The Chicago Project

The Chicago Project

Student Quotes

2007

 

 

 

First Night in North Lawndale

 

“I saw posters with children on them saying “Don’t shoot” because they want to grow up and I heard sirens in the back ground”

Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

“Within one block I saw four boarded up churches and one boarded up police building. That was very upsetting!”

Joel Loiacono, 2007    

 

 

“I am outside my comfort zone”

                                                                                                Jake Brown, 2007

 

 

 

Guest Speaker: Ms. Grant (North Lawndale Community Church)

 

“We have been studying poverty and ways to solve it for quite a long time.  There were things that you said that made a lot of sense and also lined up with our model of what causes poverty.”

                                                                                                Chris Null, 2007

 

 

“I’ve studied poverty and things for some time now and what you are doing corresponds with a lot of the solutions we came to.”

                                                                                                Jacob Brown, 2007

 

 

“In the health center I saw a bunch of kids coming out with smiles and I think that is a good thing.”

                                                                                                Brianna Williams, 2007

 

 

 

 

Guest Speaker: Tyla Abercrumbie and (Spoken Word Artists)

 

“Poetry comes from the heart, and that must mean that yours is huge. The words you threw together will probably weigh and stay with me forever.”

                                                                                                Chris Null, 2007

 

 

“As a poet and writer of sorts you really inspired me to try to be more confident about performing.”

                                                                                                Jasmine Patalon, 2007

 

 

“Seeing someone get up in front of people and have the courage to reveal themselves like that is inspiring.  I can only hope I’ll be able to do that with what I write.”

                                                                                                Stefanie Lukcas, 2007

 

 

“As an artist you inspired me to be more confident about sharing my background for the purpose of helping others.”

                                                                                                Jasmine Patalon

 

 

 

Operation P.U.S.H.

 

“I learned that Operation P.U.S.H. is trying to improve media views of poorer communities.”

                                                                                                Brittany Bateman, 2007

 

 

 

Guest Speaker: Officer Pat Hill

 

“There is still a lot of discrimination on the police force.”

Stefanie Lukacs, 2007

 

 

 

Guest Speaker: Minister Ishmael R. Mohammad (Nation of Islam)

 

“ OMG!! It was nothing like I expected”

Niki Roosa, 2007

 

 

“I absolutely loved the Nation of Islam, he taught me a lot of thing I didn’t know about the Nation of Islam, and the religion of Islam itself.”

                                                                        Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

“I feel that you were truthful when you talk about why you thought that we are American, and that there is no difference. Thanks for being right about us.”

                                                                                                Whitney Baker, 2007

 

 

 

 

“You took the time to fully talk to us, and did not do so as though we were children, but rather like we were adults. And I hope that one day everyone can live together peacefully, with no prejudice, and full equality.”

                                                                                                Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

“You fixed my views of what I thought Muslims were.  I walked in scared but I walked out with new friends.”

                                                                                                Jacob Brown, 2007

 

 

“I don’t believe they hate white people, but that they are more concerned with helping their own kind than anyone else.”

                                                                        Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

 

Cook County Jail

 

“The inmates are stuck in that pattern. Especially with a couple of the inmates, I really felt for them.”                                                   

Stefanie Lukacs, 2007

 

 

“The criminal justice system is supposed to help clean up the streets and make the community a better place. In all actually, the return rate of inmates is so high that obviously, not enough is being done to keep them out.”

Jasmine Patalon, 2007

 

 

“I think they need to supply a support system for the inmates after they get out of jail to keep them from getting put back in.”

                                                                        Brianna Williams, 2007

 

 

“I learned that the people staying there are just like you and me.   They also have families and people who love them just the same.”

                                                                                                Tiffany Brooks, 2007

 

 

“Thank you for letting us talk to some of the inmates.  From what I heard they are just trying to take care of their family the only way they know how.”

                                                                                                Teaonno Gaines, 2007

 

 

“Talking to the officers and inmates I realized not all the inmates were bad people, but just people who made bad choices.”

                                                                                                Stefanie Lukcas, 2007

 

 

“I have been in a jail before, but I have never had the full experience that I had today with you and your inmates.”

                                                                                                Whitney Baker, 2007

 

“After being in there and hearing what people can and can’t do makes me never want to go in there.”

                                                                                                Bob Battigaglia, 2007

 

 

 

Breaking Ground:  Valid Concerns Group

 

“The thing that I liked what I heard was that they all grew close to god during their struggle.”

Niki Roosa, 2007

 

 

“I realized how hard life was for them.”

                                                                        Stefanie Lukacs, 2007

 

 

“Through you, I can now look back and realize things I must not do to keep myself out of trouble.”

                                                                                                Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

“If more people could just see the ways you guys see things, it could change a lot.”

                                                                                                Bob Battigaglia, 2007

 

 

 

Marshall High School: Before Going

 

“I feel like I am not going to fit in and I am going to be made fun of and called names like cracker. I also think I am going to see fights and see a lot of gangs.”

Brianna Williams, 2007

 

 

 I will see a lot of hatred towards me because I am white”

                                                                        Joel Loiancono, 2007

 

 

“There are not too many people that could respect the fact that we are white coming into an all black school.”

                                                                        Whitney Baker, 2007

 

 

 

Marshall High School: After

 

“All my stereo types were wiped away.”

                                                                        Brittany Bateman, 2007

 

 

 

“…She accepted me with no issues and she was a great person.”

Lindsey Belcher, 2007

 

 

“I think that coming here will change my mind for the rest of my life.”

                                                                                                Tiffany Brooks, 2007

 

 

 

Guest Speaker:  Ira Rogers

 

“You said greed is a cause of poverty.  That is deep and true!  Our country has to change to be able to except all as equal.”

                                                                                                Brittany Bateman, 2007

 

 

“I will research a whole lot more on the subject presented last night and then give you a call to ask some more questions.”

                                                                                                Chris Null, 2007

 

 

“From now on I'm not going to waist my time passing the time until my funeral. I need to do some searching to find what it is I need to do.”

                                                                                                Jasmine Patalon, 2007

 

 

“You opened my eyes to be able to see for myself.”

                                                                                                Niki Roosa, 2007

 

 

 

Ear Candy Spoken Word Poetry Group

 

“You have all influenced me to express my feelings through poetry.”

                                                                                                Brittany Bateman, 2007

 

 

“You showed me I could change my life - realize the music that is around us and what we are listening to. You inspired me to be a person who will speak out.”

                                                                                                Whitney Baker, 2007

 

 

“I’m going to look up some venues in my neighborhood and also start reading in my youth group at church. I’m actually really grateful that a few of you pushed me a little to sing to. I never would have if you hadn’t.”

                                                                                                Jasmine Patalon, 2007

 

 

“From what I can see, poems, music, and church are a way for people to get away from there problems. A way for them to get there feelings out instead of taking it out on each other. We need more places for people to speak.”

                                                                                                Teaonno, 2007

 

 

“I actually started singing passion’s song, “Comings and Goings,” the other day.

                                                                                                Bryanna, 2007

 

 

 

Guest Speaker: Pastor Richard Nelson, D. Min.

 

“He didn’t change my beliefs, but he did strengthen them.”

Niki Roosa, 2007

 

 

“He seemed to actually try and connect with us. He didn’t challenge my views, but rather made me think about them.”

                                                                        Bryanna Riley, 2007

 

 

“I never thought that a Reverend would be like you.  You weren’t tense and talked just like a common Joe.”

                                                                                                Bob Battigaglia, 2007

 

 

 

“You challenged what I said, not to say I was wrong, but to discover why I did the things I did and what was my thought process.”

                                                                                                Bryanna Riley, 2007