Our Heroes
I Grow Chicago founder Robbin Carroll was selected as a finalist for the 2019 CNN Heroes Award for her innovative community building work in Englewood. But we do nothing alone. I Grow Chicago is co-created and powered by neighbors reclaiming and restoring their community. Below are some of our heroes we’d like you to meet.
Everyone can be a hero – so we asked our neighbors: what makes you a hero?
Balldy, Strive to Thrive participant
Being remarkably receptive and kind hearted with an endless willingness to help others [makes me a hero].
Brianna, Summer of Hope camper
My sister is my hero because she helps people. Like this one time, we were at the store and this guy came in and he didn’t have anything so she bought him some food.
Angel, Nature Playlot Worker
It doesn’t take superman to do a hero’s job.
Eldridge, Strive to Thrive participant
It doesn’t take bionic superpowers to make change.
Ms. Johnson, Wisdom Council
I’m praying that one day, young men and young women get their heads together, get their hearts together, to bring Englewood to what it used to be. I want them to put the guns down, keep the streets clean, and to have more pride in our neighborhood. Stop finding fault and pointing fingers, love your sisters and your brothers.
Bethany, Summer of Hope camper
Grown ups who give you food that you can cherish and you can give back to others and that’s really nice.
Kandy, Community Volunteer
I connect with people spiritually to spread more love around.
Marvin, Playlot Construction Worker
I can love everybody, I will respect and honor anybody. I would help anyone. I had a rough life, I was incarcerated for 16 years but I changed my life around. I try to get to work on time, I work hard.
Tellie, Summer of Hope Counselor
I wake up everyday at 8am for summer camp because I’m inspired by the light I witness in the children, they love music as much as I do.
Harmony
I’m a superhero because I feed the chickens so that they don’t run away.
Gwen, Wisdom Council
My mother is my hero. She lived until she was 100 and she was the most giving person I know. People would call her the Bag Lady because she always carried two bags with her, one for herself and one filled with things for other people.
Leah
My family are my heroes—they help each other and make each other safe.
Cortez, Strive to Thrive participant
My daughter and my family and friends are my heroes. My daughter is 9 months old and she’s my everything.
Mama Pearl, Wisdom Council
I am a great grandmother. I have one daughter, three grandchildren, but I am a grandmother to every other child on this street.
Patrice, Children's Program Coordinator
No one is like me. I put my brain together, if a piece is missing, I can put it together.
Larry, Nature Playlot Construction Worker
I’m helping build the nature playlot for one, for the kids. I’m also pretty fast, that’s a pretty good attribute for a hero, right? I guess the biggest thing is my creativity, I’m like Nick Fury, I use my brain more than my strength.
MiMi, Summer of Hope volunteer
I help people and and I’m a good influence. I help the little kids. When I’m doing stuff right, they can repeat the stuff I do.
DB, Family House Construction Worker
I am not a hero saving people, but I do a lot of hero work in [the Family Resource House].
CeCe, Community Wellness Worker
I think my personality is what makes me a hero. Some superheroes have a special thing that they do, for me, I naturally bring people out of their shells, make them comfortable.
PawPaw, Peace Campus Construction Worker
I just wanted to change and make a change in the neighborhood. I wanted to turn the negatives into positives. That’s all. Losing all my homies... This Peace House has helped a lot of people. They’ve helped people get in schools, cribs, jobs, all types of stuff you know what I’m saying? I just wanted a better life, that’s all. I wanted to start doing positive stuff. It took a long time for me to do it, but… It’s just a blessing to be here.
Sanaa, Summer of Hope camper
I can find the positive and negative in everything. If somebody’s having a bad day, they try to put that down, I won’t let that negative energy put me down. I won’t let that negative energy transfer because energy can’t be made it can only be transferred.
Marie, Wisdom Council
We have to stay focused, and keep the young people over there focused because they get out of line sometimes
Karen, Family Wellness Coordinator
Being selfless and optimistic and hopeful. In the work that I do, I bring love to the people I come in contact with. I empower them. Even people with the smallest of hope, I am inspired by seeing the light in their eyes.
Delois, Peace Gardener
I don’t see myself as a hero. I just do this because it’s my love for my community. I don’t have any words for it.
Jesse, Community Wellness Worker
I don’t see myself as a hero, I see myself as a people’s person. I just try to stay on people’s best side and help out in whatever way I can.
JuJu, Summer of Hope camper
Y’all teach me about what respect means and how we use respect with others. For example, if I say ‘She’s ugly!’ You say, ‘That’s not nice.’ So I’ll say, ‘I’m sorry.’
Shelley, Children's Tutor
I wear all kinds of hats. As an educator, you have to be the mom, the nurse, the psychologist, and more.
Jaylen, Summer of Hope camper
I can share and be respectful.
Robyn, Summer of Hope counselor
There are kids here who want to be biochemical engineers. Vets. This is not things that they see. But that they feel. They need the right push, they need the right motivation. We need to let them know that, Love is behind you. This is your village. It takes all of us to help you succeed. Not just your mom and your dad, but your community.
Miracle, Summer of Hope camper
My granny and my grandma are my heroes, because they make me safe and they give me clothes.
Willie, Strive to Thrive participant
It ain’t what I came from, it’s where I’m headed.
Heaven, Summer of Hope camper
Ms Robyn is my hero because she’s always happy.
Noah, Nature Playlot Construction Worker
I feel like I can help the youths visualize their future. I don’t want them fallin’ instead of progressin’. I want to motivate them, tell them to move forward. I break down my history and tell them not to follow my footsteps. “Y’all don’t want to be like me, selling drugs, dropping out of school, ending up in penitentiary”
Karl, Strive to Thrive participant
Neighborhood hero? I ain’t no hero. My kids are my heroes. They are the ones that make me wake up every morning. I know I gotta wake up even if I don’t feel like giving them my time.
Sister
I love talking to people. I love telling them my story and telling them about my God.
Baby G, Peace Campus Construction Worker
Being a part of something and sticking through it makes me a hero.
Reese, Summer of Hope Counselor
My ability to speak out and help others. I think I do what I do because I have siblings that look up to me; I want them to go down the path they want to go down, the good path.
Neveah, Summer of Hope Camper
My friends are my heroes because I've known them a long time.
Clarence, Peace Campus Construction Worker
I do my work, I’m always on time. I have tough skin like a gladiator. I wake up everyday….I would do anything for my family. I wake up everyday, am working everyday not for myself but for my family. I know the streets, I know the drug game, but I always wanted to be the father that I never had. It ain’t easy. Some people take one step at a time, but I take it inch by inch. I don’t rush myself, I take my time and make it right. I stay out of trouble. My kids think I’m a superhero, they think I can flip cars.
D'anta, Community Storyteller
I put a lot of time in and I really work hard for what I want in life.
Peace, Director of Community Engagement
I can immerse myself and manifest myself into anything that I want to be.
Ora, Wisdom Council
It’s been quite a journey. My children grew up in this neighborhood. My two older boys were born in this neighborhood. Public serving is something that I have always done, and I am continuing it here.
Speedy, Strive to Thrive participant
We aren’t just stuck in this big bubble. We need to get out of the bubble and go other places.
Meco, Strive to Thrive participant
My mind and my gut is what guides me everyday. You know, I listen to people, but every day I wake up and I look to my guardian angels, and I think about them everyday, the people that I’ve lost.
Khafre, Strive to Thrive Volunteer
I am empowering myself and others to achieve everything they want in life.
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