jennifer “Jen” Johnson, worked with the Chicago Department ofPublic Health, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, the Community Safety Coordination Center, Chicago Police Department, community members on the ground, and Chicago Public Schools. We created a rapid response protocol where we would supply resources and services for victims ofmass shootings and tender-age children who were shot over the summer.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, we activated that protocol 40 times. I can tell you that we have not had a protocol like that before in this city. We supplied emergency assistance centers, community resource centers, mental health resources from our partners over at the Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development or BUILD — they would come in and bring their mental health mobile-bus — and we would show up for communities because we saw the need
Because, look man, realistically, the city of Chicago is the mass shooting capital ofthe country, and it has not been treated as such.
We took it upon ourselves to create a hands-on direct approach to respond to the mass shootings in Chicago. We are expanding victim resources and expanding emergency supplemental victims funds. Also, a part of the People’s Plan is to create a curriculum through city colleges so we can train victim-service providers
On the front end of this work, a lot of these mass shootings are a result ofGlock pistols with switches. The City of Chicago, along with Everytown for Gun Safety, has sued the Glock manufacturer for their hand in making their guns so easily modifiable, turning them into handheld machine guns.
AWN: I’d like to use the last couple minutes we have for you to address the critics who oppose removing ShotSpotter.
The City of Chicago deserves to know what new technology might be out there that can be helpful, supportive and that can help prevent violence. I think it’s important that people understand the downward trend in crime that we have seen has not ever been solely based on one piece oftechnology It is the levels of partnership and the levels of collaboration that we have will continue to lean on to drive violence down.
We encourage people to continue to call 911, to work together and get to know their community members, street outreach workers, local government partners and the Chicago Police Department in their communities. We understand critics and we welcome the opportunity to work together. This is why we have a request for information to see what is open in the field oftechnology
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SELF REFERRAL FORM:
Chicago City Treasurer
Melissa Conyears-Ervin
City Council Budget Committee Chairman
Jason C. Ervin
Wishing all our young learners an exciting and memorable school year. We’re looking forward to watching you succeed!
