Immigrant Chicago: Our Visit to Pilsen

From what I’ve gathered (based on my own experiences in the city and from the readings and discussions we’ve had in class), immigrants not only make up our city, but they define it.  When Europeans first settled in Chicago, we had a lot of cultures coming together, making the city what it has become.  Today, we experience large groups of Hispanic populations immigrating to Chicago, and it is starting to change our culture, including more Spanish signs and directions, introducing new foods, holidays, and rituals, and possibly most important to the economy, supplying Chicago and the United States with cheap labor from illegal immigrants and more of a pronounced Hispanic population in custodial work, lawn maintenance, and un-sought-after-jobs.

The biggest difference between today’s immigrants and the immigrants from the past is the stigma of illegality and the economy.  Back in the 1930s, the economy was starting to be on the rise due to war and industrialization.  Today we are facing the biggest recession since the Great Depression.  This means that more people are out of work, and the unskilled labor that they could take over is being done by immigrants who will work for less.  This places a negative stigma on the new Hispanic immigrants in Chicago and all over the country.  Going off of this topic is the illegal immigrants who work for less, don’t pay taxes, and (who many Americans believe, but not me personally) get away with using  public aid and public assistance and aren’t contributing with things like state and federal taxes.  It is all a big mess, due to the fact that it is a different time.  

The immigration experience is not an easy one for any time in any city, however, there are some factors that make immigrating today much harder than in years past (besides the economy and legality).  The biggest factor is how strongly Hispanic families want to hold on to their culture and language, yet they want to be American citizens.  Although this is not the case for all families, it does harden and hinder the immigration process, taking families longer to get on their feet, and more generations to get to the point of assimilation.  

Overall, the process of immigration seems ridiculously difficult, and I applaud immigrants both past and present for their incredible journeys and successful integration to the United States.

Hull House

This was not my first visit to Hull House, but I feel like since it wasn’t I was able to absorb the information better.  My first visit, which was in December last year for a D-Term class called “Chicago: City of Hope” was a shorter visit, and I paid much more attention to the physical details and aspects to the Hull House.  This time I was able to listen to all the research young wealthy people were able to do while volunteering their time, as well as the other important accomplishments Jane Addams was able to make while in the Hull House (such as getting the trash collectors to actually collect the trash from the area, and replacing the poisoned milk for the children with organic fresh milk).  

One thing that kept reoccurring in my mind while we were touring the house though was some of Koval’s words in chapter 5, “The plan calls for a regional effort to distribute affordable housing and assure equitable educational opportunities,” (2006:58).  These are the plans for 2020 in Chicago, and Jane Addams was trying to do the same thing back in 1889.  That means that in over 200 years, Chicago still hasn’t been able to get its act together when it comes to affordable housing and equal education.  How is it that a system that is fully functional and working doesn’t stay intact?  

Going back to my first visit, I was never aware that the Hull House settlement wasn’t destroyed until the University of Chicago needed to be built in its place.  Although at that point the settlement was nothing like how it was in the early 1900s, it was still there, a historical memory of what once was a working solution for immigrants and poverty stricken Chicago-ans.  I’m very thankful that I was able to go back and retain more information, and more importantly take all of the history in behind the Hull House and the impact that it had.

Cabrini Green

To be completely honest, I was slightly disappointed with our trip to Cabrini Green.  I was expecting to get a bit more discussion out of the group about how the area has changed, and what happened to all the people that the new housing structures have displaced.  I did like the fact that he gave us numbers to compare the amount of housing before; the amount of housing there is now, the cost benefits to the city, etc.  He also mentioned the reasoning behind the rebuild and reorganization of the area, which was simply that the projects weren’t working, and that something had to be done not only to house these people, but to make the area safer and more appealing for the middle and upper class.  Koval also mentions the problems behind the projects in Chapter 22 in a very vivid and compelling manner, “Elevators, stairwells, lobbies, hallways, parking lots and alleyways, garbage cans, and laundry rooms became veritable playgrounds.  Each possessed a particular set of hazards, which could add to their enjoyment.  Parking lots were strewn with broken glass…hallways and stairwells were the domain of gamblers and drinkers,” (2006:270).  Children were of concern when it came to CHA planning (according to this section of Koval’s work).  

The city was concerned about more than safety and numbers though, and it was apparent when we saw Cabrini Green for ourselves.  The homes were built to attract a higher class.  They were spacious, built at a reasonable height.  They were built to please, not built for purpose.  Chicago wanted to fix the aspect that Cabrini was surrounded by upper-class areas, and make it not only livable but presentable to the public eyes. It was reasons like this that now only one third of families who lived in the Cabrini Green public housing have homes there today.  However, when Justine tried to bring this subject to light, it was as if the question was ignored.  He said that he wasn’t here to discuss politics, and I suppose that’s true, but I feel that a group discussion of the displacement of the Cabrini Green residents would’ve been not only highly beneficial, but very interesting as well.

USS 300 Thus Far

I’ve noticed that none of our blog topics thus far have been about our actual outings while in Chicago, so I’d like to spend this blog catching up on that.  During week one, we went out and took a look at architecturally significant buildings along the loop.  One of my favorite buildings we looked at was the Carson, Pirie, Scott, and Company Building, which had a beautiful leafy structure around the bottom floors.  The fact that it is so historically and architecturally significant made it interesting when we were discussing how the building will now house a Target which wants to exceed the already extended entrance.  Urbanization, commercialism, and capitalism can get me really mad because of this.  Their want for newer, bigger, and better things surpasses the importance of history and time.  

During week one, I also found the architecture of the older buildings quite interesting.  When we looked at the base of some buildings, we were able to see how the windows had to be close to four feet inside the actual walls.  This was due to the time period and the height and weight of the building, which I found incredibly interesting.  I really wish we were able to focus more on one or two buildings though, like the Chicago Cultural Center, and other very significant places for people who aren’t familiar with the city.  As an urban and suburban class, I feel that we should have gotten more oriented with our surroundings and possibly compared them to Naperville, a more suburban area.  

Week two brought about more interesting architecture, around Michigan Avenue and on Burnham-related sites.  My favorite part of the class this day was being able to stop at the Tribune Tower.  In eighth grade I researched this building, and ever since I’ve been highly fascinated with it.  The stones from significant places are probably most interesting.  Correspondents from the Chicago Tribune brought back pieces from the pyramids in Giza, the Great Wall of China, etc. and they are all built into the building.  

Unfortunately I missed last week, due to some illnesses, however, I know the Gold Coast would’ve been just as interesting socially and architecturally.  What I’m really looking forward to is a more socially diverse tour of areas in Chicago, such as Cabrini Green (which we get to see today), and other areas near or in a poverty stricken condition.  This would really give a realistic example of what urban life consists of:  not just the pretty, eye catching, upper-class areas, but the working class and poverty entrenched areas in need of social programs and funding.

Make No Small Plans?

Although Burnham makes a valid point in the beginning of his quote, “At no period in its history has the city looked far enough ahead...”  The city itself has never truly make plans that can be used hundreds of years in the future, however, I believe that it is crucial that we consider a sociological perspective on this as well.  Lefebvre, who we’ve been studying about in SOA 494, theorized that a space only consists due to how it is conceived, perceived, and lived.  However, how a space is conceived, perceived, and lived can all be quite different from one another.  Even if the city planned, say 200 years in advanced, there is no guarantee that their plans will be carried out how they intended, and if they are, the space may not be “lived” in the same way.  For example, in Hyde Park, where the World’s Fair took place, was developed into a space that they believed would branch out and continue to be a fairground for residential, educational, and successful life.  Hyde Park still is quite that, containing one of the last buildings from the World’s Fair (The Museum of Science and Industry), and the University of Chicago.  However, the areas surrounding Hyde Park are poverty stricken or of working class citizens.  I would not call that a very successful execution of a plan.  

I also disagree with Burnham’s second part, “…There can be no responsible fear lest any plans that may be adopted shall prove too broad or comprehensive.”  A plan can certainly be too broad or comprehensive.  Trying to obtain or achieve too much within one plan can cause disastrous or unorganized outcomes.  A plan needs to be concise and achievable, not over-the-top and unreachable.  

What I believe the city would need, again from my sociological perspective, is not necessarily a plan dealing with architecture and space, but a plan regarding social regulation, improvement of social programming, etc.  The plans that are the problem today, that Burnham did not see 100 years ago are dealing more with economic and political issues.  I don’t want to go too far on a tangent, but what the people of Chicago need is a way to put money in their pocket, good schools, and honest politicians who will actually set out to achieve what is needed for the city.  If Burnham could come up with a plan to solve these problems, then maybe we could move on to the organization and architectural dynamics of Chicago.