By: Alex Morales
On Monday April 15th, 2013, The Resurrection Project, World Business Chicago (WBC), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Pilsen community members launched Seed Chicago, an exciting collaboration with the crowd-funding website Kickstarter that highlights local projects aimed at creating jobs and economic growth in Chicago’s neighborhoods.
The event, which was covered extensively by local media, was held at The Resurrection Project’s La Casa Student Resource Center in the heart of the Pilsen community, and just steps away from El Zócalo—the proposed site for our community markets project that seeks crowd funding. The purpose of Seed Chicago is to create innovative tools for small businesses that will increase revenue and help create jobs and economic development opportunities across various Chicago neighborhoods like Pilsen, Englewood, Logan Square, and Albany Park, among others.
During the event, Mayor Rahm Emanuel encouraged the efforts of grassroots organizations, as these work to achieve economic development through unique initiatives, and encouraged Chicago’s residents to support and participate in the campaigns with the ultimate goal of improving local economies. “We’re a city of neighborhoods,” Emanuel said. “A vibrant economy in our neighborhoods is essential.”
In Pilsen, The Resurrection Project seeks funding to bring community markets during the summer months to Pilsen’s Zócalo plaza on 18th Place and Paulina. The open marketplace will feature local businesses, local cuisine, opportunities for neighborhood tours, and cultural performances to increase community vibrancy and tourism. The markets will resemble a Mexican tradition of open markets in central community squares known as Zócalos. The proposed Pilsen markets are planned for the summer months, and aimed at building momentum for the Unísono Festival, which brings more than 2,000 to celebrate the Pilsen’s cultural heritage and diversity.
For more information on Seed Chicago and to support The Resurrection Project’s marketplace initiative and Unísono, visit Kickstarter’s Unísono Festival page at www.kickstarter.com/projects.
