PUBLISHER’S NOTES
Chicagoans don’t define themselves as Chicagoans. We isolate ourselves in
accordance to geographical or community boundaries. We say we’re from
the north, south, east, or west sides, but this mindset limits and restricts our
opportunities and possibilities to our immediate vicinity. My Block, My Hood,
My City is a vessel to introduce Chicagoans to places in their City they’ve
never seen or experienced.
By stepping just outside your neighborhood, you can experience different
cultures, different languages, different perspectives, and different ideas.
Every one of us has the opportunity to travel the world without leaving
Chicago––and see just how interconnected our hood is to the communities
that surround us, near and far. I want all of us, this whole city together,
to rise above and make Chicago a stellar example of what a truly
interconnected city can look like. Because when we expose ourselves to
each other’s cultures, heritages, and ideas, we no longer see ourselves as
residents of different communities––we’ll see ourselves as part of a greater
whole, united for a common purpose.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, Chicago is only as strong as its
most under-resourced community.
Jahmal Cole
2
Founder | Publisher
My Block, My Hood, My City