Community Focus
Community organizer serving on new Police District Councils
Joseph Williams, Executive Director and Founder of Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club, was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. He is a husband, and father to six children. He was recently elected to the 7th District for the Police District Councils. Williams was also a member of the Local School Council, starting when he was 21-years old. He is transitioning into different roles to continue his engagement in the community.
Architects design homes for infill spaces
The Chicago Architecture Center, Department of Planning and Development and Department of Housing tasked architects locally and from across the country with coming up with designs for infill housing for six communities that are part of the INVEST South/West program.
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CHICAGO FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN WANTS TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE'S LIVES
Felicia Davis Blakley has spent the bulk of her career in the public sector, helping people. Her mother raised her with a very strong sense of community and responsibility and giving back.
Mahogany Browne talks ‘Chlorine Sky’
Mahogany Browne is the author of “Chlorine Sky,” which is currently running at the Steppenwolf Theatre. Brown was nice enough to take the time to answer some questions about turning her poetry and prose into a stage play for “Chlorine Sky.”
DOLPHLAND POPS UP IN CHICAGO
There’s a new Pop-Up Coming to the space that once housed the Woman-Ish immersive experience. The Dolphland Museum is coming to Chicago Friday through Sunday, March 3rd thru. 5th, at 114 S. State St.
COOK COUNTY LAND BANK HOLDS DEED TRANSFER CEREMONY FOR VACANT LOT GIVEAWAY RECIPIENTS IN ENGLEWOOD
The Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) completed the handover of deeds to 12 vacant lots to the nine recipients of last year’s Juneteenth land giveaway. Held in partnership with the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), the giveaway of vacant side lots and today’s deed ceremony will lead to the development of these lots for valuable community uses. CCLBA also donated three lots to local nonprofit Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN). The deed event was held at Go Green Community Fresh Market, a grocery store in the neighborhood across the street from lots donated to IMAN.
Local Black Photographer talks about his career
Jerome Simmons has had a storied career as a photographer. He started his career as a photographer at Johnson Publishing Company. He also had the pleasure of working with Don Cornelius of Soul Train, taking photographs.
Regal Mile Studios Breaks Ground on South Chicago Avenue
The Regal Mile Studios Campus 1, a 380,000 square foot, seven-acre media campus and soundstage, is set for South Chicago Avenue, west of Stony Island. On Monday, Feb. 6th, there was a groundbreaking for Regal Mile Studios. The project is sponsored by Loop Capital Real Estate Partners and includes a $100 million investment for the privately funded project.
Project H.O.O.D. receives an $8 million matching gift from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation has made an $8 million matching gift donation to Project H.O.O.D. for its center. It will be named the Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center.
Project OneTen receives $150,000 from NewSchools Venture Fund
Dirrick Butler founded Project OneTen in 2018 with the goal of helping young men of color coming out of eighth grade transitioning into high school. Project OneTen received the $150,000 in unrestricted funding from the NewSchools Venture Fund as part of its Racial Equity investment area. NewSchools Venture Fund Racial Equity investment aims to offer “dream capital” to leaders who are working to address racial inequities in education.
Artist makes his mark with murals
The brightly colored murals that Rahmaan ‘Statik’ Barnes creates can be seen all over the city, from his mural at Garrett’s Popcorn off 87th and Cottage Grove to the mural of Farley “Jackmaster” Funk on 87th and Kimbark, to the series of murals he created for the city of Rosemont.
LYNWOOD BOASTS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR 2023
The Village of Lynwood, President Jada Curry was elected to office in 2021. Curry’s primary focus for the Village for 2023 is economic development. There are new businesses that are scheduled to break ground and are in different phases.
Proposed Bronzeville Trail moves forward
John Adams, Esq., was walking through Bronzeville and saw the abandoned Kenwood “L” Train Embankment and it sparked an idea for the Bronzeville Trail. The Bronzeville Trail is a proposed walking, running and biking trail, which would be located from 40th and Dearborn to 41st and Lake Park Avenue. Adams is the founder and project director of the Bronzeville Trail Task Force.
Pilar Audain is a leader in the trenches to heal traumatized communities
Pilar Audain believes a household is as strong as the woman who runs it. Audain is the Associate Director of Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation and the Founder of Wrap Your beYouty Movement. The work Audain does focuses on Black women, with an emphasis on communities and neighborhoods that have been traumatized and impacted by Anti-Blackness, racism and disparities that are happening on the South and West sides.
