Day one: Sunny Chicago
The beginning of Tour-de-action is staring today in the ‘windy city’ Chicago. We are expecting the last two tour mates to arrive later today and are looking forward to kick off our tour-de-action: 4 Danes visiting 4 cities in the US and Canada… updates will follow. Tomorrow we will visit The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD) at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Signe & Maria
Day two
Meeting Deborah from ABCD at the Northwesteren University.
Drive by shootings
Dacia told how they have been working with kids in some neighbourhood of Chicago there are afraid of waking to school and going out since they have lost schoolmates. They expect a lot of riots and gang related crimes this summer since the unemployment of the young generations are so high. We were at first joking of the puncture in the window at our hotel being a gangster related aka Al Capone in the 1920s gun hole, but after hearing Dacias stories of a girl who died in her home at her birthday due to a pass by shooting it didn’t seem that humorous anymore. The city of Chicago is dealing with a lot of problems right now and people we have met don’t always seem so optimistic about the situation. But a lot is being done and we have heard about and seen many interesting projects starting from the local communities.
Day three
Alex from the The Resurrection Project in Pilsen. A neighborhood organization that works on education, organizing and community development.
Meldred and Mary form Bethel new life (http://www.bethelnewlife.org/)
Growing community through the unique combination of people, plants and place
The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, a non-profit organization, strengthens community through the unique combination of the Garfield Park Conservatory Campus, other botanical resources, and the engagement of community members. With its innovative programs, the Alliance enhances the environmental, social and economic vitality of Chicago’s West Side and encourages the larger community to explore the fundamental connection between plants and human life.
