Lack of Business & Communication in Portage/Jefferson Park.

 The purpose of this action project is to write a constructive protest letter to a representative, bringing attention to a problem that affects the local economy and making suggestions of how to address it. In Global Peace we are learning about Swadeshi which is Gandhi principles for nonviolence. Swa means me as in myself and deshi means location. We used Swadeshi to understand what was going on in our community. What I learned during this action project was that every Neighborhood can be fixed even if it was the best Neighborhood, there will always be a problem. The most challenging part for this project was getting a picture that really explained what the problem was. What I am most proud of is sending this letter so my community so it can become a better community.

John Arena Alderman for Portage/Jefferson Park.

45th Ward Service Office.
4754 N. Milwaukee Avenue.
Chicago, IL 60630.

November 14, 2013

Photography JV 6 Corners 2013*

Dear Alderman Arena:

My name is JV I attend Global Citizenship Experience High School in the Lincoln Park area in Chicago. I am taking a course called Global Peace, we are learning about Gandhi and his principles for the Indian independence movement. One word that we are learning is Swadeshi Swa means me as in my self, and Deshi mean place as in location. In this course we had to find problems in our Neighborhood which for me was Portage Park/ Jefferson Park and I am very lucky to be a part of it.

I have observed some problems in the community which was lack of communication, no connection with one another, and lack of business. The Neighborhood is very beautiful and quiet without a lot of crime. There is also little attraction in the neighborhood, when I am on my way to school so many business and restaurants are apart of the Lincoln Park area. The restaurants are always packed and bring so much attraction to the community. I also see in my neighborhood many empty buildings in 6 Corners. Which takes up useless space, but also makes the neighborhood look poor and worthless. There is also no connection in the community which is very quiet and not a lot of safety with one another. My class also went on a Field Experience to Andersonville which I observed was very connected with one another. They had many local businesses and look like a well connected neighborhood to live in. 

If my neighborhood is still lacking businesses and connection with one another Portage/Jefferson Park will fall apart. These two sample problems that could be fixed affects the local economy because nobody is taking action and raising together. If we do not stop this now Chicago's beautiful neighborhood will diminish.

I will suggest possible solutions for the problem. The community can come together and hold meetings to open local businesses. With you coming to the meetings will show the community that you care. We can possibly open a local Polish Bakery, since there are strong European roots, this can benefit the community very well. When I went to Andersonville I went to a Swedish Bakery which is only in Andersonville. It has been open for 80 plus years and really brings attention and the community together. I think this idea will be great for my neighborhood.

If these problems can be solved the community will rise, there will be a better connection. There will also be a lot of business in 6 Corners and a lot more in Jefferson Park area as well. That will bring a lot more attraction and business to my neighborhood. I think the local bakery idea will help the community so much. Please consider my solutions.
Sincerely,

JV

1535 N. Dayton St, Chicago, IL 60642.

              Photography JV 6 Corners 2013*

We are Beautiful

The purpose of this action project was to occupy and transform a public space with an art piece. For my art piece, I had to get two photos of people who I think are beautiful. I also had to choose a letter that would spell out You Are Beautiful. I chose the letter U. My class decided to put our art work in our garden walk way so everyone can see our artwork! What was most challenging about my art piece was wheat-pasting my photo in the U shape. What I am most proud of is how my photo came out. I love both kids that I choose that are beautiful both are really important in my life.

Photography JV 2013*

NAME: [JV]
TITLE: [We are Beautiful]
MEASUREMENTS: [15 inches by 320 inches]
MEDIUM: [wheat-paste, xacto knife, corrugated plastic, and inkjet on paper]

Public art to me is an art piece that has been planned with the intention of being sited by the public, usually outside and accessible to all. The intended purpose of this You Are Beautiful project was to occupy and transform a public space with an art piece.

We were inspired by JR who is a street, photography, and graffiti artist. He did multiple street art pieces that we got ideas from which were Face 2 Face and Inside Out. The Face 2 Face project tried to show that beyond what separates them, Israelis and Palestinians are enough alike to be able to understand one another. JR placed images of Israelis and Palestinians in Israeli and Palestinian to show people that no matter what race or religion, people are alike. JR’s art work made conversations. The Inside out project transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work, black and white photographic portraits. We used JR’s art idea by taking pictures of people making them black and white and putting them in a public space. We also got inspired by Matthew Hoffman who is a Chicago-based artist he created the You Are Beautiful idea. Matthew’s sticker went worldwide people loves his idea he did multiple of public art in Chicago that brought lots of communities together.

We took our inspiration to create our art piece by taking pictures of people that we think are beautiful. The process of making our You Are Beautiful letters was first to get pictures of people who are beautiful I had two, I pick my baby cousin and little brother because both of them are really important in my life. I also had to pick a letter to paste my photos on. To spell You Are Beautiful I pick U to paste both of my photos front and back. The materials we used were wheat-paste, xacto knife, corrugated plastic, and inkjet on paper. We cut the photos into 4 sections, than we did the same with our letter. Second we sketched out our letter shape on the corrugated plastic so our pictures can stick on something. We placed the pictures both on front and back. Cutting off any access around the letter. Third we wheat-pasted it so the pictures can last long during the harsh weather. Finally we installed our Public art. The measurements 15 inches by 320 inches.

Photography JV 2013*

Freedom Song- Equal rights

In Global Peace I am learning about Sarvodaya. This world is use by Gandhi, he came to use the term for the idea of his own political philosophy. This term meaning 'universal uplift' or 'progress of all'. To rise together and become one. Not to think about gender, to be equal. The purpose of these pieces were to be someone in history. To write a poem as if you where them. Then, to be yourself and write about your struggle. The most challenging part about this action project was doing the research. Seeing how women were treated so unfair was very hard. I was am very impressed about how I came to writing my poems.

Photography JV Equal Rights 2013*

Lucy Burns Song

I am Lucy Burns,

I was important women in my time.

I am a strong leader, I fight for all race.

I believe in my rights.

I am a women’s right advocate,

19th and 20th century we suffered.

I support my sisters.

I help women fight.

Not to hide behind men's light,

but to find our place.

I want women to be their own leader,

Alice Paul and I formed the National Women’s Party,

to vote on the same term as men.

Words speak louder than action,

to be nonviolent is an important part.

Women will rise together,

We will have courage.

To be all equal.



My Freedom Song
I am JV,

I was born to speak.

I have all these ideas to be heard.

I want to find my voice.

I will not hide or be scared,

I will fight against the odds and try,

I will refuse to be invisible.

People will not step all over me,

just because I am a minor.

Adults will listen to what I have to say.

I want to be important not seen as a child,

I want to be known.

My voice will rise.

I will be equal.

My voice will be heard.

Interview-Mrs Smith

The purpose of this piece was to do an  interview with a person who is at least 20 years older than me. I interviewed my neighbor who has been through racism and took part in Sit-ins. I chose to interview Mrs Smith because I think she is a very brave women. The most difficult part of this interview was not being able to record her or take pictures for privacy.  I am most proud of my interview I think it went very well. I am glad I got a chance to talk to somebody who went though segregation. 

FARMER, James (2013) Sit-ins are making a difference.

I interviewed my neighbor Mrs Smith. She is 71 years old she has experienced segregation. I interviewed her because she took action and participated in sit-ins. She has experienced a lot of racism as she grew up. She was raised in the south Atlanta Georgia, where there was a lot of racism in the 1940-1960's. I asked her multiple questions about her past. One event she told me that really stood out was when she did sit-ins. It stood out because the movie we watched “Freedom song” they did sit-ins. To know that my neighbor did that is so inspiring and I think she is a very brave women.

What I have learned about sarvodaya in this interview is nobody at that time raised or try to help African Americans. If a white person try to help they would have gotten arrested or beaten. Segregation, and apartheid mean the same meaning. From this interview I learned that there was a lot of segregation and apartheid in the south. What I have learned about Mrs Smith is she is a very brave women. At a young age she wanted to make a difference for her family and her future. She knew what whites were doing to African Americans for so long, was wrong and she wanted to stop that. She was 19 years old when she took part in the sit-ins. Four other people joined her they were also 19 years old. One question I ask her was “How did you feel when you walked in the dinner? What happened ?” Her answer was “I was scared I walked in without saying nothing. We all sat down my friends talked but I did not. Three white men and one woman came up to us and started cursing. One called us racist names he told me I was a black ashtray and lit out his cigarette on my arm. These memories will stay with me forever.” 

I respect Mrs Smith so much. I respect anyone who has been through racism. Sarvodaya deepened for me because it means so much to our world. Sarvodaya means rise together Mrs Smith rise with many others for their future. Africans Americans got what they truly deserved nobody should never get treated that way.