The rich lives 30 years longer than the poor in Chicago
In white and rich Streeterville, a rich area of Chicago, people can expect to live 90 years as compared to the black and poor Englewood. It is the highest divergence in this expectancy in the list of US cities. Michelle Rashad, a citizen of Englewood, said, “I have seen a fruit and vegetable shop in this store which is run by a Muslim brother since my childhood and it is the only such shop in one mile”.
There is a scarce of healthy food options in the poor Englewood area of Chicago. In the Streeterville, there is an abundance of fruit shops and other fresh foods. City Health Dashboard published a report in which it was revealed that Chicago had the most divergence in terms of life expectancy among the US cities.
In Streeterville, where the white people are abundant, the life expectancy is up to 90 years. In Englewood, where the black people are abundant, the life expectancy is just 60 years. Dr. Marc Gourevitch, NYU department officer, said, “The zip code of the citizens has huge influence on their health and it is as important as their genetic code in terms of health”.
Rashad said, “It is the difference of an entire generation and Englewood would not accept it”. Englewood and Streeterville have huge differences in each and every aspect. The average income of a family in Streeterville is almost $100000/year while it is $25000/year in Englewood. 90% of the people in Streeterville have their college degree while only 8.2% of people in Englewood have college degree.
Gun violence is another factor which creates divergence in the life expectancy of these two regions of Chicago. Englewood is one of the most violent areas of Chicago. 93% of the citizens of Englewood has saw the gun violence with their own eyes. Erin Vogel, I Grow Chicago’s co-executive director, said, “100% of the children, we work with, have lost someone they know in gun violence”.
