A floral shop in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood will be in the spotlight next month, as they've been tasked with creating three arrangements for the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Southside Blooms, located near the intersection of South Morgan Street and West 62nd Street, is a nonprofit floral shop that works to empower Chicago's youth.
The store allows young people to grow in their environment while they learn about urban farming, sustainability and social enterprise. Roughly 25 youth employees between the ages of 16 to 25 years old work at the shop.
"Everything is about the youth here, it’s the reason we came to the neighborhood, it’s the reason we started Southside Blooms. It’s all about giving them opportunity," Hannah Blackwell, co-founder of the shop said. "We’re really trying to bring in as many events as we can, because events and bouquet sales equal more hours for the youth, and more money into our community.”
Blackwell said the team works on bouquets, wedding arrangements and other special occasion events each week, but next month they will have a unique opportunity to create floral arrangements on a national scale.
Southside Blooms was chosen to design large-scale projects for three Democratic National Convention events.
"We appreciate them giving us the opportunity to show off what our youth can do and put our flowers in front of some very prominent people," Blackwell said.
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It's an opportunity 18-year-old Englewood native Rashod Little is grateful to be picked for.
“People from where we come from, stuff like this, you don’t get presented in front of us a lot," he said. "It’s basically basketball, rap or being in the streets. This is a different way.”
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Little started working with Southside Blooms three years ago. Now, he leads a team and will help head the main installations for the DNC projects.
"If you say it’s national I know it’s big," he said. "And I know there will be some big pieces so I need to be prepared.”
Southside Blooms has farms in Woodlawn, Englewood, Pilsen, West Garfield Park, Cook County Jail and Gary, Indiana, where they transformed vacant lots into growing plots.
There is currently a waitlist for employment opportunities at Southside Blooms. You can fill out an application here.
By the end of 2024, Blackwell said they hope to open a West Side location to continue serving Chicago's youth.
