Beloved Movie, Beloved Play!
‘Amélie’
Kokandy Productions presents the Chicago premiere of “Amélie,” the charming tale of a young woman and the fantastical world of whimsy and romance that surrounds her, based on the 2001 film of the same name. She is an extraordinary young woman who lives quietly in the world but loudly in her mind. She covertly improvises small but surprising acts of kindness that bring joy and mayhem. W hen a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realizes that to find happiness she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart. “Amélie” will play July 17 – September 28, in the Chopin Downstairs Studio, 1543 W. Division St. The entire Chopin basement, including the lobby, bar and cafe, will envelop audiences in Amélie’s journey. Tickets are $40+ at kokandyproductions.com
Film For All!
Summer Screenings
The Chicago Film Festival’s FREE screenings of international films around the “Summer of Love” theme continues Mondays and Wednesdays through August 20. On August 18, Chicago’s own McKenzie Chinn stars in “Olympia”: a struggling young artist is navigating work and romance in the Windy City when her boyfriend asks her to drop everything and move cross-country. Tickets are released every Monday at 10 a.m. for that week’s films. Seating is first-come, first-served and limited to the capacity of the McCormick Theater at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St.; and the Claudia Cassidy Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. To claim tickets, please visit chicagofilmfestival.com/summer-screenings
Searching for Love!
‘Girls & Boys’
Griffin Theatre Company presents “Girls & Boys,” though August 16 at Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N Clark St., Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. W hen a woman meets the man of her dreams, their whirlwind romance promises a future full of happiness and fulfillment. Their lives are painted with the vibrancy of passion, success and the joys of parenthood. Yet, as their ambitions escalate and subtle fractures begin to emerge, the veneer of their idyllic existence starts to crumble, leading to the unimaginable. A powerful and unflinching exploration of love and the dark truths that lie beneath, “Girls & Boys” is told with biting humor and raw emotion--a masterclass in storytelling that’s equal parts hilarious and harrowing. $30- $43 at GriffinTheatre.com
Ancient Rituals!
‘Secret Byrd’
Concert Theatre Works presents the Chicago premiere of its popular touring production, “Secret Byrd.” Audiences are invited to step back in time to 16th century England and participate in a clandestine worship service where a group of Catholics gather in secret to maintain their religious practices despite the illegality of their faith. Showcasing William Byrd’s “Mass for Five Voices” sung by The Gesualdo Six and accompanied by ViolMedium and Second City Musick, the fully immersive, candlelit experience promises to engage all five senses.
Audiences are invited to listen to the music, move through the space, interact with the historically-accurate props, and consume bread and wine during the communion portion of the mass. July 20 & 21 at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. at Salvage One, 1840 W Hubbard St. Tickets start at $60 at concerttheatreworks.com
Party in the Square!
Jarvis Square Music and Arts Festival
The Rogers Park Business Alliance (RPBA) presents the Jarvis Square Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, July 19 from 1 – 10 p.m. The Festival will transform Jarvis Square, 1500 W Jarvis Ave., into a bustling hub of creativity, music, and food. The fest includes an art fair, food and drinks from local restaurants, and live music. Kicking off the Fest will be a performance by the “musical shape shifters” Amy Kelly & The Beaver Moon Band from 2 – 4 p.m., followed by She’s Crafty, an All-Female Beastie Boys Tribute, from 6 – 7 p.m., and singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist duo Finom wrapping the night up from 8 – 10 p.m. Throughout the day, a diverse selection of artists and craftworkers will be selling artisanal goods ranging from paintings and jewelry to art and clothing. FREE.
Outdoor Music!
‘Side by Side’ with the Chicago Philharmonic
Join Scott Speck, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, and the musicians of Chicago Philharmonic for its signature community event—Side by Side with the Chicago Philharmonic—presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series at Ping Tom Memorial Park, 1700 S. Wentworth Ave., on July 19. Whether you’re a musician eager to perform (sign up at chicagophilharmonic.org) or a music lover looking to enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon in the park, all are welcome! Rehearsal is 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., performance is 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. FREE.
Singing Their Story!
‘Karaoke Storytellers’ Music affects each of us individually, and the emotions we associate with a song are determined by our specific history. “Karaoke Storytellers” lends a microphone to four Chicago entertainers who have a story to tell about a song that means something to them – and then they might just sing it, too. July 19, 8 p.m. at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $23 at steppenwolf.org/lookout
Fiesta Mexicana!
Rogers Park Taco Crawl
Tacos aren't just a meal, they're a cultural treasure and a delicious tribute to Mexico's vibrant culinary heritage. Come and enjoy an afternoon dedicated to tacos, with plenty to savor and celebrate! Choose from two tempting routes, each showcasing local culinary gems. Limited tickets will be available. The crawl will take place along Clark St. between Devon Ave. and Rogers Ave. on Thursday, July 17, 3-7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance at business.rpba.org/events or $35 day-of at 6950 N. Clark St.
‘The Not That Late Show’
Don't Miss Bedtime!
“The Not That Late Show” is a late night talk show for Chicago, by Chicago. For one night only “The Not That Late Show” staff creates comedic material inspired by local and national news, internet happenings and whatever else is on their minds! Thursday, July 17, 8 p.m. at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $23 at steppenwolf.org/lookout
Life's Lessons!
‘Incognito’
Tin Drum Theatre Company presents the Chicago premiere of “Incognito” at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., July 17 - August 3. The provocative play invites audiences to discover the extraordinary tapestry of the heart and mind on display in “Incognito” —a play that redefines our understanding of self and the ever-shifting narrative of our lives. This unique and compelling play bridges science and philosophy, tracing how emotions intertwine with our concept of identity and challenging the boundaries of traditional narrative storytelling. Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. Tickets are $25 - $39 with $15 student tickets and may be purchased at www.theaterwit.org
Our Dream event Ticket
John: If you were given a free ticket to any one of four of the biggest sporting events –Game 7 of the World Series, the Super Bowl, the NCAA college basketball Final Four and the Masters – which would you love to attend the most?
William: It’s a tossup between the Super Bowl and Game 7 of the World Series. If this is 2016, I would opt for Game 7 of the World Series, because that’s when the Cubs won. By the time the World Series starts, the cold weather is setting in, so it’s not quite the same as seeing a baseball game in the summertime. The Super Bowl, if you have the right teams in, I’d love to go: the next time the Bears get in will be in the year 5 million.
John: But don’t you love the atmosphere of the Final Four?
William: Yeah, I love the March Madness tournaments.
I would certainly go to Final Four or Final Two, especially if they have the Illini in.
Russell: The Masters, but it’s just not the same without Tiger Woods, so definitely not that one. World Series Game 7, pretty interesting, I might enjoy that too, but that’s not the one. Final Four: now you’re talking business, lot of action. But the one I would go to is the Super Bowl.
John: I knew it.
Russell: Been talking about this all week. It’s more exciting, and you can watch the halftime show.
Allen: I like Russell’s answer. I like what William said about the weather. The weather plays a big factor. Most football games are played outside and the weather’s cold. But today, most Super Bowls are played inside. Not only will you enjoy the game, but you
will get some good half-time entertainment, so you get double for your money.
John: If I were to get free passes, it probably would be the Final Four, because you get three games in two days, although the Masters is four days. But I don’t know if I would want to go to a golfing event, because it’s too quiet. The NCAA Final Four, you got a lot of cool festivities. If the site is New Orleans, imagine that. You got Mardi Gras going on too. The Super Bowl too, has a two-week buildup. Game 7 in the World Series is the least guaranteed. It depends on which team is in the World Series. If it’s the Miami Marlins against the Cleveland Guardians, I don’t think it would be as special as the Yankees and Dodgers. That, I might put in for.
Russell: Definitely the Super Bowl.
William: The Masters, not so much. I say the same for golf as for hockey. They’re just smacking a puck round. It’s a low-scoring game. And with golf, I kind of fade in and out. You smack a ball silly, chase after it, hit it again, take the ball out of the hole and repeat those steps 17 more times. It might be up to 72 or 81 holes.
Allen: If I had a second choice, it would be college basketball because you get to see the upcoming stars coming into the professional league play while they’re young. Plus, it’s indoors and you don’t have to be outside.
John: Any one of those four would be special.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors (clockwise) Russell Adams, A. Allen, William Plowman and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.
TELLING OUR STORIES YOUNG AUTHOR SHARES AN ORAL HISTORY OF STREETWISE
by Suzanne Hanney
Anthony Mateos, a rising senior at Evanston Township High School, has written a definitive book about StreetWise, “Who We Are: Stories from the Chicago StreetWise Community.” His sensitive oral history was undertaken with vendors, staff and funders and self-published, with proceeds to benefit StreetWise. As of June 27, $1,730 had been raised via lulu.com
“In a time when America is significantly divided, it is essential to embrace the value of unity,” Mateos said in the book’s introduction. “Strength as a community far outweighs the power a single individual can ever reach. Looking at each other eye to eye without judgment unites and emboldens us without hate.”
Mateos decided to write the book because he visited StreetWise with his mother six years ago at age 11 at its former Uptown location and he has known an Evanston vendor since middle school. He also was inspired by an oral history on domestic violence survivors done by his mother, Elizabeth Schaefer, Ed.D, who is director of the National Louis University undergraduate programs in communication and media and in marketing as well as director for its quarterly magazine.
Since Mateos began high school, he wanted to write a book because, “it has the added value of physicality, not like a website that goes away. It stays with you.” He believed in the oral history format and wanted to do one that would help an organization.
While many authors consider book promotion to be the most egregious part of their job, Mateos has done numerous gracious interviews: with Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune, Rob Elgas and Karen Jordan of ABC7 Chicago, Patrick Elwood of WGN, Evanston Roundtable and WTTW’s Chicago Tonight.
“All of us who live here have encountered someone as a vendor, as you said,” Elgas noted.
As a street reporter, he always engaged with the vendors, WGN’s Patrick Elwood said, and it made him feel better. Kogan noted that since 2020, StreetWise has been under the umbrella of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, “and it’s much more than a magazine. StreetWise comes out once a week and is sold on corners by 150 vendors, who are trained, buy their papers, wear badges and follow
strict protocols. The magazine is sold for $3, and vendors pay $1.15 for each issue, so they do not earn a lot per sale. However, there are extra benefits, besides inspiration, by being part of the community. Clothing, help from social workers, case management and free food are among them.”
‘Kindness matters’
Kogan told his readers to buy the book for its uplifting stories. “And perhaps, as Mateos writes in his brief introduction, you might ‘go beyond the pages. Next time you see a vendor selling StreetWise, buy a magazine and talk with them. If you cannot buy a magazine, offer them a smile or a wave. The kindness matters.’ ”
“You crushed it; we’re proud of you,” Elgas said on-air of Mateos’s interview, as he enthusiastically urged Mateos to apply to his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Champaign. Jordan said she was proud that both she and Mateos were ETHS alums.
Both the University of Illinois and Northwestern University are on Mateos’s list of possible colleges and he is studying neuroscience this summer at NU. Last year he took Advanced Placement courses in U.S. History, English language and composition and calculus. This year, he will be taking AP classes in literature, psychology, video production, statistics and government; and serving on both the rowing team and Team ASAP, which spreads awareness and diversity participation in AP classes.
Mateos admitted that he was quite nervous before all his media interviews – his first times on live TV. But he “put a lot of hours in” practicing his public speaking, anticipating the questions reporters would ask and giving his responses. “It was such a great experience. I was met with open arms, I had an amazing time and I am so thankful I was able to do it.”
His preparation actually began in spring 2024, as he did groundwork for the interviews with vendors last summer. Transcriptions were done during winter break this past school year. He envisioned three goals for the book:
• To further knowledge of what StreetWise is and how to support the nonprofit
• To tell stories of the vendors’ experiences
• To find out how to support homeless people in Chicago.
Anthony Mateos holds a copy of his book, available at lulu.com
(Ruben Garcia photo)
Explaining the StreetWise model
Mateos expanded the last goal to spread the word that StreetWise is not just a homeless publication. He sees the StreetWise model as about freedom and entrepreneurship, individuals who connect with Chicago. Vendors work for themselves and set their own hours. Selling the magazine may even be a second job for some of them.
“It gives each vendor the freedom to sell how much they want and where they want. A lot of people have the misconception that it is a charity. That’s not the business
model. They may be selling to make a little more income, or it may be their sole income. That’s totally fine. StreetWise accepts everyone.”
What do the vendors bring to Chicago?
“They contribute unity to the city,” Mateos said. “A lot of people understand their own cliques. They might only talk to higher-up individuals who have the same experiences – there’s a little bit of separation in who they talk to on a daily basis. Talking to vendors bridges that gap and connects everyone in Chicago. It lifts up the vendors, too. It
shows how much Chicagoans want to support one another. No one is obligated to buy StreetWise but so many people give more than $3 to show how much they appreciate their contribution to Chicago.
“I wanted to show how wonderful every vendor is, that homelessness is not just your choices, but could happen to anyone.”
What was a surprise to him?
“The process of making this book was also a learning experience similar to how readers might learn. I learned just how many humane stories each vendor has and how complex their lives are, how nuanced, positive, and optimistic stories they have regarding their time. I never expected anyone having anything bad to say but the degree to which they expressed their gratitude is so wonderful.” There was also pride in the job, he said.
Vendor Keith’s life started to change, for example, as soon as he had money in his pocket. He stopped using drugs and “started putting more of myself into my job. Keeping up on my hygiene, my clothing, and my health…It felt so good going to the store and being able to pay for things. It feels good earning my own money – earning it, not begging. I got a product that’s informative and lets people know what’s going on in the neighborhood.”
At 63, with high blood pressure and shoulder injuries from playing football, Keith is seeing doctors and therapists three to four times a month. “Now what employer will want
to hire someone that every other week has got to go to the doctor?...I like having my own time and putting in the work.” He has modeled Giveashi*t T-shirts, appeared in a commercial on the United Center Jumbotron and met celebrities like Rod Stewart and Jerry Springer.
Tailoring the job to their needs
Just as Keith works as a vendor despite his health issues, “Saul” works despite his developmental disability. He describes StreetWise as a low-stress sales job. “The customers are pretty nice. It’s not like working in a retail job where the customers are frequently impatient, if not downright nasty.”
“The people that I get to work with are people like myself, okay?” said Allen. “People that struggled in life and couldn’t quite put it together, but nevertheless found a way up and out.”
Allen learned about StreetWise from a neighborhood friend who was a vendor, and he was immediately attracted to the idea of working downtown. Allen is now a vendor trainer and field supervisor, who preaches the necessity of finding a selling spot with heavy foot traffic.
“At StreetWise our mantra is, ‘A hand up, not a hand out.’ This means we believe in earning our income. We sell the papers. We don’t hold our hand out and ask people to help us out for nothing. We believe in working for ours. We have a button that says, ‘This is my job.’ We work to earn an honest living.
“StreetWise has shown me to be persistent and consistent…I go to my location every day at the same time and sell the paper and meet the same people. It puts some consistency in my life.”
Both Allen and John, also a vendor trainer and field supervisor, described StreetWise as a family. John came to StreetWise after he was laid off. It was an alternative to temp laboring.
“StreetWise is a community of people who care about one another,” John said. “You have a mixed bag of people. Some work a lot of hours, some have part-time jobs, and others supplement their income along with retirement, SSI (Supplementary Security Income) or another check. The extra pay may help cover their phone bill, their rent, or a vacation that they haven’t taken in a while.
“The people here are all nice in their own ways. Different opinions, different ways of living, and things of that nature. But when we come here to the office, our differences make us more like a family. A family that some vendors may not have had before, or may not have had in a while.”
John says he’s “trying to be more in tune with what customers want,” similar to what retail workers know: “that customers are not a dime a dozen. If you lose that customer, you might not get another one back.”
Along with Allen and John, Russell is one of the vendors who participates in the SportsWise column in the magazine. Talking sports with his customers is still one of the things Russell enjoys most. He came to StreetWise after he was laid off from his full-time job of 15 years, took the training, “And lo and behold, I started the same day. I got hired the same day and made money the same day.
‘I am a businessman’
“No, I’m not a panhandler. I’m a businessman. I buy these magazines and I sell them, that makes me a businessman. Okay? So, this is my job,” Russell said.
Julie Youngquist, executive director since 2015 and a social worker by profession, explained that wholesaling is the business model. The vendors buy the magazine from StreetWise for $1.15 and sell it for $3 (plus whatever else customers want to give).
“A misperception is that we’re a homeless newspaper, and I don’t even know what that means. Another misperception is everyone who sells the magazine is homeless or has to be homeless in order to sell the magazine. That’s not true.”
Just the same, some vendors who are unhoused or unstably housed use StreetWise as their mailing address for government or bank documents – even voter registration cards. The organization survived COVID in myriad ways when StreetWise pulled vendors off the street on
April 6, 2020. Fundraising enabled vendors to receive a set amount of money to offset their loss of income. They also came into the office for meals, masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. Newly merged with the YWCA – Metropolitan Chicago, StreetWise was able to hire vendors to do outreach with homeless people regarding the U.S. census.
“Many of the vendors who I’ve met here had a job and had a partner and maybe the partner passed away or the job was lost and a new job couldn’t be found fast enough,” Youngquist said. “So, then the rent couldn’t be paid, and they were evicted. These are just cycles that happen, and a lot of people are sort of one emergency away, or one paycheck away, from experiencing that. StreetWise has helped 16,000 people take a different opportunity to earn money in our almost 33 years of existence.”
“The greatest way that people can contribute to StreetWise is by buying the magazine. We want people to buy the magazine and read it.” Mateos quoted Suzanne Hanney as editor verbatim and Kogan picked it up.
“People will say to me, ‘Oh, I gave the vendor money, but I didn’t take the magazine.’ I don’t want the vendors to get pity. I want them to get respect,” Hanney said. “The vendors, if they can sell StreetWise, they can sell anything. They can move on to something else. I don’t just want them to be pitied. That’s patronizing for all of us. I
StreetWise Vendor A. Allen. Opposite Page: StreetWise
Vendor Keith Hardiman (Julie Youngquist photos).
want [customers] to take the magazine, read the magazine and consider the things StreetWise is talking about, which are marginalized people and the question, ‘How do we make Chicago better.’”
'Yes' to celebrities – if there’s a social justice angle
An award-winning StreetWise edition was one on Tina Turner, prompted by two vendors who suggested it after Turner’s death. Allen had also met her as a child and wanted to write about it. Hanney went with the story because Turner had experienced domestic violence with her husband Ike and had to flee with nothing but a gas card. She triumphed over this homelessness with the support of rock star friends like the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and David Bowie. She also had kidney disease, which can be deadly to the community StreetWise covers.
Celebrities like Turner -- and Taylor Swift -- are StreetWise subjects, said StreetWise Creative Director and Publisher Dave Hamilton. But we didn’t cover Swift’s love life, we covered her philanthropy and her efforts to make sure lesser-known artists received better compensation from record companies. “There’s always a social justice angle to it.”
While the magazine speaks to people facing homelessness, its buyers tend to have more income. The balance for these two audiences has to be how issues in Chicago affect both communities, he said. Besides vendor suggestions, content for the magazine comes from Julie, Dave and Suzanne sitting down, looking at the calendar and hashing over what is going on in the city. Issues we cover range from policies on homelessness and affordable housing to concert guides (because Chicago is the center of so many kinds of music and musicians are entrepreneurs just like the vendors) and summer festivals.
The summer street festival guide is our biggest issue, Dave noted. After all, “street” is our first name. And as an issue readers can keep all summer and mark up, it is an excellent use of the print medium in an increasingly online world.
One of our biggest funders, Dave noted, is “Give a Shi*t” T-shirts, which has raised $700,000 over the past decade. Artists donate designs and the shirts are sold at pop-up events, festivals and the website giveashirt.net
Society pushes people to the sidelines – making them feel unnecessary, Dave said. “With StreetWise, it provides a way for people to reintegrate into society a little bit. Now not only are they part of the community, standing at their corner, they’re getting to know the people who are walking past – their regular customers, the people of their neighborhood. Through that, there’s so much self-esteem building. Vendors begin to recognize their self-worth and realize, ‘Hey, I don’t have to remain on the sidelines. I can actually participate in society myself.’ ”
45 minutes with vendor changed his life
Pete Kadens became the largest donor in the history of StreetWise and chairman of its board for over 10 years after he met a vendor waiting in the cold on April 29, 2008. Kadens invited him to warm up in his Mercedes and the next 45 minutes changed his life.
“What I found out is that sometimes homelessness is not some permutation of mental illness or addiction,” Kadens said. “Troy was just damn unlucky. He was sober. He was a deacon in his church, but he had some health issues. He had a stroke, diabetes, lost his wife. He had been homeless for seven years before I met him.”
Kadens sent an email to his friends and raised money for an apartment for Troy, who has since died.
Mateos’s mother suggested he interview Kadens because of his high level of philanthropy. The teen interviewed him a second time because of the depth he thought he would bring to the book. “He originally believed homelessness is caused by choices people make,” Mateos said. “Through interacting with vendors, he realized homelessness could happen to anyone.”
Scan the QR code to purchase
Kadens also gave Mateos an appreciation of the StreetWise business model.
“Vendors pay $1.15 and then they retail it for $3. So, it’s not a handout,” Kadens said. “StreetWise gives them access to some free meals and therapeutic resources, trauma prevention resources, but we don’t do it for them. They have to want it for themselves. That’s the difference [from] panhandling. Panhandling, you gotta have a cup, you gotta shake it. StreetWise, you gotta invest in yourself, maintain your inventory. That’s what the dignity of employment is about. The dignity of self-employment, the dignity of being an entrepreneur.”
Kadens had gone out on the street with a well-known vendor to try to convince panhandlers to become vendors. He described Thanksgiving dinners with vendors and their families – a community surrounding them with love and support, in good times and in bad.
What he tells his friends is, “Always pay your vendors full price. If I go to McDonald’s and buy a Big Mac, it’s three bucks. You don’t negotiate with the people behind the counter and say, “You know, Big Macs are worth two bucks to me; I’ll pay two bucks.
“It’s a sign of respect. When you walk by a StreetWise vendor, signal to them that they matter, that they’re important, that they’re equal to you. Just by saying hello and smiling – even if you can’t afford or don’t want to buy a magazine at that particular moment – please give them the courtesy of saying, ‘We recognize you as a fixture in this city, and we appreciate you.’ ”
The Cover of "Who We Are." Opposite page: Pete Kadens and Julie Youngquist (Kathleen Hinkel photo).
public housing still a concern at former cabrini green site
by Suzanne Hanney
Cabrini Local Advisory Council (LAC) President Natalia Satchell is concerned that a final plan due this month to redevelop 4,100 units on the last 43 acres at the Near North Side development will have enough public housing units to ensure right of return for former residents, “but everything else, I consider absolutely beautiful: the neighborhood itself, the way it will be designed, that it is diverse – not ‘this is the rich side and this is the poor side.’ It will be a more comfortable place to live.”
Having a sufficient number of public housing units owned by the Chicago Housing Authority is important, Satchell said, because it means the community can be represented by the LAC. Her fear is that CHA-owned housing will decrease, mixed income units will increase, and the LAC will be shut out: residents will not have representation from the LAC regarding evictions and other legal matters.
“Once that happens, the community will deteriorate,” Satchell said. “We won’t have any voices. We’ve been through this transition before, and it was heartbreaking.”
When the Cabrini high-rises were being torn down and people were being given Section 8, “we thought we were doing something – the chance to live in a diverse community – but what we really did was tear down the community.”
Sixty-seven lives were lost to violence. Single moms raising three and four sons, many of them gang members, wound up moving to foreign gang territory on the South Side. Satchell recalled one altercation between a son and his new neighbors that moved from outside to inside the house – and caused the death of the mom.
“It was stampeded upon the people. ‘Get everyone out of these buildings right now.’ So everyone’s guards are up. No one wants to come to the meetings.”
Satchell cited a family history of going to bat for the community. When she was a little girl, her family took her to Disney World and she didn’t want to brag about it for fear of hurting friends who couldn’t afford to take the trip. She had a bake sale. Eventually they raised enough to take a busload of kids there, two busloads the next year and then three. Her mother also opened a drop-in center.
“We want the community so bad, and we’re willing to show CHA and other developers we can be here without shooting and gang violence. There just has to be some type of structure.”
Anyone who lived in Cabrini on Oct. 1, 1999 has the “right to return.” As of Dec. 31, 2024, CHA says 1,084 families (61%) have satisfied that right; 398 families (22%) have died or lost the right; 251 families (14%) could be reinstated; and 33 families (2%) are awaiting their right of return. Satchell says people call her every day.
The draft plan calls for 33-40% CHA units within the 4,100 units, no more than 20% affordable units and no more than 50% market rate. That means CHA would have roughly 1,300 units—enough with those it already owns to maintain the LAC, Satchell said.
CHA would begin consultation with the LAC about longterm redevelopment of 146 occupied rowhouses west of Cambridge at Oak Street and 61 new rowhomes, according to the draft. Satchell also seeks a youth center and senior housing within the rowhouses, on opposite sides of Durso Park at Hudson and Sedgwick.
Right: Cabrini Townhouse (Suzanne Hanney photo). Inset: Natalia Satchell (courtesy photo).
StreetWise exists to elevate marginalized voices and provide opportunities for individuals to earn an income and gain
Anyone who wants to work has the opportunity to move themselves out of crisis. StreetWise provides “a hand up, not a handout.”
All vendors go through an orientation focusing on their rights and responsibilities as a StreetWise Magazine
