ENGLEWOOD — Could putting pastors on blocks throughout Englewood make the community safer?
That's the vision of the Rev. Dwayne Grant of Xperience Church Chicago, who said he believes their presence will encourage more residents to drop the infamous no-snitch rule.
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“My personality is to give the people courage because they’re scared to talk,” he said. “They’re scared to talk because they’ve been intimidated by those in the community.”
The plan is to work with 10-15 other pastors and target Englewood, beginning with 57th Street and Racine Avenue.
The Rev. Dwayne Grant of Xperience Church Chicago has plans to make the community safer. [DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson]
“God has put it on my heart,” he said. “He’s said, 'Work with the pastors of Englewood to strategize and plan, to have a visible presence in the neighborhood.' We will bless the blocks going in suited and booted.”
Other members of the community have been working on finding ways to combat violence. The Englewood Quality of Life Plan has a public safety task force, and members met Wednesday at Teamwork Englewood’s office, 815 W. 63rd St., to discuss four strategies:
• Establish a network of residents and organizations working to improve safety
• Create peace campaigns and restorative justice peace circles
• Reduce arrests of young people by promoting after-school programs and centers for them to go to starting at the end of the school day through 6:30 p.m.
• Create counseling programs, anger management and substance abuse counseling for those ages 18-34
Englewood Quality of Life Plan's Public Safety group met Wednesday at Teamwork Englewood. [DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson]
In that meeting task force leaders Michelle Rashad and Michael Tidmore shared efforts that they implemented in the past like African drumming in the community. The goal of the meeting was to encourage more residents to get involved so they can all pool resources.
Things like more block clubs and afterschool programs like Englewood Codes — a program housed at Teamwork Englewood to teach teens how to code — will be needed to see a change, the group discussed.
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Peace circles also were brought up, but Grant said after the meeting he doesn’t think that’s the best solution for his neighborhood.
“I think peace circles are great,” he said. “I think that’ll work up north, but I don’t see peace circles working here.”
His plan to put pastors on the block is one that will create results, he said.
“We’ve got to be able to reach those people who don’t come to these meetings, people who don’t really care what we’re talking about,” he said. “You got to get your hands dirty, you got to get down there in the dirt with them.”
Public safety can’t fully be addressed without looking at economic development, said Ald. David Moore (17th).
He likes peace circles and African drumming, but he said those are just ways to get the community involved.
“Everything else is a band-aid until you start seeing the cranes on the South and West sides of Chicago,” he said. “What people fail to do is refill and redevelop our communities from the federal level, to the state level, to the city level.”
Moore said he’s been working continuously on bringing jobs and businesses to the 17th Ward. Since he’s been in office, five businesses have already opened and hired from the community. He’s also communicating with developers to to bring projects to the larger lots in his ward, he said.
“Each piece that everyone does, especially if there’s involvement in the community, is going to save a life, but we’re trying to make a great impact,” Moore said. “The way you make great impact is through economic development.”
The Englewood Quality of Life Plan quarterly meeting is from 5:30-7 p.m. March 7 at Hope Manor II Community Room, 6002 S. Halsted St. All task force groups will meet to provide updates.
Rosalind Moore, director of programs at Teamwork Englewood, said the five task forces were formed in January 2016.
“We’re excited,” she said. “It has been a beautiful thing to watch."
The vision and goals have been laid out and now it’s time to take action, she said.
