Blacks In Green

BIG DEAL REALTY is growing in Historic West Woodlawn! 🏡 Explore BIG DEAL REALTY: - Biz Incubator Office for small businesses - Great Migration Guest House (AirBNB) - Great Migration Shrine for weddings - Residential rentals - HOUSE AS GARDEN — affordable housing coming Spring 2027 Click the link in our bio or contact Gwen Pruitt at 312-852-6714 📧[email protected] Come grow with us. 🌱 #WestWoodlawn #ChicagoSouthSide #ChicagoNeighborhoods

ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO GIVE BIG!! This is what community-led growth looks like. Blacks in Green’s Sustainable Square Mile, guided by the 8 Principles of Green Village Building, is shaping a neighborhood that is beautiful, joyful, prosperous, and comfortable, rooted in West Woodlawn. Support the work: Donate at blacksingreen.org/donate #BlacksInGreen #SustainableSquareMile #GiveBIG #WestWoodlawn

Increasing Household Income & Community Resilience – West Woodlawn Envisioning Program Tonight! Hello BIG Family! Blacks in Green invites all West Woodlawn neighbors to join us Friday, February 27th, from 5:00–7:00 PM for our Envisioning West Woodlawn gathering! This interactive evening is part of our Community Resilience work, focused on increasing household income and strengthening our neighborhood’s future. Together, we’ll imagine what thriving looks like and create vision boards that reflect our shared hopes for West Woodlawn. Dream boldly Build community Create a shared vision Supplies and food will be provided. Please RSVP TODAY: /2vf78x6f We look forward to building the future—together!

Hello BIG family! We invite all our West Woodlawn neighbors to join us on Friday, February 27th, from 5 to 7 pm for our Envisioning West Woodlawn event. Together, we’ll imagine and create a shared vision creating vision boards for the future of our beloved neighborhood. Supplies and food will be provided. Please RSVP TODAY at this link: /2vf78x6f

Join Blacks in Green for a night of crafting and community building 🎉 We welcome our neighbors to Envisioning West Woodlawn, an event to create a collective vision for the future of West Woodlawn. Enjoy a night of vision boards and delicious food, and learn more about the mission of Blacks in Green. RSVP required at: /2vf78x6f

BIG DEAL REALTY is growing in Historic West Woodlawn! 🏡 Explore BIG DEAL REALTY: • Biz Incubator Office for small businesses • Great Migration Guest House (AirBNB) • Great Migration Shrine for weddings • Residential rentals • HOUSE AS GARDEN — affordable housing coming Spring 2027 Click the link in our bio or contact Gwen Pruitt at 312-852-6714 📧 [email protected] Come grow with us. 🌱 #WestWoodlawn #ChicagoSouthSide #ChicagoNeighborhoods

Meet 50+ potential partners This isn’t just another after-work event. It’s a curated opportunity to connect with fellow business leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers from across the city, all while enjoying complimentary food and drinks at the fantastic Social Sip. The first 10 Chamber members to register will receive FREE admission! Click the link in our bio! What is the “One Block Networking Concept”? The “one block networking concept” is a powerful business strategy known more formally as hyperlocal networking. It’s the idea that the most valuable and actionable connections are often the ones closest to you—literally within your own neighborhood or “block.” Will you be joining us?

Hi Greater Woodlawn Neighbors! 🌱✨  BIG is collaborating with 20th Ward Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor and her Community Planning Team to make sure YOUR voice is heard!    🗳 HOW TO VOTE (now through Sept 17):  ✅ Online – Link in Bio  ✅ Text – (312) 981-9901  ✅ In Person – 20th Ward Office, 5401 S. Wentworth Ave, Suite 19E    Check the slides to see if you live in the voting area & share with your neighbors! 🏡    📞 Voting Questions? Call/Text Tyra Owens: (312) 981-9901  📞 BIG Questions? Call/Text Suzanne: (312) 852-6287

🚨 Woodlawn neighbors, We seek your support! 🚨 Join us at the 20th Ward Community Meetings on Sept 3rd & Sept 8th, 6–8 PM at the Bessie Coleman Library — dinner served! 🍽️. RSVP @ link in bio. You can cast your ballot at the end of the Sept 8th meeting, or anytime during Sept 9–17. ✅ Give us your YES vote so we can acquire four new lots for public green space, affordable housing, and small business retail in Woodlawn. We can’t do it without you 💚

Are you ready for the 16th annual Woodlawn Community Summit on March 8th!?! RSVP TODAY at: /e/16th-annual-woodlawn-community-summit-registration-1232372381969

Happy Holidays from our BIG family to yours! We’re grateful for your support this year and look forward to building on our vision of creating thriving Black communities synonymous with beauty, prosperity, comfort, and joy! There’s still time to make your year-end, tax-deductible donation to help fund our investment in equity and hope for generations to come! Give at /donate

We hope you’re enjoying this holiday season and taking some time to reflect on 2024 while preparing for the year ahead. We did a little reflecting of our own and it resulted in our 2024 Year in Review newsletter linked in bio or here: https://conta.cc/4iL7KlZ We’re deeply grateful to our community members, partners, supporters, and friends for your unwavering commitment as invaluable BIG allies! This work would not be possible without you. Here are just a few highlights from this year. ▪️ GEOTHERMAL PILOT: Chicago – led by Blacks in Green - is one of five communities selected by the U.S. Department of Energy's Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling initiative to install geothermal heating and cooling systems in the second phase of the initiative. ▪️ EMMETT TILL HOUSE: Restoration work focused on the building’s exterior brick restoration, including grinding out old mortar, tuckpointing, and rebuilding parapet walls. Construction on the house wrapped for the season with a roof replacement in October. ▪️ GREEN ENERGY JUSTICE COOPERATIVE: GEJC, a consumer-owned clean energy cooperative, was launched to develop three industry-scale solar projects to benefit community members in Illinois. This year has been instrumental to GEJC's progress, including securing additional funding to move the project forward. In October, GEJC started preparations to recruit 1,200-1,800 subscribers for its projects in Aurora & Romeoville. The work we’re doing at Blacks in Green is at a pivotal moment. On Chicago’s South Side, neighborhoods like ours in West Woodlawn are facing rising housing costs, environmental challenges, and the impacts of gentrification. However, we believe that our Sustainable Square Mile system is the solution to these issues. We plan to turn vacant lots into affordable housing, plant hundreds of trees, and make clean energy accessible for all. We’re restoring landmarks like the Emmett Till House and building spaces that empower our community’s families to thrive. And we hope you’ll join us on our journey by investing in equity and hope for generations to come. /donate #BIGimpact