Community activist Jahmal Cole launches project of living in and exploring Chicago's 77 communities
A well-known community activist is on a mission to really get to know Chicago.
Meet Jahmal Cole, who is eight months into a six-and-a-half-year journey exploring every single neighborhood in the city.
The school day at North Lawndale College Prep is off to an unexpected start.
Students like Keyshaun Hughes didn't expect an inspiring visit from a guy who's used to exceeding expectations.
"If you do more than people expect, it's the best investment you can make in your future," Cole said.
He is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit My Block My Hood My City.
"My Block My Hood My City, our philosophy is 15 words y'all. It's like, what's something simple I can do that will make a positive impact on my block?" he said.
He's stopped by the school to share his story and his project.
"I'm living in North Lawndale for the month, and so I want to know about the good things happening here, not the bad stuff," Cole said.
In February, he started Live77—an ambitious project to not only visit all 77 Chicago neighborhoods, but to live a month in each one.
"First month was South Shore. The next month was Pullman. The third month was Uptown. The fourth month was Humboldt Park. The fifth month was Rogers Park. The sixth month was Portage Park. The seventh month was Chicago Lawn, and now the eighth month I'm in North Lawndale," he said.
He will be living in each of the 77 community areas in the city in different Airbnbs in an effort to find the good things about each community and then connect people to the power in those areas.
How long will this project take?
"It's going to take me six years and five months, but this is month eight, so there's about five years and ten more months, God willing," Cole said.
He is about two weeks into his month-long stay in North Lawndale. He's learning and he's teaching, hoping to inspire kids to exceed expectations.
"Like I didn't think nothing good was going to happen today, like it did today," Hughes said.
After North Lawndale, Cole's next stop will be Hegewisch on the city's Far South Side.