Flower Power

Bethany Dudley – Requip

By Rita Feikema

Although the day was cold and rainy, turnout was great for a day of neighborhood beautification on the north side of Chicago. I work with many different demographics in the Rogers Park neighborhood, and I’d spent several months learning about the felt needs of our neighbors, as well as the strengths that already exist in our community. One idea that came through loud and clear was the desire to beautify our streets. Neighbors wanted a way to feel ownership and responsibility in our community.

So one Saturday, we got together a group of volunteers to plant flowers along the sidewalks of two major streets.  These were not just any flowers. They were seedlings that had been growing in the greenhouse at Gale Academy, a local public school, for months.

They had been tended by student volunteers from Rogers Park, who attended Loyola or Northwestern.   And, these were not just any volunteers. Members of the Rogers Park Garden Group shared their expertise on how to transplant these seedlings into the ground. College students who were interning in they city provided muscle and energy as they learned about one of the vibrant neighborhoods in Chicago. A group of moms who were looking for opportunities to volunteer in the community brought their kids. And members of Many Peoples Church came with coffee and cookies to warm us up.

It’s incredible how a little thing like planting flowers can suddenly make a neighborhood seem friendlier. Everyone walking by wanted to know what we were doing, or complimented us on making the street more welcoming. Conversation – between passersby and volunteers, between college students and kids, between expert gardeners and novices – that never would have otherwise taken place flowed unforced.  And of course, now Rogers Park enjoys more pleasant, beautiful streetscapes.

Celebrating Education Together

The room was loud, kids, books, and games were everywhere, parents were on the floor and paper covered the wall. To many this scene would scream chaos but to the families of Rogers Park it was the very essence of community. The evening was about celebrating education, with school starting the following week the timing could not be better.

Parents and children alike had a great time reading with each other, playing math bingo and memory games, sculpting out of clay and putting puzzles together. The volunteers from the community who put this evening together where thrilled with the participation and excitement the parents displayed at the opportunity to spend this time getting their children excited about starting school in a few days.

While all of the games, art and books were exciting, it was the wall covered in paper that got the most attention. Each person was asked what they were good at, what gifts they had and to write/draw them up on the wall. No one was excluded from this exercise as the paper reached all the way to the floor so that everyone could reach and if you could not write you drew.

By the end of the evening the wall was covered with the amazing gifts that were represented in the room. Neighbors found out things they never knew about their neighbor before. People who had never met found they had things in common with each other and connections were made.

The evening ended with new friendships made, others deepened and a sense of pride in the gifts that they possessed as a group. Discussions were had on when they could get together to use these gifts for the benefit of the community. The event not only celebrated the start of a new school year but also the continuing education that Rogers Park has many common and unique gifts that need to be shared.

Bethany Dudley

Requip’s Website

Teen Talents of Rogers Park

When AmeriCorps worker Katherine Vincent from Neighbors United in New Possibilities asked four teens of Rogers Park how they wanted to spend their summer they responded with two words, talent show.  They wanted to show their neighborhood that the teens had talent and things they could contribute to the community.

Rogers Park, like many neighborhoods in Chicago, is experiencing the sting of gentrification.  More and more people from outside of the community are purchasing condos and moving in causing friction between the home owners and renters in the neighborhood.  The teens hoped this celebration of talent would bring everyone out, owners and renters, to see the fun and unique talents of their community.

The summer was filled with planning and organizing.  The teens went around their community to see who could contribute to this event.  Churches donated staging and food, a local DJ loved the idea and donated his time and sound equipment.  After weeks of organizing, publicizing and practice the day of the talent show arrived.  Hosted by one of the teens the show included singers, rappers, and dancers.  People from all over the neighborhood came out to celebrate together with great food and great talent.

During the celebrations the police came out to see what all the noise was about thinking they were going to find some type of altercation going on.  However they were delighted to find such a peaceful and happy celebration that had all of the legal permits to be there!

The talent show was a success.  Neighbors were able to meet each other, fellowship together and rejoice in the talent of the youth.  There have already been requests for the 2nd annual Rogers Park talent show.