Southwest Side Stories

Caroline Rutherford, Bethany Rouke, and Daniria Dukes of United Educators for Justice talk about the historic 2018 strike against the Acero charter school network.

This was the first charter school strike in U.S. history, with much of the action focused on the southwest side, where 9 of the 15 schools in the Acero network are located.

Union negotiators won significant gains in 2018, and are seeking to both protect those gains and expand on them in their upcoming contract. 

United Educators for Justice website:

New York Times article on the 2018 strike:

Block Club Chicago article on the 2018 strike:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Alex Perez, an Advocacy Manager with the Active Transportation Alliance, talks about the state of our streets on the southwest side (not good) and the potential for new infrastructure like protected bike lanes and greenways (sorely needed).

Major streets like Pulaski and Archer can be especially dangerous for cyclists, which is one reason why the Southwest Collective plans monthly bike rides that stick exclusively to the side streets and only cross major streets at a traffic light or a stop sign.

SWC’s next monthly community bike ride, Aug. 6 at Gage Park:

Active Trans website:

Story map of conditions along Chicago’s spoke routes (including Archer):

Block Club article on fatal crash in Clearing:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Jose Uribe, a Workplace Justice Campaigns Organizer with Arise Chicago, and Alfredo Benedetti, a food production worker with El Milagro Tortillas, talk about the Sept. 2021 walkout at the famous factory in Little Village and subsequent gains for El Milagro Workers.

They describe harsh working conditions and sub-standard pay, and remind all workers of the rights and protections they enjoy, regardless of their immigration status.

This interview was conducted in both Spanish and English, with periodic translation throughout.

Arise Chicago: https://www.arisechicago.org

Block Club Chicago article on initial walkout: https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/09/24/el-milagro-employees-locked-out-of-factory-during-walkout-while-protesting-pay-working-conditions

Block Club Chicago article on recent victories: https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/04/11/el-milagro-workers-announce-wage-and-schedule-wins-after-months-of-organizing

Democracy Now segment: https://youtu.be/r6RddssgsJY

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Monse Ayala, the Community Organizing Supervisor with Increase the Peace and La Casa Norte, talks about working with young leaders, responding to violence, and building community on the southwest side.

She urges everybody to get involved by getting to know their neighbors, reaching out to community-based organizations, and demanding more out of their elected officials.

Increase the Peace:

La Casa Norte:

3rd Annual Black & Brown Unity Car Parade livestream:

Block party permit information: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/construction_information/svcs/block_party_permitinformation.html

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

De Colores Ice Cream & Coffee Shop co-owner Dolores Zaragoza Lopez talks to us about her family-run and community-focused small business in Archer Heights.

Dolores also regularly showcases paintings and other art from local artists. Looking to spruce up your walls? Stop by the corner of 49th and Archer, and check it out!

De Colores Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DeColoresChicago

De Colores Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decoloresneveria

🍨🍦🍨🍦🍨

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Cabrera Capital principal and LeClaire Courts redevelopment project lead Mark Kirincich talks about the ambitious plan to build housing, a federally qualified health center, and a grocery store at the site of the former low-rise public housing project.

Project information from Cabrera Capital:

Block Club Chicago article:

Chicago historian Sherman “Dilla” Thomas on TikTok:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.

Werk Mija founder Xochitl Carmona talks about starting a new Latina-owned lifestyle brand in late 2020, encouraging other entrepreneurs to follow their dreams, and using both social media and in-person pop-up events to grow her business.

Check out the Werk Mija website for tops, coffee mugs, bags, and more.

Werk Mija website:

Werk Mija shop:

Social media: Follow @werkmija on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Ismael Cuevas talks about an ugly fight over school desegregation in 1977, in which a vocal group of white parents in Scottsdale and Ashburn made it clear that they did not want Black students attending their neighborhood public schools. Ismael grew up in Scottsdale, but never heard about this particular history until he started researching his neighborhood.

South Side Weekly article:

New York Times coverage from 1977:

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/13/archives/chicago-police-escort-students-after-clash-at-antibusing-rally-two.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/15/archives/busing-protests-curbed-in-chicago.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/19/archives/both-sides-in-busing-fight-charge-chicago-mayor-lacks-leadership.html

Unrecorded Malvina Reynolds song lyrics:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Cosmos Ray of Bronzeville/Kenwood Mutual Aid and Graciela Guzmán of Belmont Cragin Mutual Aid talk about their work with the Chicagoland Food Sovereignty Coalition. Starting in the early days of the pandemic, the Southwest Collective worked with CFSC to distribute food through the USDA Famers to Families Food Box program. Staring January 15, 2022, the Collective will distribute fresh produce through a FREE Farmer's Market at Garfield Ridge Baptist Church (5520 S. Narragansett).

Facebook event for Jan. 15 farmer's market:

Chicagoland Food Sovereignty Coalition website:

Donate to the CFSC new warehouse fund:

Donate to CFSC general funds:

Volunteer with CFSC:

Donate food to CFSC:

Contact CFSC:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/BeatMachine/63349

Eberhart Elementary parent (and former teacher) Alejandra Frausto talks about the tight-knit community at this large CPS school in Chicago Lawn. She also discusses the well-publicized failure of Aramark to ensure an adequate number of custodians for Eberhart; how parents, teachers, and administrators decided to take matters into their own hands; and why it's important to view these types of incidents as the structural problems they are.

Eberhart Elementary website:

Chicago Sun-Times story on Eberhart community clean-up:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Living Memorial:

Music: 101 chillin beat by BeatMachine (c) copyright 2021. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.