Chicago teens tell City Council lack of youth spaces fuels teen takeovers

CHICAGO - Teenagers from across Chicago told City Council members the city needs more safe spaces that are free, accessible and open later into the evening.

What we know:

On Wednesday, several teenagers from youth organizations argued that a lack of youth-focused spaces is contributing to large gatherings often referred to as teen trends or teen takeovers. The discussion took place during a City Council subcommittee hearing on youth employment and youth engagement that lasted several hours.

Young people who testified said many teenagers simply want places where they can meet friends, connect with other teenagers and enjoy the city without feeling unwelcome or unfairly targeted.

Several described being excluded from public spaces because of their age. One teenager pointed to mall policies that prohibit people under 18 from entering after 4 p.m. without an adult, while others said they have experienced restrictions at restaurants and other gathering places.

Many of them argued that teenagers are often criticized for gathering in public, while not being provided with enough dedicated spaces of their own.

"Teenagers deserve a space where they can just relax and be authentically themselves without feeling policed or controlled by adults," said Jailyn Mendez, a youth leader with the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

Mendez said many longstanding community spaces have disappeared over the years.

"These spaces also need to be free and be able to withstand years because many spaces such as the Boys & Girls Club and Palmer Square have been shut down. La Casa Puertorriqueña in Humboldt Park on California and Crystal have been shut down, and we are constantly losing community spaces," she said.

Youth advocates repeatedly stressed that violence associated with some teen gatherings was never the goal and that a small number of individuals are often responsible for incidents that receive public attention.

"They took all the free spaces from us, and they expect us to not go to the beach or go downtown, but there's nowhere for us to connect or meet new people," said Fabian Walker, a youth peacekeeper with GoodKids MadCity.

Calls for more youth investment

Teenagers and youth leaders offered several ideas for programming they believe would attract young people, including dances, live music, DJs, creative spaces and late-night activities.

Damarrion Spann of My Block My Hood My City urged city leaders to invest more heavily in youth programs and organizations that already serve young people.

"The real trend is that when you give young people community, we rise," Spann said. "When you open school buildings after hours, when you support organizations like My Block My Hood My City that's already doing the work, we show up."

Deja Williams, a youth peacekeeper with GoodKids MadCity, said the focus should be about creating welcoming environments rather than relying solely on enforcement.

"Safety comes from creating environments where teens feel welcomed, respected and protected," Williams said. "Instead of focusing on restrictions, we should be focused on creating more opportunities for young people."

Several speakers also raised concerns about how teenagers, particularly teens of color, are portrayed after large gatherings.

"There is not this type of backlash when majority white teenagers are gathering downtown for St. Patrick's Day or Lollapalooza," Mendez said. "There are no police officers awaiting their arrest. There is no one in the media portraying them as criminals."

Alders seek balance

Many alderpersons agreed the city needs to create more opportunities for young people and better understand what teenagers are looking for.

Ald. Julia Ramirez, 12th Ward said some city-sponsored youth events fail to attract teenagers because they do not reflect the activities young people actually want. 

At the same time, some alders like Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward, cautioned against overlooking the violence, arrests and property damage that have accompanied some gatherings. She said city leaders must be honest about the challenges facing neighborhoods.

"We can't have this conversation with blinders on because we've got people who are my age, for example, who are concerned about people jumping on cars and running into stores and taking things out of the stores because that has impact also on the economies of our communities," Dowell said.

Dowell referenced recent incidents tied to teen gatherings, including a gathering at 57th Street Beach where Chicago police recovered dozens of firearms.

"I appreciate the beginnings of this conversation," Dowell said. "But we have to be clear-eyed about this and not just have blinders on about just because we improve these spaces and give young kids things to do, that it is going to solve what we see happening in the city of Chicago."

She also said parents must be part of the conversation moving forward.

"We have to work more with parents," Dowell said. "I want to be supportive of this, but we have to do it in a way that's balanced."

What's next:

The hearing ended without a vote, but alders signaled that they want the conversation to continue.

Ald. Jessie Fuentes said she hopes the discussion helps city leaders better understand what young people are experiencing and encourages residents to listen to teenagers' concerns.

Representatives from the Chicago Park District also highlighted programs they say are working, including late-night open gyms. One official pointed to a basketball program that stayed open until midnight and attracted more than 300 young people.

As City Council continues discussing youth engagement, many of the teenagers who testified said the solution starts with something simple: giving young people more places where they can safely gather, be themselves and feel welcome.