Suburbantimes 040418

Citizen Week of April 4, 2018

| Vol. 1 | No. 34 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

SPRING BREAK STEAM CAMP HOSTED IN SOUTH SUBURBS The Illinois STEAM Academy in Hazel Crest is hosting a week-long spring break camp that exposes students, from kindergarten through sixth grade, to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) curriculum.

See more on Page 3

Politiscope: Who is John Bolton and what does he want? - Page 3 Food: Good Nutrition Made Easy For Older Adults - Page 4 |

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Photo: Ben Mays

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

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

ART SCENE

AfroZons new weekly syndicated radio show brings fusion of Hip Hop and Afro Beats to national audience CHICAGO — International radio

personality Sheila O. becomes the first female disc jockey to host a nationally syndicated AFRO BEATS radio show in the United States. AfroZons, her ‘groundbreaking’ two hour weekly radio show that fuses today’s hip hop with Afrobeats’ and highlights the latest in global urban trends, will debut in Washington, DC, Houston, Miami, and on SiriusXM HURVoices Channel 141 this April.

Sheila O is leading a movement to bring the African culture to American audiences.

AfroZons features an array of African artists, DJs, designers, activists and entrepreneurs.

As the ‘hottest’ new musical genre, Afrobeats offers a rare opportunity for hip hop stations to catch the new wave featuring such musical artist as Black Coffee, Whiz Kid, Yemi Alade, DJ Maphorisa and Fela Kuti.

After enjoying ratings success in 2017 airing weekends on Power 92.3 in Chicago the show Sheila O is expanding her reach to some of the most influential radio markets in the country.

“AfroZons has a unique voice and point of view that is sought after across the world,” says Sheila O. I am fortunate to be able to bring this perspective to a wider audience through our partnership with Sirius Radio.”

AFROZONS MARKETS: • WPWX Power 92.3 Sunday 10pm – 12 Midnight, Chicago • WHUR World HD2: Thursday 5pm -7pm Washington DC • Amazing 102.5FM: Saturday 9pm11pm, Houston Texas • MOC Radio: Friday 5pm7pm and Every Saturday 8am- 10am, Miami • WWRN 1620AM: Sunday 10pm12 Midnight, Bethlehem, PA • SiriusXM Ch 141: HURVoices - Thursday 4pm- 6pm ABOUT AFROZONS HOST SHEILA O Sheila O is a Youth Peace Ambassador

in Nigeria and recently nominated by MIPAD/ United Nations as one of the most influential People of African Descent, Under 40-year-old, Class of 2018 as part of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Decent (2015- 2024).

She is the founder of the global booking agency, ZONS PR/TOURS, which opened a niche in Africa where international A-list artists tour the continent in partnership with corporations. A previously untapped market, Africa became the host to a series of high profile concerts. She has toured a long list of international stars, including R. Kelly, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Nas, Mariah Carey, Ciara, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Ludacris, Chris Brown, Wyclef Jean, Akon, Joe, Usher, Jamiroquai, Anita Baker, SWV, 112, Sean Paul, Ja Rule and Ashanti, Sean Paul, Shaggy, 50 Cent and G Unit, Nicki Minaj, Dionne Warwick, BoysIIMen and many more.

ABOUT SIRIUSXM H.U.R. VOICES H.U.R. Voices will offer exciting, educational and entertaining original programming that examines and explores issues that affect people of color, including a unique mixture of talk radio, local and national news, and great music.

The channel will feature WHUR and WHURWORLD signature programs like the “Daily Drum,” a weekday public affairs program that will expand to one-hour; the “Dr. Audrey Chapman Show,” with the relationship guru; and the “Sighlent Storm,” the only radio show devoted to the issue of domestic violence. New programs include “People Money Life,” “The Traveling Eye” and “He Said She Said.” H.U.R. Voices will embody the mission of Howard University—to serve “America and the Global Community.”

Stay connected with AfroZons: Website: afrozons.com FB: AfroZons IG: @AfroZons Twitter: @AfroZons, Hash Tag: #Afrozons You Tube: Afrozons Radio

TRAVEL

Hankook Tire Survey Finds 31 Percent of Drivers Who are Planning to Take a Spring Vacation This Year are Headed to the Beach

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ith this year’s harsh winter weather finally coming to an end, it’s no surprise that drivers are eager to get out and about. According to the latest Hankook Tire Gauge Index, for many this means it’s time for a break, as more than half of Americans (55 percent) are planning to take a spring vacation this year.

So where are they going? Following the bitter cold winter, drivers are determined to get warm: Hankook found that 31 percent of drivers who are planning to take a spring vacation this year are headed to the beach. And according to the Gauge, Americans are up for driving the distance to get there, as 58 percent say they plan to drive more than 100 miles for their next road trip.

Whether driving with family or friends, there’s usually a debate over which car to take.

Hankook Tire found that the roomiest ride wins. A third of drivers (33 percent) prefer to take the biggest car, followed by the best maintained car (27 percent) and the car with the best gas mileage (26 percent).

Springtime often means the return of routine, yet in addition to the daily commute, people are also looking to get out of the house and have a good time. More than half of Americans say they regularly drive to social activities

(54 percent) and visit family and friends (51 percent).

“Thanks to warmer weather, drivers are clearly excited to hit the roads this spring,” said Wes Boling, Public Relations Manager, Hankook Tire America Corp. “Whether you’re preparing for a long car trip, for that muchanticipated vacation or simply heading out on your daily commute, make sure your car is running smoothly following the winter season to ensure you and your passengers arrive safely at your destination.”

KICK THE TIRES BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD The Gauge also revealed that about nearly one in 10 Americans (9 percent) only thinks about car maintenance when his or her car breaks down. Make maintenance a part of your regular routine this spring by following factory-recommended service schedules and checking your tires before you hit the road.

Here are some helpful tips: • As the weather warms up, potholes begin to pose a problem on the road. Potholes are formed by the contraction and expansion of ground water freezing. Check your tires after going over a pothole for any damage.

• Proactively keeping an eye on air pressure as the weather warms up will also help keep spring travel smooth. Air pressure can change about 1 psi for every 10 degrees, so be sure your tires are as prepared for the warm weather as you are.

• And don’t forget to check the spare! More than a quarter (29 percent) of Americans never check the air in their spare tire.

Incorporating a quick check of the spare can keep you from being left in a lurch.

Practicing regular maintenance can soothe stress, which makes it easier to deal with the No. 1 cause of Americans drivers’ anxiety: traffic. Hankook found that traffic is the leading cause of anxiety for drivers, with more than half (56 percent) of drivers citing traffic as what makes them most anxious behind the wheel. Other leading causes of road anxiety include other drivers’ behavior (53 percent), inclement weather (53 percent) and bad roads or potholes (44 percent).

The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a quarterly survey of Americans’ attitudes and opinions about all things related to driving. The latest installment of the survey, conducted February 5-6, 2018, polled 953 randomly selected Americans.

www.thechicagocitizen.com

More than half of Americans are planning to take a spring vacation, according to the latest Hankook Tire Gauge Index.

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

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COMMUNITY

Spring Break STEAM Camp Hosted in South Suburbs Continued from page 1 BY: KATHERINE NEWMAN

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he Illinois STEAM Academy in Hazel Crest is hosting a week-long spring break camp that exposes students, from kindergarten through sixth grade, to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) curriculum.

The full-day camp hosts students from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and provides them with breakfast, lunch, and dinner in-between the hands-on learning activities and field trips. Illinois Steam Academy also provided scholarships to cover the $175 camp cost for 60 students.

“Our philosophy is pretty much exposure, engagement, and empowerment. The more we expose our kids to STEAM related activities and careers, the greater the chance is for them to desire to be not only actively engaged in the classroom setting but it’s gonna inspire them to want to go to college and take up careers in STEAM-related areas or industries,” said Jeremiah Johnson, founder of Illinois STEAM Academy.

All of the students are exposed to the same types of STEAM learning opportunities with the hands-on activities slightly altered to age groups. Students will select two steam related activities that spark their interests and that will determine the classes they participate in.

“It’s all camp-wide and exposure at the various age levels as it’s appropriate. We don’t have a five-year-old dealing with the kind of chemicals that a twelve-year-old can handle, however, it’s pretty much program-wide. If they are in the robotics program, they are learning how to make video games and that’s gonna be at every level as well as utilizing 3D printers to develop emojis, that’s universal.

There are some things that are adaptable based on the child’s age but it’s pretty much

Photo: Ben Mays

The Illinois STEAM Academy in Hazel Crest is hosting a week-long spring break camp focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM).

universal program-wide,” said Johnson.

The Illinois STEAM Academy operates an after-school program throughout the year and Johnson said the curriculum is very similar, it is just more in-depth in the all-day camps because they have more time with the students.

“It’s similar to if you were in school, a full day is more instructional than a half day.

During the full-day, they are going to get more in-depth in the classroom. Over the

spring break, Christmas break, and summer break camps we do just more in-depth work,” said Johnson.

Johnson has made a personal investment in the Illinois STEAM Academy to ensure that the students are equipped with the resources and technology that will prepare them for future careers. Student engagement is something that Johnson has spent time researching and said that he feels that many

kids are not actively engaged in schools.

Johnson hopes that student who attend the camp will be engaged and interested in his STEAM curriculum and that it will inspire them to continue attending the after-school program or other full day camps the Illinois STEAM Academy offers throughout the year.

For more information about the Illinois STEAM Academy visit www.gosteamacademy. com.

POLITISCOPE

Who is John Bolton and what does he want?

BY STEVEN FELDSTEIN

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resident Donald Trump’s announcement on March 22 that John Bolton would become the new national security

adviser took the policy world – and Bolton – by surprise.

Bolton’s hawkish views are well known. During his run as a Fox News commentator, he advocated for preemptively bombing North Korea and at other times called for regime change in Iran.

As a junior aide at the State Department, I occasionally intersected with Bolton while he was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations between 2005 to 2006. His brusque manner and deep mistrust of the U.N. were eye opening.

I recall one meeting in which he claimed that a newly formed U.N. reform panel represented a

“conspiracy” that he would uncover in due time. He never followed up with any further information to the best of my knowledge.

Throughout his tenure, he had a testy relationship with thenSecretary of State Condoleezza Rice and many others at the State Department. After his appointment expired, I recall that most of his colleagues breathed a sigh of relief upon his exit.

Now as a scholar of foreign policy and international relations, I find that Bolton’s promotion to one of the most important jobs in the Trump administration raises critical questions: What is Bolton’s www.thechicagocitizen.com

worldview? And is his aggressive posturing on Iran and North Korea hyperbole, or do they represent a real template for new policies?

If Bolton’s policy decisions start to match his rhetoric, then the possibility of war may become very real.

BOLTON’S HARD-LINE PERSPECTIVE U.S. foreign policy experts tends to fall into three camps: realist, liberalist and idealist. Realists view international relations as a competition for power among selfinterested states. Liberalists contend that economic integration between

nations, international institutions and democracy can overcome selfish state behavior. Idealists believe that international politics are shaped by collective ideas, values and principles.

Bolton nominally falls into the realist camp, but he inhabits the extreme end of it – he is a hard-liner and a hawk. He reflexively distrusts diplomacy to settle disputes. He believes that force and coercion are preferable means to advance U.S. interests. Bolton views international relations as a series of “nasty, brutish and short” struggles where Continued on page 4

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

FOOD

Good Nutrition Made Easy For Older Adults (NAPSI)—Roughly 110 million adults in the U.S. are age 50 or older. If you’re one of them or know someone who is, there’s something you need to know: As you age, your nutrition needs change. You may become less active, your metabolism slows, and your ability to absorb some nutrients becomes less efficient.

You need fewer calories to keep you going— which means the amount of nutrients in your food becomes even more important.

To help, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and nutrition scientists at the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, with support from AARP Foundation, created MyPlate for Older Adults.

WHAT’S ON MYPLATE FOR OLDER ADULTS? Based on the federal government’s guide to forming healthy dietary habits, MyPlate for Older Adults makes good nutrition easy. Even better, it helps seniors with fixed incomes select healthy foods within their budget.

That includes showing how frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables can be wise alternatives to fresh produce.

MyPlate for Older Adults encourages eating whole grains, which are high in fiber, as well as plant-based proteins such as beans and tofu, along with fish and lean meat. Vegetables and fruits make up half the plate, reflecting the importance of eating several servings a day in a range of colors. MyPlate for Older Adults also recommends using herbs and spices instead of salt to season food. Cutting back on salt can have big health benefits—especially for older adults, who are at risk of hypertension.

You can use the MyPlate for Older Adults as a tool when you shop to help you decide on types and combinations of foods, and as a reminder that the foods you choose to eat should be rich in vitamins and minerals.

The rest of the recommendations include: • Brightly colored vegetables such as carrots and broccoli • Deep-colored fruit such as berries and peaches • Whole, enriched and fortified grains and cereals such as brown rice and 100 percent whole wheat bread • Low-fat and nonfat dairy products such as yogurt and low-lactose milk • Dry beans and nuts, fish, poultry and eggs

Older people can help their own health by watching what they eat.

• Liquid vegetable oils, soft spreads low in saturated and trans fats • Lots of fluids such as water and fat-free milk • Physical activity such as walking, resistance training and light cleaning.

LEARN MORE You can check out MyPlate for Older Adults and find more information about AARP Foundation at www.aarpfoundation. org/myplate.

POLITISCOPE Continued from page 3 military force is the deciding factor.

Throughout his career, he has advocated for force over negotiation, often with disastrous results. While serving as the undersecretary for arms control in the Bush administration, for example, he played a key role in shaping intelligence related to alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He not only declared his confidence that such weapons existed, but publicly warned, “If Saddam Hussein does not co-operate we have made it clear this is the last chance for him.”

As history shows, Saddam did not possess biological or chemical weapons, but the United States went to war against Iraq anyway.

Bolton’s more recent saber-rattling against Iran echoes the past. He has called for Trump to “tear up” the Iran nuclear agreement, and to use bombs and missiles to accomplish U.S. security objectives. As Bolton intones: “Time is terribly short, but a strike can still succeed.”

WHAT DOES BOLTON WANT? Bolton believes that force alone will ensure continued U.S. dominance in the international system. He sees diplomacy and negotiations, particularly through the U.N., as a tactic for weak states to tie the hands of stronger states.

He has repeatedly claimed that negotiations, such as over North Korea’s nuclear program, are a waste of time, and that treaties are “essentially only political documents.”

At his core, I believe Bolton is concerned with how to maintain U.S. primacy in the face of relative decline. He recognizes the likelihood that the Chinese economy will soon become the largest in the world, and that economic power is a key component of military strength. Therefore, Bolton maintains that the best way to secure American power is to confront revisionist states – countries such as North Korea and Iran which seek to overturn the status quo order – through military strength, and to knock back challenges from potential peer competitors, like China.

Unlike a classic realpolitik strategist like Henry Kissinger, diplomatic subtlety is not part of Bolton’s playbook. If collateral damage accrues, say millions of civilian casualties from a conflict on the Korean peninsula, I’d expect Bolton would likely say that is the cost of doing business.

HOW WILL BOLTON MANAGE THE BUREAUCRACY? Many commentators have extolled Bolton’s ability to co-opt the bureaucracy in support of his objectives. That case may be overstated.

It is true that through determination and bullying Bolton sometimes prevailed during heated interagency battles. But his overall record was underwhelming.

Bolton’s reputation was so divisive that both Democratic and Republican senators joined together to block his confirmation as

ambassador to the U.N. in 2005. Eventually, the Bush administration resorted to a 17-month recess appointment to get him up to New York.

While working as a diplomat in the U.N., he notably feuded with his counterparts, particularly Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Other countries blithely ignored – if not ridiculed – his agenda, leaving him with a sparse list of accomplishments. Said one Western ambassador: “Instinctively, he’s a bully. He has succeeded in putting almost everyone’s back up, even among America’s closest allies.”

In fact, Bolton’s most lasting U.N. legacy may have been his famous assertion: “The Secretariat building in New York has 38 stories. If it lost 10 stories today, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.”

Bolton’s State Department colleagues also found him insufferable, according to The Washington Post. He routinely conflicted with Secretary Rice, and as he approached the end of his tenure, his polarizing attitude had shorn him of allies. Rather than wield unrestrained influence, internal opponents often stymied his priorities. As someone notoriously difficult to work with – including serious allegations of workplace abuse – Bolton will may encounter substantial friction once he gets in place as national security adviser.

DRUMBEAT OF WAR? Some experts argue that under Bolton’s

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leadership, going to war is not inevitable, but several factors give pause. Many senior diplomats and military leaders – the checks and balances – have left the administration.

There are simply fewer experienced people left in the room to challenge Bolton’s ideas.

In addition, it remains to be seen how Trump’s own impulsiveness, as recently evidenced by his sudden announcement of trade tariffs, may affect Bolton. It may turn into what academics call the “risky shift phenomenon.” This occurs when individuals in group settings are reluctant to appear overly cautious. Instead, the most reckless member dominates such groups, causing individuals to take chances they would not otherwise carry forward. Trump’s tendency to take audacious gambles, combined with Bolton’s predisposition to use military force, is what is causing many to fear a heightened risk of international confrontation.

Appointing a hard-line figure like Bolton signals that Trump is ready to embrace a much more aggressive and volatile foreign policy. The next few months will bring key decisions on Iran and North Korea. Bolton’s leadership will go a long way towards determining whether the U.S. finds itself yet again on the brink of war.

Steven Feldstein is the Frank and Bethine Church Chair of Public Affairs and an Associate Professor of the School of Public Service at Boise State University.

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

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

NEWS

Common, Danny Glover, Andrew Young, Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King III, Civil Rights, Labor and Faith Leaders Launch “I AM 2018” Movement in Memphis MEMPHIS, TN - As the nation

grapples with deep racial and economic injustices and inequality in communities from coast to coast, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Church of God in Christ (COGIC) recently launched a national effort to ensure that the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1968 Memphis sanitation strikers live on with a new generation of activists. With the goal of advancing labor and civil rights and tackling issues plaguing low-income communities nationwide, the I AM 2018 campaign is transforming Memphis into the birthplace of a new political movement and aggressive voter education and civic engagement program to mobilize turnout for the 2018 elections and beyond. The campaign was launched on April 2 and is continuing today on April 4.

Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Fifty years to the day of his assassination- the country’s most prominent civil rights, faith, labor, entertainment and other leaders are holding the first-of-itskind trainings, mobilization and commemoration activities across the city, including at Mason Temple COGIC, the site of Dr. King’s final, prophetic “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech.

Alongside these trainings, prominent journalists, academics, community leaders and subject experts are joining a three-day Mountaintop Conference featuring panels on criminal justice reform, minority youth education, the future of American workers and the intersection of labor, faith and civil rights.

“I AM 2018 isn’t just a reflection on the past; it’s a call to action for the future. Dr. King and the Memphis strikers knew that you can’t achieve economic justice without racial justice,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.

“And yet, 50 years after Dr. King›s Mountaintop speech, working people are still fighting those same fights. We›re embarking on a historic partnership with COGIC to build and grow a network of trained, energized activists, connecting our generation›s struggles with the unfinished work of the heroes of Memphis: Dr. King, the Memphis strikers and the faith

leaders who stepped up together to bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice.

“On the evening of April 3, 1968, Dr. King stood in the pulpit of Mason Temple and declared ‘We, as a people, will get to the promised land.’ Less than 24 hours later, he was killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that watershed moment,” said COGIC Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. “In April, together with AFSCME, we are telling the world that it must come together to fight poverty and prejudice and advance the freedom of all people as we never have before.”

“I AM 2018” events in Memphis began on April 2 -4 and include(d): April 2 & 3 - Dream Corp Activist Training, @Mason Temple, 930 Mason St. April 2 - Mountaintop Conference Day 1 @Mason Temple: Opening remarks were made by COGIC Bishop Charles Blake, Sr. and AFSCME President Lee Saunders. Also, panel discussions featuring Ambassador Andrew Young and American Federation of Teachers President, Randi Weingarten, among others were

As the nation grapples with inequality in communities from coast to coast, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Church of God in Christ (COGIC) recently launched a national effort to ensure that the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1968 Memphis sanitation strikers live on with a new generation of activists.

held.

April 3 - Mountaintop Conference Day 2 @Mason Temple: Panelists included actor Danny Glover, 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike organizer, William Lucy, several original 1968 Strikers and TV ONE news personality Roland Martin.

April 3 - Youth Town Hall @ Greater White Stone Missionary Baptist Church, 912 S. Wellington, St.: Among the panelists were actor Hill Harper and journalist Angela Rye. April 3 - Mountaintop Speech Commemoration @Mason Temple: Among the featured speakers were Martin Luther King III, Dr. Bernice King, Bishop Blake and AFSCME President Saunders.

April 4 (8:00 am to 11:00 am) 1968 Striking Sanitation Workers Kick-Off Rally @AFSCME Local

www.thechicagocitizen.com

1733, 485 Beale St.: Performers and speakers include, Common, Sheila E., MC Lyte, NAACP President & CEO, Derrick Johnson, Bishop Blake and AFSCME President Saunders.

April 4 (11:00 am to 12:00 pm) - 1968 Striking Sanitation Workers Commemorative March to Mason Temple.

April 4 (12:00 pm to 1:30 pm) 1968 Striking Sanitation Workers Culminating Moment @Mason Temple: Featured speakers include Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

April 4 (2:00 pm to 5:30 pm) Urban Initiatives Training @Mason Temple.

Over the past few weeks, activists, elected officials, students, workers and other leaders in the “I AM 2018” campaign have been organizing and building support for their work this year and beyond.

On February 1, more than 70 cities observed a coordinated Moment of Silence to honor Memphis

sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker who were crushed to death in 1968 and sparked the strike of 1,300 fellow workers that brought Dr. King to Memphis.

On February 24, two days before the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case that could threaten workers’ rights, thousands of working people, civil rights, labor leaders and families flooded the streets of every major city to demand freedom from want and hate and call for the U.S. to unrig its broken political and economic systems. Since then, college students and other young filmmakers have been submitting videos that connect Dr. King’s fight for justice to today’s movements for social change. The winning submissions, judged by Hans Charles, Dorian Parks, co-founder of Geeks of Color, and award-winning filmmakers Madeleine Hunt Erlich and Shahin Izadi were screened at Mason Temple on April 3rd.

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

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NEWS

Got a minute? Take An Online Prediabetes Risk Test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org

BY LISETTE GUSHINIERE

W

hile the prevalence of prediabetes is similar among all racial groups, African Americans are disproportionately affected by the health consequences of type 2 diabetes, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For example, African Americans are 1.5 times more likely to be hospitalized and 2.3 times more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. And, 50 percent more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than non-Hispanic whites, the CDC reports.

Calling it a “serious health condition” on its website, the CDC defines, prediabetes as a “condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.”

According to an AMA press release, 84 million people in the U.S. are living

with prediabetes—the precursor to type 2 diabetes—and 90 percent don’t even know they have it.

Fifteen to thirty percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes in 5 years if left untreated, said AMA President David O. Barbe, M.D. On Diabetes Alert Day, held recently on March 27, the American Medical Association (AMA) called on all Americans to find out whether they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes by taking an online prediabetes risk test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org.

The online prediabetes risk test takes just one minute, said Barbe, “and asks a series of questions to determine your risk of prediabetes.”

The factors that increase, “a person’s risk of prediabetes include being overweight; not being physically active; having a parent, brother or sister with type 2 diabetes; being over the age of 40; and if you’re a woman, having a history of gestational diabetes,” Barbe added.

“If you receive a high score on the test, we encourage you to follow-up with your doctor to confirm your diagnosis as a blood test is needed for confirmation. Your doctor will do a simple blood test to check your blood glucose (sugar) levels. If those levels are too high, but not high enough yet to be type 2 diabetes, it means you have prediabetes,” he stated.

“Diabetes Alert Day is the perfect time to give our patients the wake-up call they need to take their health into their own hands and determine whether they have prediabetes—a serious health condition that often leads to type 2 diabetes and other significant health conditions like blindness, heart attack or stroke,” Dr. Barbe said in an AMA press release.

In addition to the prediabetes risk test, more resources and information on prediabetes for patients can be found at DoIHavePrediabetes.org—a website which was developed as part of a first-of-its-kind joint national prediabetes awareness campaign launched in 2016 by the AMA, Ad Council,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Diabetes Association.

Over the past two years, the campaign has helped hundreds of thousands of Americans learn their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly through a series of public service announcements that have aired on television and radio stations across the country encouraging viewers to take the one-minute online risk test.

While prediabetes has serious health implications, people who are at risk can take steps to reverse the condition and prevent or delay type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes like weight loss, healthy eating, and increased physical activity. The campaign website also features lifestyle tips and links to CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program, which connects visitors to a registry of CDCrecognized programs across the country.

For more information, visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org where information is displayed in both English and Spanish.

Women’s Entrepreneur and Business Forum Held in South Suburbs

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

T

he Women’s Entrepreneur and Business Resource Forum was recently hosted by the Village of Dolton. The forum called on local entrepreneurs and business professions from all around Chicago to gather, network, and share tips and tricks of the trade.

Some contributors included the U.S. Small Business Administration, Women’s Business Development Center, Chicago Women in Trades, Push Out Purpose, and The Far South Community Development Corporation.

Lead Economic Development Specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Illinois division, Carole Harris, spoke at the event to encourage women to take the next step in opening or expanding their businesses. She said the most important part is staying positive and having a clear vision.

“Take the time to look at what your vision is and be able to articulate that vision. Carry your vision forward in the positive and

you will have really good results as you work with advisors. Carry forward and say, this is what I envision, this is what I’m looking to do, and here are my questions,” said Harris.

Senior Director for Business Services at The Far South Community Development Corporation, Florence Hardy, was another speaker at the event and gave advice on how to turn a hobby into a business.

“The question that you need to be asking as you move from a home-based business to a brick and mortar is, what are the strengths and weaknesses and opportunities that can be taken advantage of as you make that move?” said Hardy.

It is also important to consider logistics when looking for a retail space, said Hardy. She advised business owners to use a realtor and look for spaces that have already been occupied by a business like theirs.

“Really consider demographics, think about pricing, think about ease of parking and access, all of these things matter when you

Photo: Village of Dolton

The Women’s Entrepreneur and Business Resource Forum was recently hosted by the Village of Dolton. The forum called on local entrepreneurs and business professions from all around Chicago to gather, network, and share tips and tricks of the trade.

think about the location which is why a lot of times it helps to use a commercial real estate agent because they have that expertise,” said Hardy.

This event stemmed from Mayor of Dolton, Riley Rogers wanting to go even further than just improving the unemployment rate which he has done since being elected in 2013.

“When I came into office, we www.thechicagocitizen.com

had 15.7% unemployment so one of the many things I wanted to do was try and get businesses in town and have those businesses employ some of those residents. We went from 15.7% unemployment to 6.7% unemployment. The next step is, if we can’t get everybody hired, maybe we can get people into their own business which would make them gainfully employed and able to support their own families and they

can flourish,” said Rogers.

Rogers said that he was able to cut the unemployment rate in half by demanding that any business wanting something from the city, like a speedy permit or a tax break, must hire a certain amount of residents from Dolton.

For more information on the resources provided at the event or to view upcoming events visit vodolton.org.

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

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