Englewood and Bronzeville residents say politicians aren’t doing enough when they’re not campaigning for votes
by Khalil Dennis, Gabriella Gladney, Chitra Iyer and NaBeela Washington
A file photo of "I Voted" stickers. (Photo: Unsplash)
With Election Day approaching, some South Siders are skeptical about how much local leaders care about their daily struggles and needs.
City Bureau Civic Reporting fellows interviewed residents in Bronzeville and Englewood about what issues were front of mind ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Many bemoaned the high cost of living and said the South Side needs more development and resources, especially related to youth programs and empowerment, child care and safety.
In Bronzeville, gentrification and rising housing costs are pricing out legacy residents. One 93-year-old Black man who votes in every election said the lack of investment in Black communities and youth education was a major concern.
In Englewood, residents also described heightened tensions with recently arrived migrants, questioning why the city and state devoted hundreds of millions of dollars for resettlement efforts while their demands for housing, grocery stores, better infrastructure and amenities are ignored.
Misinformation has exacerbated the situation, with false rumors circulating about the extent of aid migrants have received.
Underpinning it all is a lack of visibility from community representatives outside of election season, neighbors said. Many residents said they are frustrated with the lack of transparency, which makes them question how their vote can bring about real change.
Editor’s note: Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Lake Meadows Shopping Center
Anchored by Jewel-Osco and LA Fitness, this Bronzeville shopping center sits at East 35th Street and King Drive at the epicenter of the neighborhood. The fast food offerings of Taco Bell, Culver’s and White Castle draw long lines of cars, while others come for the dentist’s office, nail salon and dinner at Home Run Inn Pizza.
Amber Patrick, 30, is a Black single mother living in Bronzeville. She voted in the 2023 mayoral election and voted for former President Barack Obama in 2012.
What resources do you and your community need most?
There are a lot of schools around here. I did notice there are a lot of crossing guards now, so they’re doing better, but I feel like there should be community programs for the kids after school. Maybe a garden to keep them occupied.
Is there anything you want from an elected official or representative?
I think if our alderman would just come out and actually talk to us — I would like to see our alderman actually caring. Just clean it up a little bit, you know? Fix our streets. Fix our pavement. That [Pilgrim Baptist Church] that's been burned down since I was 12, I really want them to do something with that church. [It was] supposed to be a gospel museum, but they never did anything, so I would love to see them do something with that church.
Sterling Dean, 26, is a Black student attending Harold Washington College in the Loop. Commuting five days per week from North Lawndale to work at the shopping center’s Jewel-Osco, Dean had plenty to say about what both neighborhoods need from their elected officials.
What resources does your community need?
They need shelter and some houses. Some of these homeless people that you see around, they always be lying on the ground. They need some place to be, like shelters. Also, the city needs to be aware of public transportation and be sure that everyone has a way to get around, because sometimes that can be really difficult.
They should have programs for after school, tutoring — maybe invest in the library. Things for the youth to do.
How can elected officials do a better job reaching out to you as a constituent?
I feel like they could reach out more, check in more, speak more on stuff that the community needs, stuff that the community is really experiencing. Not just the bad stuff, too — the good stuff they're promoting [like] if they have a job fair or a resource fair.
Do you feel informed by the media around this upcoming election?
I feel like everything is structured to where you can't really decide what peoples’ morals are or who exactly you want to vote for. You’re just stuck between two different people. Everything is like a fifth-grade essay. It has to be structured with your thesis, three body paragraphs, and your conclusion. I feel like that about the voting polls. Nobody can express exactly how they plan to move forward in the future if they do achieve the presidency. The policy is very unclear.
Ronald Garner, 53, is a Black resident of Garfield Park who works at the Jewel-Osco at the Lake Meadows Shopping Center. Garner votes in every election, but he wasn’t enthusiastic about this year’s presidential candidates. He is more interested in providing low-cost activities and community-led programs for Black youth.
What resources do you believe your community needs?
We need access to safety. I don’t think the hood is all bad. We need better leaders for the community. Police can’t be the ones we look to — it has to be the community.
What do you look for in a representative? What do you want out of an elected official?
Someone that ain’t bulls—. Someone that is transparent, speaks well and is from the community.
What can an official do to show that they really care about your needs?
They could invest in more activities for the youth. When I was growing up, I could go swimming and play ping-pong. We need more Boys & Girls Clubs and more opportunities for day care. If you don’t have money, there is not a lot of support for you, and it feels like there’s more the government could do, but it feels like they are systematically trying to destroy us.
Dewayne Peterson, 57, lives in Bronzeville. Speaking outside of Walgreens, he said he was concerned about the economic state of the community, but he acknowledged it’s a complicated issue for representatives to tackle. He votes in every election.
What do you feel like the community and the people in the area need?
As far as this community, we just need more presence. We need more neighbors and community members on the ground instead of just looking out at windows.
Is there something you feel like isn't being talked about enough in regards to the election?
What I have seen so far is that we're all talking around the situation. We're not talking about how to fix the situation, which is basically, how are we going to get all these things done? For instance, the economy — how are we going to get that done? We're talking about [it], but then we're not giving specifics. Those have to be addressed, those issues. And education is a very big key.
Ikea Walton, 33, was leaving Walgreens with her young daughter. She discussed several community issues that were top of mind for her as a mother living in Washington Park.
What do you think the people in your community need access to?
Medical doctors, day cares.
What do you look for in an elected official or a representative?
All the stuff that I named. I just need them to have better awareness of what people need and what people deserve. Or what they need help with, because there are a lot of people out here who don't have Medicaid, who don't have insurance, who don't have money to pay for their school.
There's a lot of kids out here who need to be cared for. Have more YMCA centers and Boys & Girls Clubs, because there's a lot of kids out here who don't need to be out here. They could be good kids, but they turn to the streets.
Englewood Square
Two neighborhood thoroughfares converge at Englewood Square, where West 63rd and South Halsted streets meet. It has also been the epicenter of controversy over the years — including the 2022 closure of Whole Foods and disappointment with its replacement, Save A Lot. Along with the grocery store, the shopping center is home to a Chipotle, a Wingstop and a Starbucks.
Donna O. is a resident of Englewood, and she was in a rush to eat before her lunch break ended. Lamenting Chicago’s “sin-sickness,” she talked about her distrust for elections, her local politicians and the community.
How do you feel about your local politicians?
They don’t do nothing. I only see my alderman when it’s election time, when she has to get her face planted all over the billboards.
What would you say to them?
Just like the church says, come out of the four walls! Be a part of the community. People should know you and you should be out here — you’re a public servant. I bet people could find you at a nail salon! A lot of people don’t know any of these politicians. They don't know who these people are, and that's why they so easily swayed [by] that stuff that they hear.
Kentrell Hill, a 28-year-old Englewood resident, said he might be voting for the first time in the 2024 presidential election, casting a ballot for former President Donald Trump.
What made you want to vote this time around?
I don’t want to sound like a racist or anything, but my No. 1 problem right now [are] these guys [referring to recently arrived asylum-seekers]. I feel like it’s so crazy because they come over here and basically, they’re handed free things. And you’ve got single Black moms that are barely making it by. It’s unfair that they can get the stuff they need, while Black mothers are still struggling. That’s one of my reasons for going for Trump, to get [newly arrived migrants] up out of here.
[Editor’s note: The city has said it does not divert resources from local residents for new arrivals. Migrants staying in Chicago shelters receive some food, access to health screenings, legal services and children and youth services, according to the city. Some are eligible for rental assistance as they transition out of the shelter. Mayor Brandon Johnson announced in late October that the city will end its migrant shelter system by the end of the year and merge it with the existing homeless shelter network, also ramping down its migrant services as the number of new arrivals decreases.]
How can local officials do more to support the community?
I feel like they need to get out here and do their job because they won the election. They wanted the job, to be elected for this ward, so they need to go out there and help the ward. Say, at least once every two weeks, go and give a meal to the homeless, give out a care box or something like that. Show people you actually care.
Roy “Lee” Moore is a landlord in Englewood. He walked along the sidewalk of the Save A Lot, talking into his Bluetooth earpiece before wrapping up his call for an interview.
What do you look for in an elected representative?
I want our representatives to represent us correctly, not just sit in an office getting a fat check. I would like to see the representative hit the street and get to know the community a lot more. They sit in their offices, but never go into the community and see what they need.
What do you and the people in your community need?
We need more lighting. We need more security. We need more resources to help our youth that are out here robbing and stealing.
I also want to know why the food prices went up the way they did, up so high. Eggs are now $4.99. The chickens lay eggs every day! Why do we gotta pay $4.99, you know?
Do you feel like the coverage of national elections is something you’re interested in?
I like to see what they say. I like to see what comes out of their mouth. I thought [the Sept. 10 presidential debate] could’ve been better. I don’t like [Kamala Harris’s] style. I didn’t hear her say anything about the immigrants, of what her intention is and what she’s planning on doing. She beat around the bush on numerous occasions. She’s too soft for me, and I don’t like that.
Aubry Nelson, 28, is a program assistant supporting youth in Albany Park and Englewood at Uniting Voices Chicago.
What do you look for in an elected representative?
Just general competency. I know we can't all agree on the same thing all at once. But you know, someone who seems to know what they're talking about, is willing to be open-minded and to have the conversations that are needed.
How do you think young people are engaging with politics and the current election?
I feel like young people are very informed. One of the largest minorities in the world are children. We look at children like they don't really know what's happening, but they pick up on everything. Often, we’ll have conversations where we kind of talk about politics. We don't talk about everything in detail, but [it’s clear] they all know what's going on. They seem to have their own opinions, their own feelings on the matter, on either side of things. If anything, we should start listening [to them].
What are your community's biggest needs right now?
Just fixing the general cost of living. Everyone that I'm talking to is like, ‘I just wish that my groceries weren't so high, my rent wasn't so high, and my internet bill wasn't so high. I wish I didn't have to pay almost two grand a month just to live.’ Getting basic needs met seems to be a challenge, as well as having access to basic resources. Transportation seems to be a concern — getting kids to and from our rehearsal space is always an issue — as is general safety; making sure the kids are safe enough to be walking around the community.
Aminah Neiaye, an Englewood native, is now a homeowner in south suburban Markham. Neiaye proudly told us she votes and participates in her local town halls because, as she explained, she has something to say.
Do you feel engaged by officials, especially during the election cycle?
I remember when [former Mayor] Jane Byrne would walk the streets of Chicago, come into the projects and talk to people. Now, they only come out if it’s an event or a fundraiser. You don’t see that anymore. Come out just to learn. And what you say you’re going to do during an election? Do it!
What changes or improvements would you like to see in your community?
Better bus service for the kids. Breaks in taxes for the community, and less taxes for homeowners. They went up on my property taxes.
I want them to try to keep the streets safe. I grew up in the community, and it’s nice to be able to come and sit here now — something you couldn’t do years ago. I want support for the community, all these vacant properties. All these kids who aren’t safe.
What topics do you think deserve more coverage from the media, especially in relation to elections and your community? What should reporters be focusing on?
They need to spend their time doing what you’re doing — asking what the community needs, and addressing those needs. They’re talking about shootings and violence, while people sleep on the election. People aren’t motivated, but this election is happening.
Sandra Robinson, 64, is a public health nurse who lives in Woodlawn.
What does your community need?
I’m a homeowner. I’m not 65 yet, but I’m wondering how I can get access to Tax Increment Financing funds, or help with my mortgage. Folks need help with things like that — finding schools in the community or help with their utility bills.
How do you feel city officials are handling the current challenges in Woodlawn, such as housing, public safety and community development?
I think Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward), is doing as much as she can. They can’t fix everything, because a lot of this stuff was already in place. But let’s take the situation with the migrants. What can the constituents and the alderman do if this is a directive that’s been given to her from above? The best she can do is share the information and then ask the community, ‘OK, so what can we do?’
The community is just disgruntled because we don’t know what’s true about what we’re hearing: that the immigrants are getting homes, housing and apartments, that they’re getting money, cars and LINK cards. And then those who live in the community are like, ‘Well, how can you give that to them, [while] we’re struggling?’ Nobody’s paying attention to the fact that we’re struggling. If we ask for help, we get turned down. That’s what causes the rift. We don’t know what the truth is about that situation.
What can be done to combat misinformation about migrants?
The people in charge need to hold a real, honest town hall meeting and allow the constituents to voice their concerns. Just tell people the truth. And once we know the truth now, how are you going to help us? We’ve been looking for the same help, as well. In our mind, you helped them and they probably didn’t even have to ask, but we’re here and we’ve been asking.
We need to talk about the fact that they’ve been here for a minute. What have you done for them, and what have you done for constituents? How do you compare the help? We’ve been here, but they just got here and they’ve been given all this. Is it true [that they’ve been given these things?]. I want to be able to have these honest conversations. Even if the answer is yes, that means you need to explain to us, ‘Why haven’t you helped me?’ Why are my applications getting turned down?
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