Chatham- Southeast Citizen 4-28-2021

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R C O R O N AV I R U S N E W S

Citizen Week of April 28, 2021

| Vol. 57 | No. 5 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CHATHAM SOUTHEAST

IDOC Resumes In-Person Visitation for Incarcerated People and their Loved Ones Page 2

Mayor Lightfoot Announces Mayor’s Medal of Honor Page 3

Matt B released “Eden” as his United States debut album. Matt B describes “Eden” as the beginning of his landing into the US market. Photo taken by Angela Benson

Redefining ‘Summer School’ Page 7

LOCAL SINGER LOOKS FOR SUCCESS IN U.S.

Singer Matt Benson, who goes by the name Matt B, has released “Eden” this year. It is his United States debut and while Matt B has had success in Japan, he is looking to have success here. PAGE 2

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2 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

NEWS briefly EDUCATION TWO HOPE FOR ADDICTION EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO STUDENTS BY RECOVERY CENTERS OF AMERICA Recovery Centers of America (“RCA”) has announced that two deserving students from diverse backgrounds have each been awarded a $1000 college scholarship for students recovering from addiction or affected by the addiction epidemic and who are pursuing a degree that will assist individuals and families struggling with addiction. Nearly 150 eligible students from all over the country applied for this year’s prestigious Recovery Centers of America Hope for Addiction Scholarships.

The 2020-2021 RCA Hope for Addiction Scholarship winner is Danielle Caldwell, from Hillsboro, Oregon.

Caldwell attends Purdue Global University and is majoring in Psychology with a focus on Addiction Studies. She is also taking classes to obtain licensure as a certified drug and alcohol counselor and hopes to earn a doctorate degree in clinical psychology when she enters graduate school. Caldwell battled addiction for decades and is now over five years into her recovery.

The second Hope for Addiction Scholarship, the Recovery Centers of America/Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse Scholarship, was awarded to Pamela Launius from Bois D’ Arc, Missouri. Launius is pursuing an associate’s degree in Behavioral Health Support from Ozarks Technical Community College. She plans a career as a drug and alcohol counselor.

HEALTH

DR. GLORIA THOMAS ANDERSON BRINGS AWARENESS TO END-OF-LIFE DECISION MAKING DURING APRIL’S NATIONAL MINORITY HEALTH MONTH Advance Care Planning (ACP) expert and educator, Gloria Thomas Anderson, PhD, LMSW, is urging Black Americans to prepare advance healthcare documents in April—in recognition of National Minority Health Month (NMHM)—and shine light on the importance of formalized end-of-life healthcare decision-making.

Many people aren’t aware of available end-of-life healthcare options until or unless presented with them in emergency situations when pressure is high and time is of the essence. Circumstances like this can create tension, leading to rush judgment calls and disagreements among family members and medical decisions being made without input from patients, who may be unable to speak for themselves.

“We’d like to see more people having conversations about end-of-life care plans and emergency healthcare planning,” Dr. Anderson, who survived a sudden near-death experience just one year after writing her ACP resource book, stated.

“It’s important to talk about it, and to get your paperwork in order while you can—before you have a need.”

LAW & POLITICS

IDOC RESUMES IN-PERSON VISITATION FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND THEIR LOVED ONES The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) is resuming in-person visitation at its correctional facilities, affording incarcerated people the opportunity to see their loved ones for the first time in more than a year. With most people in IDOC custody now vaccinated, the Department’s Office of Health Services and Operations Unit worked closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to develop a multi-phase plan for resuming in-person visits in the safest manner possible. To prevent the potential for COVID-19 infection spread, IDOC, after consultation with IDPH, suspended visitation on March 14, 2020.

More information on the resumption of in-person visitation is available on the Department’s website at https:// www2.illinois.gov/idoc/facilities/Pages/VisitationRules.aspx

Local singer looks for success in U.S. Continued from page 1

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Singer Matt Benson, who goes by the name Matt B, has released “Eden” this year. It is his United States debut and while Matt B has had success in Japan, he is looking to have success here.

Matt B grew up in the Lutheran church and was singing there with his siblings. In high school, he started to write songs and began to record.

He was in a group with his brothers called, Trend. After that, he went solo.

In July 2014, Benson signed to StarBase Records, in Japan, and released his debut album “LOVE & WAR” there in September. It went to No. 1 on the iTunes R&B Charts. A single from that album, “Plain Girl,” went to No. 1 on iTunes R&B Charts. In 2016, he released “DIVE” in Japan. Two singles from that, “Tokyo Girl” and “My Dreams” charted on iTunes R&B at No. 3 and No. 8. Benson’s song “Color Blind” went viral in China.

Benson signed to Priority Records in 2017 and released a four-track EP titled, “RISE,” in 2018. The EP was produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, who is known for working with Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Usher. In

2019, Matt B performed at the BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights.

Benson said he would describe his music as feel good music. He said he wants his music to invoke a feeling in its listeners and spark conversations. Benson, who has a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago, considers himself an architect of music.

The 31-year-old Chicago native, who’s also a member of the Recording Academy, was up for Grammy consideration, something he said is difficult to get into. “Even when you submit to be a part of Grammy consideration, there’s no guarantee your record will be considered in the Recording Academy for it to even be recorded on to even be up for a Grammy, so that was an honor in itself,” he said.

Benson said the album is stacked to the hilt with creative people such as Cox and Tricky Stewart, who produced the album, and includes Grammy award winning sound engineers as well as Grammy nominated co-writers.

He added, naming the album “Eden” is a play on words, like the Garden of Eden, the beginning of something — further explaining it as: “The beginning of me branching here into the US market and kind of like

God giving his blessing to me. Like, hey, this is my little homie and he’s going to do his thing here inside the US market,” he said.

“And, even though it’s not a Gospel album or anything like that, me being so deeply rooted in my faith, I wanted to show that in some way, shape or form, and what better way of showing that than to name my album something that directly pertains to the Bible.”

Benson said artists from the Motown era such as Smoky Robinson, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Usher, Ne-yo and others from the 1990s and early 2000’s inspire him. He said “Eden” reflects those inspirations and influences.

“I feel like with my album “Eden” I have a little bit of both, the traditional R&B feel, but then I switched it up and gave some of that Hip-Hop/R&B feel, which is really popular today because I wanted to show how diverse I was as an artist in general,” he said.

Benson said while COVID-19 has stopped live, in-person performances, he has partnered with a company called Sessions, a live-streaming music platform, to do virtual concerts. He also has started a podcast with his wife and manager, Angela, called Beyond the Music.

For more information on Matt B, visit www.mattbworld.com.

COMMENTARY D.C. Statehood is a Voting Rights Issue… and Racial Justice Issue

BY BEN JEALOUS

Washington, D.C. has a higher percentage of Black residents than any state in the country, and they have no voting representation in Congress. This is systemic racism in action. It is long past time to give Washington’s 712,000 residents the representation they deserve by making D.C. our 51st state.

It is shameful that people who live in the nation’s capital have no say in Congress. And it is unacceptable that local laws and budgets passed by D.C. elected officials can be overturned by members of Congress who decide to meddle in local decision-making. That explains why Washington, D.C.’s license plates include the slogan, “End taxation without representation,” a rallying cry by American colonists against the tyranny of British rule.

The disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of D.C. residents is fundamentally un-American and there is no good reason to allow it to continue. There are bogus reasons to oppose statehood, and some Republicans in Congress have been trotting them out now that legislation to admit Washington, D.C. as a statehood bill is moving forward in Congress.

Some claim that Washington, D.C. is too small to be a state. But D.C. has more residents than either Vermont or Wyoming.

There are currently six states whose population is less than a million. D.C. pays more federal taxes than 21 states—and more federal taxes per person than any state.

Some make the false claim that it would

require a constitutional amendment to make Washington, D.C. a state. Not true.

The Constitution clearly gives Congress the authority to admit new states.

That’s how every one of the 37 states that were not initially part of the U.S. have joined the country. The original District of Columbia was created out of land from Maryland and Virginia. In 1846, a good chunk of D.C. was returned to Virginia. No constitutional amendment was required then, and none is required now to admit Washington, D.C. as a new state. Some objections are so idiotic, frankly, that they must be a cover for pure partisanship or worse.

In March, a Heritage Foundation legal fellow testifying before Congress said that D.C. residents shouldn’t get representation in Congress because they can already influence congressional debates by placing yard signs where members of Congress might see them on their way to work. One Republican congressman said (wrongly) that D.C. would be the only state without a car dealership. Another said that D.C. doesn’t have enough mining, agriculture, or manufacturing. Mitch McConnell said the plan to make D.C. a state was evidence of “full bore socialism on the march.”

At least some Republicans are honest about their real reason for opposing statehood: they just don’t want to let D.C. voters elect Democratic officials who will support progressive policies supported by the majority of the American people.

But that is not a principled position.

None of the objections to D.C. statehood

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hold water, especially when weighed against the basic injustice of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of people.

Washingtonians have fought in every U.S. war. About 30,000 D.C. residents are veterans. But D.C.’s mayor does not even have the ability that governors have to mobilize its own National Guard—a fact that proved to be deadly during the Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrection.

The bottom line in this: how can we hold ourselves out as a model of democracy when we are the only democratic country in the world that denies representation and self-governance to the people who live in its capital? We can’t.

As the Biden administration recognized in announcing its support for D.C. statehood, it is long past time to correct this injustice. The House of Representatives voted on April 22, to admit Washington, D.C. as a state. Senate leaders must not allow filibuster rules or Republican resistance to prevent Congress from righting this wrong.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

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NEWS

Judge rules two ex-senators should be paid withheld salaries Illinois Comptroller will appeal decision, calls former lawmakers ‘shameless grifters’

BY SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com

Springfield — Two former Illinois state senators have a “clear right” to receive portions of their legislative salaries that were withheld by Illinois Comptroller Mendoza and her predecessors, a Cook County judge recently decided.

But Mendoza said she intends to appeal the ruling, meaning this latest development is likely not the last word in the case brought by former Democratic Sens. Michael Noland, from Elgin, and James Clayborne Jr., from Belleville.

Judge Allen Walker’s decision found that Noland and Clayborne are entitled to the salaries that were withheld when the legislature passed laws to freeze cost-of-living increases and implement furlough days.

Walker’s ruling was based partly on a July 2019 decision in this case that found those laws were unconstitutional because the laws altered wages during terms for which the lawmakers were elected. “(P)er the July 2, 2019 Order, this (c)ourt held that (Noland and Clayborne) were entitled to a clear right to receive wrongfully withheld portions of salaries, as the relevant statutes in this case are facially unconstitutional,” Walker’s eight-page ruling states. “Therefore, the (c) ourt finds that (Noland and Clayborne) have

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is pictured at an event in 2019. She is the subject of a lawsuit by former state lawmakers who are seeking backpay for automatic raises that were withheld when they were in office. Capitol News Illinois file photo

established a clear right.”

The ruling is a victory for Noland and Clayborne, who sued the state comptroller over unpaid wages resulting from those laws, which were passed between 2009 and 2017. Noland first sued in June 2017 and Clayborne was added to the lawsuit in May 2018.

On July 1, 2019, lawmakers’ base salaries increased to $69,464. Before that latest increase, the base salary was unchanged at $67,836 since 2008.

Noland was a member of the Senate from 2007 to January 2017, and Clayborne was a member from 1995 to January 2019. Noland is now a judge

in Kane County, and Clayborne is a partner at Clayborne & Wagner LLP in Belleville.

In a written statement, Mendoza said she “respectfully” disagrees with Walker’s decision and intends to appeal to a higher court “so I can continue to defend taxpayers’ interests against this brazen money grab.”

She also noted that Noland and Clayborne voted in favor of the laws to forgo pay increases prior to challenging their legality in court.

“Now that they are out of office, these shameless grifters want the courts to reverse their votes, reaching into taxpayers’ pockets to give them those retroactive raises,” Mendoza’s statement read. “Taxpayers already paid their salaries and are on the hook for potentially millions of dollars for these two men’s pensions. Greed and Gluttony are sins. The former senators should end their shameless crusade to take from taxpayers the raises they voted to decline.”

Although Walker found Noland and Clayborne can seek their withheld salary, he ruled that this finding does not apply to all members of the Illinois General Assembly whose salaries were withheld.

He based this finding on the fact that no other members of the legislature were named in this lawsuit, and both former Senators brought this case as individuals, not in their official capacity as lawmakers.

Lawyers for Mendoza argued that the law-

makers’ case was barred by the five-year statute of limitations that applies in most civil cases.

They claimed Noland should have filed his lawsuit before June 2012, and Clayborne’s claims should have been brought before May 2013.

They also argued that Mendoza has discretion to determine when these salaries are to be paid and that since the potential payments could be significant, she should have discretion to prioritize the payments of the state’s debts.

Specifically, they pointed to the language in the state constitution that the comptroller “shall maintain the State’s central fiscal account, and order payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer.” The words “shall maintain” indicate discretion to the comptroller, Mendoza’s lawyers argued.

Walker disagreed with both points.

He ruled that the lawsuit from Noland and Clayborne is not time barred because the statute of limitations in this case began to accrue in July 2019, when the laws were found unconstitutional, and not when the relevant laws took effect.

He also ruled that the phrase ‘shall maintain’ is a “specific instruction” that is “contrary to the idea that the (comptroller) has discretion in determining when these payments are to be made.”

Michael Scotti III, an attorney from the Chicago-based firm Roetzell & Andress, represents Noland and Clayborne. He did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.

Mayor Lightfoot Announces Mayor’s Medal of Honor Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot recently announced the Mayor’s Medal of Honor, a new Mayoral award that will honor individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to Chicago’s residents throughout 2020 and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mayor’s Medal of Honor will be an annual award presented by the Mayor to honorees who have demonstrated a passionate commitment to public service, to uplifting residents of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods, and to bettering the lives all who reside in the city.

“As we begin to see the light at the end of the long, dark COVID-19 tunnel we’ve been in, it is vitally important for us to take the time to recognize and honor those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support our city,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “This award will highlight and celebrate the individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly to provide our residents with the resources they need to rise above and thrive long after this pandemic. I am beyond grateful for their contributions and thank them for helping to make Chicago a better place.”

According to a press release, this year’s Mayor’s Medal of Honor awardees are:

INDIVIDUALS l Brad McConnell, CEO, Allies for Community Business (formerly Accion): McConnell helped lead and manage the Small Business Resiliency Fund, the largest small business loan program of its kind in the US. l Daniel Anello, CEO, Kids First Chicago: Anello led the critical partnership with the city, CPS and Internet providers to create the first comprehensive internet access program in Chicago, Chicago Connected. l Natasha Smith-Walker, CEO, Project Exploration: Smith-Walker led a network of youth-serving community organizations in Austin, which has become the model for the development of My CHI. My Future. networks in other Chicago neighborhoods. l Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health: Commissioner Arwady has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic and guided the city’s response with health, safety, and equity as her north stars. l Dr. Helene Gayle, president, Chicago Community Trust: Dr. Gayle stepped up to provide valuable expertise, guidance, leadership and resources throughout Chicago in all facets of the pandemic response and recovery. l Chef Erick Williams, executive chef and founder, Virtue: Chef Wil-

liams opened Virtue in Hyde Park with a commitment to promoting social justice and donating meals to frontline workers. l Dr. Nick Turkal, Dr. Turkal came out of retirement to lead the medical team for the emergency McCormick Place alternate care facility during the early days of COVID. l Rosa Escareno, commissioner, Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection: Commissioner Escareno and her team have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to support small business owners and protect Chicago workers and residents. l Zair Menjivar, Belmont Cragin Youth Leadership Council: Menjivar is an exemplary youth leader who displayed an incredible commitment to public service in 2020.

ORGANIZATIONS & COLLABORATIVES l Greater Chicago Food Depository: During the unprecedented food insecurity crisis brought on by the consequences of COVID-19, the GCFD responded by creating new structures to increase the amount of food going to new and existing partners. l Federally Qualified Health Centers: The 22 FQHCs in Chicago have been invaluable partners in the fight www.citizennewspapergroup.com

against COVID-19, leading the city’s on the ground, neighborhood efforts to keeping residents safe and healthy, regardless of healthcare coverage, ability to pay, or citizenship status. l Rush Hospital: As COVID-19 first hit Chicago, Rush mobilized tremendous resources to provide testing and treatment for patients, including accepting many transfers of some of the most acutely ill patients in Chicago, and helping to lead efforts to support individuals in shelters, while maintaining a tremendous support system for their many outstanding employees. l Gads Hill Early Childhoods Centers: Throughout the pandemic, the Gads Hill Centers and their dedicated team adapted and remained open, supporting the early learning and childcare needs for families of essential workers through home-based outreach and in-person education. l The City of Chicago’s Racial Equity Rapid Response Team (RERRT): The RERRT created a national model for COVID response by creating a data-driven, community-led, and collaborative approach to customizing hyper-local efforts that brought Education, Prevention, Testing and Treatment, and Basic Support resources directly to community members. l CORE: This innovative disas-

ter-relief organization founded by Sean Penn, partnered with the city to stand-up free COVID testing in Chicago’s the hardest-hit neighborhoods, supporting the city’s equity-first approach. l Pui Tak Center: The Pui Tak Center stepped up to support wraparound services to the hard-hit Asian American and Pacific Islander community during the pandemic. l Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council Ballet Folklorico: During the pandemic, a group of adult artists pivoted from its normal costume making process to supporting youth from the Chicago Youth Service Corps in making masks to be distributed in the Back of the Yards community. l Koval Distillery: The team at Koval showed incredible spirit and generosity in the early days of the pandemic by immediately pivoting their distillery to make gallons of alcohol-based hand sanitizer to fill a huge demand from first responders, local community organizations, essential businesses, and healthcare providers.

An additional announcement will be made soon regarding another set of awards that will be given specifically to city employees who have displayed a similar passion and commitment to public service.

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BUSINESS

Leading Women’s Empowerment Brand BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® Joins Forces With Microsoft For A Multi-year Partnership Tech leader Microsoft and Beverly Bond, founder and CEO of the award-winning women’s empowerment, lifestyle, and philanthropic brand BLACK GIRLS ROCK!®, have announced a strategic partnership to build technology infrastructure and empower more Black girls to become leaders through access to culturally relevant programs, leadership development, and STEM skills. The goal of this alliance is to strengthen the transformative work of BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® with the technology and scale of the Microsoft’s ecosystem.

“It’s remarkable to be championed by a towering institution like Microsoft to propel the work we’ve been doing at BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® to educate, empower and inspire the next generation,” said Beverly Bond. “This partnership gives BLACK GIRLS ROCK! the support necessary to expand our work to help more girls find their voices, define their truths, and forge the futures they envision.”

BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® has been dedicated to inspiring, elevating and celebrating Black women and girls since 2006 through content, advocacy and events which elevate women’s voices and engage Black girls in critical conversations. The organization is committed to mentoring, enriching, and educating the next generation of young women leaders by giving girls the tools needed to develop leadership skills, refine critical thinking,

educate and inspire the next generation of innovators,” said Marcie Nymark, director of strategic partnerships for Microsoft.

Microsoft continues to facilitate innovation and technology solutions with nonprofits and social entrepreneurs around the world, enabling them to drive greater impact for the causes and communities they serve. The company will bring a variety of resources, programs, and tech solutions to support three key initiatives:

BLACK GIRLS ROCK Book Club

and increase civic engagement. This new collaboration with Microsoft will enable the brand to scale and launch new programs designed to affirm Black girls and cultivate their leadership potential.

“Microsoft shares BLACK GIRLS ROCK’s commitment to empowering women and girls.

We also recognize the challenges facing women, especially Black women, are complex – no one organization can solve them all. That’s why we’re excited to partner with Beverly and BLACK GIRLS ROCK! to bring together our efforts to

BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Book Club The BGR! Book Club is a new initiative designed to promote community, empowerment, literacy and leadership. Each month, the book club will select an inspirational thought-provoking text to read and discuss. The author will participate in a live virtual interview conducted by a BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® alumna and powered by Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Store will host each book club event which will be followed by an interactive virtual workshop designed for students and inspired by the book’s core themes and motifs.

BLACK GIRLS ROCK 15-year Anniversary Fundraising Gala - JUNE The BLACK GIRLS ROCK fundraising gala will be a core component of the 2021 BGRFEST! featuring a number of musical performances

including The Queen of Funk - Chaka Khan.

Microsoft will be the presenting sponsor of the event and will be extending the fundraisers’ efforts through its Give with Bing program. BLACK GIRLS ROCK! will be featured through Give with Bing allowing fans and supporters to give to the nonprofit simply by searching.

BLACK GIRLS LEAD Leadership Conference - JULY The BLACK GIRLS LEAD conference brings together teen girls to participate in workshops, panel discussions, and lectures led by world-class educators, artists, business moguls, scientists, entertainers and other influencers. Historically a weeklong, in-person event, demand for the BLACK GIRLS LEAD conference has always surpassed capacity.

Powered by Microsoft Teams, the conference can scale exponentially, serving more girls and creating a connected community of youth leaders.

The partnership officially kicked-off with the launch of the first BLACK GIRLS ROCK!® Book Club and workshop on April 14 and featured Bond’s book BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth! It was facilitated by BLACK GIRLS ROCK alumna Kathie Duperval.

For more information https://www.microsoft.com/inculture/black-girls-rock?ocid=AID3031648_QSG_524438

Wells Fargo Invests in Five Additional Black-Owned Banks Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) has announced equity investments in five African American Minority Depository Institutions, or MDIs, as part of its March 10, 2020, pledge to invest up to $50 million in Black-owned banks.

As part of the equity capital investment, Wells Fargo is also offering access to a dedicated relationship team that can work with each MDI on financial, technological, and product development strategies to help each institution strengthen and grow.

“The country’s MDIs are vital to minority communities, but over the last two decades, many have declined or have closed. The capital investment we are announcing is important, but it’s our relationship approach that will make the difference in their futures.

We want to be a partner to these important institutions and, in turn, have a positive effect on local communities,” said William Daley, vice chairman of public affairs at Wells Fargo.

The announcement includes investments in the following institutions: * Carver State Bank in Savannah, Georgia * Citizens Trust Bank in Atlanta, Georgia * First Independence Bank in Detroit, Michigan * Liberty Bank in New Orleans, Louisiana * Unity National Bank in Houston, Texas

These investments follow Wells Fargo’s Feb. 8, 2021, announcement regarding its investments in six African American MDIs and takes the company’s total investment to 11 MDIs to date. In addition, Wells Fargo will be making its nationwide ATM network available for customers of these 11 MDIs to use without incurring fees.

“Guided by our founding principles to promote financial stability and equality for all communities, Citizens Trust Bank is proud to partner with Wells Fargo in expanding these efforts. The partnership enhances our ability to deploy more capital in our markets and beyond. We appreciate Wells Fargo for its commitment and alliance in providing solutions to the very important challenge of addressing inequalities that disproportionately impact communities of color,” said Cynthia N. Day, president and CEO of Citizens Trust Bank.

Wells Fargo’s financial commitments are in the form of critical equity capital, which is foundational to the MDIs’ ability to expand lending and deposit-taking capacity in their communities. The investments, primarily non-voting positions, are designed to enable the banks to maintain their MDI status. Wells Fargo is also supporting each MDI’s development through a banking relationship in the form of a single touchpoint coverage model that will help them access Wells Fargo’s expertise and pursue strategic

priorities like entering new markets, expanding locations, designing new products, and hiring staff to support loan growth.

External partners that assisted Wells Fargo include the National Bankers Association and Sullivan & Cromwell.

External advisory committee members are Kim D. Saunders, president and CEO of NBA; Aron Betru, managing director of the Center for Financial Markets at Milken Institute; and John W. Rogers Jr., chairman, co-CEO, and CIO of Ariel Investments.

Wells Fargo’s financial commitment complements additional initiatives that aim to serve all of its customers and communities: * On March 30, 2021, Wells Fargo closed on a $5 million patient capital loan to Hope Enterprise Corporation (HOPE), a 501(c)(3) and a certified Community Development Financial Institution that is dedicated to strengthening communities, building assets, and improving lives in the Delta and other economically distressed areas of the Deep South. HOPE plans to use the funds as secondary capital for its credit union, providing financial services to underserved markets and people in the Deep South. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, HOPE serves Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee * On March 25, 2021, Wells Fargo was one of several U.S. banks and payment technology companies named as investors in Greenwood, the digital www.citizennewspapergroup.com

banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and business owners, as part of Greenwood’s $40 million of Series A funding. Greenwood is partnering with FDIC-insured banks to give customers the ability to spend and save securely and will feature best-in-class online banking services, innovative ways to support minority-owned banks, and give-back programs focused on Black and Latino causes and businesses. * Wells Fargo was one of the first banks to sign the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Project REACh MDI Pledge, which encourages banks to develop meaningful partnerships with MDIs to help them remain a vibrant part of the economic landscape and better promote fair, equal, and full access to financial products and services in their communities. * The company’s Open for Business Fund donates all gross processing fees it received from the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020 — approximately $420 million — to nonprofits helping small businesses navigate the pandemic, with an emphasis on small businesses owned by Black, African American, and other small business owners of color. * The Wells Fargo Diverse Community Capital program is a $175 million program with Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, to provide capital and technical assistance for diverse small business owners in the U.S. Approximately 75%

of awardees are led by leaders from underrepresented communities. The DCC program has enabled CDFIs to lend nearly $350 million to Black and African American small business owners across the country since the program launched in 2015, according to Opportunity Finance Network. * According to a press release, in the 10 years spanning 2009 to 2018, Wells Fargo was the No. 1 financier of home loans to African Americans and originated more mortgages to help Black home buyers purchase homes than the four other largest bank lenders combined. * In 2017, the company pledged to create 250,000 Black homeowners by 2027 through lending $60 billion for home purchases, increasing the diversity of the sales team, and supporting homebuyer education and counseling.

In the first three years of the commitment, 60,527 African American homeowners have been created with $15.2 billion in financing. * Wells Fargo is donating $5.4 million in grants to 15 legal assistance organizations across the U.S. that work to keep people and families housed through services and advocacy efforts.

This first-of-its-kind effort seeks to enable these nonprofit organizations to provide free or low-cost legal representation to people at risk of eviction.

These organizations have track records of serving, on average, more than 60% people of color.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

Moving forward together

in Chicago

Over the past year, we’ve all been challenged in one way or another by this health crisis — physically, emotionally, financially. And while questions remain about what lies ahead, we know one thing for certain: The only way to move forward is together. To that end, Bank of America remains fully committed to supporting the health and economic recovery of our clients, communities and teammates.

We know that small businesses, so critical to our local economy, have been greatly impacted. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), to date we’ve delivered 478,731* PPP loans — totaling nearly $34.5 billion* in funding — to help our clients continue to operate and pay their employees. Importantly, more than 99% of those loans went to companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Partnering with local nonprofits, we’ve distributed more than 27 million masks for vulnerable populations as part of our ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the coronavirus.

We’ve offered new and expanded benefits to help our employees balance family and work, including over 3.7 million days of back-up child and adult care. That’s an investment of more than $370 million in child and adult care reimbursement.

I’m so proud of the way our community has come together to help those who need it most. And I’m certain that Chicago has the power to be stronger than ever as a result.

Helping Chicago move forward: • Delivered PPP funding to over 10,988 of our small business clients for more than $883 million in relief • Distributed 660,640 masks through our local partners including: – Alivio Medical Center – Children First Fund • Expanded benefits for our employees to include additional child and adult care services plus virtual medical and behavioral health consultations at no cost

Paul Lambert President, Bank of America Chicago

Go to bankofamerica.com/chicago to learn more about the work we are doing with our incredible partners.

*PPP data as of 04/04/2021 Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2021 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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6 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

NEWS

Art Institute of Chicago Announces Denise Gardner as Next Chairperson of Board of Trustees The Art Institute of Chicago recently announced the election of Denise Gardner as the organization’s new chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Gardner will succeed Robert M. Levy as the leader of the governing body of both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and the Art Institute of Chicago museum. Levy will remain on the board and Gardner will take over as chair when Levy’s term ends in November.

“As we looked for a chair who could fit our needs in the coming years, Denise emerged as the clear leader,” said Art Institute of Chicago trustee Tom Pritzker, who led the nominating committee for the board. “Her vision for the Art Institute reflects our commitment to an inclusive understanding of human creativity.”

With her professional background and a nearly 30-year relationship with the Art Institute as a volunteer and philanthropic leader, including 15 years as a trustee and five years in her current role as vice chair of the board, Gardner is uniquely positioned to advance the strategic vision of both

the museum and the school.

Deeply invested in and knowledgeable about the Art Institute of Chicago, she has modeled support and advocacy for the museum and school by championing artists and the accessibility of art and art education for historically underrepresented audiences.

She has built a personal collection of art that is internationally recognized and cultivated rich relationships with many artists and educators.

“I am thrilled that Denise has agreed to take on this responsibility,” shared Levy. “Throughout my tenure as chair, she has been a thought partner and a valuable member of the executive committee. I look forward to supporting her vision as board chair.”

Gardner built a career as a leader in her field: president of Insights & Opportunities, cofounder of Namaste Laboratories, and vice president of Soft Sheen Products. She has also been a civic leader, previously serving on the boards of The Chicago Community Trust, Chicago Public Library, and Chicago Humanities Festival and currently

holding positions on the boards of The Arts Club of Chicago and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

“It’s an honor to accept this role,” said Gardner. “I am grateful to our current chair, Bob Levy, for his leadership, particularly as we navigated the uncertainty of the past year. I look forward to working with the institution’s leadership and staff to fully realize our aspiration of ensuring that people of all ages from throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond, particularly children, see the Art Institute of Chicago as a place where they are welcome and truly belong.”

Gardner has experienced firsthand the benefits of making meaningful connections throughout the city.

As a board member of The Chicago Community Trust, she served on its Strategic Planning Working Group and CEO Search Committee and chaired its Donor Relations and Civic Engagement Committee and African American Legacy Fund. She has rooted much of her philanthropic work in driving positive outcomes for

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Chicago youth, including expanding college access for Chicago students through the Denise and Gary Gardner Scholarship at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

“Denise is at the vanguard of making art and design education more inclusive,” said School of the Art Institute of Chicago President Elissa Tenny. “She is a transformational leader, drawing the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and museum closer to those we serve, while expanding who is in that audience. I’m looking forward to collaborating with her and the chair of SAIC’s board of governors, Anita Sinha, as we plan for the future.”

Gardner has a longstanding commitment to access, diversity and equity in the arts. She has helped the museum craft impactful plans and programs to engage new audiences.

She was the lead individual sponsor of the museum’s recent exhibition, Charles White: A Retrospective, and, over the years, she has funded numerous acquisitions for the Department of Prints and Drawings and the Depart-

ment of Modern and Contemporary Art. She has built a comprehensive collection predominantly composed of art by Black makers with a focus on women artists and encourages access and engagement by funding diverse exhibitions throughout the city and loaning works to shows throughout the U.S. She is a collector ambassador for SOUTH SOUTH, a global platform of galleries dedicated to promoting art from the Americas, South Asia, and Africa.

As a member of the Black Trustees Alliance, Gardner is developing key relationships across institutions and playing a critical role in shaping the future of arts leadership throughout the country.

“It has been my honor to partner with Denise for many years,” said James Rondeau, president and Eloise W. Martin director of the museum.

“Denise’s multifaceted commitment to the arts and education combined with decades of corporate and civic leadership make her the ideal choice to lead the Art Institute forward.”

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

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NEWS Redefining ‘Summer School’: How Year-Round Learning Can Shape K-12 Education

BY MEGAN O’REILLY PALEVICH, M.Ed.

(NAPSI)—Each day, as people across the country wake up and check their phones, turn on their morning news broadcast, or unfold their local papers, one clear message stares back at them: the COVID-19 pandemic is changing the trajectory of education. Fortunately, whether that change is for better or for worse can be decided by families and students themselves—and year-round learning is one trending approach that may be here to stay.

Year-round learning is not a new concept in K-12 education and the benefits are noteworthy.

Students who stay academically engaged over the summer can get ahead in challenging subject areas, explore or expand upon their interests and build the confidence that they need heading into a new school year.

As the nation recovers from a global pandemic and the subsequent shockwaves it sent through the education system, these benefits are particularly compelling: many students need an opportunity to catch up, reengage or solidify critical skills that may have been jeopardized during the academic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis.

Kelsey Lichtenstein, founder of Aspen Learning Lab in Los Angeles, Calif., has been serving families in Southern California and throughout the United States for nearly 20 years. Lichtenstein noticed widespread concerns about learning loss due to the pandemic but she is confident that summer learning opportunities can serve as one solution for many students and families.

“In some places students have not gone back to school in person yet,” Lichtenstein said. “As a result, many students need to catch up, or for younger students, get extra help building key foundational skills in reading and math.”

Engaging students as they build those early skills in reading and math is paramount: they provide the foundation for the rest of a student’s academic career and shape them well into their adult lives. Lichtenstein says that the primary challenge for educators is generating that engagement in the first place, and finding a program with a wide variety of courses and engaging content is crucial to achieving that goal.

“Engagement comes in many forms, and one of the ways we engage students is through content and connection. We have to ask ourselves, ‘How does this curriculum relate to real life? How does it connect?’,” Lichtenstein said.

For students in middle school and high school, year-round learning can also help them overcome unique academic gaps. Angela Ling, 16, of Rockville, Md., is a junior at Laurel Springs School who enrolled in the school’s summer program because she had recently moved to the United States from Canada. The curricular differences between the two countries meant she was technically behind in the areas of science and math.

“In Canada, science and math classes are taught generally, rather than by topics such as biology or calculus,” explained Ling. “As a result, in 10th grade, I was behind in a few courses in the U.S. curriculum. Thankfully, I had the ability to take

Honors Geometry and Honors Chemistry over the summer, and I caught up for 11th grade.”

For other students, the opportunity to get ahead in their studies drew them to summer learning. Mia Hanflig, 16, of East Falmouth, Mass., is an emerging performing artist who aspires to become a professional dancer. Through her year-round approach to learning, Hanflig aims to graduate early.

“I can work at my own pace and complete additional courses in the summer to get ahead before the next school year,” said Hanflig. “By taking summer classes, I have the potential to graduate early while still finishing all the mandatory credits. The extra time I have gained from being a student at Laurel Springs let me more easily attend prestigious intensives and competitions furthering my performance experiences in preparation for a career. ” Encouraging students like Hanflig to pursue their passions and interests is a cornerstone of Laurel Springs’ philosophy and another unique benefit of year-round learning as a whole: exploring new subject areas, especially through electives.

“We are always trying to spark curiosity and foster discovery, which is a huge benefit of learning over the summer,” said Lichtenstein. “It provides students with opportunities to explore other subjects and interests that they might not be exposed to during the traditional school year, keeping things fresh in their minds, engaging them in their learning and encouraging discovery, which are all very important. It doesn’t necessarily have to be geometry or physical science: There are

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other ways to stay academically engaged and continue learning, and that’s what I’d like to inspire in students.”

As year-round learning becomes a more common practice following the pandemic, students may also find it helps them foster self-advocacy and important social-emotional skills that will help them both in school and in their professional lives.

Olivia Manson, 14, of Chicago, Ill., says: “Online school allowed me to grow more independent and responsible for my work ethic and the accelerated summer courses I took last year helped me with time management. By making my own decisions, I feel a great sense of achievement.”

Incorporating summer courses into the larger picture of K-12 education should no longer be seen as a punishment or remediation effort but as an opportunity to stay academically engaged without sacrificing the rest, relaxation and recreation that normally accompanies the summer season.

With a strong foothold in their coursework and ownership of their learning as they venture into the next grade level, students may find that learning beyond the traditional school year will let them adapt to, and advance in, a swiftly changing educational landscape.

Megan O’Reilly Palevich, M.Ed., is head of school at Laurel Springs School. She is an award-winning educator, administrator, and thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in public and private PreK-12 education.

8 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT Terron Brooks Releases New Single “Tomorrow” Available May 7 Terron Brooks, two-time NAACP Award nominated singer-songwriter, actor and writer recently announced the release of his new inspirational single “Tomorrow,” available for download May 7.

The beloved anthem from Annie, written by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, comes as the world heals and looks ahead.

“Today we are on the verge of coming out of a dark, uncertain time. ‘Tomorrow’ is a song that epitomizes hope. Hopefully, listeners experience a fresh take on an iconic song, and they will journey with me as the sun

shines again,” Brooks says.

“Tomorrow” is the first single from Brooks’ forthcoming album The Soul of Broadway from Mercia Records with distribution through SONY MUSIC/The Orchard Internationally. Due this fall, the album reimagines Broadway songs, taking them out of the theater and bringing them to new audiences for everyday life.

The album’s title comes from the critically acclaimed concert production co-created by and starring Brooks.

In addition to new music, on May 18, Brooks is launching

his podcast, Honest Answers, which he calls a “space for discovery and inspiration.”

“I wanted to create a platform where my guests, who are creative forces in the world, could have an opportunity to reveal parts of their story they never shared before,” Brooks says. “I believe we are strongest when we are honest.”

Throughout his career, Brooks has traveled all over the world, performing with Phil Collins, Matthew Morrison and national symphony orchestras.

He is widely recognized for his critically acclaimed role as the

great Eddie Kendricks in the Emmy Award-winning NBC mini-series The Temptations.

On stage, Brooks received an Ovation Award nomination for his role in Sweet Charity. He also delighted audiences on Broadway in Disney’s The Lion King and Hairspray. With the innate need to give back and motivate, he released his first book, Something GoOD on the Table: Practical Proverbs for the Soul in 2018.

While Brooks celebrates and honors his past accomplishments, his focus is on creating new art and inspiration for “Tomorrow.”

HONEST ANSWERS WITH TERRON BROOKS Guests include: Rhona Bennett (En Vogue) Melinda Doolittle (American Idol) Stephanie J. Block (Tony Winner) Michael Swanson (Emmy Award Winning Studio Executive NBCUniversal) Shoshana Bean (Recording Artist/Broadway Star) LEON (TV’s The Temptations, The Five Heartbeats, Waiting to Exhale) Matt Cusson (Award Winning

“Tomorrow” Cover Art available for download everywhere on May 7th, 2021.

Singer/Songwriter) Crystal Lewis (3x Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter) TERRON BROOKS Instagram: terronbrooks Twitter: @terronbrooks terronbrooksofficial.com

COMMENTARY: Life After the Village: Tales from an Ex-Village People Cop What’s on Miles’ Mind?

By Miles Jaye, For Texas Metro News & Garland Journal

Until you’ve reached the chapter called The End, there is always a next chapter to your life story. Many people get so caught up in the automation of their day-to-day existence as one thing or another, a schoolteacher, an accountant, a nurse, or physician, that they fail

to consider what may come next.

It’s as though that vocation, career, or profession you chose in your twenties may last forever. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Only a debilitating illness, accident or death itself can preclude a next chapter in your life story. That is why retirement comes with such a devastating blow, for so many of us.

This is a tale of the chapters fol-

lowing my years with a group known as the Village People. I was the “Cop” and lead singer from 1982-1984. To be clear and accurate, I was the third Village People “Cop” after Victor Willis, the original and composer of many of the group’s biggest hits, and Ray Simpson, Victor’s replacement and younger brother of hit singer/ songwriter Valerie Simpson of Ashford and Simpson fame.

Red Line Extension Virtual Community Meetings: Wednesday, May 5 (2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) and Thursday, May 6 (6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

The CTA is hosting two identical virtual meetings to get your feedback on the draft vision statements developed with guidance from the community for the areas around the new stations!

The project team will share what we learned from the community at the four station area meetings earlier this year and community members are encouraged to provide their feedback. The meetings will also include a planning exercise to brainstorm different types of potential future development near each station. The same information will be presented at both meetings, so please attend the one that works best for you.

For more information about the TSD Plan, please visit transitchicago.com/RLE/TSD. For questions about the RLE Project and/or the TSD Plan, please contact the project team at RedExtension@transitchicago.com.

Registration is required to attend meetings.

Please register at: transitchicago.com/RLE/engage.

Attendees will receive information to join via Zoom or telephone. If you require assistance to register, call us at 1-888-968-7282 at least three [3] days before the meeting you plan to attend.

You can also watch live on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CTARedExt. **Presentation audio available in Spanish if joining through Zoom only. Closed captioning and sign language interpretation are also available on Zoom for participants who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.** After the meeting, the meeting recording and presentation will be posted online at transitchicago.com/RLE/TSD Do you require a reasonable accommodation?

Sign language interpreters and captioning will be available during the virtual presentations via Zoom only. If you require other reasonable accommodations to participate, please contact Amy Serpe, ADA Compliance Programs Manager, by Tuesday, April 27 at 1-312-350-2301 or aserpe@transitchicago.com.

transitchicago.com/RLE www.citizennewspapergroup.com

I was a new kid on the block. It wasn’t long after a 5-year stint in the U.S. Air Force and a year or two of surfing the New York jazz club scene and Europe’s jazz festivals that a musician buddy of mine, Bashiri Johnson, Michael Jackson’s percussionist, turned me on to an audition for a group looking for a new lead singer.

As much as I hated auditions… I was game. I had a wife, a young son, and a daughter on the way for motivation, so I went, not knowing it was for the Village People. I was the most unlikely candidate for the VP gig and, to this day, I don’t know if I would have even gone to the audition had I known what it was all about. I always thought of myself as a jazz guy. My father and brother were jazz men. They both played sax. I was a classically trained violinist, so I had a classical head, but a heart for jazz. I grew up listening to my brother’s Trane, Miles, Bird, and Monk albums.

My sister’s love was R&B. She actually took me to my very first concert at the Apollo in Harlem. The show headlined an R&B icon named Billy Stewart, singing hits like “Summertime” and “Sitting in the Park.”

R&B touched my soul.

Growing up in the church, I heard more than my share of gospel music.

To this day, it’s gospel music that speaks to my spirit. So, with a head for classical, a heart for jazz, R&B enriching my soul and gospel igniting my spirit, where did Village People music fit in? In short, it didn’t!

Much like the John Phillip Sousa military music I played for five years in the U.S. Air Force Band, it served its purpose as a means to an end.

If I had to choose, I would venture to say I had a greater appreciation for the Air Force Band music than the VP music. First of all, the AF Band played a surprisingly wide variety of music from the typical military marches to classical concert band

repertoire to the pop Top Ten list.

I played flute and piccolo in the band. It’s when I was shipped out to the Philippines that I began my singing career, if you can call it that. What I will say about VP music is one — it is very well arranged and produced, and two — it was quite a challenge to a relatively new singer… me!

More than sharing my personal experiences in that two year stretch with one of the most widely recognized names in music entertainment, singing some of the most popular songs of all times, including “YMCA,” “Macho Man,” and “In the Navy”, consider this — I have no idea how I ended up there.

I would never have guessed it, and I’m sure that I wouldn’t have chosen it, but there I was on stages all over the world, singing to sold out crowds, at break-neck speeds in keys way too high for me, but somehow, I did it — I survived it.

So, I survived Brooklyn, the Air Force, and the Village People, what could possibly be next? Teddy Pendergrass of course. Okay, you can’t make this stuff up. The point I’m making is that life is filled with unforeseeable twists and turns.

I’m writing a book called “Life After the Village People – Tales From an Ex-Village People Cop.” In it, I share some of the uglier, more painful, make you wanna give up twists and turns.

In times of doubt and despair, having lost all reason to care, among other things, I remembered the famous Winston Churchill quote, “Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

He also said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it’s the courage to continue that counts.” Smart guy!

Website: www.milesjaye.net, Podcast: https://bit.ly/2zkhSRv

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

CITIZEN On The Move SHERMAN DODGE PARTNERS WITH CHICAGO FOOTBALL CLASSIC & CHRISTMAS IN THE WARDS TO DONATE $100,000 TO AREA NON-PROFITS

Photos by J Berry

Chatham's Walmart Store Recently Unveiled A Wall Mural Produced By Local Artist Joe Nelson (CuJo)

Photos by L.M. Warbington

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10 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

The Cobra Back Foundation In Conjunction With The 7th District Police Station Recently Held A Radio Controlled Car/Truck Freestyle Racing Event For The Community CITIZEN On The Move

Photos by L.M. Warbington

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

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19 CH 11166 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION; Plaintiff, vs.

CRYSTAL JACKSON AKA CRYSTAL N. JACKSON; Defendants, 19 CH 11166 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 25-03302-012-0000. Commonly known as 9137 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60619. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff's Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 19-033159 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3167715 _______________________________________ IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION ROUNDPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING CORPORATION; Plaintiff, vs. ANDREAS HELDMAN; CITY OF CHICAGO; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 18 CH 15386 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 20-26-311-037-0000. Commonly known as 7736 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60619. The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. For information call Law Clerk at Plaintiff's Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group, 33 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603.

(312) 360-9455. W18-1830 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3167719 _______________________________________ IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING, LLC Plaintiff, -v.- JUANITA IRVIN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Defendants 2019CH13466 714 EAST 92ND STREET CHICAGO, IL 60619 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 15, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 3, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 714 EAST 92ND STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60619 Property Index No. 25-03-407-021 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING, LLC Plaintiff, -v.- JUANITA IRVIN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Defendants 2019CH13466 714 EAST 92ND STREET CHICAGO, IL 60619 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 15, 2021, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 3, 2021, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 714 EAST 92ND STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60619 Property Index No. 25-03-407-021 The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in "AS IS" condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver's license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff's Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 7949876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630794-5300 E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-19-10545 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2019CH13466 TJSC#: 41-634 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff's attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2019CH13466 I3168058 ________________________________________

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number; Y21006572 on APRIL 8, 2021. Under the Assumed Business Name of UNITING FAMILIES TOGETHER with the business located at: 50 W 71st STREET APT 603, CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60621. The true and real full name (s) and residence address of the owner (s) /partner (s) is: Owner/Partner Full Name JERLENE WARD Complete Address: 50 W. 71ST STREET APT 603, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60621, USA _______________________________________

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CHICAGO WEEKEND

Chicago Westside Communities, Austin and Garfield Park

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY Bloom Township, Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Ford Heights, Glenwood, Homewood, Lansing ,Lynwood, Olympia Fileds, Park Forest, Sauk Village, South Chicago and Steger Citizen Newspaper Group Inc., (CNGI), Publisher of the Chatham-Southeast, South End, Chicago Weekend, South Suburban and Hyde Park Citizen and Citizen Suburban Times Weekly. Our weekly publications are published on Wednesday’s (publishing 52 issues annually). Written permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or in part from the publisher. Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc. does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited materials, therefore they become property of the newspaper and can or will be discarded or used at the newspapers disgratation. Deadlines for advertising is every Friday at noon. Deadlines for press releases are Thursdays at 10 am prior to the next week’s edition. Please send information for the calendar at least three weeks prior to the event. Send to: editorial@citizennewspapergroup.com. For more information on subscriptions or advertising, call us at (773) 783-1251 or fax (872) 208-8793. Our offices are located at 8741 South Greenwood Suite# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

12 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of April 28, 2021

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