Summers in Pilsen are filled with activities and events for youth, and this year is no different. The Resurrection Project’s (TRP) partnership with One Summer Chicago (OSC) provides youth with an internship opportunity that allows them to engage and take ownership of their community during the summer. OSC is a city-wide initiative led by the City of Chicago, and this is the second year that TRP collaborates with the program.
General requirements include being a Chicago resident between the ages of 14 and 24, having permission to participate from a parent or guardian (if under the age of 18), and completing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s One Summer Chicago online application. Some of the work involves camps, sports, arts, and recreational programs offered in the community.
Genesis Ramirez, an intern participating this year says she enjoys working with the Resurrection Basketball League (RBL) on Fridays and is glad that One summer Chicago placed her with TRP “I love what we are doing.  Partnering with the organization allows us to gain important skills and experience for the future,” said Genesis, who like other youth in the Pilsen community, learned about OSC through organizations like ElevArte and Instituto del Progreso Latino.
Luis Bermudez, Director of Neighborhood Collaborations and Partnerships at TRP, describes this internship opportunity as a “workforce development program that arms our youth with information to be active advocates in the community.”  According to Bermudez, the interns that were placed with TRP participate in developmental workshops before they head to their designated work areas. In these workshops they learn about mental health, stress management, domestic violence, financial empowerment, community organizing, and much more.
The age of the 43 interns ranges from 17 to 22 and most of them reside in the Pilsen and Back of the Yards neighborhoods. Bermudez explains that this program is so strong that it could lead to youth leadership collaboration to create advocates and stewards of community organizing.  In order to keep the youth engaged after the internship, efforts are being put forth to create a fall program, maintain contact with the interns to keep them informed, and provide them with more volunteer opportunities.
Other programs that TRP collaborates with are After School Matter, ComEd’s Electrical Engineering program, Art for Action, and Project Inspiration that teaches 5^th-8^th graders coding and graphic design.
To learn more about One Summer Chicago visit www.onesummerchicago.org.