In a powerful celebration of resilience and truth-telling, Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA) and The DIVA Foundation, founded by the remarkable Sheryl Lee Ralph Abbott Elementary, proudly unveil the hosts and honorees for the 11th Annual Truth Awards powered by ViiV. The iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills will serve as the backdrop for this celebration of Black Queer Excellence on Saturday, March 15th, 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM. Guests will be inspired, uplifted, and reminded of the Black LGBTQ+ community’s impact on popular culture, politics, and the Arts.
WNBA star and Las Vegas Aces Guard Jewell Loyd proudly announces the acquisition of Help With My Loan (HWML), through her single-family office Loyd & Co., a Chicago-based, mission-driven financial firm which she co-founded with her brother Jarryd Loyd. In addition to her acclaimed basketball career, Jewell has recently led several strategic acquisitions that have set new industry benchmarks, reinforcing her status as a visionary in both sports and finance. By acquiring HWML, Loyd & Co. will expand its offerings to help clients—especially minority small business owners—grow and scale.
Black Excellence in Blue was co-founded by Illinois Speaker of the House Emanuel "Chris" Welch, former Michigan Speaker of the House Joe Tate and TaQuoya McConnico in 2024. It was launched during the Democratic National Convention, which was hosted in Chicago.
Dr. Kisha E. McCaskill was appointed 5th District Cook County Commissioner in January of this year. She filled the seat left vacant by now Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon.
Walter Mendenhall, Founder of Male Mogul Initiative, along with WNBA player Jewell Loyd and her brother, Jarryd Loyd, have acquired the financial technology company Helpwithmyloan.
South Shore residents gathered at Bryn Mawr Community Church to receive information about the impending closure of the Walgreen’s on 71st and Jeffery. The Fifth Ward Alderman Desmon Yancy and Executive Director of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce Tonya Trice spoke to the residents about the next steps and received feedback about what they would like to see in the space next.
Alderman Stephanie Coleman-Chairman of the Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus- was joined by her fellow Black Caucus colleagues as they successfully hosted the 2nd Annual City of Chicago and Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus job fair. The event was held to allow Chicago residents to explore entry level and above exclusive career opportunities within the City of Chicago and its affiliated agencies. The event was held on Saturday, February 21st, at Malcolm X College. Over 1000 Chicago residents arrived as early as 8am to line up as they presented their resume and credentials to numerous city of Chicago agencies.
Building on their past collaboration for e-learning during the pandemic and summer day camp programming, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA have been awarded a grant of $850,000 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development that will help families at The Salvation Army of Joliet.
The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, founded in 1961 by Dr. Margaret T. Burroughs, stands as one of the nation’s first independent museums dedicated to preserving and celebrating Black history, culture and art. Named after Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, Chicago’s first non-Indigenous settler, the Museum has been a beacon of education and inspiration for generations. From its humble beginnings in Dr. Burroughs’ home to its status as a Smithsonian-affiliated institution, the DuSable Museum remains a cornerstone of historical preservation and cultural empowerment.
As the Obama Foundation prepares to open the Obama Presidential Center to the public in 2026, today they announced Chicago Chef Cliff Rome and Bon Appétit Management Company will collaborate to provide food service and catering operations across the majority of campus, including at the Center’s restaurant and café, which are open to the public.
Alderman Stephanie Coleman-Chairman of the Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus- will be joined by her fellow Black Caucus colleagues in hosting the 2nd Annual City of Chicago and Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus job fair.
The highly anticipated 2025 Soar Awards will take place on Monday, March 3, 2025, at the Greenwood Oasis located 7621 S. Greenwood in Chicago, IL, bringing together some of the most influential figures in gospel music. Hosted by a dynamic duo of award winning recording artist Jekalyn Carr and talk show host Willie Moore Jr., this unforgettable evening will honor Yolanda Adams, Smokie Norful, and Archbishop William Hudson, celebrating their remarkable contributions to the gospel music industry.
The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL), one of the metropolitan area's most influential organizations, has endorsed the 209 Students 1st Slate in the Proviso Township High Schools District 209’s School Board race. This endorsement is significant as the CFL is the umbrella group for 300 unions in suburban Cook County and Chicago.
Illinois Partners for Human Service (Illinois Partners) has officially launched the Living Wages, Thriving Communities website to bring attention to the urgent need for human service workers to earn livable wages: LivingWageIL.org. On Wednesday, February 26, at noon, advocates, community leaders, and frontline workers will gather in the rotunda of the Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois, for a pivotal rally and press conference to launch the campaign demanding fair pay and sustainable funding for the human service sector.