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public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser A South Side man has been charged with attempted murder for a shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl and two other people last year in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side was arraigned Thursday on three counts of attempted murder in connection with the May 22 shooting of Jacele Johnson in the 7000 block of South Justine according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office had been in federal custody for drug charges stemming from a June 2016 sting operation that happened about three blocks away from where the shooting happened was in a car with her 17-year-old cousin outside a prom party about 8 p.m authorities and relatives said at the time her cousin suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and a 15-year-old girl on the sidewalk nearby was struck in the forehead by a stray bullet Jacele was released from the hospital just over a week after the shooting and transferred to a hospital in Minnesota, where her family is now living, the Sun-Times reported at the time. Clark was indicted by a federal grand jury July 6 on one count of distribution of fentanyl for trying to sell about 47 grams of the drug to a federal informant His next court date on the federal charge is a status hearing Jan Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Home/EMS Operations A collision at the intersection of 63rd Street and Ashland Avenue involving an ambulance sent three people to the hospital Saturday involved a semi-truck that collided with an emergency vehicle The force of the accident flipped the ambulance and partially landed it on two nearby cars was taken to the hospital along with two other drivers The driver of the truck received a citation for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle was sitting in a parked vehicle in the 1200 block of West 74th Place at 8:46 p.m A teen was shot in West Englewood on Monday night He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition were sitting on a porch in the 6700 block of South Loomis Street about 9:20 p.m Saturday when someone approached and shot them A teen was killed and another wounded in a shooting in West Englewood on Saturday night The 17-year-old was struck in the stomach and back and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center He was identified as Shantwann Smith by the Cook County medical examiner’s office The 16-year-old was taken to the same hospital in good condition after being shot in the chest A19-year-old was as shot in his groin and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital A man is in critical condition after being shot inside a West Englewood gas station Friday The 19-year-old was inside the station about 6:30 p.m in the 7000 block of South Damen Avenue when someone walked up to him and opened fire He suffered a gunshot wound to his groin and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital A 51-year-old man was killed in a shooting in a store Wednesday afternoon in West Englewood A man was shot to death during an armed robbery in West Englewood on Wednesday afternoon was in a store in the 7500 block of South Racine Avenue at 12:31 p.m police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said The person with the gun demanded the man’s property and then shot him in the chest and right leg Williams was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition was shot while celebrating her birthday West Englewood on March 1 Moore was in a car with her family when three people down the street started shooting She was shot in the back of her head and later died from her injuries Police announced Friday that 23-year-old Rahdeem Calhoun has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting SEE ALSO | Police release video from West Englewood shooting that killed girl, 12, celebrating birthday This comes after police announced first-degree murder charges against two other men 22-year-old Malik Parish and 20-year-old Abdul Ali Parish has also been charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle and Ali was charged with unlawful use of a weapon Brown said Parish is a convicted felon who has been arrested 11 times and Ali has been arrested four previous times Police did not immediately provide further information about Calhoun The video in the player above is from a previous report INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood A man has pleaded guilty to carjacking three people in one week in August 2022 in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago shooting one of the victims after he'd already given up his car pleaded guilty to three counts of carjacking one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in U.S Edwards carjacked a man at gunpoint in the drive-thru of a coffee shop in the 7100 block of South Ashland Avenue on Aug After forcing the victim out of his 2013 Honda Civic Click here for the full story via CBS Chicago Two people were found dead Friday inside a West Englewood home Detectives are conducting a homicide investigation after two people were found dead Friday inside a West Englewood home to the 6100 block of South Justine Street found the victims Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said A groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the transformation of an abandoned Chicago Public School building into an affordable housing complex happened Oct The event celebrated the beginning of construction for the Earle School Apartments on 61st and Hermitage at the building which was once home to Charles Warrington Earle School. The school closed in 2013 as part of a mass closure of Chicago Public Schools that took place during Rahm Emanuel’s time as mayor “I’m glad that they’re doing something worthwhile with the structure A lot of money had been invested in that building while I was there so I’m happy that they are doing something constructive with the building,” Janet Vanderbilt told The TRiiBE during the event Vanderbilt said she spent 30 years teaching at Earle Elementary She retired from Earle in 2008 and remembers when the attached building was added because of the amount of kids who attended the neighborhood was just getting ready to integrate and it went through a lot of different phases,” Vanderbilt said there were very few Black teachers and when the population increased then we started having more Black teachers,” she said Vanderbilt said she would sometimes visit the school after her retirement and noticed that the population was decreasing. Englewood has seen much population loss starting in the early 2000s, according to the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul, the neighborhood dropped to 30,000 occupants in 2010 far from its population of 97,000 in the 1960s The building is also expected to include wrap-around services to prevent homelessness and a community space Karen Jackson, owner of Chef K Caters, said she was contacted by the community organization RAGE Englewood to cater the groundbreaking event Jackson said she is hopeful to see how the project benefits the community but admits she was doubtful in the beginning it’s a lot of investment going into this project,” Jackson said “Then there were some young men looking for employment So hopefully they’ll be able to employ some people that live in Englewood to help with this project as well.”That doubtful sentiment is something that Joseph Williams said he heard during the start of the project as well but that the attitude has shifted for him and others “They are getting more and more community buy-in. A lot of folks think this is gonna be something good. I’m hearing that there’s gonna be some community services offered here,” Williams said. He’s an Englewood resident and executive director of the community organization Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club “I’m very optimistic and just very hopeful that this does be inclusive with the community and with the businesses and that we don’t just have folks that’s telling us what it’s gonna be the community is involved with this process,” he continued.Clewer said community meetings have been happening since 2017 to get feedback from residents about what they imagine for the apartment complex He said another meeting is being planned for the next couple of months to keep the community informed as they prepare for the grand opening.Clewer said he is looking forward to speaking with Ald Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) to begin development for phase two of the project which would be the development of townhomes on the south end of the Earle School Apartment parking lot The company is also working on the Regenerator Project on 62nd and Racine. The project is a transformation of the former Woods Elementary School into affordable housing, a community center and a health clinic led by the GO Green on Racine team Williams said he believes that these types of developments help with the health and growth of the neighborhood as long as the community organizations are put at the forefront.“More than anything developments like this are going to have to make sure that it leads with intention that they’re very intentional about the people that they have a part of what’s happening here,” Williams said [I hope] that the housing goes to people who actually really need it We just want to make sure that people are placed here who really need this type of help.” This article was updated to include Chicago’s definition of Area Media Income Subscribe to The TRiiBE Weekly to receive top stories and movement calls-to-action delivered straight to your inbox The TRiiBE is a media company that is reshaping the narrative of Black Chicago in pursuit of truth and liberation CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man has been charged with killing a mother of five and setting her house on fire last year in the West Englewood neighborhood is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated arson.  Police said he was arrested on Tuesday after he was identified as the man who shot and killed 32-year-old Raquel Adams on May 12 and then set her house on fire in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue was found dead of a gunshot wound to the back of the head Her sister said the night Adams was killed she had brought her children – ranging from 2 to 15 years old – to stay with relatives before going back to the home she shared with her fiancé in West Englewood "To have to think about my nieces growing up without a mother," Rachelle Adams said "The youngest actually has disabilities and she was so strong-hearted on getting her together and making sure she got her therapy but she's going to see her from the heavens Adams' sister said she had just earned her GED and planned to open a full-service beauty salon in Little Village Police have not said why Mims allegedly killed Adams Mims was due to appear in court for a detention hearing on Thursday Todd Feurer is a web producer for CBS Chicago He has previously written for WBBM Newsradio Englewood Family Homes will provide housing and services for 13 families living with HIV at a newly revamped apartment building on West 63rd Street A renovated apartment building in West Englewood opened Tuesday and will house 13 families living with HIV is owned by the Chicago House and Social Services Agency which will provide housing and programming for the families Elected officials and community members tour the renovated Englewood Family Homes on West 63rd Street on Tuesday Chicago House is aiming to receive a certificate of occupancy from the city in July The social service agency provides families assistance with housing, employment and health including career exploration and skills development and free rapid HIV Chicago House aims to play a role in eliminating the spread of new HIV infections and providing housing for those who are in need The organization’s mission is to empower persons living with or vulnerable to HIV/AIDs to lead healthy and dignified lives through housing and cilent-centered support services and unhoused people not only with housing but also health The project has been in the works since the fall of 2019 and was made possible with funding from the Illinois Housing Development Authority Ongoing support for the project will be provided by the Chicago Housing Authority and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago creating nine two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units Chicago House created nine two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units Office space in the building will also serve a team that manages nearly 500 residential spaces for people living with HIV and experiencing homelessness The basement will be used for community activities and the fenced-in backyard has playground equipment for children The Englewood community continues to see high rates of HIV infection and new cases per year compared with the city’s overall average Howard Brown Health is treating 1,262 people living with HIV at its Englewood location said Wren O’Kelley associate director of communications Englewood Family Homes will serve as one of the many resources for residents seeking to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS and to help those who have been infected “Englewood Family Homes will serve as a center for the community to access key supports We are extremely grateful to all of our partners donors and staff who worked tirelessly to bring this crucial care to Englewood,” said Michael Herman chief executive of Chicago House and Social Services Agency Chicago House is waiting for further approval from the city Department of Buildings before spaces can be filled The agency hopes to receive a certificate of occupancy by July all interested residents must apply through the Chicago Housing Authority “We have not had final approval from the city Department of Buildings so we have not been able to identify people to move into the facility A combination of those units are CHA-funded we have a wait list open,” Herman told the Sun-Times Requirements for families have been put in place they will be required to apply 30 percent of that income toward their housing the cost of housing will be covered by Chicago House A man was wounded in a shooting Monday afternoon in West Englewood was on the sidewalk in the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue about 3:50 p.m when a vehicle pulled up and someone inside shot at him The man was hit in the right thigh and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition Three people were hospitalized after a semitruck driver crashed into an ambulance Saturday causing the emergency vehicle to flip and hit two other cars in West Englewood was traveling north on Ashland Avenue about 11:20 a.m when he struck the rear passenger side of the ambulance The passenger in the ambulance suffered minor injuries and was taken in good condition to University of Chicago Medical Center A 59-year-old passenger in one of the sedans and the driver of the other sedan suffered minor injuries and were listed in good condition at Holy Cross Hospital and St The other sedan driver declined medical attention He was issued a citation for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle It wasn’t clear if the ambulance’s sirens and lights were activated at the time of the crash South Side Weekly a community development initiative steered by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot was bold in its intentions to create a standard for what community investment could look like for the city’s long underserved neighborhoods the program is going through a revamp and new policies are making their way to City Council in order to bolster efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing and advance a greater number of community development projects which place housing at the center of their proposals do not take up that large a piece of the overall pie there was $2.2 billion in investment from private and public investors and housing made up a total of just $536 million.   The Cut The Tape Report has over 100 recommendations to streamline the application and approval processes for community development projects in hopes to create more equity This report also created a task force of forty-nine stakeholders which includes the developers and nonprofits that lead these projects Sign up to get the Weekly Digest delivered to your inbox The citywide median income is three times greater.   which range from one to two-bedroom apartments people making up to 43.2 percent of the area median income (AMI) would qualify for an apartment Forty-eight percent of those units would also offer rental assistance in the form of housing vouchers One of the community partners that took part in the community engagement process for multiple proposals in Englewood was R.A.G.E (Residents’ Association of Greater Englewood) a community organization focused on building power and economic self-determination in Englewood.  Nikki Patin is program director at R.A.G.E where she has worked with the Chicago Recovery Plan One of her tasks was mapping vacant lots and vacant properties in order to assess and catalog for redevelopment and to help create community safety.  “Part of that is also to develop community-led real estate work where we are looking at blocks that may have five or more properties on what some people call superblocks where we are looking to rehab properties [and make them] affordable for purchase,” Patin said Patin outlined the different programs that can help with the purchase of a home, like the IHDA grant, the CHA downpayment assistance program, FHA loans, as well as RAGE’s Buy The Block Program which completed its eleventh cohort earlier this year “There is no magic bullet for buying a home,” which she felt was part of a holistic approach when creating affordable housing in communities like Englewood From a developer’s point of view, the idea of investing in a disinvested community can be seen as counterintuitive. A key objective of INVEST S/W was to attract developers. Gorman and Company was one such developer taking lead on the Earle School Family Residence project and also as the developer of the Regenerator project But if INVEST S/W’s goal was to get private capital to follow development proposals there needed to be vehicles for sustainable investment.  “The challenge under Lightfoot was getting the money to the table,” said Ron Clewer the Midwest market president for Gorman and Company was able to get the council to agree to [a] bond and creating a pool for affordable housing and housing development adjacent to economic development RAGE was a part of the outreach for both the Go Green on Racine Project and the Earle School Family Residence project and has participated in both administrations’ community engagement processes Englewood is a community that has a collaborative relationship with alderpersons David Moore and Stephanie Coleman and strong community involvement that former Commissioner Maurice Cox recognized.  Patin talked about what community development looked like and how that would help create affordable housing opportunities She believes there is always more room for equity the pool of people tend to reflect that.”  Patin believes moves like this allow the strongest applicants by creating accessibility for all community stakeholders “An example I can give was when I started to see a trend where [the city] didn’t require the answer to every question to be written They started offering the ability for people to submit audio”.  along with a constellation of other community organizations did the community engagement part of finding out what Englewood needed and wanted.  During the March Committee on Finance meeting “I understand that people in Englewood may not look like me,” as his opening statement to going over all the wraparound services being offered by the project.  The AMI of Chicago is a significant measurement of affordability but what’s more critical is Englewood’s actual income Gorman and Company presented Englewood’s median income at $22,127 “If we look at Chicago median rents and median incomes the concern we had is that the Chicago median income is significantly higher than the Englewood median income If we built an affordable project using that people who don’t live in Englewood could come into Englewood and be housed in Englewood” “we could literally not be servicing anyone in Englewood.”  Clewer referenced an example of a project in Gary, Indiana as the basis for the project in Englewood. That project used small area income to advise the project in Gary where a fair market rate apartment is under $600 prices could range from $1,000 to $1,220 for studio The developers dealt with this dilemma by utilizing the small area income estimates, low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, and MAUI vouchers Clewer pointed out what could have happened: “We could be greedy and say we want 100 percent vouchers on this project and want every unit renting for $2200 still taking 30 percent [from the tenant] with the government paying the rest… that’s really unfair.”  Clewer explained that each of these proponents services different people on Englewood’s income ladder while still prioritizing the lowest-income residents.  Clewer and Patin both worked with the city and other government agencies on these different projects Patin views translatability as an important element for any city-led program “It’s a matter of how you connect these [processes] to people and how you make them translatable for people and that also depends on your goals and values as an administration.”  and progressive policymaking of the Johnson administration have created opportunities for community investment in the neighborhoods that need it most Mayor Lightfoot and Johnson have found multiple ways to do community development and private equity to invest in communities.  Lightfoot started a snowball effect that changed the dynamic of developers’ approaches to communities like Englewood and Johnson is creating a more streamlined process that can meet the community’s expectations He last interviewed South Side writer and actor Diallo Riddle for the Weekly and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" View More View More is charged with murder and arson in the May 12 and fire at her home in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue A North Lawndale man is accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and setting her house on fire last year in West Englewood broke off her relationship with Joshua Mims Mims allegedly threatened to break all of her TVs and later argued with her while he was moving out of her home May 12 Surveillance video showed Mims leaving Adams’ home in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue around 10 p.m He was seen leaving the house within 10 minutes They entered the house and found Adams’ body partially on fire lying in a pool of blood She suffered a gunshot wound to the back of her head and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago Fire Department officials determined the fire was caused by open flame ignition in four “separate and distinct” areas of the house Mims was arrested Tuesday by Chicago police officers and the U.S Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the 900 block of South Kedzie Avenue He is charged with one count each of first-degree murder and aggravated arson A judge ordered him detained during his first court appearance Thursday A community farm in West Englewood and a health center in Austin are the first projects to receive funding from the City of Chicago’s new Housing and Economic Development (HED) bond Chosen for their significant impact on neighborhood health and well-being each project will receive up to $5 million to cover qualifying construction expenses will utilize $5 million from the bond to establish a USDA-certified produce processing facility for its adjacent farming operations it will double the capacity of Growing Home’s workforce development program to 160 participants The Austin Community Health Hub will use $5 million in bond proceeds for a new building dedicated to physical and behavioral health care services project will feature community gathering spaces and a café with outdoor seating generating approximately 27 full-time jobs A ceremonial groundbreaking for the project took place earlier this week the HED bond allocates $250 million annually over five years to support affordable housing and economic development focusing primarily on West and South Side neighborhoods that have historically lacked public financial incentives such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF) The funds are equally divided between the Department of Housing and the Department of Planning and Development “Health and wellness projects are crucial for community resilience and growth,” said Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright “DPD is excited to initiate bond funding for projects like these that align with the missions of established community-service organizations.” Both organizations received funding through a Community Development Grant application process that concluded in February 2024 eight more finalists for Community Development Grants were announced ranging from $483,000 to $5 million for construction the 10 projects are valued at more than $60 million in construction costs Finalists were chosen from 149 submissions Community Development Grant funds will be distributed incrementally as project phases are completed For more information, visit the Department of Planning and Development’s Chicago Recovery Plan website For advertising information and rates, you can call (888) 627-8717 ext 212 or request information through the “Advertising and sponsorships“ link A third man has been charged with the fatal shooting of Nyzireya Moore More than two years after a 12-year-old girl was killed by a stray bullet in a gang-related shooting in West Englewood a third person has been charged in her death was ordered detained pending trial during a hearing Friday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse where he faced a charge of first-degree murder in the March 1 Calhoun was arrested Thursday in the 7500 block of South Normal Avenue, a little more than two miles from where Nyzireya Moore was fatally shot while she was returning home from celebrating her birthday with family members Moore was riding in her family’s Buick SUV when three gunmen who had recently left a house in the 2300 block of West 72nd Street saw a rival gang member drive by in a Mercedes and they opened fire Cook County prosecutors said at a hearing for two other men previously charged in the case Moore’s mother heard the gunshots and glass shattering as her car was struck before realizing her daughter had been shot in the head Moore was rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital Investigators found 25 shell casings from three different weapons at the scene Police are searching for the shooters who killed a 12-year-old girl in West Englewood Surveillance cameras captured the shooting but police officials said their break in the case came when an anonymous witness came forward Abdul Ali, 21, and Malik Parish, 22, were charged with first-degree murder in November 2022 and have been held at the Cook County Jail since while they are awaiting trial Both men were later indicted and have pleaded not guilty to murder attempt murder and aggravated discharge of a weapon charges On a gray Saturday in June, sounds of laughter, conversation, and music reverberated for blocks in West Englewood. Imagine Englewood if’s Peace Campus at Honore and 64th radiated with joy and playfulness as young people ran through blocked-off streets with ice cream in hand and lines of people danced the “Cupid Shuffle.”  The annual Peace Fest brought together children and other community members for a day of play and fellowship despite the incessant rain that started earlier that morning and continued into the evening of June 1 turns the overused phrase “Black-on-Black crime” on its head.   “We’re trying to reverse the stereotype about ‘Black-on-Black crime,’” said Michelle Rashad Imagine Engleweood if’s (IEi) executive director “We can’t ignore that it still has had great impact on our communities [but Peace Fest is about] being able to come together with those joys to heal some of the trauma that we’ve all experienced.”  IEi, a nonprofit that creates safe and empowering spaces for youth and their families in the Greater Englewood community, started hosting the festival about eight years ago as one of its signature annual events to honor gun violence victims and survivors and their families. This year, the block-party-style festival took place the weekend before Wear Orange Weekend a national initiative to raise awareness about the impact of gun violence which originated after the fatal shooting of Hadiya Pendleton on a Chicago playground in 2013.  IEi’s Peace Campus activated its community garden and main Peace House to accommodate Saturday’s festivities were supplemented by a wide range of service providers and free food.  Alia Ramirez, the founder of Eenie Juice I’m almost sold out actually!” Ramirez said “I was kinda iffy about it because I’m like but everybody came out and came through.’”  A large portion of Honore Street was blocked off and a stage made space for DJs and other performers throughout the event “We want to highlight the sonics of Black culture—the diaspora of sounds from soul to hip-hop,” said Heavy Crownz “We gonna have folks out there line dancing to house music and footworking….You can never have enough times where we as Black people are loving on each other and sharing space.” Crownz’s vision came to life with DJs playing house Local Zumba instructor Maya Robinson radiated upbeat energy despite the gray skies as she led participants through various line dances.  Several community organizations supported the event. Chicago Survivors a crisis support services organization for families of homicide victims regularly participates in Peace Fest to offer resources and support to the community Chicago Survivors’s community of survivors manager She and the rest of her team introduced participants to the organization’s emotional support dog and spoke with newer organizations about the community services they provide “Without fail every year we have people come up and say and I didn’t know about you guys,” said Pedro Gonzalez Chicago Survivors’s family support manager we are able to get people to know about us.”  These community losses and collective healing work are personal to IEi’s leaders Rashad recalls the loss of a childhood friend who was killed by a stray bullet while getting ready for school in her home Rashad said joining IEi as a high schooler helped her feel reconnected to her neighborhood after the tragedy “IEi really shifted or showed me that in community you’re able to process that and this is an effect of a much larger issue,” she said I feel like those messages were able to give people more peace of mind and understanding and healing.”  Crownz also understands how easy it is to move into a state of desensitization and normalization around community violence “I’ve lost more personal friends than I can count on my hands from Englewood since I was twelve or eleven,” he said.  IEi’s work at-large focuses on identifying the structural inequities and lack of resource investment that often lead to violence Peace Fest in particular serves to introduce people to resources they might be unfamiliar with while also creating a safe space for survivor families to feel cared for and connected to community.  “It sometimes can be so overwhelming with the work that still needs to happen…We heal and grow in community so it’s about us coming together to grow and heal and celebrate together.” Olympia Cure, a longtime Englewood resident, attended the fest to offer double dutch for other community members as a part of the 40+ Double Dutch Club the camaraderie—just being able to interact and socialize with some residents and community leaders,” Cure said.   With beloved block parties and festivals like the Silver Room Block Party and Hyde Park Summer Fest discontinuing this summer the need for additional gatherings on the South Side to commune and celebrate feels essential These spaces are in many ways an opportunity to cultivate a sense of joy and trust that builds resiliency in the face of violence and support on the collective path toward healing.  “It sometimes can be so overwhelming with the work that still needs to happen the wrongs that still need to be [made] right,” Rashad said As tents and tables were folded and stored with the fest nearing its end attendees continued to dance to the music with broad smiles on their faces Jasmine Barnes is a Chicago-based facilitator and multidisciplinary writer calling on the Black womanist tradition in her work You can learn more about her by visiting her website: www.jasbarnes.com Englewood is the home of the biggest drill rappers known in the country while also being home to a community focused on changing the perception and the reality of what living in Englewood is and can be We’ve challenged the idea of our community being a food desert by offering free food out of community fridges and by creating our own grocery stores in the most needy areas with Dion’s Dream Fridge and the Go Green on Racine initiative Being an Englewood native and realizing that all the pieces of improving our quality of life have already been conceptualized and realized by the people of the community has given me so much pride in being part of the fight against decades of structural violence and systemic oppression I remember staring out the window of my apartment on 59th and Normal imagining what it would be like if the vacant lot across the street could be part of our own urban agricultural infrastructure then walking to the red line and seeing a community garden managed by local school children just a couple blocks away Englewood has been putting the pieces of a mosaic of community resilience that can be easily missed if you let the media dictate your perspective of the neighborhood When I got involved in the community effort to empower Englewood from within I felt ashamed of how ignorant I was of the amount of stakeholders putting their blood The Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) opened the door of enlightenment for me unveiling a menagerie of grassroots organizations and changemakers who had been doing the work since before I was even born I met organizer Cora Butler before I even joined R.A.G.E or started instructing a literacy program at Primo Center for Women and Children and little did I know she had been championing civic engagement for Englewood since the 70’s I didn’t even know what an alderman was when names like Anna Langford and Toni Foulkes started populating my Google search and One Health Englewood I had already settled upon the amount of humility I needed due to the fact that these organizations were already championing the fight needed to make Englewood great again had a comprehensive strategy and was led by individuals that could never be appropriately represented in the media or by word of mouth I proudly did my part teaching literacy at an afterschool program and teaching social studies at one of the local high schools collecting census data and informing residents on the local healthcare resources or equipping my neighbors with information on community resources and providing mutual aid through a weekly resource fair One of the first and most frequent ways I gave back to the community was by documenting the stories of Englewood and I will continue that journey through this year’s Best of Englewood Englewood personifies Chicago in many ways so when one calls us “the city of broad shoulders,” I can only think of the weight that these changemakers carry for my community We have community activists that have been doing work for more than forty years either as individuals or through organizations We have artists and developers that empower the community through creating equitable and creative spaces We have businesses that showcase our Black Excellence through food and culture But most of all Englewood has an army of community members who believe in Englewood and its future You can find him volunteering throughout the city I’m a chief like I’m from O-Block”: the opening line from the song “New Years Freestyle,” from ITSREAL85’s parody character resonates with me because it references Chief Keef but most importantly because of the thought of buying his whole block the fact that Bloody Freddy is a reimagining of Freddy Krueger as gang leader who runs Elm Street is pertinent but the fact that a fictional character references owning his community is too prevalent When I first heard the line I had just became aware of the “buy the block” slogan circling in conversations about dealing with intergenerational wealth Rappers were some of the first people I heard talking about giving back to the community they came from but I had heard the slogan in community meetings in Englewood used it in the Buy The Block initiative that she was spearheading by educating Englewood residents on how to approach homeownership and how homeowners could take advantage of the city’s Large Lot Program Seeing this concept being brought to reality in my community really was inspirational but little did I know that the Buy The Block initiative would be an essential component of economic development in Englewood The Englewood Re-Up stands for “R.A.G.E.’s Economic Upliftment Program” and according to its website it “focuses on business ownership and homeownership in the Englewood Chicago Community.” This includes a range of initiatives including the Buy The Block program a scholarship program for college bound HS graduates the land grant program is a partnership with the Community Land Bank and it has gifted eight people a large lot on their block with one individual even getting two plots of land This is thousands of dollars that build financial security for some and build intergenerational wealth for others and owner of Price Insurance and Workforce Development Solutions LLC; she has already been deeply invested in the economic and workforce development of her community Jobs On The Block is a program she pioneered; it has been a staple of community job fairs since I moved back to Chicago in 2015 Asked if there was a catch to the land grant program we cannot sell it for the first five years but since we are the homeowners we were given deeds for the lots,” adding “if you can show you have the funds to rehab it they are trying to make it so that you can get the property without putting up so much money upfront because for a lot of those properties you would need at least $10,000.” Price plans on turning her property into a playground for kids on the block “I see the kids riding their bikes up and down the block and playing outside their home so I was thinking about turning that into a kid’s playground.” She is only one of the grantees but they all have plans that will generate a long-term impact Before our chat ended she further advocated “I just love the economics behind the Re-Up because it’s something we can hand down generationally so for me that’s one of the biggest takeaways You can follow the Re-Up by following @rage_englewood or visiting theragereup.org it reads “I am my community.” It also includes words chosen by the community like hope and women who resemble the residents of Englewood A brand new event space next to the mural hosts farmers’ markets and community events for everyone in the neighborhood The sign used to just say “Englewood,” but it was repainted by the Englewood Arts Collective and members of the community in 2020 I personally like the new sign and feel that it makes the neighborhood more welcoming The mural also makes me feel a sense of belonging and that people actually care about Englewood The overpass the mural is located on is part of the long-planned Englewood Trail a 1.5 mile-long stretch of elevated hiking trails for Englewood and West Englewood The nature trail will also provide a place where people can feel safe and walk and exercise without having to use the streets to bike I am glad to know that there are people who care enough about our community to make it look better When I showed up early for my interview with Haute Brats owner Chef Darryl Fuery his hands still had remnants of flour from the dough machine a takeout restaurant propelled by Fuery’s culinary training program “Teaching N Training L3C,” soft-opened in late August of this year The program was developed to coach and prepare unemployed young adults leaving the justice and foster care systems as well as just generally disconnected young adults Stressing the concept of “you are what you eat,” the program is modeled after balanced meals and the connection between food and body participants learn about basic knife skills Whether a participant pursues a culinary career or leaves it as an interesting experience on their resume they will have gained valuable skills and not depleted their time and money trying to figure out if it could be a good fit “Young people often go into a cooking career naively,” Fuery said They don’t think about sanitation or other things you need to do to be successful let alone all the time you’re on your feet day in The Haute Brats concept has slowly come together Fuery applied for the City of Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund in 2017 but was initially denied though it took him a year and a half to find a location and secure funding for renovations the pandemic was in full force and the Fund put their projects on hold Chef Fuery is looking for a corporate sponsor so that the training program can remain free Fuery is modest and uplifts his nonprofit and mission at every turn he initially studied business and didn’t consider a culinary path until after his dad passed and I was thinking of him and my mom who were both great cooks and I just wondered if I had any ability,” he said After taking an introductory cooking course in the early 1990s his instructor encouraged him to attend the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC) Teamwork Englewood asked him to speak to a group of students about cooking as a viable career path and there his passion for mentoring was born Hot dogs and brats are their flagship items and mini sugar-coated donuts made fresh each day The plan is to expand the “Haute” brand outside of brats such as “Haute Vegan” and “Haute Jerk,” to other locations I was lucky enough to have Chef Fuery make me his signature Reuben Dawg I’m usually not a fan of onions on a dog but in this case The Reuben Dawg had the classic flavor you would expect and I’m not ashamed to admit I ate them all in one sitting I decided to leave the donuts for dessert later that day “Well you’re not going to leave here without trying a donut right?” With no more room in my stomach but all the eagerness of a kid with a sugar addiction and subsequently dropped crumbs all over my clothes I can’t faithfully say the same won’t happen to you if you visit Haute Brats Chicago’s 63rd Street is known throughout America Two fallen greats of the Chicago Drill scene “I’m from 63rd” and “Crazy Story,” which gave 63rd its fame in recent years The 63rd bus connects east to west and there are multiple stops for the Red Line and the Green Line and businesses from banks to grocery stores line up the street I used to go to college every day using 63rd as well as buying groceries and attending community meetings on this street Woode and its goal of being part of the change that would make 63rd ground zero for future entrepreneurs I was ecstatic because it was already a focal point of how myself and many others oriented themselves to the neighborhood According to a 2019 Block Club Chicago article titled “Can E Woode transform Englewood?” architect Deon Lucas used former Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Retail Thrive Zone grant to secure property on 63rd and May to develop a small-business incubator that opened on August 25 The collective includes Lucas’s architecture and engineering design collaborative Beehyyve as well as Powell’s barbershop cooperative and college; a boutique consignment shop called Marie Wesley a co-sharing workspace called Englewood Kitchen and a soul food restaurant called Pass The Peas As someone who often leaves Englewood to spend my disposable income in other communities often taking the 63rd Street bus or the train lines I’ve been waiting for years to see this establishment open to get a sense of what to expect and the kind of impact the collective will make and a dedicated father and community member he has never shirked on the possibility of empowering Englewood I chatted with him over a week before the grand opening South Side Weekly: Can you explain what E.G Antoine Butler: It’s a co-op with start-up entrepreneurs that distinctly wants to work with non-established entrepreneurs because those are the people who are going to create more jobs Only two have had physical spaces and the other four are start-ups Momentum and Powell’s have had physical spaces but this will be the first time for others but there will be a lot of mentorship and opportunities really trying to start other people because the bigger picture is for everybody to move on and open another space with other entrepreneurs I’ll be planning for him to take over the space or we build him a new space and he starts his own restaurant What kind of ideas will your business be bringing to the table I want to support the community (sports) teams and I want to encourage them to stay into sports I know the center on 69th just formed a basketball team so I’m thinking about sponsoring them now Woode speaks of being a place for entrepreneurs to utilize the space Are there rates for the co-working spaces or ideas on how non-attached entrepreneurs can utilize E.G Part of the second floor will be a shared kitchen where people can come in we have a kitchen where they can come in and increase their volume and bake twice as many cookies then they can bake somewhere else That’s bringing their business up and we will probably be selling a lot of the products from locals who come and use the kitchen We will be selling their products in the restaurant Speaking with Butler gets me more and more excited to know that not only can I go have an after-work brew in my community but I will be helping my community with my disposable income spaces where community members can enjoy themselves You can smell it a block away: located by 74th and Halsted Georgia’s Food Depot is one of Chicago’s best soul food restaurants Georgia’s is owned by an Englewood resident who was born in Mississippi but whose family moved her to Illinois when she was only three months old Every time I have been to this restaurant it is always packed full of friendly patrons always complimenting the delicious aroma of beef short ribs and pork chops with all the sides you can choose from Georgia’s offers $6 meals that will have you full and ready to go back over and over again living in Englewood you start to notice we do not have many breakfast spots but Georgia offers an a la carte breakfast with so many options allowing all of us to have good and healthy choices I rode my scooter to the restaurant and to talk to the owner Georgia (who didn’t want to share her last name) She remembered me because I go there so often and having that recognition really means a lot at a place you’re spending your money The restaurant is also located next to a Black-owned hardware store Georgia’s best cooking advice is to learn to make food taste great without salt she said she wants to get into catering and to service funeral homes and that she is looking to hire more workers So go down to Georgia’s and check out some of the best soul food in Englewood consisting of the Englewood and West Englewood communities is one of 10 priority areas selected as a part of the initial phase of Chicago’s INVEST South/West commercial corridor improvement strategy INVEST South/West’s goal is to re-activate neighborhood cores that have historically served as focal points for pedestrian activity public spaces and quality-of life amenities for local residents the priority focus is the intersection of 63rd and Halsted streets and adjacent blocks Greater Englewood stakeholders participated in the INVEST South/West kick-off celebration in December 2019 at Kennedy-King College The family-friendly event was one of four held this winter to launch the initiative with in-depth activities that helped participants identify priorities More than 500 attendees listened to presentations about the goals and objectives of INVEST South/West then interfaced with dozens of public agencies about opportunities to improve the community including an overview of Greater Englewood comments and feedback In spring 2020, the City formed the Greater Englewood Neighborhood Roundtable Consisting of representatives from city agencies aldermanic offices neighborhood organizations the roundtable seeks to advance local goals through a broad cross-disciplinary approach that leverages the insights creativity and resources of local stakeholders Questions on the roundtable can be directed to DPD@cityofchicago.org As a part of the ongoing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) development initiative, Mayor Lightfoot and DPD announced three winning proposals in March 2021, including a proposal to expand Englewood Square the Whole Foods-anchored shopping plaza at 63rd and Halsted Planned as the second phase of Englewood Square Englewood Connect is a $10.3 million “eco-food hub” that will establish culinary-related uses that empower The project will adaptively reuse the landmark Green Street fire station as a commercial kitchen establish a business incubator to train start-up businesses create an community "living room” for local events and repurpose vacant land with hoop houses that provide year-round farming operations A public plaza will serve as its focal point Later phases will include a flexible market space and an event center The project is expected to generate approximately 80 construction jobs and 45 permanent full-time positions Kickoff Report Existing Conditions Map Past Plans Priority Corridor Corridor Improvements Kickoff Celebration Block Club Chicago: June 28, 2022Englewood Connect, a $15 million business incubator to be built in an old firehouse, could break ground this fall Block Club Chicago: May 26, 2022A 108-unit affordable housing development could be coming to Englewood’s 63rd Street corridor Block Club Chicago: March 9, 2022Newly opened Go Green Community Fresh Market in Englewood hailed as a ‘milestone’ after years of work Block Club Chicago: Oct. 21, 2021In Englewood, closed Harper High School becomes community hub for young people Block Club Chicago: Oct. 20, 2021Renovated Englewood Aldi reopens next week with larger food selection Bisnow: Sept. 2, 2021Lightfoot's INVEST South/West could bring critical mass of investment to struggling Englewood Block Club Chicago: Aug. 26, 2021Englewood organizers aim to uplift neighbors and revitalize vacant lots at back-to-school bash Block Club Chicago: May 26, 2021New affordable apartments are coming to Englewood after City Council approval Block Club Chicago: March 8, 2021Century-old Englewood firehouse will be redeveloped into culinary center, business hub for the community City Hall News: March 8, 2021Mayor Lightfoot announces winning INVEST South/West proposals for Austin, Englewood, and Auburn Gresham development sites ABC 7 Chicago: Nov. 1, 2020'Gateway' mural aims to beautify Englewood commercial district on South Side City Hall News: Oct. 6, 2020Mayor Lightfoot joins Department of Housing, Ald. Coleman to open Englewood's Hope Manor Village CBS Chicago: Oct. 6, 2020VOA turns vacant lot into beautiful new housing in Englewood, and one veteran is thrilled to move in Chicago Tribune: Aug. 24, 2020City picks sites in Austin, Auburn Gresham and Englewood for its Invest South/West program City Hall News: Aug. 24, 2020City issues Requests For Proposals for 3 priority sites in INVEST South/West neighborhoods Block Club Chicago: July 21, 2020Ogden Park’s new football field and track is ready for play: ‘It feels good to see it happen’ Facebook: July 17, 2020Parks Chief Mike Kelly updates residents on park upgrades in Englewood, North Lawndale and Bronzeville Block Club Chicago: June 30, 2020More than 30 South, West Side businesses awarded Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grants Chicago police work the scene where 4 people were shot including a 6-year-old and a 11-year-old boys Two boys and two adults were wounded in a shooting Wednesday evening in West Englewood The group was traveling in a car in the 1600 block of West 68th Street when someone opened fire about 5:45 p.m. were struck in the arm and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital Both were transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center All four victims were listed in good condition Chicago police are asking the public’s help in identifying the shooters who killed a 12-year-old girl two weeks ago in West Englewood On March 1, Nyzireya Moore was riding in a car when three males on the street opened fire in the 2300 block of West 72nd Street about 7:50 p.m. She was wounded in the back of the head and was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital Video showed three males walking west on 72nd Street when they spotted a vehicle turning north on Oakley Avenue Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8380 The 1,200-acre Englewood Neighborhood TIF was designated to reverse disinvestment trends along the area's major arterials and on adjacent residential blocks Its purpose is to help assemble land for a variety of redevelopment purposes within the Englewood and West Englewood communities mixed-income housing development and rehabilitation Funds are targeted for site assembly and preparation costs Chicago police work the scene where a 25-year-old man was shot and killed in the 1600 block of West 66th Street A man was shot and killed Tuesday in West Englewood on the South Side in the 1600 block of West 66th Street when someone fired shots The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago police work the scene where a 25-year-old man was fatally shot in Englewood Tuesday evening 2024A West Englewood shooting in Chicago left a man dead at a convenience store in the 6300 block of South Ashland Avenue police said.CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man was shot to death inside a South Side convenience store on Sunday afternoon Police said the shooting happened in the West Englewood neighborhood's 6300 block of South Ashland Avenue just after 3 p.m A 40-year-old man was inside the store when someone approached him and took out a gun before shooting him was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital Police did not immediately provide further information about the shooting