Chatham-Southeast Citizen 1-16-2019

Citizen

Rush Highlights his Legislative Priorities on the Opening of the 116th Congress — Page 2 Week of Jan. 16, 2019

| Vol. 54 | No. 42 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

CHATHAM SOUTHEAST

NEWS

COAL HOSTS FIRST COALITION POWER BREAKFAST OF THE YEAR

City Bureau Launches Documenters.org to Bridge Gap Between the Public and Public Meetings PAGE 3

The Coalition of African American Leaders (COAL) recently hosted their first Coalition Power Breakfast of the new year at BJ’s Market, 8734 S. Stony Island Ave., and invited attorney James D. Montgomery, Sr. to be their honored guest. The monthly Coalition Power Breakfast is an event focused on examining issues and important areas of interest for the African American community.

ENTERTAINMENT iHeartMedia Names James Howard Senior Vice President of Programming for the Chicago Region and Program Director for 103.5 KISS FM

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REAL ESTATE Check out our real estate listings for important foreclosure information The first Coalition Power Breakfast of the year was recently hosted by the Coalition of African American Leaders. Photo Credit: The Coalition of African American Leaders

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2 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

NEWS briefly EDUCATION

USF NURSING EDUCATOR EARNS FELLOWSHIP THROUGH STATE BOARD University of St. Francis (USF) Undergraduate Clinical Placement Coordinator Ashley Hasselbring, MSN, RN, CCRN, was recently selected as a Nurse Educator Fellow by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). Hasselbring was one of only 19 educators in Illinois to be awarded the fellowship this year worth $10,000, which was established to recognize nurse educators who have excelled in their areas of specialty.

HEALTH

WALGREENS IS THE FIRST TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW MY PHARMACY FEATURE Propeller Health, a leading digital therapeutics company, recently announced My Pharmacy, connecting Propeller users living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) directly to pharmacy services in the Propeller mobile app.

Walgreens is the first pharmacy to be included in the new My Pharmacy feature, giving Walgreens patients a single platform for managing their asthma or COPD medication regimen.

Through My Pharmacy, patients will be able to refill prescriptions for in-store pickup at Walgreens pharmacies, locate a nearby Walgreens pharmacy, talk live with a pharmacist through Walgreens Pharmacy Chat and check their Walgreens Balance Rewards™ points, all within the Propeller app.

“The ability to refill a prescription or talk to a pharmacist through an existing digital health tool is an important step in making care easier, faster and less stressful for patients,” said Greg Tracy, chief technology officer for Propeller Health. “We’re thrilled to work with Walgreens on this launch and hope our collaboration will serve as a blueprint for future pharmacy integrations within our platform.”

LAW & POLITICS

LAW FIRM ANNOUNCES NAME CHANGE The law firm of Ledford Wu and Borges, LLC who’s motto is, “We go the extra mile, that is our practice, our policy and our promise,” recently announced that it has changed its name to Borges and Wu, LLC. Borges and Wu will continue to advertise under the name of BillBusters as the largest African American-owned bankruptcy law firm in Illinois. The law firm provides legal services in a number of areas including, but not limited to Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13), stop garnishments, foreclosure defense, loan modifications as well as numerous other legal services.

COAL Hosts First Coalition Power Breakfast Of The Year Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

The Coalition of African American Leaders (COAL) recently hosted their first Coalition Power Breakfast of the new year at BJ’s Market, 8734 S. Stony Island Ave., and invited attorney James D. Montgomery, Sr. to be their honored guest. The monthly Coalition Power Breakfast is an event focused on examining issues and important areas of interest for the African American community.

“We have been doing these breakfasts for quite some time now, over a decade. These breakfasts bring members of the community, from individuals to organizations to churches to neighborhood groups, together on a Saturday morning,” said Clarence N. Wood, chairman of COAL. In 1967, COAL was founded by 13 different African American men’s clubs that joined forces to collaboratively identify, examine, illuminate and find resolutions to issues impacting the greater community.

Today, that coalition strives to use the collec-

tive experiences, expertise, and resources of its members to improve the quality of opportunity, quality of preparedness, and the quality of outcomes for the African American community, according to a press release announcing the first Coalition Power Breakfast of 2019.

“A group of organizations in the city decided that they wanted to come together to gain information about what was going on in the city and to determine what ways we might better educate our population. Also, to determine what actions we needed to take or recommend to be taken to improve the conditions for African Americans in the City of Chicago,” said Wood.

For the first Coalition Power Breakfast of the year, COAL invited James D. Montgomery, Sr., a prominent African-American attorney in Chicago, to speak with guests about the political environment in Chicago and to share his ideas on how black people can best utilize their political power to improve their communities.

Montgomery also spoke about his life as a whole and shared some of the lessons he learned and insights he gained throughout his career.

Following the speaker’s presentation at the breakfast, there is an opportunity for questions and discussion from the audience and there are typically about 125 people who attend each Coalition Power Breakfast, according to Wood.

“We have a consistent group and most of them are representatives of organizations and clubs in the community that impact numbers of others and so in that sense, it’s a very successful Saturday morning event,” said Wood.

Most of the Coalition Power Breakfast events are held at BJ’s Market and Wood said that “it is a good location for people from the south suburbs, the west side, and the south side to come to.”

The COAL Coalition Power Breakfast takes place on the first Saturday of every month and the next event will be on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at BJ’s Market.

You can lean more about James D. Montgomery, Sr., by reading his book, Full Circle: Race, Law & Justice – Inside My Life. The book was co-authored by Walter M. Perkins and Michelle Thompson and is available for sale now on Amazon.com

Rush Highlights his Legislative Priorities on the Opening of the 116th Congress U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) was recently sworn into the 116th Congress. According to a press release from Rush’s office, the new House Democratic Majority will move swiftly to deliver on a promise of lower health care costs, bigger paychecks, and restoring integrity in government.

“For too long, the American people have been confronted with an agenda that has harmed the futures of families and seniors, all to further enrich the wealthy and well-connected. House Democrats will deliver an ambitious, forward-looking, and positive agenda for the people,” said Rush.

Following Rush’s swearing-in, he introduced five bills, highlighting his legislative priorities for his district and the nation: H.R. 33 (Gun Trafficking Prohibition Act): This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish trafficking in firearms and straw purchasing of firearms as criminal offenses and prohibits transferring a firearm knowing that it will be used to commit a violent crime or drug trafficking offense.

H.R. 35 (Emmett Till Antilynching Act): This bill would amend the United States Code to specify that lynching is a crime in itself that its heinous nature warrants an enhanced sentence under hate crimes statutes.

H.R. 41 (RESCUE Act for Black and Community Banks): This

U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.)

bill establishes within the Treasury Department’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency an office to be known as the “Office of Black and Community Banks” and authorizes the Comptroller to provide them with the regulatory www.thechicagocitizen.com

flexibility to encourage affordable small-dollar lending. The bill also establishes the “Minority Bank Deposit Program” to expand the use of minority banks, women’s banks, and low-income credit unions and requires federal agencies to devel-

op plans to use these institutions, to the extent possible, for their banking needs.

H.R. 45 (Barack Obama Highway Act): This bill would designate the portion of I-57 located in Illinois as “Barack Obama Highway”. I-57 is an interstate highway in Missouri and Illinois that, at a length of 386 miles, is the second longest two-digit Interstate Highway without an auxiliary route and remains the only expressway that transits the Chicagoland area that does not have a commonly used name.

H.R. 55 (Connecting Broadband Deserts Act of 2019): This bill would require that the FCC determine if advanced telecommunications capabilities are being properly deployed in broadband deserts in a reasonable and timely fashion and if digital redlining is occurring. Digital redlining occurs when areas are systematically excluded from digital resources and advanced technology. Those most impacted areas by this occurrence are mostly low-income communities or areas with a high minority population.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the 1st Congressional District of Illinois and I am excited that under the new Democratic Majority, we have a chance to make meaningful strides that will help families across our district and nation achieve their American dream,” said Rush.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

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NEWS

City Bureau Launches Documenters.org to Bridge Gap Between the Public and Public Meetings Your city officials are making big decisions.

Documenters.org makes is making it easy to keep tabs.

Chicago’s government bodies hold hundreds of public meetings every month, but the vast majority receive no media coverage and produce minimal records. The new Documenters.org will scrape, standardize and share information on public meetings at the city and county-level in Chicago and Detroit—all in one central location.

This new website complements City Bureau’s two-year-old Documenters program, which has been training and paying members of the public to document public governance meetings in Chicago since 2016. You don’t need to be a Documenter to use the site, but all are welcome to apply and join City Bureau’s community of civic-minded Chicagoans.

“As local news media shrinks around the country, coverage of meetings for things like police beats, local schools or even city council has dwindled. Not only does this affect daily news, it threatens the hard-hitting investigations that are rooted in that reporting. Most importantly, it has direct bearing on how people hold their officials accountable at the local level,” said Darryl Holliday, City Bureau co-founder and News Lab Director.

“Documenters.org is a tool designed to help everyday people access the knowledge they need to get civically involved and have their voices heard.” At Documenters.org, you can find locations, times, dates, official records

and original reporting from more than 300 boards, committees and commissions in Illinois and Michigan. To date, it features more than 7,200 meeting minutes, agendas and summaries in addition to content created

by City Bureau Documenters. More than 500 Chicagoans from 55 Community Areas have signed up for Documenters and 225 have been trained to document public meetings.

The next training and orientation dates for new Documenters will be January 28 from 5-7 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., 8th Floor, Rooms 14-15.

Documenters.org was made possible by a community of volunteer coders, convened

by City Bureau and ProPublica Illinois, as an open-source project called City Scrapers. City Bureau has created a special CityScrapers. org toolkit that shares the code and systems necessary for the program, paving the way for expansion to new cities.

“Documenters.org was built as a solution for Chicago, but we’ve found that the civic issues we sought to solve in our hometown are present across the country,” Holliday said.

“Our platform is designed with that information gap in mind. We hope to see Documenters.org become a model for engagement and local access in and beyond Chicago and Detroit.”

For information on bringing Documenters. org to your own community, please contact our Documenters team at documenters@ citybureau.org.

Documenters.org will scrape, standardize and share information on public meetings at the city and county-level in Chicago and Detroit—all in one central location.

Greater Englewood Toastmasters Helps To Develop Public Speaking And Leadership Skills

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

The Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club hosts meetings twice a month in the Seventh District Police Station, 1438 W. 63rd St., in the community room where members are given an opportunity to improve their public speaking, leadership, and listening skills.

The Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club is a charter of the larger Toastmasters International network which is a world leader in communication and leadership development. As a whole, the international organization has more than 357,000 memberships and 16,600 clubs across 143 countries, according to the Toastmasters International website.

“The mission of Toastmasters in itself is to help develop people’s ability to communicate as well as their ability to lead in their organizations, communities, and in their households. Englewood is a great place for communication development as well as leadership development so here we are today,” said Quentien Brewington, vice president of education for the Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club.

The Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club is dedicated to helping members improve and enhance their

Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club provides lessons in public speaking and leadership and is looking to add new members from the community. Photo Credit: Greater Englewood Toastmasters

speaking, leading, thinking, and listening skills. The cost of joining the Toastmasters Club International network depends on the month an individual is joining and can range anywhere from $7.50 to $45 plus $20 for a new member kit and $10 for Greater Englewood club dues, according to the Greater

Englewood Toastmasters website.

“I joined Toastmasters because I really wanted to be able to convey my thoughts and I wanted to be able to get in front of a crowd and be able to speak without fear,” said Cherice Price, president of Greater Englewood Toastmasters. “When I first joined Toastmasters I www.thechicagocitizen.com

was really only interested in getting my goals met. Having been a member now for a few years, I’m really interested in helping other people develop their gift so it has become very altruistic for me.”

During the bi-monthly Greater Englewood Toastmasters meetings, members partake in lessons and activities

that provide them with an opportunity to speak comfortably in public, be better listeners, lead teams and conduct meetings, give and receive constructive evaluations, inspire others and be more persuasive, and build confidence.

“When people come in off the street I say ‘this is your experience and whatever you want to focus on, whether it is money, spirituality, or just educational growth to be more of an asset to somebody in the community, we are going to focus on that. This is about just being there to meet people where they are and to help them get to where they want to go,” said Brewington.

All meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome to attend Greater Englewood Toastmaster meetings at any time to get an idea of how the club operates, ask questions, and learn more about becoming a member.

“We started out with three or four members and we have grown to a little over twenty members and we are definitely looking to continue to grow,” said Price.

To learn more about the Greater Englewood Toastmasters Club visit www.greaterenglewood.toastmastersclubs.org.

4 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

News

Finding solutions for diabetes management

By Senator Kimberly Lightford

2.3 times higher than those who do not have diabetes. The ADA More than 1.3 million people reports that diagnosed diabetes in Illinois, or 12.5% of the adult costs an estimated $12 billion in population, have diabetes and an Illinois each year. These figures additional 37.5% have prediainclude direct medical costs for betes - a condition of high blood care, but also indirect costs such glucose levels but not yet qualias lost productivity due to diafied as diabetes, according to the betes.

American Diabetes Association What's even more alarming is (ADA). Diabetes, if not managed the impact diabetes has on comproperly, can lead to serious com- munities of color. According to the plications including heart disease, Health & Human Services' Office stroke, amputation, kidney disof Minority Health, African ease, even death.

Americans are almost twice as People with diabetes have likely to be diagnosed with diamedical expenses approximately betes as non-Hispanic whites. In

HEALTH (StatePoint) While a lot of people think they have a handle on diabetes, this serious disease is actually rather complex.

Here are three common diabetes myths -- debunked, with the help of Nutrisystem Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) and Courtney McCormick, dietitian for Nutrisystem.

Myth: I’m a healthy weight -- I can’t get diabetes.

Fact: Although there’s a clear connection between being overweight or obese and developing type 2 diabetes, genetics and other lifestyle factors can also play a role.

Prediabetes can sometimes be an early-stage development of type 2 diabetes, and its risk factors (other than weight) include: • Polycystic ovary syndrome: Fairly common in women, stay attuned to symptoms such as increased hair growth, weight gain and an inconsistent menstrual cycle.

• Older age: Prediabetes risk increases after age 45, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• Family medical history: A family history of blood sugar-related health complications increases prediabetes risk.

• Gestational diabetes: Women who experience gestational diabetes (diabetes developed during pregnancy) are more likely to develop prediabetes. Additionally, if your baby weighed more than nine pounds at birth, you’re at greater risk, according to the Mayo Clinic. Men, aren’t off the hook. This increased risk extends to the children of women who had gestational diabetes.

• Inadequate sleep: Certain conditions causing sleep disruptions can be a recipe for insulin resistance.

Myth: People develop diabetes because they eat too much sugar.

Fact: Although consuming excess calories can contribute to being overweight, which is associated with type 2 diabetes, sugar is not the singular cause of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is the result of genetics and additional unknown factors and type 2 diabetes is the result of a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors.

Myth: If I have diabetes, I can’t have carbs or dessert.

Fact: Generally speaking, individuals with diabetes can follow the same healthy diet recommended for the general public and can even enjoy sweet treats in small portions on special occasions.

Carbs are a necessary part of a healthy meal plan. Just pay attention to portions. Optimal carbohydrate counts will vary by person, but the American Diabetes Association recommends starting with 45-60 grams per meal, and tweaking depending on how your body responds.

Some good carbs to consider? Whole grain breads, pastas, rice and cereals, plus starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn.

Fruits, beans, milk and yogurt also count toward daily carbohydrates.

On the Nutrisystem D plan, which is designed for people living with type 2 diabetes, milk and yogurt are considered “PowerFuels,” even though they provide some carbohydrates. Many people are advised to enjoy these foods with fruit to prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia.

It’s important to have a good understanding of the risks, causes and precautions associated with diabetes. Although preventative measures can’t be taken against type 1 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association, research suggests that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58 percent by: • Losing seven percent of your body weight • Exercising moderately 30 minutes a day, five days a week Eat well, be well and know your risk factors for diabetes.

www.thechicagocitizen.com

addition, they are more likely to suffer complications from diabetes, such as end-stage renal disease and lower extremity amputations.

Disease management is critical in preventing these serious complications. However, patients who are having problems affording their medications are trying to stretch them over longer periods of time or not taking them at all, which can have devastating effects on their health.

In an effort to help people who have issues affording their insulin, Eli Lilly and Company launched the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center on Aug. 1 of 2018. The goal is to provide solutions to people who need help paying for their Lilly insulin, including those with lower incomes, the uninsured and people still paying their deductibles in a high-deductible insurance plan.

Solutions are unique to individuals' needs but can include free insulin or significantly discounted

medicine. Other individuals may qualify for coverage that they were not aware of.

As a member of the Illinois General Assembly, I applaud this initiative to help our community and other communities across our state have better access to their diabetes medication.

Senator Kimberly A. Lightford represents the 4th Senate District and is an Assistant Majority Leader.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

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CLASSIFIEDS SERVICE

genocide, and examine the best and worst of human proclivities.

Her new novel, “Six Thousand Miles to Home,” was inspired by the true story of a Jewish family from western Poland during one of World War II’s lesser-known episodes, the imprisonment of 1.5-2 million Polish citizens in the Soviet Union’s infamous Gulag. The novel details a family’s enslavement in a forced-labor camp, and their eventual escape to Iran where they found refuge.

“I feel a generational responsibility to help preserve the memory of what happened during World War II. Because so many died without their stories being told or collected, we must try to imagine how they lived and how they perished,” says Kupperman. “Such narratives and personal stories build empathy for those of us fortunate to be remote from these experiences.

They also remind us that genocide is a persistent phenomenon, and that by not acting, we are complicit.”

Starvation, disease, and hard labor in adverse environmental conditions combined to make the Gulag a ruthless environment in which people perished by the thousands. Despite the horrors of this history, accounts of Soviet deportations and enslavement of Polish citizens are largely absent from the literature of the Holocaust.

As those who lived through it grow older, historians say that the time for collecting and understanding these stories is now.

Kupperman draws parallels between the historical events detailed in her novel to today’s global refugee crisis. As a result of World War II, tens of millions of people were displaced, an amount of people which seemed staggering at the time. In 2016, an estimated 65.6 million people were forcibly displaced by persecution, conflict, or violence, according to the UN, amounting to 20 people every minute. Understanding history can change perceptions about today’s refugees and encourage individuals to help, whether it’s by providing shelter, volunteering time, or donating resources.

Proceeds from sales of Kupperman’s book will support The Suzanna Cohen Legacy Foundation and its mission to collect, preserve, publish, and teach the life stories of men and women who exhibited resilience in the face of forced displacement, and to honor the bravery and generosity of those who provided compassion and assistance to refugees, exiles and persecuted peoples. To learn more, visit suzannacohenlegacyfoundation.org.

While learning about historical atrocities can be uncomfortable and disturbing, doing so can ultimately help one become a better citizen of the world today. __________________________________

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LIVING Never Forget: What the Past Can Teach Us About Today’s Problems (StatePoint) While history may feel like the distant past (and something you may think you don’t need to know much about outside the classroom), many experts believe it can offer valuable lessons for today.

In the case of World War II, author Kim Dana Kupperman says the stories that came out of this dark time in history can help us gain a new perspective on today’s global refugee crisis, be better prepared to see the warning signs of totalitarianism and

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William Garth Sr. CEO Emeritus

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6 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

BPM Selects Fellows For Round Three of 360 Incubator

James Howard

iHeartMedia Names James Howard Senior Vice President of Programming for the Chicago Region and Program Director for 103.5 KISS FM Chicago – iHeartMedia recently announced that James Howard has been named Senior Vice President of Programming for the Chicago Region and Program Director for 103.5 KISS FM, Chicago’s #1 Hit Music Station, effective January 16. The iHeartMedia Chicago Region has a strong cross-platform presence and includes a number of iconic brands and franchises — both broadcast and digital — encompassing six stations comprised of CHR, AC, Hip-Hop and R&B, New Country and Contemporary Inspirational music formats. iHeartMedia has the leading consumer reach and influence across multiple platforms and delivers more live programming than any other media company. As Senior Vice President of Programming and Program Director for 103.5 KISS FM, Howard will be responsible for all programming and digital operations that deliver a strong return on investment for clients reaching consumers through iHeartMedia’s unmatched assets, including on-air, online, social media, personalities and live events.

He will report to Matt Scarano, president of the Chicago Region for iHeartMedia. In addition, Tommy Austin joins the National Programming Group, reporting to Jon Zellner, executive vice president of programming & operations Executive for iHeartMedia.

Howard joined iHeartMedia more than 16 years ago and has held programming positions in the Orlando, Albany, Atlanta and Tampa regions. Most recently, Howard was Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia’s Washington, D.C Region.

“Our Chicago brands and dedicated teams that operate them are some of the finest in our industry,” said Howard.

“I’m excited to help them continue to make an indelible impact on our Chicago communities.”

“James Howard has a winning track record,” said Scarano.

“His breadth of knowledge, leadership and programming creativity will be a tremendous asset to our team.” iHeartMedia is the leading media outlet in the Chicago market with multiple platforms, including its broadcast stations; live events; data; and its digital businesses and platforms, including mobile, social and its own iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service – with more than 2 billion app downloads and 125 million registered users.

Ten producing teams have been selected by Black Public Media (BPM) for its innovative 360 Incubator+, a program designed to identify and pipeline quality black content.

The third round of the competition is its largest-ever class. Eight broadcast and web projects will vie for up to $150,000 in funding to help produce the pilots or funding reels of their broadcast or digital projects; for the first time, producers for two virtual reality projects will also compete, a nod to BPM’s new mission to introduce black filmmakers and creatives to the storytelling potential of virtual reality and other emerging technologies. The winning 10 projects beat out 39 other storytellers who also answered the open call issued in July.

Black Public Media is the nation’s only nonprofit dedicated solely to media content about the black experience.

The 360 Incubator+ offers a holistic, comprehensive approach to honing the skills of experienced producers and filmmakers—and their projects. From January 11 through 13, participants, or Fellows, will attended a boot camp in the historic Hudson Valley, before heading to New York City for 11 days for the intensive Incubator Workshops. Now through January 25, they will work full time, attending workshops on topics including grant-writing, budgeting, reel creating, licenses, engagement, graphics and animation, and virtual reality.

For the next 10 weeks, producers will return to their home base, working on their proposal, sample reel and pitches under the guidance of their mentors in preparation for pitchBlack in New York City. Mentors include Joe Brewster, Rachel Falcon, Sonia GonzalezMartinez, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, Chris Hastings, Byron Hurt, Michael Premo, Yoruba Richen and Michèle Stephenson.

The dynamic pitchBlack forum on April 11 will put Fellows center stage in front of a diverse audience of funders, distributors and industry leaders. The Fellows battle to nab top honors and be one of up to three projects to be awarded a license agreement ranging from $50,000 to $150,000. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday, April 12.

The seven projects chosen by a panel of industry experts include: The 3,000 Project, a broadcast program by Keith McQuirter and LaNora Williams-Clark

In Wisconsin, one of the most incarcerated states in the nation, are 3,000 imprisoned men and women trapped in the judicial system between two changing parole laws, tripling their prison sentences. The changes create an inferno of activism and debate from the high offices of state government to the streets of Milwaukee, as the state grapples with solutions to curb its alarming rates of mass incarceration.

Changing State, a broadcast program by Leola Calzolai-Stewart and Kiley Kraskouskas

At the height of the Cold War and civil rights movement, the first African-American ambassadors walked a tightrope: promoting the democratic promise of America abroad while living as second-class citizens at home.

The Chicago Franchise, a broadcast series by Randall Dottin

After the city of Chicago tore down its high-rise public housing towers in 2011, the murder rate continued to climb. This was no accident. The Chicago Franchise explores the complicated relationship between gun violence, poverty and residential segregation.

Commuted, a broadcast program by Nailah Jefferson

Commuted tells the story of Danielle Metz—a 50-year-old AfricanAmerican woman whose triple life sentence (in New Orleans’ biggest RICO drug case of the early ’90s) was commuted by President Obama in August 2016. Now back home in New Orleans after 23 years behind bars, Metz is trying to find her footing in the free world and reconcile her present with her past regrets.

A Good Man, a web short by Michael Fequiere

This film documents Michael’s search for the elusive father he never knew and his process of coming to terms with the truth of his origins.

This quest ultimately has Michael interviewing his immediate family www.thechicagocitizen.com

including his mother, who sacrificed everything so her children could have a future. This family portrait shows that even in a fatherless household, there can be strong family ties that support the younger generation.

Greenwood Avenue, a virtual reality project by Ayana Baraka

Greenwood Avenue is a groundbreaking, emotional exploration into the lives of the African-Americans living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921, during the era of Black Wall Street, the second rise of the KKK, and the Tulsa Race Riots of 1921, as told through the eyes of an elderly black female protagonist named Agnes Bess.

Heroes of Color, a web series by David Heredia

Heroes of Color celebrates the courage, perseverance and intellect of lesser-known people of color. The diverse group of heroes in the series includes black, Native American, Latino and Asian people. The objective of the series is to create a more inclusive curriculum in school grades K–12 and inspire pride in the nation’s youth.

Listen to My Heartbeat, a broadcast program

by Nyjia July

Washington, D.C., is the political epicenter, but residents beyond Capitol Hill have long battled for a voice. As the city gentrifies, black residents are pushed out, along with their voice: Go-Go Music. Much like the black residents, Go-Go has been evicted. Listen to My Heartbeat examines the gentrification of Washington, D.C., through the lens of the city’s folkloric music. The film examines a changing city, the people displaced and the future of the music that gave them a voice.

A Love Supreme: Black, Queer and Christian in the South, a broadcast program by Katina Parker

A Love Supreme: Black, Queer and Christian in The South is a long-overdue heart-to-heart between black LGBTQ people, their families and the black church. The film follows eight families struggling to reconcile the religious bigotry they learned from the pulpit with the immense love they have for their lesbian, gay, bi, queer and trans loved ones. A Love Supreme will be accompanied by an impact campaign that networks resources, trainings and retreats for welcoming black churches.

POV, a virtual reality project by Alton Glass and Rashaan Nichols

A hyper-reality experience set in the alternate future of Los Angeles 2025 where weaponized police drones govern the skies. In response to rising levels of police brutality and mass incarceration, the federal government experiments with the world’s first Drone Law Enforcement Program. Armed with Artificial Intelligence and artillery, the drones hover through Los Angeles accessing data through the point cloud: GPS locations, algorithmic surveillance and social media profiles. The point of view toggles through various access points and collects data from these highly adaptive police drones in the line of duty prior to a tragic encounter. These multiple points of view slowly peel back the viewer’s own implicit biases and zero in on the important role both society and law play in the development and implementation of emerging technologies. With each point of view, viewers experience how algorithms and privacy shape present-day reality.

Based in Harlem, BPM has been presenting diverse stories about black people on public television since 1979. With the growth of digital platforms, the organization has presented its own web series (Black Folk Don’t) and helped train filmmakers and producers on new and emerging media. The group also helps to fund films—including the Oscar-nominated I Am Not Your Negro, The Murder of Emmett Till and Daughters of the Dust. In April, the organization held its inaugural Black Media Story Summit, an effort to identify stories on the most pressing issues facing the black community and work with seasoned creatives, funders, distributors and others to bring these stories to viewers.

For more information on BPM, visit www.blackpublicmedia.org or follow the organization on Twitter (@BLKPublicMedia) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BlackPublicMedia).

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of Jan. 16, 2019

Change can happen in a heartbeat.

BY CHRISTINA

ANDERSON DIRECTED BY NIEGEL SMITH

A young writer’s life turns upside down when her girlfriend drops some unexpected news. Fifty years later, four artists feel the reverberations of that moment—and its unexpected consequences—as their lives intersect in pursuit of creative passion and legacy. A bold, imaginative work from Christina Anderson—“a gifted playwright you want to pay attention to” (Variety).

Get $25 main floor tickets using code CITIZEN* *Excludes premium and partial view.

JANUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 24

GoodmanTheatre.org | 312.443.3800 Major Production Sponsor

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GROUPS OF 10+ ONLY: 312.443.3820

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We Salute The Dreamer. .

“The Dream Must Live On...”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 1929-1968

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