In The News

‘Let this boy make it’ BUILD Highlighted in the Washington Post

By Daniel Perez | June 28, 2018

From his hospital bed, the eighth-grader was already plotting how to kill the kid who had put him there. It had been a month since Latee Smith’s 15th birthday and a week since a bullet blew a hole through his right hip, tearing into muscle and bone and leaving him…

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Area groups look to cover West Side with positivity

By Daniel Perez | June 28, 2018

AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS: A local nonprofit is looking to blanket a portion of the West Side with positivity next month when it hosts its Summer of Opportunity on Aug. 17. The nonprofit BUILD Chicago (short for Broader Urban Involvement & Leadership Development), which focuses on gang intervention, youth development and…

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Hoops in the Hood Officially Kicks Off with Summer of Opportunity Event

By Daniel Perez | June 28, 2018

Hoops in the Hood is about to have its biggest summer ever. The sports-based community safety initiative by LISC Chicago creates safe spaces for youth to interact and build positive relationships with peers and caring adults while making visible use of public spaces and fostering a sense of community. Over the last 12 years,…

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Chicago Anti-Gang Activists Say Facebook Is Used For Harm In Feuds

By Daniel Perez | June 12, 2018

Gangs can do a lot of harm to a community. They’re a big factor in the gun violence problem in Chicago. Newsy’s Jay Strubberg interviewed two intervention specialists with BUILD Chicago. The group tries to stop young people from joining gangs by giving them resources to lead a better life.…

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Jovan Peace Garden in Austin built with help of ABC7, Disney volunteers

By Daniel Perez | June 12, 2018

CHICAGO (WLS) — Employees from Disney and ABC7 came together for a global week of volunteer service. Several ABC7 colleagues are volunteering Thursday help build the Jovan Peace Garden at Build INC youth center in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. The garden is named for the son of a Build INC staff…

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TEENS SHARE INSPIRING STORIES, WIN SCHOLARSHIPS

By neonadmin | May 16, 2018

They have overcome all sorts of challenges – parents divorcing, a father going to prison, multiple moves, bad grades, trouble paying rent and problems with peers. But that’s not what stood out on a recent Thursday night at the headquarters of BUILD, a nonprofit that works with young people in Austin…

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THROUGH BUILD CHICAGO, YOUTH IMPACTED BY GANG LIFE FIND AN ALLY

By neonadmin | May 16, 2018

By Brianna Bilter, Christopher Vazquez and Ben Schachter for MEDILL March 14, 2018 Max Cerda was only 16 years old when he watched two members of his rival gang fire 13 bullets into his brother’s body. He died in Cerda’s arms, squeezing his thumb. Cerda’s brother was not a blood…

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BUILD’S ‘BLACK TABLE’ HIGHLIGHTED IN THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

By neonadmin | May 16, 2018

Read the Sun-Times article here Nearly 20 of the area’s most influential and successful African American leaders spent the afternoon sharing their experiences and tips for success with promising High School youth from across Chicago. The Black Table luncheon organized by BUILD, engages the leaders of today to coach the…

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