Pilsen's - The Field Museum

Engaging Chicago’s Diverse Communities in the Chicago Climate Action Plan COMMUNITY #4: PILSEN’S MEXICAN COMMUNITY

Research Report Submitted by: To:

Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), a Division of Science at The Field Museum

The City of Chicago Department of Environment

City of Chicago Richard M. Daley, Mayor Department of Environment

table of contents

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project overview

23 communication and dissemination

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community overview

24 creative models for community engagement

7 stakeholders,partnerships, and relationship-building

25 conclusion

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26 community asset map

awareness of climate change and interest in addressing it

12 community concerns: springboards for climate action

27 regional asset map

20 environmentally-friendlypractices, values, and traditions

28 our team bibliography participating organizations

This research was commissioned by the City of Chicago Department of Environment. Research was conducted by: Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), a Division of Science at The Field Museum with our partners: City of Chicago Department of Environment Casa Michoacán Chicago Cultural Alliance

December 2010

Visit our Web site to download the Community and Regional Asset Maps, and reports about other communities: http://fieldmuseum.org/climateaction

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project overview Engaging Chicago Communities in the Chicago Climate Action Plan— Community #4: Pilsen’s Mexican Community is the fourth community study commissioned by the City of Chicago Department of Environment (DOE) to identify strategies for effectively engaging diverse communities throughout the city in the implementation of the Chicago Climate Action Plan (CCAP). This report presents the results from one site of a two-sited mini study that also included the South Asian community of West Ridge on Chicago’s far north side.

the Chicago Department of Environment, and leaders of community-based organizations in the research communities. In this study, our research was designed and conducted collaboratively, in English and Spanish, by a team including anthropologists from The Field Museum’s division of Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), staff from the Chicago Cultural Alliance, and staff from Casa Michoacán, a community-based cultural organization located in the heart of Pilsen.

Our first two studies had a geographic focus, one on South Chicago––a working class, racially diverse area on Chicago’s far South Side––and the other on North Kenwood-Oakland/Bronzeville, an economically diverse, African-American area of the city situated just three miles south of Chicago’s downtown. The third study was the first to focus on an ethnic group––Chicago’s Polish community––and was concentrated in three Chicago areas with large Polish populations. The Pilsen and West Ridge studies are the first to be delineated by both neighborhood geography and ethnicity, and are also the first to incorporate storytelling as a data gathering technique.

Casa Michoacán is the umbrella organization for dozens of hometown associations under the Federación de Clubes Michoacános in Illinois (FEDECMI). These hometown associations work to improve the life conditions of people from the Mexican state of Michoacán who reside on both sides of the border, though they also provide many services for Chicago’s broader Spanishspeaking community. Casa Michoacán serves a geographically dispersed Mexican immigrant community, attracting clients from throughout Chicago and its suburbs. Programs offered at Casa Michoacán range from bill paying assistance, to ESL and computer classes, to scholarly conferences, cultural programs and exhibits, as well as transnational organizing. One major event presented by Casa Michoacán every year is Presencia Michoacána, which offers a transnational perspective on the identity of Michoacános and Mexicans living in the United States. These programs and services take place against several display cases with contemporary artifacts, many of which depict iconography of nature and people’s daily life interacting with the environment in their homeland. Casa Michoacán is a member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance, a

All of our studies are participatory action research projects that have been conducted by a team including Field Museum anthropologists, staff from

RESEARCH AREA West Pilsen

East Pilsen

Lower West Side

Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo) • The Field Museum • Research Report

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project overview growing consortium of 28 community-based museums, centers, and historical societies in the Chicago area working together to effect social change and public understanding of cultural diversity. Many of these members have been collaborating with The Field Museum for over a decade. This research project combined traditional ethnographic methods, such as interviewing and participant observation, with the innovative technique of storytelling. Through workshops, tool sharing, and personal mentoring, ethnographers at the Field Museum worked closely with staff members at Casa Michoacán to develop their skills as story collectors. This collaborative approach allowed us to pair complementary methods of gathering data. While the project ethnographer was working to complete a rapid inventory of both the Pilsen and West Ridge neighborhoods, our community partners were busy collecting stories from their clients and peers. Touching base regularly along the way, the ethnographer and local leaders supported one another’s work through the exchange of contacts, leads, ideas, and tools. For the duration of the field season, both the ethnographer and local partners used a variety of creative tools developed by ECCo to learn about how residents are relating to the environment and climate change, such as using objects and photos to prompt discussion. Incorporating the methods of storytelling has enhanced both the research product and the resources and knowledge of our community partners. Storytelling as a methodological technique enriched the study by contributing narrative stories to semi-structured interview data gathered by the ethnographer. This has provided a more nuanced and holistic understanding of community dynamics and has broadened the contribution of community members and leaders in the research process. In addition, learning and applying storytelling techniques strengthened the social capital of our community partners, who said that gathering stories has improved their understanding of community concerns and resources. “The big beneficiary in this whole process has been me,” said Gabriela Mendoza of Casa Michoacán, adding that storytelling has developed her skills as a community organizer. “I’ve discovered another part of myself, I’ve learned so much,” she said, “One thing I’ve learned is that people in Pilsen are already doing a lot. Now when people come to me for help, I can tell them about all of these existing community resources.” Ultimately, the experiences

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Engaging the Community Our partners at Casa Michoacán participated in community meetings, focus groups, and interviews to gather stories from a wide variety of Pilsen residents and business owners. In these pictures, Pilsen residents share stories about themselves, their culture, and their concerns and aspirations to create a sustainable community.


project overview of collecting stories, identifying community assets, and developing organizing skills will help our community partners develop programs and services to better address community concerns including environmental issues and climate change.

In total, we directly engaged approximately 210 people through interviews, focus groups, surveys, and story collecting that included residents, business owners, civil leaders, and leaders of community organizations. Our research included:

Field research for this project lasted four months, from May through August, 2010. During this time, Field Museum researchers and community partners conducted interviews, gathered stories, and held focus groups to better understand research participants’ beliefs and practices related to the environment and climate change. As these study communities are defined by participants’ ethnic identity as well as their geographic location, we recruited participants who fall into one of three main categories. Our primary focus comprised Mexican and Mexican American residents of the Pilsen neighborhood. Secondarily, we spoke with a number of Chicago-area Mexicans who work, shop, or use services in Pilsen but who reside elsewhere. Third, we spoke with neighbors, workers, and community leaders who live or work in Pilsen, but are not of Mexican origin. This recruitment strategy recognizes that our target populations do not live in any single urban area, but are socially integrated into Chicago’s multi-cultural metropolitan area.

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twenty-two semi-structured interviews;

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two focus group with 64 people;

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seventy-four surveys;

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over 50 stories collected;

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participant-observation (participating in and simultaneously observing at 12 community events and meetings that involved approximately 255 additional people).

One of our goals in studying ethnic communities is to better understand the ways in which cultural values and traditions in communities of origin might facilitate or hamper participation in climate action strategies in Chicago. Another goal is to understand how ethnic heritage intersects with community activities, creating patterns of interaction with local and global environments. As a result of having both an ethnic and a geographic focus, this study also highlights the networks of relationships that urban immigrants have with wider Chicago communities. The majority of the research was ethnographic, with the goal being to gain an understanding of people’s behaviors and attitudes by studying them in the context of their everyday lives. Like most research, ethnographic research aims to identify patterns and linkages between issues; but it is also based on the notion that people are experts on their own lives and, as such, aims to highlight local knowledge and practices as the building blocks for creating more sustainable communities.

Due to the high concentration of immigrants among the adult population of the Pilsen community and because of the organizational networks that we used for recruitment, an overwhelming majority of our study participants were first generation immigrants. All were adults and many were clients of our partner organization. The goals of this study were to: 1. document attitudes and knowledge related to climate change; 2. identify climate-friendly practices and values; 3. describe community concerns that link environment to quality of life; 4. identify key organizations that can act as catalysts for larger scale adoption of climate action strategies; 5. highlight creative models of engagement that can be adopted for climate action; 6. determine effective communication strategies for disseminating information.


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community overview Located just south and west of downtown Chicago, Pilsen (also known as the Lower West Side) has a long history as a vibrant immigrant community. The region’s industrial economy, with its manufacturing plants, stockyards, and packing houses attracted immigrant workers from Germany and Ireland, followed by Eastern and Southern Europe, throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While Mexicans began migrating to Chicago in the late 19th century to work in the city’s rail yards and steel mills, the Mexican population of Chicago increased dramatically after 1970. Mexicans are currently the dominant ethnic group in Pilsen and its neighbor to the west, Little Village. The following research findings describe key characteristics of today’s Mexican population of Pilsen.

Pilsen is a central hub of Chicago’s Mexican community. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, more than 80% of Pilsen’s population is of Mexican origin or descent. This heritage is celebrated throughout Pilsen’s businesses and public works, from Plaza Tenochtitlan at 18th and Loomis, to Aztec calendars in Pilsen’s public sidewalks, to murals, mosaics, and restaurants that honor Mexican culture and cuisine. Pilsen also has bustling commercial districts, with restaurants and shops that cater to Mexican residents from all over the Chicago area. As this report will show, residents’ perspectives on the environment and climate change are profoundly shaped by their Mexican heritage and culture, as well as by environmental issues and practices in Mexico. 4

One woman told us that people often refer to natives of her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico as cheap. But, she said, people from Monterrey are concerned about saving because resources are scarce there. She said that in Monterrey you can only use your hose on certain days and everyone is careful to conserve water; they don’t leave the water running or use water in their gardens.

WAVES OF MEXICAN IMMIGRATION TO CHICAGO 1970s-present: destabilization of Mexican economy wrought by globalization; dramatic rise in immigration and rise in unauthorized migration; shift toward service work; rapid suburbanization

1900-1930: U.S. labor recruitment in Mexico; Mexicans immigrated to Chicago area in large numbers to work in railroad construction, auto and steel manufacture, meatpacking, and agriculture

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1910

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1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1942-1964: An estimated five million Mexicans worked in the U.S. as part of the Bracero Program; in Chicago Mexicans continued to work in industry, agriculture, and the rail yards


community overview There is a long tradition of community organizing in Pilsen. Pilsen is home to dozens of organizations dedicated to immigrant rights, environmental justice, labor rights, social justice, religious activism, transnational development, and political art. Mexican residents from all over Chicago come to Pilsen to participate in political organizing efforts, discuss events “back home” in Mexico, and socialize with friends. Pilsen’s proximity to the University of Illinois at Chicago contributes to its climate of intellectual activism, and university students and professors can often be found milling about in Pilsen’s cafes, libraries, and cultural centers. Pilsen’s progressive tradition has helped create a supportive environment for area businesses, museums, schools, and organizations to address climate change issues.

With a median household income just under $28,000 annually, Pilsen is a working-class community. Mexican immigrants in Pilsen and throughout Chicago generally have high labor force participation rates overall, but they tend to be concentrated in lower-paying sectors of the economy such as manufacturing, construction, and service industries. Immigrant members of the Pilsen community are also more likely to be involved in informal, part-time, and seasonal work, such as housecleaning, construction, and landscaping, than native-born Chicago residents.

A staff member from Casa Michoacán explained that the Monarch butterfly sanctuary in their home state of Michoacán is not just for tourists. She described the Michoacán sanctuary as en las grutas (in the high mountains), con mucha tranquilidad (very peaceful) donde el pueblo domina (where the town dominates) because they have a say on controlling development such as hotels, factories, large stores, etc.


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community overview At Yollocalli and Radio Arte the youth recycle as much as possible. One young man rides around on a used bike that his father found for him. It has a rip in the seat, and the youth has named the bike “La Rajada,” or “The Split One.” Even though he has lovingly restored other parts of the bike, the ripped seat remains un-repaired; the youth says that it reminds him of where the bike has come from. Pilsen is also an artistic enclave. It is home to the renowned National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) and its youth initiatives Yollocalli Arts Reach and Radio Arte, as well as the Casa de la Cultura, and several independent art galleries and artists. Many of these artistic centers have taken the initiative in developing environmentally-friendly practices and programs, as demonstrated by NMMA’s rooftop solar panels and Yollocalli’s recycling-themed fashion show. Striking murals and mosaics with social and political themes adorn buildings and structures throughout Pilsen. In keeping with the tradition of Mexican mural art, local artists frequently display their art in Pilsen’s public spaces, such as libraries and cafes, where it can be enjoyed by area residents and workers.

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ec ommendation: community overview

Tap into residents’ transnational perspectives by developing messages and programs that link community life in Pilsen with immigrants’ regional and national identities from Mexico.

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stakeholders ,

PARTNERSHIPS, AND RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING Resources for the Mexican community of greater Chicago are concentrated in Pilsen and its neighbor to the southwest, Little Village, making them the commercial, civic, and religious centers of Chicago’s Mexican community. Elaborate networks of “Hometown Associations” supply Mexican immigrants in Chicago with critical links to each other and to their home towns in Mexico. There are hundreds of these organizations in the Chicago area, each of which represents the emigrant population of a single town, city, or region in Mexico. Hometown associations provide important economic and social resources to their members, including community services, adult education, cultural activities and social spaces where members can enjoy the company of others who share their place of origin. Hometown associations also maintain crucial bonds between immigrant communities in Chicago and communities of origin in Mexico, as they help migrants organize and fund development projects in Mexico, such as the building of a road or church. Frequently, smaller organizations will group together to form “Federations,” which typically represent an entire Mexican state and may have one hundred or more hometown associations under their umbrella. Federations, such as the Federacion de Clubes Michoacános en Illinois, or FEDECMI, often have strong ties to state and federal governmental organizations in Mexico and are powerful brokers of transnational relationships. Pilsen is also the geographical heart of a network of civic organizations dedicated to promoting the well-being of Chicago’s Mexican immigrant population. Many of these organizations focus on a particular concern of the Mexican community, such as labor rights, environmental justice, education, social justice, or immigrant rights, but they also frequently support one another and form coalitions around common interests. Centers of activism in the Pilsen area include religious organizations, such as the St. Pius V Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese and The Resurrection Project, environmental organizations like the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (P.E.R.R.O.), laborrights groups such as the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative and the Chicago

Community and Workers’ Rights center, and social services/cultural centers, such as Casa Michoacán, Casa Aztlan, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, and Latinos Progresando. The National Museum of Mexican Art and Yollocalli Arts Reach also regularly sponsor classes, events, and exhibitions with explicit social justice missions. The Catholic Church has long played an active role in Chicago’s immigrant community of Pilsen. This tradition continues today; there are eight different catholic parishes within the Pilsen neighborhood. The current and past fathers at St. Pius V Parish have been at the forefront of Chicago’s immigrant rights movement and are credited with mobilizing large numbers of parishioners for marches and events. St. Pius V Parish is an integral part of Pilsen’s Mexican community, and its social justice mission is honored with an elaborate mural on Ashland Avenue. The economic and cultural health of Pilsen is deeply interconnected with Pilsen’s business community. Pilsen is home to the 18th Street business district, which is a major corridor of small and locally-owned restaurants, retail shops, serviceoriented businesses, and art galleries. Just a mile to the south, on 26th Street in Little Village, is another thriving business corridor that is home to more than one thousand businesses that cater to Chicago’s Mexican community. While the industrial sector that attracted so many immigrants to the area throughout the 20th century has declined dramatically in the last few decades, Pilsen is also home to one of Chicago’s few remaining manufacturing corridors; this industry continues to be a vital source of employment for tens of thousands of area families.


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stakeholders, partnerships, and relationship-building Pilsen’s proximity to downtown Chicago and an expanding University of Illinois at Chicago campus, its accessibility via public transportation, and its beautiful historic buildings have contributed to a recent rise in luxury housing developments and associated increases in housing prices and property taxes. The threat of gentrification and the displacement of low and middle income Pilsen residents has caused grave concerns within the Pilsen community, but it has also provided opportunities for the forging of partnerships between developers and community organizations. In particular, the University of Illinois at Chicago has become an important, if controversial, neighbor of the Pilsen community. Development surrounding the expansion of the UIC campus has brought luxury housing as well as upscale boutiques and restaurants to Halsted Street, increasing the area’s socioeconomic diversity. University students and faculty frequent the Pilsen area to take advantage of relatively inexpensive housing and food and to participate in social and political events organized at Pilsen’s many cultural centers. While wariness about the long-term effects of UIC’s presence linger among neighborhood residents, local organizations such as The Resurrection Project have formed partnerships with UIC to work toward the common interests of both communities. The owner of a small grocery store on 18th Street keeps all of his appliances on a power strip to save both money and energy. He also sells ice cream, which he used to scoop into disposable foam cups. Worried about the waste produced by the foam cups, he and a friend invented an edible container made out of dough that he calls a Chalupita. The Chalupita is very popular with his ice cream customers and, he proudly reports, leaves no waste.

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ec ommendation:

stakeholders, partnerships, and relationship-building

Work with key hometown clubs, civic and religious organizations, and business leaders located in Pilsen as vehicles for reaching the broader Mexican community of greater Chicago.


awareness OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND interest IN ADDRESSING IT The Mexican residents of Pilsen are very aware of climate change and broadly express an interest in addressing it. Consciousness about the environment is central to Mexican culture and has been widely promoted through local and national campaigns to conserve resources, especially water, throughout Mexico. One participant reminisced about a campaign to conserve water that ran on television when he was a kid in Mexico City during the 1970s. The ads showed people in different situations being wasteful with water, and a child would appear on the screen and tell them, “Cierrale!” [“Turn it off!”]. Our participant said that in Mexico in the 1970s “Cierrale!” became a household phrase, like “Got milk?”

Our study participants broadly agreed that global climate change is a problem that has been caused by human activities. One participant said, “We’re ruining the natural environment. This creates ecological consequences for us––for plant life and the animal kingdom. The forests are disappearing, especially in underdeveloped nations.” While several interviewees added that big industry–– and not average people––bear the brunt of responsibility for climate change, participants also said that people everywhere, and not just in developed nations like the U.S., have a responsibility to address climate change issues.

Referring to a recent hurricane and subsequent flooding in Mexico, one community organizer noted that when people lose everything due to environmental disasters in Mexico, they are more prone to migrate. There is a relationship between climate change and immigration; climate change exacerbates migration. He said that earthquakes and mudslides, volcanoes, environmental degradation and lack of development will keep pushing Mexicans to migrate to Chicago.

Chicago’s Mexican immigrants frequently have a transnational perspective on familial and community responsibilities; relatedly, our study participants often expressed a sense of global responsibility toward the environment. For example, many said they were concerned about the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and noted that, “There is only one planet.” Participants also expressed concern about melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and habitat destruction as examples of global environmental impacts of climate change. Several participants noted that environmental concerns do not stop at the border and emphasized the importance of transnational approaches to climate change. Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo) • The Field Museum • Research Report

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awareness and interest WHAT THREE WORDS COME TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR “CLIMATE CHANGE”? Participants were asked this question during our interviews. In this word cloud, words that were most often mentioned appear larger. This reveals significant patterns: 1. ENERGY USAGE: Respondents frequently associated climate change with the extraction and consumption of natural resources for energy. Concerns about energy are represented in the high occurrences of “Energy,” “Gulf Oil Spill,” and “Waste” in participants’ responses. 2. LOCAL AND GLOBAL: As mentioned earlier, participants have both local and global concerns about climate change. Words like “Global Warming,” “Melting Ice,” and “Deforestation” reflect respondents global concerns, while “Warmer Temperatures,” “Allergies,” “Air,” and “Contamination” speak to some of the local effects of climate change on participants’ lives. 3. POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: Respondents frequently drew a link between climate change and broader political and economic concerns. This is reflected in word choices such as “Capitalism,” “No Regulations,” and “Companies,” and it is indicative of the heightened political consciousness of many Pilsen residents.

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awareness and interest RANKING THE CCAP STRATEGIES Research participants were asked to rank each of these CCAP strategies according to their level of interest:

energy efficiency

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2 waste reduction

Participants also drew connections between climate problems and concerns about the local environment. Many interviewees expressed resentment toward local factories that have been responsible for water contamination and air pollution in the area. “There are no regulations; these companies contaminate within certain communities––there are many in Chicago, in places like Pilsen, Back of the Yards,” said one interviewee. Residents linked the concentration of industry in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods to high incidents of asthma, tuberculosis, and other health concerns. This industrialized pollution is the focus of a campaign by P.E.R.R.O. to regulate carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants in the area. Many participants also noted the lack of recycling bins in Pilsen, which led some to express cynicism about the City’s commitment to promote recycling and environmentally-friendly practices.

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ec ommendation:

3 improved

4 adaptation transportation options (land and water)

awareness of climate change and interest in addressing it

1. Appeal to the connections residents make between natural disasters in Mexico and immigration patterns to the U.S. to broaden awareness about the impacts of global climate change. Respondents ranked energy efficiency and waste reduction highest, which is consistent with their interests in cost savings and neighborhood beautification. Participants said they were mostly happy with their public transportation options in Pilsen, but they would also like more options for bicycling and walking. Adaptation ranked last, reflecting the greater investment, and often the higher cost, that participants fear that adaptation strategies would incur.

2. Tap into popular transnational awareness about the environment, especially regarding resource conservation in Mexico. 3. Appeal to local concerns about water contamination and air pollution to encourage Pilsen residents to mobilize around climate change issues.


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community concerns SPRINGBOARDS FOR CLIMATE ACTION Our research identified a number of important concerns in Pilsen’s Mexican community that could serve as springboards for developing strategies for community involvement in climate action. The concerns that we highlight in this section include:

IMMIGRATION

1. Immigration 2. Use of public space 3. Financial instability • Low Incomes • Housing 4. Heritage/Identity 5. Youth development

Immigration is a serious concern among the Mexican community of Pilsen, with an overwhelming majority of study participants citing immigration among their top three concerns. Typically, participants are most concerned about the effects that illegal status has on undocumented immigrant community members. Undocumented status is associated with a lower overall quality of life, diminished opportunities for upward mobility, fear of moving about outside, and family separation due to deportation. All of these concerns impact how members of the Pilsen community interact with their local and global environments, and how immigration is relevant to all concerns discussed.

6. Health

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springboards for climate action

PUBLIC SPACE

Enjoyment of outdoor space is critical for the social well-being of the Mexican community in Pilsen, where porches, sidewalks, plazas, parks, and commercial corridors are important sites of interaction and recreation. Outdoor mobility is also critical for the well-being of the commercial corridors, such as 18th Street, where customers browse storefronts and street vendors sell tamales, sweets and corn on the cob. Side lots and front yards also provide important spaces for socializing, and carefully tended private gardens enhance a sense of community pride.

Study participants lamented that crime and fear curtail their enjoyment of the outdoors. One interviewee said, “There is a lot of street violence and people avoid it by just staying inside. You can tell which blocks are the safer blocks because there are people outside, on their porches, working in their gardens, interacting socially.” Study participants told us that their enjoyment of the neighborhood is also diminished by large amounts of litter in the streets and the poor appearance of boarded-up homes and abandoned factories, which residents say attract graffiti and criminal activity. In addition, the unauthorized status of many Latino immigrants and an overall atmosphere of hostility toward Latinos has augmented the vulnerability of Latinos in the Chicago area, making them more reticent to be outdoors and reluctant to move around. The enjoyment of outdoor space is further limited by participants’ concerns about local pollution and contamination, as well as a lack of parks and natural open spaces in their area. In fact, Pilsen is one of two community areas that has the least amount of open space in the city, and many interviewees, especially those who live in apartments, said they wished there were more open public spaces that they could enjoy. One participant noted a dearth of parks in the area, particularly given the high population densities of Pilsen and surrounding neighborhoods. Participants also noted that air pollution can make it difficult to engage in physical activities outdoors, while a lack of shade and green space near commercial corridors diminishes their pleasure in spending time outside. Furthermore, soil contamination and ubiquitous “brown fields” make the cultivation of vegetable gardens dangerous and add expenses to community gardens, which must use raised bed cultivation techniques and bring in soil from elsewhere.

One Pilsen resident proudly talked about her garden. It features yerba buena, epazote, four types of ajos chiles, potatoes, beans, squash, and tomatoes, as well as apple trees and two peach trees. It also has one very large tree that is over thirty years old.


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springboards for climate action One resident said that a big problem in Pilsen are the maquiladoras [factories] that pollute the air. The pollution affects neighborhood kids, exacerbating their asthma. She notes that it has been very difficult to pressure these factories to reduce pollution because the factories have political clout. Many Pilsen residents cultivate private flower and vegetable gardens in empty side lots, or “pocket parks,” next to their homes. Community gardens have been established at Orozco school and by the Resurrection Project in a formerly vacant area along 21st and Sangamon streets. These gardens provide space for adults and children to be outdoors, engaging in productive activity and learning about fresh foods and gardening techniques. However, community gardens can also have a divisive effect, especially when garden “owners” adopt a proprietary stance toward garden beds and their produce. If not handled carefully, “private” community gardens have the potential to exacerbate tension in a community already grappling with gentrification and worries about encroachment by outside interests. This fear of continued gentrification should inspire outside actors to clearly communicate their actions to local residents. At present, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is underway with a powerful transformation of Pilsen’s built environment, an initiative called Sustainable Streets. This initiative presents the opportunity to expand resident’s knowledge about actions they can take to enhance their local environments.

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FINANCIAL INSTABILITY

Many of our study participants in Pilsen’s Mexican community are very concerned about maintaining a decent living standard with limited financial resources. In particular, interviewees linked their concerns about employment, immigration, crime, and housing to overall financial instability, and they talked about engaging in practices geared toward maximizing their incomes and minimizing their financial vulnerabilities.

LOW INCOMES Participants cited low wages, underemployment, and vulnerabilities related to immigration status––such as not feeling able to look for better jobs––as serious obstacles to attaining long-term financial stability. Participants also worried about the effects of the current economic recession, such as cuts in their wages and hours, on their short-term security. There are several organizations in Pilsen that help workers protect themselves against abuses like wage theft and that offer job training services and skill development workshops. Many of Pilsen’s residents also supplement primary incomes with second jobs and informal activities, such as selling cosmetics or housewares, cleaning houses, and picking up “side jobs” on weekends.


springboards for climate action HOUSING Pilsen is one of the most densely populated areas of the city, and accessible, affordable housing remains an important concern of neighborhood residents. Pilsen residents cite public health problems associated with crowded living spaces as among their top concerns. Mexican immigrants in Chicago are far more likely than other Chicago residents to live in households with three or more adult income earners, and extended families frequently share living spaces. Multi-family housing arrangements provide important financial and social resources to a household, but can also create dangerous living conditions. Concerted efforts by neighborhood organizations such as The Resurrection Project have helped maintain affordable and safe housing stock for middle- and low-income Pilsen residents.

The Jose Obrero Mission is a center for people with very few resources. Staff at the Mission noted that they serve three meals every day and try to avoid using disposable plates. They work with young people on community projects, including one mural that will feature natural elements such as butterflies to draw parallels between the migration patterns of the butterflies and Mexican workers.

As noted above, concerns about gentrification have become particularly salient in recent decades. The recent expansion of UIC’s campus, development of luxury condominiums and lofts, and the establishment of upscale businesses nearby have pushed the costs of living higher in Pilsen, exacerbating concerns about affordable housing options. While residents express concern about gentrification, they also note that a strong housing market is good for the overall economic health of the neighborhood. Residents broadly agree that a balance must be struck between economic growth and availability of affordable housing for Pilsen’s working class residents. Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo) • The Field Museum • Research Report

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springboards for climate action One young man reminisced about life in Mexico, where his mother and aunts grinded fresh corn using a mano and metate (mortar and pestle). One year his mother, a single parent, fed her children almost entirely on food (including corn) that they grew.

HERITAGE/IDENTITY Due in part to Pilsen’s activist tradition, its relative ethnic homogeneity, and to the ever-encroaching high-end development, Pilsen residents retain and promote their Mexican heritage. The Mexican culture of Pilsen is so dominant that the Pilsen/Little Village neighborhoods are often referred to as “Mexican Chicago,” and Mexican culture is prominently represented in Pilsen’s public spaces, events and institutions, and business community. The Mexican aesthetic of public spaces in Pilsen is reinforced by numerous murals that decorate the walls of businesses, schools, and viaducts. Creation of mural art is significant not only because it is beautiful, but because it is inherently community-oriented––created by groups of artists for public enjoyment. Pilsen’s murals commonly express community values of social activism and celebration of Mexican heritage and culture as well as residents’ interactions with the environment. Many of these murals are the products of local youth art programs, which enhance artistic training and confidence among Pilsen youth. Further, murals that celebrate Mexican culture and take an inclusive stance toward immigration––such as the well-known Yollocalli mural on 18th Street and Blue Island––help create a “safe space” in Pilsen for the Mexican immigrant community of Chicago.

and public spaces are named for famous Mexicans and Mexican Americans, such as Benito Juarez High School and the Rudy Lozano Branch of the Chicago Public Library. Several area churches offer Catholic mass in Spanish––a nod to their predominantly Mexican congregations. While study participants expressed pride in their Mexican heritage, many also noted that they often feel discriminated against because of their ethnicity and/ or their limited English-language abilities. One woman said, “There is a lot of discrimination, and not just against undocumented people, but Latinos in general and particularly against people who do not speak much English.” Two older women agreed, noting that even other Latinos have disparaged them for their difficulties with English. Several participants invoked recent immigration legislation, such as Arizona’s SB 1070, as examples of anti-immigrant and antiLatino public sentiment.

The Mexican heritage of Pilsen residents is celebrated through a variety of events and organizations. The Mexican Independence Day parade on 26th Street in Little Village attracts thousands of spectators each year and is one of the largest ethnic celebrations in Chicago. Pilsen’s numerous hometown associations and cultural centers such as Casa Michoacán also work toward preserving Mexican culture and investing in Mexico’s socioeconomic development. Programs and exhibitions at NMMA and Yollocalli instill members with cultural knowledge and pride, as they assist youth in countering negative stereotypes and constructing a positive identity. Many area schools, libraries,

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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Our study participants expressed concerns about the ways in which the current economic recession is affecting neighborhood children. Parents with schoolage children said they are especially concerned about budget cuts that reduce educational resources for their children––including teachers. There have been some grassroots mobilizations to protest school budget cuts, but the education of their children remains a pressing concern for Pilsen parents.

At a meeting at El Hogar del Niño, a child care center, several mothers discussed forming a bike club so they could ride their bikes together to show their children that bicycling is a viable option for getting around. They all loved the idea of Casa Michoacán hosting a workshop that teaches the basics of bike riding, safety, and repair.

Study participants also expressed concern about the ways in which neighborhood children are affected by their parents’ absences due to long work hours or to deportation. Community members worry that children who suffer from a lack of adult supervision will turn to youth gangs and street crime. Speaking about accelerated immigration enforcement, one interviewee noted, “There are lots of kids who are left without their parents [because of deportation]. Who will take care of them? It’s very difficult to find a job, people are afraid to do anything.” Study participants frequently drew a link between Pilsen’s street gangs and the need for better adult supervision of area children. Several programs have been instituted in the Pilsen area to engage children and teenagers in extracurricular activities and provide them with healthy alternatives to gang life. The art classes at Yollocalli Arts Reach, mentorship programs at Universidad Popular in Little Village, and the community garden at Orozco School are only a few examples of area programs that address the need for innovative programming for community youth.


17

springboards for climate action One family in Pilsen keeps chickens in their garage: three hens and one rooster. They collect fresh eggs every morning, and the parents said that they are proud that their children have learned to respect and care for animals that provide them with food.

HEALTH Many of our participants expressed concerns about health problems in the Pilsen community. Among their top worries is the high rate of obesity among Pilsen children. A staff member at a local elementary school told us that there are as many children in Pilsen who are statistically obese as there are children of normal weight. Childhood obesity in Pilsen is related to several factors, including cultural beliefs that “fat babies are healthy babies,” poor dietary choices, and a dearth of physical activity. One participant said that while healthy food is available in the area, prepared snacks and convenience foods–– such as those sold by street vendors––tend to be high in fat. To help manage the problem, neighborhood schools have launched programs to educate parents about nutrition and making healthy food choices for their children. The Orozco School has also established a community garden, where school children get exercise working in the garden as they learn about a variety of healthy fresh vegetables. A young staff person at Orozco School said that neighborhood parents have been very supportive of the community garden and that they frequently mention their own close ties to the earth and to gardening. She also said that the community garden has many other benefits including a time for parents to talk to their children about some of the gardening practices that they have in Mexico.

18

Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and genetic factors also contribute to high rates of diabetes and high blood pressure among Pilsen’s adult population. Low income and lack of affordable health care can lead to a reluctance among community members to seek medical attention, ultimately exacerbating existing health problems. Other concerns related to health in the Pilsen community are linked to poor air quality and crowded housing conditions. Participants noted that Pilsen residents experience high rates of asthma, and one of our interviewees said that there has recently been an outbreak of tuberculosis at the homeless mission where he lives. A majority of our study participants said that they would like to engage in more outdoor activities. Many participants are unaware of the amenities offered at local parks, while others point to few parks and green spaces relative to population in the Pilsen area. Several participants also noted the health benefits of working outside in private and community gardens, although community organizers also noted that soil contamination in Pilsen makes cultivating vegetable gardens potentially hazardous.



R

ec ommendations:

community concerns springboards for climate action

1. Provide support for existing programs to turn unused public spaces into community gardens, playgrounds, spaces for art performances, and private gardens. 2. Provide incentives to empty lot owners to lease private property to the community for beautification and gardening. 3. Invest in beautification and planting trees along main commercial corridor and in Plaza Tenochtitlan. 4. Support local organizations that: • Implement programs that encourage outdoor activities, such as walking, riding bicycles and gardening. • Provide educational support to students and their families related to healthy eating and exercising, as well as to eco-friendly practices like water conservation, gardening, and reusing/repurposing household items. • Offer inter-generational programs that focus on sharing traditional and contemporary eco-friendly values that bring together the schoolbased knowledge of children and the traditional practices of adults. 5. Work with hometown and civic organizations to: • Train residents in green jobs and build local demand for this service. • Increase awareness and knowledge of green options for energy conservation practices, including retrofitting homes, using energy efficient appliances, and repairing instead of replacing broken items to enhance housing affordability. • Offer programs and activities that link to Mexican heritage and culture in Pilsen and fit within a tradition of activism, empowerment, and seeking positive recognition. • Curtail fears of gentrification by empowering residents to exercise their own ability to enhance their surrounding environments in projects like Chicago Department of Transportation’s Sustainable Streets.


19

environmentallyfriendly

PRACTICES, VALUES, AND TRADITIONS Our study participants report engaging in many environmentally-friendly practices in their daily lives. Participants drew strong connections between environmentally-friendly activities and saving money, which is reflected in the popularity of practices such as turning off lights and appliances, using energy efficient light bulbs, and hanging drapes and curtains to control temperature. Participants also associated environmentally-friendly practices with habits that they acquired in Mexico, such as water conservation, gardening, and bringing one’s own bag to go shopping. Further, the structure of the Pilsen community itself facilitates certain environmentally-friendly practices, such as buying local, eating organic, using public transit, and having broken items repaired at local shops.

Every year, a local shoe repair shop has a big sale to sell off the shoes that customers don’t pick up. The owners said that this sale has become very popular in the community, and anything that is not sold is donated to the Salvation Army. They also have reduced their energy bill by keeping the big sign in their shop turned off at night.

20

When discussing the environment, participants often remembered their childhoods in Mexico and the strategies their families had for growing food and conserving scarce energy and water. Interviewees drew a strong relationship between environmentally-friendly activities in the U.S. and their lifestyles in Mexico, especially when discussing family gardens, water conservation, and repairing, reusing, and repurposing goods. In fact, several participants noted that consumption practices in the U.S. make wastefulness normative and resource conservation inconvenient and expensive, hindering their ability to carry out environmentally-friendly practices. Many of our participants said that they live modestly and have moderate consumption practices. Participants’ frugality is driven both by economic necessity and by an ethos of conservation and reuse that is also apparent in Pilsen’s local business community. An artistic and “hipster” vibe valorizes the reusing and repurposing of items, especially clothes and art material, and there are numerous second-hand stores along 18th street that appeal to the young, artistic, and fashionable––and frugal. Relatedly, many local businesses repair items, and some stores are experimenting with innovative ways to save energy and consume fewer resources. One merchant has stopped using lighted signs to attract customers during businesses hours, and instead puts balloons in front of the store. Other merchants said that they are careful to turn off and unplug electrical items when they are not in use. While merchants’ primary incentives for energy conservation may be economic, these business owners are also very conscious of the environmentally-friendly benefits of their activities, and they take pride in coming up with innovative ways to use less energy and reduce waste.


environmentally-friendly practices, values, and traditions ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PRACTICES IN PILSEN’S MEXICAN COMMUNITY

One local artist showed us a toy made out of plant fibers that he had bought in Michoacán, Mexico. His parents in Mexico use natural fibers to make many things, and now he shows his own son how to make creative objects using his hands and simple materials.

MOST

Environmentally-friendly practices are listed below in order from most to least reported by residents and representatives of businesses, schools, and community organizations. Many reflect inherent community values that may be building blocks for further involving residents in CCAP implementation.

2. Many common environmentally-friendly practices are associated with normative values within the Pilsen community. For example, Pilsen’s artistic emphasis on reusing and repurposing has contributed to the popularity of second-hand stores and recycling in the area. Also, the importance of outdoor space is represented in popular activities such as spending recreational time outdoors and gardening. 3. Practices that require some capital investment––such as using energyefficient appliances and retrofitting homes––tend to appear in the middle of the list, reflecting the fact that cost is a barrier to environmentallyfriendly practices among many of our study participants.

LEAST

1. The first three practices are the most reported and share two important characteristics: they are easy to undertake, and they have a cost-saving component. Most are also practices that can be done in and around the home at a low cost.

Our research revealed the following community patterns, in relationship to the practices listed in the box:

1. Turning Off Lights, Appliance, TV 2. Using Energy Efficient Light Bulbs 3. Conserving Water 4. Using Curtains/Drapes to Control Temperature 5. Outdoor Relaxation/Recreation 6. Recycling 7. Opening Windows 8. Bringing Your Own Shopping Bag 9. Walking as Transit 10. Gardening: community, school, home 11. Buying Organic 12. Repairing Instead of Replacing 13. Buying Local 14. Beautifying the Community 15. Using Energy Efficient Appliance, Devices 16. Riding Public Transportation 17. Using Manual Instead of Power Tools 18. Exchanging or Sharing Used Items with Family/Friends/Neighbors 19. Car Pooling 20. Living Close to Open/Natural Space 21. Retrofitting Homes/Buildings 22. Restoring Native Habitats 23. Hanging Clothes to Dry 24. Reusing/Re-purposing 25. Preserving Historic Buildings/Places 26. Biking as Transit 27. Capturing or Diverting Rain Water 28. Building Green 29. Using Renewable Energy 30. Raising Chickens 31. Green Roofs


21

environmentally-friendly practices, values, and traditions 4. Environmentally-friendly transportation practices, such as using public transit, walking, bicycling, and car pooling, also appear near the middle of the list. This placement is consistent with what many participants told us in interviews: that participants are happy to take advantage of environmentally-friendly transportation options so long as they are convenient and not expensive. 5. The least popular practices are those associated with the highest costs and the most investment, such as green roofs, building green, and using renewable energy. This is reflective of the working-class status of Pilsen residents, who typically do not have the financial resources for capitalintensive investments.

BARRIERS TO ENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY PRACTICES Our research revealed a number of barriers that study participants face in attempting to engage in environmentally-friendly practices. These include:

•

Financial constraints, particularly for practices with high up-front costs such as building green, using renewable energy, and retrofitting homes

•

Limited space for outdoor activities, such as hanging clothes to dry and gardening, especially among neighborhood apartment dwellers, and fears of participating in outdoor activities due to crime and immigration status

•

Inconvenience associated with recycling and resentment on the part of residents who feel “left out” of the city’s Blue Bin recycling program

•

Preoccupation with more immediate concerns

22

R

ec ommendations:

environmentally-friendly practices, values, and traditions

1. Encourage and validate traditional Mexican practices that are challenging to maintain in an urban environment, such as water conservation, frugality, reusing and repurposing, and spending time outdoors; 2. Support local businesses that implement eco-friendly practices and that offer repair services to their local customers.


communication AND DISSEMINATION

Mexicans in Pilsen get information from a wide variety of sources. Many of these sources cover climate change news and disseminate information related to the environment; nevertheless, many of our study participants also wished that they had more information about climate change, particularly about how to participate in environmentally-friendly programs. There are a number of Spanish-language TV channels available in Chicago–– such as Univision, Telemundo, TV Azteca, and Galavision. These channels offer news shows and special programming that sometimes feature environmental issues. Frequently, programs related to the environment highlight current events such as ecological disasters and resource scarcity in Mexico and other Latin American countries. There are also several Spanish-language print media, including the newspapers Hoy, Nuevo Siglo, and Nuevas Noticias, that service Chicago’s Latino community. These media offer stories about environmental disasters in Latin America, as well as stories about local programs related to climate action. Hometown clubs, cultural centers, and civic organizations are critical sources of information for Pilsen’s Mexican community. Some of these, such as NMMA and its two initiatives Yollocalli and Radio Arte, The Resurrection Project, Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (P.E.R.R.O), and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO), have taken initiatives to address environmental issues affecting the community. Others, such as Casa Aztlan, help clients with Home Energy Assistance Programs and Weatherization Assistance through CEDA; still others like Casa Michoacán help their members with bill payment assistance and job training––all of which are potential sources of information about climate change and environmentally friendly practices. Informal social relationships are also crucial sources of information within the Pilsen community. Our study participants report learning about environmental practices from their friends and family members. Several parents also told us that they learn about climate change from programs and assignments at their children’s schools.

R

ec ommendations:

communication and dissemination

1. Take advantage of local Spanish language media outlets and organizations to disseminate information throughout Chicago’s Latino community. 2. Provide information related to climate change and climate action programs that is printed in Spanish or in Spanish and English and is easy to read quickly or scan––such as bulleted text. As residents’ levels of education and literacy vary, supplement printed text with pictures and diagrams to enhance clarity.


23

creative models

FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

MODEL ONE: Mobilizing the Community Through Grassroots Networks

MODEL THREE: Linking the Health of the Local Environment and the Well-Being of Residents

The Pilsen community has a well-developed social infrastructure that has proven quite effective at mobilizing large numbers of community members to act on social, environmental, and political concerns. Pilsen’s numerous hometown clubs, cultural and arts organizations, schools, social services, and environmental social justice organizations tend to work together to catalyze mass mobilizations. For example, Pilsen is a central meeting place for immigrant rights organizations and is a departure point for many Chicago-area residents to participate in immigrant rights mobilizations. If climate change programs were able to utilize these networks, they could tap into the mobilizing potential of Pilsen’s activist tradition.

Several initiatives are already underway in the Pilsen community to enhance community health. Many of these, such as a proposed bike club for moms of young children at El Hogar del Niño, use the local environment to promote healthy behaviors. Other initiatives, such as mobilizations to ameliorate air and water contamination by local industries, are geared toward improving the overall environment and quality of life for Pilsen residents. These threads could be brought together as part of a climate action program that is geared toward enhancing the health of the local environment and community residents.

R

ec ommendations:

MODEL TWO: Development of “Green” Jobs Unemployment and underemployment are two of the Pilsen community’s most serious concerns. Several Pilsen organizations provide job training assistance, and many community centers help immigrant workers defend their rights in the workplace. In one example, after a string of layoffs left a large group of immigrant workers without employment, a Pilsen-area labor center helped these workers develop a self-sustaining business cooperative––the Workers’ United for Eco Maintenance environmentally-friendly cleaning company. “We wanted to do something that was good for the workers, good for the clients, and good for the environment too,” a staff person at the labor center and a worker-associate in the cooperative told us. Cooperative workers use only non-toxic and environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, and their business model is geared toward promoting workers’ autonomy and dignity.

24

creative models for community engagement

1. Engage existing networks in a conversation on the community’s stake in addressing climate change. Identify ways that network partners can communicate and engage their membership around climate action. 2. Partner with local universities and community organizations to offer business extension services including green best practices to start up business and cooperatives. 3. Promote the CCAP by stressing the connection between climate action and community and individual well-being. Use this connection to build partnerships with community organizations with a holistic view of the natural environment and a healthy community.


conclusion With a cultural identity that is shaped by life in Mexico and life in Chicago, the Pilsen neighborhood has active and well-established organizational networks that link it to Chicago’s broader Latino community. Though geographically rooted on the near West side, Pilsen’s Mexican community brings a distinctive transnational approach to discourse and action surrounding the environment and climate change. By linking their work to climate action and the CCAP, Pilsen organizations can address shared concerns and core values, from a sense of global responsibility for environmental changes to local options for healthy living, as they mobilize Pilsen’s human and cultural resources around climate action projects.


25

W 16TH ST 17 3

24

2

W 21ST ST

8

6

10 2

4

16

15

2

27

25 29

W CULLERTON ST

13

1

5

4

7 7

4

3

10

12

15 1 4

17 2

8

9

10 2 3

8 1

28

6 19 11

7 5

14 11 12

3 14 14

1

1

16 15

13

18

5

17

19

1

21

S LUMBER ST

S CANAL ST

26 23

20

22

1

S

E

AV RT

LPO

A CAN

31

ND

Community Organizations Gardens Government Agency Health Organizations

12th Ward George Cardenas

11th Ward James Balcer

Businesses

7. El Nopal Bakery

1. Barrea Shoe Repair

8. Intermex Chicago

4. Centro Botanico Guadalupano 5. Dollar Discount 6. Efebina’s Cafe

29. St. Ann’s Plaza & the BLAGI Project

9. Backyard Garden Health 10. Backyard Garden 1. Alivio Medical 11. Backyard Garden Public Parks/ 12. Backyard Garden Natural Areas 13. Backyard Garden 1. Dvorak Park 14. Backyard Garden 2. Harrison Park

15. Backyard Garden Schools/ 16. Backyard Garden Universities Schools/Universities Sustainable Streets Project 17. Backyard Garden 1. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Park District Land 18. Backyard Garden 2. Jose Clemente 19. Backyard Garden Orozco Fine of Mexican Art Arts & Science 20. Backyard Garden 11. P.E.R.R.O Elementary Scho 21. Backyard Garden 12. Pilsen Community 3. St. Ann 22. Backyard Garden Market Elementary School 23. Backyard Garden 13. Poder Learning Center 24. Backyard Garden 4. St. Pius V School Public Parks/Natural Ar

W 31ST ST

3. Casa del Pueblo

1. Backyard Garden

7. Backyard Garden 1. Spanish Coalition for Housing 8. Backyard Garden

Churches

2. Botanica Los Milagros

Gardens

Government 6. Backyard Garden Agencies

Businesses

W 28TH ST

19. Yollocalli

28. Roots & Rays Community Garden

5. Backyard Garden

Legend

LA E IS

18. Working Bikes Store

27. Orozco School Garden

2. Backyard Garden 30. St. Procopius Family Garden 3. Backyard Garden 31. Xochiquetzal 4. Backyard Garden Peace Garden

12

25th Ward Daniel Solis

1 6

BLU

S CLINTON ST

DAN RYAN EXWY RAMP

S NEWBERRY AVE S HALSTED ST

S SANGAMON ST S PEORIA ST

S MORGAN ST

S MILLER ST

5 13 16

11

W 23RD PL

18

17. Vega Garden

30

W CERMAK ROAD

W 25TH ST

S CARPENTER ST

S RACINE AVE S MAY ST

9

S ALLPORT ST

9 6

S THROOP ST

S LOOMIS ST

S LAFLIN ST

S PAULINA ST

S ASHLAND AVE

2nd Ward Bob Fioretti S WOOD ST

S WOLCOTT AVE

S DAMEN AVE

S HOYNE AVE

S LEAVITT ST

S OAKLEY AVE

28th Ward Ed H. Smith

S HAMILTON AVE

community asset map

9. Jewlery Chavez 10. Jumping Bean Cafe

15. Taqueria los Comales

Community Organizations

6. El Hogan del Nino

16. The Salvation Army

1. Casa Aztlan

7. Latina Union

2. Casa de la Cultura Carlos Cortez

8. Mujeres Latinas en Accion

17. Yaya Mini Mart

11. La Floreria

Churches

12. Nuevo Leon

1. St. Pius V Parish

13. Oxala

3. Casa Michoacán 4. Eco Rooftop 5. Eighteenth Street Development Corporation

14. Perrez Insurance Agency

26

9. National Alliance for Latin American and Carribbeab Comm

14. Radio Arte

25. Backyard Garden 5. St. Procopius Catholic School 26. El Jardin de las 6. Whittier Mariposas Elementary 10. National Museum 16. United Merchants School of Pilsen 15. The Resurrection Project


regional asset map 20

EVON

27

31

10

45

16

HALSTED

ASHLAND

43 90

FULLERTON

14

37 12

28 1

8 1 1 42 3 18

5

290

ROOSEVELT

25

CERMAK 31ST

13

50 34

7

32

2 1

2

21 35 38 36 19 4 24 26 7 30 46 2 39 11 3 15 4

51

9

38. Pilsen Green Alliance (Pilsen Alianza Verde)

3. Mexican Consulate

94

3

6

2

71ST

90

Businesses Community Organizations Gardens Government Agency Health Organizations

COTTAGE GROVE

79TH 87TH 95TH 103RD 111TH

44

41 5

119TH 127TH

138TH

4

STONY ISLAND

63RD

20. Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago

1. American Indian Center

21. Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago

2. Arab American Action Network

22. Greater Chicago

25. Illinois Action for Children 26. Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) 27. Indo-American Heritage Museum

39. Pilsen Paseo de Jardines 40. Polish Museum of America 41. Pullman State Historic Site 42. San Jose Obrero Mission

2. Jobs Corps

Health 1. Alivio Medical Center Schools/Universities 1. Juarez Community Academy High School

2. Latino Youth High School 43. Serbian Cultural and Arts Center St. Sava 3. North Park University 44. Swahili Institute of 4. Project on Civic Chicago Reflection 45. Swedish American 5. Ruiz Elementary Museum School 46. The Field Museum 6. The University of 47. Ukrainian Institute of Chicago - Center for Modern Art International Studies

28. Institute of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture 48. Ukrainian National 7. University of Illinois Museum at Chicago 29. Irish American 9. Casa Zacatecas Heritage Center 49. United African ASSETS OUTSIDE OF 10. Centro Romero Organization 30. Jane Addams HullTHIS MAP 11. Changing Worlds House Museum 50. Universidad Popular 1. Chicago Zoological 12. Chicago History 31. Korean American 51. WeFarm America Society - Brookfield Museum Resource and Zoo Gardens Cultural Center 13. Chicago Worker’s 2. Illinois Saint Andrews 1. Backyard Garden Collaborative 32. Latinos Progresando Society 2. Backyard Garden 14. Children’s Memorial 33. Latvian Folk Art 3. Italian Cultural Hospital Museum 3. Growing Station Center at Casa Italia 15. Chinese American 34. LVEJO (LV) 4. Xochiquetzal Peace 4. Mitchell Museum of Museum of Chicago Little Village Garden the American Indian Environmental 16. Chinese Mutual Aid 5. Univision Justice Organization Association 35. Neighbor Space 17. DANK-HAUS 8. Casa Jalisco FEDEJAL

55TH

Pilsen

1. Greencorps Chicago

7. Casa Distrito Federal

47TH

Schools/Universities

37. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

6. Cambodian American Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial

49

PERSHING

Legend

19. Elev8 (LISC)

5. Bronzeville/ Black Chicagoan Historical Society

31ST

2 23 22

1. Guadalupano Family Center

TORRENCE

MADISON

40

4748

CHICAGO

Government Agencies

23. Greater Chicago 3. Balzekas Museum of Food Depository Lithuanian Culture 24. Heartland Alliance 4. Bronzeville for Human Needs Children’s Museum and Human Rights

1

NORTH

36. Openlands

Community Organizations

1

WESTERN

33

17

KEDZIE

CICERO

PULASKI

29

CENTRAL

NARRAGANSETT

HARLEM

NT

6

18. El Valor

2. Univision

MAWR 3

Businesses


27

OUR TEAM

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Our research with Casa Michoacán involved leaders and residents affiliated with over 40 organizations, which represent a diversity of geographic areas, sectors, and issues. These include:

Dr. Jennifer Hirsch, Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum Commissioner Suzanne Malec-McKenna, City of Chicago Department of Environment

Barrera Shoe Repair

PROJECT MANAGER:

Casa Aztlan

Dr. Rosa Cabrera, Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum

Casa de la Cultura Casa Michoacán

PROJECT TEAM:

Centro Botanico Guadalupano

Zorayda Avila, Casa Michoacán

Chicago Cultural Alliance

Dr. Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz, Chicago Cultural Alliance

Chicago Workers’ Collaborative and the Chicago Community and Workers’ Rights Center

Jose Luis Gutierrez, Casa Michoacán

Dollar Store

Ryan Hollon, Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum Lisa See Kim, Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum Gabriela Mendoza, Casa Michoacán

El Hogar del Niño El Nopal Bakery Federacion de Clubes Michoacános in Illinois (FEDECMI)

Rebeccah Sanders, Chicago Cultural Alliance

Jose Obrero Mission

Mimosa Shah, Chicago Cultural Alliance

Latinos Progresando

Sarah Sommers, Environment, Culture, and Conservation (ECCo), The Field Museum

Midwest Computer Recycling, Inc.

INTERNS:

Mexican Independence Day Parade

Izabela Grobelna, Alyssa Pfluger, Hannah Porst, Ylanda Wilhite, Juliana Wilhoit

Mujeres Latinas en Acción

BIBLIOGRAPHY

National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA)

Arias Jirasek, R. Ana Tortolero, C. Images of America: Mexican Chicago. Arcadia Publishing, 2001.

Perez Insurance Agency, LLC

Chicago Fact Finder: Your Census Information Resource for Chicagoland Communities. Area 31: Lower West Side. Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame, 2005. Web. June 2010.

Pilsen Paseo de Jardinas: Neighborhood Garden Tour

Orozco Elementary School University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago Fact Finder: Your Census Information Resource for Chicagoland Communities. Area 22: Logan Square. Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame, 2005. Web. June 2010. City of Chicago. “CitySpace Plan.” CityofChicago.org, 2010. Web. July-August 2010. De Genova, Nicholas. Working the Boundaries: Race, Space, and “Illegality” in Mexican Chicago. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2005.

Radio Arte Resurrection Project St. Pius Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese and The Resurrection Project YaYa’s Minimart Yollocalli Arts Reach

Pilsen Planning Committee (unpublished documented), 2006. Ready, Timothy and Brown-Gort, Allert. The State of Latino Chicago. Notre Dame: Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame, 2005. 28

* All image rights reserved. For more information, visit: http://fieldmuseum.org/explore/department/ecco/eccos-urban-anthropology-team
