The mayor's check used instead for community organizations...

This happened last Friday.

A press release was shared via e-mail with regards to Ald. Roderick Sawyer (Ward 6) donating money from outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel to 10 local community organizations. I will share the post provided from Worlee Glover's Concerned Citizen's of Chatham below.

Jobs on the block TODAY

I apologize in advance for this short notice, but I regrammed this on our ig page. If you're looking for a job come to 6600 S. Hermitage today from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

I also apologize for not being mindful of these workshops that have been scheduled before today so that you can have a fast pass to attending this job fair

Fast track through the Jobs on the Block line tomorrow by attending this career development workshop today at West Englewood Library! See flier for more info!

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Aug 29, 2018 at 8:36am PDT

Hal Baskin RIP

Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune

EDIT 11:08 AM - per suggestion of the reader I just changed from the YouTube video from 2011 to a Tribune file pic of the late Hal Baskin! So now the first thing you won't have to see is 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer once you click the post link! My apologies for the confusion.

I'm mostly familiar with the longtime Englewood community activist for his run for 16th Ward Alderman in 2011 a campaign we documented through mostly clips from the former WYCC program Off 63rd with Garrard McClendon. He was one of the challengers for Alderman from different wards that included now Alderman Roderick Sawyer who himself was challengening then 6th Ward Alderman Freddrenna Lyle, and of course Rhymefest who was hoping to unseat Ald. Cochran in the 20th ward.

On the other hand Mary Mitchell had written far more about him and his background as of late and it makes reference to his youthful past as a gang member. I definitely will applaud that he was able to turn his life around. Unfortunately there are those who refuse to let that past go.

Hal Baskin could not outlive his past.

Although he had put away his gang affiliation long ago — choosing to be part of the solution instead of the problem — his past as a teenage gangster hung on.

He died suddenly on last Friday at 66 years old.

Baskin had left the gang life at 19 and eventually founded P.E.A.C.E. — People Educated Against Crime in Englewood — an organization formed to keep young people out of trouble.

He made several unsuccessful runs for alderman, was an unofficial peacekeeper at Englewood High School, a grass-roots community organizer, and a real estate developer.

Still, the headline on his obit read “Former Gang Member Became Voice for Peace in Englewood.”

Baskin's death was noted on RAGE's ig page and Englewood has lost a champion. Condolences to Mr. Baskin's family.

Englewood is about to "buy the block"

Via @buyblackeconomics

You might have seen this on Curbed Chicago this week and to the Resident Association of Greater Englewood it's a good idea to be able to determine the direction of their neighborhood. You determine the direction of your neighborhood by buying up the real estate or someone else from outside of your community will.

Englewood residents organize to take back their block https://t.co/yJgcs9KsBA pic.twitter.com/M7wjJjoR3S

— Curbed Chicago (@curbedchicago) July 23, 2018

Englewood residents filled a room in the historic bank building at 63rd and Halsted in May to learn about purchasing apartment buildings in the neighborhood. During a pair of panels, landlords discussed how best to gut rehab a building and deal with difficult tenants, while banks and nonprofits gave advice on handling a past foreclosure or building a good credit score. The event was called “Buy the Block”—implying, as organizers said repeatedly that day, “or somebody else will.”

“The people I see who are purchasing property in Englewood don’t look like us, by and large,” Gloria King-Wright, loan officer at Seaway Bank, told attendees. “They’re investors, they’re speculators.”

“We need to buy the land in Englewood. Do believe there are people who are buying blocks at a time—at a time. You can’t complain about gentrification if you don’t own anything,” said Antoine Butler, a landlord, to a round of applause. “The property value is rising. They’re not gonna tell you that. They’re not gonna let you know that Englewood is probably the hottest land in the city of Chicago right now.”

Seaway Bank, interesting to see that long-time banking brand noted on Curbed Chicago.

Anyway, I went to the Portillo's located in the South Loop having lunch with a friend of mine. He just made a random comment noting how that general area along Taylor Street just west of the Chicago River had changed and now there's a Portillo's store there. Then noting the Whole Foods Market on 63rd & Halsted stated simply that this what the city "will do to Englewood".

There probably weren't many people fighting for Taylor Street since it's not known as a residential neighborhood to the same extent as Englewood. So at least Englewood has people fighting for the direction of their neighborhood. So hopefully they will be able to buy their block and give the neighborhood what it truly deserves.

From time to time you might have seen various buy the block messages on our ig page. Some memes regarding this which I wholeheartedly agree. What would you do if you have the opportunity to purchase a whole block?

Englewood Opportunity Fair - Today

Via @rage_englewood

Sorry about the last minute notice of this. Worthwhile for those of you who are looking for a job right now.

Where: Kennedy King College - 6301 S. Halsted St.
When: July 26, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

For job seekers 16-24 years old and RSVP to englewoodopportunityfair.eventbrite.com

Note the companies Amazon - FedEX - UPS - Five Guys - Starbucks - St. Bernard Hospital - etc.

Voyage Chicago: Meet Asiaha Butler of R.A.G.E.

The article was actually shared to our FB page by JP Paulus last week. Time to share this on the blog with this quote:

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.

My journey started when I decided to relocate from Chicago back in 2008, after my block here in Englewood was in turmoil. A bullet went through my door, someone had climb through my daughter’s window attempting to rob us and there was shootings happening on a nightly basis. I was afraid from my life and the life of my family. After reviewing the housing market in Atlanta where most of my family lives, I was ready to say goodbye to Chicago. Then something hit me when I looked out of my window at four young children playing in a vacant lot filled with bottles, glass and dirt. That moment I decided, that instead of leaving Englewood, I need to stay and add value in order to make a change in my neighborhood.

I didn’t know where to start so I just volunteered everywhere in Englewood. After volunteering, I became frustrated that there was not many event or activities for youth on the Saturdays, which was my day off from my day job and since my husband is a DJ, I felt our first move should be creating a youthful space for young people on Saturdays. My goal, was to connect our young people with our elders, whom were the ones hosting many young programs. So we started showing a series of documentaries, inviting young and older people for “Docs & Dialogue” at libraries, parks, and other locations. We chose films to spark in-depth conversation about provocative issues such as misogyny in hip hop, violence in video games, and the ways societal ills from slavery to drugs have affected black women over time. Then in 2010, I founded alongside two other Englewood residents, a youth journalism program called Media-N-Motion, where we led young people in making videos, writing articles, and publishing a newsletter examining how Englewood was portrayed in the media.

During this time, I met countless residents who wanted more for Englewood who wanted to be a part of the change, like I did. In November of 2010, I brushed off my association experience from my day job and co-founded R.A.G.E. or Resident Association of Greater Englewood. Our mission is to mobilize people and resources to force a change in the community and our primary focus areas are Education, Youth Development, Economic Development and Civic Empowerment. We started with 13 members and looked for ways to empower leadership within the community to help take on the complex problems that impact and stigmatize Englewood. Now our association has more than 260 members with many achievements under our belt, ranging from being the civic pioneers of the Large $1 Lot program, working to repurposing vacant schools and continuing to connect empowerment tools to residents.

A year ago, after 16 years I decided to quit my day job at a real estate association to work on the efforts in Englewood full-time. I opened the R.A.G.E. headquarters in the building I owned across the street from my home, adjacent to a once-vacant lot that was my turning point that I bought from the city for $1. I use my lot for community events, place-making activities, meetings and recently a job fair that brought over 400 attendees.

My journey continues as I served as the architect and lead curator of Englewood Rising, a recently launched neighborhood rebranding campaign actively working to change the community’s narrative. In addition to boosting neighborhood pride among residents, the campaign also aims to show those outside Englewood that the violence and crime and poverty they hear about on the news is only one part of the story. I recently founded my own real estate development group to develop and rebuild the neighborhood with a mission to increase home ownership and work to counter the fears of gentrification. It is my personal mission to continue to love on and show the beauty of Englewood from the people, the movements, the assets, and opportunities. I coined the name “Mrs. Englewood”, because I am truly married to my community, I have made personal vows to see our community revitalized and rebuilt with residents leading every step of the way.

If you're looking to make a different in your communities, hopefully this inspires you. I encourage you to read the whole thing.

Is "redlining" still a problem today?

In the videos shown on this blog - regarding Roseland & Englewood - about the top 10 most violent neighborhoods (or community areas) in Chicago a factor noted in those videos is redlining. So according to the Tribune redlining is still a factor in other cities around America. That is certain segments of the population still have some difficulty getting mortgages to buy a home, and that's regardless of the type of jobs they hold.

Found this article via R.A.G.E. check out this post and why they shared this link.

Three Englewood high schools to be phased out instead of closed at end of school year

[VIDEO] I would say this is good news for those concerned parents who send their children to the four Englewood high schools that are slated to close at the end of the school year. Why close those four schools and then send them to schools outside of the neighborhood to say Hyde Park or Bogan for example.

Did Englewood leaders propose closing their own schools?

President of R.A.G.E. Asiaha Butler explains her role in coming up with an education plan for CPS and she further explains that she never proposed closing down any schools in Englewood. Her op/ed was published in Chicago magazine last week.

Published in September 2011, the Educational Strategic Plan laid out 12 detailed goals that would lead to the necessary transformation of education in our community. It included important data about the enrollment and academic achievement of all the schools located in Englewood. It touched on the need for appropriate parental/caregiver support, early childhood programs, improved, culturally relevant curriculum, high-quality administrators and staff, social-emotional learning, post-secondary career development, and more.

Nowhere did we suggest closing schools.

In fact, the strategies we listed were aimed at making schools more appealing for students and parents alike. But after filing the report in 2012, CPS suddenly lost interest in our work. Not only did the district turn its back on the Englewood CAC, it was difficult to keep parents and community stakeholders engaged. This was around the time I posted to Everyblock about the dire need for community involvement. Then, we were up against potentially 10 elementary schools closing, and although I walked away from the CAC at that time, I made sure my voice was heard on why these schools should remain open. After exhaustive research and effort to convince CPS that not all schools slated for closure were lost causes, the city decided to close six of the original 10—still the highest number for any neighborhood in Chicago.

Our strategic plan was shelved, enrollments declined, more charters opened, and many of the educational institutions that we knew are now boarded-up, vandalized buildings that remain as a reminder of the injustice we face in communities like Englewood.

I was extremely disappointed when I found out the Educational Strategic Plan created under my leadership five years ago had been dusted off and used as a bible for the school closures and new high school proposal in Englewood, which was officially announced last summer. (The final public hearing will be January 30, and the school board can vote on the plan as soon as next month.) CPS says the closures are necessary because the high schools are under enrolled and performing poorly.

I can’t help but think that these issues could have been solved, or at least improved, if the district had taken up some of the CAC’s proposed solutions five years ago. Since then, enrollment has dropped by 80 percent at each of our neighborhood schools. Three CPS CEOs have come and gone—Brizard, Byrd-Bennett, and Claypool—yet, the district did not engage with the people who they originally asked to help create solutions. It’s a slap in the face for them to come in now and conveniently use our old strategic plan as a way to justify their decision to close four schools.

Sounds like someone at CPS already had set their agenda regardless of whatever the group headed by Butler would come up with. When you think about it, that's a shame. It's definitely a slap in the face for the idea of participatory decision making when you don't listen to the people who are telling you what they need.

I recommend that you read the whole thing.

The Future of Chatham Avalon Park Community Council (CAPCC)

The Chicago Neighborhoods

Check out the below essay written by our own Worlee Glover over at NextDoor. Here on this blog we have considered the state of Chatham's community based organizations. I wondered if there are too many organizations as at one point there had been three CBOs in Chatham - CAPCC, GCA, and Reunite Chatham.

Now using Worlee's words you see below, there's be a lack of direction at CAPCC since a whole new regime has taken over. Chatham is a great neighborhood - a bastion of the Black middle-class in Chicago - and well we see RAGE as an organization with a great vision. Perhaps a CBO in a Black middle-class neighborhood needs to take a page out of the book of RAGE who do have a number of successes in recent years.

Beyond that, what do you think of Worlee's essay.

Christmas greetings from RAGE

I regrammed their ig post on Christmas Eve and decided to share again on this blog. Here's hoping you will share a happy holidays with your loved ones on Christmas.

We would like to wish all our members and supporters - Happy Holidays! Enjoy!

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Dec 24, 2017 at 7:37am PST

The one-year mark for Whole Foods Market Englewood #teamwfm

On the heels of Whole Foods Market Englewood one year mark the Tribune had published an article written during the course of the past week. In fact, if you bought a paper from this past Sunday you might have read this article. The question to ask is how the store is doing since it opened a year ago?

Well I won't provide the answer to that question, however, as far as year two or future years this is the expectation as far as that store's success:

“Englewood is the biggest challenge we’ve ever undertaken as a company trying to serve a community. It’s been the most challenging, and not necessarily in a bad way. But it’s only one year in,” said Walter Robb, former co-CEO of Whole Foods who is now chairman of Whole Cities Foundation, an affiliated nonprofit that’s also active in Englewood.

Bashaw said he didn’t expect Amazon’s ownership of the company to have any bearing on the Englewood store.

More businesses moving in nearby could help bring more foot traffic to Englewood Square, which also includes a Starbucks and a Chipotle Mexican Grill. Negotiations are ongoing for the development of the seven city-owned acres adjacent to Englewood Square, said Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp, who declined to provide further details.

“We have a lot of work to do (in Englewood) and we’re not done yet,” Zopp said. “One of the things we push back on all the time is people want these neighborhoods flipped overnight. They didn’t get this way overnight. But we are committed.”

Also let's add the comments of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood's Asiaha Butler. As documented over the years of this blog has advocated for a Whole Foods store in Englewood. The dream came true!

Both Whole Foods executives and Englewood community leaders emphasize that the store is just one component of a larger movement to improve quality of life in Englewood. Asiaha Butler, president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, said Whole Foods has raised awareness of healthy living in a community that sorely needs it.

“I think it can work, but it’s a slow process,” Butler said. “I do think they’re here to stay.”

Read the whole thing!

Chicago Tonight: ‘Englewood Rising’ Campaign a ‘Reflection of What Already Exists’

I missed this segment that aired last night on WTTW one of Chicago's local PBS affiliates. It discusses the Englewood Rising campaign. Something that we've seen on ig with a number of posts about billboards and even a website http://englewoodrising.com/.

Here's one post that was regrammed to the blog regarding "Englewood rising".

#Repost @tonikaj: A photo in my ongoing, Englewood-based "From the INside" photoseries is now a damn billboard on 59th & Halsted (near the 58th St viaduct) part of the #EnglewoodRising campaign! I truly can't express my happiness and the honor it is to show my home, the Englewood community how beautifully artistic "we" are! This would not have been possible without my sisterfriend @mrs_englewood valuing my art and encouraging me to use it as my personal community activism! #Englewood #SouthSidePride #Chicago #ArtAsActivism #Photography #southside #chicagogram

A post shared by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:16pm PDT

Happy Independence Day

We here at The Sixth Ward blog and the folks of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (RAGE) - who provided the ig post embedded below - wishes everyone reading this blog a happy and safe Independence Day and Fourth of July. Enjoy your bbq and fireworks with friends, neighbors, or family on this day.

We would like to wish all our members and supporters a sparkling Independence Day! Be safe out there Englewood!

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Jul 3, 2017 at 12:55pm PDT

EnglewoodRising.com is live #englewoodrising

Was announced last night via Mrs. Aysha Butler ig (@mrs_englewood) who is the President of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood. There have been hints of this with other posts on ig with photos of Englewood Rising billboards around greater Englewood - which had been regrammed on The Sixth Ward's ig.

Support the good folks of EnglewoodRising.com and with great hopes that this will prove to be a success in rebranding that community.

The website is live! #EnglewoodRising

A post shared by Ay-Sha (@mrs_englewood) on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:26pm PDT

President of R.A.G.E. featured on a documentary about Whole Foods Market Englewood #teamwfm

Below I will share both screencaps shown from the R.A.G.E. instagram page. Unless someone from R.A.G.E. corrects me there didn't appear to be any advanced notice that this documentary was going to are on WCIU Too! Hopefully as indicated in the gram that was reposted to The Sixth Ward's ig we may learn about future replays.

The Whole Foods store in Englewood has been open since September 2016 to great fanfare.

Disclosure: One of the bloggers here is a Whole Foods Market team member.

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Apr 23, 2017 at 7:03am PDT

Spotlight on Englewood now on WCIU Too! It's a documentary about the opening of Whole Foods...#EnglewoodRising

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Apr 23, 2017 at 6:53am PDT

EVENT: Stop the violence...solutions

Held at the Greater Englewood CDC located at 815 W. 63rd Street 4th floor where you will hear from Executive Director of the Greater Englewood CDC Glen Fulton, RAGE founder and president Asiaha Butler and Teamwork Englewood's Michael Tidmore. To be held from 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturday January 28, 2017. There's a flyer below for more details.

Chicago Tonight: Whole Foods Brings Economic Development, Lower Prices to Englewood

Chicago Tonight did a story about the new Whole Foods Market Englewood that opened on Wednesday. Since this development was announced in 2013, there were plans to keep prices down at this store. It appears that they've kept their promise:

“Definitely there are lower prices here and some very reasonable prices. For an example, whole milk is $1.99 a gallon here, and it’s roughly $4 a gallon in our other locations,” said Michael Bashaw, regional president of Whole Foods. “I think you can go all through the store and look at commodity, day-to-day items that you need to feed your family, and you’ll find those good values.

“We are passing on the benefit of being here in Englewood … the rents are cheaper here, and so our operating costs are lower and that allowed us to have lower retails.”

The dreaded "G" word has come up in this excitement and it appears from this quote from Andrea Natay of RAGE that it's not a concern, “Whole Foods coming into the community does not equal gentrification. Whole Foods coming into the community equals great change. A great, positive change, at that.”

Also consider the fact that 63rd & Halsted had once been an important commercial hub as stated on Chicago Tonight which went into decline during the 1960s and 1970s. We see a fall and now a rebirth.

Speaking of that, it's funny how before 2013 another member of RAGE - in fact the founder - was on WCIU calling for a Whole Foods in Englewood and then guess what it happens. If only I could find that video and preserve it as it had been posted here but is no longer available online. A self-fulfilling prophecy?

Disclaimer: One of the bloggers at The Sixth Ward is a Whole Foods Market team member.

VIDEO: Whole Foods Englewood and Starbucks Grand Opening

[VIDEO] JP Paulus was at the grand opening of the new Whole Foods Market Englewood on Wednesday morning. Hopefully he'll be ready to share his thoughts on this historic and exciting occasion at the intersection of 63rd & Halsted.

There are a few shots shared on ig regarding the grand opening provided by this blogger. Unfortunately I didn't get there in time for the grand opening and arrived just as the rain got heavier.

In the meanwhile, artistmac was there to shoot 33 minutes of video of the grand opening. He did this previously with the opening of Walmart stores in West Chatham and Pullman also. He was also there for the ground breaking at Englewood Square which took place in 2014.

Anyone else visited the store on the first day? How was your experience on the first day? Will the Englewood shop be your store in the future?

DISCLOSURE: One of the bloggers here at The Sixth Ward is a Whole Foods Market team member.

R.A.G.E. meeting on Whole Foods Market

DNA Info reported on a recent Resident Association of Greater Englewood meeting who had the featured guest Walter Robb who is the Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. A new Whole Foods store is coming in August 2016 to the corner of 63rd & Halsted and with it comes the new community liason who was just brought on in her capacity.

A special guest was introduced at the meeting: in July, the company said they were seeking a community liaison, someone who knows the community and is passionate about it. Cecile De Mello was offered the job last week.

She said she’s “honored, overwhelmed and excited.” She plans to work on creating meetings, focus groups and more, anything to connect the community to the store, she said.

And then the number of jobs expected to be created. In addition to a Starbuck's coming to the future Englewood Square shopping center there will also be a Chipotle:

The store will create 80-90 jobs, said Michael Bashaw, Whole Foods Market Midwest Regional president. He estimates that at least 200 jobs will be created when the other tenants like Starbucks and Chipotle move in.

“We’re not going to make a lot of money doing this for our mission,” he said. "We’re coming on faith."

Another DNA Info article discusses the fact that there aren't enough Blacks on the Whole Foods Market board of directors or even the corporation's executive management team.