Publication Date

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Interdisciplinary Leadership

First Advisor

Erica Ceka, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Natalia Ermasova, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Christopher Dignam, Ed.D.

Abstract

This study examined community members’ perceptions of social entrepreneurship as an employment-centered strategy for addressing youth violence among African Americans on Chicago’s South and West Sides. The study was guided by the following research question: Can social entrepreneurship be leveraged to reduce youth violence among African Americans on Chicago’s South and West Sides, as perceived by community members? Using Fillmore Laundry, a healthcare linen-processing social enterprise located in North Lawndale, as a case example, this quantitative, cross-sectional study collected survey data from 99 eligible community members recruited through community-based partnerships. The survey assessed perceived youth- and community-level program benefits, evaluations of social entrepreneurship relative to other intervention approaches, beliefs regarding the relationship between employment and youth violence, and support for program continuation, expansion, and funding. The survey also included open-ended items that provided additional contextual insight. Results demonstrated broad and consistent support for social entrepreneurship across nearly all measured dimensions. Participants expressed the strongest and most consistent agreement that stable and expanded employment opportunities could reduce youth criminal activity and violence. These findings provide community-grounded evidence regarding the potential role of social entrepreneurship in urban violence prevention and offer policymakers, funders, and practitioners actionable insight into the design, communication, and expansion of employment-based interventions in historically disinvested communities.

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