April 17, 2007
Chicago's Focus on the Olympics Draws Criticism
Dan Bassill, founder of a volunteer program in Chicago, isn’t particularly heartened by the news that his city is a finalist to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Mr. Bassill, chief executive of the Tutor/Mentor Connection, says he would much rather see Chicago philanthropists dedicate themselves to improving the conditions for the needy than on financing a big-money effort to land a major international sporting event.
Instead of competing for the Olympics, he proposes a competition to reward cities for creating programs to help young people in high-poverty neighborhoods, he writes on his blog, Tutor Mentor Connection.
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Peter, I’m not really cricitical of Chicago competing to host the Olympics. I’m really happy about it.
Every time a story is written that shows how much work an athlete puts into winning a gold medal, I and other non profit leaders can write blog articles asking if business, non profit and faith leaders are working just as hard to make non-school learning supports available to kids in every high poverty neighborhood of Chicago.
— Dan Bassill Apr 20, 02:59 PM #
Dan
Sorry if I misread the intent of your piece.
— Peter Panepento Apr 21, 01:40 PM #
Dan’s challenge is posed for all of us. It’s great that his post is getting attention. If we look for controversy everywhere we are sure to find it even when it isn’t present.
What can the Chronicle do better in this regard? I think there are lessons to be learned in the positive media movement.
I’m not a pollyanna. There are likely some significant factors regarding the Olympic bid that deserve critical exploration.
The Olympics should bring out our best. Dan’s call should rouse in us that aspiration for addressing the most pressing circumstances in our society.
April 20 the eChicago Symposium was convened at Dominican University, April 20-21 a conference was convened by “A View from the Ground” at the University of Chicago on the 8 blocks of public housing known as Stateway Gardens, and April 21-22 Chicago hosts the Green Festival.
Each event has a deep and conscious grounding in questions of social justice. It feels like many of us are waking up and coming together.
Chicago presents itself as a global city, and aspires to being the greenest city. Calls for sustainable living, living well together and building the Chicago we want are bringing our attention to our institutions and questions of social justice.
Philanthropy can take a more prominent role in this blurring of the lines between Environmental, Media, Technology, and Social Justice movements.
This convergence of movements is happening anyway, so let’s come together with Olympic aspirations in all that we do, whether we’re in Chicago or not.
— Michael Maranda Apr 22, 10:41 AM #