Pastor Phil Jackson recognized as a 2023 Leader for a New Chicago
Pastor Phil Jackson is the Founder and CEO of the Firehouse Community Arts
Center in North Lawndale. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE FIREHOUSE.
By Tia Carol Jones
Pastor Phil Jackson believes that real transformation and hope comes from grassroots organizations doing the work in communities where there is a great need. “We live in a community where hopelessness and resiliency co-exist. Our work is to create pathways of hopefulness and resilience,” Jackson said.
Jackson founded the Firehouse Community Arts Center in 2007 after having founded The House, a Christ-centered Hip Hop worship service in 2003. The services took place at Lawndale Community Church’s sanctuary. On the first Saturday of the month, 400-500 young people would attend. Eventually, the young people wanted their own place to engage in arts activities. Pastor Jackson bought the Firehouse in 2007 and formed a non-profit.
Jackson is one of several leaders who have been recognized for their accomplishments as a 2023 Leader for a New Chicago by the Field and MacArthur Foundations. Jackson said he wanted to provide the space for young people because it is what they asked for. They needed options to engage with that were safe, positive, and fun outside of school or sports activities. With the Firehouse Community Arts Center, Jackson and his team are filling the void in North Lawndale by providing arts programming in the community.
Jackson sees the arts as ART, Arts for Redemptive Transformation. He took a 100-year old Firehouse, redeemed it and transformed it. In the space, the young people, who range from ages 13 to 30, see themselves as change agents. Since the Firehouse was founded, it has serviced more than 2,500 young people. “The young people decided these are the arts disciplines we want to engage in,” he said.
Arts is at the center of everything the Firehouse does. The work falls into three buckets: the Very Important Process, which is a process to unlearn to relearn in three locations; Spark Arts, young people between the ages of 13 to 24 who want to engage in the arts – culinary arts, dance, film, tech, audio engineering, visual arts and fashion; and Food Distribution, feeding more than 800 people each week. The Firehouse engages in a lot of public arts projects in the community.
As part of being recognized as a Leader for a New Chicago, Jackson received funds and the organization received funds to go towards general operating costs. Jackson is honored to be recognized by the institutions, as well as to be connected to the other leaders in the cohort and the work they do.
The money will help the Firehouse with its upcoming FireFest, which will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13th, at 2111 South Hamlin Ave. The Firehouse is also taking some of the young men from the program to Ghana for the Rites of Passage as well as fund its day-to-day operations.
Jackson would like to see more grassroots organizations receive funding for the work they are doing. “There are a lot of organizations that are doing that, as scrappy as they can be. And, If folks push a little bit more they may be able to find them and support,” he said. For more information about The Firehouse Community Arts Center, visit thefcac.org.
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