A Chat with Cyndee Fox-Starr from the American Indian Center

On Thursday, June 18, 2009 I met with Cyndee from the American Indian Center (AIC) to discuss the relationship between the Chicago Cultural Alliance and the AIC.

We started by getting an overview of what the AIC does and who they serve. It's mission is to keep the Center going for the Native Community, as an area to practice culture away from reservations. With a silent divide between urban natives and those living on reservations, the Center is also there to educate non-native community. The AIC provides social services not only to the native community within Chicago, but also provides education through teachings the basics of many of the different tribes represented through the AIC. With well over 500 different tribes in the native community, the AIC has a wealth of experiences to instruct to both children and young adults. Cyndee, who has been involved in the AIC her entire life, knows that teens and young adults are less likely to become involved in gangs when they have this cultural connection to their ancestry that the AIC provides. The AIC teaches children to respect the earth, through conserving water and understanding the different trees and plants. They currently have a native medicine garden surrounding the building, where children are taught the traditional medicinal purpose of the plants native to this area.

Cyndee's parents were both involved in the American Indian Center and she has always been a part of the AIC. She finds seeing children having respect for both their elders and the planet the most rewarding part of her work and her children are involved in the AIC. While everyone is not a part of the same tribe, the AIC acts as an extended family for the natives living in Chicago and the suburbs.

The Chicago Cultural Alliance has been an asset to Cyndee and the American Indian Center because of the workshops that are held, and the relationship-building that it has fostered. She is participating in the Talking Im/migration workshops as a facilitator, and the AIC had been involved in the Cultural Connections programs. The Alliance has meant that the different ethnicities are able to share their different cultures, and through that they see more similarities than differences. The Alliance helps the AIC become more visible and has helped people form new contacts all over the city of Chicago.

Talking Im/migration Facilitator Training Workshop

On Monday, May 18, 2009 the Chicago Cultural Alliance's first facilitator training workshop for the Talking Im/migration series happened at The Field Museum. This all day event was attending by representatives from the four pilot sites for the Talking Im/migration dialogues, the Cambodian American Heritage Museum, Polish Museum of America, the Swedish American Museum, and the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society. These four sites will be putting together 2 dialogues each with their community on immigration. Also in attendance was representatives from the facilitating members, who were there to be trained to assist the pilot sites in facilitating their dialogues. The Indo-American Heritage Museum, the American Indian Center, Bronzeville Historical Society, and Chinese-American Museum of Chicago, will be the four facilitating members.

The workshop ran from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and many topics were covered. A review of articles on immigration and civic engagement started a great discussion amongst the group. A trip into the museum to the thresholds case was an illustration of different object related to different immigrant and cultural experiences. The workshop concluded with the facilitator training and general outreach strategies. The 4 pilot sites will now have to hold two dialogues over the summer with people from their community who do not normally participate with their organization. This is an exciting capacity building program developed through the Chicago Cultural Alliance with the support of The Field Museum.