Lifelong Englewood resident Antoine Butler enjoys sharing his talents and giving back to Englewood whenever and however he can.
Although he’s not a lawyer, he’s worked as a Cook County Court Clerk for the last 22 years and his knowledge of the legal system runs deep. He often volunteers his time with adolescents in the community, passing along advice for how to better navigate the legal system in hopes of giving them a second chance.
He is a co-founder of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) where he focuses on youth, education, civic engagement, and economic development.
Before his work with R.A.G.E., he helped host Englewood’s “Docs & Dialogue,” a monthly series where community youth could view “shockumentaries” that focused on culture, hip hop, entertainment, and history, and then have the chance to openly discuss the films free from the scrutiny of adults.
He is Englewood’s resident DJ, better known as “DJ Dap,” who shares his DJ skills and musical talent for free or at a low cost at a variety of local events. And in 2018, he plans to open Ellie’s Urban Grill as part of the City of Chicago’s recently-announced Retail Thrive Zone initiative.
As involved as he is, Antoine doesn’t consider himself to be a community activist. “I’m a father. I’m a husband. I’m a businessman and a landlord. I’m a relatable role model for the kids. I’m just somebody who likes to be involved.”
This is #EnglewoodRising.
