EDGEWATER — Residents of Edgewater and Rogers Park are raising money to print multilingual yard signs for the "Hate Has No Home Here" project, aimed at sending messages of support to the many immigrants living in Chicago and throughout the country.
The now-viral national campaign was started by a group of North Park neighbors in November.
Local resident Steven Luce created the artwork and phrasing was inspired by a third-grader from Peterson Elementary School.
The campaign caught the eye of Tanya Larson, a Rogers Park woman, who said she began walking down her street distributing signs to neighbors — even those she didn't know.
The result was an "outpouring of support and interest," Larson said, so she launched a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $2,500 to help cover the cost of printing so neighbors could pick up and display the signs for free. As of Monday, about half the money was raised.
"I felt the need to do something tangible following the election, and sharing this positive message of inclusion, tolerance and respect for diversity felt great," Larson said. "It has been amazing to watch them appear in front windows of the homes on my street."
Since launching the GoFundMe page, Larson said she's been focusing on getting local institutions like places of worship and businesses on board with the campaign in Andersonville and Edgewater.
Another of her goals is to provide neighborhood schools with the posters, with signs already appearing at Peirce Elementary, where her son goes to school, as well as Swift Elementary and Senn High School.
"Our students need to feel safe, welcome, and respected," she said.
And since President Donald Trump's recent executive orders restricting travel from seven majority-Muslim countries, Larson said she's had a boost in requests for the signs directly from community members.
She's also now working on bumper stickers due to the high volume of requests.
Signs are available for pickup at:
• 48th Ward Office, 5533 North Broadway in Edgewater
• Midwest Care Management, 1329 W. Loyola Ave. Unit G4 in Rogers Park
• 49th Ward Office at 7356 N. Greenview Ave. in Rogers Park
• Larson Home, 2022 W. Estes Ave. in Rogers Park
• (Feb. 10-12 during temple) Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N. Sheridan Road in Edgewater
