Chatham-Southeast Citizen 1-8-2020

Walmart’s Ben Hasan Named Most Influential Diversity Star of 2019 — Page 3

Citizen Week of Jan. 8, 2020

| Vol. 55 | No. 41 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CHATHAM SOUTHEAST

HEALTHY EATING DISCUSSED

BY TOP COOK COUNTY DOCTOR AT PARK MANOR CHURCH A top, Cook County health official recently led a twohour discussion at a Park Manor church about the importance of healthy eating and explained why he no longer eats meat of any kind as a vegan.

PAGE 2

Dr. Terry Mason, chief operating officer for the Cook County Public Health Department, discussed the benefits of eating healthy at a Jan. 4, 2020 event at a South Side church. Photo credit: By Wendell Hutson

BUSINESS

FASHION

PAGE 4

PAGE 6

Workers in Majority of U.S. States See Minimum Wage Increases

ENTERTAINMENT

Blow Dryers and Blockbusters Connect Cinema To Consumers

|

Reggae Artist, Safira Mono Targeted

by VooDoo Community for Her Latest Single “Tunback Blow” PAGE 7

|

|

advertising@citizennewspapergroup.com thechicagocitizen@thechicagocitiz www.facebook.com/durrell.garth.9 www.citizennewspapergroup.com

2 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

NEWS briefly EDUCATION

IBHE NAMES MEMBERS OF DISABILITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Illinois Board of Higher Education is announcing the members of the newly-constituted Disability Services Advisory Committee. This group will play a critical role in reviewing current policies and practices in serving students with disabilities in Illinois institutions of higher education.

“I feel honored and privileged to be afforded the opportunity to serve along my esteemed colleagues from across the state, and to give a voice to issues and a community that unfortunately, is often an afterthought in diversity and inclusion conversations,” said Dominic Dorsey, chair of the advisory committee. Dorsey is the director of Accessible Campus Community and Equitable Student Support (ACCESS) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The committee was created in 2004 and its accomplishments so far include such projects as training, conferences, transition support programs, data collection and accessibility awareness programs.

HEALTH

AMERICA’S HEALTH RANKINGS 2019 ANNUAL REPORT MARKS 30 YEARS OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES For 30 years, America’s Health Rankings has played a leading role in raising awareness of important trends in public health. The United Health Foundation recently released the 2019 America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report, which highlights health trends from the past three decades as well as from the past year.

The report showcases meaningful progress in reducing smoking and infant mortality. It also identifies challenges including increasing rates of diabetes, suicide and drug deaths. “Over the past 30 years, the understanding and science of public health has changed dramatically,” said Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare and advisor to America’s Health Rankings. “Many health issues that were concerning in 1990 remain so today, and additional issues have arisen that require action now. America’s Health Rankings will continue to provide evolving state and national snapshots of health to inform and drive action to build healthier communities.”

LAW & POLITICS

ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT APPROVES NEW REMOTE ACCESS POLICY The Illinois Supreme Court recently announced the approval of a new Remote Access Policy (RAP) which took effect on January 1, 2020.

The RAP, which was developed by the e-Business Policy Advisory Board in conjunction with the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, supersedes the previous Electronic Access Policy for Circuit Court Records of the Illinois Courts.

The Administrative Director of the Illinois Courts has authority to amend the RAP as is necessary and appropriate.

“Providing remote access to court documents lines up with the Illinois Supreme Court’s mission to provide equal access to justice and to meet changing needs,” Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke said. “Court users want to be able to access case information without travelling to a courthouse and this program addresses that need.”

Healthy Eating Discussed by Top Cook County Doctor at Park Manor Church Continued from page 1

BY WENDELL HUTSON Contributing Writer

A top, Cook County health official recently led a two-hour discussion at a Park Manor church about the importance of healthy eating and explained why he no longer eats meat of any kind as a vegan.

Dr. Terry Mason, chief operating officer for the Cook County Department of Public Health, recalled how he would routinely eat a steak almost every day.

“You are looking at a guy who would eat a Porterhouse steak on a regular basis.

It’s by the grace of God that I am still here and not dead from a heart attack,” Mason told a crowd of about 100 people on Saturday. “A lot of people may not believe this but your health is more determined by where you live, work and play than anything else.”

He added that medical care does not treat the root cause of a health problem like a heart attack for example. Often the cause of a heart attack is blockage from

blood flow but the root of the cause is what caused the blood to get clogged up in the first place and Mason said that’s due to the food choices people make.

“It’s simple, if you want to reduce your risk of having a heart attack, then you must change your eating habits. Doctors often don’t tell heart attack patients that as a preventive measure,” said Mason.

The Jan. 4 event was sponsored by the National Vegetarian Museum and hosted

by Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church, 7000 S. Michigan Ave., whose pastor is also a vegetarian.

“I guess you can say I have been eating healthy for the past two decades when I became a vegetarian,” said the Rev. William Lee. “A healthy body brings about a healthy mind just like Jesus did in the book of Genesis and I Corinthians 6.”

He added that blacks are among the biggest consumers of unhealthy foods largely due to food deserts.

“On the South and West Sides of Chicago, there are not many healthy choices.

That’s why diabetes and high blood pres-

sure run high in the black community,” contends Lee. “Processed food (mainly sold at fast-food restaurants) is mostly what’s available in black neighborhoods.

But if more food options were available, I’m sure we as a community would make wiser choices with what we eat.”

What’s the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan?

A vegetarian doesn’t eat any animals, such as pigs, chickens, cows, turkey, lamb, fish, and all others. But a vegan does not consume any foods that include dairy like ice cream, macaroni and cheese, milk, and eggs as well as no animal flesh.

Katherine Ware, 85, was among the 100 people who attended the discussion with Mason. She has been a vegan for 25 years and attributed her healthy, eating lifestyle to living a good life.

“My health is relatively good for my age and I know it’s because of my diet. I can attest that if you eat ‘right,’ you will have longevity,” said Ware. “And I don’t smoke or drink alcohol, I exercise daily and as a result, I live a stress free life.”

All Cultivation Centers In Illinois Are Now Approved To Grow For Adult Use The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has now approved all 21 cultivation centers to grow cannabis for adult use. The department has approved the three outstanding cultivating licenses authorized under state law.

Bedford Grow, LLC in Bedford Park, ILGrown Medicine, LLC in Elk Grove Village and JG IL, LLC in Edgewood are now approved to grow cannabis for adult use, bringing the number of cultivation centers in Illinois to 21.

Currently, only cultivation centers licensed to grow medical marijuana can apply for early approval adult-use growth.

Social equity applicants will have additional opportunities to apply for cultivation center licenses in an upcoming phase.

In addition to Bedford Grow, LLC, ILGrown Medicine, LLC and JG IL, LLC 18 other cultivation centers have been licensed for adult-use growth include: • Ataraxia- Albion • Compass Ventures, Inc.- Litchfield • Cresco Labs, LLC- Joliet • Cresco Labs, LLC- Kankakee • Cresco Labs, LLC- Lincoln • Curative Health Cultivation, LLC- Aurora • GTI Oglesby, LLC- Oglesby • GTI Rock Island, LLC- Rock Island • IESO, LLC- Carbondale • InGown Farms- Freeport • Nature’s Grace and Wellness, LLC- Vermont • PharmaCann, LLC- Dwight • PharmaCann, LLC- Hillcrest

Currently, only cultivation centers licensed to grow medical marijuana can apply for early approval adult-use growth. Social equity applicants will have additional opportunities to apply for cultivation center licenses in an upcoming phase.

• Progressive Treatment Solutions- East St. Louis • Revolution Cannabis, LLC (DBA Ascend Illinois)- Barry • Revolution Cannabis, LLC- Delavan • Shelby County Community Services-

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Shelbyville • Wellness Group Pharms, LLC- Anna Adult-use cannabis license applications for craft growers, infusers and transporters are available now with an application deadline of March 15, 2020.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

|

3

NEWS

The Black Women’s Health Imperative Unveils First-Of-Its-Kind Policy Agenda Addressing HIV/AIDS Epidemic Among Black Women The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) recently released its national HIV/AIDS policy agenda on Black Women’s Health titled The HIV/AIDS Policy Agenda for Black Women.

The agenda also features contributions from other leading women’s health organizations, which include the Positive Women’s Network, AIDS United, SisterLove, Inc., and Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases (WORLD).

Black Americans have been disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS since the epidemic’s beginning, and that disparity has deepened over time. While representing only 12 percent of the United States population, Black Americans accounted for almost half (42 percent, or 476,100) of the estimated 1.1 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), both diagnosed and undiagnosed, and almost half (44 percent) of those diagnosed with HIV in 2016.

“We must continue to raise the health profile of Black women and the specific health-related needs and interests of Black women if we are to ever have a chance of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030,” said Valerie Rochester, vice president

Black Americans have been disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS since the epidemic’s beginning, and that disparity has deepened over time.

for Program Strategy at AIDS United. “This policy agenda offers unique guidance on how legislators and policy makers can best ensure the needs of Black women are elevated.”

The HIV/AIDS Policy Agenda for

Black Women covers several vital issues, which include prevention of future HIV infections and identifying research priorities, access to comprehensive treatment for all Black women living with HIV, and the provision of essential supports,

beyond medical treatment, that improve the emotional and physical wellbeing of Black women who are living with HIV. Under each key area, BWHI includes a thorough discussion regarding important policy issues facing Black women today. “Black women must finally be a priority in policy directed towards the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and one of our goals is to ensure that a spotlight is placed on how to end the epidemic among cis and transgender Black women,” said Linda Goler Blount, president and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative. “We are excited to release this first-of-its-kind policy agenda, which offers our nation a framework for addressing some of the health inequities of HIV/AIDS for Black women and girls.”

The policy agenda was unveiled and discussed recently during the National Organization of Black Elected Legislators (NOBEL Women) Annual Legislative Breakfast at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) annual legislative conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “The release of the HIV/AIDS Policy Agenda for Black Women today at our annual

breakfast was monumental because our organization aims to remain at the forefront of evaluating, recommending and championing policy and programming solutions that will alleviate economic and health disparities in our communities,” said State Representative Karen Camper (D-TN) and National President of NOBEL Women. “We commend the Black Women’s Health Imperative for this important work and look forward to collaborating to combat this epidemic in our nation.”

The Black Women’s Health Imperative is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy, education, research and leadership development.

The organization identifies the most pressing health issues that affect the nation’s 22 million Black women and girls, like HIV/AIDS, and invests in the best of the best strategies and organizations that accomplish its goals. The policy agenda is available for download here: http://bit.ly/HIVPolicyAgenda. For more information about the Black Women’s Health Imperative, please visit www.bwhi.org.

Walmart’s Ben Hasan Named Most Influential Diversity Star of 2019 Diversitystars.com recently announced that Ben Hasan has been honored as the Most Influential Diversity Star for 2019.

Hasan is currently senior vice president and chief culture, diversity & inclusion officer at Walmart Inc. He began in his current role in July 2015.

In this global role, Hasan and his team are responsible for advancing the company’s culture, the development of behaviors that embrace diversity and inclusion at all levels of the company and the promotion of the company’s external reputation as a great place to work.

Hasan joined Walmart in 2008, and previously served as senior vice president of Strategic Services in Walmart Technology. In this role, he and his team were responsible for ISD (Information Systems Division) Strategy, Communication, Innovation, ISD Vendor Management, Project Management Office, Business Analysis, GTS – India & Mexico and Quality Assurance.

Prior to Walmart, Hasan worked 11 years at Dell Inc. He progressed through several leadership positions before serving as vice president of Corporate and Product Group I/T. In this position, he directed teams in Texas, Shanghai, Taipei, and Singapore. He also served as gener-

al manager of Dell’s I/T development centers in Brazil and India.

Before joining Dell, he gained broad experience in I/T, Human Resources, Rates and Regulatory Affairs, and Customer Service during his 14-year career with ENSERCH Corporation, an oil and gas company based in Dallas, Texas.

In 2006, Hasan received the Temple University Fox School I/T Award for Distinguished Alumni. Hasan holds an M.B.A. from Amber University in Dallas, Texas, a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in computer science from Temple University in Philadelphia and completed Harvard’s Advanced Management Program.

Hasan serves on the boards of several national and local organizations, including the Walmart Foundation; Catalyst Board of Advisors; Ron Clark Academy (Atlanta); United Negro College Fund; and Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

He was selected for this honor by the editorial team at D&I Mavens from Diversitystars. com’s TOP50 Most Influential Diversity Stars of 2019 and will receive an RFD Award at the upcoming Retreat for Diversity on March 10-12 in Beverly Hills.

Hasan will also share his thought leadership and participate at the Retreat for Diversity as an expert on a panel focused on Diversity and Inclusion in the Retail and Fashion industries.

When D&I Mavens notified Hasan that he was named the Most Influential Diversity Star of 2019, he humbly replied, “Thank you to the team at Diversitystars.com for this wonderful recognition of the work we are doing at Walmart to foster a culture of inclusion.

I’m honored to accept this award on behalf of my entire Culture, Diversity & Inclusion team as well as our many partners throughout the Walmart enterprise who help move us forward on our road to inclusion. I’m looking forward to joining some of my D&I peers from across

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

the retail industry for what I know will be a thought-provoking conversation as part of the Retreat for Diversity.”

Hasan will be joining 50+ other expert speakers sharing their expertise with 400 leaders of Diversity and Inclusion from Fortune 500 and fast-growing SME organizations from many different industries. Other important speakers include, Magic Johnson, President at Magic Johnson Enterprises; Gerri Mason Hall, Chief Diversity & Social Responsibility Officer at Sodexo Americas; Annie Wu, Chief Diversity Officer - Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity at H&M Group; Oris Stuart, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at National Basketball Association (NBA), Audra Jenkins, SPHR, SHRM, SCP, CDP, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Randstad, NA and many more.

Retreat organizers, D&I Mavens, organize this annual retreat in the USA and Europe in order to create unique and out-of-the-box content that will help enterprise tier organizations do a better job at creating opportunities and supporting those in their workforce with diverse backgrounds and abilities.

To learn more about Walmart’s journey, check out their 2018 Culture, Diversity & Inclusion report. Follow Hasan on LinkedIn and Twitter @BenSabaHasan.

4 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

BUSINESS

Workers in Majority of U.S. States See Minimum Wage Increases According to payroll experts Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., a total of 26 states and the District of Columbia will raise the minimum wage in 2020. In twenty two of those states, the increases were implemented by January 1.

The highest rates in the nation are found at the municipal level.

Seattle has the highest minimum wage rate at $16.00 per hour for large employers and $15.00 for small employers. New York City’s minimum wage is set at $15.00 per hour for all employers.

California raised the minimum wage rates by $1 on January 1 ($12.00 per hour for employers with 25 employees or less, and $13.00 per hour for employers with 26 employees or more), while the highest state rate will remain in Washington at $13.50 per hour.

A few states’ wages remain on the lower end of the spectrum, with some state minimums coming in below the federal wage rate, and others with a slower incremental increase. The lowest minimum wage rates of $5.15 are in Georgia and Wyoming.

However, most employers and employees would be subject to the higher federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.

“The increases indicate a move toward ensuring a living wage for people across several states,” said Employment Law Analyst for Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Barbara O’Dell, JD. “Some of the new rates are the result of previously approved incremental increases to reach a specific amount that is considered to be a living wage such as California, Colorado, Maine, Washington, whereas other states’ increases reflect

A total of 26 states and the District of Columbia will raise the minimum wage in 2020. Credit: Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

an annual cost-of-living adjustment, such as Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, Montana.”

Those states following the step-up approach tend to have higher minimum wage rates than those taking a cost-of-living adjustment approach. The trend towards regional minimum wages, such as

those in New York and Oregon, also reflect lawmakers’ recognition that costs of living are higher in large metro areas than they are in other parts of the state. Under the new legislation in Illinois, the minimum wage is $9.25 per hour, up from $8.25. The minimum wage in Illinois is scheduled to reach $15 in 2025.

Aventiv Technologies Welcomes Evon Jones, Chief Information Officer Aventiv Technologies recently announced that Evon Jones has been appointed Chief Information Officer for the organization. Jones will report directly to President Dave Abel, contributing to customer-facing products and corporate information technology.

As CIO, Jones will support all brands under the Aventiv Technologies umbrella, focusing on improving processes, creating more efficiencies and fueling technology to increase consumer value through consistent positive brand engagement.

Jones joins the Aventiv organization with more than 20 years of executive-level IT management experience with consumer brands including Hallmark, Liz Claiborne, The Dial Corporation, Bausch and Lomb, and American Express.

Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Aventiv Technologies is the www.citizennewspapergroup.com

PRNewsfoto/Aventiv Technologies

parent company for Securus Technologies, JPay and AllPaid.

With nearly 2,000 associates, Aventiv serves the public sector by applying technology solutions to make complex connections more secure and simpler than ever before. For more information, please visit www.Aventiv.com SOURCE Aventiv Technologies

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

|

CitizenOnTheMove

South Suburban Links, Chicago Chapter Links and Hoffman Estates Rounds Up 2019 With Huge Celebrations

Photos by CREDD

Greg Kramer, Covenant House of Chicago, Donor Relations Manager; Carolyn Lopez, Services to Youth Chair; Annette J. Johnson, Program Chair; Ruth Slaughter, Program Co-Chair; Murrell Duster, Social Committee Chair; Julianna Stratton, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois; Gwendolyn B. Lee, 14th National President of Links, Inc; Tresa Dunbar Garrett, President, Chicago Chapter of the Links, Inc; Cheryl Hamilton Hill, CEO of Covenant House of Chicago; Sherma Wise Thomas, Mistress of Ceremony and Services to Youth Co-Chair; Michael Wallace, Director of Sales and Marketing, Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel Chicago.

Event goers were entertained by R&B Vocal Legendary Group "The Whispers"

The South Suburban Chicago Links, Incorporated Fundraiser, “Getting In the Groove� featuring the Whispers at the Odyssey Country Club! The party was awesome as usual! Event goers enjoyed the view of festivities from the tables of Link Faye Terrell-Perkins , Link Donna and Link Jennifer Norell.

Hoffman Estates (IL) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated

Event goers shares a smile for the camera before the Legendary Whispers performance.

The Chicago Chapter of the Links, Inc., President Tresa Dunbar Grant and Chair Murrell Duster celebrated the holidays at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel featuring DJ Vince Adams.

"The Hoffman Estates (IL) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated, held its annual fall fundraiser, Jazzin' & Steppin' into Fashion at the Drake Hotel, Oak Brook IL. The sold out event provided guests an intimate look at the new fall fashions by African American designers in the Chicagoland area. Guests alo were able to shop with the designers after the show. The event Chairman was Crystal Reynolds Lewis and the Co-Chairmen were Helen Hammond Redding and Diane Latta.

Visit us at: www.citizennewspapergroup.com to view our photo gallery!

5

6 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

FASHION

PRNewsfoto/Virmax, LLC

VirMax, LLC Partners with Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl to Launch New Line of Supplements for Women According to a press release, healthier living for women is becoming more simplified and affordable thanks to the launch of a new line of Skinnygirl supplements available exclusively at Walgreens retail locations across the country.

Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder and CEO of Skinnygirl, Bethenny Frankel, has teamed up with established supplement brand, VirMax, LLC, to create a new line of once daily supplements designed to help women address common health challenges.

Four initial supplement formulations will include: Hair, Skin & Nails with Biotin: Designed to help

Wil Shelton

Blow Dryers and Blockbusters Connect Cinema To Consumers Wil Shelton, President and CEO of Wil Power Integrated Marketing, has learned how to use his network of over 100,000 African American-based hair salons and barbershops to spread awareness of many global brands around the country.

According to Shelton, “The barbershop is one of the most influential places in the country.” The former salon owner noticed that many people, while receiving salon and/or barber services, often discuss and make recommendations for things happening in the media. “It’s almost every day that I would hear someone say, ‘Hey did you all hear about that new movie coming out…’ or ‘I’ve been thinking about picking up that new record, what do you all think…’ and before you know it, consumers are making buying decisions based on conversations had in a barbershop. I felt like, ‘this is gold!’ “ It was from this revelation that Shelton’s company, Wil Power Integrated Marketing (WPIM), was birthed.

WPIM has now been in business for over 20 years and includes a ground team in over 40 markets. Within WPIM, they have a network of over 100,000 hair salons and barbershops in multicultural and urban communities where he hosts events and distributes brand paraphernalia.

Some of its current and former clients include Paramount Studios, 20th Century FOX, RCA, AT&T, Columbia Records, Lions Gate, Empire on FOX,

TV Land, Comedy Central and more.

As a result of his extensive and diverse reach, he is able to curate a targeted strategy based on the needs of the client.

“Because we service so many types of salons and barbershop, we have been able to hyper focus our campaigns to better suit the needs of the client. For instance, we are able to target facilities where more women or men are the clientele and even target based on age demographic. Some clients may only focus on certain regions and others focus on a much larger scale as a whole. Either way, we are able to scale and guarantee visibility for a host of major brands.”

Shelton also sees this as dual opportunity for salon owners to boost their visibility within their communities.

Salon owners receive the marketing materials from the companies for free, via WPIM, and some salon owners have truly maximized on these opportunities.

As a result of these initiatives salon owners have hosted movie screenings, premiere parties, giveaways, and more that have increased community brand awareness and, in some cases, their overall revenue generation and client base.

Through the events alone, several hundreds of people have been in attendance, with celebrity sightings, games and more. Shelton feels, “The African American community is not hard to reach; however, it’s important that companies reach us where we are,” he said.

maintain glossy hair, strong nails and radiant skin.

Collagen Enhancer: Designed to help fight signs of aging, reduce wrinkles and age spots and enhance collagen, making skin firmer.

Relaxation & Sleep Support with Melatonin: Designed to help increase relaxation and improve sleep quality and duration.

Sensuality For Female Intimacy: Designed to help increase desire, elevate sensation and improve blood flow.

For more information, visit www. skinnygirlsupplements.com.

The Global Hydrating Spray Market size is expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2025 The Global Hydrating Spray Market size is expected to reach $5.8 billion by 2025, rising at a market growth of 6% CAGR during the forecast period.

Increased demand, high disposable income, rapid urbanization and industrialization, growth in distribution channels and technical innovation have contributed significantly to the growth of the hydrating spray market.

On the other side, certain factors may hinder the development of the market, like rising consumer awareness of the side effects of synthetic ingredients in products.

Nevertheless, demand for hair and body mist products is projected to increase, specifically from the male grooming segment.

Through locking in the moisturizing ingredients, facial water spray is being used to hydrate the skin. Facial water sprays are also used as toners and are used by absorbing the skin care ingredients to improve the radiance of facial skin.

This product is also available as

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

a moisturizing fragrant mist and is often used as a mood-boosting spray. Facial water spray helps in setting of makeup and cools the hot, sweaty skin. These are often used instead of the skin toners and are used in addition to the make-up. Facial water spray helps to treat dry skin.

Facial water spray with its benefits is widely favored, especially as climate temperatures rise; this increases the adoption of the product. They can also be purchased from drug stores.

Sprays of facial water may have additional features and materials, such as minerals, antioxidants, and other ingredients, which can have a hydrating effect on the skin. There are certain water sprays that are made from an organic base. Different types of water with minerals such as calcium and magnesium are used in the spray. Other water types used to prepare these sprays include water from the ocean, water from the spring, or purified water.

Based on Product Type, the market is segmented into Face, Body and Hair. Based on Gender,

the market is segmented into Female and Male. Based on Distribution Channel, the market is segmented into Specialty Stores, Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Online and Others. Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The market is characterized by the presence of regional and international vendors. In addition to generating revenue from retail sales, the global market vendors are providing their products online.

These vendors compete based on their broad portfolio of products and beauty brands that are popular around the world. Due to the value-added benefits and multi-functionality of the products offered by these established players, the market competition is intensifying.

The market has significant growth opportunities for several players with the increased demand for organic and herbal beauty products.

SOURCE Reportlinker

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

|

7

ENTERTAINMENT

New Training Program to Increase Minority Presence in Film Industry Launches The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) plans to invest $500,000 through the Illinois Film Office Workforce Training Program to enable more women and minorities to access job opportunities within the film industry.

As the industry grows, more minority groups are moving toward film production as a career, making up 49% of the accredited productions in the state.

To keep this momentum going, DCEO’s new job training program will train and graduate regular cohorts of new film and TV production workers annually through the program which is to be adopted by qualified institutions, colleges, and universities through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The state-wide training program will position qualified and trained minorities to land entry-level positions on productions across the state and would add 2,500 new minority crew positions over a 10-year period.

Peter Hawley, director of the Illinois Office

of Film at DCEO, said, “Although 2019 is a record-breaking year for film production in the state, with fan favorite TV shows such as Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Empire, The CHI, and Fargo filming in Illinois, we still need producers and industry representatives from HBO, Disney, Paramount, and Fox to bring more productions to Illinois. Governor Pritzker recently signed legislation that renews the film tax incentive for productions to shoot in Illinois.

To prevent staffing shortages in the years ahead, Illinois needs more trained crew members to fully staff those productions. Our goal is to boost our economy and ensure that our workforce more accurately represents Illinois’ diversity.”

The specific goals of this program are as follows: l Increase the number of productions and associated jobs in Illinois l Change the perception that Illinois is “booked

up” with a lack of trained crew members l Improve communication and coordination between producers and workforce training programs to increase the number of people graduating from those programs l Work with groups that provide workforce training to match the needs of production l Help grow and support new training programs all across the state l Help low-income and minority Illinoisans train as production assistants for career growth opportunities in the film and television industry The Illinois Film Workforce Training Initiative’s mission is to fight poverty and empower low-income and minority Illinois residents by creating living-wage employment opportunities and connecting graduates to careers with long-term potential for growth and educational advancement.

A recent study shows that across motion

DCEO’s new job training program will train and graduate regular cohorts of new film and TV production workers annually through the program which is to be adopted by qualified institutions, colleges, and universities through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

picture video production, distribution, and tele/ post-production services in Illinois, the average annual pay was $73,686 in 2018, which is higher than the average annual pay of $59,941 across all industries.

The NOFO for the Workforce Training Program is available at https://www2.illinois.gov/ dceo/AboutDCEO/GATA/Pages/2336-1297.aspx The application submission deadline is 5:00pm CST on 1/9/2020.

Reggae Artist, Safira Mono Targeted by VooDoo Community for Her Latest Single “Tunback Blow” Reggae artiste Safira Mono is getting a lot of flak from several individuals in various countries including Jamaica, Haiti and Ghana following the release of her recent single “Tunback Blow,” produced by James Lord.

The single tackles the taboo topic of obeah, a system of spiritual and healing practices developed among enslaved West Africans in the West Indies. She hones in on a particular practice of the ‘tunback blow’ which is a means of deflecting evil sorcery onto the perpetrators of the original act.

“Obeah is real if we believe it to be so. Our minds are more powerful than we may have been led to believe. Therefore, if a person possesses an evil intent, the mind is powerful enough to manifest that evil into reality.

I wrote and recorded ‘Tunback Blow’ based on life experiences.

If we put out negative energy, we should also expect a negative return,” she said.

The song was released recently and ignited a fierce online debate about the practice with some accusing Safira Mono of promoting sorcery and slackness.

Although obeah remains a popular practice among those of African ancestry, it is still frowned upon by society, and widely practiced in secrecy. In fact, obeah has been outlawed in Jamaica since

Safira Mono Tunback Blow

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

1760 after Tacky’s Rebellion.

Variations of obeah are practiced in the Bahamas and in several Caribbean nations. Obeah was decriminalised in Anguilla in 1980, Barbados in 1998, Trinidad and Tobago in 2000, and St Lucia in 2004. In Guyana, the government recently announced its intention to remove the crime of obeah from the criminal code, according to a press release.

“It is evident that Jamaica is not ready for talks about what to do with obeah, we have a complicated relationship with our African ancestry and heritage. But the government needs to understand that criminalising people’s belief systems is unconstitutional and could be challenged in court,” Safira Mono said.

Even at the height of the lucrative Christmas season, the annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, the practice is ramped up because of the high financial stakes involved.

“Obeah is practised all over Jamaica, is like it decriminalised already, dem more brave and open with it downtown and in some rural towns, especially commercial areas because of the intense competition to make sales. Trust me, if someone promises say dem ah go obeah yu, dem will dweet in front of your face, dem no ‘fraid,” Safira Mono said.

8 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

CALENDAR

Reckoning with “The Incident”: John Wilson’s Studies for a Lynching Mural On View January 17–May 10, 2020 In 1952, while studying at La Esmeralda, the national school of art in Mexico City, African American artist John Wilson (1922–2015) painted The Incident, a fresco mural of a racial terror lynching at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan.

Executed on an exterior wall at street level, the mural was intended to be temporary, but its commanding composition prompted renowned Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros—who was then the head of Mexico’s department for the protection and restoration of murals—to advocate for its preservation.

Though the mural itself is no longer extant, Reckoning with “The Incident”: John Wilson’s Studies for a Lynching Mural brings together nearly all of the known preparatory sketches and painted studies for the fresco, as well as related drawings and prints, from the collections of the Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College, Iowa, the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, and select private lenders.

As a young man, Wilson was drawn to the work of Mexican muralists José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and Siqueiros and their commitment to create art with a socially conscious message. A grant from the John Hay Whitney Foundation allowed Wilson to travel to Mexico, where he studied from 1950 through 1956. He later commented, “The aim of the Mexican muralist movement was to be spokespeople for the common man.

They wanted to create works of art expressing the reality of the forgotten ones, revealing their history, their celebrations and struggles….[Mural painting] is a public thing because it’s available to masses of people. And

so, through Mexican art I began to experience a sense of how to depict my reality.” Of his choice of lynching as the subject matter for his Mexican mural, Wilson said that while he knew that he was not going to “change America,” it was an attempt to “exorcise” the feelings he had carried with him since seeing photographs of lynchings as a child.

Wilson explored the intersection of art and politics throughout his career, always with an eye toward issues of social justice. His most well-known work is a three-foot-tall bust of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which has been on view in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., since its 1986 installation. Reckoning with “The Incident”: John Wilson’s Studies for a Lynching Mural expands upon the national conversation focused in Montgomery, Alabama with the recent opening of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice— national monuments of unprecedented importance that honor and memorialize over 4,400 African Americans from 12 Southern states who were lynched between 1877 and 1950.

“Though no longer extant, John Wilson’s mural on the subject of a racial-terror lynching survives today in these numerous, beautifully articulated, and deeply emotive preparatory studies that attest to the transformative power of Wilson’s art,” states Elisabeth Hodermarsky, the Sutphin Family Curator of Prints and Drawings and cocurator of the exhibition. “Ranging from details in chalk of hands, feet, guns, and ropes to compositional cartoons in gouache, Wilson’s forcefully rendered studies help us contemplate the legacy of lynching and its indelible stain on

a Lynching Mural” aims to stimulate thoughtful and respectful dialogue about the history and reality of racism and terror in this country.

On View January 17–May 10, 2020 Yale University Art Gallery The Gallery is located at 1111 Chapel Street between York and High Streets in New Haven, Connecticut Exhibition Credits Exhibition made possible by the Isabel B. Wilson Memorial Fund. Organized by Pamela Franks, Class of 1956 Director, Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Mass., and former Senior Deputy Director and Seymour H. Knox, Jr., Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Yale University Art Gallery, and Elisabeth Hodermarsky, the Sutphin Family Curator of Prints and Drawings, Yale University Art Gallery.

John Wilson, Compositional study for The Incident (detail), 1952. Opaque and transparent watercolor, ink, and graphite, squared for transfer. Yale University Art Gallery, Janet and Simeon Braguin Fund. © Estate of John Wilson

America’s collective psyche.”

Stephanie Wiles, the Henry J. Heinz II Director, notes that, “Since 2008 the Gallery has enthusiastically explored opportunities for college and university museums to share collections and develop interdisciplinary programs that spark important conversations about art and its role in our lives.”

Wiles continues, “Highlighting drawings, prints, and painted studies of John Wilson’s now-lost mural

on the subject of a lynching, this exhibition provides an unparalleled opportunity to present the artist’s compelling contributions and unique visual response to racial violence and injustice to audiences across America.”

Please be advised that this exhibition includes images of a racial-terror lynching at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan that may elicit strong emotional responses. “Reckoning with ‘The Incident’: John Wilson’s Studies for

Plan Your Visit For ideas on what to see and do during your visit to the Gallery, download their free mobile app or floor plan PDF, explore their collections, or browse their calendar.

Admission The Yale University Art Gallery is free and open to the public.

Hours Tuesday–Friday 10:00 am–5:00 pm Thursday (Sept.–June) 10:00 am–8:00 pm Saturday–Sunday 11:00 am–5:00 pm Closed Mondays (except for Yale Commencement) and on these major holidays: New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day

Honda Battle of the Bands Announces Atlanta Homecoming Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) will return to Atlanta on Saturday, January 25, 2020 for dynamic performances by the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) marching bands and dance teams.

“HBOB was created to support the unique academic experience at HBCUs and honor the excellence of their marching bands. The program continues to help bring more visibility to these important academic institutions,” said Steve Morikawa, vice

president of Corporate Relations and Social Responsibility for American Honda. “We can’t wait to get back to

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Atlanta to see what these bands have in store for the fans.”

The 2020 Honda Battle of the Bands will be the 17th invitational showcase. This year’s theme, Live the Dream, aims to inspire HBCU student musicians to create the life they envision for themselves. For many, this dream centers on music.

Honda sees HBOB as a platform to help these students live their dreams.

Tickets for the HBOB invitational showcase are available for purchase at HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

|

9

10 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

|

11

12 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 8, 2020

Staying Digitally And Socially

Connected To Us Can’t Get Any Easier. .

If you miss us in print, you can find us here:

www.thechicagocitizen.com www.citizennewspapergroup.com Publisher Of The: * Chatham-Southeast Citizen * Hyde Park Citizen

* South End Citizen * South Suburban Citizen

* Chicago Weekend Citizen * Citizen Suburban Times Weekly

Let Us Help You Tell Your Story. . .

If You Have A News Story Idea That You Would Like To See In The Citizen Let Us Hear About It. Email editiorial@thechicagocitizen.com.

Email Us Us At:At: editorial@citizennewspapergroup.com