A N I T A   A L C A N T A R A
Director of Senior Programs

Born during the beginning of WWII in Uptown neighborhood of Chicago of parents who immigrated from rural areas of the Philippines and northern Wisconsin. Anita’s education was in public schools of Uptown and Edgewater followed by public colleges Wright Chicago City College and Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelors of Education in 1964. Early career steps were summer camp staffing public school teaching, public library service at the Main Library (now Chicago Cultural Center) industry mentoring/experiencing young workers from Jones Commercial High School. During this time Anita participated in volunteer development for the civil rights movement and anti-war movement primarily in church settings.

In the 70’s and early 80’s Anita worked for the Girl Scouts of Chicago and Girl Scouts of the USA beginning with field director in West Englewood, Back of the yards (west of Dan Ryan expressway), and Gage Park then Director of Educational Services city wide – Responsible for city wide goals for racial integration in southwest area she was awarded the Girl Scout Thanks Badge in 1975 nominated by the area associations. Due to popular changes Anita implemented many programs & staffing that were new and field-tested bi-lingual material. Promoted to the educational services position in Chicago she continued to expand the development of adult training in underserved areas, obtain certification for early release of national programs. Moving to New York in 1979 for national Girlscout training programs Anita was responsible for curriculum development, writing handbooks and video training program materials, their release, education services mentor, and the team of the early childhood program begun nationwide in 1983 (Daisy Program for 5 year olds). Returning to Chicago in 1985 Anita saw possibilities in working within United Church of Rogers Park in expanding community programs that had begun in 1970 with the merger of the Methodist Congregational Church at Morse and Ashland. She was asked to serve on the board of the Rogers Park Children’s Learning Center (day care organization with the beginning of before & after school care for primary children) and later promoted the development of a job position including community services with church community life. In this work she was involved with encouraging, supporting and scheduling activities within the building of (among others Centro Romero site, Housing Opportunities for Women, Retired Senior Volunteer Program site, Rogers Park Children’s Network, Rogers Park Tenants Community.

With the United Church of Rogers Park decisions to reconfigure staffing in 2003, Anita turned to working within Insight Arts as director of Senior programs.