Adler Teens Are Protecting Dark Night Skies By Studying Light Pollution In Chicago’s Little Village
Header image: Youth Organization for Lights Out (YOLO) teens presenting a Photovoice project on light pollution in Chicago at the Adler Planetarium.
The Adler Planetarium’s Youth Organization for Lights Out (YOLO) is an educational and civic engagement afterschool program focused on the effects of urban light pollution. This bilingual program takes place at Little Village Lawndale High School in partnership with Enlace Chicago.
During the 2022–2023 school year, YOLO teens learned about light pollution while utilizing a method called Photovoice to document light pollution concerns in their community. The Photovoice project led to the creation of a permanent photography exhibit at the Adler Planetarium, as part of the Adler’s newest exhibit, Chicago’s Night Sky. The Little Village Night Sky exhibit leverages youth voices and creates a safe and respectful space for diverse voices and perspectives at the Adler Planetarium.
Here’s what YOLO teens had to say about their experiences:
Before you joined YOLO, did you think light pollution affected you?
Sarah – Senior at World Language High School
“When I first started YOLO, I didn’t really know or understand much about light pollution. I never thought I was living in a community with poor lighting. Now, everywhere I look I see light pollution. I’m so much more aware and worried about all the light pollution that is affecting my community. The first time I started to realize that light pollution was affecting me was during a trip to Indiana Dunes. There were a lot of stars visible. When I came back, I looked up and saw way less stars than what I saw at Indiana Dunes.”
Ashley – Freshman at Social Justice High School
“No, honestly I didn’t know what light pollution was and I didn’t know it affected me. Now that I’ve been in the program for a year, I see that it does affect me and it can be dangerous. I actually wrote a narrative about how airport lights impact me and my family. When my family and I first moved into our apartment we live in now we had to put up trash bags to block out the bright airport lights.”
Guadalupe – Sophomore at Social Justice High School
“I started noticing that light pollution did impact me when I started taking pictures and talking about it in our YOLO sessions, and that it may be the cause of my sleep problems. Well at the beginning of the YOLO program I remember saying light pollution didn’t impact me and I used to believe my dad was just exaggerating when he complained about the lights being bright and hurting his eyes. After I learned more about light pollution, I started understanding my dad and I even felt bad for him when it really bothered him.”
Quiana – Freshman at World Language High School
“I honestly didn’t know about light pollution. I knew about other types of pollution because I participated in some activities in elementary school. After a few sessions being in YOLO, I realized that I lived in front of a school that had this flickering light that always turned on and off when I tried to sleep. This light always bothered me.”
How does light pollution fit under environmental justice?
Sarah – Senior student at World Language High School
“When we think of environmental justice we usually think of unhealthy drinking water or dangerous air quality—light pollution never comes up. Low-income communities don’t have the money or resources to pay for better lighting. Little Village is a victim of environmental injustice.”
How have you made a difference in your community since you joined YOLO?
Quiana – Freshman at World Language High School
“My teachers now turn off the classroom lights and only use the windows for light. I also have teachers who want to help out and talk to the Chicago Public School Board about changing the lights.”
Guadalupe – Sophomore at Social Justice High School
“We represented Little Village, a Hispanic community. Not many Hispanic communities get represented.”
Ashley – Freshman at Social Justice High School
“I started informing my mom, mostly while we were in the car driving. I will tell her ‘look, Ma, we don’t need all these lights because they are close together. THAT is what light pollution is.’ I’m currently still ‘teaching’ her.”
What do you hope community members and Adler visitors take away from this exhibit?
Ashley – Freshman at Social Justice High School
“That this creates an eye-opening experience for them and that they now know what light pollution is.”
Guadalupe – Sophomore at Social Justice High School
“I want community members and Adler guests to learn how light pollution affects them and how it can affect our safety and health. It can decrease our sleep and it can make us gain weight.”
The opening reception invited YOLO teens to a panel discussion along with Edward Bartholomew, founder of Light Justice, to be our guest speaker. We chose April 22 as the opening day for our photography exhibition because it is Earth Day and also the last day of the International Dark Sky week in 2023. International Dark Sky Week is a globally recognized event celebrating the importance of preserving dark skies and reducing light pollution.
Check out the installation in Chicago’s Night Sky highlighting their efforts during your next visit to the Adler Planetarium and share your own light pollution story with YOLO!
