Director’s Blog: Commercial Revitalization and Environmental Justice

Dear GCI followers,

This past week, Great Cities Institute hosted two wonderful events that brought new and established friends together for insightful presentations and discussions on problems of and solutions to pressing urban issues.

We kicked off our Real Time Chicago Series with a panel on Commercial Revitalization. Dan Lira of the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce spoke about their efforts to revitalize Commercial Avenue. A few months back we toured South Chicago with Dan and a number of community leaders. It was exciting to hear more about their programs to bring life back to a commercial area that went into decline after employment from the steel mills left the area. Jaime di Paulo of Little Village Chamber of Commerce also spoke on the panel about both the vibrancy and the challenges of the 2nd most revenue-generating corridor in Chicago, 26th Street. The strength of local businesses in the area is exciting. Also speaking was Abe Lentner, who spoke about some of the general principles of commercial revitalization.

As part of our Jewels of UIC Series, we honored Dean Paul Brandt-Rauf, who gave a riveting lecture on Global Environmental Justice: Footprints, Fairness, and the Future of the Planet. Dean Brandt-Rauf argued that environmental health problems of countries like Bangladesh need to be considered within the larger context of the overall distribution of eco-system services around the world currently and into the future.  He described current public polices and private practices “as a major ethical failure and environmental injustice on a global scale.”  He further argued:

Consideration of ecological footprints provides a convenient framework for providing a more fair distribution of all eco-system services globally to achieve intra-generational environmental justice.  Furthermore, it is clear that our current ecological footprints, even if fairly distributed, are not sustainable into the future without irreparably damaging eco-system services, which could result in ecological catastrophe and preclude any reasonable form of inter-generational justice.  To avoid this, a global paradigm shift – an eco-enlightenment will be required with changes in individuals, institutions and ideas – a new level of thinking about what truly constitutes progress and prosperity for all members of current and future generations.

The video from Dr. Brandt-Rauf can now be viewed on our website and the video on Commercial Revitalization will be up in a few days.

This week, we turn our attention to the UIC Urban Forum and invite everyone to attend. It should be an exciting day, during which time we will focus on the importance of the neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Teresa Córdova
Director

CUED receives grant to evaluate manufacturing initiative

Some advocates of manufacturing believe that by taking the “high road” towards workforce development, firms will take a major step forward in the strengthening of the industry. Starting this Fall, the Center for Urban Economic Development (CUED) will be working with the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) to evaluate a program that will put this theory into practice. The IMEC program is looking to incorporate about eighty firms from the Chicagoland region. CUED will receive a $398,000 grant from the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance (CWFA), under their Regional Manufacturing Initiative, for the evaluation of this initiative.

CUED will track changes and conduct an evaluation to analyze the effectiveness of this effort. The evaluation will include both qualitative and quantitative methods, including data from the employers and employees involved in the program, site visits, case studies and interviews. Interviews of the participants will track the change in workforce conditions and industries’ success.

The two year evaluation is aimed at determining that the “high road” is feasible and beneficial for manufacturing in the Chicago area through a dedication to providing workers access to training and good jobs, and in turn, increasing innovation by firms.

Voorhees Center releases report series “Making the Case for Change”

The Nathalie P. Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement, a research unit at the College of Urban Planning and Urban Affairs at UIC, just released with the Illinois Latino Family Commission part I and II of a series report titled “Making the Case for Change”. The project is an effort to undertake a comprehensive examination of Latinos in Illinois that can provide critical information to improve policy, planning and programming to a broad audience of actors. The project has three goals: 1) to compile and elevate available data to construct a more detailed profile of Latinos in the State; 2) to make the data widely accessible to lawmakers, policy decision makers, state agency directors, community leaders and providers: and 3) to facilitate a data informed Latino action agenda.

Link to reports by visiting the Voorhees Center publications webpage.

Making the Case for Change Report Series

Part I: Latino Demographic Profiles

Part I in the Making the Case for Change series provides demographic, social and economic data on the Latino population in the State of Illinois, and then compares the information with: 1) the Latino population in other states and Puerto Rico; 2) other racial/ethnic groups within the state; and also, 3) among Latino origin groups.

Part II: Legislative District Snapshots

Part II, “Legislative District Snapshots,” presents Latino demographic and socioeconomic data for legislative districts. The first section presents statewide maps for Congressional, State Senate and House of Representative districts and highlights growth in Latino population. The second section provides a more detailed view of population and socioeconomic data for individual legislative districts. These legislative district profiles demonstrate the geographic dispersion and changing profile of Latinos across the State.

Wage Theft in Kentucky Costs More Than All Other Robbery Combined

Workers in Milwaukee strike for $15 per hour, Aug. 1, 2013. (Image: Wisconsin Jobs Now.)

Workers in Milwaukee strike for $15 per hour, Aug. 1, 2013. (Image: Wisconsin Jobs Now.)

In a story on wage theft in Kentucky, Moyers & Company (billmoyers.com) cites a study by the Center for Urban Economic Development that found rampant wage theft across the country. The center is part of Great Cities Institute and the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs.

In 2008, NELP, along with the Center for Urban Economic Development and the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, conducted a landmark survey of 4,387 low-wage workers in the three largest American cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — which found rampant wage theft, and other labor law violations, at the lower end of the labor market.

Full Story from Moyers & Company »

Commercial Revitalization

Dan Lira, Executive Director, South Chicago Chamber of Commerce

Jaime di Paulo, Executive Director, Little Village Chamber of Commerce

Respondent: Abe Lentner

Wednesday
September 10, 2014
4th Floor CUPPA Hall
412 South Peoria Street, Chicago, IL 60607
12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch provided.

For disability accommodations, please contact Christiana Kinder, (312) 996-8700, christia@uic.edu

PDF Flyer »

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Over 30 GCI lectures available on YouTube and website

09-02-14blog

As we prepare for another exciting year of Great Cities’ events, we wish to remind you that video recordings of GCI lectures and panels from the past year are available for viewing at your leisure. Additionally, CAN TV accepted our invitation to record several of our higher profile lectures and panels. Between our own and CAN TV’s documentation, more than thirty lectures and panels are available on our website and YouTube channel.

Some of the most viewed recordings from our archive include:

  • Susan Christopherson, Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, considering if advanced manufacturing can thrive in post-industrial economies
  • Moises Gonzales, Assistant Professor of Community and Regional Planning, University of New Mexico, advancing a theory of urban evolution through his examination of Mexico City
  • Dave Ranney, Professor Emeritus of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, sharing about his most recent book New World Disorder: the Decline of US Power
  • Sanjeev Vidyarthi, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, questioning who does and who should make plans as he examines development in Jaipur, India
  • Sean Wiedel, Assistant Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), speaking about the DIVVY bike share program

In addition to this content from last year, in the coming weeks we will be posting interviews with this year’s GCI scholars. This summer, UIC faculty Lynette Jackson, Nadine Naber and Laurie Schaffner all generously spoke with us about their research and insight into pressing problems affecting Chicago communities as well as communities in other national and global cities. As the new school year begins, we are thrilled to be able to share a preview of their scholarship.

We are always eager for you to attend our events and join in the conversation. However, if in the coming year you must miss one, remember you can usually find a recording of the event on our website.

Director’s Blog: New Semester, New Energy

Dear GCI followers,

Welcome to the start of the Fall 2014 Semester.  We are excited about the upcoming semester.  We send good wishes to all as we wind down summer and prepare for the fall season.

We were blessed with an array of talent this summer including Xiomara Pedraza, who has returned to New York City to finish her Master’s Degree in Urban Policy from the New School and Sara Agate, who is headed to D.C. to launch her career in health policy.  Congratulations to Alex Linares, who finished his Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy and is now a MUPP.

We are very pleased to announce the hiring of Timothy Imeokparia as Senior Research Specialist.  Tim comes with experience in Urban Design and Physical Planning (and is one of the most well read persons that we know!). We are very excited to have Tim and know that his presence expands the expertise of GCI staff. We have also added to our economic development team.  Joining Thea Crum is Jackson Morsey and Matt Wilson, both recent graduates from UIC’s Urban Planning and Policy master’s degree program. With this team, we expect to be revitalizing Great Cities Institute’s Neighborhood Initiative Program.

The 2014-2015 GCI Faculty Scholars, coincidentally, are all women and represent an incredible array of talent and expertise.  Lynnete Jackson, department of gender and women’s studies; Laurie Shaffner, department of gender and women’s studies; Nadine Naber, department of gender and women’s studies & asian american studies program; Isabel Cruz, department of computer science; and Ning Ai, department of urban planning & policy.

Among our many activities for the fall, we will continue to host events.  We kick off this semester’s Real Time Chicago Series on September 10 at noon with a focus on Commercial Revitalization.  Speakers include representatives from South Chicago Chamber of Commerce and Little Village Chamber of Commerce.

We are also honoring Dean Paul Brandt-Rauf on September 11 at 4:00 p.m. (followed by a reception). As part of our Jewels of UIC Series, Dean Brandt-Rauf will speak on “Global Environmental Justice:  Footprints, Fairness, and the Future of the Planet.” Please see our website for more details.

There are many huge issues facing us in Chicago, the region and the world.  We continue to be engaged with our many colleagues to develop analyses and solutions to today’s urban challenges.  We invite you to join us at our events, utilize our website and visit us on Peoria Street.

Sincerely,
Teresa Córdova
Director