(WTTW News)

Poverty and violence are part of the West Side community area’s story. But community members say there’s much more to it, and residents are making new traditions. 

(RickMajewski / Northalsted / GoPride)

A pride celebration, Juneteenth events, community artwork and an eco fest usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.

(Courtesy of The Other Art Fair)

Art shows, doughnuts, circus acts and dance performances usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago this weekend.

(WTTW News)
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In the fall, UCAN announced Christa Hamilton would be the first female and first Black person to lead the organization. More recently, lifetime resident pastor James Brooks became the CEO of the Lawndale Christian Health Center.

(Courtesy Gallagher Way Chicago)

Ice bumper cars, fitness classes, bald eagles and snowshoes usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Community gardening in North Lawndale (Courtesy Young Mens Educational Network Chicago)
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Located on Chicago’s West Side, North Lawndale is a neighborhood that has dealt with decades of disinvestment and vacant spaces. Community members have taken things into their own hands by creating community gardens and safe spaces for the next generation.

(Photo by Ken Carl)

Street festivals, dance classes, outdoor concerts and unique eats usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

(Special Events Management)

Beefy burgers, music festivals, cycling on Lake Shore Drive and mini golf usher in the holiday weekend. Here are a dozen things to do in and around Chicago.

The Blue Angels are a fan favorite of Air and Water Show observers. (Courtesy of Blue Angels)

Acrobatic airplanes, colorful murals, street festivals and a floating river party usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

(Bud Billiken Parade / Facebook)

A back-to-school parade, street festivals, horse races and a scavenger hunt usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Each hole on the new Douglass 18 minigolf course represents a specific bird. (Courtesy of Douglass 18 Partners / Lincoln Park Zoo)
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Three years in the making, the Douglass 18, a bird-themed mini-golf course, opens Saturday in Douglass Park. Neighborhood teens researched and designed the holes, drawing inspiration from Chicago’s bird population.

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This week the area welcomed two new projects —  one bringing affordable homes and the other bringing jobs. We talk with community leaders about how these initiatives will strengthen the neighborhood and help residents build wealth. 

Riot Fest is set to return to Douglass Park in September. (Riot Fest / Facebook)

Where some see the return of Riot Fest as a step in the right direction for Chicago’s reopening, others say closing their neighborhood green space for a “riot for rich people” is a “slap in the face” to communities traumatized by COVID-19.

(WTTW News)

Geoffrey Baer explores the past, present and future of a historic West Side garden in North Lawndale.

(WTTW News)

On the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s arrival in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood, we revisit the work he did to end slum conditions and combat discriminatory housing practices.

(WTTW News)
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North Lawndale on Chicago’s West Side has faced challenges of economic depression, unemployment and violence for many years, all before the pandemic exacerbated those issues last spring.