Quilen Blackwell is the president and co-founder of the Chicago Eco House, whose mission is to train inner city youth in sustainable social enterprises to alleviate poverty. The Chicago Eco House’s signature program is Southside Blooms, an off-grid flower farm youth social enterprise where participants convert vacant lots into commercial flower farms using solar powered rainwater irrigation.
Chicago Eco House’s signature program is Southside Blooms, which creates jobs for young people on the south and west sides of Chicago. The Eco House has won several awards for its work including the UL Innovation Education Award, Delta Institute BOOST Award, the Keep Chicago Beautiful Community Vision Award, and the African American Legacy Award. Quilen is originally from Madison, WI, and moved to Chicago to attend ministry school.
While in ministry school, he volunteered at a local high school in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's south side. This is where he first got acclimated to the realities that young people face every day in the inner city. He decided to commit his life to creating opportunities for the young people in the inner city by utilizing his skills in community organizing and renewable energy.
Quilen holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in environmental policy and sustainability from the University of Denver. He worked in the biodiesel industry as a procurer of feedstock and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand prior to starting the Chicago Eco House. Quilen resides on the south side of Chicago with his wife Hannah (the other co-founder of Eco House) and their three children.
02:27 - Introducing Quilen Blackwell, president and co-founder of the Chicago Eco House
02:53 - His family is his #1 ministry
03:53 - Journey to Chicago & the founding the Eco House
04:14 - Called by the Lord to move to Chicago
04:29 - Started volunteering at a high school during ministry school
04:42 - Opportunity to have relationships with families and see their needs
05:03 - Choice to serve the urban black community
05:12 - Mission to rebuild the economic foundation of the inner city
06:09 - What is Southside Blooms and why does it work?
07:00 - Southside Blooms is different because...
07:05 - Startup business as a viable flower shop
07:09 - Creating bottom up careers in the neighborhood
07:21 - Be the industry and save the economy
08:17 - Urban ministry intersects with other areas of expertise
08:29 - Taking skills, expertise, and experiences and channeling them toward kingdom purpose
08:41 - Not only using God's blessings to solve earthly problems, but to show heaven on earth
09:08 - Combine the spiritual need with physical needs
10:21 - Importance of family-focused programs
10:33 - Culture of single mother families
10:46 - Building block of successful family units
10:58 - Flowers in weddings gives opportunities to talk about marriage
11:20 - Giving a different vision of what family looks like
11:29 - Quilen & Hannah's marriage is a witness to the youth
12:18 - The ministry is really all about families
12:45 - Initial community response to Southside Blooms
12:57 - Survey the community, talk to politcal leaders, assess the need
13:14 - The real need is...
