Advocating for Conservation Careers

An Environmental Studies degree won’t find much purchase on the South Side of Chicago. At least, that’s what lifelong resident Rachel Patterson thought when she began her job search last summer.

“I just assumed I’d have to move or commute for an opportunity to actually use my degree. But then I found this internship. It looked interesting and was environmentally focused, and I realized it was literally a few blocks from my house. I couldn’t believe it,” says Patterson.

That program was Imani Green Health Advocates, a career development initiative from Imani Village and collaborators Trinity United Church of Christ, Advocate Health Care, Chicago Region Trees Initiative, The Morton Arboretum, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service and others. 

Growing the Tree Canopy—and Green Jobs

Last year, a capstone project for the Advocates included surveying the community’s tree health, tree canopy and local infrastructure to identify optimal places for tree planting, and then actually planting trees based in part on that research, as well as community interest and need. A summary of their tree health findings was also incorporated into Advocate Hospital’s community health needs assessment.

“This was really our community partner’s vision, but helping them realize that vision was also a way for us to meet our mission,” says John Legge, Chicago Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy.

By continuing to grow Green Health Advocates and staffing village amenities, Imani Village will be an oasis for residents like Patterson who are hungry for community conservation careers on the South Side of Chicago. Eggleston said they hope to create hundreds of opportunities for community members looking to apply their skills in new career paths, particularly returning citizens.

While Imani Village is still under development, Legge says they hope to find more permanent job placements for the trainees once they finish. Since completion of the program, Patterson has expanded her resume through work with both the Shedd Aquarium and Audubon Great Lakes. She also came back to the Imani program as a guest presenter to share her story and run a workshop with the newest cohort of Advocates.

“We want more than just jobs. We want careers,” says Eggleston. “Well-paid employment and career development opportunities are very important to the health of a community.”