Voices of the community: shaping the Obama Presidential Center

Get to know the inspiring community members behind the Obama Presidential Center

On September 28, 2021, we officially broke ground on the Obama Presidential Center. Located in the heart of Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, the Center is a place where people from across the street and around the world can come, share ideas, and create the world we all want to live in. As we continue to build the Center, the Obama Foundation has worked hand-in-hand with community members to create a new home for the city of Chicago that addresses the desires and aspirations of its residents.

An image of four people with a range of light to dark skin tones, reviewing and looking at the 3D model of the Obama Presidential Center.

At its core, the story of the Obama Presidential Center is the story of the South Side. The Center will champion the values and beliefs of the community: over the past year, we have conducted roundtables with Chicago residents, gathering knowledge that will help ensure that the Center will be a place where South Siders have a say and a voice. From the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit & Vegetable Garden to the newest Chicago Library branch, this new global site will give everyone the opportunity to bring change home. 

Take a look at some of the stories from a few of our community members and get inspired.

Meet Melanie Moore

The image is a gif of Melanie Moore smiling. Melanie has a light medium deep complexion, dark brown eyes, and long braided twists in her hair that are the colors black and brown. She is wearing a black collared blouse with white flowers on it. She is standing outside in the daytime with the Chicago skyline in the background.

“I'm most excited about the gardens, because I'm a gardener and I have a plot in the community garden, not a block from my house. I'm super excited about having the garden there and learning about vegetables and fruits, and just seeing the Obamas continue their efforts around healthy eating.”

“ I'm super excited about having the garden there and learning about vegetables and fruits, and just seeing the Obamas continue their efforts around healthy eating.”

–Melanie Moore

Patrician Haywood

The image is a gif of Patrician Haywood smiling. Patrician has deep skin complexion and long dark curly hair. She is wearing square lucite glasses, a leopard headwrap, leopard hoop earrings, a leopard blouse, and a black beaded necklace. On the right side of her shirt is an Obama Foundation "Rising Sun" logo pin in the color blue. She is standing outside in the daytime with the Chicago skyline in the background.

“One thing I was very excited about is that a majority of the Center is free... I know a lot of families are struggling, so to be able to take your children somewhere where you don't have to worry about the cost, that was very exciting.”

Willa Marie Fox Burton

The image is a gif of Willa Marie Fox Burton smiling. Willa has a medium deep skin tone and gray hair curled to her shoulders. She is wearing gold hoop earrings, a silver cross necklace, and an orange and white striped t-shirt. On the right side of her shirt is an Obama Foundation "Rising Sun" logo pin in the color blue. She is standing outside in the daytime with the Chicago skyline in the background.

“I'm president of the co-op. I've lived there for 42 years when we first opened and built. It's a great community, and what this library is going to do for it is going to make it even greater.”

“ It's a great community, and what this library is going to do for it is going to make it even greater.”

–Willa Marie Fox Burton
3D rendering of the Obama Presidential Center Plaza

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Community & the Obama Presidential Center

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A rendering of the Library at the Obama Presidential Center. People of all ages and ranges of light to deep skin tones read books at different sections of the library.
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Sneak peek: the Chicago Public Library at the Obama Presidential Center

This unique partnership is the first of its kind and will feature digital media spaces and educational resources for kids and adults.

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