Citizen Suburban Times Weekly 9-19-2018

Citizen Week of Sept. 19, 2018

| Vol. 2 | No. 6 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

A public meeting was recently held for Envision Ford Heights, a community-wide planning effort aimed at revitalizing the Village of Ford Heights. The purpose of the most recent meeting was to get input from the community about what their top priorities are and what they see as the most needed improvements. Photo Credit: Katherine Newman

MEETING HELD TO GAUGE COMMUNITIES TOP PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT

A public meeting was recently held for Envision Ford Heights, a community-wide planning effort aimed at revitalizing the Village of Ford Heights. The purpose of the most recent meeting, held at the Senior Center in Ford Heights, was to get input from the community about what their top priorities are and what they see as the most needed improvements.

See more on Page 3

Art Scene: Winners Announced For Best Feature And Short Presented In The 24Th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival — Page 2 Politiscope: Why al-Qaida is still strong 17 years after 9/11 — Page 3 |

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

ART SCENE

Award Winners Announced For Best Feature And Short Presented In The 24Th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival Closing Night of the Black Harvest Film Festival on Thursday, August 30 was filled with a multitude of winners as the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., announced the recipients of its first-ever production grants to be applied towards the making of a short film that will premiere in August 2019’s 25th Anniversary Black Harvest Film Festival.

The Film Center also announced Best Feature and Best Short Audience Award winners and runner-ups from this year—the 24th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival—which was held at the venue from August 4 through 30, 2018.

Production Grants to Commission New Short Work in Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Black Harvest Film Festival, premiering in August 2019 Five recipients each receiving $10,000 were: Derek Dow (GROWING PAINS) of Chicago, IL; Rashida KhanBey-Miller (SEX IS A GOD THING) of Chicago, IL; Shahari Moore (CHICAGO GUY) of Chicago, IL; Leonard Stewart (SUPE & SENTS) of Edwards, IL; and Daniel E. Williams (PLAYTIME) of Perrysburg, OH. The winners were selected by a jury from 60 applications after a Call for Proposals was emailed in April of this year to approximately 700 film venues, state and city film offices, organizations, colleges and universities, and individuals.

The Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., recently announced the recipients of its first-ever production grants to be applied towards the making of a short film that will premiere in August 2019’s 25th Anniversary Black Harvest Film Festival.

It was required that work be submitted by African American filmmakers who currently reside in the Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The prestigious jury was comprised of Chloe Bbai, Eve Ewing, Mike Plante, Gordon Quinn, Jackie Stewart, and Cleo Wilson. These production grants were made possible through the generosity of The Joyce Foundation, The Chicago Commu-

nity Trust, and Illinois Arts Council.

Best Feature and Best Short Audience Award winners and runner-ups for the 24th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival, presented Aug. 4-30, 2018 Meanwhile, the winners of the 2018 Black Harvest Film Festival Audience Award were Best Feature CHI-TOWN along with runner-ups DETROIT 48202, THE AREA, and THE G FORCE and Best Short SUITABLE along with runner-ups RIVERMENT and BODEGA. For those who missed the feature-length films during Black Harvest along with other festival favorites, some will return in September and October for encore engagements: THE AREA (September 14-27—for details and tickets, visit http://www. siskelfilmcenter.org/thearea); BETTY: THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT (October 6); THE COLOR OF ART (October 13); ANIMATOR (October 20); and CHI-TOWN (October 27).

Tickets and information about the October films are available via www.siskelfilmcenter.org.

These announcements were made prior to the Closing Night screening featuring noted director Rusty Cundieff ’s hip hop satire FEAR OF A BLACK HAT, made 25 years ago in 1993. Cundieff appeared in person to introduce his film and to engage in a post-screening discussion with Sergio Mims, Festival Consultant.

TRAVEL

Thailand's top retail property developer launches 'Central Phuket' Central Pattana Plc (CPN), Thailand's largest retail property developer recently celebrated the Grand Opening of Central Phuket, its world-class luxury flagship mall.

Establishing a new 'CBD' in the heart of Phuket, the biggest and beautiful island in Thailand, Central Phuket is developed with a total investment of $606 million which is comprised of a shopping center and world-class tourist attractions. Its aim is to become 'The World's Must-Visit Destination in Thailand'.

Wallaya Chirathivat, Deputy CEO of CPN said, “Central Phuket helps to emphasize us as a global player and it is in line with the provincial development policy to elevate Phuket to be one of the most complete travel destinations in the world. The positioning of Central Phuket is set to be 'The Magnitude of 'Luxury & Leisure' Resort Shopping Destination', a seamless combination of Luxury and Leisure lifestyle in one place. It consists of two buildings: Floresta focuses on tourists and customers who prefer a luxurious lifestyle, enjoy shopping for leading brands and like to visit world-class attractions; Festival aims to attract family-group customers who regularly visit the shopping center to shop, enjoy good food and watch movies. We also plan to develop an international and regional convention center as well as a world-class hotel."

Establishing itself as the country's landmark, Central Phuket will be holding international events, such as Phuket International Music Festival and Phuket International Countdown 2019, throughout the year. In addition, visitors will get to experience an exclusive 'Phuket Menu' available only at Central Phuket where the shopping center has joined hands with popular restaurants in

CPN, Thailand’s largest retail property developer recently celebrated the Grand Opening of Central Phuket,its world-class luxury flagship mall.

Phuket in order to promote the reputation of Phuket's cuisine.

Apart from gastronomy, Central Phuket includes several exclusive attractions that tourists should not miss including: Tales of Thailand – the largest indoor market reflecting Thainess lifestyle from 4 regions, Tribhum – a 3D virtual adventure in the

world's first fantasy walkthrough, which will officially open in November 2018 and Aquaria – Thailand's newest format of aquarium which will be ready for visitors to experience the wonders of the ocean and the mysteries of the river with over 25,000 creatures in the first quarter of 2019.

The highlights for the Grand Opening

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feature first time in Thailand world-class performances, including, 'Star Catcher', the innovative live 360-degree immersive theatre performance by the renowned performer 'Creativiva' from Canada and international street shows including 'Bubble on Circus', performed by artists from Italy and 'The Balloon Show', from Japan.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

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COMMUNITY

Meeting Held To Gauge Communities Top Priorities For Improvement Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

A public meeting was recently held for Envision Ford Heights, a community-wide planning effort aimed at revitalizing the Village of Ford Heights. The purpose of the most recent meeting, held at the Senior Center in Ford Heights, was to get input from the community about what their top priorities are and what they see as the most needed improvements.

Envision Ford Heights is a collaborative effort from the Village of Ford Heights and the Antero Group, a civil engineering and urban planning company that is assisting with the planning and implementation of the Ford Heights improvement plan.

“The Antero Group is my new engineer and they have agreed to help our vision and help us promote Ford Heights,” said Mayor of the Village of Ford Heights, Annie Coulter. “We’ve got a lot of things on the agenda and we are going to be getting some money for new infrastructure. We’ve been having a lot of water breaks and we need these pipes changed and we need our good drinking water.”

The current population for Ford Heights is about 2,500 people and the population growth rate from 2010 to 2017 was -1.1 percent, according to the community overview provided at the Envision Ford Heights meeting. This means that the population of

Envision Ford Heights meeting participants were asked to provide their ideas for improving the community and name their number one priority for the improvement plan. Photo Credit: Katherine Newman

the Village is slowly decreasing and Coulter said that “a lot of people say they want to come back but they don’t see what Ford Heights has to offer.”

The purpose of Envision Ford Heights

and even further, the Capital Improvement Plan and the Comprehensive Plan will establish a vision for the Village of Ford Heights that will be attractive to current residents, businesses, and potential new-

comers to the neighborhood.

“We are here helping the village to create a comprehensive plan to understand what the resident's concerns are and what they would like to see in Ford Heights and then we are going to figure out how we can make that happen and what grants we can apply for. We want to know what the priorities are and what residents want to see,” said Curtis Witek, senior planner with the Antero Group.

During the meeting, participants were asked to provide their ideas for improving the community and they were able to review proposed ideas from the Antero Group and talk about what they thought would and wouldn’t work in the Village. Topics of conversation ranged from increasing public safety, by adding speed bumps to slow down drivers, to planting community gardens along Lincoln Highway that would improve the communities curb appeal.

“We need to know what the priorities of the community are and how we can plan for those, that’s what Envision Ford Heights is. It’s getting a lay of the land, understanding where we are at, mapping different infrastructure systems,” said Witek.

To contribute to the Envision Ford Heights planning process visit the Village Hall to complete the survey or it can be found online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ V6QZQML.

POLITISCOPE

Why al-Qaida is still strong 17 years after 9/11

BY TRICIA BACON

Seventeen years ago, on Sept.

11, 2001, al-Qaida conducted the most destructive terrorist attack in history.

An unprecedented onslaught from the U.S. followed. One-third of al-Qaida’s leadership was killed or captured in the following year. The group lost its safe haven in Afghanistan, including its extensive training infrastructure there. Its surviving members were on the run or in hiding. Though it took nearly 10 years, the U.S. succeeded in killing al-Qaida’s founding leader, Osama bin Laden. Since 2014, al-Qaida has been overshadowed by its former ally al-Qaida in Iraq, now calling itself the Islamic State.

In other words, al-Qaida should not have survived the 17 years since 9/11. But it has. Why? The ties that bind Much of the credit goes to al-Qaida’s extraordinary ability to form alliances and sustain them over time and under pressure.

In my book “Why Terrorist Groups

Tricia Bacon

Form International Alliances,” I examine why a small number of groups, such as al-Qaida and IS, emerge as desirable partners and succeed at developing alliance networks.

Understanding terrorist alliances is critical because terrorist organizations with allies are more lethal, survive longer and are more apt to seek weapons of mass destruction.

Though terrorist partnerships face numerous hurdles and severing al-Qaida’s alliances has been a U.S. objective for over a decade, the fact is that these counterterrorism

efforts have failed.

It was allies that enabled al-Qaida to survive the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The Afghan Taliban stood by al-Qaida after the attack, refusing to surrender bin Laden and thereby precipitating the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Fleeing, al-Qaida was able to turn to allies in Pakistan to hide its operatives and punish the Pakistani government for capitulating to U.S. pressure to crackdown on the group.

It was alliances that helped al-Qaida continue to terrorize. In October 2002, for example, al-Qaida’s ally in Southeast Asia, Jemaah Islamiyah brutally commemorated the first anniversary of 9/11 by bombing a bar and a nightclub in Bali, killing more than 200 people and injuring an additional 200.

And it was alliances that allowed al-Qaida to project viability. With the “prestige” that came with conducting 9/11, al-Qaida was able to forge affiliate alliances in which partners adopted its name and pledged allegiance to bin Laden.

Al-Qaida’s first and most notorious affiliate alliance, al-Qaida www.thechicagocitizen.com

in Iraq, was formed in 2004 with Jordanian jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Using the standing he accrued through his role in the insurgency in Iraq, Zarqawi then helped al-Qaida acquire its second affiliate in 2006, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. Then, in 2009, al-Qaida designated its branch in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Its alliances spanned the Middle East and helped it to project power, despite the U.S. war on terrorism.

A LOWER PROFILE While al-Qaida still sought affiliates, by 2010, it changed some aspects of the relationships.

Al-Qaida forged an alliance with al-Shabaab in Somalia, but did not initially publicly announce it or ask al-Shabaab to change its name. Bin Laden justified the shift to a less visible form of alliance as a way to prevent an increase in counterterrorism pressure or a loss of funds from the Arabian Peninsula. He Continued on page 4

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4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

FOOD

Weeknight Dinner Solutions Family Features - Hectic daytime schedules can often lead to even busier evenings, which makes putting dinner on the table in less than an hour a valuable time-saver for home chefs. Balancing a busy lifestyle with healthy food choices can certainly become a tall task, but making filling, nutritious meals a priority starts with planning and preparation.

One way to set the course toward more quality weeknight meals at home is planning in advance rather than making day-of decisions. Ensuring you have the correct ingredients on-hand can make meal prep a simpler process once it's time to get started in the kitchen.

By focusing meals on recipes that incorporate easy-to-use, versatile ingredients like Filippo Berio vinegars, you can have flavorful main courses, sides and appetizers ready in under an hour. The vinegars are allergen free, cholesterol free, trans fat free and GMO free, making them an ideal addition to healthy menus.

For example, while waiting for a meal to bake, Green Bean, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette can keep appetites at bay and help incorporate nutritious vegetables.

Follow your salad with a main dish like this Honey-Balsamic Glazed Salmon, which involves just a handful of ingredients and seasonings, leading to just 5 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes in the oven.

When a light yet filling meal is attainable in less time, you can focus on nutritious choices even on the busiest of evenings. Find more quick, simple recipe ideas at FilippoBerio. com.

GREEN BEAN, ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH HONEY DIJON VINAIGRETTE Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 3 minutes Total time: 13 minutes Servings: 4

HONEY-BALSAMIC GLAZED SALMON Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 6 1 salmon filet (about 2 pounds) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons Filippo Berio Balsamic Vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, minced pinch of chili pepper flakes 1 tablespoon chopped fresh

tarragon (optional) Heat oven to 400 F. Season salmon with salt and pepper; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic and chili pepper flakes; brush over salmon.

Bake 18-20 minutes, or until fish just starts to flake easily with fork. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon, if desired.

Tips: Substitute maple syrup for honey, if desired. Omit chili flakes and season with freshly ground pepper.

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons Filippo Berio White Wine Vinegar 1 shallot, minced 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup Filippo Berio Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Green Bean, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad: 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

6 cups baby arugula 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes in oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives To make Honey Dijon Vinaigrette: Whisk together white wine vinegar, shallot, tarragon, mustard, honey, salt and pepper; whisk in olive oil.

To assemble Green Bean, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad: In steamer basket, steam green beans and asparagus 3-5 minutes, or until tender-crisp.

Rinse under cold water and drain well. Transfer to large bowl; add arugula and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss salad with vinaigrette.

Garnish with sundried tomatoes and chives.

Tip: If desired, omit green beans and double asparagus.

Source: Filippo Berio

POLITISCOPE

Why al-Qaida is still strong 17 years after 9/11 Continued from page 3 privately expressed concerns that al-Qaida’s name “reduces the feeling of Muslims that we belong to them, and allows the enemies to claim deceptively that they are not at war with Islam.” Bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, saw the move as bin Laden capitulating to members of al-Qaida who worried about “inflating the size and the growth of al-Qaida.”

After bin Laden’s death, Zawahiri publicly announced al-Qaida’s alliance with al-Shabaab, though al-Shabaab still did not adopt al-Qaida’s name.

The “staying power” of Al-Qaida’s allies has helped it remain a threat despite the loss of its founding leader in 2011 and the ascent of a far less capable leader. Zawahiri’s rise to the helm

of the group was itself the consequence of an alliance between his original Egyptian group, al-Jihad, and al-Qaida. The alliance culminated in a merger in 2001, with Zawahiri becoming bin Laden’s deputy and successor.

Zawahiri lacks bin Laden’s cachet or diplomatic savvy, and his shortfalls are evident in al-Qaida’s alliances. His poor handling of the strife between jihadist group al-Nusra in Syria and its parent organization, the Islamic State in Iraq – previously al-Qaida in Iraq and now known as the Islamic State – led to the alliance rupture between al-Qaida and its affiliate in Iraq.

Zawahiri has also struggled to manage the relationship with al-Qaida’s ally in Syria, the very group that spurred the conflict between IS and al-Qaida. Al-Nusra changed its name,

an effort to gain more legitimacy within the conflict in Syria by publicly distancing itself from al-Qaida, which left a smaller faction still allied with al-Qaida.

Al-Qaida organized a new branch, al-Qaida in the Indian subcontinent, in 2014. The branch in South Asia reflected al-Qaida’s success at expanding beyond its predominantly Arab base, particularly in Pakistan, and has allowed the group to expand its activities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Most of al-Qaida’s alliances have proven resilient over time. This is true despite ample reasons for its partners to abandon ties, such as the heightened counterterrorism pressure that comes with affiliation to al-Qaida; the death of its charismatic leader; and the Islamic State’s efforts to court al-Qaida allies. Even the Afghan

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Taliban has not severed ties, even though doing so would eliminate one of the major reasons that the United States will not withdraw from the “forever war” in Afghanistan.

There is still a window for the U.S. to damage al-Qaida’s alliances: It has a weak leader and major rival. But that window may be closing as the Islamic State adapts to its losses and al-Qaida appears poised for a resurgence with bin Laden’s son as its future, more inspiring leader.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated.

The original version ran on Sept. 10, 2017.

Tricia Bacon is an Assistant Professor of Justice, Law & Criminology at the American University School of Public Affairs

T:10”

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

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T:13”

Bring It! available on Xfinity Stream app

grown-ish available on Xfinity Stream app

Streaming is always in session.

Xfinity takes you back to school with Black Film & TV with Xfinity On Demand. Just say, “HBCU” into your X1 Voice Remote to watch your favorite Black college films and TV shows, catch HBCU football games and Classics, and get a look into Greek life. And, with customizable streaming TV, you can watch hit movies, top shows and live sports, at home or on-the-go.

With Xfinity X1, access Netflix, YouTube, and Pandora right from your TV. Xfinity makes enjoying your entertainment simple, easy, awesome.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Xfinity TV with X1 and On Demand required. ©2018 Comcast. No celebrity endorsement implied. All rights reserved.

6 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

NEWS

FDA takes new steps to address epidemic of youth e-cigarette use The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a series of critical and historic enforcement actions related to the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes to kids.

In the largest coordinated enforcement effort in the FDA's history, the agency issued more than 1,300 warning letters and civil money penalty complaints (fines) to retailers who illegally sold JUUL and other e-cigarette products to minors during a nationwide, undercover blitz of brick-and-mortar and online stores this summer.

As a result of these violations of the law – and other indications that e-cigarette use among youth has hit epidemic proportions – FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., signaled that the agency intends to take new and significant steps to address this challenge in a speech at the agency's headquarters.

"We're committed to the comprehensive approach to address addiction to nicotine that we announced last year. But at the same time, we see clear signs that youth use of electronic cigarettes has reached an epidemic proportion, and we must adjust certain aspects of our comprehensive strategy to stem this clear and present danger.

This starts with the actions we're taking today to crack down on retail sales of e-cigarettes to minors. We will also revisit our compliance policy

(Pictured) Aerosol (vapor) exhaled by an e-cigarette user. Over the past several years, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product by youth. In fact, more than 2 million middle and high school students were current users of e-cigarettes in 2017. Photo by Lindsay Fox

that extended the dates for manufacturers of certain flavored e-cigarettes to submit applications for premarket authorization. I believe certain flavors are one of the principal drivers of the youth appeal of these products. While we remain committed to advancing policies that promote

the potential of e-cigarettes to help adult smokers move away from combustible cigarettes, that work can't come at the expense of kids. We cannot allow a whole new generation to become addicted to nicotine. In the coming weeks, we'll take additional action under our Youth Tobacco

Prevention Plan to immediately address the youth access to, and the appeal of, these products," said FDA Commissioner Gottlieb.

"Today, we asked five e-cigarette manufacturers to put forward plans to immediately and substantially reverse these trends, or face a potential decision by the FDA to reconsider extending the compliance dates for submission of premarket applications. Our comprehensive plan on nicotine and tobacco regulation remains intact and we remain committed to its goals to reduce tobacco-related disease and death, including our efforts to reduce the nicotine in combustible products to render cigarettes minimally or non-addictive. We're also fully committed to the concept that products that deliver nicotine exist on a continuum of risk, with combustible products representing the highest risk, and electronic nicotine delivery systems perhaps presenting an alternative for adult smokers who still seek access to satisfying levels of nicotine, but without all of the harmful effects that come from combustion.

But in enabling a path for e-cigarettes to offer a potentially lower risk alternative for adult smokers, we won't allow the current trends in youth access and use to continue, even if it means putting limits in place that reduce adult uptake of these products."

African Americans Believe In the American Dream Although Their Finances Are A Struggle in Reality Most African Americans believe the American Dream means financial security (84 percent), not living paycheck to paycheck (78 percent) and owning a home (77 percent).

However, according to the new State of the American Family Study released by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), many African Americans lack tangible assets necessary to accomplish those goals currently.

While the American Dream is still attainable, the survey calls attention to high debt, low savings and a lower likelihood of wide financial product ownership amongst African Americans.

Financial disparities and the wealth gap can possibly explain why 31 percent believe it is disappearing.

Among the dynamics: • Outside of retirement accounts, only 37 percent of African Americans own wealth-building products such as stocks and mutual funds • 35 percent believe they are doing a good job at preparing for retirement • 33 percent have less than one month of funds saved for a crisis and less than 25 percent have amassed more than six months of emergency savings The survey also reveals the importance of family influences on financial decisions:

• 58 percent are actively involved in educating their children on finances (as compared to 48 percent of Caucasians) • 40 percent rely on family members for information • 50 percent include extended family and friends in their definition of family “The study shows African Americans want to improve their financial situations and are hopeful about the future,” said Evan Taylor, African American market director, MassMutual. “At the same time, it sheds light on the financial struggles and inequities that the African American community continues to battle. Those contradictions indicate a need for greater financial education and discipline for the whole family to achieve economic success. In fact, the biggest financial regret expressed by respondents was that they wished they had started saving and investing sooner.”

To help bridge the gap, MassMutual has teamed up with Tarra Jackson, who runs the Madam Money blog, to help African Americans improve their finances. Jackson is a personal finance expert, TV/radio personality, author and speaker with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is an experienced financial contributor for numerous newspapers, magazines, blogs, podcasts and radio shows.

“Most African Americans are not taught about or involved with household finances,” said Jackson. “They also are not educated about personal financial strategies in school. This lack of financial education increases the use of credit, which results in higher debt burden, and minimum or nonexistent savings and investing behaviors. This perfect storm of high debt, low or no savings or investing, as well as lack of life insurance, stifles the attainment of the American Dream of financial security.”

“The American Dream is possible with simple financial steps,” Jackson added. “It is never too late to start taking ownership of and investing in your financial future.”

Her top five recommendations: 1. Begin with the end in mind.

Thinking about a desired lifestyle will help to determine potential financial needs and wants. Whether it’s traveling the world, being debt free or having enough money to meet basic living standards and health needs, understanding preferred outcomes helps determine the right financial plan.

2. Create a spending & savings plan. Overspending and debt are destructive to financial stability. Creating a budget helps to determine expenses, income gaps or ways to save more money and pay down debt. A budget gives you the power to make www.thechicagocitizen.com

MassMutual has teamed up with Tarra Jackson, who runs the Madam Money blog, to help African Americans improve their finances. Jackson is a personal finance expert, TV/radio personality, author and speaker with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is an experienced financial contributor for numerous newspapers, magazines, blogs, podcasts and radio shows.

informed decisions necessary to meet your short, mid and long-term financial goals.

3. Start saving something sooner.

Most people don’t start saving for their later years in life because they seem so far away. They think they have enough time or they may believe that they don’t have enough money. Saving a percentage of your paycheck now will help build savings by taking advantage of the power of compound interest.

4. Set it and forget it. Set a specific amount or percentage of your paycheck to automatically deposit into your retirement savings or investment accounts monthly or every pay period. This will help create

consistency in savings. Automatic deposits will also limit access to the money and avoid the temptation to spend it.

5. Consult with a financial professional. Seeking advice from family members may be tempting, but when it comes to financial advice, it is often best to consult with a financial professional. They can guide you through options right for your financial situation and income while making the process less intimidating and overwhelming.

Additionally, consumers are encouraged to visit massmutual. com/familystudy for more financial tips and an overview of the research findings.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018

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NEWS

Pride, athletic prowess and academic excellence fuel the HBCU Classics here and nationwide When the Miles College Golden Bears and Morehouse College’s Maroon Tigers take to the field for their momentous match-up on Saturday September 22 at Soldier Field as part of the Chicago Football Classic, they will join a long tradition of HBCU football match-ups that date back to the late 60s. The first HBCU Classic was held in 1968 between Morgan State and Grambling State in New York City.

That inaugural event drew more than 60,000 frenzied fans to Yankee Stadium.

A combination of things made the matchup legendary and paved the way for the Chicago matchup on this coming Saturday. First, the immense talent of the teams involved, with Grambling State being helmed by the legendary coach Eddie Robinson, the winningest coach in the NCAA. Second, the flamboyant marching band competitions and lastly, the pride and self-esteem on display for tens of thousands attending these classic matchups.

The Chicago Football Classic embraces those same component’s - big-stage football, academic excellence and artistic prowess – and they will be on full display for the 21st Annual event. And the crowds are no less impressive. This year, the Chicago Football Classic is expected to draw over 40,000 attendees and pump over a million dollars into Chicago’s economic engine.

Miles College and Morehouse College are part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), one of the four conferences, comprised entirely of black college teams. The other three are the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The two teams meet earlier this year in a non-conference doubleheader ending with Miles College defeating Morehouse 7 to 4. Equally impressive is the Miles College Purple Marching Machine which was voted HBCU Sports Band of the Year in 2017 with 44% of 43K votes cast.

No doubt the Morehouse College Maroon Tiger Marching Band is not intimidated by that distinction as their band is known by its nom de plume the “House of Funk Marching Band.

This year’s Classic will continue in the grand tradition of the over 40 classics happening around the country and do it as only Chicago can. If you want to get a taste of the band competition before the game there will be a Back to School Pep Rally featuring the drumlines from both schools on Friday, September 21 at Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington St., Chicago, IL at 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

This 21st Annual Chicago Football Classic is a celebration of the role that Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) play in the life of young people. Offering both the pomp and pageantry of the game and it’s legendary “Battle of the Bands”, it is also about preparing students for the future that a quality education will provide them.

The CFC Weekend events include: • Thursday, Sept. 20 – President’s Recep-

Left to right: Chicago Football Classic Founder Larry Huggins, Darren Benton, Walgreens, Chicago Football Classic Founder Everett Rand and Andre Pattillo, Director of Athletics, Morehouse College.

tion, honoring the two teams’ presidents: Dr. George T. French, Jr. (Miles College) and Dr. David A. Thomas (Morehouse College.)

Invitation-only event.

• Friday, Sept. 21 – Golf Outing and Coaches Luncheon at Harborside International Golf Center, 11001 South Doty Avenue East, Chicago, IL 60628 7 a.m. Registration /9a “Shot gun start” 2:30 p.m. Coaches Luncheon. Tickets $1,200 foursome and $1,600 for foursome and Hole Sponsor Back to School Pep Rally featuring the drumlines from both schools at Daley Plaza, 50 West Washington St., Chicago, IL at 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 22 – CFC-HBCU College Fair is from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Soldier Field in the United Club. The event will feature more than 30 schools and is open to the public.

BMO Harris Bank presents the Empowerment Summit, focused on money management.

This HBCU College Fair event is co-produced by the City Colleges of Chicago and the Chicago Public Schools.

Chicago Football Classic Tailgating 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The High School Battle of the Bands – 12 p.m.

The CFC Vendor Marketplace 1:30 p.m.

through the end of the game Classic Kick-Off 3:30 p.m.

Battle of the College Bands – Half Time Tickets are $18, $25, $35 and $45, discount tickets are available at Walgreens. Tickets may also be purchased at Midway Wholesalers, 41 W. 84th St.; (773-874-8000 x4025), Riteway-Huggins Construction, 1030 E. 87th St.; (773) 734-1600, Groupon and Ticketmaster.

This year, the CFC will raffle a new 2017 neon green Rocky Ridge Jeep Wrangler from Sherman Dodge to benefit the Chicago Football Classic Scholarship Fund. The CFC Scholarship Fund provides financial support for students attending the participating HBCU schools. A limited amount of tickets will be on sale for $100 and the winning ticket will be drawn at the end of the game.

Raffle tickets for the Rocky Ridge Jeep Wrangler are $100 and are available at Midway Wholesalers and Riteway Huggins Construction. For additional ticket, event and vendor information, visit the CFC website at www.chicagofootballclassic.org.

This year’s 2018 Chicago Football Classic Co-Presenting sponsors are, BMO Harris Bank and Sherman Dodge, Comcast - NBC 5 Chicago, Telemundo Chicago and NBC Sports Chicago. Participating sponsors include: Ariel Investments, Aramark, Avión, CHA, the City

www.thechicagocitizen.com

of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, Christmas in the Wards, Citizen Newspapers, ComEd, Crawford Broadcasting, CTA, Eastlake Management, Fifth Third Bank, Heneghan Wrecking Co., the Hudson Group, Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois State Treasurer, Illinois Bicentennial, iHeartRadio, Illinois Restaurant Association, INTREN, JB for Governor, Linn-Mathes, Local 134 IBEW, Loop Capital, Madison Construction, Midway Wholesalers, Manny’s, MAC ONE Midway, McHugh Construction, Mesirow Financial, Moet Hennessy, Peoples Gas, Providence Bank, Riteway-Huggins Construction, SelfHelp Bank, Southwest Airlines, SSP- America, Starbucks Foundation, TrueStar, Uber, Vantage, Walgreens, Wintrust and WVON-AM. About the Chicago Football Classic: The Chicago Football Classic’s mission is to support educational achievement, promote higher education, encourage culture and excellence, and showcase the spirit and tradition of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing an exciting football game in Chicago that provides financial assistance to college-bound students. The Classic’s events influence students and parents to consider the rich academic opportunities offered by HBCUs.

8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Sept. 19, 2018