We enjoyed Mary Schmich’s July 8 column about the two women who helped start a community center in Logan Square. Ada Ayala and Tammie Love are true examples of the often unsung positive forces in Chicago, and Ms. Schmich should be applauded for covering their story.
As residents of Logan Square, however, we were a bit dismayed by Ms. Schmich describing the neighborhood as one consisting of “rundown bungalows” and “cluttered boulevards” where “sweating men sit shirtless in open windows” and children play around open fire hydrants. When we walk the blocks surrounding our home, we see mostly houses and two-flats that are kept in good repair by their hard-working owners. Logan Boulevard is “cluttered” with dozens of grand old homes and apartment buildings that are meticulously maintained. Neighbors are friendly and look out for each other. Crime, poverty, discrimination and other problems exist, but they are no strangers to the rest of Chicago.
It is unfortunate that while providing a detailed portrait of two inspiring Logan Square residents, Ms. Schmich also painted the neighborhood with such a broad brush. Every Chicago community–including those “beyond the Kennedy”–deserves balanced coverage from the media, which so powerfully influence perceptions of one’s neighbors and the world.
