Jackie

I am the NCP Director for South Chicago at Claretian Associates. I have been doing this for 4.5 years. Personally, I have seen a disconnect between community education and community development. I want to bridge those gaps. I have attended numerous community meetings and realized that no one was talking to each other—schools folks and educators weren’t talking to community development people --and a huge disconnect exists with artists trying to work in communities. There were no doors-- no gateways-- where people could come together to plan and work collaboratively. I wanted to be that person to make sure that these relationships happen. That’s when the New Communities Program position with LISC became available, and basically, I was to facilitate a Quality of Life plan that was written by the community. My job was to help make sure that the strategies that the community had put together could actually happen. I found this opportunity to be directly aligned with my goals… to make those types of connections happen.

Organization

Claretian: Since 1991, Claretian Associates has developed over 130 affordable houses and apartments in South Chicago, a community with a rich history and a strong future. Claretian Associates builds community within the culturally diverse neighborhood of South Chicago by working with community leaders,… More