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Giannoulias Legislative Initiatives Approved by General Assembly
Several initiatives spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias aimed at enhancing road safety, bolstering library security and modernizing the office to boost efficiency were approved by state lawmakers.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Woman’s Board Annual Summer Ball Raises $2.1MM to Support Chicago Youth
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s Woman’s Board welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of 320 guests to its annual Summer Ball on Friday, May 30, an evening of celebration, generosity, and impact held at the award-winning Aba and the Dalcy. Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) is a nonprofit dedicated to providing a safe and positive environment for thousands of city youth. Facing extraordinary challenges, Club youth live in underserved areas where they must overcome daily obstacles to achieve success. To help BGCC’s mission of empowering Chicago’s young people to reach their full potential, the event raised $2.1MM. This critical funding and the event’s overwhelming success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of this year’s Summer Ball Co-Chairs, Kate Melman and Kelly Rosen Lagrange, as well as Woman's Board President Karen McEniry.
Chicago Public Schools Highlights Positive Outcomes of Teachers Lead Chicago
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) released a case study highlighting the early success of Teachers Lead Chicago, the District’s formal teacher leadership program that is reshaping how CPS supports, empowers, and retains educators. The program is a cornerstone of the District’s broader Lead with CPS strategy to strengthen leadership at every level.
CVI LEADERS – ACCLIVUS OBSERVE NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH
June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month and community violence intervention (CVI) leader, Acclivus (ak·luh·vus) is observing the month with a demonstrated commitment to preventing deadly gun violence while maintaining peace and safety in high-risk neighborhoods across the city.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Students to Continue Academic Achievement Through Summer Programming
As summer break begins, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is rolling out a slate of academic and enrichment programs to ensure students continue learning, thriving, and preparing for the 2025–26 school year. Through partnerships with community organizations and educational institutions citywide, CPS is once again supporting high-quality summer opportunities that reflect the District’s deep commitment to equity, excellence, and the goals outlined in its Five-Year Strategic Plan, Success 2029: Together We Rise.
Meharry Medical College partners with church for $310M redevelopment
Memphis, Tennessee - Meharry Medical College is partnering with Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church for its $310 million redevelopment plan.
Congressmen Evans, Edwards Introduce Bill to Build Out National Skills-Training System
Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd) and Congressman Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11th) introduced the Leveraging Educational Opportunity Networks (LEON) Act to build pathways out of poverty and solve our structural, long-term labor shortage. Under the bill, the U.S. Department of Labor would provide competitive grants to organizations that partner with local employers to provide no-cost professional certification training to workers for living-wage jobs in construction, disaster recovery, manufacturing and more.
Seeds of Fortune Inc. and Marsai Martin Join Forces to Empower 10,000 Young Women Through Financial Education and Wealth-Building
Seeds of Fortune Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to the economic empowerment of youth, is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with award-winning actress and producer Marsai Martin and her Marsai's Way Foundation. Over the next three years, the organizations aim to empower 10,000 young women through financial education and wealth-building initiatives.
Gen Z, Millennials, and Affluent Travelers Set the Pace for 2025 Summer Vacations
Confidence in taking an annual vacation has reached a record high, as noted in Allianz Partners USA's annual Vacation Confidence Index*. However, the data also reveals striking differences in travel attitudes and behaviors across demographic groups. The annual study, sheds light on how age, income, gender, and family dynamics are shaping Americans' vacation plans in 2025.
Lupus Foundation of America Awards Summer Fellowship Grants to 7 Young Scientists Advancing Lupus Research
The Lupus Foundation of America is proud to announce the seven recipients of the 2025 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program (Finzi). This program supports undergraduate, graduate, and medical students conducting lupus-focused research under the guidance of experienced mentors at academic institutions in the US, Canada or Mexico. Its purpose is to inspire medical and graduate students to pursue lupus research, helping to build the future pipeline of experts across North America. This year's Finzi Fellows will spend the summer investigating unanswered questions in lupus including: How skin lesions heal – uncovering the biological steps the body takes to resolve lupus-related skin damage.
WNBA All-Star and Champion Diamond DeShields Joins Others as the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition Marks 5 Years of Bold Action and Advocacy
The Rare Disease Diversity Coalition (RDDC) is proud to commemorate its 5th anniversary—marking five years of bold, community-driven work to transform how rare diseases are diagnosed, treated, and understood for historically underserved populations.
BACARDÍ® Rum Brought The Spirit of Puerto Rico to New York City with La Placita de BACARDÍ
BACARDÍ® rum brought a taste of Puerto Rican culture to the heart of New York City with La Placita de BACARDÍ – an immersive celebration inspired by San Juan's legendary La Placita de Santurce. As Puerto Rico and Latin Caribbean culture continues to inspire pop culture globally, BACARDÍ is proud to shine a light on the island, where its rum is crafted at the world's largest premium rum distillery, CASA BACARDÍ, in Cataño. La Placita de BACARDÍ highlighted Puerto Rico's vibrant music, food, and fashion.
A Night for Linda Martell: Nashville Event Honors a Country Music Pioneer
On the evening of June 4, Sun Records and the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) came together to celebrate the music and legacy of Linda Martell—on her 84th birthday and in honor of Black Music Month and the 55th anniversary of her groundbreaking album Color Me Country.
Kwanza Jones Introduces Inaugural Innovator Award Honoring Teyana Taylor at Historic Apollo Spring Benefit
At a landmark moment in The Apollo Theater's nearly century-long history, Kwanza Jones, nine-time Billboard-charting music artist, impact investor, and philanthropist, took the stage at the 2025 Apollo Spring Benefit to introduce the first-ever Innovator Award and its honoree, fellow multi-hyphenate Teyana Taylor.
