Local News
The Climate Crisis Is Devastating Black Communities.
As the world grapples with the ever-intensifying impacts of the climate crisis, a stark and troubling reality has emerged: Black communities are bearing a disproportionate burden of environmental degradation. This inequity is not merely a matter of statistics or abstract concepts; it translates into real, tangible hardships that exacerbate existing social and economic disparities
Assessor Kaegi Calls on Lawmakers to Work Together on “Circuit Breaker” for Property Tax Relief
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi urged lawmakers across the county and state to collaborate on a “circuit breaker” policy to provide relief for homeowners facing large increases in their tax bills.
US Congresswoman Robin Kelly to Speak at Violence Prevention Fundraiser
August 2, 2024 – Dr. Michael A. McGee, founder of Project Outreach and Prevention (POP) on Youth Violence, and chair of the National Medical Association (NMA) Council on Violence Prevention, will host a violence prevention fundraiser “Havana Nights Groove” during the 2024 Annual NMA Convention & Scientific Assemble on Sunday, August 4, 2024, from 8:30pm to 2am at Copacabana Night Club 625 W. 51st Street New York, NY 10019.
Assessor Fritz Kaegi releases Hyde Park property reassessments
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi released the initial assessments of residential and commercial properties in Hyde Park Township on July 30, 2024. The Assessor’s Office reassesses one-third of Cook County every year. Chicago was last reassessed in 2021.
“I AM THAT WOMAN RETREAT” SUPPORTS HOLISTIC WELLNESS, OCT. 2 - 6
The 2024 I Am That Woman (IATW) Retreat – a five-day, four-night women’s wellness experience, will be held Oct. 2 – 6, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, at the Westin Beach Resort and Spa at Frenchman’s Reef. The event is sponsored by the Chicago-based I Am That Woman Movement, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, led by IATW Retreat Founder and CEO Twyler Jenkins. According to Jenkins, "This retreat is imperative for African-American women to learn how to live through holistic wellness practices to mitigate and alleviate stress, anxiety, pressure, and mental and emotional exhaustion from our personal and professional lives. African-American women have the highest rates of chronic illnesses that are highly stress related. That is why I created the IATW Retreat."
Talking to Kids about Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Alzheimer’s is a disease that impacts the entire family, including children and teens. When a loved one is diagnosed, young people might have questions about what is happening. It's essential to address these questions openly and honestly and share with them the changes the disease might bring, both now and in the future.
Urban Growers Collective (UGC) and Vitable Health Launch a New Partnership with a Company-Wide Volunteer Day on July 11
Urban Growers Collective (UGC), a Black- and women-led nonprofit farm building a more just and equitable local food system in Chicago through urban agriculture, announces its new partnership with Vitable Health, which offers a direct primary care health plan designed to make high-quality concierge healthcare accessible to everyone.
Surge Angels Program Awards $100,000 to Three Ventures Founded by Education Leaders of Color
Surge Institute, a trailblazing organization that empowers leaders of color in education, recently awarded $100,000 in funding through its Surge Angels program to three early-stage ventures run by Black, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander education leaders. The awards were determined and announced on Friday, June 28, in Chicago during a special Pitch Night event, culminating in the intensive six-month Surge Angels entrepreneurial development program.
Black Veterans for Social Justice Partners with Navy Federal Credit Union to Bolster Support for Veterans Everyday Campaign
Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ), a 45-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to providing essential services to U.S. veterans and their families, is grateful for Navy Federal Credit Union's philanthropic support. The grant will support tailored solutions for our nation's heroes through BVSJ's Veterans Everyday Campaign.
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Announces $3.6 Million in Funding to Organizations in Chicago, Lowcountry of South Carolina
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (GDDF) is pleased to announce support for 69 groups in its 2024 spring/summer grant cycle. The Board of Directors has approved over $3.6 million in funding to organizations working in the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina across the Foundation’s three program areas: Artistic Vitality, Broadening Narratives, and Land Conservation. In Chicago, GDDF is supporting 53 organizations with more than $2.9 million in funding. A full list of all grantees appears at the end of this release.
Gov. Pritzker Signs Landmark Carbon Capture Bill
Governor JB Pritzker, joined by legislators, environmental advocates, and organized labor leaders, signed SB1289, the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration (SAFE CCS Act), into law. The bill creates nation-leading standards for safety and environmental protection for carbon capture, transport, and sequestration projects in Illinois. Thanks to carbon capture tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, this act will also drive investment in Illinois and create hundreds of jobs as companies are incentivized to move carbon capture to Illinois.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO SELECT ORGANIZATION FOR THE CHICAGO SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) as the organization to oversee the Chicago Supplier Development Program, formerly known as the EDGE: Supplier Development Program. WBDC will work with the City to design, organize and execute capacity building programs and provide community-based outreach to small businesses interested in contracting with the City of Chicago. The program will also provide targeted support and resources to assist firms who are generally selected as subcontractors on how to become prime contractors on City-funded projects. Businesses interested in participating in the program can apply by visiting Chicago.gov/SupplierDevelopment.
Gov. Pritzker Announces Major Federal Partnership in Quantum Research
Governor JB Pritzker joined representatives from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), legislative leaders, and representatives from Illinois’ congressional delegation to announce a major ongoing partnership called Quantum Proving Ground to explore the potential of quantum computing in Illinois. This partnership is the result of investments made during the Pritzker administration in quantum research and infrastructure, in addition to the state’s strong local workforce, research, and university partners.
CHICAGO EXPANDS GLOCK LAWSUIT
The City of Chicago announced the expansion of the City’s first-of-its-kind lawsuit against Glock, the manufacturer of the most popular handguns in the United States. Three additional defendants were named in the complaint submitted yesterday in Cook County Circuit Court - Glock Ges.m.b.H, the Austrian Glock entity and part owner of the U.S. Glock subsidiary, and two Chicago-area gun stores on Glock’s roster of preferred dealers, Eagle Sports Range in Oak Forest, Illinois and Midwest Sporting Goods in Lyons, Illinois.