I recently met with members of Rosenwald for All, a group of residents concerned that the local infrastructure is inadequate to support the redevelopment of the Rosenwald Apartments, 47th and Michigan, for its proposed use as senior and low-income housing.
The existence of food deserts in major cities has been questioned recently by academics, but food deserts are a perceived reality to residents of many urban neighborhoods, including the 47th and Michigan area.
Several residents of a nearby condo association, on the theory that it’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness, have built raised planters in their parking lot and planted an oasis of fresh herbs and vegetables in their food desert.
Before setting out for a walk around the Rosenwald Apartments, we stopped at a condo owned by Kevin, a member of Rosenwald for All, to sample the fruits of his condo association’s garden and chat about the local food desert.
The Bronzeville Alliance is encouraging corner stores to stock more fresh fruit as part of an effort to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity in the area.
See more from Bronzeville at this YouTube channel.