Grace Cooper:

Grace Cooper interview, take one. 

[clapboard claps]

Austin Coming Together is a neighborhood-based nonprofit in the West Side community of Austin in Chicago, and we're a member-based organization that focuses on collective impact. And what that means is we bring organizations together to collaborate on different initiatives. Within the first five years of the quality-of-life plan, we've been able to attract over $100 million dollars in investment into the Austin neighborhood. So, I just think it's a great resource for a community to have somewhere they can go and know that these people are dedicated to learning what all the services are and how to meet their needs in the best way possible. If these walls could talk, they would say, "Hope.”

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Juvon Crawford:

I got to do one of these. I'm moving on up. 

[clapboard claps]

Well, BUILD is a nonprofit organization on the West Side of Chicago. The goal is to serve preventative measures, whether it be for violence prevention or mental health with the youth that we work with. You never know when the youth are going to need you. They might not say it outwardly, but they need it. The impact that BUILD has had on me as a youth and now a young adult is a massive one. I was able to experience some diversity, working in jewelry, doing art, doing music, all things I never thought I'd get my hands on, but BUILD would help provide that. That just opens the door for creativity, and I love that for me and other youth that we come across. If these walls could talk, they would say “Stability.”

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[Wendell Harris:

Take one. 

[clapboard claps]

The Chicago Community Loan Fund is a 33-plus-year-old community development financial institution. In addition to funding for-profit and nonprofit real estate deals, we also help to fund nonprofits and social enterprises with equipment and working capital. We are extremely catalytic. We are extremely needed in these spaces, and we are hopeful to grow our local small businesses into traditional banking. But if for whatever reason that doesn't happen, we'll still be there to serve them. If these walls could talk, they definitely would say “Love.”

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Ann McKenzie:

Ann McKenzie interview, take one. 

[clapboard claps]

I like that. We provide housing for Chicagoans so they only have to pay a third of their income to live there. If CHA and others, our partners who are doing this, weren't really striving to develop mixed-income communities through the city, I think people would segregate themselves based on their perception of who's like them. It helps people see how similar they are to their neighbors, and it really is exciting to watch when that happens. If these walls could talk, they would say, “Neighbors.”

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Maurice Reynolds:

One thing about Chicago is it empowers you to want to live because it has so much love. I was looking for a place that I can afford on my own, and then I had found out about the Lawson House. It's beautiful what they did to that building. It's a big, beautiful apartment. You got all the amenities that you need. You got your independence, so now we living. I love to cook for people. I cook for my friends all the time without them even asking me. They be like, “Reese, what you doing?” “I'm cooking. You hungry?” “Yeah.” “Come on, come back.” Being part of the society is helping your fellow man. It’s growth and development. It's moving forward. It's trying to take a negative and turn it into a positive. If these walls can talk, it would say, “Family.” Can't do it without 'em. That's for sure. Can't do it without 'em.

END