Many within the research community rightly claim that poverty and violence are close cousins. For this reason, in view of the chronic, massive unemployment rate prevailing in Little Village (South Lawndale), combined with the disturbingly high rate of poverty (see Graphic 1 and 2 for a visual), the on-going youth violence should not be a surprise to anybody.
Graphic 1: Unemployment in Little Village (area 30) stands at an 11.5% and is disproportionately combined with lack of green spaces and quality educational resources.Graphic 2: In Little Village (area 30) 28.1% of households like under the poverty rate. This is almost double the average of the Chicago area, which stands at 18.7%
Universidad Popular believes that the youth themselves and their parents hold the key to the solution to this lethal problem. It was out of this perspective that Universidad Popular has lead a series of efforts focused around our Building Blocks of Peace campaign. Recently, we approached the DART FOUNDATION to seek its support to carry out our youth education work toward community safety and, ultimately, peace in this part of Chicago.
Universidad Popular is very glad with DART Foundation’s response to its quest for partnership in our effort to tackle such an empowering education effort: It awarded a $5,000 grant to get this project off the ground this Fall.
Thomas Damasica (upper row, second from left), an executive with Dart Container Corporation, and Carmen Lemus (lower row, second from left), an employee of Dart Container Corporation and also a DILIPRO participant of Universidad Popular delivering the grant award to Olivia F. Godinez (lower row, third from left), the Executive Director of Universidad Popular, flanked by other members of UP involved in implementing this project.
