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Rush Introduces Legislation to Observe April as Hazel M. Johnson Environmental Justice Month — Page 3
Citizen Week of March 25, 2020
| Vol. 53 | No. 7 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com
SOUTH END
CLOTHING LINE LOOKS TO CREATE MOVEMENT
In 2019, Kiara N. Jones created the God Is Bigger clothing line. She said it was an idea God gave her randomly while she was sitting in her new members class at her church. The goal was to show her faith through fashion. But now, with the coronavirus, COVID-19, and the uncertainty, it has become a message for people to lean on.
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Kiara Jones created God Is Bigger Clothing as a way to give hope to people and to let them know that God is in control.
Photo courtesy
of God Is Bigger Clothing
NEWS
FOOD
BUSINESS
Womanish Pop Up to explore what women love
Fresh Salads Perfect for Spring
Fifth Third Expands Down Payment Assistance to $7,500 for Qualified Buyer
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NEWS briefly EDUCATION GSU SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENTARY FOR HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION REVIEW Governors State University is seeking comments from the public about the university in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university will host a visit on April 26 – 29, 2020, from a team of peer reviewers representing the HLC. The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation. Governors State University has been accredited by HLC since 1975. Comments must be in writing and must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Submit comments to HLC at hlcommission. org/comment or mail them to the address below. All comments must be received by March 27, 2020. Public Comment on Governors State University Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1411
HEALTH
SUPPORT FOR “MEDICARE FOR ALL” DROPS AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES, SURVEY FINDS According to a survey of more than 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries released today by eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com), 37% of Medicare beneficiaries support the idea that all Americans should have access to Medicare or Medicare-like coverage, down from 41% in a 2019 eHealth survey. eHealth’s survey found that 58% of Medicare beneficiaries now say Medicare should remain primarily for people age 65 and older, up from 42% last year. “We have been tracking consumer sentiment on ‘Medicare for all’ proposals for some time now, but the results of our most recent survey surprised us,” said eHealth CEO Scott Flanders. “As we get deeper into election season and Medicare beneficiaries listen to candidates and weigh the pros and cons of various proposals, it seems that support for a radical revamp of the Medicare program, and for ‘Medicare for all’ candidates, is dropping.”
LAW & POLITICS
DUCKWORTH, CAPITO HONOR GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), co-chairs of the Girl Scouts’ Honorary Troop Capitol Hill, recently introduced a resolution recognizing the Girl Scouts of America on its 108th birthday and celebrating its legacy of building powerful female leaders. “Girl Scouts helped teach me the importance of service as well as the leadership skills that I use in the Senate every day,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution with Senator Capito to commemorate and honor 108 years of the Girl Scouts driving positive change in communities across the country as they prepare girls to lead wherever they go – in business, science, public service and beyond.”
Clothing line looks to create movement Continued from page 1 BY TIA CAROL JONES
In 2019, Kiara N. Jones created the God Is Bigger clothing line. She said it was an idea God gave her randomly while she was sitting in her new members class at her church. The goal was to show her faith through fashion. But now, with the coronavirus, COVID-19, and the uncertainty, it has become a message for people to lean on. The tagline of the clothing company is “more than a brand, a movement.” It includes t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies, with the words “God is Bigger” emblazoned on the front and a logo of a heart with a lightning bolt in it. There are also bracelets with the heart and lightning bolt on it. Prices range from $25 to $40. “As an educator, I never thought I’d be doing anything in fashion,” Jones said. Last year, Jones recommitted her life to God. She said she spent the last 10 years do-
ing her own thing, but in January 2019, she made the decision to recommit her life. “I said, ‘Lord, if we can make it through this year, we could make it through anything,’ ” Jones said. It was during that time, Jones realized that “no matter what I did, God would love me regardless.” She said in going back to her notes from that time, she wrote down “God Is Bigger.” “The heart and soul of God Is Bigger came out of my personal journey,” she said. Jones said everything felt so big and that she couldn’t do things on her own. Then, she heard God. “ ‘This might be bigger than you, but it’s not bigger than me, so give it to me,’ ” she said. Jones said the clothing is more than just t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and bracelets. “Beyond the material, I like to think we give people a little bit of hope,” she said. Jones is an educator who teaches 11th grade. Currently, Governor J.B. Pritzker has
closed schools due to the coronavirus. “As a teacher, I’m super concerned about my babies,” she said. “My constant prayer has been, keep the children covered.” Jones said she is very clear how her clothing line fits into the faith and fashion genre. “We’re not a stuffy Christian brand, we’re not a pimp Jesus brand, we’re the ‘where does it hurt brand,’ “ she said. “Wherever it hurts, that’s where we put God.” Jones said one of the biggest things people grapple with is how can a good God allow bad things to happen. She said it was something she dealt with after she recommitted her life to God and had to experience the death of her cousin. She doesn’t sell people something she doesn’t believe in, Jones added. Lately, she’s been reminding herself that no matter what it looks like, no matter what it feels like “God is in control.” For more information about God Is Bigger, visit https://godisbiggerclothing.com.
Residents want more input in CDF expansion project BY TIA CAROL JONES
The Chicago Area Confined Disposal Facility, located at Calumet Harbor on the Southeast side of Chicago is set to reach capacity by 2022. To deal with this, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has come up with a proposal to expand the current facility. Community organizations and residents want to make sure the plan does not include building another dumping site in the neighborhood. The 170,000 sq. m. Chicago Area Confined Disposal Facility has been at the site since 1984. It is where dredged sediment is placed. Dredging the sediment allows vessels to move through the Calumet River and Harbor, without the risk of running aground or light loading. “The problem is that facility is now very close to being completely full. It will be full in the next two years. In 2022, it will be completely full,” said Mike Padilla, project manager for US Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District. “So, we needed to look for a new facility, we needed to look for a place to put a new facility.” Padilla said the Corps of Engineers did lots of coordinating and held public meetings. Residents made it clear they didn’t want a new facility built. So, they came up with the idea to do an expansion at the current facility. “Because of the public opposition to building a new facility, we just decided to keep using the same facility and vertically expanding it,” Padilla said. The Calumet Harbor and River/ Chicago Area Waterway System Feasibility Study was done for the Dredged Material Management Plan. The goal of the study was to explain how the Army Corps of Engineers investigated new sites and why they chose to expand the current facility instead. A draft of the study was released in May 2019.
One of the major concerns about the CDF and its expansion is how rising lake levels will affect the community’s drinking water. Photo Credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Nieto Gomez said one of the major concerns about the CDF and its expansion is how rising lake levels will affect the community’s drinking water. “The problem is now with the rising lake levels, because of climate change, we are concerned about the impact of erosion caused by waves hitting or beating up against the current dirt wall that separates the toxic dirt from our drinking water,” she said. “It’s really important to the community, for the city, and our region to protect the drinking water.” Nieto Gomez said it is also important that the Southeast side of Chicago not continue to be a dumping ground. She said the community is already environmentally overburdened. And she said, the vertical expansion of the current CDF was the lesser of two evils. “The community still wasn’t happy about toxic dirt being here,” she said. “That was a better proposal than having a second site.”
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Nieto Gomez said the issues need to be addressed. Ultimately, what she wants is for the Army Corps of Engineers to work with the community to come up with a solution. “We know the dirt needs to go somewhere, but we’re tired of it being in our community,” she said. “I think we need to have a serious conversation with the US Army Corps of Engineers about what the solutions are.” Nieto Gomez said the community presented more than 8500 postcards against a second site on the Southeast side of Chicago. But they also don’t want it to go somewhere else. “We recognize we don’t want to burden any other communities. We’re environmentally overburdened. The last thing we want to do is support it going into another community that’s also environmentally overburdened or have it in a residential neighborhood,” she said.
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NEWS
Rush Introduces Legislation to Observe Month of April as Hazel M. Johnson Environmental Justice Month U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush would posthumously present Johnson (D-Ill.) recently introduced legislation to with a Congressional Gold Medal in observe the month of April of each year recognition of her achievements and as Hazel M. Johnson Environmental contributions to the environmental Justice Month. justice movement. H.R. 5343 would “Hazel Johnson galvanized minorities direct the Postmaster General to issue a and low-income groups — most notably commemorative postage stamp in honor on Chicago’s South Side — in order to of Johnson. seek equal environmental protections Johnson’s determination was key in and correct environmental and social pressuring the Chicago Housing Authorinjustices on behalf her community. Her ity to remove asbestos from Southside Herculean efforts would ultimately lead Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens, and her fight to the historic signing of a landmark for clean water led to the installation of U.S. Representative Bobby environmental justice executive order by L. Rush (D-Ill.) water and sewer lines by city health offiPresident Bill Clinton. cials in the far Southside neighborhood Rush, who added in a news release, said black of Maryland Manor, where then existing well water was activists like Johnson are often overlooked for their contaminated with cyanide and other toxins. contributions to the environmental justice movement. Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Introduced during Black History Month, the legislaEnvironmental Justice in Minority Populations and tion commemorates and honors the legacy of Johnson Low-Income Populations), required each federal agenwith a month all of her own. cy to identify and address the disproportionately high This past December, Rush introduced two separate and adverse human health or environmental effects of pieces of legislation also honoring Johnson. H.R. 5340, its programs, policies and activities on minority and the Hazel M. Johnson Congressional Gold Medal Act, low-income populations.
Tax Withholding Estimator helps retirees, workers and self-employed calculate taxes, fill out new Form W-4 The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers to take control of the size of their refund using the Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov. The estimator has a “slider” feature to let users choose the refund they want from a range of amounts based on the information they enter. The feature helps taxpayers set their withholding to get a large refund or more money in their paychecks throughout the year. Withholding Starting in 2020, income tax withholding is generally based on the worker’s expected filing status and standard deduction. Employers generally use withholding tables to determine how much tax to withhold and send to the IRS. Those who are not subject to withholding should make quarterly estimated tax payments during the year. The improved and mobile-friendly estimator offers retirees, employees and self-employed individuals a user-friendly way to check their withholding. It also has features specially tailored to the unique needs of those receiving pension payments and Social Security benefits. People with more than one job and families where both spouses work
may need to adjust their withholding to avoid having too little withheld. Not paying enough during the year, either through withholding or by making timely estimated tax payments, may mean paying a penalty. When to check Taxpayers should check their withholding annually. They should also check when life changes occur, such as marriage, childbirth, adoption and when buying a home. The IRS recommends anyone who changed their withholding late in 2019 should do a Paycheck Checkup. Taxpayers who receive a tax bill after they file should use the estimator to ensure the right amount is being withheld for 2020. Taxpayers can use the results from the IRS Withholding Calculator to determine if they should complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate. Submitting a new Form W-4 Employees submit a completed Form W-4 to their employer, not the IRS. Beginning in 2020, all new employees must use the redesigned form. Employees who submitted Form W-4 in 2019 or before are not required to submit a new form. However, the new form must be
used to adjust their withholding. New employees who fail to submit a Form W-4 will be treated as a single filer with no other adjustments. This means that a single filer’s standard deduction with no other entries will be considered in determining withholding. The new Form W-4 is simpler than the old form and increases the transparency and accuracy of the withholding system. The new design replaces complicated worksheets with more straightforward questions that make accurate withholding easier for employees. Self-employed Those who have self-employment income will generally owe both income tax and self-employment tax. Form W-4 is primarily to be used by employees who are not subject to self-employment tax and does not compute self-employment tax. See Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals and IRS Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax. For more information see the Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs and FAQs on the 2020 Form W-4. Taxpayers can find answers to questions, forms and instructions and tools online at IRS.gov. www.citizennewspapergroup.com
The Censoredish room is part of the Womanish exhibition, which will feature 10 rooms that answer the question what do women love and what affects women. Photos courtesy of Womanish
Womanish Pop Up to explore what women love BY TIA CAROL JONES
What do women love? What things affect women today? These are just some of the questions Dionna and Danyelle Gray set out to answer when they came up with the idea for the Womanish Pop-Up, located on 114 S. State St. The sisters are the co-founders of Womanish, a 30,000 square foot, five floor, 10 room experiential immersive space. Dionna said it started because they wanted to create a Facebook, mixed with Youtube, online community for women. They started to host small events and saw there was a more impactful interaction with the attendees in person. They switched gears and decided to do a more event-focused business. Danyelle said the smaller events were also a way to lead up to the experiential exhibition. “We knew last year what we wanted to do. So, we wanted to build our brand and be in the community and have people understand our mission, what we’re about. That’s when we started in October with the small events,” she said. “But, the end goal was always this exhibition. We wanted to make sure we were in the community, that they understood what we were about so when we opened the exhibition, people understood our brand and kind of knew who we were.” Because the trend is experiential events, Dionna said they wanted to do it, but in a big way that was still impactful and still able to start amazing conversations that would help to create community. “So, we came up with the brand womanish. A big playhouse, where women can come. There’s 10 different rooms, each room is kind of built around something that impacts
The Selfish room is part of the Womanish exhibition, which will feature 10 rooms that answer the question, what do women love and what affects women. Photos courtesy of Womanish
women,” Dionna said. One topic that impacts women is the gender pay gap. To address it, there is a Paid-i$h room that is picturesque and features the Harriet Tubman $20 bill. “It also speaks to the pay gap between men and women and different things like that. We have a lot of really cool rooms that kind of speak to topics that affect women,” Dionna said. Danyelle said for the rooms, they came up with mood boards. And, had to figure out what is impactful for women and what women love. The creative director Emily Dahlquist brought the vision to life and transformed their idea into the experience. Dionna and Danyelle had an artists’ call on Instagram. “We had submissions from all over the world. It was really a huge outpouring of people who really wanted to be a part of what we were doing. We went through all of those people and just picked the ones we really liked,” Dionna said. If the exhibit is successful, they are open to keeping it open for two months, instead of the original one Continued on page 7
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BUSINESS Fifth Third Expands Down Payment Assistance to $7,500 for Qualified Buyers Fifth Third Bank, National Association, recently announced an expansion to its Down Payment Assistance program that will now help pay up to $7,500 toward a down payment and closing costs for qualified buyers. The program provides an affordable option for low-income families and those purchasing homes in low-income communities. “We want to help build strong communities,” said Chris Shroat, head of Fifth Third Mortgage. “We know that making purchasing an Byna Elliott affordable home achievable is one of the best ways we can help improve our neighborhoods.” “Helping people buy homes and move into stable housing helps strengthen all of our communities,” said Byna Elliott, chief enterprise responsibility officer. “We are proud to increase our down payment assistance program to help make an even greater impact in the lives of our customers.” The Down Payment Assistance program is part of the Bank’s $32 billion Community Commitment. Since 2016, Fifth Third has given more than $9 million to low-income buyers or those buying in low-income areas to help purchase homes. These programs, which paid up to $3,600 in down payment and closing costs, have helped more than 3,200 people achieve the American dream in the past four years.
Based on this performance, Fifth Third is enhancing the program to meet the needs of many low-income buyers. Low-income buyers or buyers purchasing in low-income areas can qualify for up to $5,000 in assistance. Low-income buyers who buy in low-income areas can qualify for up to $7,500 in assistance. The low-income tract is determined by the federal government through U.S. Census data. Potential buyers should check with a Fifth Third mortgage loan originator to see if the area they are looking in qualifies for the credit. To be eligible for the down payment assistance, borrowers can qualify based upon income level and/ or by purchasing property in a low-income census tract. Down payment assistance up to $5,000 is available if meeting one of the criteria and up to $7,500 for both criteria. The subject property must be in one of the following eligible states: MI, IN, IL, KY, TN, OH, WV, NC, GA, FL and located in a low-income Census Tract or borrower must meet the low-income limit threshold based on the qualifying income per FFIEC’s website. Down payment assistance may be taxable as income and reported to the IRS. Consult your tax advisor. Not available with all loan products. Loans are subject to credit review and approval.
CENTURY 21 Real Estate Takes Experiences To Global Heights Via A New Referral Network Century 21 Real Estate LLC has announced a new technology solutions collaboration with Immobel--The CENTURY 21 Global Referral NetworkSM (the “Referral Network”)—which will eventually connect its 11,500 offices worldwide and help its affiliated sales professionals take experiences to global heights. Currently offered in eight countries (United States, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia), the Referral Network is a market differentiator that will bring speed and security to client relationships and agent referrals, and a more seamless method for closing continent-to-continent and country-to-country deals, according to a press release. “This collaboration with Immobel is another milestone in an almost 50-year history of Century 21 Real Estate as a brand consistently remaining relevant with consumers and industry professionals alike,” said Michael Miedler, president and chief executive officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. “We believe that delivering a globally-focused, continent-to-continent and country-to-country e-commerce
integrated service and referral platform will significantly improve the value proposition for our CENTURY 21 System members but more importantly, help them better serve the clients and customers they connect with each day.” For sellers of real property, the Referral Network, in conjunction with century21.com/global, opens the world to their listings including the 131,000 CENTURY 21 affiliated agents and their customers across the globe. For homebuyers and investors, who might be relocating, buying a vacation home or looking for an investment property, being able to view available properties in their native languages and currencies makes the process easier, and fosters better communications and global collaboration between them and their agents, according to a press release. “Now more than ever, our affiliated brokerages need to offer speed, convenience and security that first and foremost meets the needs of their clients,” added Miedler. “The Referral Network offers all three of these vital functions, and the result will be a greater peace of mind for the globe’s real estate consumers,” he added.
2019 Subaru Share the Love® Event Reaches $30.4 Million in Charitable Donations Subaru of America, Inc. recently announced its donation of more than $24 million to national and local charities resulting from the 2019 Subaru Share the Love® Event. When combined with participating Subaru retailer donations, the total climbed to $30.4 million in 2019. Over twelve years, the total donated throughout the life of the campaign is more than $175 www.citizennewspapergroup.com
million. Starting in 2008, the Subaru Share the Love Event is held from mid-November to the end of the calendar year, during which Subaru donates $250 to the customer’s choice of charities for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased at 632 participating Subaru retailers nationwide. To learn about the Subaru Share the Love Event, please visit www. subaru.com/share.
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FASHION The fight to end hair discrimination gets a boost in Virginia and Colorado The CROWN Coalition, the official national supporters of the CROWN Act movement; an alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color Of Change, along with over 50 CROWN Act supporting organizations have announced the Commonwealth of Virginia and the state of Colorado as the latest states to enact the CROWN Act. This law will prohibit hair discrimination against anyone based on the texture of their hair, hair type, protective hairstyles like braids, locs and twists. In Virginia, Senator Lionell Spruill Sr. and Delegate Delores L. McQuinn, introduced SB 50/HB 1514 as the Virginia Human Rights Act. Governor Northam signed the bill into law on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 making the Commonwealth of Virginia the fourth state to make
PRNewsfoto/The CROWN Coalition
hair discrimination illegal. On February 4, 2020, SB 50 passed unanimously on the Senate Floor with a vote of 40-0 and HB 1514 passed the House floor with a vote of 71-26 on February 21, 2020. SB 50 and HB 1514 are identical bills. Introduced in Colorado by Representatives Leslie Herod, Janet Buckner, and state Senator Rhonda Fields, Colorado is now the fifth state to pass the bill. The CROWN Act (HB20-1048) prohibits discrimination based on a person’s traits that are historically associated with race,
such as hair texture, hair type and protective hairstyles, including locs and braids. On February 12, 2020, the bill passed in the House with a vote of 42-21. It then passed in the Senate on February 28, 2020 with a 23-11 vote. Governor Jared Polis officially signed the bill into law on Friday, March 6, 2020. The CROWN Act recently had an unbelievable moment at the 92nd Academy Awards as Matthew A. Cherry and his producing partner Karen Rupert Toliver won the Oscar for Ani-
Hawaiian Sunsets Launches Kids Umbrellas with UV Protection Just in time for the spring rain and the sunny summer months, Hawaiian Sunsets recently launched a series of umbrellas for children that according to a press release, not only protect them from the rain, but also the damaging Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. These new line of kids umbrellas supplement their original line of umbrellas for women with UV protection. The kids umbrellas are currently available in three fun animal designs with 3D ears that automatically pop up when open. “Remember when you enjoyed being outside in the rain? We designed a fun safe umbrella that children can use to enjoy being outside again, whether in the rain or the sun,” said co-founder Andrea Franco. The kids umbrellas were designed with children’s safety in mind and are easy to slide open and close. “This safety design keeps those little fingers safe and will not pinch them.” “Most umbrellas are made with cheap polyester fabric that is difficult on the environment. For this reason, we made the decision to use pongee fabric for all of our umbrellas though they are more expensive, they are more eco-friendly, abrasion resistant and resist fading. We are working hard to make a better future for our families by using sustainable products with higher quality materials,” said Andrea. Hawaiian Sunsets Umbrellas has designed the umbrella for kids with UPF50 protection that blocks 98% of UV rays and protects children from both harmful UVA and UVB radiation. UPF50 protection is the highest level of sun protection for fabrics, according to a press release. Andrea Franco mentioned an additional important benefit of the UPF50 protection. “Your children will feel cooler under the hot sun with UPF50 protection,” he said. Hawaiian Sunsets umbrellas are also fully backed by a 30 day money-back guarantee. Created in 2018 by a husband and wife
mated Short Film for their project “Hair Love.” This inspirational short showcases the beauty of Black families and aims to normalize Black hair. Not only did Matthew bring attention to the CROWN Act as a part of his speech but he also extended a personal invitation to DeAndre Arnold, the Texas high school student prohibited from graduating with his class this summer because of the length of his locs. “Everyone should be free to wear their hair however they want discrimination free,” says Cherry. “I’m proud to support the CROWN Act and am excited to see Virginia and Colorado join California, New York and New Jersey in making our schools and workplaces inclusive and accepting to our hair.” To help bring anti-hair discrimination legislation to your state or for more information, visit www.TheCROWNAct.com.
Hairlaya to Launch Hand Tied Hair Extensions in the United States
Kids Umbrella with UV Protection from Hawaiian Sunsets
team looking for better umbrellas that could protect them from the elements, Hawaiian Sunsets is the maker of a variety of stylish UV umbrellas intended to provide protection from the rain, the wind and the sun. Kids umbrellas
and umbrellas for women with UV Protection are available on Amazon.com or www. HawaiianSunsetsUmbrellas.com. Hawaiian Sunsets is currently developing other products for the whole family.
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Online hair extension supplier, Hairlaya, just launched 9 colors of hand tied hair extensions on its site. Customers in the U.S. can now purchase hand tied hair extensions on Hairlaya.com with no shipping fee, and 2-4 day shipping. “We are thrilled to open our market in the United States,” said Lora Duan, Hairlaya’s CEO. “With top-class quality hair, fast shipping and 14 days long return policy, Hairlaya.com is a great place for hair extension lovers online.” The extensions are 100% remy hand tied extensions, meaning they do need to be installed by a professional. “Currently, we only focus on hand-tied extensions,” Lora Duan said. “Our customers and we all care about quality. We are now monitoring every part of the supply chain, from sourcing to processing, to make sure that our products can be used more than 6 months as we promised.” To ensure that customers are getting the correct color, a color sample ring is available for purchase and profiles all nine colors that are available. This will help the customer match the correct color and get a feel for the product prior to purchase. To purchase the Hairlaya Hand Tied Extensions: https://hairlaya.com/
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NEWS
How You Can Be Counted in the 2020 Census The 2020 Census is here. Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau is required to count every person living in the United States. The census shapes every part of our lives – the places we work and the stores where we shop, to the services that keep our families healthy, safe, and thriving. Forms have already begun arriving in homes, all during a period of uncertainty created by COVID-19. Our hope is that you and your loved ones remain healthy and safe during this time. Know that you can practice social distancing to keep your loved ones safe and still respond to the census. For the first time Cook County residents can complete their census form online using a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. There are other ways to respond remotely including over the phone or by mail—all without having to interact with a census taker. Everyone should respond to the 2020 Census as soon as they receive their invitation — and when they’re finished, they can make sure their friends, families and social networks know about the importance of responding. Depending on the size of your family, completing the census can take as little as 10 minutes. All responses are safe and only used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. The 2020 Census count will determine how much of the $675 billion annual federal funding is to be allocated to Cook County for better quality schools, affordable
healthcare, safer roads, and healthier communities. A complete and accurate census count is critical for the 5.3 million residents of Cook County to receive the quality programs and services they deserve. Census data also helps determine the district boundaries at the federal, state, county, and municipal levels. The Cook County Complete Count Census Commission (Census Commission), under the direction of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, chaired by Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore and Vice-Chairs Alma Anaya, Luis Arroyo, Dennis Deer, and the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development (BED), are charged with ensuring that all Cook County residents are educated and encouraged to fully participate in the 2020 Census. For more info visit about the County’s efforts visit https://www. cookcountyil.gov/census. During these trying times, take care of yourself, be proactive about maintaining your health, and check in with loved ones, and at-risk members of your community. Please go to https://my2020census.gov/ now to submit your responses immediately. Again this short form has huge implications for the health and vibrancy of our county. Please don’t hesitate to complete it. The goal is to count every resident of Cook County, so BE COUNTED in the 2020 Census. Cook County Complete Count Census Commission
BE COUNTED. 2020 CENSUS
Your participation matters. Questions about the 2020 Census? We have answers. Text us your questions to 987987. Complete your Census form online: my2020Census.gov
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“WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A SMALL DENT IN WHAT IS SURE TO BE AN INCREASING NEED FOR MASKS AT THESE TWO HOSPITALS THAT SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.” Barbara Bates
Bates Design to make masks for patients at Mount Sinai and Jackson Park Hospitals Bates rallies fabric shops and home sewers to churn out 5K masks by week’s end Chicago - March 23, 2020 Bates Designs today announced that they will be making masks for patients at Mount Sinai and Jackson Park Hospitals. The masks will be donated to the hospitals free of charge. To meet their goal of delivering 5000 masks to the hospitals by this Friday, Barbara Bates has secured donations of fabrics and other materials, from local fabric stores. She is also soliciting, via social media, the general public for help in constructing the masks, using a pattern she is providing. Bates came up with the idea after talking with friends. In doing her research she found that a simple cotton blend fabric would be appropriate for those patients sitting in hospital waiting rooms. Providing these masks, free of charge, means critically needed medical grade masks intended for hospital personnel, are not depleted. To date Rainbow Fabrics has agreed to donate fabric and supplies, and a long time employee of a Pilsen fabric shop is donating 50 yards of material, while committing to use her discount to purchase even more material. “Working together we can make a small dent in what is sure to be an increasing need for masks at these two hospitals that serve our most vulnerable population,” said Bates. “We thank those who have stepped up to help us and with more support we could reach our ultimate goal of 10K masks.”
This is not Bates first philanthropic effort on behalf of Sinai Hospital. Since 2012, the Barbara Bates Foundation has contributed over $640,000 to fund an institutional grant on ‘Disparity and Education of Breast Cancer’ in partnership with Sinai Health System. The grant serves to address and educate individuals about the disparities in access to breast cancer care faced by women in the African American and Latino communities. This year Mount Sinai Hospital will open the Barbara Bates Foundation Women’s Imaging Center. About Bates Design Barbara Bates is known as a leader in creating fashionable styles for everyone, from A list celebrities to business leaders, to the simply stylish. Inspired by the fashionable attire of her mother and aunt, Bates has been a nationally recognized designer since 1986. For the entirety of her career Bates Designs has adhered to the simple philosophy that a woman can wear anything if it fits properly. No matter the size, well-constructed, tailored garments should be a staple of a woman’s wardrobe no matter if they are a size 2 or 22. Bates’ belief is in producing age-appropriate and properly fitted clothing for everyone, and her adherence to this philosophy has stood the test of time. Each piece from her collections represents hard work, creativity, and an attention to detail that’s unwavering with a clear vision of what people want.
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NEWS Womanish Pop Up to explore what women love Continued from page 3 month pop-up. Dionna said they don’t want to keep it open for a long extended time because they want to keep it new, fresh and inclusive. “We do plan on taking this to other cities. Chicago is home, so we might do it for like a two-month stint, this year. And, next year, we’ll do it again, so it’ll always be something new,” Dionna said. “We definitely want to take this around to other major cities like LA, New York, different things like that. So, women around the U.S. can experience Womanish.” Danyelle said her favorite room is the Child-ish room, because she’s “a big kid at heart.” She said she really likes the feeling of walking into the room because “it takes you back to childhood and simpler times.” Dionna said her favorite isn’t a room but a transition into a room called Publ-ish. “It’s going to be just like a mural of quotes and articles from really powerful, amazing women throughout history. I just think that’s so powerful and impactful just to be able to see that and experience that. That’s what
my favorite is,” she said. Danyelle said she wants people to get a sense of community, women supporting other women and power from the exhibition. “We want people to have conversation[s] about things that are affecting women, different sociopolitical topics. We also want people to have a really good time. This time is kind of a stressful time, and so we want people to come in and have a good time and have fun and make friends,” she said. “That’s why we have so much programming, happy hours. We really are promoting community and a safe space and networking and really just kind of you leave the world behind when you enter Womanish. It’s kind of an all-inclusive experience, from bars inside to an actual programming space to a diner, there’s so much to do. We kind of want you to get lost in our fun house.” Dionna said she wants the exhibition to serve as an inspiration to other young women. She said it’s also important that the concept was first started by two young Black women.
She said what’s important to her is that other women that look like them think they can do it too! “This business was totally concepted and created by women,” Dionna said. “And we kind of bootstrapped it,” She added they didn’t have super big investors or brands or anything like that behind them. “I think it’s really powerful that three regular women created this big movement. So, I think that’s really cool as well,” added Dionna. Due to recent developments with COVID-19, the opening of the pop-up has been postponed from its original Wednesday, March 24, date. For more information and tickets, visit www.wearewomanish.com.
Danyelle Gray, pictured, is the co-founder of Womanish, an experiential immersive exhibit space focused on issues that impact women.
Dionna Gray, pictured, is the co-founder of Womanish, an experiential immersive exhibit space focused on issues that impact women.
Photos courtesy of Womanish
Photos courtesy of Womanish
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FOOD
Fresh Salads Perfect for Spring Family Features - The spring season brings to mind flowers blooming and plants springing back to life, making it the ideal time to enjoy fresh produce in meals throughout the day. Salads are of course one of the easiest ways to combine the flavors of your favorite fruits and veggies, but you can take your greens to the next level with refreshing recipe ideas. Creating a cool, satisfying salad can
be easy when you start with quality ingredients like Fresh Express salad blends, NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes and Litehouse dressings for versatile bases in a nearly endless array of options. For example, salads aren’t limited to lunch or appetizers – this Breakfast Salad Bowl makes for an energizing start to the day by combining classic salad ingredients with quinoa, bacon and avocado. Perfect for those busy weeknights,
heartier salad recipes can also provide quick, simple dinner options. As a more traditional mix to enjoy at the family table, this Salmon and Grains Salad Bowl brings together salmon, tomatoes and chickpeas on a bed of lettuce topped with ranch dressing. Find more ways to create hearty salads this spring at litehousefoods. com/iheartsalad. SOURCE: Litehouse
SALMON AND GRAINS SALAD BOWL Servings: 2
BREAKFAST SALAD BOWL
4 ounces salmon 2 tablespoons paprika, divided salt, to taste pepper, to taste 15 ounces chickpeas 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ounces Fresh Express Sweet Butter Lettuce 1 cup red quinoa, cooked 6 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes 2 tablespoons Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing
Servings: 2 10 ounces NatureSweet Cherubs Tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 ounces Fresh Express Baby Spinach 1 egg 2 bacon strips, halved 1 cup quinoa, cooked 1/2 avocado, sliced 2 tablespoons Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
Heat oven to 350° F. Sprinkle salmon with 1 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake on lined baking sheet 15 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness. In bowl, toss chickpeas in olive oil and remaining paprika; add salt and pepper, to taste. Add chickpeas to lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F 30-40 minutes. Add lettuce to plate or bowl. Top with quinoa, chickpeas, salmon and tomatoes. Drizzle with ranch dressing.
Heat oven to 400° F. Toss tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake tomatoes on lined baking sheet 40 minutes. In skillet, add remaining olive oil and cook baby spinach until wilted, stirring as necessary. Cook egg as desired. Remove egg from skillet and set aside. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crispy, turning halfway through. In bowl, layer quinoa, bacon, avocado, egg, spinach and tomatoes. Drizzle with jalapeno ranch dressing.
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