CITIZEN SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY 5-22-2019

Citizen Week of May 22, 2019

| Vol. 2 | No. 41 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

Mentoring Youth Through Technology recently received a $25,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation to support technology training in Matteson and Richton Park. Photo Credit: Comcast

TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM RECEIVES $25,000 GRANT FOR SOUTH SUBURBAN STUDENTS

The Mayor of the Village of Matteson, Sheila Chalmers-Currin, the Mayor of Richton Park, Rick Reinbold, and Illinois Representative Robin Kelly recently gathered to announce that Mentoring Youth Through Technology would be receiving a $25,000 grant from Comcast to fund a variety of technology training programs for middle school students in Matteson and Richton Park. SEE PAGE 4

ART SCENE

So, What’s Become of Race, Diversity, Tolerance, Terrorism, Sexuality, and Faith in These Tense, Trumpian Times?

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TRAVEL

Travelers Warned of Real-ID requirement, IDs Must Be Compliant Before Oct. 1, 2020 PAGE 2

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POLITISCOPE

When Americans go to the polls, they look to the past — not the future PAGE 3

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 22, 2019

ART SCENE So, What’s Become of Race, Diversity, Tolerance, Terrorism, Sexuality, and Faith in These Tense, Trumpian Times?

Bernard Dillard, Author, Two ‘Til Midnight: A Novel

As Bernard L. Dillard silently sat during a heated committee discussion on diversity, he sadly realized how much ground still needed to be covered to get people from varying perspectives to understand and respect viewpoints other than their own. His initial doodles later eventuated into his debut novel, Two ‘Til Midnight, in which he holds up a literary mirror and invites readers to locate, stare at, and evaluate themselves between the pages.

Although the protagonist, Dr. Garnet Gibbs, is a strong-minded and devout woman, she undergoes several tests as she interacts with those in her inner circle and beyond.

Whether helping to rear her grandson in a hip-hop culture she knows nothing about, or standing firm in her fundamen-

www.twotilmidnight.com

tal beliefs while not offending her gay co-workers, or enduring others’ gazes because of her physical condition, or witnessing the sharp pangs of racism that impact those she loves, the history professor struggles to digest life in this modern-day world. What’s more, her unique

journey plays out against the backdrop of a larger cosmic battle between invisible forces of good and evil.

“In Two ‘Til Midnight, author Bernard L. Dillard does an amazing job of storytelling while integrating several of today’s hard-to-discuss topics,” says Kristi Elizabeth of the San Francisco Book Review. “This book is not for the faint of heart. There are very serious topics that are spoken about throughout the book. The storyline is realistic with events that could happen any day of the week.”

The novel assumes a readership over 18 years old because of the gravity of topics examined. At 406 pages, the book explores a myriad of heated interactions, spanning across various social, cultural, ideological, racial, and religious

boundaries.

“Dillard skillfully weaves each character’s part into the plot. . . . The author has done an exceptional job creating a novel that will be enjoyed by adult readers. . . . He also includes a discussion guide which would help lead to some interesting discourse by reading groups. . . . This is highly recommended reading,” comments Paige Lovitt of Reader Views.

Bernard L. Dillard is an associate professor in New York City. He graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s degree in English.

He is the author of Lemonade: Inspired by Actual Events, the winner of Dan Poynter’s Global Ebook Award (2013) in the memoir category. The book can be purchased on Amazon.

TRAVEL

Travelers Warned of Real-ID requirement IDs Must Be Compliant Before Oct. 1, 2020 In response to recent TSA postings at airport security checkpoints, Upgraded Points LLC released a new article (https://upgradedpoints. com/real-id-act) to help travelers understand the upcoming mandatory Real-ID requirement changes taking place.

States are rushing to become Real-ID compliant in response to federal legislation, which set new, more stringent minimum standards for identification that will be accepted at airport security stations. Travelers not presenting a Real-ID license or ID by the deadline will be denied access to all federal facilities, including boarding commercial aircraft.

Real-ID Identification In an attempt to set a minimum standard for airport and federal-building security within the nation, the Real-ID Act was passed in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terror attacks. The law essentially raised standards for state agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles, requiring applicants to present more paperwork with Social Security Numbers and proof of residency for

issued licenses and identification cards. Both the upgraded driver’s licenses and ID cards are also now constructed with greater technology to make them more difficult to forge.

The law can be a confusing issue for travelers. Compliance with the law is proved via state-issued IDs or a driver’s license, usually signified by the presence of a black or gold star on the front of the card. A non-compliant card will present the words “Not for Federal Identification” or “Federal Limits Apply.”

Unfortunately though, these are simply rules of thumb.

Legal compliance does not yet require overt displays, and some states have issued compliant IDs without the recognizable star. Further complicating the matter, lack of compliance in no way affects a person’s ability to legally drive, vote, apply for federal benefits or participate in law enforcement proceedings.

State By State Compliance: Which States Are Ready?

Though the federal government has delayed full implementation of the law for over a decade, it has

The REAL ID Act affects all travelers. Make sure your ID is compliant before Oct. 1, 2020.

finally set a firm deadline of Oct. 1, 2020 for full compliance from all 50 states and territories. Travelers not displaying a Real-ID by this deadline will no longer be able to board domestic flights.

Most states are already fully aligned with the law or are extremely close to reaching that status, and new licenses and ID cards in these states are issued with a star in the top right corner. This is the good news. The bad news is that not all states are ready, and not all travelers in compliant states are carrying proper IDs. Living in a compliant state does not guarantee travel rights. Travelers must renew their IDs and licenses before the 2020 deadline to ensure they will be permitted through www.thechicagocitizen.com

airport security. A full list of states and their status can be found in both map and table formats via the Upgraded Points study.

Which States Are Not Ready?

Though the list of states and territories that are not currently compliant is short, it is significant.

And some states are working with extensions. For instance: New Jersey is still not fully compliant, but is working on an extension through October 10 2019. California’s status is also pending approval by the federal government, and is under review through May 24, 2019. Each state’s status is analyzed in full detail via the Upgraded Points study.

For more information related to

the REAL ID law, how to properly apply for an ID, links to each state’s DMV/BMV website and frequent updates to state-compliance status, please visit https://upgradedpoints. com/real-id-act About Upgraded Points LLC Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Upgraded Points is a travel company that provides insider strategies on maximizing travel points and rewards. Launched in 2016

by Alex Miller, Upgraded Points uses targeted research efforts and in-depth studies to give travelers, as well as those looking to travel, a real understanding of how to maximize their points and miles. Learn more at: UpgradedPoints.com.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 22, 2019

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POLITISCOPE

When Americans go to the polls, they look to the past — not the future

BY J. EDWIN BENTON

There’s one question that almost every American voter asks him- or herself when casting their vote for president.

Has the incumbent’s – or the incumbent party’s – past performance in office been sufficient to merit another term?

Unlike voters in many other industrialized countries, Americans tend to vote from this “retrospective” perspective. Studies show that Americans view elections – especially presidential ones – as a referendum on the past performance of an officeholder, a political party or the current administration.

There are a few pivotal issues at the heart of that one question. My research on electoral behavior suggests that, depending on the particular moment in time, voters normally tend to focus on a few key issues.

Retrospective voting in the US Several recent presidential elections serve as clear examples of retrospective voting.

Sometimes an election results in the incumbent president’s reelection, because he was seen as successful in getting most of his agenda adopted. Think Bill Clinton’s reelection in 1996 or Ronald Reagan’s win in 1984.

Another possibility is that the political party of a term-limited president is rewarded by voters for successfully delivering on a popular agenda. That helps to explain why Reagan was followed by the election of fellow Republican George H.W. Bush in 1988.

J. Edwin Benton

Voters might turn an incumbent out of office if they think that he didn’t accomplish enough during his term – like Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George H.W. Bush in 1988.

Another twist to this scenario is when the political party of a term-limited president is punished by voters for the incumbent’s unsuccessful performance. For example, Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016 can be attributed to dissatisfaction with Barack Obama’s policies.

Prospective voters By contrast, most Europeans tend to vote the opposite way from Americans, taking a “prospective” perspective.

European voters, like shoppers, tend to evaluate political parties in terms of which one is most likely to give them the most future prosperity. As political scientist Anthony Downs states, “each citizen casts his vote for the party he believes will provide him with more benefits than any other.”

Studies conducted by political

scientist Martin Rosema at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and other scholars have examined why European countries are more likely to vote in this style.

They attribute this to the use of a parliamentary versus a presidential form of democracy. In multi-party democracies with parliamentary governments, elections are competitions between parties rather than specific candidates. Therefore, partisanship usually refers to a voter’s evaluation of the parties, rather than their identification with a single party or a specific candidate.

Considering the issues There are two kinds of issues that are central to understanding how Americans vote.

First, there are issues on which all Americans typically share the same preference, like the state of the economy.

It is normal for voters to want their community to prosper. The consideration then is not whether to seek prosperity or not, but the voters’ evaluation of which presidential candidate or party is most likely to deliver on campaign promises to ensure it.

Related issues include the desire for low inflation, high employment, low crime, care for the elderly, a strong national defense and high-quality education.

Second, there are divisive issues for which Americans have very different preferences. Examples include abortion, gay and lesbian rights, social and racial justice, the death penalty and gun control.

Voters’ stances on these issues are

typically rooted in deep-seated religious, cultural and ideological convictions. Voters are often unbending and unwilling to compromise – it is all or nothing for them.

At the polls, voters consider how a candidate rates on both types of issues. Since these retrospective evaluations are based in the voters’ experienced reality, it’s rather easy for voters to take them into account when deciding which candidate to vote for in an election. If all is going well, a person votes to retain the incumbent or the candidate of the incumbent party. If all is going poorly, they look for another option.

In his classic book “The Responsible Electorate,” the late Harvard University political scientist V.O. Key Jr. suggests that judging a president’s or his party’s performance in office presents a perfect opportunity for the voter to play “rational God of vengeance or reward.”

Issues in the 2020 presidential election One of the most enduring issues in any presidential election is the state of the economy. As former Bill Clinton political strategist James Carville said: “It’s the economy, stupid!”

Whether consciously or subconsciously, Americans have always graded incumbent presidents on their handling of the economy. And, whether or not presidents actually have much control over the economy, Americans tend to hold them accountable for a poorly performing economy or give them credit for a robust economy.

In Trump’s 2016 campaign, he

made a number of major promises: repeal of Obamacare, building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, deporting around 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., cutting taxes, eliminating regulations on businesses, making better trade deals, targeting more infrastructure projects and appointing more conservative judges to the federal courts.

Barring any major surprises or the emergence of unanticipated events over the next 18 months, these promises will likely be on the minds of many American voters in 2020.

However, many Americans seemed to be more concerned about day-to-day issues.

This seems to have been confirmed by a January poll conducted by the Pew Research Center. As is usually the case, the economy was at the top of the list of Americans’ political priorities. Five other economic or prosperity-related issues – Social Security, the poor and needy, jobs, budget deficit and global trade – were prominently mentioned. So were commonplace policy issues like health care costs, Medicare, crime and the environment.

While the 2020 presidential election is still 18 months away, it is probably safe to say that these kinds of issues – and Trump’s record in addressing them – will still be important to voters when they are ready to cast their ballot.

J. Edwin Benton is a Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of South Florida.

NEWS NIAAA Recommends That Parents Talk With Their High School Grads About Celebrating Safely Graduation is a time to celebrate. But before your high school seniors begin their parties, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) advises parents to take the time to talk with graduates about keeping events alcohol-free—it just may save a life.

No amount of underage drinking is legal or safe. And underage drinking can lead to consuming too much alcohol, which may result in poor decisions, injuries, alcohol overdose,

Equal Justice Works Announces 2019 Class of Fellows

and possibly death. It’s critical to talk with your graduate because research shows that parents do make a difference. By serving as a positive role model, talking with other parents and your teens, supervising parties to make sure no alcohol is served, and supporting alcohol-free school celebrations, you can help prevent a life-changing mistake, according to a NIAAA press release. For more information, visit: https:/www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, recently named its 2019 Class of Equal Justice Works Fellows. Seventy-six recent law school graduates will launch their careers through an Equal Justice Works Fellowship project of their own design.

Each year, Equal Justice Works selects a class of passionate public service leaders who have designed projects in partnership with legal services organizations that help build sustainable solutions in the communities where they serve. The projects

www.thechicagocitizen.com

are funded by the generous support of law firms, corporations, foundations, and individuals. Many of the law firms and corporate legal departments leverage their sponsorship to increase engagement and service through pro bono support.

Over the past three decades, Equal Justice Works has awarded more than 2,000 Fellowships to lawyers committed to public service.

More than 85 percent of Fellows remain in public service, continuing to pursue equal justice for underserved communities across the country. For more information, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org

4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 22, 2019

COMMUNITY

Technology Training Program Receives $25,000 Grant For South Suburban Students Continued from page 1 The Mayor of the Village of Matteson, Sheila Chalmers-Currin, the Mayor of Richton Park, Rick Reinbold, and Illinois Representative Robin Kelly recently gathered to announce that Mentoring Youth Through Technology would be receiving a $25,000 grant from Comcast to fund a variety of technology training programs for middle school students in Matteson and Richton Park.

Mentoring Youth Through Technology is an organization that offers technology training programs for young people in Illinois, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The organization trains students in robotics, coding, game development, 3D animation, graphic design, web design, application development, network engineering, and computer hardware through summer camps, workshops, after-school programs, and technology conferences.

“We’re a nonprofit that provides hands-on technology services to youth, ages six to 18, in robotics, coding, game development, and things of that nature. Our goal is to get the kids more involved and exposed to technology, with the hopes that they’ll pursue it as a career as well,” said Randall Carter, executive director of Mentoring Youth Through Technology.

The organization seeks out students that don’t have an opportunity to learn about technology and engineering in their regular school curriculum and exposes them to new concepts in the hopes that it will inspire their career path.

“The challenge today is that there are hundreds of thousands of technology jobs available in the U.S. and we have nobody to fill them. Our goal is to expose the youth and communities that may not have been exposed

to these technology fields and inspire them in those areas,” said Carter.

As a global media and technology company, Comcast is a potential employer for these young people that are just beginning to learn about the technology field and the Comcast Foundation is their philanthropic arm that supports programs designed to build new leaders, according to information from Comcast.

“As a leading technology company, we are interested in ensuring that the adoption of technology continues and grows, especially in certain communities where it may not necessarily be readily available. Mentorship is a major goal of the Comcast Foundation and Mentoring Youth Through Technology is an organization that does exactly what we would like to see happening in the communities we serve,” said Yohan Fernando, spokesperson for

Comcast.

This is not the first time Comcast has partnered with Mentoring Youth Through Technology and Fernando said that he does not see their relationship ending anytime soon.

With the new funding, Mentoring Youth Through Technology will be able to provide a free eight-week-long science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) camp for students in Richton Park and Matteson, according to Carter.

“I firmly believe that mentoring is one of the most important tools we have to empower and uplift our young people to ensure they have a bright future. As a proud volunteer mentor myself, I know Mentoring Youth Through Technology’s training programs will be a powerful game-changer for young people in my community,” said Illinois Representative Robin Kelly.

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Since the launch of Sound the Alarm on April 27, Red Cross volunteers with the support of local fire departments and community partners have installed a total of 2,052 smoke alarms in 741 homes in our region.

Red Cross Installs 2,052 Smoke Alarms to Reduce Deaths and Injuries due to Home Fires Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois responded to 24 fires across the region that affected 98 people, including 65 adults and 33 Children in May. Some of the towns and neighborhoods where these fires occurred were in Aurora, DeKalb, Cicero, Harvey, with 15 of the fires

happening in the city of Chicago.

The Red Cross provided resources to help address immediate basic needs of those affected such as temporary housing, food, clothing, comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services.

In addition, volunteers with the American Red Cross have been www.thechicagocitizen.com

canvassing neighborhoods in Chicago and Northern Illinois to install free smoke alarms.

Since the launch of Sound the Alarm on April 27, Red Cross volunteers with the support of local fire departments and community partners have installed a total of 2,052 smoke alarms in 741 homes in our region. Volunteers have also

been educating residents about home fire safety and helping them create fire escape plans.

This is part of the American Red Cross effort to install 100,000 smoke alarms nationwide to prevent deaths and injuries from home fires.

Residents can schedule a free smoke alarm installation at getasmokealarm.org.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 22, 2019

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