Finding Home: An Exploration of Place Through Storytelling

With the increasing rate at which people move between communities of place, not everyone experiences the act of “putting down roots.” For some of us, these migratory lifestyles can hinder the development of connections and deep relationships with the places in which we live. This lack of connection can at times numb our ability to observe the impacts that we have on the places we find ourselves and on others we share these spaces with. By using Chicago, Illinois as a model for demonstration, this project offers insights on ways to strengthen the relationships people have with communities of place. In an effort to discover successful methods for establishing a deeper connection with a place, work for this project explored some of the diverse stories of Chicago over the course of one year. Through historical investigations and community explorations, these stories have fostered community engagement at local levels and created opportunities for sustainable action and community development.