Challenges
FOOD DESERTS
A food desert, is term that refers to a lack of markets in a community that sell fresh, healthy foods-especially fruits and vegetables. There is a noticeable food desert located in the area, especially in Bronzeville. Kids have to rely on corner stores that only sell food of lower nutritional value.
RESOURCES: Healthy Food Hub Only available on specific market days The Quarry Event Center 2423-7 East 75th Street healthyfoodhub.org [email protected] Bronzeville Community Market Martin Luther King Dr. & 26th St. Chicago, IL 60616 Sundays, Dates TBD 10 am-2 pm http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/farmersmarkets10.html Bronzeville Community Garden 343 E. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60625 United States Contact: Alazeem Hameed [email protected] https://communitygarden.org/find-a-garden/gardens/bronzeville-community-garden/ |
The outreach coordinator for the Bronzeville Community Garden Latrice Williams examining the seasons harvest.
|
EMPLOYMENT
|
As a predominantly black neighborhood, Douglas is faced with discrimination in both residency and employment. Douglas has an unemployment rate that is 80% higher than the national average.
Research has indicated that young black males between 20-24 years of age in Chicago struggle significantly with unemployment. They have a 44% percent unemployment rate, compared to 20% for Hispanics, and 10% for whites. RESOURCES: Bronzeville Retail Initative 773-924-3978 (phone) 3757 S Wabash Ave Chicago, IL 60653 http://www.bronzevilleretail.com/ Bronzeville Area Residents' and Commerce Council 3473 S. King Drive Suite 301 Chicago, IL 60616 http://www.thebarcc.org/ |
EDUCATION
Student drummers from Dunbar Vocational Career Academy attend a vigil in memory for fellow drummer 17 year old Vonzell Banks, who was fatally shot on July 3, 2015.
|
Studies have shown that there are significant parts of the Douglas population have not received much education. Over one third of residents have not completed high school. Only five percent have of residents have obtained at most a bachelor's degree, and even less have obtained higher degrees. Students in the districts schools also face great personal adversity as on average 100% live at or below the poverty line, and many struggle against the violence and drug abuse that exists in the community.
RESOURCES: Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive, Suite 2B, Chicago, IL 60653 773-285-9600 http://www.blackstarproject.org/ [email protected] |
CRIME
Since the creation of the Urban Renewal Housing Projects, there has been significant increase in crime throughout Douglas. The creation of these 6, poor quality housing projects invited many people of lower economic status into the area. As a result, crime rates greatly increased.
Bronzeville crime rates, as of 2010, score above the national average in all forms of crime. It specifically has a robbery crime rate over four times the national average. RESOURCES: Bronzeville Dream Center http://www.brightstarcommunityoutreach.com/bronzeville-dream-center Bronzeville Community Club House 3847 S. Giles Ave. Chicago, IL 60653 (773) 548-7724 Office (773) 548-7555 Fax http://www.bcchouse.com/ [email protected] |
A bullet marked as evidence at a crime scene in Douglas in 2015
|
POVERTY
A homeless family sheltering in a doorway in Bronzeville.
|
Poverty became an issue in Douglas after the creation of the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Urban Renewal Housing Projects. The Dan Ryan blocked access to successful communities on the other side. The Housing Projects, which were large in quantity (6 projects) and poor in quality, were created to cater people of lower economic status. As a result of these poor quality housing projects inviting in significant amounts of poor people, the quality of the community itself decreased. After the creation of the Housing Projects, Douglas became known as the “Low End” due to the abundance of low quality stores such as chicken shacks and liquor stores. Currently, 39% of Douglas citizens live below the poverty line. For Black Males alone, this number is over 30%. RESOURCES: Teach for America 300 W Adams St #1000, Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 254-1000 http://www.tfachicagopartnerships.com/bronzeville.html Black Male Achievement http://blackmaleachievement.org/BMA/BMADashboard. |