Blocks: Small Acts and Community Organizing

This book was the culmination of my Master of Design thesis project at University of Illinois Chicago. Through a series of writings and visual explorations, the book documents conditions in my Chicago neighborhood, Pilsen, during the 2018–2020 timeframe, which included threats to the immigrant community, gentrification, and challenges concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. Through an archive of visual material, the book reveals tensions in the neighborhood, the labor of organizers, community engagement, and small actions people take to create change.