The Westside

Situated just a few miles west of downtown Chicago, the Westside is an area of great extremes. The area is notorious for crime and poverty, but how much is known of its vibrant history or its African-American and Latino cultures? In 2007, the Westside area was bursting with the promise of new development and growth. With the economic downturn, the communities of the Westside were hit hard. New developments came to a halt. However, residents of the area are accustomed to struggle and strife. On 26th Street and other business districts of the Westside, locally owned businesses are surviving with the support of the community despite the few vacant storefronts that dot the landscape like drowsy eyes. My photographs depict the traces of care and neglect in the Westside landscape and the rich culture that exists in these communities. Through my continued work on this subject, I hope to create a document of the real Chicago – a microcosmic portrait of working class America.