Rich neighborhood. Poor neighborhood. Chicago map

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Last November I used this image in an article on the MappingforJustice blog to introduce an ESRI story map focusing on wealth inequality in American cities. Since then I've added a few updates at the bottom of the article, with links to other stories that include similar information.

Today Crain's Chicago Business published a version of the same storymap, focused on Chicago. Below is a tweet announcing this.

Chicago's wealth divide => Rich and poor areas are closer than you might think. Explore the lines with our map: https://t.co/39x300MUaM

— Crain's Chicago (@CrainsChicago) June 28, 2017

Leo and Dan - 1973

I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993 after being part of a volunteer-based tutor/mentor program in Chicago since 1973. It was my long-term involvement that led me to read more, learn more and care more about making mentor rich programs available in more high poverty neighborhoods.

All of the articles on this blog and on the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC web site focus on actions that make great mentor-rich programs available in more places, by engaging volunteers who will care more and do more, just as I have been engaged.

Put yourself in middle.

That's the real issue. Not enough people and businesses and faith groups are doing nearly enough, on a consistent, on-going basis, to turn the information from articles like the Crain's story into acts of personal on-going responsibility.

If you want to learn more, skim through articles I've written in the past month, and in past years. Then create a discussion group with people who can help, reading these articles, and talking about ways they can help youth in one or more different neighborhoods, by helping needed youth serving and jobs building programs grow in more of the high poverty areas shown on these maps.

Want my help? I'd be happy to be part of your brainstorming.