Englewood
Moving in Circles: When does a new home lead to a new life?
Movement is part of the American dream. Across an ocean to the new world, west to the last frontier, then up the social ladder, out to the suburbs—or so they say it goes. Social mobility and housing mobility are inextricably linked in the national psyche. But there is a darker, less public story about... »
The Turnaround: The Academy for Urban School Leadership is transforming Chicago’s worst public schools
Harvard Elementary School in Englewood was a teacher’s worst nightmare. Kids ran in and out of classrooms in the middle of class, started fights, and swore at faculty. Principals cycled through without making any impact. In 2007, less than a third of Harvard students passed the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT), putting the school... »
Graffiti & Grub: The Hip-Hop Generation Gets Its Grocery Store
True wealth lies in a healthy spirit and body. This truism seems to suggest that wealth is within everyone’s reach. In the United States, however, living a healthy lifestyle can seem like a luxury of the upper and upper-middle classes. Not only do the poor lack monetary wealth, they often do not have the... »
Dream Catchers: An Englewood foundation works to keep young girls out of the sex trade
Seated in a circle eating fried chicken and fries, the girls at the Dreamcatcher Foundation are listening to their director, Brenda Myers-Powell, tell a story. Her voice is loud and becomes increasingly intense; her whole person conveys an energy that puts the room on edge. But close up, her eyes contrast with her loud... »
The Anti-Renaissance Man: One Chicago teacher fights to save the city’s public schools
Education administrators in business suits are gathered, miniature complimentary bottles of San Pellegrino in hand. This is the “CPS Senior Staff Retreat,” and at the front of the Gleacher Center meeting room sits Ron Huberman, the newly-ordained CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, recently transferred by Mayor Daley from his position as the head... »
Putting Down Roots: The city’s first year-round farm tenders new growth in Englewood
Though soil has been trucked in and piled thick on top of the concrete, cracked pavement still emerges at the edges of this empty lot in Englewood. Adjacent residential streets are scattered with discarded couches, and those couches are scattered with rusty springs and mildew stains. A couple of portable trailers nestle up to... »
The Melting Pot: Tastes and cultures collide at Sikia, Englewood’s new dining destination
A new appetite is growing in Englewood. And at Sikia, the appetite only gets bigger with every dish served. As the restaurant outlet of the Washburne Culinary Institute of Kennedy-King College, Sikia gives its culinary students the opportunity to practice their skills in a real restaurant setting, creating a high-end dining experience on the... »
