Wednesday, February 27
Praize Productions Prepares For Annual Theatrical Performance
A local nonprofit arts enrichment organization, Praize Productions, Inc., is currently preparing for their 8th annual theatrical performance.
Chicago Black Restaurant Week Celebrates Another Successful Year
This year’s fourth annual Chicago Black Restaurant Week recently came to a close after featuring over 35 black-owned eateries across Chicago who all opened their doors to hungry customers and offered special menu items and discounted prices.
African Pride Launches Black Castor Miracle Collection to Improve How Protective Style Wearers Care for Their Hair
African Pride, a hair care manufacturer with more than 30 years of experience creating quality, affordable products, introduces its Black Castor Miracle collection. The eight-product range provides women with a simplified regimen to change the way they care for their hair before, during and after wearing protective styles; which include braids, locs, weaves, wigs or any other hairstyle that tucks the ends of your hair away from constant manipulation.
App Aims to Connect College Students With Study Partners
Subawu is like Tinder for studying, according to Oluwabusayo Adebayo who is currently in the process of creating a revolutionary app called Subawu. Like Tinder, a well-known dating app that connects users with people nearby that are also on the platform, Subawu will connect students with suitable study partners thus making it easier to get help and be successful in college.
Award-Winning Violinist Releases Music By Black Composers Project
Growing up in Chicago and studying violin, Rachel Barton Pine was surrounded by music that was created by black composers. She also knew more about black composers than kids her own age. Today, she is an award-winning violinist and able to travel the world to perform with top-notch orchestras.
Grammy-Winning Best Country Duo Dan + Shay To Headline Grandstand Stage
They just won their first Grammy, now country duo Dan + Shay are coming to play at the 2019 Illinois State Fair.
NEW 2FM HEADQUARTERS MEANS 200 JOBS ARE BEING RELOCATED TO THE SOUTH SIDE
Chicago’s Department of Fleet and Facility Management (2FM) along with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for 2FM’s new headquarters in Englewood which brings along with it the relocation of 200 jobs from the north side to the south side.
SOUTH SUBURBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL EXPAND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH $130,000 DONATION
Thornton Township High School District 205 recently accepted a $130,000 donation from the Thornton Alumni Legacy Fund which will be used to create a Machine Shop Program in the district. This new addition will further support the goals of the district’s Board of Trustees who are committed to developing useful vocational programs for students that will lead them straight into sustainable careers after high school.
Robbins to host minority business symposium
The village of Robbins will host an upcoming business summit with the goal of connecting black entrepreneurs with one another to help them grow their businesses.
Birmingham, Alabama, 1963: Dawoud Bey/Black Star
The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP) will present Birmingham, Alabama, 1963: Dawoud Bey/Black Star from April 11 – July 7, 2019, featuring work from photographer and recent MacArthur genius grant fellow Dawoud Bey (American, born 1953), who is also a professor of photography at Columbia College Chicago. His work has been collected by the MoCP since 1993, with over 60 pieces by Bey in the museum’s permanent holdings. This will be his second solo exhibition at the museum.
OVER 50 ORGANIZATIONS PARTNER TO SET GOAL OF DRASTICALLY REDUCING HOMICIDES IN CHICAGO
The City of Chicago is known for many things: cold temperatures, towering skyscrapers, deep dish pizza and unfortunately, gun violence.
LEGENDARY CHICAGO TALK SHOW HOST CLIFF KELLY TO ANNOUNCE HIS RETIREMENT AND RECEIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT BLACK SUMMIT FOR BUSINESS LEADERS
COOK COUNTY AFRICAN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS TO CONNECT WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO ADDRESS CREATING HUBS OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
CHICAGO HAS VOTED, THERE WILL BE A RUNOFF
Since Rahm Emanuel announced that he wouldn’t be running for a third term as Mayor of Chicago there has been constant chatter surrounding the crowded mayoral election which ended up with 14 candidates appearing on the ballot yesterday.
Monday, February 25
South Shore gets a full-service grocery store
A full-service grocery store is set to open this fall in South Shore and that means residents no longer have to live in the middle of a food dessert.
Thursday, February 21
Ald. Leslie Hairston Announces Long Awaited Grocery Store
Stakeholders in Chicago’s 5th Ward who’ve been waiting on a grocery store to replace the vacant Dominick’s in the Jeffery Plaza shopping center stood with Ald. Leslie Hairston at an announcement of the site opening under new ownership recently.
Betty Shabazz Academy Featured in WCIU’s Black History Month Special
Encore Airing This Sunday; Guest Instructor Illi Williams Among Those Profiled
Betty Shabazz Academy (BSA), a campus of Betty Shabazz International Charter Schools, hosted the taping of “Creating History,” a Black History Month special from WCIU-TV “The U.” The 30-minute special features six local community activists who are working to create meaningful change. It premiered on WCIU-TV at the start of February. The final encore broadcast is scheduled on The U on Sunday, February 24, at 12:30 p.m. The special is hosted by Jordan Cornette and Felicia Lawrence. Among those showcased is BSA guest instructor Illi D. Williams, a native Chicago rapper.
Wednesday, February 20
CITY OF CHICAGO UNVEILS NEW STREET SIGN THAT HONORS CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER
Ida B. Wells was an African-American journalist, abolitionist, feminist, and activist who dedicated her life to fighting for women’s rights and African American justice. To honor this important piece of black history and her legacy, street signs for the new Ida B. Wells Drive, formerly Congress Parkway, were recently unveiled in downtown Chicago.
CITY ANNOUNCES $2.5 MILLION INVESTMENT TO RENOVATE SOUTH SHORE LIBRARY
It was recently announced by the Mayor of Chicago and the Chicago Public Library that the South Shore Branch Library, located on 2505 E. 73rd St., will be one of the next neighborhood libraries in the city to receive a multi-million dollar investment for renovations and modernization.
Historic high school still opening doors for black students
When Wendell Phillips Academy High School was built in 1904, it became the first public high school in Chicago to have a mostly black, student population even though it’s named after a white man. The school is named after a Boston attorney, abolitionist and social reformer, who became the antislavery movement most powerful orator and, after the Civil War, was the chief proponent of full civil rights for freed slaves, said Timuel Black, a Chicago historian and civil rights activist.
SOUTH SUBURBAN BASED MARKETING COMPANY CELEBRATES BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP
WDB Marketing is a black-owned full-service marketing company, headquartered in South Holland, that was established in 2006. Over the last decade, the company has worked with over 3,000 black-owned businesses throughout the nation and witnessed firsthand the enormous impact black businesses are having in their communities.
Community Says ‘Thank You’ To First Responders With Free Family Fun Day
Over the last year, the Chicago Police Department has seen a tragic amount of officers die in the line of duty and that reality bears even more significance in CPD’s 5th District which covers several South Side neighborhoods like Pullman and Roseland.
Chicago Public Library Celebrates African American History Month
In honor of African American History Month in February, Chicago Public Library will feature a variety of programs for kids, teens and adults highlighting the culture, history and achievements of African Americans.
YOUNG CHICAGO ACTIVISTS TEAMS UP WITH NIKE FOR SPECIAL COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY
In many ways, Jahkil Jackson is a typical 11-year-old boy but where he stands out from the crowd is through his dedication to community service. Three years ago, Jackson founded Project I Am, a non-profit organization that works to build awareness of homelessness and to help the homeless population in Chicago and across the world.
South Side Organization Celebrates Black History With Free Gym Show
Like many others in the Englewood community, Asiaha Butler, co-founder and president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (RAGE), remembers attending gym shows as a kid where community members would perform and showcase their talents. In honor of this memory and as a way to celebrate Black History Month, RAGE is hosting their first So Fresh Blackish Gym Show at Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb 22nd.
Newly Released Self-Help Memoir Allows Readers To Use Rejection As FUEL
Chicago native Michelamonè Henderson is an author, a life coach, a motivational speaker, and the founder and chief executive officer of The Core Woman Academy. Most recently, she released a book titled Rejection Saved My Life which is a self-help memoir that tells the story of her struggles with rejection and self-reflection and provides readers with 15 transformational keys on how to use rejection as FUEL.
Star of Lifetime’s American Beauty Star and Hollywood’s Go-To Makeup Master to Lead His First Hands on Master Class in the U.S.
Sir John Barnett’s commitment to natural beauty and ever-changing needs of women, paired with his focus on inclusivity and authenticity has elevated him to makeup nobility, as his name portends. As one of the most sought after makeup and color artists in the world, he has led master classes around the world, including South Africa, Paris, and Dubai.
Keith Ovid Tate, A Shining Star in the Greater Chatham Community
Luke 12:48 discusses that we have been entrusted with certain God-given treasures, and faithfulness requires that we manage those treasures wisely and unselfishly. If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we use these well to glorify God and to benefit others. To whom much is given, much is required. The life of Keith Ovid Tate embodied this scripture to the fullest. Keith Tate was born the eldest of three children on April 14, 1949 to the union of Elwin Tate and Ola M Dixon.
Wednesday, February 13
$200 MILLION INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINALLY COMPLETED
After years of construction, 14 low-income housing properties in the suburbs of Cook County have been rehabilitated through a $200 million investment from The Housing Authority of Cook County. This is the largest affordable housing rehabilitation effort the Cook County suburbs have seen in decades and a celebration was recently held to announce the project’s completion.
Five of Six African American Mayoral Candidates Share Their Priorities For Day One In Office
As one of the first candidates to throw her hat into the ring and the first openly LGBTQ candidate to make the ballot in Chicago, Lori Lightfoot is regarded as an experienced reform expert and has worked at the city and federal level to make government more accountable and accessible.
Civil rights activist dedicates his life to community service
These days Timuel Black, a historian and civil rights activist, can walk without a cane, travels around town alone and still remembers his childhood days growing up on Chicago’s South Side.
3rd Annual Gala Highlights the Impact of Black Entrepreneurs in Chicago
Three years ago, the WDB LEGACY Awards was created to celebrate Black entrepreneurship, which is often unrecognized and overlooked. After two successful events, where 500-600 businesses were engaged each year, the 3rd Annual WDB L.E.G.A.C.Y Awards is well positioned to reach a larger audience and amplify the message that black business matters and the communities they serve are committed to supporting them.
Exhibit Honoring Frederick Douglass Extended
American Writers Museum recently announced its special exhibit Frederick Douglass AGITATOR has been extended through May 31, 2019 due to the popularity of the exhibit and the continued relevance of Douglass’s words and activism.
U.S. Bank Black History Month Honorees Plant the Seeds of Possibility Jackie Taylor, Black Ensemble Theater Recognized for Leadership
"Celebrating Black History Month is an opportunity for us to celebrate the leaders in our communities who we partner with to make a tangible difference," says Greg Cunningham, vice president, diversity and inclusion for U.S. Bank. "Through Community Possible, we're proud to support the communities where we live, work and play - and these nonprofit organizations who make life better for all our neighbors.
National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porters Museum In Collaboration with the Chicago Federation of Labor Presents The 2019 Gentle Warrior Awards Gala Fundraiser
The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum (NAPRPP) in collaboration with the Chicago Federation of Labor, Presents the 2019 A. Philip Randolph ”Gentle Warrior Awards” . The gala and fundraiser will be held at Chicago’s historic Parkway Ballroom, 4455 S. King Drive on Sunday, on February 24. From 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m
ComEd giving new light to school with solar panels
A newly installed remote power unit by ComEd at the front entrance of Ludwig Van Beethoven Elementary School could now make it safer for students going to school.
African Fashion designers to debut new fashion collections during local Black History Program
The Friendship Baptist Church Bridge Builders Auxiliary, Justice Shelvin L.M Hall, president, is inviting the general public out to this year’s 34th Taste of Africa on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 at 6 p.m., 5200 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago, to experience African Culture and Cuisine.
Comcast honors civil rights activists with new exhibit
Comcast Corporation honored six, local civil rights activists with a new exhibit recently unveiled at the DuSable Museum of African American History on Chicago’s South Side. The exhibit, “Voices of the Civil Rights Movement,” is available online and features interviews from all six honorees discussing how they got involved with the civil rights movement, what contributions they made to help improve equality for blacks and the status of the black community as they see it today.
Wednesday, February 6
From CityKey Expansions To A Women And Girls Report, City Clerk Has Big Plans For 2019
City Clerk Anna M. Valencia is the only woman of color to hold one of just three city-wide elected positions in Chicago. She was sworn into office in January of 2017 and since then she has been responsible for overseeing one of the largest offices in the city.
One-Night-Only Performance Shares Stories Of Real Women’s Experiences
An Obie Award-winning production, The Vagina Monologues, will soon be performed at Prairie State College’s Barnes and Noble Theatre, 202 S. Halsted, in Chicago Heights. The one-night-only performance will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
ENGLEWOOD STEM HIGH SCHOOL WILL OFFER STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO EARN AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE
When completed, Englewood STEM High School will be the first new high school to come to the Englewood community in almost half a century and the future principal of the new school, Conrad Timbers-Ausar, recently announced that they received over 1,000 applications from students who are interested in being part of the first freshman class when the school opens this fall.
Fourth Annual Solar Spotlight Program Exposes African American Students To Solar Science
Early in his administration, President Barack Obama spoke out about the importance of focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in education and the U.S. Department of Education has estimated that the United States Will need to add 1 million more STEM professionals to the workforce by 2022.
City Council Passes Resolution To Create Public Mental Health Task Force
There are only five public mental health clinics in the City of Chicago, a number that is below half of what existed prior to mental health funding cuts that began to take place in 2012.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street has rich history
Across the world, the street, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., can be found more than 900 times including on Chicago’s South Side. In Chicago, the street spans 14 miles and begins just south of East Cermak Road and four blocks east of South Michigan Avenue before ending at 115th Street.
The HistoryMakers Kicks Off Black History Month on PBS with a One-On-One Interview Program As Part of its Groundbreaking Business Initiative
The HistoryMakers has announced the one-on- one interview program, An Evening With Ken Chenault. The hour-long program provides a rare, inside, look into the life and career of one of America’s most successful CEOs – Ken Chenault. The program is hosted by CBS sportscaster and NFL network host James “J.B.” Brown and serves up a master class on corporate and civic leadership featuring interviews from those who know and have worked with Chenault during his phenomenal career.
Inspired by children who are visually impaired, X-Marks the Spot creates a theater event for everyone
Calling all moms and dads! The Chicago Children’s Theatre is inviting you and your kids to X-Marks the Spot, an all-new form of “X-Tra Sensory Theatre” inspired by children who are visually impaired, but created for all audiences. That’s right. Close your eyes. Because X-Marks the Spot: An X-Tra Sensory Xperience uses sounds, voices, tastes, and touchable, scented props to create an all-new multisensory theater event, ideal for children and parents to experience together.
ZURU Acquires Funville's Sparkle Girlz Doll Brand To Grow The Magic In The Doll Aisle
Leading international toy and consumer products company, ZURU, recently announced the company's acquisition of Sparkle Girlz, the 10-year old doll brand developed by Danuta Saville as Funville. The Sparkle Girlz brand vision was to create a stronger presence of magic, imagination and sparkle in the doll category. The brand features an extensive range of products that incorporate fun, fantasy and fashion into a variety of dolls. Sparkle Girlz has seen strong brand growth since its beginnings, now distributing its products globally.
TASTE FOR THE HOMELESS CONNECTS VULNERABLE CHICAGOANS WITH RESOURCES AND COMPASSION
There are about 80,000 homeless Chicagoans, according to the Chicago Homeless Coalition, and Michael Airhart has made it his life mission to provide as many resources as he can for those individuals. Most days, Airhart can be found working in the streets and shelters across the city providing food and compassion to the less fortunate.
Seeking Star Awards Nominations for The 2019 Chicago Women’s Conference
South Suburban College will be holding its 11th Annual Chicago Women’s Conference on Friday, March 15, 2019. The Women’s Conference Committee is seeking nominations for its 4th Annual STAR Awards.
Applications Now Open for Chicago High School Teens Seeking Opportunities with After School Matters®
After School Matters® is now excepting applications for spring 2019 programs, which will begin the week of February 12. Students can choose from more than 400 programs in the arts, communications and leadership, sports and STEM offered at various Chicago public high schools, as well as Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Library and community organization locations throughout the city. Programs will also continue to be offered downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts and at The Michael and Karyn Lutz Center for After School Matters in Belmont Cragin. Teens can search and apply for spring programs online at afterschoolmatters.org. This mobile-friendly application includes an interactive map to help teens search for programs, as well as, a full Spanish translation feature.
SOUTH SUBURBAN MAYOR FACES QUESTIONS REGARDING VEHICLE PURCHASES
A recent special meeting of the Blue Island City Council was called by Alderman Fred Bilotto, Alderman Candace Carr, and Alderman Nancy Rita to discuss the possibility of hiring a private law firm to investigate allegations that the Mayor of Blue Island, Domingo Vargas, used improper funds to purchase two vehicles for the city.