Hello!
My name is Nancy Valentin and I am a proud born and raised Chicagoan. For the past 10 years I’ve worked alongside organizers, urban planners, and community residents to create a better, more equitable Chicago. Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting my corner of the internet! Here are some projects I’ve made happen and some of the great folks I’ve been able to work with. If you’d like to explore ways of connecting together please click below.
vocalo storytelling workshop
Fall
‘22
This summer, community organizers in Belmont Cragin rode their bikes around Burbank Elementary to eat pizza and have a discussion on action to take to address unsafe streets. This piece was created for Vocalo 91.1 FM for their storytelling workshop and asks why do Chicagoans of color have to wait and ‘do the most’ to bring attention to issues and get basic needs met in communities. Here, we meet residents of Belmont Cragin trying to bring about change but being met with circumstances beyond their control. As of November 2022, December 2022, January 2023, February 2023, March 2023 the streets across Burbank Elementary remain unfixed.
healthy northwest
Summer
‘22
Born out of the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team (RERRT), Healthy Northwest was formed as part of the Healthy Chicago Equity Zones collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health. Healthy Northwest is led by Nancy Valentin, Director of Health Equity at Northwest Center. Healthy Northwest focuses on work that seeks to transform the existing health system by removing barriers and increasing access to health resources, programs, and interventions leading to a more community-led and community driven model of health that increases the quality of life and life expectancy of the Chicago’s northwest side.
giftpop
Spring
‘22
GiftPop Chicago was founded by Nancy Valentin & Griselda avila having noted the disparity in Latinx ownership of local gift shops in Chicago. They longed for a gift shop akin to those they frequented but wanted to center themselves as the target audience. And most importantly be located in their own community. The lifestyle brands they loved were purposefully made for educated, affluent 30-45 year-old suburban white women. While the beauty of those products is outstanding, they felt that they could start a brand that would cater to the duality of their own identity.
The Giftpop customer is a culturally competent, millennial/gen-z, creative young woman who wants to be, above all, unapologetically herself. She shows up to work with a strong sense of autonomy, brings her most authentic self, and inspires others to be their very best selves. although aesthetics are important to her, she stands by her values and is highly aware of the world and its injustices. She places high value in community, family, and self. To her, GiftPop is a community— a reflection of who she is. A place where she can belong without having to put on a performance. Giftpop gives her the tools to simply be.
VEGGIE MIJAS:
CHICAGO member
Jan
‘20
Member since 2020.
Veggie Mijas mission is to create sacred spaces for folks where they can share their experiences with food or having a plant-based lifestyle through an intersectional lens. Our main focus is sharing space, relearning ancestral practices through foods, share our plant-based recipes, and provide access to information our community needs. This is done through organizing events such as potlucks, vegan panels, farm sanctuary trips, learning how to plant herbs, and much more. Lastly, our goal is to show folks that decolonizing your lifestyle is possible. Cocinando Pa ' La (R)evolución.
women forward Chicago
Spring
2015
Founder of Women Forward Chicago
Women Forward Chicago is a Latina-centered financial education program designed to create a safe space for setting goals and building financial confidence. With mother’s busy schedule in mind, we offer a community-style workshop with free daycare, nutritious meals, and access to community resources that will benefit participants and their families. Nancy led the first cohort in 2015. Since then the program has seen over 150+ graduates.
one campaign: Chicago Chapter
2014-2016
Former IL-3 Congressional Leader
ONE is a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030, so that everyone, everywhere can lead a life of dignity and opportunity.
the workshop
2012 - 2016
The Workshop Chicago was a community space/venue created to give regular folks a chance to showcase their talents and hidden skills. Truly it was our apartment in Logan Square where we made chairs out of stolen crates and cooked for anyone who showed up. Originally founded by Nicole Macon and Laurel Turnquist it was later led by me to continue the spirt of The Workshop and allow other folks to partake when my amazing roommates moved out. It was the greatest of times! One of our very own performers: Erin Rae went on to do great things with music such as open for Angel Olsen and do her own tiny desk performance for NPR. My Chicago heart was full of joy.