Millennials and their slightly younger teen counterparts are praised and blamed — often simultaneously — for their impact on pop culture and politics. But a groundbreaking report from the GenForward Project at the University of Chicago takes a nuanced and reflective look at what young adults in Chicago of all races think about their lives and future.
Under the guidance of GenForward Founder Cathy Cohen, the David and Mary Winton Green Professor of Political Science, the report, entitled “Race & Place: Young Adults and the Future of Chicago” is the culmination of 200 interviews with African-American, Asian-American, Latinx and white Chicagoans between 18-29, evenly represented, and hailing from 10 neighborhoods.
The findings were discussed on April 26 in a spirited panel at the Green Line Performing Arts Center. The event was the first in a series co-hosted by the University’s Office of Civic Engagement and the City Club of Chicago. WBEZ South Side reporter Natalie Moore moderated the panel, which, in addition to Cohen, featured Michelle Morales, CEO of the Mikva Challenge, a youth civic engagement organization, and Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of My Block, My Hood, My City, a social impact organization that creates “experiential education” for Chicago teens.
“What we wanted to do was talk about the nuances in young people’s experience based on where they live and what’s available in their neighborhood,” Cohen said. “The question of whether, in fact, they will be embraced, supported and provided the opportunities that they deserve or whether we will continue a pattern of disinvestment, in particular on the South and West sides, and push those young people who are a resource for this city out of the city.”
Every panelist agreed that the report underscores long-held beliefs in Chicago that North Side, predominantly white and socioeconomically affluent neighborhoods receive better access to education, housing, economic stability and strong political representation.
Cole cautioned against the tendency to normalize dysfunction and lack of resources in underserved communities: "It's not 'regular' to have to order your food through bulletproof glass windows...it's not 'regular' for there to be 15 currency exchanges and no banks," Cole said. "I just think the integrity of this whole city is at risk, and we're not supporting programs that work with youth.”
African-American, Asian-American and Latinx respondents often reported frustration at having to leave their communities for similar educational and economic opportunities to their white counterparts and railed that their political representatives ranged from untrustworthy to unresponsive to their needs.
Audience members filled the free event to capacity and many had the opportunity at the end of the nearly two-hour session to submit subject-matter questions to the panelists. One parent, a retired librarian and mother of a Mikva Challenge participant, suggested parents should be an integral part of the policies aimed at improving the lives of youth.
“How can you fix the child and talk about the very conditions that they’re suffering when their parents have been the first person that had to experience it? Their parents are on the front line,” the parent said. “Every home is not full of deadbeats, hot Cheetos and rap music. We are displacing the prioritization of family and family is just as important in (the dialogue) around civic engagement.”
Cole responded: “I think you should start it. Programs are programs, but people touch people.”
Finally, the report also highlights “safety, freedom and joy”—defined quite differently for respondents by race and neighborhood, but ultimately ending with collective hope about their future and the city’s future.
“Regarding the ‘safety, freedom and joy’ aspect of Dr. Cohen’s report—young people have so much love for this city and want to see the city be better for them and their families,” Morales said. “They want to stay and want to create change. We have to get out of the way and support them and let them.”
By Sabrina L. Miller
Photos courtesy of City Club of Chicago
