LISC Chicago

✨ Celebrating Corridor Managers ✨ The Puerto Rican Cultural Center is empowering Latino street vendors and food entrepreneurs by creating a community-shared kitchen. This initiative provides training and industry support, enabling legal operations and fostering economic vitality in the area. Building on the success of the Mercado del Pueblo business incubator, it aims to lower barriers for small food entrepreneurs while offering space for community events. Learn more about the project at the link below! https://bit.ly/4cZTToa #MercadoDelPueblo #PRCulturalCenter

✨ Celebrating Corridor Managers ✨ LISC celebrates West Humboldt Park Development Council for undertaking an ambitious project to purchase and renovate a vacant building, transforming it into a new home for local restaurant Straightlaw’s Cooking & Catering. This initiative will be one of the first dine-in establishment along Chicago Ave in West Humboldt Park, and will serve as a catalyst for further economic development along the corridor. Learn more about the project at the link below! https://bit.ly/4cZTToa #WestHumboldtParkCorridor #StraighlawsCookingCatering #EconomicDevelopment

#CNDA30 CIBC Emerging Leader Award: Joel Rodriguez Joel Rodriguez, a Community Organizer with the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), stands as a passionate advocate for social change. Raised in the Southwest side, Joel’s career spans various roles within SWOP, from leading workforce initiatives youth organizing efforts, to collaborating with the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA). Joel is an integral leader, in collaboration with several community partners, in developing and implementing a local pilot of the national Community Learning Partnership (CLP) – a career pathways program for the community engagement field. The Chicago CLP program is designed to serve an intergenerational group of participants from nonprofit organizations and community organizing networks and is targeting emerging community leaders from across Chicago. By 2025, Joel and the partners will have established CLP community change career pathways that offer certificates and degrees in community leadership, development and organizing along with community work experience.

#CNDA30 The The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Community Design Impact Award: Maya Bird-Murphy Maya Bird-Murphy, a designer and educator, founded Mobile Makers, an acclaimed nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing design and skill-building workshops to youth in underserved communities. Bird-Murphy expanded the nonprofit’s impact by launching the Mobile Makerspace, a repurposed USPS delivery van that serves as a multifunctional hub for design, education and community engagement. Through her unwavering commitment to genuine community involvement, Maya has emerged as a trailblazer in reshaping architectural practices, amplifying the voices of everyday people and centering community engagement in the design process.

✨ Celebrating Corridor Managers ✨ The Greater Roseland Chamber and Calumet Area Industrial Commission are revitalizing the Historic Michigan Avenue Corridor to preserve and celebrate its rich cultural history! LISC is pleased to share their development of a unified brand for the 111th Street corridor. They will identify 3-4 buildings or locations of historic significance and install informative markers and digital interpretation projects to showcase their unique stories. This initiative will visually represent the corridor’s distinct character, cultivating a sense of pride and belonging among residents and visitors alike. Learn more about the project at the link below! https://bit.ly/4cZTToa #PreservingHistoricMichiganAve #111thStreetCorridor

#CNDA30 The Chicago Community Trust Outstanding Community Plan Award: Roseland Community Medical District Master Plan The Roseland area on Chicago’s Far South Side has long struggled with access to quality medical services, employment opportunities, housing and essential amenities. The Far South Community Development Corporation's RCMD Master Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy for addressing the diverse needs of residents by attracting and retaining hospitals, clinics, and research and educational facilities on the 95-acre RCMD. Since the plan was completed, the area has secured millions in state and federal funds and has begun expansive projects, such as the expansion of the CTA Red Line and supporting the Roseland Community Hospital in submitting a $50 million Transformation Plan to the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services.

#CNDA30 The For-Profit Real Estate Development Award: 43 Green Bronzeville’s 43Green, developed by the Habitat Company in partnership with P3 Markets, encompasses 98,000 square feet and features 99 units, with 51 designated as affordable and 48 as market rate. With a mission to bring high-quality, affordable housing options to South Side residents, 43 Green serves as a catalyst for investment and renewal along 43rd Street and its surrounding neighborhood, igniting a wave of planned future developments and investments. The structure, representing the initial phase of a $200 million Equitable Transit-Oriented Development, prioritizes providing both market rate and affordable housing, job opportunities and retail choices in a mixed-use development close to public transportation.

✨ Celebrating Corridor Managers ✨ LISC is thrilled to showcase an initiative by the Austin African American Business Networking Association aimed at boosting artistic and economic growth while enhancing community engagement and opportunities for all residents. The organization is transforming a vacant building into a community-focused gallery and artist space. By involving local artists and engaging community members in the design process, the project strives to foster ownership and pride in the space, acting as a catalyst for conversation, creativity, and future development. Learn more about the project at the link below! https://bit.ly/4cZTToa #ArtRevitalization #AustinCommunity

From building friendships on the court to winning games and finding comfort in the sport, there are countless reasons to love basketball. During this year's Hoops in the Hood regionals and championship games, sponsored by State Farm, we asked a few players, referees, and even State Senator Lakesia Collins about their favorite aspects of basketball and Hoops in the Hood. #HoopsintheHood

Last week’s Hoops in the Hood Citywide Championship, presented by State Farm, was the culmination of a great and safe summer for hundreds of our Chicago youth. We united teams from across the city for an unforgettable night to celebrate what makes Hoops uniquely community-building. Catch all the highlights with Erin McElroy and WGN-TV at the link below. https://bit.ly/3AlhSAi