These are places whose primary function is commercial, but which draw people together in ways that encourage community.
This also - maybe kind of randomly- where we put murals.
Around since 1992, this flea market is a space for gathering for many community in the neighborhood. It was identified during one of our workshops as an important space for culture-making.
VISITNeighborhood park offering space for cultural programming and events. Mentioned by Alma Silva + other community members as important space for community cultural events.
Street where vendors sell a variety of Mexican dishes and drinks. Identifies in community narratives workshop as an important space for storytelling, history and culture.
Mentioned during a workshop as one of the few community spaces where youth and elders are able to hang out safely. || "Safe space is where people feel safe in the community, whether that's home, Dunkin' Donuts on 43rd , McDonald's by Swap-O-Rama, the church, the grocery stores, where you buy tortillas at Atoltonico, the food vendor on 47th and Paulina. That's what i mean by safe spaces- the people who visit these safe spaces are the ones sharing our stories, our histories. Which shows the lack of spaces in our community- safe spaces." - Pedro Leon
Mentioned during a workshop as one of the few community spaces where youth and elders are able to hang out safely. || "The people who visit these safe spaces are the ones sharing history and story." - Pedro Leon
Built in the late 1800s, this remnant of the Chicago Stockyards still serves as an important community landmark and hosted the Dia de los Muertos Procession in 2020.
Identified in survey as an important landmark for the community. All the colors and murals are representative of the neighborhood's Mexican culture.
Year(s): 2014-2016, 2019, 2020
Participants: 40 [4th-8th grade students]
Description: Over several years, Green Star Movement completed several projects at this elementary school in Brighton Park. GSM murals can be found on the main entrance, facing the playing field and playground, and on the theater entrance.
"The Gage Park Latinx Council, founded in 2018, started the Gage Park Mural Project last August. Beside providing art, the idea was to “give the youth an opportunity to learn skills and create works of art in Gage Park,” says Antonio Santos, 30, the group’s co-founder and executive director"
These murals were created in 2020 as part of a community and artist led initatitive to support an icecream vendor that was robbed earlier in the year in the neighborhood. They were able to raise over $2000 to support the vendor
VISIT