With a staggering 77 diverse neighborhoods, Chicago is still home to many immigrants who flocked to the Windy City in the 19th and 20th centuries. But the city continues to draw those looking for a place to hang their hats that is inclusive, welcoming and diverse.
According to fivethirtyeight, citywide, Chicago’s population is almost evenly divided between non-Hispanic blacks (33 percent of its population), non-Hispanic whites (32 percent) and Hispanics (29 percent), a true testament to the city’s multiculturalism and ethnic diversity.
Famed for its provocative murals, the lower west-side Mexican-American Pilsen neighborhood exhibits these on just about every available surface and you won’t want to miss the two-story The Declaration of Immigration created by artist Salvador Jimenez and a group of young artists that poignantly depicts the melting pot that is Chicago.
Home to the University of Illinois at Chicago and its Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Little Italy is a rich living legacy of Chicago’s Italian-America, both its past and its present, jammed tight with unique Italian eateries and shops that have been part of the community for generations. Taylor Street is where you’ll discover restaurants and delis that go back generations where you can indulge in homemade pastas, stock up on fresh baked breads, or indulge in a traditional dinner with classic red and white checked tablecloths and Chianti. Bella!
Chicago’s century-old Chinatown neighborhood is located in the South Side, centered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues. Don your walking shoes to stroll the pedestrian-friendly open-air environment at the outdoor Chinatown Square Mall located just north of the main Wentworth Avenue District, where many Chinese-American grocery stores, boutiques. cafes and restaurants will transport you back to the East