Not Enough.
Community Makery was created out of my frustration seeing first-hand the inequities that face our young Chicagoans in the Howard area of Rogers Park every day. As a newcomer to Chicago, I saw so much opportunity this beautiful city offers young people. Museums galore, public libraries that offer youth broadcasting, makerspaces, recording studios, and more; a dynamic park system offering all kinds of sports, corporations with their international headquarters right here; professional sports, and colleges and universities all over the city. The resources in Chicago just blow my mind.
The problem, however, is that this abundance of resources and opportunities are simply out of reach for many youth in the Howard area of Rogers Park.
There are a number of reasons why these resources and opportunities are out of reach. I can think of 3 very quickly....
Many youth don't have transportation to travel to opportunities.
If a program offers transportation, it is likely that a young person may have to travel alone across the city.
Many of our youth are from families where English isn't their first language, making completing applications for incredible programs impossible.
I am passionate about bringing opportunities to youth in the Howard area of Rogers Park. Every child deserves not just a "free and appropriate public education"(FAPE) as our law states. Every child deserves fun-filled learning experiences with meaningful explorations to promote their curiosity about the world around them.
Until every young person has the tools they need to achieve the goals they make, what we are doing is NOT ENOUGH. It really does "take a village" to raise a child. CM is dedicated to rounding up the village to support our youth as they grow & mature, finding their way in the world.
Kindly,
Mimi
