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Citizen Week of May 9, 2018

| Vol. 1 | No. 39 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

NATIONAL FIREFIGHTER COMBAT CHALLENGE STOPS IN SOUTH SUBURBS The Tinley Park Fire Department recently hosted the First Responder Fest at the 80th Avenue Metra Station in Tinley Park.

See more on Page 2

Art Scene: Life in the Freelance Lane - Page 2 Politiscope: Why Top US Universities Have Law Schools but not Police Schools - Page 3 |

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

ART SCENE

COMMUNITY

Life in the Freelance Lane: Business Basics for Succeeding in the Gig Economy

C

ontemplating making the leap into freelance writing? Or maybe you’re already into it but would like to brush up on your business skills for even greater success. Either way, this is the event for you!

On Wednesday, May 9, the Merlo Public Library will be featuring three guest speakers from Independent Writers of Chicago (IWOC): IWOC President Laura Stigler, board member Jeff Steele and member Sally Chapralis.

Throughout their presentation, “Life in the Freelance Lane: Business Basics for Succeeding in the Gig Economy,” they’ll help you navigate the business of freelance writing -- the opportunities, the challenges – and divulge the invaluable business basics upon which they’ve built their own thriving freelance careers.

Ms. Stigler is president of Shebang!Writing2-Consulting, with experience in creating strategies, branding, ad campaigns and content for hundreds of companies, from Fortune 500’s to Mom and Pops. Mr. Steele, a freelance writer since 1989, has bylined thousands of articles appearing in national, regional and Chicagoarea newspapers and magazines. Ms. Chapralis launched her freelance business in 1984 and ever since has been going full throttle, working with clients on a variety of business communications and public relations activities. Together, they’ll cover: • How to define your niche •A To-Do checklist on how to set up a business, including creating your own office space, must-have promotional materials and what to do about taxes •H ow and where to find clients and opportunities • How to set fees • Th e need to prioritize the benefits of networking with other writers, as well as clients, editors and anyone who might need writing services • and lots more.

As part of IWOC’s Speakers Bureau series, “Life in the Freelance Lane: Business Basics for Succeeding in the Gig Economy” is geared towards helping all levels of freelance writers succeed at what they love to do.

EVENT DETAILS WHEN: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 from 6:00 pm

to 7:30 pm

WHERE: Merlo Chicago Public Library

644 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657

The First Responder Fest featured the Firefighter Combat Challenge presented by Scott Safety. Hundreds of firefighters traveled to Chicago’s South Suburbs to participate in the event.

National Firefighter Combat Challenge stops in South Suburbs Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

T

he Tinley Park Fire Department recently hosted their First Responders Fest at the 80th Avenue Metra Station in Tinley Park. The two-day event featured the Firefighter Combat Challenge presented by Scott Safety.

Hundreds of firefighters traveled to Chicago’s South Suburbs to participate in the event and bring awareness to the physical strains of the profession.

“The Firefighter Combat Challenge seeks to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the profession’s rigors to the public. Wearing full bunker gear and the Scott 5.5 Air-Pak breathing apparatus, pairs of competitors race head-to-head as they simulate the physical demands of real-life firefighting by performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing the 5-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 lb. victim as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock,” said Joseph Smulevitz, a Tinley Park firefighter.

The Scott Safety Fire Fighter Combat Challenge travels around the country and has even begun to venture to countries like New Zealand, Germany, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa, according to Smulevitz. This is the second time the challenge has been held in Tinley Park and the fire department is hoping to make it an annual event.

“Tinley Park Fire Department hosted this weekend’s event and we plan on making it an annual event. We decided to www.thechicagocitizen.com

bring it to Tinley to support fitness in the fire service as well as give the public an understanding of what we do,” said Smulevitz.

There are no nominal prizes, but there are overall winners in the five categories of competition, team, male, female, over 40-years-old, and over 50-years-old. The winners receive bragging rights and an entry into the Grand National Championship event at the end of the season, according to Smulevitz.

The event also offered a Kids Firefighter Challenge that coincided with the adult competition and fire safety education programs. The Kid’s Firefighter Challenge was a way to encourage children to get excited about emergency service careers.

“This is a fantastic way to learn about our first responders all while promoting a community event that teaches safety and fitness, it’s a win, win,” said Jim Garrett, president and chief executive officer for the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau, in a press release.

The main attraction for the weekend event was the Scott Safety Fire Fighter Competition, but it was also a community event that was free and open to the public. There was live music, food vendors, and a beer tent.

Following the Tinley Park event, the Scott Safety Firefighter Combat Challenge will travel to several cities and states across the country including Florida, Virginia, and Kentucky.

A full list of upcoming challenge locations along with the competition results from the Tinley Park event can be found online at, www.firefighterchallenge.com.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

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TRAVEL

Paul Gauguin Cruises Offers a Two-Week Sale On Select 2018 and 2019 Tahiti, French Polynesia, and South Pacific Voyages

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aul Gauguin Cruises (www. pgcruises.com), operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin, recently announced a Two-Week Sale on select 2018 and 2019 Tahiti, French Polynesia, and South Pacific voyages.

Paul Gauguin Cruises is offering savings of up to $3,200* per person off select luxury voyages aboard The Gauguin when booked between April 30 and May 12, 2018. Roundtrip airfare between Los Angeles and Papeete, Tahiti, is also included. On board, guests will enjoy an all-inclusive value sailing to South Pacific

destinations that are the cruise line’s specialty. Qualifying voyages are: TAHITI & THE SOCIETY ISLANDS (7 NIGHTS): • September 29, 2018 – now from $5,695 $4,695 per person • November 10, 2018 – now from $5,595 $4,595 per person • December 15, 2018 – now from $4,345 $3,995 per person • January 5, 19, 2019 – now from $4,945 $4,145 per person • February 9, 2019 – now from $5,645 $4,645 per person SOCIETY ISLANDS & TAHITI ITI (7 NIGHTS): • June 30, 2018 – now from

$5,845 $4,795 per person • October 6, 2018 – now from $5,695 $4,695 per person • November 3, 2018 – now from $5,595 $4,595 per person SOCIETY ISLANDS & TUAMOTUS (10 NIGHTS): • November 28, 2018 – now from $5,845 $4,845 per person On The Gauguin, nearly 70% of suites and staterooms offer balconies. Dining experiences include L’Etoile, which showcases an array of culinary creations expertly prepared each evening.

The ship’s other two dining venues, La Veranda and Le Grill, serve breakfast and lunch. At

night, signature dishes designed by French celebrity chef Jean-Pierre Vigato are offered in La Veranda, and Polynesian specialties are served poolside at Le Grill.

Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins—a troupe of Tahitian entertainers—provide enriching experiences of the destinations throughout each voyage. The Gauguin features expert lecturers on each voyage and special guests on select sailings conducting presentations on topics ranging from the history of the South Pacific to conservation, culture, marine life, and the wonders of coral reefs. A luxurious spa, fitness center, watersports marina, and expansive outdoor decks with

chaise lounges and a pool are also available aboard The Gauguin.

One of the highlights of each sailing is exclusive access to Motu Mahana, the cruise line’s private islet off the coast of Taha’a where guests can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, Polynesian activities, a full-service bar a floating lagoon bar, and food. In Bora Bora, guests can enjoy complimentary access to a private, white-sand beach with beach volleyball, sunbathing, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and refreshments.

For more information or reservations, contact a professional travel agent, call 1-800-848-6172, or visit www.pgcruises.com.

POLITISCOPE

Why Top US Universities have Law Schools but not Police Schools

BY NIDIA BAÑUELOS

I

n response to protests calling for police reform and accountability, some U.S. police departments are partnering with colleges and universities to develop anti-bias training for their employees.

In Washington D.C., for example, officers will take a critical race theory class at the University of the District of Columbia Community College. The idea of providing liberal arts education to officers to improve police-community relations and productivity is not new.

As early as 1967, a federal commission charged with finding solutions to rising crime and police brutality recommended that all police “personnel with general enforcement powers have a baccalaureate degree.”

However, recent research indicates that education has mixed results. While some

evidence suggests that college-educated officers are less likely to use force, it also shows they are less satisfied with their jobs than peers with less education.

As a postdoctoral fellow, I have been studying police reform movements of the 1950s and ‘60s. I was surprised to learn of the long and complicated relationship between the police and academia.

The story of the School of Criminology at the University of California, Berkeley, in particular, reveals the challenges of developing a true “police science” – a way of improving practices within this profession by involving police in university-level research and teaching. The potential benefits of such a science are unclear, as police work has struggled to find a home in academia.

The following story is constructed from archival records at Berkeley’s Bancroft Library.

COLLEGE COPS AT BERKELEY August Vollmer has been described by some scholars as the most influential police reformer in modern history. Vollmer served as the chief of the Berkeley police from 1909 to 1932, where he and his protégés improved the lie detector test, developed the world’s first fingerprinting system, adopted radio communication and automobile patrol, and set up the first crime lab in the country.

Of all Vollmer’s projects, the one dearest to his heart was the professional development of police through education. To this end, he established the world’s first police academy at Berkeley in 1908. Defying convention, he also regularly hired college students to work on his force. At the time, academic training was often considered a handicap to good police work because it made officers bookish.

Vollmer’s interest in academia was clear: He wanted to develop a team of expert police who would be sensitive to the needs of the communities they served. In 1930, he wrote: “Why should not the cream of the nation be perfectly willing to devote their lives to the cause of service providing that service is dignified, socialized and professionalized?”

Vollmer and his colleagues partnered with Berkeley in pursuit of this vision. In 1916, they began offering summer university courses for police officers. By 1923, they were conferring criminology degrees through the political science department. In 1950, they founded the School of Criminology – the first standalone department at Berkeley dedicated to police science. The school required future officers to take courses in traditional academic departments – sociology, history, mathematics – alongside practical training in police work – things like fingerprinting and interrogation.

They could receive a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science or Master of Criminology upon completion.

The school was run by police for police.

O.W. Wilson, the first dean of the school, was a police officer who did not have a Ph.D. At the time, it was rare, although not unprecedented, for working professionals to lead academic departments at Berkeley.

Students came from all over the world to study at the School of Criminology. In the Bancroft archives, I found letters from alumni as far away as the Chinese Ministry of the Interior. Vollmer’s work inspired similar programs in other states including Indiana, Washington and Michigan. It also made the case for offering police courses at the other public higher education systems in the state: the California State University and California

www.thechicagocitizen.com

Community Colleges.

‘TOO OCCUPATIONAL’ Clark Kerr, former president of the University of California, had major reservations about educating police at Berkeley.

Kerr was one of the architects of the Master Plan for Higher Education in California, which in 1960 laid out a system of higher education in the state as it still exists today.

That plan called for coordination between different types of public institutions.

Occupational training programs – like those for police – would be housed at Cal State campuses and community colleges. The University of California campuses would be responsible for scholarship and providing the state’s top performing students with a liberal arts education.

In line with this perspective, a faculty committee reviewed the School of Criminology in 1957, and found it to be “not a proper pursuit for an undergraduate” at Berkeley.

They wrote: “Its aims are too ill-defined to constitute a truly intellectual discipline, its techniques too disparate and fragmentary, and its perspective too occupational.”

The committee recommended completely dismantling the School of Criminology.

However, by then, the school had become far too important to California law enforcement to go down without a fight.

The Bancroft’s archives contain dozens of letters from police officers and other officials asking Berkeley administrators to stall the school’s closure. They include petitions from Continued on page 4

4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

FOOD

Easy Twists on Entertaining a Crowd Presented by Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea (NAPSI)—From at-home game day parties to parking lot tailgates, here are four entertaining “twists” on the standard tailgate that will keep the crowd cheering, whether you’ll be watching football, NASCAR, baseball or soccer:

1

GO BEYOND YOUR USUAL CREW:

Keep the group compatible and consider adding new friends to the mix to keep the conversation more interesting.

2

PERK THE PARTY UP WITH TWISTED TEA: Surprise your guests with an

unexpected refreshing beverage with a kick: Twisted Tea. Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea is a crowd-pleasing hard iced tea brewed with real tea leaves. With no carbonation and a 5% ABV, this twist on one of America’s favorite refreshments goes down smooth and is less filling than beer. When you pack the cooler with Twisted Tea, you go beyond what drinkers expect and keep the crowd having fun all day and all night.

3

FIRE UP THE GRILL: Add a flavorful twist

to your standard tailgate grub with these easy and twisted recipes: TWISTED BRATS • 12 oz. Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea • ¼ cup Whole Grain Mustard • 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

Who knew a twisted take on queso could be so refreshing with the addition of Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea?!

• 4 Bratwursts Pour Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea into a saucepan on the edge of the grill. Whisk in mustard and garlic powder. Place bratwursts in broth and bring to a simmer; cook until heated through.

TWISTED CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE • 1 cup Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch • ½ lb. Shredded Cheddar Cheese • Hot Sauce (optional) to taste Pour Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea into a saucepan on the edge of the grill. Dissolve cornstarch in a small bowl with the Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea. When Tea comes to a boil, pour in cornstarch and swirl pan to mix.

Slowly add shredded cheese, mixing the whole time until combined. Keep over medium heat, and add some hot sauce if you want a kick with your twist.

4

GET EVERYBODY HOME SAFELY: Make

sure everyone has a ride or a place to stay.

Have ride-share codes handy to offer friends.

LEARN MORE

To learn more twisted facts and tips, visit www.TwistedTea.com. Show how you #UnwindWithATwist at your Twisted Tailgate and follow Twisted Tea on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @TwistedTea.

POLITISCOPE Continued from page 3 faculty in police training programs at Cal State campuses. Without Berkeley supplying the Cal State programs with police professors and research on policing, they feared their programs would suffer.

As a condition of staying at Berkeley, the school had to look more like a traditional academic department. It would have to hire Ph.D.‘s from the social sciences, eliminate vocational coursework and focus on graduate education. Several former officers who were on faculty left the department for more hospitable workplaces. Dean Wilson went on to become the chief of police in Chicago and was replaced by Joseph Lohman, a sociologist from the University of Chicago who also worked as Cook County Sheriff.

After 1960, the school became a place for sociologists to study crime. Many criminology faculty were outspoken critics of the police.

In 1971, criminology professor Tony Platt was arrested by the Berkeley police during a political protest. The relationship between the

school and the local law enforcement it once trained was deteriorating.

In 1972, the school came under fire again.

A review committee rebuked it for its “current pursuit of academic goals in large part divorced from a professional orientation.”

In other words, it had succeeded too well in distancing itself from its original mission of educating police officers.

This time around, few law enforcement officials came to its defense. Despite protests from student groups, Berkeley’s School of Criminology closed its doors for good in 1976.

LESSONS FROM BERKELEY Berkeley’s School of Criminology was one of the most ambitious projects in police education ever undertaken in the U.S. After its demise, police professors came under attack at other universities and in professional associations for a “lack of academic prestige or acceptance.” Under constant threat of closure, starvation or neglect, schools of police science reinvented

themselves as criminal justice departments.

This required expanding their focus to include the courts and corrections.

As other scholars have pointed out, criminal justice is a poor replacement for police science. Students who major in criminal justice do not necessarily plan to become police officers. Nor do faculty need any knowledge of or experience with the police. A recent survey of 2,109 officers in eight metropolitan police departments found that 45 percent of officers had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Only half of these majored in criminal justice.

Even if these programs were designed exclusively for police, their absence at major research universities is telling. The vast majority of campuses of the University of California do not offer degrees in criminal justice.

In 2016, California State University, Sacramento launched the Law Enforcement Candidate Scholars Program, which prepares college students from all majors to become police officers through workshops on policing

www.thechicagocitizen.com

and internships in law enforcement agencies.

It may provide valuable information on creating and sustaining police-university partnerships.

For now, as policymakers, educators and police departments consider various strategies for police reform – including the ever-popular suggestion that officers be required to have a college degree – it is important to remember the challenges of integrating this profession into the Ivory Tower. It is unclear whether college-level education is beneficial to police, what kind is most useful, how it should be delivered or by whom.

Precisely because major research universities have been reluctant to adopt a robust science of the police, we don’t have much evidence for what works and what doesn’t. It may be time for educators to ask themselves: What harm is our reluctance to study and educate this profession causing our society?

Nidia Bañuelos is a Postdoctoral Fellow, at University of California, Davis.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

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5

NEWS Is there a nearby park in your neighborhood? New website lets you find out

BY LISETTE GUSHINIERE

H

ow close are you to a park in your community and should your local authorities plan to build one? Thanks to an organization whose been connecting communities to the outdoors and to each other since 1972, that information, plus much more, can be found online via a new website.

The new Park Serve website launched by the Trust for Public Land can be found at www.ParkServe.TPL.org. The site’s powerful analytics allow users to measure who has access to a park within a 10-minute walk and who may not.

It also offers help for both city planners and residents. City planners can use the website to guide park improvements, while residents can use the information on the site to advocate for parks, and hold their leaders accountable.

“Today, more than 100 million people in communities across America don’t have a park within a 10-minute walk of home—and that’s 100 million too many,” said Diane Regas, president and chief executive officer of The Trust for Public Land. “Park Serve will help us address this challenge, so every person in America can experience the countless benefits of having a park close to home.”

Vice President and Director of Planning and GIS for The Trust for Public Land Breece Robertson said, ParkServe® grew out of ParkScore. ParkScore provides communities

with feedback about what’s working well in their parks and what could be improved, Robertson explained.

Robertson said The Trust for Public Land has a, “bold goal that everyone living in cities and towns across America live within a 10-minute walk of a park,” adding, local mayors have already signed up for the campaign.

“We have had almost 200 mayors sign onto our 10-Minute Walk campaign, which works to make sure everyone American in a city lives within a ten-minute walk of a quality park or natural area,” he stated.

“All of these mayors will be alerted about ParkServe and encouraged to share it with their city planning staff as a tool to work towards the 10-minute walk goal they signed onto. Some of the leadership at The Trust for Public Land came directly from local park departments, and this tool was built with local park officials in mind - it is easy to use while also being comprehensive.”

There are other plans to provide training materials and webinars through the website for anyone who wants to learn how to leverage the data and tools, Robertson added.

The website is an important tool in leveling the playing field, “in that it offers full transparency on who has access to what parks and where,” Robertson continued.

The website currently allows residents of 14,000 cities and towns to be able to figure out

who has and who lacks access to a park within a 10-minute walk from home, but Robertson added the organization hopes to expand their reach to include local park data beyond city and town limits.

Robertson said some of the latest data indicates more funding is being allocated for the purpose of building parks.

“Combined with City Park Facts data from our Center for City Park Excellence, we can run numbers on when parks were built and see trends at the city level,” he said.

“For example, we are seeing more money being spent over recent years by cities and non-profit partners on new parks and park improvements. We are also seeing a big increase in certain kinds of park amenities, such as dog parks,” he stated.

Generally, parks are good for the community both in terms of raising property values and in terms of providing economic benefits for cities, Robertson said.

According to crime data, Robertson said people are actually safer in parks than on the streets and even in their homes when it comes to serious crimes.

He added, “years of research show that parks are made safer by heavy use--good uses drive out bad. Programming that attracts a variety of users and users also makes parks busier, and thus safer,” he stated.

“We encourage local park advocates to check out ParkServe and look up their

community,” Robertson said. “If you think there is a need for improved parks, call your local elected officials and tell them the data you saw and share why parks matter to you, personally.

“We find that personal stories help shape this picture - tell the story of teaching your child to ride their bike in a park, or your favorite place to sit outside and read,” he said. “We have also included a tool on the website called the ParkEvaluator™, that enables users to sketch a new park and create a report that includes a demographic breakout of who that park would serve and how many residents would be within a 10-minute walk of that park that are not currently served by another.”

Robertson said the ParkEvaluator™ tool is freely available to anyone and the reports are designed to be used to make the case for new parks in city council meetings and the like.

The Trust for Public Land has been working on parks and public lands for over 40 years. In addition to its groundbreaking 10-Minute Walk program, the organization has already created hundreds of parks in communities across the country. With 30 local offices, they are a part of many communities’ parks stories. The organization’s mission includes working to improve access to public lands, national parks, and wilderness areas across the country by securing and advocating for conservation programs.

6 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

NEWS

Author of The Black Woman Millionaire, Dr. Venus Opal Reese (pictured left) recently made a stop near Chicago to hold a oneday training seminar where she shared her compelling story and taught the women of Chicago how to overcome the obstacles that hold them back from financial freedom and success.

Homeless as a Child, Dr. Venus Gives a Lesson in Healing and Success

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

A

uthor of The Black Woman Millionaire, Dr. Venus Opal Reese recently made a stop near Chicago to hold a one-day training seminar where she shared her compelling story and taught the women of Chicago how to overcome the obstacles that hold them back from financial freedom and success.

“My story is pretty simple, by the

“I’m clear that my life is a miracle and it’s a product of grace, mercy, and another black woman’s love. Because of Ms. Francis, I eventually graduated from Stanford with a two masters degrees and a Ph.D.” DR. VENUS OPAL REESE

time I was 16 years old, I was living on the streets of Baltimore, eating out of trashcans, and sleeping in urine and beer because my mother had put me out of her house and

things weren’t okay there so I never went back. I was raised in a condition of a lot of negativity, a lot of violence, every stereotype you could possibly think of I’ve known www.thechicagocitizen.com

in some way shape or form,” said Reese.

Being born into poverty, Reese learned at a young age how to survive on the streets. She went to school to eat, not for an education, and she was regularly picked on for her disheveled appearance.

“The kids, we call it bullying now but back in the day we called it teasing, they said mean things to me and Ms. Francis told me to go to her room to get me out of harm’s way.

She said to the people in the class that if they said anything to me she would give them a zero. That was the first time in my young life that I ever felt protected,” said Reese.

Judy Francis was Reese’s ninth grade math teacher. She would bring Reese hygiene product, clean underwear, food, and eventually moved Reese into her home and helped her file emancipation paperwork so she could receive government assistance.

“I’m clear that my life is a miracle and it’s a product of grace, mercy, and another black woman’s love,” said Reese. “Because of Ms. Francis, I eventually graduated from Stanford with a two masters degrees and a Ph.D.” Today Reese is a self-made millionaire and a best selling author.

She travels the country on her Black Woman Millionaire Tour to give women insight on how to make the shift from hustling to succeeding.

“It isn’t my intention to get you to seven-figures, what I am more committed to in those four to five hours is everyone waking up to how money really works and how it really works for the black female body that is socially positioned as a workhorse, a cash cow, or the scapegoat. If you don’t know that then you will always live under the illusion of equality and you will always look for somebody else to give you a shot.”

At each event, participants can expect to hear the hard, honest truth and Reese warns that if a person is easily offended, she is likely not going to be the right teacher for them.

To learn more about Reese, the book, and the tour visit www. defyimpossible.com.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

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NEWS

SSC’s 10th Anniversary Women’s Conference a Huge Success SOUTH HOLLAND, IL – Women’s History

Month may have come and gone, the event chairpersons (Alexandra Glumac and Rebecca Garcia-Westburg) of South Suburban College’s 10th Anniversary Women’s Conference now know what others have suspected all along—this year’s Women’s Conference was a huge success!

From the thought-provoking line-up of guest speakers to the exciting display of vendors, women from across the Chicagoland region showed their support for this year’s conference by participating in a day of events dedicated to them. With the theme, “Be Your Own Superhero,” women certainly embraced this motto and came out to hear how they too can be their very best and begin their “Superhero” journey of self-empowerment and improvement.

The event began with a continental breakfast followed by the dynamic keynote speaker, Felicia Houston. Houston, Community Development Liaison with U of Chicago Medicine Ingalls and current President of the Professional Women’s Network, began her presentation with audience engagement and gave the participants something to hang onto

with her version of what each letter of the word, “SUPERHERO” stands for such as S=Strong, Supportive to O=Optimistic, Open-Minded!

The participants then chose workshops sessions to attend and from the positive feedback received, the sessions were both informative and educational. An afternoon break with lunch was followed with a fashion show, more sessions and line dancing.

The conference also recognized individual women through the STAR Awards, given to acknowledge remarkable women for their professional and/or volunteer accomplishments and leadership. This year three women received awards: The special South Suburban College Lifetime Alumna Award recognized Coreen (Cory) Clark, a graduate of the SSC Registered Nursing Program. The STAR Award was presented to Erika Gilchrist and an honorable mention STAR Certificate was awarded to Rhonda Zaluckyj. For the first time ever, The Chicago Women’s Conference also offered a competitive selection scholarship for women and high school girls who attended this year’s conference. Selection of the winner is in progress.

2018 Star Award Winner.

With the theme, “Be Your Own Superhero,” women certainly embraced this motto and came out to hear how they too can be their very best and begin their “Superhero” journey of selfempowerment and improvement.

2018 Women’s Conference Keynote Speaker Felicia Houston.

www.thechicagocitizen.com

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8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of May 9, 2018

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