I sent the following message out to North Lawndale residents. Perhaps you, or
someone you know, might be interested in participating in this project. Feel
free to pass this on to whomever you think might be interested. Thank you in
advance.
Everyone Has a Story. We Want to Hear Yours on September 20th
I don't know about you,
but I get tired of reading about the history of North Lawndale, how it was once
a lively community; how African Americans came here in the 1950's; the white
flight and jobs leaving, and how the community was basically destroyed by the
riots after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Almost every written
history you read about the community seems to give the impression that our
history stops after the Riots. Almost every newspaper account of the community
is about the negativesthe crime, the poverty, the drugs, poor performing
schools, etc. The truth of the matter is, North Lawndale is so much
greater than that. African Americans have contributed so much--whether they are
seemingly immortal figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., or they worked
quietly in the shadows, in our churches, block clubs, families and community
organizations.
The North Lawndale
African American Heritage Quilting Project is combining research,
documentation, workshops and quilting to document the rich African American
Experience here in North Lawndale. The
lead organizations are Art Forward, Better Boys Foundation, Historic K-Town,
Lawndale Historical and Cultural Society, Prevention Force Family Center,
Sankofa Safe Child Initiative and Urban Art Retreat. I am the project manager.
We will host a
series of workshops to share our stories and learn embroidery and quilting
skills. At the end of the process, we
will create a beautiful community quilt(s) that includes our stories and helps
us to build community and strengthen our social fabric.
Our first workshop will
be Tuesday, September 20, 2011 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at Better Boys Foundation
(BBF), on the corner of 15th and Pulaski. We will get an overview of North
Lawndale
history from an African American perspective, and share our own stories of
family and neighborhood traditions. You will have the chance to start your
first quilting block, using fabric markers to write a message or draw a picture
to tell a story. These blocks will be
used for the community quilt.
We have included
brochures and flyers with more information about the project. Please, print
out the flyers and pass them on
to your neighbors and encourage them to come out. Also, forward this e-mail to
everyone you
know who might be interested. It is so
important that we begin to focus on the little things that make this community
great.
We look forward to seeing
you on Tuesday. In the meantime, if you have any questions, let me know.
PS. We will have a tent at the North Lawndale Classic Auto Show, from 12
noon-6pm on Sunday, September 18, on Ogden Avenue, between Springfield and
Hamlin. Feel free to drop by.
Valerie F. Leonard
Community Development Consultant
Phone: 773-521-3137
Fax: 773-522-1832
E-mail: <email obscured>
Website: http://www.valeriefleonard.com
Weblog: http://valeriefleonard.com/StayingintheLoop/nfblog/ (Staying In the
Loop)
Mission: To strengthen the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact
on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized
workshops, resource and organizational development and project management.
Visit www.valeriefleonard.com. You may 1) learn more about my services; 2) post
blogs concerning best practices in nonprofit management; 3) download brochures
and flyers from capacity building workshops; 4) purchase reference books and
accounting software for discounts ranging from 10% to 30%; 5) review and post
job announcements; download back issues of In the Loop and Community
Development Milestones newsletters; 7) link to other resources.