“It’s a small world,” may be a Disney song, but it also could be the theme song of Devon Avenue, where different cultures cram into 10 blocks of a busy North Side street.
Kosher butchers, Islamic bookstores, Indian grocery stores and Russian video stores share space with sari shops and jewelry stores, bakeries that display a rainbow of South Asian or Middle Eastern sweets and lots and lots of restaurants.
It’s a harmonious mix, says Chris Zala, who heads the Indo-American Center, a social service agency in the neighborhood. While some of these groups don’t get along back home, they’ve found some common ground in Chicago that’s allowed them to co-exist, he says.
And they can all come to the Indo-American Center for help. Despite its name, the center works with anyone who comes in, assisting with immigration and citizenship forms, pro bono legal advice, English classes, job postings and benefits explanations. The center also offers yoga and Hindi classes, field trips for seniors and other social opportunities for people in the neighborhood.
“Many people think Devon is great for Indian restaurants and shopping for things from India, but many individuals don’t know we’re in existence here and provide these services,” Zala said.
When people do find the unassuming center, between a Russian doctor’s office and a Jewish rehabilitation home on California Avenue, they’ll likely see Gurdev Punia manning the desk in the front office.
Punia, who came to the U.S. in 1990 after retiring from a government job in India, handles citizenship applications. Since he started in 1991, he’s processed more than 20,000 applications. Recent applicants have come from Nigeria, the Philippines, Egypt, Belize, Palestine, Jordan, Pakistan, India, Iran and Iraq.
Punia says he’s upfront with visitors about their chances at citizenship. There are no shortcuts offered–something he says can happen at places trying to make a profit from immigrants.
“We are not here to earn the money,” he says.
First-generation immigrants aren’t the only ones coming to the neighborhood center. Zala says he’s seeing a younger generation of South Asians, many who grew up in the United States or Canada, getting involved and volunteering their time.
Zala, who puts his age at 36 or 37 (he declines to say which), left the state’s attorney’s office to come to the center.
Last weekend, students and other young professionals used the center for a meeting of a group called Building Bridges, which promotes democracy and social harmony in India.
Aparna Sharma, 28, a graduate student and teacher at Loyola, says there’s a sense of urgency to work toward understanding and peace in India.
“It’s cool that everyone’s making time to do it,” she said.
Eye on Devon
REASON TO GO: Devon is the biggest shopping center for Indian goods and services in all of North America, according to the Chicago Historical Society. It’s growth is directly linked to changes in immigration laws that allowed more Indians to come to the United States in the 1970s and 1980s.
Edited by Lara Weber (lweber@tribune.com), Drew Sottardi (dsottardi@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
METROMIX RECOMMENDS
Check out these three places the next time you go to Devon Avenue:
Viceroy of India
2520 W. Devon Ave.
In the heart of the restaurant strip. Specialties include south Indian and vegetarian dishes.
773-743-4100
Atlantic Video Rentals
2541 W. Devon Ave.
Get your “Bollywood” fix here:
The store has 30,000 movies, many with English subtitles.
773-338-3600
THREE SISTERS
2854 W. Devon Ave.
One of the oldest Russian delis in Chicago, it specializes in hard-to-find foods.
773-973-1919
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For more, go to metromix.com and click on the Devon Avenue link.
Edited by Lara Weber (lweber@tribune.com), Drew Sottardi (dsottardi@tribune.com) and Michael Morgan (mnmorgan@tribune.com)
