COMMUNITY ACTIVISM IN OAK PARK: COMPETING AGENDAS ...

The surveys for the Women’s Needs Assessment study were taken over a period
of time at various members’ homes. In addition to surveying women in the women’s
group, Linda surveyed about thirty-five other women who were not part of the women’s
group and lived in the neighborhood of Oak Park, also asking what resources were
needed in the community for women and children. At these meetings the hostess
provided water and fruit drinks and healthy snacks consisting of vegetables, dips, fruit,
and nuts. The women would mingle for a bit and then sit on the floor when Linda began
facilitating the meeting. Linda would then organize women to participate in the survey.
Further, she wanted some of the women to be filmed while answering questions in the
survey, and she hired a filmmaker from PBS to record the documentary titled, Where I
Live: Talking to Women in Oak Park. This film would show women in Oak Park
describing their neighborhood and describing what resources and services they thought
their community needed for women and children.
The survey revealed that women thought the issues that were important to focus
on in the community included drugs and alcohol, youth after-school programs, and career
training. In addition, women felt that mentoring and tutoring services, women’s health
education, and religious/spiritual study groups were also needed in the community.
Lastly, women emphasized that more women needed to be proactive and participate in
neighborhood associations/organizations located in the community. Crime was viewed
as the most threatening issue to women in Oak Park and youth development was
perceived to be the most valuable contribution that women could focus on in the
neighborhood. The documentary also showed parks, schools, and businesses, located
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