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Ben Helphand

What would you like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

I’d like to be a part of making the Chicago region among the most pedestrian-friendly places in the country. I’d like to see communities across Northeast Illinois rediscover walking as an affordable, fun and healthy way to get around. Of course I’d also like to see the Bloomingdale Trail become a reality, creating a ribbon of green across the Northwest side of the City. But I’d be happy to see it developing properly, with intimate community involvement, arts collaboration and innovative design.

What do you think are the biggest issues facing your generation?

I’m concerned about civic disengagement. And I don’t just mean voting. It’s about participation at every level; from block clubs and community gardens to local school councils and campaigns for those offices we’re not supposed to pay attention to, like MWRD and Judges. I think of these ‘bottom of the ticket’ offices and smaller community institutions as the ‘farm teams of civics,’ the future of leadership. Good ideas and good leaders trickle up. I’m also troubled by community health issues related to our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Long hours in front of our televisions, an over reliance on cars, unhealthy eating and an array of shortsighted policies that support these behaviors, have led to a daunting health crisis. To turn it around we need to look honestly at how we live our lives, run our households and cities. It’s about the everyday choices we make to get around, spend our time and eat. It’s about the conditions we create in our cities and communities.

What do you hope to learn from more established leaders?

I feel that I can roll up my sleeves and help to solve small, even medium sized problems. But I’d like to take on larger, intransigent issues that can only be confronted through larger networks and by galvanizing greater resources. I’m always open to mentors who can help me wrap my mind around that front and bring the changes I seek to scale.

What do you think more established leaders can learn from your work?

Trust in the abilities and wisdom of communities while recognizing their limitations. They don’t want handouts; they want support, real partnerships and the opportunity to tap into their own potential. And it should be more than tokenism and pilot projects. It should be a real, ongoing investment in community-led institutions and projects.

What is the most gratifying aspect of your work?

The most satisfying moments are when a project takes on a life of its own, when it’s clear that its taken root in a community and I could walk away knowing it’ll be just fine without me. It’s especially nice to come back to something and see it going in directions I’d never before conceived of.

What are the biggest obstacles in your work?

I see fears of change and the unknown as the root cause of most obstacles. It stymies greater civic participation and derails creating healthier neighborhoods. In communities and among politicians the path of least resistance is for things to stay the same. Those with the biggest fears tend to be the biggest obstacles. They’re comfortable with the devil they know and they’re eyes are closed to the possibilities of change.

How do you work around those obstacles?

You can’t explain away fears. Fear demands respect and needs to be addressed head on and honestly if we are to move forward. I’ve found that fears tend to come from good places and instincts; the desire to protect your family, yearning for a more vibrant community. These are the things that must be addressed.

What tools or resources do you need to help you continue your work?

It’s not me that needs the support; it’s communities. They need the support to live up to their potential, to be able to organize, to be able to negotiate bureaucracies. They need access to better, more accessible, information and greater choice when it comes to transportation and nutrition. For me, I’d be happy to have a room full of chalkboards and the opportunity to collaborate with good people.

What advice would you give to younger folks wanting to impact social
justice issues?

"Make Small Plans." It’s been my motto for a few years now. I know we have another motto in Chicago and I like that one too. But too often we bite off more than we can chew and use a problems’ intransigence as an excuse to do nothing. That’s why I like to pick smaller, achievable goals  a park, an event, a better policy. But I always keep in mind the larger hopes. Have it always on the horizon but don’t let it eclipse you.

Define leadership.

Good leaders help make the impossible seem possible for everyone. When a leader is simply followed they inevitably lead to a dead end. A leader should strive to be a bridge, a catalyst, an opportunity for those who are only following until they can catch up and lead themselves.