Collaboration Grows Knowledge

Team members from Imani Village and Friends of the Chicago River met this week at Big Marsh Park on the southeast side of Chicago to learn from each other, expand their skills, and connect around positive visions of the Calumet-area environment and community. This joint professional development day focused on seasonal and new staff as part of efforts within both organizations to support the growth of emerging leaders in the environmental field. 

The collaborative knowledge-sharing day emerged after Friends and Imani Village staff participated in a youth panel discussion about environmental careers with Faith in Place earlier this year.

Learning together with the Friends’ team was a resounding professional development success, commented Jalynn Webb, Imani Green Health Advocates Program Leader. “We challenge all youth to learn, grow, and develop their community through this green lens."

The day included a nature hike led by Imani Green Health Advocates, a tour of the park’s Ford Calumet Environmental Center, a demonstration of how to conduct and interpret water quality testing and macroinvertebrate sampling, as well as environmental interpretation training led by Friends.

Friends and Imani Village will continue our knowledge sharing this summer with a career shadow day at Friends’ office and a learning session at our McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum. This collaboration is part of Friends’ effort to foster professional development opportunities for seasonal and new full-time staff in conjunction with our strategic partners.