Asset Map and Community Profile 1

Asset Map and Community Profile:

Refugees in Rogers Park and Edgewater

Matthew Petersen

Loyola University Chicago

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The term refugee evokes many sentiments and questions that are often politicized, and

challenges a communitys adaptability and resilience for social change. In his address to the

Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See earlier this year, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Churchs

commitment to respecting refugees and migrants by calling for a common commitment, one

focused on offering them a dignified welcome (Bergoglio, 2017). Since his election in 2013,

Pope Francis has been an outspoken critic of dehumanizing regimes around the world and has

focused his ministry primarily to those enduring severe hardships, including refugees, earning

him a frenzy of scathing Tweets from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Federal

authority over refugee resettlement requires an ethical yet secular outlook that does not

discriminate or disparage one group over another; religion, however, only provides a more

fruitful, moral framework on the refugee crisis. The Argentinian pontiffs universal call for

welcoming refugees and migrants is embodied through local action that expands beyond the

initial resettlement process, including: vocational training, English-language-learning assistance,

and early childhood care. Communities across the United States are utilizing their available

assets, or resources, to empower refugees during a cumbersome transition in their individual

lives.

An asset-based community is based on the collaboration between residents, and utilizes

readily available resources to produce a sustainable living and working environment. Rather than

focusing on the needs of the area, community members concentrate on the accessible assets that

generate sustainability: local institutions, citizens associations, and gifts of the individual

(Kretzman & McKnight, 1993, p. 4). Local institutions, such as universities and hospitals,

directly contribute via open engagement with the community. Through mainly volunteer work,

citizens associations (i.e., Madonna Mission) provide the immediate and face-to-face service to
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community members. Lastly, the gifts of the individual represent each persons unique skills and

values, and how they individually provide for the communitys preservation and success.

The Chicago neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Edgewater represent the asset-based community

model through the incorporation of local entities to provide the refugee population persistent

support.

I. A New Hope: Rogers Park and Edgewater

The northern neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Edgewater remain a vital component of

the melting pot that defines the Windy City, and the United States. Since the end of the Vietnam

War in 1975 and the ensuing Cambodian massacre, Rogers Park and Edgewater has hosted a

multitude of migrants and refugees, ranging from Burmese to Salvadoran. Historic economic,

racial, and ethnic diversity have provided for ease of resettlement in the two neighborhoods. The

evolution of the neighborhoods demographic make-up is clear, and is noticeable in the local

schools. For example, migrants and refugees nearly make up half of the student population at

Roger C. Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, with thirty-eight countries represented (Fishman,

Welcome to Refugee High, 2017). The large influx of refugees from war-torn countries in the

Middle East, especially since the Arab Spring of 2010, increases the demand to accommodate

their needs but allows the community to employ available resources for initial assistance.

Though Rogers Park and Edgewater are only distinct microcosms in the diverse city of Chicago,

the substantial presence of refugees in the community requires individuals and organizations to

operate cohesively for a common good.

II. Local Institutions

A. Loyola University Chicago

Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola University Chicago has provided a
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constant source of support in the local community. At the intersection of Rogers Park and

Edgewater, Loyola provides moral comfort and physical assistance for the underprivileged

demographic, including refugees. Loyola Community and Family Services (LCFS), established

by the Schools of Education and Social Work, provide affordable mental healthcare for children

and families in the surrounding neighborhoods. Located in the Granada Center, on the same floor

as the Wellness Center, LCFS mainly serves Spanish-speaking populations in Rogers Park and

Edgewater (Loyola Community and Family Services, n.d.). On the academic spectrum, some

courses are designed for student engagement and assessment of the surrounding community.

Regardless of major field of study, all students are required to complete an engaged learning

course, whether it be service-learning or an internship. Loyola University can foster their

students understanding of the Rogers Park and Edgewater communities through these unique

experiences.

B. K-12 Institutions

Public and private K-12 education is abundant in the Rogers Park and Edgewater

neighborhoods. Extracurricular activities enrich students as they develop and provide supervised

care. At Peirce School of International Studies in Edgewater, the program After-School All-

Stars allows students to enroll in an array of classes geared at academic enhancement (Before

and Afterschool Programs, n.d.). The schools no-cost extracurricular programming permits the

enrollment of students from underprivileged backgrounds, including refugees. At Roger C.

Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, ESL classes are offered to accommodate the diverse

student population. Principal Chad Adams is optimistic about students improving English

language skills, making them suitable for community college or GED programs (Fishman,

Welcome to Refugee High, 2017).

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C. Businesses

As a tutor at Madonna Mission, I work with Bah Meh, who originates from Myanmar and

worked as a cook. In a recent lesson, we worked on vocabulary regarding food items and grocery

terminology. As a resident in East Rogers Park, Bah Meh could acknowledge the accessibility of

Morse Market and Devon Market. Both establishments provide affordable options for Rogers

Park and Edgewaters living communities, and as Bah Meh noted, offer ingredients to make

cuisine of her home country.

D. Public Transportation

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) allows for community members to travel within

and outside of the neighborhoods with ease. Two bus lines, the 147 and 155, provide

refugees leisurely access to landmarks of interest within Rogers Park and Edgewater, including

grocery stores and other forms of public transportation. Similarly, the Red Line, the CTAs

elevated train, has a central route through the neighborhoods. The accessibility of public

transportation diminishes the need for an automobile, and thus saves the individual money.

III. Citizens Associations

A. Madonna Mission

Located in Rogers Park, Madonna Mission strives to generate a curiosity and adaptation

of the English language for their clients. Offered four days a week, adult refugees are invited to

meet with a volunteer tutor to practice vocabulary, learn grammar rules, or writing mechanics.

From my perspective, each refugee I have worked with is always eager to learn and to improve.

English proficiency enables Madonna Missions clientele to better communicate with other

members of the community. Madonna Mission also offers afterschool tutoring to the children of

their adult clients (After School Tutoring, n.d.). The tutoring service provides the children an
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additional outlet for academic assistance, one that may not be readily available at home due to

their parent or guardians inability to communicate in English.

B. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago

Though no longer financially connected to the archdiocese, Catholic Charities provides

service throughout the Chicagoland area. The organizations refugee resettlement program is

based out of St. Thomas of Canterbury Parish on the edge of the Edgewater and Uptown

neighborhoods. Such services, including vocational training and cultural orientation, empower

refugees to become better equipped when interacting with other members of their community

(Refugee Resettlement Services, n.d.). Though services are largely geared towards adults,

Catholic Charities depends on external bodies (i.e., Loyola University Chicago students) to

facilitate similar workshops for the youth population they oversee.

C. Heartland Alliance

Though a servant of the larger Chicago community, Heartland Alliance offers health

services to underprivileged populations at their Marjorie Kovler Center in Rogers Park (1331 W.

Albion Ave.). Specifically, the Kovler Center serves victims of torture mainly refugees and

offers expertise in mental health, medical, and social (legal) services. The clients are also

welcome to participate in monthly cooking classes, English classes, and maintaining the

community garden (Frequently Asked Questions, n.d.). The staff at the Kovler Center also

provide advocacy training to community members to create awareness about worldwide torture.

D. Northside Community Resources

Originally founded as the Rogers Park Community Council in 1952, the Northside

Community Resources (NCR) provides a range of services to the neighborhoods refugee and

migrant population. NCR, conveniently located on Morse Avenue, facilitates the Multicultural
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Resource Program to improve the well-being and aid the self-sufficiency of the community

(Multicultural Resource Program, n.d.). Services include housing assistance, resources for

accessible higher education, legal counseling, and public benefits assistance.

IV. Gifts of the Individual

A. Adolescents and College Students

Through volunteering at local organizations, adolescents and college students bear a

certain attitude in their interactions with the refugee community. The English language skills

gained in the classroom at Loyola University or at Senn High School can be used advantageously

when tutoring at Madonna Mission. Additionally, current events are routinely discussed in the

classroom, creating globally-minded individuals who are prepared to engage with others of

different backgrounds.

B. Program Directors and Organizers

The women and men who oversee the communitys associational groups, like Catholic

Charities, dedicate a life of servitude for the betterment of others. The passion of leaders like

Marie Jochum at Catholic Charities conveys the merciful commitment to sustaining the refugee

population in Rogers Park and Edgewater. The program directors and organizers at each

organization empower the refugee community to partake in their own journey for growth and

renewal.

C. Refugees

The refugee population in the Rogers Park and Edgewater community are bounded by a

shared story of struggle and new life. At Madonna Mission, the adult students are ambitious to

learn the commonly-used language of their new country. They can relate with one another,

regardless of racial or ethnic background, because of their deepened yearning for renewal. And
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as made evident in Bah Mehs story, they contribute to the communitys economy by shopping

locally, keeping small businesses afloat.

V. Conclusion

The neighborhoods of Rogers Park and Edgewater represent the asset-based community

model in the service of others, specifically refugees. Collaboration between local institutions,

associations, and the skills of the individual produce the welcoming environment Pope Francis

envisions. Despite the negative policy proposals and executive orders, maintaining Rogers Park

and Edgewater as safe spaces is vital for refugees and other migrants to continue their journey in

a different world. The asset-based communities of Rogers Park and Edgewater are instrumental

in strengthening the human spirit and fermenting a broader understanding of each others stories.
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Reference List

After School Tutoring. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.madonnamission.org/new-page-1/.

Before and Afterschool Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://peirce.cps.edu/before--after

school-programs.html.

Bergoglio, J.M. (2017, January 9). Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Members of the
Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See for the Traditional Exchange of New Year
Greetings. Retrieved from http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches
/2017/january/documents/papa-francesco_20170109_corpo-diplomatico.html.

Fishman, E. (2017, June 6). Welcome to Refugee High. Retrieved from http://www.
chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2017/Welcome-to-Refugee-High/.

Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.heartlandalliance.org/

kovler/who-we-are/who-we-arewho-we-arefaq/.

Kretzman, J.P and J.L. McKnight. (1993). Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path
Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Communitys Assets. Evanston, IL: Institute for Policy
Research.

Loyola Community and Family Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://luc.edu/lcfs/.

Multicultural Resource Program. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.northsidecommunity

resources.org/multicultural-resource-program/.

Refugee Resettlement Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.catholiccharities.net/GetHelp

/OurServices/RefugeeResettlementServices.aspx.