Black Chicago has been tried and tested over and over. We now stand at a critical juncture — one that can either build us up or break us down under the current administration. While many are consumed with the antics of the 47th president, I urge Black Chicago to refocus its energy on those closest to us. Our local, state, city, and county elected officials, the clergy entrusted to lead, and the heads of nonprofit organizations in our communities — these are the individuals who claim to advocate for us.
Yet despite their presence in decision-making positions and their shared backgrounds, Black Chicago remains at a deficit. Generations have passed, and still there is no real protection for Black Chicago, particularly on the West and South sides of the city.
As a longtime resident of Austin, I have watched with a keen eye the intentional actions — or lack thereof — of our so-called leaders who repeatedly prioritize profits over people. There is a quote that resonates deeply: “People who profit from your ignorance will not educate you.”
For far too long, Black communities have been under the control of poverty pimps, individuals who exploit our struggles for their gain. Today, Black neighborhoods are being monopolized, sold off and gentrified, often with the complicity of our own people. This exploitation is only possible because we, as residents, have grown complacent. We accept crumbs and are told they represent community development.
Have you felt the impact of the millions of dollars funneled into our neighborhoods? Have you seen real, tangible benefits? If you examine the new plans touted for Austin, they claim to be community-centered, but I have sat in these meetings. The faces at the table are often unfamiliar; they do not live here, yet their voices are counted as ours. The individuals leading these plans boast about benefitting Austin and its residents, but they seldom engage the real community. It is the same people in the same meetings, month after month, peddling the illusion of progress.
Real change does not come from recycled conversations in closed rooms. It begins at the ground level, with the actual residents. Why is there no concerted effort to engage and educate longstanding residents and our younger generation? Where is the push to ensure community ownership — not just token input but actual equity — in these new developments? How much of the wealth generated by these projects will remain in our hands?
My call to action for Austin and all of Black Chicago is simple: wake up and prepare. A new wave is coming, and we cannot afford to be unready. We must reclaim our neighborhoods, demand transparency and accountability from those in leadership, and refuse to settle for anything less than what we deserve.
Black Chicago, we are at a crossroads. The choice is ours. Will we rise together or allow ourselves to be divided and conquered once more? The time to act is now.