John: "This is my neighborhood."

John Ford, a long-time client of EZRA's, sits down with a member of EZRA's Social Action team to discuss his experiences growing up as a Black man in Chicago, working with EZRA, and gentrification in Uptown, Chicago.

“What do you remember about growing up in Chicago?”

My Grandfather, John Grey, has had an interesting upbringing moving from place to place with his family. He was raised as a young child in Chicago Illinois, and later moved to Dallas Texas with his family. In this interview, Me...

Uncle Lou

My Uncle Lou grew up in the 40’s on the South Side of Chicago and was a school teacher for Chicago Public schools. This is a brief account of his childhood and pieces of his career as told by him.

Don Anderson (my dad!) interviewed by Annie Anderson (me!) on November 30, 2015 in Philadelphia, PA

Don Anderson discusses his childhood growing up in Chicago, what he is grateful for, and what kind of legacy he will leave to his children and grandchildren.

Audio Recording of Significant Interview

Aidan Bank (14) talks with his mother, Elysa Jimenez (33) about her life being a young mother and how she overcame challenges.

War Can’t Destruct Love

“My childhood was actually great!” In November of 2018, ninth grade student, Olivia Foxman interviewed her grandmother, Shelly Foxman. Olivia learns about Shelly’s admirable  childhood post World War ll. Shelly’s story starts in 1951 in Chicago, but her family's story originates...

Not every nightmare is for the worst

In 1985, every parent's nightmare occurred in a little house in Willow Springs, Illinois. Nineteen year old James Gallagher dropped out of his local community college to start a tent company. Now, James is fifty two and just sold his...