Local News
Essence Ventures Hires Caroline Wanga as New Chief Growth Officer
Essence Ventures, the independent Black-owned consumer technology company focused on merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of people of color, recently announced that Caroline Wanga will be joining as Chief Growth Officer, effective June 29.
IT’S OFFICIAL: RESTAURANTS, BARS CAN SERVE COCKTAILS TO GO
Springfield - Illinois restaurants and bars can serve cocktails to go after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an initiative designed by lawmakers to provide establishments with financial relief in the wake of COVID-19 challenges.
Black People Eats raises money for Black-owned restaurants
Jeremy Joyce began Black People Eats in 2017 with the goal of highlighting and connecting people to Black restaurants —not just in the city of Chicago—but across the country.
How a Box of Crayons Helped a Child to Win The Battle of Racism
In today’s world, race appears to permeate every facet of our society. With all the sights and sounds of diversity, the American Diversity Report (https://americandiversityreport. com/category/i-am-sienna-by-gail-hayes/) and Thrive Global (https://thriveglobal.com/ stories/i-am-sienna) recently published I am Sienna, a unique article on race by Thought Leader and International Communicator, Dr. Gail Hayes, describing her first childhood experience with racism. Hayes, who is an Army brat, left the United States in 1961 to live in Okinawa, Japan and attended the 1st – 4th grades in Department of Defense Schools while living there.
Grab-and-go Meal Distribution Resumes While District Provides Resources for Navigating Discussions about Race And Equity
Meal distribution has resumed at more than 300 school sites following a temporary one-day suspension of grab-and-go meal sites due to recent transportation and safety challenges that were anticipated for families and staff . During the one-day suspension, CPS delivered meals to families, as previously planned and scheduled. For the current list of active meal sites, please visit cps.edu/mealsites. At the board meeting in May, the district announced that it would be providing its current expanded grab-and-go meals structure throughout the summer.
Department Of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million For Law Enforcement Hiring To Advance Community Policing
The Department of Justice recently announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
PROTEST RALLY FOR GEORGE FLOYD UNITES THE SOUTHLAND TO MARCH FOR JUSTICE AND LOVE
The recent death of George Floyd united more than 1,000 people living in the Southland including U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-2nd) and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to participate in a peaceful rally in Matteson.
ALDERMAN WANTS BLACK CONTRACTORS TO HELP REBUILD THE COMMUNITY
Standing in front of the Walgreens located on 1213 W. 79th St., and after George Floyd’s death sparked nationwide uprisings and unrest, David Moore, 17th Ward Alderman, stood with elected officials, clergy, contractors and community organizations, and called for companies to use Black contractors during the rebuilding process. “Use intentionality of hiring black people, use intentionality of hiring black contractors and when you’re intentional about this, then we can begin to move forward on [a] myriad issues,” Moore said.
Pritzker Administration Launches COVID-19 Summer Youth Employment Program
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) recently announced two COVID-19 response programs designed to provide much-needed support to Illinois residents – a summer youth program for more than 2,000 at-risk youth and an Immigrant Family Support Project for more than 3,600 families who have been generally excluded from or ineligible for federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment insurance.
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE RECALLS SENIOR YEAR IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19
Destiny Williams is a member of the Class of 2020 from Wendell Phillips High School in Bronzeville. Throughout her four years at Phillips, she was active in both school activities and others that took place outside of the school.
March on West side highlights racial injustices
Clergy, elected officials and community leaders chanted “Black Lives Matter,” as they marched down Independence Blvd., holding a banner with George Floyd’s image and his name. The mass gathering on the city’s West Side was meant to shed light on the injustices Black people face when it comes to treatment by law enforcement and culminated with a stop at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lived during his time in Chicago, at 15th and Hamlin.
REBUILD FOUNDATION AND EXPERIMENTAL SOUND STUDIO ANNOUNCE JUNETEENTH QUARANTINE CONCERT BENEFITTING THE TAMIR RICE FOUNDATION
Rebuild Foundation and Experimental Sound Studio today announced a critical iteration of the Quarantine Concerts commemorating the 155th anniversary Juneteenth, the oldest national celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States on June 19th, 1865. Proceeds from this concert, hosted just days before what would have been Tamir Rice’s 18th birthday, will support the Tamir Rice Foundation’s endeavors to create the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Study: The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Led to a Surge of Socially Responsible Behaviors
COVID-19 has had a radically positive impact on socially responsible behaviors, according to a special release of the Conscious Consumer Spending Index (#CCSIndex).
United Turns Old Uniforms Into Masks for Employees
United Airlines recently delivered 7,500 face coverings to front line employees at San Francisco International Airport and the airline’s San Francisco Maintenance Base that were made from 12,284 pounds of uniforms United upcycled.
