AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/austin-coming-together/)
The free event, organized by the Austin Eats collaborative, will feature food, films and a panel discussion. It will be held Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at By the Hand Club for Kids, 415 N. Laramie.
Work on the art deco building will begin in November. The cost of the project, which will feature 78 units of housing, has gone up due to inflation. The $45 million development is part of Mayor Lightfoot’s Invest South/West initiative.
Austin Coming Together has received a grant from the Tides Foundation. It is funding a restorative justice program that teaches young people to become peace circle keepers.
Take part in the monthly community hub meeting of Austin Coming Together on Tuesday, Jan. 25 from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. The virtual meeting will be held on Facebook Live.
A short documentary about Austin will be released Aug. 18 on Facebook. The “year in review” film documents the work more than 40 West Side leaders and dozens of partner groups have done on Austin’s quality-of-life plan throughout the pandemic.
Volunteer Saturdays last two hours and are held most weekends throughout Austin. Find a gardem near you where you can weed, plant and harvest produce with a local gardener.
The West Side organization is working with the Chicago Botanic Garden on developing the urban farm and wellness hub in the 4900 block of West Thomas and Division streets. Mildred Wiley, a longtime community leader and advocate for Austin who worked at Bethel New Life, died two years ago.
There are a number of programs available to Chicago and/or Cook County residents wanting to buy a home or repair the one they already own. Some of the programs will begin accepting applications in early 2021, so housing advocates urge West Side residents to start organizing their paperwork now.
The “Everyday Activists” project entails interviewing and taking photos of West Side heroes who are too often unheard and overlooked. Once the pandemic has subsided, organizers plan to hold two in-person exhibits – one in Austin and the other in Oak Park. Another project titled “Austin has the Mic” also aims to empower Austin residents to share their stories and help depict the community in a more authentic and positive light.
The event, held virtually and at the Kehrein Center for the Arts and presented by the Austin Renaissance Council, highlighted the importance of storytelling with panel discussions, poetry and musical guests. It prompted uncomfortable conversations, emphasizing the importance of Austin residents taking control of their narratives.