Latino center raises debate
January 15, 2002
In a move that brought heated discussion, community service planner Sue Guio unveiled a proposal for a partnership between DeKalb, NIU, Kishwaukee College and various other organizations to create a community center at Monday’s City Council meeting.
Not everyone agreed that the community center would be a good idea.
The center, as originally conceived, is to be a DeKalb Latino Community Center operated by Conexion Comunidad.
Fifth ward Ald. Pat Conboy said he would be interested in a community center, but not a center for a particular ethnic group.
Second ward Ald. Steve Kapitan echoed him.
“I recognize there are barriers Latinos have to cross, and I have Latino constituents, but Latinos need to reach out to a center welcoming Anglos. I have been trying to establish a relationship between the Pleasant Street Association and Conexion Comunidad,” Kapitan said.
“I was only concerned when I saw [the proposed center] would only serve one population. What are they going to do to open the facility to the broader community?” Pleasant Street resident Harold Russie asked of the council. “There are already programs at Saint Mary’s Church and elsewhere that cater exclusively to this population.”
Carrie Anderson, also a Pleasant Street resident and a Program Specialist with NIU’s International Student & Faculty office, followed him saying, “We need to make the facility open to the whole community.”
Michael J. Gonzales, professor of history and director of NIU’s Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, then responded to the comments by Russie and Anderson.
“It was a group of Latinos and other people who were concerned with Latino issues who initiated the proposal. I can’t speak for Phyllis Cunningham and other people who were involved with the planning, but speaking for myself, I have no problem with the broader community getting involved,” he said.
“According to the official 2000 census records, 12 percent of DeKalb’s population was Latino, but considering many undocumented people weren’t counted, Latinos may actually account for 20 percent of the population,” Gonzales said.
Services provided by the center would include English as a Second Language classes, counseling, job training and immunization.
“I think this is a good idea,” 1st ward Ald. Andy Small said. “Presumably, these people would pay rent while putting the building to use.”
Mayor Greg Sparrow concluded the discussion with the remark, “Let me just say I think the initial goal was to build a resource center for the whole community.”
After the meeting, George Gutierrez, director of NIU’s University Resources for Latinos, explained that the various services at the proposed center would be orchestrated by Conexion Comunidad.
The organization, which is composed mostly of Mexican women, is spearheaded by Phyllis Cunningham of NIU’s Adult & Health Education counseling office, with advice from Gutierrez.
It has not been resolved who would manage the facility.
Gutierrez redesigned the board for the proposed center to defuse protest. Instead of being dominated by local clergymen, it would have a more diverse group of individuals, representing both NIU and Kishwaukee, government agencies, social service agencies and private corporations, as well as churches.
One way Gutierrez suggested that Conexion Comunidad might raise money to pay the rent on the facility would be to sublease rooms.
“I’m glad that those two people [Russie and Anderson] and Alderman Kapitan brought up the issue of integration. I foresaw already that the center would not succeed as a strictly Latino center. If we make it too Latino, the community won’t go for it, and we’ll have a problem. My experience with [University Resources for Latinos] is that Latinos were isolated in the center. The services will be open to everyone.”
Gutierrez added, “The city would provide support with planning, technical assistance, plus very minimal financial support.”