Voices of the community: shaping the Obama Presidential Center
Get to know the inspiring community members behind the Obama Presidential Center
On September 28, 2021, we officially broke ground on the Obama Presidential Center. Located in the heart of Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, the Center is a place where people from across the street and around the world can come, share ideas, and create the world we all want to live in. As we continue to build the Center, the Obama Foundation has worked hand-in-hand with community members to create a new home for the city of Chicago that addresses the desires and aspirations of its residents.
At its core, the story of the Obama Presidential Center is the story of the South Side. The Center will champion the values and beliefs of the community: over the past year, we have conducted roundtables with Chicago residents, gathering knowledge that will help ensure that the Center will be a place where South Siders have a say and a voice. From the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit & Vegetable Garden to the newest Chicago Library branch, this new global site will give everyone the opportunity to bring change home.
Take a look at some of the stories from a few of our community members and get inspired.
Meet Melanie Moore
“I'm most excited about the gardens, because I'm a gardener and I have a plot in the community garden, not a block from my house. I'm super excited about having the garden there and learning about vegetables and fruits, and just seeing the Obamas continue their efforts around healthy eating.”
“ I'm super excited about having the garden there and learning about vegetables and fruits, and just seeing the Obamas continue their efforts around healthy eating.”
–Melanie Moore
Patrician Haywood
“One thing I was very excited about is that a majority of the Center is free... I know a lot of families are struggling, so to be able to take your children somewhere where you don't have to worry about the cost, that was very exciting.”
Willa Marie Fox Burton
“I'm president of the co-op. I've lived there for 42 years when we first opened and built. It's a great community, and what this library is going to do for it is going to make it even greater.”
“ It's a great community, and what this library is going to do for it is going to make it even greater.”
–Willa Marie Fox Burton
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Community & the Obama Presidential Center
- First Look
- Building the Center