ASSET MAP AND ACTION PLAN

MOLLY MRZLAK
 Health Cultural
Community
Centers Centers
Organizing Groups

Students
Associations

Schools/
Churches
Volunteers Universities
Teachers

Residents Key

Assets of Associations Non-human Assets

Nonprofits Rogers Park Meeting
Spaces Individuals Institutions
loosely connected
Virtual strongly connected
Businesses
Government

Economy

Government
Officials Parks
INSTITUTIONS
 Businesses
 from small to corporate; put money back into the local economy; places of employment for community members; places to distribute
information
 Restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores
 Nonprofits
 Structurally set up to provide resources to community members; already work with government, associations, and other nonprofits; set up
events
 GirlForward, Northside Community Development Corporation, Misericordia, Rogers Park Business Alliance
 Schools/universities
 Resources for students; places of employment for community members
 Loyola and CPS
 Government
 Community members utilize government resources; community members can collaborate with government officials
 Local: 48th and 49th ward, 9th congressional district
 Health Centers
 Improve wellbeing of community members; places to distribute information
 Heartland, Howard Brown, and Planned Parenthood
INDIVIDUALS

 Residents
 the base of all community members
 Retired individuals, business owners, working professionals
 Volunteers
 Vital to nonprofits and interacting with broader community through organizations they support; are also residents
 Students
 Are already involved in community (associations and nonprofits) and are future leaders; connecting points between schools and surrounding
organizations
 Teachers
 Inform students as community members; resource for students
 CPS teachers, university professors with connections to other community resources
 Government Officials
 Create policy that affects the community; community members can collaborate with local government officials
 Alderman Joe Moore 49th Ward, Alderman Harry Osterman 48th Ward, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky,
ASSOCIATIONS

 Cultural Centers
 Place to connect community members; distribute information; provide resources for residents who are specifically
immigrants, refugees, and those who need help economically
 Rohingya Culture Center, Howard Area Community Center, Indo-American Center, Pan-African Association, Ethiopian
Community Association
 Churches
 Many churches in the area and a natural place to build upon caring for community; residents of all types are connected
 Many churches but some ones of note are: United Church of Rogers Park, Rogers Park Community Church, Rogers Park
Baptist Church, St. Ignatius Church, Rogers Park Presbyterian Church, and Living Water Community Church
 Community Organizing Groups
 sole purpose is to connect community members to advocate for positive community development

 ONE Northside
NON-HUMAN ASSETS

 Economy
 Residents spend their money in businesses; businesses provide goods/services; businesses put money back into the community
 Parks
 Green space a way to develop community; open spaces to hold community event
 Beaches, Willye White Park Fieldhouse, Loyola Park, Triangle Park, Touhy Park, Berger Park
 Virtual Meeting Spaces
 people are busy, they are good forms communication are a great way for people to stay in touch
 Email, social media (Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram), and other messaging groups (GroupMe and WhatsApp)
 Meeting Spaces
 Places to hold large community events or meetings
 Public/government buildings (police department, , school and church gymnasiums, school classrooms, vacant buildings
ACTION PLAN
FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—ESPECIALLY FOR REFUGEE/IMMIGRANTS IN THE AREA
THE BASIS
RESIDENTS

 Community members who would benefit utilize these community assets: health centers, cultural centers, schools,
parks, government, nonprofits, businesses and cultural centers
 These assets can be connected by the residents who run them, as well as the residents who utilize them
 Residents can be connected by the spaces they take up

 Residents can share culture/establish community through using parks and meeting spaces to hold festivals, block
parties etc.
 For example: World Refugee Day festival can inform other community members of refugees in the neighborhood and how
they can support them; businesses can do something to get people out in the community by catering to this festival
COMMUNICATION

 Virtual communication: social media

 Communicate important info, association/community meetings taking place

 Through associations and institutions

 Cultural centers can connect with community members who speak limited English
 Teachers can listen to student concerns
 As well as assist in amplifying student voices

 Schools, health centers, and businesses can distribute information to community members who do no have access to virtual
communication
HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE

 One could argue that Loyola is not an asset to the community, but it brings in many students that become integrated
within the neighborhood. For the most part, students are able These students can hold Loyola accountable for
gentrification and push them to sustainably invest in the community. These students are also connections between
Loyola and the community as they become involved in outside organizations, or student organizations that interact with
the community.
 In terms of refugees, Loyola Refugee Outreach can reach out to cultural centers, nonprofits, government officials, and connect them
to the university. Some members of LRO are already involved in nonprofits. They can be points of contact and establish a connection.
Then, use virtual communication to stay in touch.
 Government officials also need to be held accountable, and community members can use modes of communication to
reach out, and use meeting spaces to hold town halls and community events
 This way community members can actually collaborate with government officials and be an asset by acting on behalf of community
members
 Such as pushing for fair refugee policy and ensuring fair business deals are made within the community
 Businesses
 May not know that there are community members ready to work and support them
THE CULMINATING ACTION: A JOB FAIR
IN ROGERS PARK, WITH LOCAL ROGERS PARK BUSINESSES, AND RESIDENTS OF ROGERS PARK
REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—A JOB FAIR
 Alderman Moore puts on a job fair in the Willye White Park Fieldhouse in Rogers Park, but this information does not
seem to be distributed to folks who could benefit from it
 This can be built upon: hold a job fair twice a year, instead of once a year
 The Alderman’s office can reach out to nonprofits and cultural centers who can provide information on this, as not everyone has
access to a computer where they can receive virtual newsletters
 Many refugees/immigrants in Rogers Park would like to work closer to home, but it is difficult to find which businesses are hiring (as most are local)
 Cultural centers can translate the information to limited English speakers

 The Alderman’s office can reach out to Rogers Park Business Alliance, who can then distribute job fair information to
local businesses via virtual communication
 If a local business has open positions, they can participate in the job fair
 The whole community would benefit

 Nonprofits and cultural centers can also assist with bringing their clients/residents to the job fair
 Can also assist with job readiness/training
 Cultural centers can also work with business to provide cultural orientation for their owners and existing employees
 So, after this job fair, residents can hopefully get hired and put their money earned back into the local economy