Austin Coming Together (ACT)’s Austin Community Hub connects Austin residents to resources. At the 5th annual graduation party they hosted alongside the 600 N. Lorel Block Club, local youth were celebrating when Marshall Douthard Jr. shared his passion for architecture and construction.
“[At the graduation,] I thought we were just going to get a round of applause for graduating high school – Mr. Shields did more than that. He recognized us and gifted us with tokens of appreciation for our accomplishments. This motivated me to keep going. I really did not expect it,” Marshall said.
But ACT’s Executive Director Darnell Shields did not stop there, offering the young man a chance to tour the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation to get insight into what a project like this entails from both a construction and a community perspective.
At the tour, Marshall met different staff, sat in on meetings, and learned what it might be like to have a job in the industry. It is this type of exposure and support that we continue to advocate for because we know how it can inspire our youth!
Marshall recently graduated from the Howe School of Excellence and this experience helped him decide to major in construction management at Illinois State University to graduate with an Associate in General Studies and a Certificate in Construction.
When asked if he had any advice for other youth, he said “If you want to be successful, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!”
Austin Coming Together
Austin Coming Together (ACT)’s mission is to increase the collective impact of our 50+ member organizations on improving education and economic development outcomes for Chicago’s Austin community. Since 2010, we’ve been connecting residents to services, attracting investments for the community, and building capacity for policy change. Recent efforts include co-developing the former Emmet School into the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation and supporting the Austin Eats Initiative, a 20+ group focused on strengthening the community’s food access infrastructure.
Learn how Austin is leading efforts to move forward together, and how you can support, at AustinComingTogether.org/AustinCares