Key to our success is creating opportunities to identify resident leaders and then developing their advocacy skills to strengthen the communities where they live. In 2023, Mercy Housing Lakefront introduced Community Connect, quarterly gatherings across our properties that bring residents together to discuss shared interests and concerns and provide mutual aid. While every resident has a meaningful role in the group, several residents have emerged as leaders who encourage participation and identify topics for discussion.

To foster the leadership capacity of these emerging resident leaders, we’ve partnered with United Power for Action and Justice (United Power), a nonpartisan community organization.

On April 29, 28 Mercy Housing Lakefront residents participated in a United Power leadership training where they gained practical skills to identify community issues, build relationships with their neighbors, organize residents around shared concerns, and strengthen leadership within their buildings.

After the training, participants shared that they felt empowered to act on issues that are important to them. Mercy Housing Lakefront will continue to partner with United Power and other groups to provide leadership development training and support resident leaders who are working to make their communities stronger.

What these leaders learned

“We are South Loop…I want people to recognize that we are people. Don’t look at us as a stigma cause we’re not. We are a community inside of a community. We have a lot of good people.”

“I learned how to go about helping the community and that all of us have to get together to help the community – to get the transportation, housing, and mental facilities for whoever needs them.”

“Knowledge is power. I felt hopeful because I felt powerful with the tools that were given – the information, the education, the teaching, the learning; all of us in the room, collaborating, working together, and brainstorming as different ideas were coming from different people.”

– Leevora, Holland Apartments resident

“It’s important because it’s getting close to your neighbor and getting to know the people in your community to help you with resources and information and to make friends. It’s being involved in the community. You have a voice.”