Grand Boulevard Federation • Chicago, Illinois
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The Bronzeville section of the Southside of the City of Big Shoulders is beset by many of the traditional problems facing inner-city neighborhoods across America. The Grand Boulevard Federation (GBF), made up of local residents and representatives from community-based organizations, came together to pool their knowledge, assets, and willpower to affect change. Everyone involved understood that there is real strength in numbers — as long as it is combined with cooperative effort.

Anytime people discuss public education, the desire to see an increase in the high school graduation and college enrollment rates immediately comes up. Big-brained academics, education professionals, and politicians cite study after study, but then what? How does change really occur? The GBF brought a broad array of people, institutions, and interest groups to the table to offer up a new paradigm: Improve the coordination of the allocation of resources and increase efficiency to improve results for Black boys.