Ashburn: The Truth About Chicago’s Neighborhood

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In recent years, Chicago has become “one of the most dangerous cities” in the country due to its crime skyrocketing crime rates. Many reporters have taken advantage of this and have deemed Chicago a dangerous city to live in. Although there is an abnormal amount of crime in the city compared to others, many reporters do not seem to inform their audience of the positive aspects that the city and its neighborhoods have to offer.

Ashburn is a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago and has a population of 41,571 people. Like many neighborhoods across the country, it has its pros and cons. Unfortunately, many reporters that do not live in Chicago, villainize this neighborhood and many others in the city. These reporters only inform audience members about the crime that happens and not about the restaurants, community events, or schools that are giving back to the community and educating kids. Yes, it may not be the most exhilarating story to report about nearby restaurants, but the least reporters could do is not bash the city.

Ashburn is a neighborhood with much diversity and restaurants to choose from. Whether people want to go to a big chain like Portillo’s or smaller places like Carribean Jerk Palace, Vito and Nick’s Pizzeria, and Taste of Havana. There never seems to be a scarcity of places to eat in Ashburn. The food brings families and friends together to try out new flavors and have a good time.

Not only does Ashburn have many restaurants, but it also holds many live festivals and events nearby that attracts many of its residents. One example of a festival that is held nearby is the Festival Del Sol. This Hispanic festival is held throughout a period of four days. It includes food trucks, soccer games, carnival rides, and many activities that families enjoy participating in.

As for leisure activities or exercise, Ashburn has a variety of different places to choose from. From Rainey Park, Bogan Park, or Hayes Park there are a ton of public spaces that families and friends can enjoy on a daily basis.

On the outside of this neighborhood, what appears to stand out the most from news reportings and articles is the crime rate. Although the crime is higher than a typical neighborhood, on the inside of this small Chicago neighborhood, it seems like a good place to spend time with family and friends. If people get to know Chicago’s neighborhoods more in-depth, people will start to realize that it is just like any regular neighborhood and not just crime driven at all times. Reporters who do not live in Chicago should think about their neighborhood. What if the news only mentioned the crime rates and the number of people that die every week in their neighborhood? People need to keep in mind how far they are going when reporting about a neighborhood because if a wrong word or phrase is mentioned, it may taint the reputation of the neighborhood.

Written by Fernando Rosell
Edited by Jeanette Smith

Sources:

Yelp: The Best 10 Restaurants near Ashburn, Chicago, IL
Niche: Ashburn, Chicago, IL
Trulia: Crime Data in Ashburn

Featured Image and Top Image Courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

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