Latinos/as/es in Northeastern Illinois have been the primary contributors to the region’s population growth over the past 10 years. They are now Chicago’s largest racial group, making up nearly 30 percent of the city’s population. Out of the close to 1.8 million Latinos/as/es in the Chicago metropolitan area, the majority are Mexican (73%). Those that are located in the city are primarily located in the Southwest, Northwest, and far Southeast parts of the city. There has also been a growing rate of Latinos/as/es migrating to Chicago suburbs, especially western suburbs like Cicero and Aurora, and they now account for 60% of all Latinos in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Environmental Justice Issues
The EPA classifies the ozone levels in Chicago as “severe.” Approximately one out of seven children in Chicago live with asthma and the rates are even higher among Black and Latino/a/e children, with one out of every four children having asthma. This is largely because factories and industrial manufacturing production plants in Chicago are often placed in predominantly Latino/a/e and Black communities. The air, water, and ground pollution from these production facilities impede the health of the overall community and the exposure to these pollutants affects Black and Latino/a/e individuals at much higher rates than their white-affluent counterparts. This is a serious human health crisis causing higher rates of asthma, cancer, respiratory illness, lead poisoning, and cardiovascular disease in these communities.
Access to safe drinkable water is also a challenge for many black and brown communities in Chicago. In a study that performed thousands of tap water tests, 1 out of every 20 tap waters tested were found to have lead at or above US government limits. Nine of the top 10 zip codes with the largest percentages of high test results were neighborhoods with majorities of Black and Latino/a/e residents.
Southwest Chicago's Nature-Based Haven
AGC's urban greening project addresses air quality, food access, and health and wellness in an industrially burdened area. Adjacent to a public housing development, the project includes a three-acre urban farm, community gardens, nature-based gathering spaces, and a geodesic dome for year-round cultivation.
The project will conserve three acres of land, establish a production farm with hoop houses, apiaries, orchards, and native plantings, and create community gardens and nature-based spaces for learning and reflection. It will also create jobs through workforce development programs. Some expected outcomes include improved health and wellness, increased green spaces, enhanced environmental education, and economic vitality. The site will be open to everyone.
Together We Shine Green Corner Project
Centro San Bonifacio, an immigrant-led, grassroots organization with a mission to promote self-empowerment and self-development within the Latine community. Since acquiring their building in 2014, Centro San Bonifacio has been developing a green community gathering and public art space. Their project aims to enhance the corner by transforming it into a greener, safer, and more productive area. Currently, they own the building and the exterior parking lot, which houses their programming, including their urban farm. The parking lot, is concrete with chain-linked fencing and old electrical wires, this will be renovationed to optimize usage for the urban farm and improve the corner's green space. Planned upgrades include adding a deck/carport to increase planting space, installing permeable pavement for a greener aesthetic, replacing low-quality beds with permanent raised and vertical installations, and upgrading electrical and water systems.
With this project, their entire corner, from street to alley, will be greener, safer, more productive, environmentally sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing; a true beacon of empowerment, development, and hope for the Chicago community. These improvements will transform the space and will be used by youth from surrounding schools and those enrolled in the center’s afterschool programs.
Greening the Calumet River
The Southeast Environmental Task Force strives to transform the Calumet Region into a model for the integration of industrial, residential, and natural areas into productive, green, and environmentally sustainable urban communities. The project targets two key areas: 96th Street to the river and south to 98th Street, and from 98th to 100th Street, including the 100th Street bridge.
Their vision includes creating accessible riverfront spaces for local anglers and community members, with dedicated entrances, walking paths, and native landscaping to support local wildlife. They’re also focused on long-term sustainability through community stewardship, continuous fundraising, strategic partnerships, environmental education, and regular monitoring and evaluation. This project seeks to address environmental degradation, promote sustainable practices, and enhance the quality of life for residents in the surrounding communities.
Canal Origins Park Riverfront Revitalization and Renovation Project
PERRO advocates and strives for environmental justice to make Pilsen and surrounding impacted communities cleaner and healthier places to live, work, and raise children. The project is situated at Canal Origins Park in Chicago, serving as a key riverfront access point for the working-class Latino/a/e immigrant population of Pilsen and surrounding neighborhoods. It aims to revitalize the urban green space along the Chicago River to promote riverfront recreation, leisure, and cultural expression.
Initiatives include restoring artwork, installing solar-powered lighting for enhanced visibility, creating seating areas with shade, installing wayfinding signage, and offering ongoing programming to encourage park utilization and foster a sense of community ownership.
About GreenLatinos:
We are a national network of Latino/a/e environmental and conservation champions fighting against climate change and environmental degradation that intensifies systemic social, health, and economic injustices in our communities.
About the GreenLatinos Sustainable Cities Urban Greening Initiative:
As part of the broader Greening America’s Cities Initiative from the Bezos Earth Fund, GreenLatinos is set to allocate a total of $2,650,000 to back urban greening, gardening, and farming initiatives in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Chicago. Specifically, this funding will encompass nearly $1.05M for both Albuquerque and Chicago. We're inviting proposals from community-led groups in Chicago for urban greening projects- including but not limited to community gardens, parks, and urban farms. The outcome of this initiative will be 2-4 new or expanded urban greenspaces in Latino/a/e communities in Chicago. We are hoping that this effort will integrate long-marginalized voices into the larger environmental and climate justice movement, as well as help local communities access significant funding for urban greening initiatives to begin to bridge the existing nature gap and to increase environmental equity in the city of Chicago.
