A well-known gang intervention, violence prevention and youth development organization will host a free trade fair on Chicago’s West Side this Friday.
Titled “Next Stop: West Side Community Trade Fair, A Day of Opportunity, Connection, and Growth,” it aims to connect participants directly with resources and training opportunities.
It is sponsored by BUILD Inc., a nonprofit based in Chicago’s West Side since 1969. The organization works to save lives and mentor young people who live in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods by wrapping them in integrated services that help them stay safe, unlock potential and build positive futures.
The nonprofit planned the fair as a way to connect the West Side talent pool to opportunities for career exploration and networking. Participants will also have access to take professional headshots, join in on workshops for career readiness and job training.
“This event is about creating access to opportunity, to connections, and to a stronger future,” said Khadijah Lanier, Career Pathways Manager at BUILD. “It’s a celebration of what’s possible when we invest in our own community.”
According to a 2025 West Side Forward analysis utilizing projections about job turnover and retention, it will take at least 63,000 residents employed in skilled jobs making $36,000/year to move the West Side from poverty to low income. In over 10 years, this work is projected to generate about $1.2 billion in new annual wage income for the West Side.
West Side Forward’s website states that it recognizes thriving communities have five core elements such as opportunity, access to resources and healthy social networks, stability, and safety.
BUILD’s West Side Community Trade Fair will take place Friday, Oct. 24 at the BUILD Campus, 5100 W. Harrison St.
The event will feature two sessions:
- Morning session: 10 a.m. to 12 noon (Registration opens at 9:45 a.m.)
- Afternoon session: 1 p.m. to – 3:00 PM (Registration opens at 11:45 a.m.)
Participants can register for their preferred session at: https://bit.ly/WestSideTradeFair2025 .Registration also gives attendees a chance to share their voice to help BUILD shape future events and bring the right resources and opportunities to the West Side.
Attendees will have the chance to:
- Explore job, training, and education opportunities
- Connect with community organizations and local resources
- Meet employers and leaders making a difference
- Take free professional headshots
- Join career readiness workshops
- Enter to win raffles and giveaways
The West Side Community Trade Fair is made possible with support from National Louis University Accelerate U.
Participating trades include: Jane Addams (JARC), Fastlane, Renewable Energy Noun, Associated Builders and Contractors, Ravina, Revolutionary Workshop