St 041118

Citizen Week of April 11, 2018

| Vol. 1 | No. 35 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SOUTH SUBURBAN LIBRARY PRIORITIZES ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY

The Steger-South Chicago Heights Library has been working with the Urban Libraries Council to assess and improve their technology program and ensure that all library patrons have the ability to access the technology that is necessary for success in the 21st century.

See more on Page 3

Politiscope: When Police Use Force: 3 Essential Reads - Page 3 Food: Timely Tips to Ensure Strawberry Success - Page 4 |

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advertising@thechicagocitizen.com thechicagocitizen@thechicagocitiz www.facebook.com/durrell.garth.9 www.thechicagocitizen.com

Photo: Provided by Steger-South Chicago Heights Library

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

ART SCENE

Exhibit Explores the History of Racism in Chicago CHICAGO- Welcome to the Grand

Opening of the new Chicago Racism Museum, where community leaders and residents are gathering for a multimedia - and metatheatrical - exhibit that explores the history of racism in Chicago.

That’s the opening of A Blue Island in the Red Sea, a world premiere live theater docudrama that exposes the history Chicagoans often try to forget.

Performances are April 12May 20, 2018 in The Pentagon at Collaboraction Studios in the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

Tickets are $15-30; $5-$15 for

students, educators and industry.

For tickets and information, visit collaboraction.org or call (312) 226-9633.

After its successful tour of Encounter, a mixed medium festival about racism and racial healing that toured Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Hermosa, Austin and Englewood, Collaboraction continues to explore the harsh reality of systemic racism in Chicago with A Blue Island in the Red Sea. Collaboraction’s 2017-18 season finale is an original devised new work that presents a diverse cast of Chicagoans in a meta-theatrical live experience intended to open

Photos by Joel Maisonet

The cast/co-devisers of A Blue Island in the Red Sea: (top row, from left) Dana N. Anderson, Sam Campbell III, Uday Joshi, Sean Patrick Leonard, Marcus D. Moore, (bottom, from left) P. Tyler Nielsen, Pearl Paramadilok, Esme Perez, Andrew Rios and Shannon Leigh Webber.

eyes and further the conversation about racism and racial healing in Chicago.

A Blue Island in the Red Sea, written and directed by Collaboraction Artistic Director

Anthony Moseley, was created Continued on page 5

TRAVEL

Cybersecurity Expert Makes Data Breaches Personal to Encourage Smart Security Practices for Spring (NAPSI)—As a father, Maurice Gibson says his smartphone is integral in documenting his children’s memories from vacations.

But as an assistant dean for the College of Information Systems and Technology at University of Phoenix, he worries about the risk of losing much more than his data if his phone is hacked.

Gibson warns that people may overlook cybersecurity best practices when traveling if they focus primarily on protecting information like credit card numbers or passwords. He encourages Americans instead to look at cybersecurity as a way to protect not only personal data1 but memories.

“Most of our experiences today are captured in moments through our smartphones. I have children, and we’re always taking photos of them while on vacation. Losing those photos is like losing their childhood,” Gibson says. “For me, looking at cybersecurity on a personal level helps to incorporate smart cybersecurity practices.”

Three-fourths of Americans

(24 percent) change passwords2.

Gibson shares three tips to help prevent data breaches this spring break.

POST PHOTOS ONLINE FROM THE HOTEL OR HOME, NOT IN PUBLIC.

Don’t take a break from proper precautions when it comes to cybersecurity while you’re on vacation.

bring their smartphone with them on vacation, according to a survey from University of Phoenix. The survey also found that 48 percent of respondents worry about cybersecurity risks while traveling.

However, 55 percent feel that the need to use personal devices on vacation outweighs cybersecurity risks.

Americans practice habits that put them at risk of cyberattacks, but very few take measures to prevent data breaches. Three in 10 access credit card or banking websites while on vacation and 23 percent make purchases online. However, only 39 percent of those surveyed update antivirus software before traveling and fewer than a quarter www.thechicagocitizen.com

Gibson says that people should be wary of how often they post photos online or on social media while traveling, especially on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, which are often used to avoid mobile data limits and provide criminals an opportunity to breach devices.

Rather than logging online at a coffee shop or in the hotel lobby, he says to wait until you are in your room and can use a network that is password protected.

DISABLE WI-FI AUTOCONNECT AND LOCATION TRACKING SERVICES. Gibson encourages travelers to disable their phone’s feature that allows it to auto-connect to public Wi-Fi networks when in public, as well as turn off location tracking

that can make it easier for criminals to track and access data. Refrain from providing information on how long you will be away because it can put your home at risk.

AVOID MAKING ONLINE PURCHASES IN PUBLIC. Popular spring break destinations can be prime locations for criminals looking to steal credit card information or other data.

Gibson warns travelers not to make online purchases on public Wi-Fi. These networks are not secure and can be monitored by anyone, making sharing payment information dangerous. If you must make purchases online in public, use your phone’s more secure hotspot.

For the complete survey findings, visit www.phoenix.edu/ about_us/media-center/news/ uopx-releases-summer-travelcybersecurity-survey-results.html.

To learn more about the University’s degree offerings, visit phoenix.edu/ technology.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

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COMMUNITY

South Suburban Library Prioritizes Access to Technology Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

T

he Steger-South Chicago Heights Library has been working with the Urban Libraries Council to assess and improve their technology program and to ensure that all library patrons have the ability to access the technology that is necessary for success in the 21st century.

The Urban Libraries Council (ULC) is a membership organization of North America’s leading public library systems and the organizations that serve them, they work to enrich communities by strengthening and promoting the value of libraries as an essential public asset, according to the ULC website.

The Steger-South Chicago Heights Library has been utilizing the ULC’s Edge program to assess their technology program and see where improvements can be made.

“Edge is an assessment program that asks questions about what technology you currently have in your library and then it compares it to other libraries of the same size nationwide. For example, a library with our population should have 10 to 12 public computers available for adults,” said Jamie Paicely, library director at the Steger-South Chicago Heights Library.

“Some of it, no matter how hard we try, we

are just never going to be able to do but it still puts it on our radar that these are the things we should be striving for if we want to improve this area of the library.”

While there are some forms of

“Edge is an assessment program that asks questions about what technology you currently have in your library and then it compares it to other libraries of the same size nationwide. For example, a library with our population should have 10 to 12 public computers available for adults.”

JAMIE PAICELY, LIBRARY DIRECTOR AT THE STEGER-SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS LIBRARY

technology that are out of reach for the library, they still have a well-stocked bank of resources for people who need access to technology. The library offers laptops and iPads that can be used inside of the library and also GPS systems and Kindle readers that library members can take home with

them.

“There is a large digital divide where the technology, the equipment, and even the internet isn’t available at home for a lot of our patrons just due to expenses so we try to cover that for them here. We are working to increase their access and to increase the reliability of the internet for them and to just make it so they have the access to the internet the same as anybody else in another community would,” said Paicely.

Patrons also are able to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a library staff member who will sit down with them and their own personal computer or iPad and help them learn to use it and make sure they are getting the most out of their technology.

The Steger-South Chicago Library not only wants to connect patrons with advanced technology, they also want to make sure that school-aged kids aren’t falling behind because of a lack of internet access at home.

“Schools today have excellent technology but then these kids get home and their assignments use online resources and they don’t have that ability at home so we are trying to fill this void.

We want them to be able to keep up and succeed and be able to come to the library where they can access the internet,” said Paicely.

Congresswoman Kelly to Host 5th Annual Youth Job and Resource Expo

C

ongresswoman Robin Kelly will host a Youth Job and Resource Expo for young men and women between the ages of 16 and 24 on Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Thornton Township High School, 15001 Broadway Ave., Harvey.

More than 50 companies and agencies will be accepting applications for available jobs, summer internships and apprenticeships. Representatives from various Youth Services will also be on hand to talk with young people about program offerings that will help them succeed. Participating employers and agencies include Nike, GameStop, Walmart, VILLA, DTLR, Walgreens, UPS, Chase Bank, One Summer Chicago and Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.

Prior to the Expo, Rep. Kelly is sponsoring a Job Readiness Training Session to help young people enhance their interview skills. The session takes place Thursday, April 19, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the Technical Building of Thornton Township High School.

To pre-register, visit reprobinkelly. eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Vaughn Roland at (708) 679-0078 or at Vaughn. roland@mail.house.gov, or visit robinkelly.house.gov

POLITISCOPE

When Police Use Force: 3 Essential Reads

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BY DANIELLE DOUEZ

ollowing the fatal police shooting of 22-year-old Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man in Sacramento, protesters have gathered to express anger over his death.

At issue is what is called police “use of force.” That’s when police exert physical force to make an individual comply with their orders. Each police department has policies for when use of force is appropriate. Protesters and Clark’s family members argue shooting at

Clark 20 times was excessive. The California Department of Justice is investigating whether the officers involved breached any policies and whether policies need to be changed.

We’ve turned to our archives for a look at what experts say drives how and when police use force, and how it ties in to issues of race and gender.

1. UNCONSCIOUS BIAS One leading theory that is used to explain police behavior is what www.thechicagocitizen.com

psychologists call implicit bias.

The idea is that police officers, like all humans, have biases – negative attitudes and beliefs toward members of a social group.

As psychology professors Kate Ratliff and Colin Smith at the University of Florida explain, what makes these biases hard to address is that they exist outside of a person’s conscious awareness and control. These experts explain the methods scientists are developing to measure implicit bias, such as the

Implicit Association Test.

Data from such tests have revealed, for example, that “Prowhite implicit biases are pervasive.

Data from millions of visitors to the Project Implicit website reveal that, while about 70 percent of white participants report having no preference between black and white people, nearly the same number show some degree of pro-white preference on the IAT.” Continued on page 4

4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

FOOD

Timely Tips to Ensure Strawberry Success

BY JOAN CASANOVA, BONNIE PLANTS

moisture and control weeds.

If you want to keep it simple, plant strawberries in a container. Just remember that container plantings need much more water than in-ground plantings, usually once a day and if it’s hot, twice. To know when to water, stick your finger or a pencil 1.5” deep into the soil in the center of the pot, if the soil is moist; don’t water, if dry, it’s time to water.

Strawberry pots are an obvious container choice for growing strawberries. You can fit several plants in one pot; just make sure whatever type of garden pot you use has good drainage. Strawberries have a relatively small root ball and can be grown in containers as small as 10-12 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep. However, the smaller the container, the more frequently you will need to water. Another great choice that’s practical and pretty are strawberries in hanging baskets, once they begin to fruit they’re showstoppers and fruits are easy pickens.

• Strawberries like well-drained fairly rich soil, so be sure to add compost or other organic matter when preparing the pot or patch.

They need full sun, 6-8 hours per day, will grow in all zones and should be fed twice a year -- when growth begins and after the first crop.

• Control slugs and snails by handpicking them off plants and prevent theft from birds by covering your patch or pot with netting as the first berries ripen.

H

omegrown strawberries are a billion times better tasting than the hard, rarely ripe, flavorless selection in the supermarket. Strawberries are cold hardy and adaptable, making them one of the easiest berries to grow and are the first fruit to ripen in spring. While most fruit trees can take several years to begin bearing, you can harvest your homegrown strawberries the very first season you plant. And even if you live in an apartment or small home, you can grow strawberries in a container on your balcony, rooftop, or patio. If your horizontal space is limited, consider growing strawberries in a hanging basket, strawberry pot or stacked planter, which will allow you to take advantage of vertical growing space as the strawberry plants tumble out over the edges.

There are two main kinds of strawberries: “June-bearing” and “Ever-bearing” varieties.

June-bearing varieties bear all at once, usually over a period of about 3 weeks. Because of their earliness, high quality and concentrated fruit set, June-bearers, like All-star, produce high yields of very large, sweet, extra juicy berries in late mid-season, which is usually late spring and early summer, depending on your geographic region. These are the best variety for preserving.

“Ever-bearing” strawberries produce high yields of big, sweet berries from late spring until frost, with concentrated fruiting in late summer and fall. Perfect for large containers or raised beds, where you can give them attentive watering and feeding.

Bonnie Plants, available at most garden retailers nationwide, offers a good selection of ever-bearing strawberries including the very popular Quinault variety. This variety offers large berries ripening in abundance, ideal for preserves or fresh eating.

TIPS TO ENSURE STRAWBERRY SUCCESS: • When planting strawberries in-ground, be sure the crown is above soil level and the upper most roots are 1/4 inch beneath soil level, buried crowns rot and exposed

Photo: Courtesy of Bonnie Plants

roots dry out. Strawberry plants should be placed approximately 14 to 18 inches apart from each other in neat rows that are

separated by 2-3 feet each. Let runners fill in until plants are 7-10 inches apart.

• Use mulch to keep berries clean, conserve

Strawberries are one of the easiest and most delicious home garden fruits to grow.

Try growing them with kids, plants produce fruit throughout the summer and children will love to pluck them right off the plant, wash and eat! If your kids have yet to plant and care for a fruit or vegetable, strawberries are a perfect choice for their first gardening experience. Kick off this gardening season with your kids and get growing strawberries!

For more info on growing strawberries as well as vegetables and herbs please visit: www. bonnieplants.com.

POLITISCOPE Continued from page 3 Psychologists and social scientists are only beginning to understand how to apply this science to change behavior.

2. MACHISMO Another issue people often point to is machismo, which law professor Frank Rudy Cooper of Suffolk University describes as “a gendered, aggressive outlook” that is embedded in police training and culture.

One of the essential components of this outlook, Cooper writes, is zero tolerance for disrespect. This can even apply to female

officers. When police officers feel disrespected, their natural response is to punish and often escalate a situation.

“Such escalation is commonly known as ‘contempt of cop.’ Being found in contempt of court is a punishment for disobeying a judge.

‘Contempt of cop’ occurs when an officer punishes you for failing to comply with her request.”

3. LACK OF POLICE-COMMUNITY TRUST Historically bad relations between police and communities of color may also be a contributor to the ongoing violence. Police

departments across the U.S. are seeking ways to train officers on improving trust and citizen cooperation.

Megan Price, a professor at George Mason University, is also director of a program called Insight Conflict Resolution. A new strategy called Insight Policing, she writes, is a “community-oriented, problem-solving policing practice designed to help officers take control of situations with the public before conflict escalates.” Pilot programs have been tested in Memphis, Tennessee and Lowell, Massachusetts.

The program teaches officers to defuse citizens’ behavior that is threatening or

www.thechicagocitizen.com

intended to cause conflict. Price writes,“ Eighty percent of officers trained agreed that Insight Policing enhanced their ability to defuse the feelings of threat citizens have about their encounters with police officers.”

Before joining The Conversation, Danielle was a communications specialist for the Southern Regional Education Board. She has written for the Miami Herald, The Alexandria Times and other publications. She holds a BA in psychology from Emory University, where she was a 2013 Community Building and Social Change Fellow.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

ART SCENE

Exhibit Explores the History of Racism in Chicago Continued from page 2 through open workshops in collaboration with a team of community members, actors and designers.

“The resulting work takes audiences on a whirlwind journey from the time before the city of Chicago was founded through the formation of the segregated city we know today,” explains Moseley. “Whether it’s Chicago’s history of locking up black and brown people, going all the way back to DuSable, or the inherent racism in the dress code today at Bottled Blonde, we are using theater to encourage an honest conversation about critical issues surrounding race to cultivate truth and transformation in the Windy City.”

Previews of A Blue Island in the Red Sea are Thursday through Saturday,

Make a difference.

Join the Illinois organ/tissue donor registry.

Nearly 5,000 people in Illinois need a lifesaving organ/tissue donation.

About 300 die each year while waiting.

To join the Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, go to

April 12, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m.; and Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. No show Thursday, April 19. Performances continue through May 20: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Industry nights are Monday, May 7 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.

or call 800-210-2106 or visit any Driver Services facility.

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Call 800.209.BANK (2265), visit a local branch, or go to usbank.com/dreambig *2.99% Introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available on Home Equity Lines of Credit with an 80% loan-to-value (LTV) or less. The Introductory Interest Rate will be fixed at 2.99% during the 6-month Introductory Period. A higher introductory rate will apply for an LTV above 80%. Offer is available for new applications submitted from March 3 – May 4, 2018. After the 6-month introductory period: the APR is variable and is based upon an index plus a margin. The APR will vary with Prime Rate (the index) as published in the Wall Street Journal. As of March 22, 2018, the variable rate for Home Equity Lines of Credit ranged from 4.25% APR to 8.25% APR. Higher rates may apply due to an increase in the Prime Rate, a credit limit below $100,000, an LTV above 70%, and/or a credit score less than 730. A U.S. Bank Consumer Silver, Gold, or Platinum Checking Package account is required to receive the lowest rate, but is not required for loan approval. The rate will not vary above 18% APR, or applicable state law, or below 3.25% APR. Choosing an interest-only repayment may cause your monthly payment to increase, possibly substantially, once your credit line transitions into the repayment period. Repayment options may vary based on credit qualifications.

Interest only repayment may be unavailable. Loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Credit Line may be reduced or additional extensions of credit limited if certain circumstances occur. Property insurance is required. U.S. Bank and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Your tax and financial situation is unique. You should consult your tax and/or legal advisor for advice and information concerning your particular situation. Other restrictions may apply. Mortgage and Home Equity products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit Products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC. Customer pays no closing costs. Initial escrow related funding costs may apply. An annual fee of up to $90 may apply after the first year and is waived with a U.S. Bank Consumer Platinum Checking Package. The Consumer Pricing Information brochure lists fees, terms, and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank Consumer Checking Package accounts and can be obtained by visiting a branch or calling 800.872.2657. ©2018 U.S. Bank. 180421c 3/18 “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.

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NEWS

Two Die in Illinois After Using Synthetic Cannabinoids

BY LISETTE GUSHINIERE

T

he Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently reported the death of a second individual who experienced severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids.

Often called Spice, K2, or fake weed, IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. said cases like these are on the rise while authorities continue to monitor the situation.

“We continue to see the number of cases rise,” Dr. Shah said. “IDPH is continuing to work with local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other partners, to try to identify common products,” she added in a press release.

But what exactly are synthetic cannabinoids and why are they so dangerous? Here’s responses to frequently asked questions and facts you need to know: Q: What are synthetic cannabinoids?

A: Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices.

These products are also known as herbal or liquid incense. These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in

the marijuana plant. Because of this similarity, synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called «synthetic marijuana» (or «fake weed»), and they are often marketed as safe, legal alternatives to that drug.

In fact, they are not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana. Their actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening.

A: Many synthetic cannabinoids are illegal.

The federal government has banned many specific synthetic cannabinoids. Illinois has passed their own laws targeting other synthetic cannabinoids. Recent laws targeting synthetic cannabinoids have banned general categories of ingredients, rather than specific chemicals. However, makers of synthetic cannabinoids try to get around these laws by creating new products with different ingredients or by labeling them “not for human consumption.”

Q: What are the effects of synthetic cannabinoids on the body?

A bag of Spice brand synthetic cannabis

Synthetic cannabinoids are part of a group of drugs called new psychoactive substances (NPS).

NPS are unregulated mind-altering substances that have become newly available on the market and are intended to produce the same effects as illegal drugs. Some of these substances may have been around for years, but have reentered the market in altered chemical forms, or due to renewed popularity.

Q: Are synthetic cannabinoids illegal?

A: Synthetic cannabinoid users report some effects similar to those produced by marijuana: • elevated mood • relaxation • altered perception—awareness of surrounding objects and conditions • symptoms of psychosis— delusional or disordered thinking detached from reality Psychotic effects include: • extreme anxiety • confusion • paranoia—extreme and unreasonable distrust of others • hallucinations—sensations and images that seem real though they are not Q: What are some other

health effects of synthetic cannabinoids?

A: People who have used synthetic cannabinoids and have been taken to emergency rooms have shown severe effects including: • rapid heart rate • vomiting • violent behavior • suicidal thoughts Synthetic cannabinoids can also raise blood pressure and cause reduced blood supply to the heart, as well as kidney damage and seizures. Use of these drugs is associated with a rising number of deaths.

Q: How many deaths have been reported in Illinois due to synthetic cannabinoids and in what time period?

A: There have been two deaths so far. Cases began exhibiting symptoms March 7, 2018 and were first reported to the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) on March 10, 2018.

IPC reported the cases to IDPH on March 22, 2018.

Q: Are synthetic cannabinoids marketed in a certain way as to make them appealing to buyers? What might be the dangers in this type of marketing?

A: False advertising is a danger.

Synthetic cannabinoid products are often labeled “not for human

consumption.” Labels also often claim that they contain “natural” material taken from a variety of plants. However, the only parts of these products that are natural are the dried plant materials.

Chemical tests show that the active, mind-altering ingredients are cannabinoid compounds made in laboratories. Manufacturers also sell these products in colorful foil packages and plastic bottles to attract consumers. They market these products under a wide variety of specific brand names. Hundreds of brands now exist, including K2, Spice, Joker, Black Mamba, Kush, and Kronic.

Q: What are some important warnings to know about synthetic cannabinoids?

A: Synthetic cannabinoids are are unsafe and IDPH urges people not to use them. They are made of different chemicals and most of the time, people don’t know what chemicals are in them.

Anyone who has a reaction to synthetic cannabinoids, such as severe bleeding, should call 911 or have someone take them to the emergency department immediately.

For more information, visit www. drugabuse.gov Sources: The Illinois Department of Public Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NAACP Sues President Trump Over 2020 Census

BY WILLIAM J. FORD (THE WASHINGTON INFORMER/NNPA MEMBER)

T

he NAACP announced that the group has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, the U.S. Census Bureau and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, “to combat the imminent threat that the 2020 Census will substantially undercount African Americans and other people of color in communities throughout the United States,” a press release about the lawsuit said.

Prince George’s County, the NAACP’s Prince George’s County branch and two county residents (branch President Bob Ross and Elizabeth Johnson), also joined the suit. Prince George’s County experienced one of the highest undercounts in the nation at 2.3 percent during the 2010 Census, according to the suit. The figures are based on counties with a population of at least 100,000.

“Such a dramatic undercount will especially dilute the votes of racial and ethnic minorities, deprive their communities of critical federal funds and undervalue their voices and interests in the political arena,” the suit alleges.

During a press conference about the lawsuit at the National Press Club in Northwest D.C., Bradford Berry, general counsel

of the NAACP said that this lawsuit is unique, because the plaintiffs seek action before work on the 2020 Census begins.

For instance, the suit claims the federal government has decreased resources and manpower for the 2020 Census and “cancelled crucial, pre-Census field tests and is rushing to digitize the Census without adequate cybersecurity protections, thus undermining public confidence in the privacy of Census data” the press release said.

The lawsuit also states that the Census Bureau doesn’t have sufficient staffing; the agency’s acting director, Ron Jarmin, was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On Capitol Hill last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $2.8 billion for the bureau, an increase more than double the amount of the Trump administration’s request of $1.1 billion.

“Proposing a bill and passing a bill are two different things,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. “Once the final bill passes, we would like to evaluate to see if it’s sufficient. We simply need the political will to make sure we have an accurate count for this [upcoming] Census.”

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III said his jurisdiction has lost about $200 million in federal money, because of Census undercounts. The Maryland jurisdiction www.thechicagocitizen.com

of nearly 900,000 people borders Washington, D.C., with 65 percent of the population African American.

Federal law requires that citizens are counted in a decennial census that not only helps redraw political boundaries, but also for counties and states to receive federal money for improvement of schools, roads and other needs.

Critics have argued that a proposed citizenship question in the 2020 Census will deter legal immigrants from responding and decrease the number of people counted in those communities. The Hispanic population in Prince George’s County stands at about 18 percent.

“What’s more frightening about this Census count, more than in the past, is the rhetoric from the Trump administration,” Baker said after the press conference. “With a growing Latino population in the county, this is a direct assault on those folks participating in the Census. If it’s happening here, then it’s happening everywhere.”

William J. Ford is a staff writer for The Washington Informer. You can follow him on Twitter @jabariwill.

The Washington Informer is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

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NEWS

Prairie State College Joins UIC’s Transfer Admission Guarantee Program

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

P

rairie State College (PSC) recently announced that they will be added to the University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. The TAG program gives students clearly defined requirements for admission as a transfer student and advanced transition counseling from UIC while they are still attending classes at Prairie State College.

The TAG program guarantees PSC students, who meet the requirements, placement in some of the universities most competitive programs, like engineering, architecture, business, nursing, and urban planning, according to a press release from PSC. “There are some majors that are incredibly competitive, not only at UIC, but at most universities. Engineering is a great example.

Engineering is a program that is part of UIC’s TAG. If a student meets the 3.0 grade point average (GPA) requirement and gets the appropriate science and math courses for a major like that, UIC is committing early on that they will admit them to the program. It’s almost impossible to get into an engineering program with a 3.0 GPA without special programs like this,” said Sarah Hein, associate professor and transfer programs counselor at Prairie State College.

Interested students will sign a participation form at least one year before they want to start taking classes at UIC, after that, they will be connected with a UIC transfer staff member who will work with the students to make sure they are taking the right classes for the major they plan to declare at UIC, according to a press release from PSC. “UIC is one of the top destination schools that our students are looking at to continue their education after they finish their associates and want to complete a bachelors degree. Students that are eligible need to have a 3.0 GPA or higher to be eligible and they sign up, declare what major they want to be in at UIC, what semester they want to start, and if they meet the eligibility then I send the information to Patricia Francey,” said Hein.

Patricia Francey is UIC’s Transfer Assistance Center Associate Director and will be working closely with PSC students to ensure that they are able to make a smooth transition into their prospective programs at UIC. “We are so new to it so the follow up phase hasn’t happened for us yet, but what will happen is that students will start getting a newsletter from [Francey] directly and she will come to campus and make sure the students clearly know exactly what they need to do to be on track for their major to be able

Photo: Provided by Prairie State College

Prairie State College (PSC) welcomed University of Illinois Chicago Transfer Assistance Center Associate Director Patricia Francey (center) to campus to speak with academic advisors and administrators about the many benefits of the Transfer Agreement Guarantee program.

Welcoming her to the college were PSC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Dr. Marie Hansel (left) and PSC Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness Gregory Thomas (right).

to transfer to UIC,” said Hein.

The assurance UIC is offering through the TAG program eliminates the “what-if ” fear students common experience as they wait to

hear if they have been accepted as a transfer student. according to Hein.

For more information on UIC’s TAG program visit www.tag.uic.edu

Winnie Mandela to Receive State Funeral on April 14 (GIN) - Anti-apartheid campaigner and former wife of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will be honoured with a state funeral later this month, Cyril Ramaphosa South Africa’s president recently announced. The funeral will be held on April 14. An official memorial service is being held today.

Madikizela-Mandela died on April 2, after a long illness. She was 81. Tributes to the anti-apartheid icon filled the South African radio air waves as news of her untimely passing reached the far corners of the nation and the continent.

Heart-rending classics from the American songbook - from The Song for Mama by Boyz to Men to Donny Hathaway’s A Song for You – expressed the somber mood in the nation while social media filled with remembrances by those whose lives she touched – sometimes with a single word, sometimes with a long eulogy.

“The big tree has fallen the

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

#MotherOfTheNation, a nation builder ulale kahle mama you have fought a good fight, you’ll remain in our hearts,” wrote AndileKaMajola on Twitter. “How I wish to have met you,” wrote Sego Bae we EFF from South Africa’s city of Randburg.

“You are a woman of steel and no one will ever take away that from you mama Winnie Nonzamo

Mandela. May your lovely soul rest in peace.”

The anti-apartheid fighter, once the wife of Robbin Island prisoner later president Nelson Mandela, had been in and out of Netcare Milpark Hospital battling a kidney infection, according to her spokesman, Victor Dlamini. A message from the family read: “Although we are gutted by her passing, we are grateful for the gift of her life.”

Recently, she was an observer during the ANC’s struggle over corruption allegations that enveloped past president Jacob Zuma. She expressed confidence in the new leadership of the ANC under Cyril Ramaphosa. “We’re going to surprise the country. I’ve told them they must watch this space. I’m back,” she declared.

Born in the rebellious district of Pondoland in the Eastern Cape, Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela was one of nine children – six of them daughters – of two www.thechicagocitizen.com

teachers and devout Methodists, Columbus Madikizela and his wife, Gertrude.

Madikizela-Mandela later moved to Johannesburg where she studied social work. She met lawyer and antiapartheid activist Nelson Mandela in 1957 and they married a year later and had two children together.

The marriage was short-lived‚ as he was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to life imprisonment for treason. Mandela was eventually released in 1990.

She was a strong single parent who raised two children while her “larger than life” husband was in prison. But this was a time that the ANC and the country overall were very “gendered”, spurring her struggle for women’s rights.

Winnie suffered her first major spell of imprisonment in May 1969, having been arrested supposedly for political agitation but more likely for being the wife of Nelson Mandela. Her treatment by police

was appalling. Held for 17 months, most of it in solitary confinement, she was interrogated and kept awake for up to five days at a time.

Fainting, hallucinating and passing blood in her urine, she landed up in the prison hospital suffering from malnutrition. She recognized the brutalizing effect the experience had on her, telling a television interviewer many years later: “I knew what it is to hate.”

The picture of her hand-in-hand with Mandela as he walked free from prison after 27 years, became one of the most recognizable symbols of the anti-apartheid struggle.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu issued a statement: “May Mam’ uWinnie rest in peace and rise in glory.”

“Madikizela-Mandela refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband,” said Tutu, “or the perpetual harassment of her family by security forces, detentions, bannings and banishment.”

8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of April 11, 2018

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