After spending a day of immersing ourselves in the history and culture of Chicago, we spent Thursday (5/18) getting more localized in the South Side. The two main areas that we found ourselves in today were Chicago Lawn and Englewood, each area with its distinct history and identity. In Chicago Lawn we went to the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) headquarters where we were able to get a tour of the facilities and the services they provide. As they have expanded in the last years, they have embodied their mission statement by creating a variety of spaces for the holistic care of the individual. With a federally qualified health center, a behavior health center, job training, and arts centers IMAN seeks to empower marginalized communities through their social programs. Due to Gov. Greg Abbott’s decisions surrounding asylum seekers, many find themselves sleeping on the ground inside of Chicago Police Stations. Right now, this is where many of IMAN’s resources are focused whether is by sending their mobile care unit to those stations or providing therapy for those after they have left those conditions. After speaking with Saleem, Ariya, and Abdul-Raheem we gained a deeper understanding of the services offered but also the mission and intention behind offering those services. As individuals are displaced, whether that be through militarization, the justice system, or occupation the trauma and systemic forces that are working against them fuel a cycle that pushes these people into roles that cause more trauma. Saleem says that their work centers on breaking apart this cycle, guided by faith IMAN has multiple programs that seek to do just that. Green Reentry specifically works with those who are reentering society after being incarcerated and puts them through a multi-step process that includes therapy, trades training, and eventually internships and apprenticeships. Abdul-Raheem works with community engagement and safety cultivating a sense of security with the residents around IMAN and those coming in to take part in their services. In the Arts and Culture Department Ariya works as the ceramic studio manager and helps to cultivate a place where people can center and express themselves. After the conversation and tour, we headed East down 63rd towards IMAN’s Go Green Community Fresh Market.
We then had a delicious lunch with Ahmad Jitan, IMAN’s director of organizing, and Ndidi Amatullah Okakpu, director of development. The food was all from IMAN’s Go Green Community Fresh Market, where we were all astonished by the affordability and picked up some groceries on our way out. Our group talked while we ate, practicing making 1:1 connections through conversations about the motivation behind our work. We then listened to Ahmad’s presentation on community organizing. We learned about the Cornerstore Initiative, healing Arab and Black community relationships through conversation, breaking down barriers, and incentivizing access to healthy options amidst a food desert. We were able to discuss a comprehensive overview of community organizing, IMAN’s history, mission statement, and current efforts of their significant recent expansion. There were also cupcakes that were quite yummy.
-Fabian Barba and Shane Ruyle