Community Focus
Auburn Gresham-native to open OB/GYN practice
A new medical practice, Contemporary OB/GYN Chicago, is set to open and will begin accepting patients on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
CO-FOUNDER OF CHIGIVESBACK WANTS TO INSPIRE OTHERS
Sandi Robinson, co-founder of Chi- GivesBack, knows the importance of raising funds to provide resources. She also knows the importance of having a good team to support you in your endeavors.
FATHER OF FIVE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITY
Joseph Williams, husband and father of five, wanted to be a more involved father, so he started to become active at his children’s school. Williams began doing lunchroom duty and moved into reading books in the classroom. In 2017, he got the idea to start Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club, a non-profit organization which promotes literacy among children and which provides a male role model in the lives of children.
Matteson unveils casino plans
Village of Matteson President Sheila Chalmers-Currin was recently joined by Rob Miller, a representative of the Choctaw Nation; Alicia Starks, of Inner City Entertainment; and Jay Beck and Robert Pooler, of Precision Golf Dome, for a presentation of projects for a casino proposal, which would be located at the former site of Lincoln Mall, if approved by the Illinois Gaming Board. Chalmers-Currin is confident the proposed casino, backed by the Choctaw Nation, will be approved by the board.
NEW I GROW CHICAGO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEES ORGANIZATION AS BEING A MODEL FOR BUILDING PEACE AND LOVE IN COMMUNITIES
I Grow Chicago has a new executive director. Sol Anderson comes to the Englewood-based non-profit with more than 13 years of experience in the non-profit sector. The role of president and founder of I Grow Chicago, Robbin Carroll, will change from the day-to-day operations, to Board member and advocate.
ORGANIZATION WANTS TO BRING AWARENESS TO BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER
Beulah Brent uses her experience and knowledge of the healthcare system to bring awareness to breast and cervical cancer in minority and underserved communities on the South and West sides of Chicago.
PROPERTY TAX REFORMS LEAD TO PROPERTY REASSESSMENT
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is taking on property tax reform in Illinois. Kaegi said the way property has been assessed in previous administrations has led to inequities in the process and it’s put a burden on people who have less money.
BUSINESS OWNER GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY, LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Walker said he learned he could use his resources to be a blessing to others when he saw a young lady stuck on the side of the road. He offered to tow her home and she started crying because she didn’t have a tree or toys for her kids for Christmas. He came back with toys and a tree so the family could celebrate Christmas. “Just the look on the kids’ faces was priceless. From then on, I said, ‘Okay, this is my calling,’” he said. “I do come from a giving background. My parents were givers,” he said.
WOMANISH EXHIBIT SET TO OPEN SEPT. 3
The Womanish Exhibit is set to open on Thursday, Sept. 3. The immersive, pop-up exhibit, which is located at 114 S. State St., had its opening delayed due to COVID-19.
CEO EMPOWERS MOTHERS TO BE HUSTLE MOMMIES
Ariel DeNey Rainey is the founder and CEO of Hustle Mommies, an organization that is focused on empowering single mothers and helping them to become leaders in their homes and in their communities.
EXHIBIT EXPLORES HOW YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE NAVIGATE CITY
Tonika Lewis Johnson is the creator of the Folded Map Project, a visual investigation of the inequity and disparity of the North and South Sides. In that project, Johnson has the residents, who lived on the same streets with similar addresses on different sides of the city, meet each other and talk about race, the city and segregation.
ARTIST DRAWS ON COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR EXHIBIT
In Sage Smith’s first solo art exhibit, “The Barriers That Create Us,” she explores the act of mindfulness that comes from the repetitive motions and line work in pattern making.
IGrow Chicago hosts in-person camp
While summer usually means children attend camp or some outdoor activity, COVID-19 has either forced organizations to cancel summer activities or host virtual camps. But IGrow Chicago decided to host its Summer of Hope Program in-person, with safety protocols in place.
Local small business owners look to digital resource
ChiBizHub, a digital portal that provides resources for small businesses, had to pivot in the midst of COVID-19. The portal launched a year ago and has connected 900 entrepreneurs to resources necessary for them to build their businesses.
