Neighborhoods: North Lawndale

I just have to point out that there is no South Lawndale. There probably was one at some point, but right now there is only a North Lawndale in Chicago, which is on the south side of Chicago. This might also be a good time to mention that Chicago has three sides: North, South, and West (the East side is the lake). Although the north/south binary pops up pretty often, North Lawndale is technically more of an East Side neighborhood than anything else. The division between South, East, and North can be a bit confusing, much like the delineations between neighborhoods themselves.

North Lawndale is directly south of us. It's divided from East Garfield Park by I-290, the Expressway I travel next to every day on the Blue Line. Without 290 to separate the neighborhoods, a casual observer would have problems differentiating between it and East Garfield Park. However, for us the division is pretty simple -- Lawndale is where you go to do laundry, or eat out without getting on a train. Lawndale has been the center of what is officially termed Asset-Based Development, and what locals call the Lawndale Miracle. Simply put, the biggest asset Lawndale has is its people, many of whom do not have steady jobs but certainly have time and willpower. The Lawndale Community Church recognized that most of its congregation was in need of basic neighborhood amenities like affordable housing, medical care, and places to eat and socialize. The church also recognized that the people of Lawndale were more than capable of starting these projects for themselves, provided that they could secure funding. Through generous donations from other churches, businesses, and individuals, Lawndale Community Church has ushered in a pizza place, clinic, and a gym which we'll probably join after the holidays. The church defines the community in ways which aren't immediately noticeable from an outsider's perspective, but are present throughout the neighborhood.

For me, the most pertinent fact about Lawndale is not its strength of community, but its conveniently-close laundromat. Today, for the first time, I went to do my laundry by myself. Although we've been doing laundry at the same laundromat for three months, I asked my roommates for directions several times before I left the house. As anybody who's lived with me can tell you, I have serious problems with directions. My current roommates have charitably decided that the problem only occurs when sitting in a vehicle, as if I could walk to Lawndale without calling for directions. I'm unclear as to whether they believe that I have problems only in cars or also in public transport, but it doesn't really matter. Regardless of where I am and how I'm going someplace, I have directional issues. The laundromat is on two well-known streets, and requires three turns to get there. Despite this fact, I managed to get turned around leaving the laundromat's parking lot. I've learned a lot about navigating Chicago in these past three months, probably more than I learned in four years of undergrad. Still, baby steps. Maybe by the end of the year I can do laundry without having to ask for help before I leave.