The Chicago Urban Art Retreat center’s plans for Little Village and North Lawndale residents
Photo Credit: Camila Gonzalez
If you’re familiar with the Kedzie stop on the pink line then you probably know about the empty dark lots next to it and the boarded up buildings near the intersection of 21st and S. Kedzie Ave. The Chicago Urban Art Retreat Center (CUARC) is aware of that space, too, and is currently developing a resource center project for the North Lawndale and Little Village communities in that space.
The lots where CUARC plans to build Tubman- Kahlo resource center
CUARC, an all volunteer organization since 1984, which has a facility located at 1957 S. Spaulding Ave., plans to build a resource center named after Harriet Tubman and Frida Kahlo at 1957-1959 S. Kedzie Ave by 2021/2022.
Currently, CUARC is waiting for an appointment with Ald. Micheal Scott (24th Ward) to purchase the two vacant lots located at 21st and S. Kedzie. The lots are owned by the city as part of its vacant lot program which sells lots for the price of $1. CUARC is also writing grants to fund the million dollar project.
Dianna Long, founder and director of CUARC, explained the inspiration for this project stemmed from the results of her team conducting a door-to-door survey asking North Lawndale and Little Village residents what they would like to see around the community. At least 50 homes were surveyed and what was brought up was the eerie looking lot next to the CTA’s Kedzie pink line station. Long knew that building a resource center in that empty lot would be good for the community and create a different view than what the community has already experienced.
Yet, COVID-19 has played a role in slowing down getting the word out for this project.
“We decreased talking with people face-to-face about the project. Covid decreased how much we could get the word out, and how many events we could put on to get out the word.” Long said.
Long explained why the new CUARC resource center will be named after those historic trailblazing women.
“Both Harriet Tubman and Frida Kahlo overcame incredible obstacles to accomplish amazing goals,” said Long. “They did so against the odds, and in a time when women were not supposed to step out of their roles, and women of color were not allowed to do anything. Even in today's times, they would be over achievers! North Lawndale and Little Village residents can relate to these two women and their struggles. We cheer them on, and look for parts of these women in ourselves.”
The Tubman-Kahlo resource center will offer both a roof garden and meditation garden. For the roof garden, there will be youth programs that will teach kids how to grow their own fruits and vegetables along with gardening tips. Long mentioned that whatever vegetables are grown during the program will be used in the cafe and the flowers grown will be used in the florist shop.
The first floor will be filled with retail spaces and services for the community. CUARC plans for residents to be welcomed by walls covered with books in which they’ll be provided with a free reading space; an art gallery with a vegan cafe and a patio filled with art about Frida Kahlo (the cafe will provide job opportunities for North Lawndale and Little Village residents); computers for the community where residents can learn how to use them as well; a stage area where spoken word programming will be offered; a furniture store where job opportunities will be provided for those who were once incarcerated; and a floral shop that will employ adults with intellectual disabilities. The first floor is estimated to offer more than 15 jobs to the communities.
“There isn’t one in North Lawndale,” said Long regarding the floral shop and vegan cafe.
Something else the first floor is going to offer is a referrals office. In this office there will be tons of resources, one example is social services. CUARC is currently looking to partner with UIC so that social work students can volunteer for a program that would help provide the necessary referrals a resident might want.
For the second floor there is plans to have a conference room for the community to have a guaranteed space to hold meetings. There will also be a lounge and three offices for entrepreneurs on this floor.
For the third floor CUARC plans to build an art studio and hold workshops for the community. There will also be a lounge and three offices for entrepreneurs on this floor.
CUARC has been working with a volunteer group, Miracle Workers, in planning out the layout of the building.
“They are the folks who describe and draw what each room or space in the building is, what is needed in that space, & how the floors and windows will be treated,” said Long.
Meanwhile, Long is looking for North Lawndale and Little Village artists to work on multiple art protects. One of the projects being a mural on each side of the building of Harritet Tubman and Frida Kahlo.
If you would like to learn more about this upcoming project visit CUARC’s Tubman-Kahlo Resource Center tab on their website. To also sign up for volunteer work for the project email Dianna Long at contact@urbanartretreat.com
