A Chicago West Side oasis: How the Aspire Center is transforming lives

“I call it an oasis in the city.”  

For BMO retail relationship banker Taloyta “Toi” Strickland, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation isn’t just a workplace; it goes much deeper than that.  

Located in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, the Aspire Center stands as a powerful example of what happens when investment meets intention. Once a closed elementary school that was seemingly forgotten, the building has been transformed into a vibrant hub for workforce development, financial empowerment and community connection.  

But for Toi, the story starts long before that. 

Toi grew up just down the street from where the Aspire Center now stands. She says growing up, the neighborhood was missing a lot of the things that people need like grocery stores and easy access to public transportation, as well as a general lack of opportunity.   

Her path to banking started early. As a student at Whitney Young High School, she participated in a work program and chose banking, a decision that would shape her career, starting out at LaSalle Bank and working her way up to an AVP in client customer service. She gained experience in the industry and always had a desire to make an impact on people’s lives in a meaningful way.  

Toi initially intended to volunteer when she heard about the Aspire Center coming to Austin, but when BMO planned to be a main tenant, she decided that would be a way to give back by using her professional skills.  

She applied and joined BMO in August 2025, becoming part of the team helping bring financial services directly into the heart of the community. 

Now BMO is part of the larger Aspire Center, intentionally designed to be more than just a place people pass through. 

It brings together multiple organizations under one roof, offering job training, financial coaching, legal support, small business development, and even services like childcare.  

Many who walk through its doors are navigating major life transitions, especially individuals reentering society after incarceration. The center provides not just resources, but dignity, support and a path forward. 

“It’s actually investing in people,” Toi says.  

And that investment shows up in the details; from record expungement support to workforce readiness programs to the simple act of meeting people where they are. 

And when clients learn she grew up in the same neighborhood, sometimes the conversation shifts. 

“They say, ‘Oh, you’re from here?’ And then the walls come down,” she explains.  

Through empathy and listening, Toi helps clients — whether they’re rebuilding their financial lives, starting fresh, or simply looking for guidance – see what’s possible. 

“If you want to invest in yourself, we can help you turn this around,” she says.  

The Aspire Center represents a $40 million investment in Chicago’s West Side, focused on economic empowerment and workforce development.  

But beyond the numbers, its impact is human. 

It’s the parent who can attend training because childcare is available. It’s the returning citizen who can clear their record and start fresh. It’s the young person who sees opportunity where there once was none. 

And it’s professionals like Toi, who have come full circle, helping to write a new story for their community.