LISTED HERE.
>>> NORTH LAWN DALE HAS A RICH
HISTORY BUT ALSO A LONG CYCLE
OF VIOLENCE AND POVERTY THAT
PLAGUED THE WEST SIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD FOR DECADES.
CHICAGO SPENT THE DAY IN NORTH
LAWN DALE WITH IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES.
SHE JOINS US NOW TO TELL US
ABOUT THE WORK THAT PEOPLE ARE
DOING TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION
OF THE COMMUNITY.
JOANNE A?
>>Reporter: THE TIME I HAVE
SPENT HERE TALKING TO PEOPLE I
CAN TELL YOU REAL WORK
HAPPENING HERE FROM THE BIGGER
PROJECTS TO THE SMALLER ONES
LIKE BIKE BOX.
BICYCLE SHARING PROGRAM
ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO LEIF
HERE.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY
INITIATIVES CREATING POSITIVE
CHANGE.
>> I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY
BEING A BLACK MAN FROM CHICAGO
THAT IN ORDER TO SEE CHANGE
YOU HAVE TO BE THE CHANGE.
AND THE NO. 1 THING THAT I
CAN THINK OF MYSELF IS
HONESTLY, JUST TO BE PRESENT.
>>Reporter: ROBERT WELCH RUNS
THE BIKE SHARING PROGRAM HERE.
A VISION HE HAD SINCE HE WAS A
TEENAGER.
>> ONE OF BY FRIENDS WAS SHOT
FOR WALKING DOWN A STREET.
AND THERE WAS NO DRUG
RELATION.
HE WAS A KID.
LIKE ME.
AND THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE
I WAS JUST LIKE THINGS LIKE
THAT HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
AND LIKE NOBODY, NOBODY IS
TRYING TO CHANGE THAT
DETECTIVELY.
OR IT HIS TO START SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT WAS MY FIRST AWAKENING
TO WANTING TO BEAL GREATER
CHALLENGE TO THE COMMUNITY.
>>Reporter: AS A KID WELCH
WAS PART OF YOUNG MEN
ORGANIZATION.
PROGRAM AIMED AT GIVING KIDS A
SAFE SPACE TO LEARN THROUGH
VARIETY OF PROGRAMS.
THE BIKE BOX IS FREE FOR
RESIDENTS TO BORROW BIKE.
FIX BIKE AND BUY THEM AT LOW
PRICE.
>> THE BIGGEST PART ABOUT HOW
ACTIVITY THE CONNECTION IS
GOING IS THOSE EVENTS RIGHT
THERE.
THERE'S 4 OR 5 PEOPLE THAT
HAVE NOW STARTED TO COME.
HELP OUT.
FREE OF THEIR OWN WILL.
JUST BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE
COMMUNITY EVENT WHERE THEY
CONDITION REACH OUT TO
DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
DO PROJECT.
FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ACTUALLY
GIVING BACK IN A WAY THAT IS
ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL.
>>Reporter: HE WAS CHOSEN TO
BE PART OF THE CHICAGO
ARCHITECT.
THEY WORKED WITH LOCAL
COMMUNITY GROUP TO COME UP
WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO
UTILIZES EMPTY SPACE.
HE USED SHIPPING CONTAINER TO
CREATE OUTDOOR SPACE FOR
PEOPLE TO USE.
>> THIS ORGANIZATION HAD A
GROUP OF TEENAGERS WHO WERE
THERE TO HELP US PAINT THE
SURFACE.
HELP US PUT THE METRO
ATLANTAER BED TOGETHER.
WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WHAT IS
THE POWER OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT IS THE POWER OF THIS AND
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
>>Reporter: IN RECENT YEARS A
BIG PUSH TO HELP STRUGGLING
COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTH AND
WEST SIDE BY REINVESTING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE NORTH LAWN
DALE.
CORNELIUS PRESIDENT OF GMA
CONSTRUCTION GROUP ONCE A KID
GROWING UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE
AND RUNS A COMPANY DETERMINED
TO REVITALIZE CHICAGO
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> I GREW UP HERE.
MY EXPIRE LIFE.
FROM THE TIME I WAS 9 UNTIL I
WAS 21 YEARS OLD.
BECAUSE I BOUNCED AROUND I
GAINED SENSE OF GREAT AND
SENSE OF DETERMINATION THAT I
KNEW I WANTED BETTER.
>>Reporter: GMA CONSTRUCTION
IS GEARING UP TO TRANSFORM THE
VACANT LOT INTO 60 MIX INCOME
APARTMENTS.
TOWN HOUSE.
RETAIL.
RESTAURANT SPACE AND COMMUNITY
CENTER WITHOUT DOOR PLAZA.
IT'S ONE OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS
SELECTED BY THE CITY FOR THE
INCEST SOUTH WEST INITIATIVE.
>> I WANT PEOPLE ON MY PROJECT
TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHERE
I HAVE COME FROM.
WHO LOOK LIKE ME.
WHO SOUND LIKE ME.
WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF
THE SAME STRUGGLE AS ME SO
THEY CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO OUT AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
>>Reporter: NORTH LAWN DALE
HAS CRIME RATE LONG OVER
SHADOW THE RICH HISTORY THE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOLDS.
THIS FAMILY SERVICES HAS BEEN
IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 62 YEARS.
>> WE CAN SEE THE CHANGE GOING
ON RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER
AND BETTER.
>> GOING TO TAKE THE
COMMUNITY.
GOING TO TAKE STAKE HOLDERS
AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.
GOING TO TAKE GOVERNMENT.
GOING TO TAKE ALL HANDS ON
DECK TO MAKE NORTH HAWN DALE
WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
>>Reporter: ANGELA WILLIAMS
WAS A TEENAGER WHEN HE STARTED
AT BBS.
NOW OWNS HIS OWN COMPANY.
>> WE ARE THOROUGHLY INVESTED
IN THE YOUTH AND PARTICIPANT
LIKE OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL
THEY LOOK AT US WITH
INTERNSHIP THAT REALLY DEVELOP
ME GREATLY.
I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL.
>>Reporter: WILLIAM STORY IS
ONE OF HUNDREDS OF LEADERS
THAT THEY ARE PROUD OF.
>> I BELIEVE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN
ONLY BE WHAT THEY SEE.
IF THEY COULDN'T SEE
POSITIVITY IT'S HARD FOR THEM
TO LIVE POSITIVE LIVES.
SO I BELIEVE BBF IS A BEACON
OF HOPE.
>>Reporter: 27 YEARS OLD
WILLIAM HOPES THAT OTHER YOUNG
MEN WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BBF
HAVE TO OFFER.
>> BE OPEN TO DIRECTION.
DISCOVERY AND CULTIVATE
RESOURCE AND BLESSINGS THAT
SURROUND YOU.
>>Reporter: WILLIAM ALSO
SHARES THAT BECAUSE OF THIS
PROGRAM HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO
TRAVEL TO PLACES HE NEVER
THOUGHT HE WOULD GO TO.
AND STAY TUNE.
WE ARE SPEAKING TO ONE OF THE
FOUNDERS OF THIS COMPANY AND
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE BIKE