Stories
Stories & News
CURL and Cook County Domestic Violence Court Release Report
CURL and the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence Division have completed the research and evaluation of the Family Court Enhancement Project (FCEP) and have now released the report documenting their findings.
Immigration: The Long Walk to Freedom
Lawrence Benito, CEO of Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) | Thursday March 26th | 7:00PM | Jo Ann Rooney Hall
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CURL Hosts Successful Events
This March CURL hosted two events with speakers addressing the issues of immigrant and racial justice: Lawrence Benito and Ta-Nehisi Coates.
The Case for Reparations: A University Response
Ta-Nehisi Coates, a National Corresponded for the Atlantic, will present and be part of a panel discussion. Tuesday March 31 | 6:30 PM | Jo Ann Rooney Hall
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HEART and CURL publish research on sexual violence education in Religions
After many years of hard work, we are thrilled to congratulate Alia Azmat and Nadiah Mohajir from HEART and Yasmeen Khayr, Gina Spitz, and Monica Reyna from CURL for publishing an article in the journal Religions.
Ensuring Success In School, Supporting Survivors
In collaboration with the Sargent Shriver Center for Poverty Law, CURL contributed to an extensive report on Illinois Schools’ responses to elementary and secondary school survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Read more about the report, the collaboration, and subsequent media coverage here.
Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award from LCBH
This past fall, Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH) honored CURL and Dr. Peter Rosenblatt (Sociology) for the collaborative work we have done on eviction research with LCBH.
Disrupt Disparities: Challenges & Solutions for 50+ Illinoisans of Color
CURL was approached to utilize Loyola’s expertise in a variety of interdisciplinary topics in order to conduct a literature review and analysis of the existing research and data focused on African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian American/Pacific Islander older adults in Illinois.
Jack Macnamara (1937 - 2020)
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of our friend and colleague, Jack Macnamara.
Cura Scholars Program
With a generous $300,000 investment from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Cura Scholars program will provide undergraduate students of color with "service, fellowship and research opportunities aimed at promoting their overall academic and career success with a special emphasis on future study at the graduate and professional school level.”
Report
Influencing the Dental Workforce in Illinois: A Case Study of the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation Pipeline Project
In 2007, ILCHF began a multi-year initiative by funding two Illinois public dental schools, SIU and UIC, with the goal of increasing the number of dentists who provide dental care to all children and who work in underserved communities. This eight-year study, conducted by researchers at CURL, captures key learning related to workforce development strategies. This report contains quantitative and qualitative analysis that show the direct and indirect impact of the program on children in Illinois and also outlines implications for future efforts toward developing the dental workforce in Illinois to work with children and in economically disadvantaged communities.
LEARN MOREHow Evictions Impact Chicago Renters & Neighborhoods
Join us for this community forum announcing the release of Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing's (LCBH) latest policy report. The report analyzes 170,000 eviction filings in Chicago from 2010 through 2017 and finds troubling disparities in the number and distribution of evictions.
DETAILS
New Funding
Office of Violence Against Women Grant Award: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Family Court Enhancement Project in the Cook County Circuit Court Domestic Violence Court, Chicago, IL
This fall, Loyola University Chicago's Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL), in partnership with the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence Division (DVD), was awarded a U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Research and Evaluation Initiative (R & E) grant. This three-year, $428,838 grant will evaluate Cook County Circuit Court’s Family Court Enhancement Project (FECP), which was a demonstration project funded by OVW in 2016.
Report
Ensuring Success In School, Supporting Survivors
In collaboration with the Sargent Shriver Center for Poverty Law, CURL contributed to an extensive report on Illinois Schools’ responses to elementary and secondary school survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Read more about the report, the collaboration, and subsequent media coverage here.
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Photography
Pathways to Stable Housing
CURL was recently featured in Loyola's internal news where we were highlighted our long-term work around the issue of homelessness.
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Book
"Healing Our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report"
Ron Grzywinski, a CURL Visiting Scholar, co-wrote a chapter in the newly published book, "Healing Our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report."
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Report
Ensuring a Great Start: What Illinois Parents Say Is Needed for Their Children to Thrive
CURL collaborated with The Sargent Shriver National Center for Poverty Law to collect stories from parents and early childhood education providers to better understand their perspectives and experience of publicly funded early childhood services in the state of Illinois. Through parent focus groups in ten locations throughout the state, we gathered information about families’ awareness of and access to publicly funded, evidence-based programs that serve families with children from birth to three years old, with a focus on home visiting, childcare assistance, and early intervention. Read the report here.
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CURL in the Press
Our community partner Community Organizing Family Issues (COFI) recently shared with us an update on press coverage of their recently released policy report on the indebtedness of poor families, primarily headed by women. Learn more about the report and the press coverage.
"Healing Our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report"
Ron Grzywinski, a CURL Visiting Scholar, co-wrote a chapter in the newly published book, "Healing Our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report."
Scaling up to Increase Community-Based Organization Voice
Check out a recent article from the Journal of Community Practice about the collaborative work of CURL and ONE Northside. It examines the impact of two organizing groups who merged in order to increase their capacity and power.
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Faculty
A Fair Shake
Access and choice are key factors in where Americans live. But race, education, and income have a powerful influence as well. These are issues Peter Rosenblatt, assistant professor of Sociology, considers within his research on housing policy and urban inequality. Learn more about the work Peter has done with CURL!
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Award
Kimberly Ocampo, CURL's First Kale Williams Scholarship Recipient
We are pleased to announce that Kimberly Ocampo, a senior majoring in Education and Spanish, has been selected as CURL’s first Kale Williams Scholarship recipient. Kim has been a key member of the CURL team since joining us in the summer of 2016.
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CURL's New Director
We are pleased to announce the appointment of David Van Zytveld as the next Director of the Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL) at Loyola University Chicago.
St. Thomas More Award
We are pleased that our long time community partner, Catholic Charities of the Archdioceses of Chicago, honored Loyola University Chicago with the annual St. Thomas More Award at their annual Chicago Charities Board.
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Damage Done: The Impact of the Illinois Budget Stalemate on Women and Children
Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW), Voices for Illinois Children, and Loyola University Chicago's Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL) have released a new report on the impact of Illinois' two-year budget impasse and, more specifically, its impact on women and children. The report, entitled "Damage Done: The Impact of the Illinois Budget Stalemate on Women and Children", was a joint project of the three groups. Click to learn more.
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Rough Cut Screening and Reception of "The Lungs of the City"
This Friday April 21st, two Loyola University Chicago undergraduate students will premier their first documentary film, The Lungs of the City at the Damen Center Cinema as part of the University’s 7th annual Weekend of Excellence showcasing student research. Funded jointly by Loyola University Department of Community Relations and the community organization Friends of the Parks, the students have been studying Chicago’s lakefront for nine months. The short documentary will tell the story of what makes Chicago’s lakefront unique and ask the question of whether development of the shore is sacrosanct.
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Peace Walk
Living Our Mission: Volunteer at Stations of the Cross in Englewood
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich has announced a number of initiatives to address Chicago violence. The first community event will take place during Holy Week 2017. We are looking for volunteers to live our faith and institutional mission during this event. Click to learn more.
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Phil Nyden's Retirement Events
On the occasion of Dr. Philip Nyden’s retirement after 38 years at Loyola University Chicago, you are invited to a panel discussion and retirement reception on Friday, April 7, 2017, Loyola University Chicago, Lake Shore Campus
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Announcement
CURL Director Phil Nyden retiring
After serving as CURL Director for 20 years, this coming summer (2016) I will be stepping down from the directorship as part of my phased retirement from Loyola.
Higher Education: Collateral Damage in the Budget Battle
Friday, January 27, 2017 8:30 am: Registration 9:00 am - 11:00 am: Program Loyola University Kasbeer Hall – 15th Floor, Corboy Law Center 25 East Pearson, Chicago, 60611
Recent Publications
Our colleague Christine George has been busy co-publishing chapters in two separate books over the past few months. Click here to learn more and read the chapters.
READ MORERecent Publications
Our colleague Christine George has been busy co-publishing chapters in two separate books over the past few months. Click here to learn more and read the chapters.
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Film
70 Acres in Chicago: Cabrini Green. Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Wednesday February 24 | Damen Student Center Cinema | 6:30pm Join us for a film screening and panel discussion for 70 Acres in Chicago: Cabrini Green. Shot over the course of 20 years, the film documents this upheaval, from the razing of the first buildings in 1995 to the clashes in the mixed income neighborhoods a decade later.
Seminars
Music-based Services for Young People Experiencing Homelessness
Brian Kelly an Assistant Professor with the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago presented the findings of his research with youth and recreational music production through a local youth agency.
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Domestic Violence Outcome Measures Project
Christine George, CURL Research Faculty, and Stephanie Riger, CURL Visiting Scholar, presented the findings from Domestic Violence Outcome Measures Project with partners from the Metropolitan Chicago Battered Women's Network at Forefront on September 30th. Read the report here.
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Collaboration
Explore research connections with the Jesuit university in Cali, Columbia
Learn more about international research collaboration.
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Community Uprooted: Eminent Domain in the U.S.
CURL is partnering with photographer Richard Wasserman to create Community Uprooted: Eminent Domain in the U.S., an anthology of photographs and interviews that grapples with the impact of eminent domain – past and present -- on the lives of Americans across the country -- in cities, suburbs, and in rural and farming communities. The project combines a collection of stirring and evocative photographs with the words and experiences of the people most impacted by cases of eminent domain.
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Eminent Domain Exhibition at LUMA in partnership with CURL: Panel Discussion and Reception
Tuesday April 12th: 4:30-5:30pm Panel Discussion, 5:30-7:30pm Reception at LUMA, Water Tower Campus
Advance Healthy Homes & Healthy Communities
June 19th, 2014: A day-long summit to develop a blueprint for the City and County to advance a healthy homes agenda.
See Photos!
CURL's 20th Year Celebration
The Center for Urban Research and Learning celebrated its 20th year as an innovative, university-community collaborative research center. Thanks for making it a success!
CURL’s Community Partnerships Featured in Jesuit Video
CURL’s community partnerships featured in July 2015 Melbourne Australia Jesuit Higher Education conference. At this conference leaders of Jesuit higher education institutions from around the world spent three days discussing current collaborative projects and seeking future opportunities.
CURL research from 1998 HUD study finding renewed interest
CURL’s past research on what produces stable racially, ethnically, and economically diverse communities is of renewed interest to policy makers following the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s new rules aimed at addressing persistent segregation in America’s cities.
Catherine Gillis Wins Horowitz Foundation Research Award
Congratulations to CURL Graduate Fellow Catherine Gillis who just received a Research Award from the Horowitz Foundation for her ongoing work on the Detroit land bank and urban redevelopment in that city.
Kale Williams Award 2015
Emily Nethercott and Leah Durst-Lee recipients of Kale Williams Award for Exceptional Work in Promoting Human Rights and Social Justice.
Explorations of Neighborhood Designs Promoting Equity, Democracy, and Livable Communities
Posters by Emily Talen: Urban Planner, Professor, Arizona State University. Display will be in Damen Hall, second floor, from February 10th - 25th.
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David Van Zytveld Wins the 2014 Megs Langdon Award
It is an honor to all of us at CURL to have David recognized for his very impressive work with hundreds of students and community partners in his two decades of shaping CURL’s mission and impact.
Conference
Chicago Ethnography Conference
CURL is sponsoring two sessions at the 17th Annual Chicago Ethnography Conference on March 14th. The 2015 conference theme is “The Worlds of Ethnography: Critical Perspectives and Social Justice.” The CURL sessions are: “Encountering Urban Poverty” and “Spotlight on Collaborative Qualitative Research.”
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New CURL Study on Expanding Housing Opportunities
In partnership with the Washington DC-based Poverty & Race Research Action Council and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, CURL released a national report, Take a Chance on Me: A Review of the Milwaukee County Security Deposit Assistance Program in January 2015.
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Alum Speaker Series
Xiaoling Ang, Economist at US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
CURL helps shape students' careers.
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Publications
Journal of Poverty -- Christine George and Jennifer Chernega Co-Edit a volume
CURL Research faculty, Christine George, and former CURL Fellow, Jennifer Chernega, co-edited Volume 18, Issue 3, 2014 of the Journal of Poverty with a special focus on homelessness policy. Within the issue they also published an article, “Works in Progress: Searching for Solutions to the Difficulty Problems of Homelessness.”
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Donate to the Kale Williams Scholarship Fund
In honor of Kale Williams and his career as a social justice advocate and scholar-in-residence, CURL is leading an effort to endow the Kale Williams Scholarship Fund. The fund will support continued commitment by future generations of students to his work and ideals.
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Projects
Knowledge Exchange Policy Briefs
Recent Knowledge Exchanges between BPI and CURL have focused on education, violence prevention, and two generation programs. They have featured Tim Knowles from the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute, Richard Rothstein from the Economic Policy Institute, P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale and Teresa Eckrich-Sommer from Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy Research, Gaylord Gieseke from Voices for IL Children and James Garbarino from Loyola University’s Psychology department. To learn more, please see CURL’s project page for briefings on each session.
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Projects
Evaluation of security-deposit assistance program for low-income residents in Milwaukee.
This project examines a security deposit assistance program in Milwaukee that uses the incentive to encourage low-income residents to move to higher opportunity, lower poverty neighborhoods.
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Projects
Pathways to Stable Housing Photo Exhibit
In a partnership with the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness and other service and advocacy organizations, CURL and photographer Noah Addis have organized this exhibition to present positive images of individuals moving from homelessness to housing. The exhibition was displayed at LUMA (Loyola University Museum of Art) for six months during 2011 and 2012. The photos are currently on display at CURL's office in Cuneo Hall on the Lake Shore Campus. Click on this article to view the exhibit online.
Fefu and Her Friends: Performance as a Method of Interdisciplinary Inquiry
Friday, March 15th | 10:30 am -12:30 pm ** Special Time!** | Piper Hall, 1st Floor **Special Location!** | Loyola University Chicago faculty members participating in the Women’s Studies and Gender Studies Research Seminar will present “‘Fefu and Her Friends': Performance as a Method of Interdisciplinary Inquiry.”
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Kale Williams Award 2014
Congratulations to Risa Visina and Michael Janusek, CURL Undergraduate Fellows, who have been named as recipients of the 2014 Kale Williams Award for Exceptional Work in Promoting Human Rights and Social Justice.
What if Hewlett and Packard had started a band instead?... Music scenes as economic clusters and their broader implications for urban economies.
Friday Morning Seminar, November 8th | 10:30 am -12:00 pm | Cuneo Hall, 417 | Using Denton, Texas' internationally recognized music scene as a starting point, Michael Seman, doctoral candidate in Urban Planning and Public Policy at University of Texas at Arlington, will offer a better understanding of the structural dynamics and potential economic externalities of a music scene. Discussion will detail the level of competition and cooperation amongst scene members, how the process of innovation unfolds, the role of public and quasi-public goods in scene development, and a scene's value as catalyst for urban economic development.
New Issue of Gateways e-Journal
CURL's e-journal Gateways, co-published with the University of Technology Sydney Shopfront, is now available on-line. The focus of this issue is on various facets of university-community partnerships and research collaborations.
Kale Williams Award 2013
Congratulations to Maureen Sullivan, CURL Undergraduate Fellow, who was awarded the 2013 Kale Williams Award for Exceptional Work in Promoting Human Rights and Social Justice from CURL.
Pacem in Terris
In celebrating the encyclical “Peace on Earth” this conference will explore a range of actions and strategies that reduce violence and build peace at community, regional, national and international levels. There will be four panels with faculty and community speakers on building peace at all levels in the city of Chicago.