I found the reading of Urban Institute's, The Demographics of Diversity: Why Cities are Courting the Gay and Lesbian Community. I found it interesting that a group that is the victim of so much intolerance, even today, is so appealing to the city officials. A seemingly benevolent act becomes a strategic economic move by city officials.
I also found it interesting that a group of people could better an area simply by moving in. What a testament to good will? I don't know if this is because they are better educated, have more expendable income, or are more politically active. In the end, when a neighborhood is safer, more tolerant, or more beautiful, does it really matter?
I enjoyed Alberto Espinosa's blog. Intially I found it interesting because he approached the subjet of the city with a question. His title "What's makes cities so great?" introduces the city as a pardox, possibly without answer and Alberto begins by expressing his confusion with this paradox. He also allows for the differeing views of people in that "what could be great to a particular individual could be terrible to another?" This understanding that different people need and want different things is important to being understanding to the citizens of any city. Alberto's intrest in Chicago is based on the things that make it home for him, the hidden spots that make it a familiar place for him.

When i joined CCLCP I had not picked a major. However, a year later as an architecture student I continually seeing the relationship between the CCLCP and architecture.
Architecture for me, is the study of people and their relationship to their surroundings. This involves social, economic, and psychological issues that we studied in UPP 101.
Working with agencies has also helped me have an understanding of the needs of the city, especially having to do with the placement of different groups of people. I have learned that the city is a complex organism, constantly movement. Each movement creates a reaction which is multiplied, reflected, and eventually dominoes into more reactions. The architecture of the Chicago is not made only of skyscrapers and history, but of the people that have lived and will live and will continually change thse city to make it their home.
The demographic numbers provided by the Urban Institute in their report Katrina:Demographics of a Disaster shows me that the Black are the most vulnerable when facing the aftermaths of Katrina. In the cities polled, Blacks are a large percentage of those in poverty. Those in New Orleans also has the largest share of food stamps. According to the statistics, the Black population in studied cities are young, working, poor families who are in need of govermental aide.