Organizing for the Future


Organizing for the Future

The DNC’s takeover of Chicago has come to an end. It left behind a palpable sense of enthusiasm, inspiration, and excitement.  Now is the time for us to harness that energy to reinvigorate our leaders and communities in the fight for a better Chicago. At Lawndale Christian Development Corporation (LCDC), we leverage such energy by organizing with local leaders and institutions.

LCDC has a history of creative community development in North Lawndale. This work is underpinned by our deep and sincere commitment to building a black power base in North Lawndale to dismantle systemic poverty and structural racism. The critical first step of this strategy has only been realized through building power from within, the power of existing residents and institutions, while recruiting external resources in support of our collective vision. Our approach then turns problems into actionable issues as a foundation from which we have embarked upon community organizing campaigns that envision an economically sound North Lawndale revitalized to create a healthy living environment for its current residents while inviting newcomers without displacement

The success of this method is a demonstration of the need in black communities for defused and decentralized leadership. The seemingly intractable nature of the issues we face demands a consistency of effort and energy only achievable through collective action. To meet the momentum of this historic moment we need to galvanize ourselves, create, and support community-based institutions with broad local leadership from which we can form strong and resilient coalitions. LCDC’s 37-year track record of progress and improvements in North Lawndale demonstrates the validity and impact of this approach. It is not enough to be inspired by the profundity of the DNC we must, as individuals, communities, and as a city let it motivate us to go further and faster towards a brighter tomorrow.

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