Changes in Demographics of Chicago Suburbs

This week I saw an article in the Chicago SunTimes showing how dozens of Chicago suburbs have shifted to majority nonwhite over the past 36 years. That article is now on the WBEZ site, too.  It includes three interactive maps that show changes since 1990.

Read the article and view the maps at this link.

I've followed this shift for many years.  In 2007 we held our Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference in the South Suburbs and created this map and blog article.

Since then I've updated these articles and these articles on the MappingforJustice blog, as I've found new research showing demographic changes in the Chicago suburbs and in other cities around the USA.  

When we held the 2007 conference in Olympia Fields one of our goals was to find partners who would help us learn about any volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs already operating in the suburbs, and who would use the ideas shared at the conferences and on our website to build new programs were needed.

I still have not found anyone collecting and sharing this information. 

The map below shows locations of volunteer-based tutor, mentor programs in my database.  Visit this site and find a link to the interactive map and to my lists of Chicago area programs, which is organized by sections of the city and suburbs.

While the WBEZ map shows the demographic mix in the suburbs it does not show the economic diversity.  I've seen that on other maps, but can't find one right now.  Without an overlay that shows where poverty is most concentrated, by zip code, it's difficult to know where long-term volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs are needed.

If you've a map that shows this please share the link in the comments. 

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