Origins: From Tragedy to Transformation
The KLEO Community Center was founded in memory of Kleo Barrett, who tragically lost her life to domestic violence. Her brother, Torrey Barrett — deeply moved by her death and by the larger social forces leading to such tragedies — transformed grief into purpose: he established KLEO to serve as a “safe haven” for people in need, especially youth and families.
From its founding, the center’s mission turned toward not just reacting to violence, but preventing it — by offering community members opportunities: in education, arts, workforce development, housing stability, and more.
What KLEO Does: A Holistic, Community-Centered Approach
KLEO’s work spans many aspects of community support. Some of its core programs and services:
- Arts, culture & creative expression — Through partnerships and internal programs (e.g. after-school music and performing arts), youth have access to creative outlets.
- Workforce development & job readiness — KLEO offers job training, resume writing, employment programs (including summer youth employment through initiatives like One Summer Chicago), aiming to instill economic stability and offer real opportunities.
- Education & academic support — After-school tutoring, STEM programs, help for students who may not have resources at home. These are vital in communities where educational support can be lacking.
- Housing stability & shelter support — Recognizing that safe, stable housing is a foundation for well-being, KLEO provides shelter services, community-stability support, and aids people transitioning to stable housing.
- Food access & health resources — Through programs like a mobile food pantry and health-related events, the center helps meet basic needs and supports community wellness.
By combining these areas — culture, education, economic support, basic needs — KLEO offers a holistic support network, which goes beyond a simple “youth club” or “after school program.”
Cultural & Social Impact: More Than Services
🔗 Building Community, Identity & Belonging
Community centers like KLEO serve as vital third-spaces: places where people can come together, connect, and build bonds beyond immediate family or neighborhood ties.
For many youth and families in underserved neighborhoods, KLEO offers not just programming — but a sense of belonging, stability, and identity. Through arts, mentorship, group activities, and shared resources, people are reminded they are part of a larger community that values them.
In a city with deep divisions and inequality, having a space that is intentionally inclusive — offering opportunities regardless of background — fosters social cohesion, reduces isolation, and gives an anchor to those who might otherwise feel overlooked.
🎨 Nurturing Creativity, Voice, and Cultural Expression
By offering arts and culture programming, KLEO gives young people an outlet to express themselves — through music, theater, art — and perhaps reshape their narrative. This is especially powerful in neighborhoods impacted by economic hardship or violence, where traditional pathways of opportunity may be limited.
Furthermore, by connecting creative expression with stability (job readiness, housing, support), KLEO challenges the narrative that art is a luxury — instead presenting it as a path to healing, empowerment, and community improvement.
In this way, KLEO echoes a broader tradition of community-based cultural centers that uplift local talent and make art accessible to communities historically marginalized — similar in spirit (though different in history and scale) to institutions like the South Side Community Art Center in Chicago.
🛠️ Addressing Systemic Inequities: Economic, Educational, Housing
KLEO’s efforts in workforce readiness, job placement, shelter, food access, and education don’t just help individuals — they help address systemic inequalities. By equipping people with tools for employment, offering stable housing and basic needs, KLEO helps reduce precarity.
This kind of support can have ripple effects: fewer families destabilized by economic hardship, fewer youth without guidance or resources, and — crucially — fewer people exposed to environments where violence or crime may become more likely. As the Center puts it, they aim to “eradicate violence by bringing opportunity.”
🏠 Strengthening Neighborhood Stability and Empowerment
Beyond individuals, KLEO contributes to neighborhood stability: by providing essential services, the Center can help families stay housed, avoid cycles of instability, and maintain dignity. Programs like food pantries, housing support, and outreach foster resilience and community solidarity.
Moreover, by situating its work in the heart of the community (address: 119 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago) and offering open access, KLEO helps reinforce the idea that services — and dignity — belong to all members of the neighborhood, not just a privileged few.
The Symbolic Power: Love, Healing, Equity as Strategy
One of the most powerful aspects of KLEO’s work is its framing: the motto “Keep Loving Each Other,” and the guiding ethos: “Love is our strategy,” “Healing is our purpose,” “Equity is our promise.”
That mindset transforms what could be just a set of programs into a values-centered movement, offering an alternative blueprint for how communities respond to violence, inequality, and trauma. Instead of punitive or reactive solutions, KLEO embraces prevention, empowerment, healing, and community uplift.
This approach resonates beyond individual interventions — it signals a collective aspiration for dignity, safety, and a future where everyone can thrive. In a city like Chicago, with systemic challenges and inequities, that symbolic power matters.
