ABOUT US | EcoVillage Chicago

OUR STORY

When I was young I longed to play in the woods near a creek and find frogs in little puddles by a pond. As a city girl, I figured this was just a grass-is-greener dream of mine. As I got older I realized that connection to the earth isn't simply a preference, it is a human need. We evolved with nature and the disconnection experienced by modern life is no trivial threat to our wellbeing, as individuals and as a society.

Now that I am a mother I know what I want for my child. I'm ready to embrace the smell of the herbs in the morning, make myself a cup of tea and go say good morning to the chickens with my daughter's hand in mind.

Will you join me? Lets live a better life, together.

Chickens provide fertilizer and food

Intergenerational community strength

Culinary & Medicinal Herbs

Ecological Education

Natural Herbs

Beekeeping

ABOUT ISABELLE ROZENDAAL-INNOCENTI

I'm a violinist and gardener, passionate about healthy living and sustainability. I grew up in Rogers Park on the North side of Chicago, and I'm ready to embrace all that life has in store for me.

I attended Oberlin College and studied Violin Performance in the Conservatory, and Comparative American Studies in the College with a emphasis in Environmental Justice, and a minor in Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies. Throughout my time at Oberlin I was involved in many environmental issues, and organized on energy issues (coal fired power plants & mountain top removal mining) with the Ohio Student Environmental Coalition. While in school I organized a trip for over 100 Oberlin Students to attend Power Shift environmental conference in Pittsburgh, and organized the first ever Permaculture winter term project and film series held at Oberlin College.

I got my Permaculture Design Certification in Oberlin, OH studying with Darren Doherty in 2010, and started designing gardens on every spot I could find!

But enough about the past. Let's embrace the present, and build a beautiful future.

For the last 5 years I have served as Faculty and co-owner to the only cooperative music business in Illinois, South Side Suzuki Cooperative, and have been running my own private music studio for the last 15 years. I've had the delight to perform professionally as a violinist in orchestras in the Chicagoland area including Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, and New Philharmonic. The plan after college was always to have my music career fuel my environmental work.

My journey led me to real estate investing, with a dream to make this Ecovillage development a reality. Now armed with more knowledge and resources than ever before, I'm ready to fully embrace my passion for sustainability, and make these cooperative dreams come true!