Nov 5, 2025
In the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, violence isn’t
just a headline, it can be a daily risk. But at the Firehouse
Community Arts Center, Pastor Phil Jackson and his team are
interrupting violence through creativity, youth-mentorship, and a
loving and active presence on the block.
In this episode we dive into Pastor Phil’s decades-long mission to
reach youth and young adults labeled as “violent.” We explore how
The Firehouse Community Arts Center is transforming lives and the
community through programs like: violence interruption, art
education, and work force development. And we get insights into
what is at stake in communities already facing systemic divestment
when funding for organizations like The Firehouse falls short.
This is a story where hope pushes the envelope, becomes contagious,
and restores self-worth and dignity. It’s a story with the kind of
hope that spreads into neighborhoods and sparks change.
This season is titled, We Got Us: Stories of Faith, Justice and
Collective Hope. It invites you into neighborhoods where hope is
cultivated day-by-day. Together we’ll explore how neighbors are
confronting injustice, cultivating resilience, and creating
communities where everyone can flourish. This is what it looks like
when we say: We Got Us.
In this episode:
The
Firehouse Community Arts Center
North Park Partners with Firehouse
Community Arts Center in Violence Reduction Study
The Firehouse Community Arts Center:
Leveraging the Arts and a Hyperlocal Approach
Producer, Writer, Host: Roslyn Hernández
Video and Sound Engineer: Nasim Bowlus
Storyteller: Pastor Phil Jackson
A Chasing Justice Podcast Network Production
This podcast season was made possible by Storytellers Collective, a
program of Christians for Social Action.
The theme song for this season is We Got Us. It was produced in
collaboration with Common Hymnal.
Social links:
Chasing Justice
Instagram: @chasingjustice_
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