CAP assignment

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Name

West Town Neighborhood Review

Course

Institution

Instructor

Date

West Town is a blissful neighborhood located in Chicago, a city in Illinois. The neighborhood is one of the 77 officially designated community areas in Chicago. The neighborhood has an area of 11.84 Km2 that stretches from the Chicago River to the east to the Humboldt Park that forms an irregular western border. Nonetheless, one may find it hard to point out West Town on a map due to the indistinct boundaries as well as the various neighborhoods surrounding it that might cause some confusion. Within the community area, most of the neighborhood was part of the historic Polish Downton.

Race and Ethnicity

Over the years, the community area has been defined and shaped by waves of immigration from various parts of the world. With each immigrant group that came into West Town in the past century, they all seem to have left a relatable mark on the area. For instance, the Polish Downtown gives a hint of the Polish immigrants who have lived in the community since the early 1900s. Additionally, Puerto Ricans, Ukrainians, Germans, Russians, Jews, Italians, Mexicans, Asians, and African-Americans have added unique signatures to West Town that reflect their culture. Most of these ethnic signatures include restaurants, churches, and museums. On the western stripe of West Town, Paseo Boricua, there is a 59-foot steel archway crossing over the road that resembles the Puerto Rican flag.

While driving around the community, one can spot various ethnic eateries such as J.J. Thai Street Food, Funkenhausen (German hotel), Jeong (Korean hotel), Chinese restaurants, and La Scarola (Italian hotel) among many more. Some of the notable museums within the neighborhood include the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, Ukrainian Museum, Polish Museum of America, and the West Town Museum of Cultural History, which has an 80% focus on black history. Additionally, the neighborhood has a Japanese inspired market known as Arigato Market. Therefore, these ethnic ‘landmarks’ tend to speak volumes regarding the racial identity of the community. With an estimated total population of 84,255 people, 62.67% are Whites, 22.68% are Hispanics, 7.01% are Blacks, 4.80% are Asians, while other races make up the other percentage (Statistical Atlas, 2018).

Culture

West Town community maintains a strong cultural identity although the neighborhood has undergone some gentrification as well as demographic transitions over the past few years. Paseo Boricua acts as the cultural capital of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community as well as home to the only museum that celebrates Puerto Rican identity in the US. Taking a stroll within the community, you can see the murals and art inspired by Puerto Rican Heritage.

Infrastructure within West Town has improved over the past ten years and there has been a steady rise in the number of health facilities within the neighborhood. An Ad for UChicago Hospital can be spotted on the side of a building as well as several dentists. Some other notable health facilities within the community include Norwegian Hospital and Erie family health clinics. However, despite the financial and health improvements, many residents within the community, more so people of color, face barriers to optimal health as indicated in a survey conducted by Sinai Urban Health Institute (The Chicago Community Trust, 2018). The survey also indicated that most people of color were worst hit by the low-income crisis as well as food insecurities. The low-income levels amongst some groups within the community are evident as people asking for money can be spotted by the entrance to expressway. The low income and food insecurity cases would heighten the stress levels, thus leading to increased depression cases.

Religion

The West Town community can be regarded to be quite religious, with most of the population subscribing to Christianity. There are several churches within the neighborhood raging from the mainstream churches to the contemporary churches. The notable denominations within the community include the Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Anglican. Other contemporary churches include City Church Chicago, Urban Village Church, Park Community Church, People Church, and many more. Churches do have a positive impact on the community as they try to integrate the diverse groups with some degree of cohesiveness and tenacity.

Politics

Just like any other part of Chicago, West Town is a Democrat stronghold. For most of the 20th and 21st century, Chicago has been dominated by the Democratic Party. During the pandemic, democrat candidates have been spotted running food drives where they help out the community with foodstuffs as part of their campaigns.

Safety

On the other hand, West Town is fairly a safe neighborhood with minimal crime rates. Crime cases are rare and if any, not that serious. Policemen too are pretty much visible and quickly respond whenever you need them. With regard to damaged and vandalized property, some graffiti can be spotted on a fence around an empty lot as well as an old abandoned car. West Town is a calm sub-urban neighborhood that you can freely take a walk without worrying about being mugged. However, it’s good to be cautious on the western side of the community area.

References

“Statistical Atlas” (2018). Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://statisticalatlas.com/neighborhood/Illinois/Chicago/West-Town/Population

“The Chicago Community Trust” (2018). Health & Hunger, Support & Stigma in West Town’s Cultural Heart. Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://www.cct.org/2018/03/health-hunger-support-stigma-in-west-towns-cultural-heart/