I volunteered with this organization until a staff member berated my friend. I never returned. Thankfully it looks like that employee no longer works there. However, I have not heard good things from others who have had to work with their senior staff, who are still on payroll.
I have contacted the director several times about connecting with people city-wide to grow their network. No one ever got back to me. I think Wasserman-Nieto wants to keep her circle small so she can be the queen of it. I think its an ego thing. Therefore, her scope, power, vision, and effectiveness for the people of Little Village is miniscule. I think they need new blood.
CMAP (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning) worked with LVEJO on a detailed data collection project in Little Village. They mobilized community members and empowered them to assess conditions in their neighborhood. The resulting data was useful for planning and development purposes. It was a successful project because LVEJO handled it well.
I served as an intern with LVEJO back when I was working on a master's degree in 2007. I pursued an internship with LVEJO based on their reputation for progressive and aggressive advocacy in the area, and as an intern I saw that reputation in action. Each and every one of the staff members and volunteers working with LVEJO daily impressed me with their passion and commitment to the cause of social justice. In the years since 2007, I have continued working in the environmental non-profit field, and can say with absolute certainty that I have yet to encounter an organization that so consistently demonstrates the passion and integrity that the people at LVEJO brought to their work daily.