Chicago Weekend Citizen 2-23-2022

Celebrating Black History Month www.facebook.com/durrell.garth.9

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WEEKEND

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23, 2022

WEEKLY

Courtney Adeleye to Host Virtual BAW$E Conference: Power P4 Edition

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FREE | VOL 53 | ISSUE 9

SHECOVERY ASSISTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH

PANDEMIC RECOVERY The Chicago Foundation for Women realized there would be an outsized affect of the pandemic on women and girls of color. As the months went on, the organization made an effort to spend more money and invest more money in recovery efforts to help frontline workers and organizations led by women of color, with the creation of SHEcovery.

Equal Hope Nurse Navigator Retha Cooper and client Nakeeya Chandler. Equal Hope was one of more than 60 organizations that received part of a $1.3 million grant from Chicago Foundation for Women as part of its SHEcovery.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY EQUAL HOPE

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Saks Debuts DigitalFirst Spring Campaign Starring Lupita Nyong’o P5

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Reggae Pioneer Jimmy Cliff Releases Acoustic Music Video For “Human Touch” P10

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Black History Focus

briefly MAYOR LIGHTFOOT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON INCREASING RATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, City and community leaders highlighted the increase in domestic violence-related incidents in Chicago throughout the pandemic and the support and services available to domestic violence survivors. The Mayor has made resources for domestic violence survivors and survivors of other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) a top priority.

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) receives over 230,000 domestic violence-related calls per year.

These include violence between intimate partners, roommates, and/or family members.

“Every person, no matter their circumstances or how they identify, deserves to be respected and feel safe within their own homes,” said Mayor Lightfoot.

“The unacceptable reality is that this isn’t the case for all of our residents, as DFSS, CPD, and the many other City departments and community organizations who see the damage domestic violence has done in our communities can attest to. That’s why I’m proud to join other leaders to not only raise awareness about domestic violence but share the progress the City continues to make in addressing its root causes and supporting survivors.”

The Network discussed the critical importance of these life-saving services and acknowledged that they are available to anyone, regardless of background, education, socioeconomic status, immigration status, or geographic location in the city. Services are free, confidential, and tailored to what the survivor identifies as needing to be safe.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) highlighted a new pilot for the City to bring services to people who cause harm regardless of their involvement in the criminal legal system.

City resources are available for any residents experiencing domestic violence. For support, call or text the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at 877863-6338, or visit www.Chi.gov/dvhelp.

CTA ELEVATING FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP FUND IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Mayor Lightfoot, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have announced that applications are now being accepted for the third year of the CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund, an innovative program that provides a path for economically disadvantaged youth to pursue education and careers in construction and engineering.

Created in partnership with the Walsh-Fluor Design-Build team -- the contractor for CTA’s historic $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project -- the scholarship program provides aid to students who plan to pursue four-year degrees in construction management, civil engineering, industrial engineering or systems engineering.

The scholarship program provides a path for economically disadvantaged students to pursue an education in fields that historically create barriers for low-income students. The unique program provides $5,500 per year for four years, mentoring support and guidance in career development opportunities.

The first-of-its-kind CTA initiative provides scholarships, mentoring support and career guidance for under-resourced college students. The scholarship program is administered by Chicago Scholars, a nonprofit dedicated to college access, college success and leadership development for first-generation and low-income students in Chicago.

Donated by Walsh-Fluor to help offset tuition costs for CPS graduates, the $250,000 CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund will provide 10 financial aid scholarships from 2020 through 2023 for students who plan on majoring in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) for engineering and construction-related degrees. Students who are awarded scholarships will also be eligible to apply for paid summer internships with Walsh-Fluor and the CTA. For more information about this program, visit transitchicago.com/rpm/workforce-opportunities or chicagoscholars.org/elevatingfutures.

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SHEcovery assists organizations with pandemic recovery Continued from page 1

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Chicago Foundation for Women, through SHEcovery has invested more than $1.3 million to support women and girls of color. Sixty-seven organizations received a portion of the money during the grant cycle.

According to the Chicago Foundation for Women, 62% of the organizations are led by women of color.

The Chicago Foundation for Women has been around for 36 years, advocating for women and girls. It has been investing through grants and organizations, healthcare, access to healthcare, economic security and upward mobility, as well as freedom from violence.

There are four pillars of SHEcovery: Getting women back to work, addressing the eviction crisis, caring for caregivers and demanding antiracists healthcare systems.

“The State has taken steps by enacting laws that require implicit bias training for healthcare professionals, but we need to make sure those trainings and the laws are really executed, to the full extent,” said Felicia Davis Blakley, president of the Chicago Foundation for Women.

The organization uses a panel of community members and others to help in the grantmaking decision, which makes it a community involved process.

One of the grant recipients was Equal Hope. The non-profit organization began as the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force in 2008 based on research that showed racial disparities in breast cancer mortality rates. In the last few years, the organization’s mission has expanded to address other women’s cancers and primary care.

Anne Marie Murphy, PhD, executive director of Equal Hope, saw that COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting women of color and communities of color.

Equal Hope retrained its workers to help women with their social services needs, rental and housing assistance, utility assistance and food. Equal Hope during the pandemic has been working with other partners to be a part of the solution to help women navigate the pandemic.

Equal Hope has worked with Chicago Foundation for Women in the past, with respect to advocacy and public policy and other efforts for COVID mitigation and improving access to healthcare.

“From a start that was quite narrow, we really have expanded to help women a lot more holistically navigate and survive,” Murphy said.

Equal Hope received $43,000 in grant money. It will use that money toward advocacy efforts, improving access to women’s health care, and continue to help women access social services and other forms of emergency assistance connected to the pandemic.

The Spring grant cycle is coming up. Last year, the Chicago Foundation for women distributed $3.2 million in grants. It was the highest in the history of the organization. For 2022, the organization is expecting to exceed that amount.

“Overall, this SHEcovery really is a roadmap and it’s a commitment from the CFW to create equitable systems for women of color. I also thinks it’s a bold statement for us to say that, to put that up front. Organizations led by women of color usually lag behind in traditional funding models. This is our way of creating additional equity,” Davis Blakley said.

For more information about Equal Hope, visit equalhope.org. For more information about SHEcovery, visit SHEcovery.com. For more information about the Chicago Foundation for women, visit www.cfw.org.

Roseland Community Hospital Celebrates National Children’s Dental Helth Month Sealants make sense. Since opening in 1924, the Roseland Community Hospital, or RCH for short, has been offering comprehensive healthcare services to residents of Chicago’s far South Side neighborhoods, including outpatient services, a well-known Obstetrics Unit, Behavioral Health Services, a COVID-19 Clinic, a Medical Stabilization Unit, a special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and a Mobile Dental Clinic. During the pandemic, the hospital’s Mobile Dental Clinic was put on pause as their mobile dental van was utilized for more immediate COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. With COVID-19 cases beginning to decrease in Roseland and the surrounding neighborhoods, the hospital plans to bring back their mobile dental van later this month.

“This is an initiative that is not only convenient for families, but also a necessity in our communities,” said Tim Egan,” President and CEO of the Roseland Community Hospital. “With this program, we hope to break down barriers of access to dental services for children across the Greater Roseland community, providing them a positive and safe experience for their overall wellness.”

This Mobile Dental Clinic has been servicing the greater community for over four years. Over the course

of this time, the hospital has seen over approximately 10,000 children to date. Reaching elementary and middle schools along with daycares, the mobile dental van will again start providing preventative services daily to these communities. Services include dental exams with state approved forms with charting, dental cleaning, dental sealants, fluoride treatments and a dental “goodie” bag consisting of an age-appropriate toothbrush, paste and floss pics. The team will return to these schools and daycares for six-month checkups and will also refer children who have decay to local dentists and/or dental schools for follow up care.

In addition to the Mobile Dental Clinic, Roseland Community Hospital has experienced the privilege of providing healthcare services for the people who currently call Roseland their home.

Roseland Community Hospital is the community’s integrated and coordinated healthcare choice, where professional caregivers provide quality services on the path to recovery and overall wellness. For almost 100 years, the Hospital has provided high-quality healthcare services to the residents of Roseland and surrounding neighborhoods.

To learn more about Roseland Community Hospital, please visit https://www.roselandhospitaltalks.orgor call 773-9953000.

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WEEKEND

NEWS

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POLITICAL AFFAIRS

HB378 Procurement- Black Owned Media-PASSES Bill Sponsored by State Representative Thaddeus Jones Synopsis As Introduced- Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that for any State agency subject to the provisions of the Code, no less than 20% of the moneys appropriated for or used by that State agency for the purchase of media services shall be used to procure the services of black-owned media. Requires units of local government to adopt an ordinance or resolution for the procurement of black-owned media services. Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act. Allows municipalities and counties to use moneys allocated under the Act for the procurement of black-owned media services.

Defines “black-owned media”. Makes conforming changes.

John W. Fountain, an Olympia Fields resident, addressed Southland College Prep’s Golden Apple honors award event via ZOOM from Accra, Ghana where he is a Fulbright scholar on leave from Roosevelt University teaching at the University of Ghana and conducting research. Southland’s choir, led by director Elizabeth Norman, performed inspiring musical numbers for the virtual event.

PHOTO BY JOHN SMIERCIAK

Journalist, Author, Fulbright Scholar John Fountain Addresses Southland College Prep Top Students Richton Park, Ill. — Southland College Prep Charter High School honored 62 students who earned Straight As in the school’s first semester with Golden Apples during a special assembly Tuesday, Feb. 8. Additionally, 129 Southland students who earned GPAs of 4.0 or better were feted in a second event Thursday, Feb. 10.

Both events featured live Zoom calls from John W. Fountain, an Olympia Fields resident, who is on leave from his post as a tenured professor of journalism at Roosevelt University and is a Fulbright Scholar teaching and conducting research in West Africa at the University of Ghana in Accra.

Fountain shared with the Southland honor students his own life story of growing up in poverty on Chicago’s West Side to become a journalist with the Washington Ron Bean, Southland College Prep Board President and (r.)Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, CEO, conPost, New York Times, Chicago gratulate Olumide Adesioye on earning a Golden Apple for Straight As in the first semester Tribune and for the past 12 years a of this academic year. Adesioye, of Richton Park, is ranked first in her senior class, has a 4.9 Chicago Sun-Times columnist.

GPA out of a 4.0 scale and plans to attend Brown University where she has been awarded Fountain told the honor a full four-year scholarship to study pre-med and/or pre-nursing. PHOTO BY JOHN SMIERCIAK students that “they can be anybody During his stay in West Africa, Fountain also is they want to be as long as they completing a research project: “Africa Calling: Portraits of have hope.” He urged them to pursue their dreams and to Black Americans Drawn to the Motherland. understand that the struggles and strength of their ances“To learn of John Fountain’s many accomplishments tors should inspire them to know that “there is nothing as a husband, father, author, educator and journalist you can’t do.” were most inspiring and instructive for our students,” During Q & A sessions with both groups of honor students, Fountain told of his experiences of living in Gha- Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, Southland’s CEO, said. “We’re especially proud that Southland’s first semester honor roll, na, which he termed, “ the Motherland,” where, he said, he feels most comfortable as a Black man, free of the fears of students with a 3.0 GPA and higher, totals 385 students, more than two-thirds of the school’s enrollment.” he encounters in urban America.

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Foster, Cohen Lead Effort to Extend COVID-19 Sick Leave for Workers Recently, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) and Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) led 14 of their Democratic colleagues to call on House leadership to move forward with an extension of the COVID-19 sick leave mandate, which expired in December of 2020.

The COVID-19 sick leave mandate was first instituted by the overwhelmingly bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Response Act. It entitled employees to ten days of paid sick leave for self-quarantine, diagnosis or preventative care, COVID-19 treatment, or time to care for a family member who was affected by COVID-19.

“As you know, the temporary requirement for employers to provide paid leave, including sick and family leave, expired on December 31, 2020. Even employees who have negotiated sick leave are seeing their leave eroded quickly by the Omicron variant and inflexible work arrangement,.” the representatives wrote. “American workers, unionized and otherwise, are watching their benefits vanish by no fault of their own. This cannot continue.”

“As the Omicron variant continues to spread throughout our communities, it’s important that we make sure hard-working Americans are able to take time to care for themselves or for family members fighting COVID,” said Rep. Foster. “This latest surge and the increasing threat of long COVID only reinforce the need for Congress to extend COVID leave protections for workers.”

Foster introduced the Pandemic Leave Extension Act on May 11, 2021.

Peters measure to make the Capitol more accessible advances Springfield- A measure to make the capitol complex more accessible for visitors with disabilities clears an important hurdle thanks to State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

“The Capitol grounds belong to all of the people,’’ said Peters. “Everyone, regardless of ability, should be able to freely move about the Capitol and be able to navigate their way through our public spaces.”

Senate Bill 0180 requires the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate to each appoint an accessibility coordinator to work in consultation with the Architect of the Capitol to address accessibility needs for each chamber.

The measure also creates the General Assembly Accessibility Task Force, which will include members appointed by each legislative leader and a chair jointly appointed by the Speaker and the President. Other appointees would include individuals with a disability or advocates for people with disabilities. The task force shall examine issues concerning accessibility of the General Assembly to persons with a disability.

The task force must submit a report of their recommendations to the General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2023.

“This task force will address a critical lack of inclusion in the very center of democracy in this state,” Peters said. “I hope that after the task force completes its recommendations, that we are able to make our capitol grounds more accessible to all.”

The measure passed the Senate Executive committee on Wednesday.

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Honoring Black Achievement, and Doubling Down on the Work to be Done, During Black History Month and Beyond February is Black History Month – an annual commemoration of the achievements of Black Americans and their remarkable impact on history. It’s a time to celebrate the cultural heritage shaped by generations of Black Americans, who for many decades have fought for equity – a fight that continues today.

Though advancements have been made, there is still so much work to be done in our communities in the pursuit of racial equity. For more on how JPMorgan Chase is honoring Black History Month, and how you can too, we sat down with Casandra Betts, Chase community manager in Chicago, based out of the Chatham Village Square branch (712 E. 87th St.), to discuss some impactful ways to celebrate and support the Black community, not just this month – but all year long.

What type of investments is Chase making to bolster the financial health of its Black customers and communities?

Photo credit Getty Images Casandra: Let’s first talk about Black History Month. We’re committed to driving real and sustainable underrepresented communities. change for the Black community here at Chase and around How is Chase helping to accelerate Black-owned the world. We’re using this time to both reflect on the past, as businesses? well as our commitment to build a more equitable future for Casandra: In 2020, Chase announced its $30 billion all people. racial equity commitment, a five-year plan that includes From the way we do business to the policies we advocate assisting entrepreneurs in historically underserved areas to for, our commitments are part of a continued effort to bring access coaching, technical assistance and capital. Chase has an enhanced equity lens to JPMorgan Chase’s businesses also provided 15,000 loans to small businesses in diverse and how we serve all customers, clients, communities and communities. employees.

Additionally, Chase offers a suite of helpful tools for And so our work to support the Black community goes Black and diverse-owned businesses. For example, we offer beyond banking. By providing growth opportunities for one-on-one counseling with a business banking professional, diverse-owned small businesses, increasing homeownership access to the Chase for Business Resource Center and memrates, providing better access to affordable housing and more, bership to the JPMorgan Chase Supplier Diversity Network Chase is committed to helping close the racial wealth gap and (SDN). driving economic inclusion. We’re also giving underbanked What are some ways people can support the economic communities better access to the necessary resources to imgrowth of the Black community? prove financial health.

Casandra: Black History Month is a great reminder that, But the work doesn’t stop there. Every day we collabwhile some advancements have been made, there is room for orate with community partners, policymakers, customers improvement.

In February 2019, JPMorgan Chase launched Advancing and employees to continue improving the financial health of

Black Pathways (ABP) to strengthen the economic foundation of the Black community. ABP focuses on four key areas where there are racial and economic disparities that can create barriers to long term financial success: careers and skills, business development, financial health and wealth creation, and community development.

These four key areas acknowledge the power and importance that entrepreneurship plays in the Black community Unfortunately, the racial wealth gap widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 5% of Black Americans holding business equity — a key driver of wealth — compared to 15% of white Americans.

There are many impactful ways to support economic growth of Black Americans on local and national levels, during Black History Month and all year long. Consider these opportunities: • Purchase a product from, or solicit the services of, a Black-owned business.

• Spread the word about your favorite Black-owned brands.

• Donate to a nonprofit that is working to advance racial equity.

• Follow a Black business on social media and engage with their posts to help build their online presence.

We know that owning a business represents the best path to the middle class. So, if we are to make meaningful progress in closing the racial wealth divide, entrepreneurship must be a key part of the equation. We can never lose sight of that dream.

Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase To learn more about how Chase can guide your business to the right resources, please visit: Chase’s new program to empower diverse small businesses: https://www.chase.com/businessconsultant and Advancing Black Pathways: https://www.jpmorganchase.com/impact/people/advancing-black-pathways.

Courtney Adeleye to Host Virtual BAW$E Conference: Power Edition ORLANDO, Fla., PRNewswire -- Courtney Adeleye, CEO and founder of Olbali, is hosting the biggest virtual conference of the year, appropriately named the BAW$E Conference: Power Edition. But this conference won’t be your average online conference. Now in its third year, the BAW$E conference is an interactive, digital experience designed to reach more people for greater impact. The conference is set for Friday-Sunday, Feb. 25-27.

Courtney found meteoric success when she launched The Mane Choice. In just six short years, the brand earned over 100,000,000 million in sales and gained a cult following. Since then, Courtney has launched Olbali Brands, a conglomerate of businesses spanning the food, beverage, and wellness industries.

Now Courtney is teaching other entrepreneurs how to catapult their brands from obscurity to fan favorites.

“I always say that if you didn’t come to disrupt, don’t bother showing up,” explains Courtney. “So, I want to help other entrepreneurs understand the importance of showing up fully for themselves and their brands. I want to give them the tools to execute.”

Attendees at the conference will not only learn from

Courtney herself but celebrity speakers like bestselling authors Tabitha Brown and Sarah Jakes Roberts; serial entrepreneur and investor Phyllis Newhouse; and master brand builders like Melissa Butler of The Lip Bar and Pinky Cole of The Slutty Vegan. But those powerhouses are just the tip of the iceberg.

A highlight will be the live panel titled The Making of a BAW$E! The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The roster of panelists boasts some of the most prominent business and media personalities including Supa Cent, La La Milan, Yandy Smith, Jesseca Dupart, Milano Di Rouge, and Ms. Bling.

All in all, the conference will feature over 20 masterclasses led by entrepreneurs and experts on topics like generational wealth, brand building & marketing, passive income, scaling a business, and much more.

In addition to a stellar lineup, attendees can be assured that this is not a Zoom call. Instead, it’s a full-scale digital experience. Registrants will be able to attend multiple sessions, freely move about the website, and navigate from room to room within the conference. The conference is open to women and men, and attendees do not have to be entrepreneurs. To register for the BAW$E conference, please visit https://thebawseconference.com/.

Sponsors for the event include Shay Better Coaching, The Black Virtual Mall, Cool Coffee Clique, Foolproof Body, Lily Frilly, and Poptritional.

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FASHION

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PRNewsfoto/Saks

LIDS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH THREE HISTORIC BLACK SPORTS INSTITUTIONS

SAKS DEBUTS DIGITAL-FIRST SPRING CAMPAIGN STARRING LUPITA NYONG’O NEW YORK PRNewswire -- Saks, the premier digital platform for luxury fashion, debuted its digital-first spring 2022 campaign featuring Academy Award-winning actress, Executive Producer of Africa’s first superhero series for children “Super Sema,” and star of the upcoming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Lupita Nyong’o. The seasonal campaign celebrates why fashion is fun again by showcasing the bright, bold styles of the season through an optimistic, fresh and timely storytelling lens.

The digital-first, 360-degree campaign features unique content across Saks-owned channels and partner platforms. Components include interviews and videos on Saks social media channels, main homepage, a dedicated email campaign, an exclusive feature in The Edit, the Saks editorial hub for fashion news and style inspiration, a spread in the March issue of Vogue and custom content on harpersbazaar.com.

“Saks resides at the crossroads of fashion and technology,” says Emily Essner, Chief Marketing Officer, Saks. “We’re thrilled to share compelling content and meaningful stories from the digital spring campaign with our customers. We know our unique take on fashion’s top trends as told through vivid storytelling and stunning visuals of our campaign star, strongly resonates with the Saks audience.”

Spring campaign star, Lupita Nyong’o, spoke with Saks about her passion for style, upcoming role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, her favorite red carpet looks and personal career highlights. The video interview lives on Saks’ Instagram (@saks) channel and can be found on Saks.com in The Edit. Lupita, styled by friend and celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger and photographed by Joshua Kissi, is seen

in a stunning Versace matching set, as well as outfits from designers Brandon Maxwell, Mônot and LaQuan Smith. “[I approach my red carpet style] with curiosity and a sense of humor,” shares Lupita Nyong’o when asked about her attention-getting movie premiere looks. “I love dressing up, it just reminds me of being a kid and coming up with outfits from sheets and towels and things. It’s a chance to make believe and to just live at a higher level.

So, I have fun with it.”

The Saks It List is found on Saks.com and each season outlines the must-have trends, highlighting what is breaking through the fashion scene. Top trends for the spring season include: barely there tops, cutouts, shoulder bags and short suits. To accompany the Saks It List, custom playing cards inspired by the season’s styles were sent to select Saks clients. The brand tapped illustrator Dai Ruiz to add her vibrant and bold aesthetic, making the playing cards collectible fashion pieces themselves.

“As a fashion authority, Saks strives to bring new, exciting and unique voices in design to our customers and this season is no exception,” says Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchandising Officer, Saks. “We are dedicated to providing the very best assortment and this campaign reflects the fun trends of the season to come.”

The Edit is filled with fresh, fun and timely stories featuring engaging pieces told through the Saks lens. On The Edit, customers can find an in-depth interview with campaign star, Lupita Nyong’o, as well as the best items of the season from shoes, to bags to occasion-based dressing. For men’s spring styling, professional skater Boo Johnson showcases the best men’s styles from top designers.

Supermodel Joan Smalls Kicks Off New Campaign for Anne Klein NEW YORK PRNewswire -- Iconic American fashion brand Anne Klein selects supermodel, actress and activist Joan Smalls as the face of its Spring 2022 campaign. The brand debuted its Spring campaign during New York Fashion Week. Smalls is featured in a See It Now, Buy It Now lookbook and video presentation on the CFDA’s Runway 360 digital platform Runway360.cfda.com and the collection is available for purchase on AnneKlein.com.

Smalls is the first featured talent in a multiyear campaign that will showcase a dynamic woman and celebrity each season.

A supermodel born and raised in Puerto Rico, Smalls is a dedicated advocate who donated 50 percent of her wages in the second half of 2020 to charitable causes, and in 2021 helped launch #ChangeFashion initiative dedicated PRNewsFoto to eradicating racism in the fashion industry.

Smalls will join Anne Klein and a signature retail partner on another charitable initiative to be announced soon.

“We are excited to have Joan Smalls showcase the brand this

season as she exemplifies the multifaceted empowered woman Anne Klein serves,” said Effy Zinkin, Chief Operating Officer at WHP Global, owner of the Anne Klein brand, “Joan’s work in the fashion community and beyond exemplifies Anne Klein’s mission and we look forward to working with her to further support charitable endeavors.”

Anne Klein is an iconic legacy women’s fashion brand founded in 1968, serving women around the world with classic American style.

The brand’s namesake, Anne Klein herself, formed the brand to create elegant sportswear for women and revolutionize the way that women think about and buy clothing. Now owned by WHP Global, the Anne Klein brand continues to outfit the women who make an impact on the world, with products being sold throughout North America, China, Korea, Philippines, Mexico and other countries around the world.

To learn more about ANNE KLEIN and shop the new collection, including Handbags, Jewelry, Shoes, Sunglasses and Watches visit www.AnneKlein.com.

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INDIANAPOLIS PRNewswire -Leading sports retailer, Lids is honoring three historic Black sports institutions through a first-ever retail partnership with The Negro Leagues Museum, Black Fives, and Harlem Globetrotters. Dubbed “They Gave Us Game,” each property’s products in partnership with Lids – including apparel and accessories like jerseys, caps and shorts – will be sold year-round for the first time in over 700 Lids stores across the U.S. starting this month.

Products from each collection are inspired by original vintage details previously worn by pioneering African American players from each of the three iconic sports entities, including their uniforms and team logos. The collections are brought to life with the use of premium materials, historical patches, and a nod to their extensive history. Designed for today’s consumers, each collection highlights many of the impactful but often previously unknown stories across each realm from decades past. New product collections will be released seasonally moving forward.

This initiative offers countless teachable moments to communicate the full history of sports in America. “Lids is proud to partner with these historical properties that not only changed the course of American history but continue to make an immediate impact in sports today,” said Lawrence Berger, Chairman at FanzzLids Holdings and Partner at Ames Watson, the holding company of Lids. “This initiative is a monumental moment for Lids and these leagues as customers from all over the country will be able to properly support and celebrate these leagues year-round the way it deserves to be.” generations are yearning to hear.”

The Greenwich, CT-based Black Fives Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity whose mission is to research, preserve, showcase, teach, and honor the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball, a period known as the Black Fives Era that lasted from the early 1900s to 1950, when the NBA signed its first Black players. The organization advocates expanding Black history education overall to amplify and include this important basketball history, utilizing nearly 1,000 related artifacts in its historical archive as well as a portfolio of related intellectual property and other difference-making initiatives. For more information, please visit http://www. blackfives.org/.

To find a retail location near you visit blog.lids.com or join the #LidsLoyal on Instagram (@lids), Facebook (@lids), Twitter (@lids), or LinkedIn.

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B L AC K H I S T O RY F O C U S

Black History Milestones: Timeline, Part 1 (1619 - 1896)

(Black PR Wire) In August of 1619, a journal entry recorded that “20 and odd” Angolans, kidnapped by the Portuguese, arrived in the British colony of Virginia and were then were bought by English colonists.

The date and the story of the enslaved Africans have become symbolic of slavery’s roots, despite captive and free Africans likely being present in the Americas in the 1400s and as early as 1526 in the region that would become the United States.

The fate of enslaved people in the United States would divide the nation during the Civil War. And after the war, the racist legacy of slavery would persist, spurring movements of resistance, including the Underground Railroad, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Selma to Montgomery March, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Through it all, Black leaders, artists and writers have emerged to shape the character and identity of a nation.

Slavery Comes to North America , 1619 To satisfy the labor needs of the rapidly growing North American colonies, white European settlers turned in the early 17th century from indentured servants (mostly poorer Europeans) to a cheaper, more plentiful labor source: enslaved Africans. After 1619, when a Dutch ship brought 20 Africans ashore at the British colony of Jamestown, Virginia, slavery spread quickly through the American colonies. Though it is impossible to give accurate figures, some historians have estimated that 6 to 7 million enslaved people were imported to the New World during the 18th century alone, depriving the African continent of its most valuable resource—its healthiest and ablest men and women.

After the American Revolution, many colonists (particularly in the North, where slavery was relatively unimportant to the economy) began to link the oppression of enslaved Africans to their own oppression by the British. Though leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—both slaveholders from Virginia—took cautious steps towards limiting slavery in the newly independent nation, the Constitution tacitly acknowledged the institution, guaranteeing the right to repossess any “person held to service or labor” (an obvious euphemism for slavery).

Many northern states had abolished slavery by the end of the 18th century, but the institution was absolutely vital to the South, where Black people constituted a large minority of the population and the economy relied on the production of crops like tobacco and cotton. Congress outlawed the import of new enslaved people in 1808, but the enslaved population in the U.S. nearly tripled over the next 50 years, and by 1860 it had reached nearly 4 million, with more than half living in the cotton–producing states of the South.

Rise of the Cotton Industry, 1793 In the years immediately following the Revolutionary War, the rural South—the region where slavery had taken the strongest hold in North America—faced an economic crisis.

The soil used to grow tobacco, then the leading cash crop, was exhausted, while products such as rice and indigo failed to generate much profit. As a result, the price of enslaved people was dropping, and the continued growth of slavery seemed in doubt.

Around the same time, the mechanization of spinning and weaving had revolutionized the textile industry in England, and the demand for American cotton soon became insatiable. Production was limited, however, by the laborious process of removing the seeds from raw cotton fibers, which had to be completed by hand.

In 1793, a young Yankee schoolteacher named Eli Whitney came up with a solution to the problem: The cotton gin, a simple mechanized device that efficiently removed the seeds, could be hand–powered or, on a large scale, harnessed to a horse or powered by water. The cotton gin was widely copied, and within a few years the South would transition from a dependence on the cultivation of tobacco to that of cotton.

As the growth of the cotton industry led inexorably to an increased demand for enslaved Africans, the prospect of slave

rebellion—such as the one that triumphed in Haiti in 1791— drove slaveholders to make increased efforts to prevent a similar event from happening in the South. Also in 1793, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which made it a federal crime to assist an enslaved person trying to escape. Though it was difficult to enforce from state to state, especially with the growth of abolitionist feeling in the North, the law helped enshrine and legitimize slavery as an enduring American institution.

Nat Turner’s Revolt, August 1831 In August 1831, Nat Turner struck fear into the hearts of white Southerners by leading the only effective slave rebellion in U.S. history. Born on a small plantation in Southampton County, Virginia, Turner inherited a passionate hatred of slavery from his African–born mother and came to see himself as anointed by God to lead his people out of bondage.

In early 1831, Turner took a solar eclipse as a sign that the time for revolution was near, and on the night of August 21, he and a small band of followers killed his owners, the Travis family, and set off toward the town of Jerusalem, where they planned to capture an armory and gather more recruits.

The group, which eventually numbered around 75 Black people, killed some 60 white people in two days before armed resistance from local white people and the arrival of state militia forces overwhelmed them just outside Jerusalem. Some 100 enslaved people, including innocent bystanders, lost their lives in the struggle. Turner escaped and spent six weeks on the run before he was captured, tried and hanged.

Oft–exaggerated reports of the insurrection—some said that hundreds of white people had been killed—sparked a wave of anxiety across the South. Several states called special emergency sessions of the legislature, and most strengthened their codes in order to limit the education, movement and assembly of enslaved people. While supporters of slavery pointed to the Turner rebellion as evidence that Black people were inherently inferior barbarians requiring an institution such as slavery to discipline them, the increased repression of southern Black people would strengthen anti–slavery feeling in the North through the 1860s and intensify the regional tensions building toward civil war.

Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad, 1831 The early abolition movement in North America was fueled both by enslaved people’s efforts to liberate themselves and by groups of white settlers, such as the Quakers, who opposed slavery on religious or moral grounds. Though the lofty ideals of the Revolutionary era invigorated the movement, by the late 1780s it was in decline, as the growing southern cotton industry made slavery an ever more vital part of the national economy. In the early 19th century, however, a new brand of radical abolitionism emerged in the North, partly in reaction to Congress’ passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 and the tightening of codes in most southern states. One of its most eloquent voices was William Lloyd Garrison, a crusading journalist from Massachusetts, who founded the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator in 1831 and became known as the

most radical of America’s antislavery activists.

Antislavery northerners—many of them free Black people—had begun helping enslaved people escape from southern plantations to the North via a loose network of safe houses as early as the 1780s called the Underground Railroad.

Dred Scott Case, March 6, 1857 On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Scott v. Sanford, delivering a resounding victory to southern supporters of slavery and arousing the ire of northern abolitionists. During the 1830s, the owner of an enslaved man named Dred Scott had taken him from the slave state of Missouri to the Wisconsin territory and Illinois, where slavery was outlawed, according to the terms of the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Upon his return to Missouri, Scott sued for his freedom on the basis that his temporary removal to free soil had made him legally free. The case went to the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice Roger B. Taney and the majority eventually ruled that Scott was an enslaved person and not a citizen, and thus had no legal rights to sue.

According to the Court, Congress had no constitutional power to deprive persons of their property rights when dealing with enslaved people in the territories. The verdict effectively declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, ruling that all territories were open to slavery and could exclude it only when they became states.

While much of the South rejoiced, seeing the verdict as a clear victory, antislavery northerners were furious. One of the most prominent abolitionists, Frederick Douglass, was cautiously optimistic, however, wisely predicting that—”This very attempt to blot out forever the hopes of an enslaved people may be one necessary link in the chain of events preparatory to the complete overthrow of the whole slave system.”

John Brown’s Raid, October 16, 1859 A native of Connecticut, John Brown struggled to support his large family and moved restlessly from state to state throughout his life, becoming a passionate opponent of slavery along the way. After assisting in the Underground Railroad out of Missouri and engaging in the bloody struggle between proand anti-slavery forces in Kansas in the 1850s, Brown grew anxious to strike a more extreme blow for the cause.

On the night of October 16, 1859, he led a small band of less than 50 men in a raid against the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Their aim was to capture enough ammunition to lead a large operation against Virginia’s slaveholders. Brown’s men, including several Black people, captured and held the arsenal until federal and state governments sent troops and were able to overpower them.

John Brown was hanged on December 2, 1859.

His trial riveted the nation, and he emerged as an eloquent voice against the injustice of slavery and a martyr to the abolitionist cause. Just as Brown’s courage turned thousands of previously indifferent northerners against slavery, his violent actions convinced slave owners in the South beyond doubt that abolitionists would go to any lengths to destroy the “peculiar

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million), making it the costliest conflict in American history.

The Post-Slavery South, 1865 Though the Union victory in the Civil War gave some 4 million enslaved people their freedom, significant challenges awaited during the Reconstruction period. The 13th Amendment, adopted late in 1865, officially abolished slavery, but the question of freed Black peoples’ status in the post–war Civil War and Emancipation, 1861 In the spring of 1861, the bitter sectional conflicts that had South remained. As white southerners gradually reestablished civil authority in the former Confederate states in 1865 and been intensifying between North and South over the course 1866, they enacted a series of laws known as the Black Codes, of four decades erupted into civil war, with 11 southern states which were designed to restrict freed Black peoples’ activity seceding from the Union and forming the Confederate States and ensure their availability as a labor force. of America. Though President Abraham Lincoln’s antislavery Impatient with the leniency shown toward the former views were well established, and his election as the nation’s Confederate states by Andrew Johnson, who became president first Republican president had been the catalyst that pushed after Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865, so-called Radical the first southern states to secede in late 1860, the Civil War Republicans in Congress overrode Johnson’s veto and at its outset was not a war to abolish slavery. Lincoln sought first and foremost to preserve the Union, and he knew that few passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, which basically people even in the North—let alone the border slave states still placed the South under martial law. The following year, the 14th Amendment broadened the definition of citiloyal to Washington—would have supported a war against zenship, granting “equal protection” of the Constitution slavery in 1861. to people who had been enslaved. Congress required By the summer of 1862, however, Lincoln had come to southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment and enact believe he could not avoid the slavery question much longer. universal male suffrage before they could rejoin the Five days after the bloody Union victory at Antietam in SepUnion, and the state constitutions during those years tember, he issued a preliminary emancipation proclamation; were the most progressive in the region’s history. on January 1, 1863, he made it official that enslaved people The 15th Amendment, adopted in 1870, guaranteed within any State, or designated part of a State in rebellion, “shallPD018171-1A03_QEXL1215000_COMED_22BHM_PRINT_10.75X6.5.INDD be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” Lincoln justi- that a citizen’s right to vote would not be denied—on acprevious condition of servitude.” fied his decision he did10.75” not x 6.5” count of race, color, orNotes: Client: COMED as a wartime measure, and as such Bleed: CHICAGO CITIZEN NEWSPAPER GROUP Ads people in the border states Trim:loyal 10.75”to x 6.5” During Reconstruction, Black Americans won election go soCampaign: far as to 2022BHM-Print free enslaved Live: 10.75” x 6.5” to southern state governments and even to the U.S. Agency Job B1241-0023914-00 the Union, an #: omission that angered many abolitionists.

Prodigious Job #: B1124-018171 By freeing some 3 million enslaved people in the rebel Keyline Scale: ActualCongress.

Size, 100% Their growing influence greatly dismayed AD ID: QEXL1215000 many white southerners, who felt control slipping ever states,Page: the Full Emancipation Proclamation deprived the ConfederPage Region: US further away from them. The white protective societies acy ofDate theModified: bulk of2-18-2022 its labor forces and put international public Language: English 4:49 PM that arose during this period—the largest of which was opinion strongly on the Union side. Some 186,000 Black USED FOR COLOR the Ku KluxAPPROVAL Klan (KKK)—sought to disenfranchise Black soldiers would join the Union Army by the timeNOT the TO warBE ended voters by using voter suppression and intimidation as well in 1865, and 38,000 lost their lives.

The total number of dead ECD: None CD: Jennifer Meinders AD: Paige Simpson CW: Jake Dunnington P: Jennifer Baur CSM: None PD: Jim Barrett as more extreme violence. By 1877, when the last federal at war’s end was 620,000 (out of a population of some 35 institution.” Rumors spread of other planned insurrections, and the South reverted to a semi-war status. Only the election of the anti–slavery Republican Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 remained before the southern states would begin severing ties with the Union, sparking the bloodiest conflict in American history.

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soldiers left the South and Reconstruction drew to a close, Black Americans had seen dishearteningly little improvement in their economic and social status, and what political gains they had made had been wiped away by the vigorous efforts of white supremacist forces throughout the region.

‘Separate But Equal,’ 1896 As Reconstruction drew to a close and the forces of white supremacy regained control from carpetbaggers (northerners who moved South) and freed Black people, Southern state legislatures began enacting the first segregation laws, known as the “Jim Crow” laws. Taken from a much-copied minstrel routine written by a white actor who performed often in blackface, the name “Jim Crow” came to serve as a general derogatory term for African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. By 1885, most southern states had laws requiring separate schools for Black and white students, and by 1900, “persons of color” were required to be separated from white people in railroad cars and depots, hotels, theaters, restaurants, barber shops and other establishments. On May 18, 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its verdict in Plessy v. Ferguson, a case that represented the first major test of the meaning of the 14th Amendment’s provision of full and equal citizenship to African Americans.

By an 8–1 majority, the Court upheld a Louisiana law that required the segregation of passengers asserting that the Inks Used: CMYK on railroad cars. By Links: PD018171-1a03_QEXL1215000_ComEd_22BHM equal protection clause was not violated as long as Print_10.75x6.5.ai Fonts: None reasonably equal conditions were provided to both groups, the Court established the “separate but equal” doctrine that would thereafter be used for assessing the constitutionality of racial segregation laws. Plessy vs. Ferguson stood as the overriding judicial precedent in civil rights cases until 1954, when it was reversed by the Court’s verdict in Brown v. Board of Education.

BRIGHT YOUNG MINDS TODAY POWER A BETTER TOMORROW

Across the country, only one in eleven STEM professionals is African American. That’s why ComEd offers programs to help African American students pursue a powerful career in STEM. ComEd’s commitment is to help inspire the next generation of African American scientists, engineers, and mathematicians so that the bright young minds of today can become the future of tomorrow.

Learn more about our STEM programs at ComEd.com/STEMeducation

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Previon Steps up to Help Americans Get Easy Access to COVID-19 Test Kits YORBA LINDA, Calif. PRNewswire -- Previon, a leading provider of customizable preventive health test kits, kit logistics, healthcare communications, and consulting solutions, announced its vital role in two important initiatives designed to meet current demand for COVID-19 test kits and related services. Previon’s contributions to these critical programs highlight the breadth of their services and expertise in preventive health. Previon is partnering with a leading healthcare provider to supply COVID-19 test kits to airline travelers upon request, and the company is teaming up with two other healthcare companies to assist the Biden Administration in its effort to make COVID-19 test kits readily available to every American.

Previon Builds Test Kits for Major Airline, Delivers them Directly to Passengers Previon is assembling and shipping thousands of test kits as part of a collaboration with a leading healthcare provider and a major airline that allows travelers to comply easily with new testing guidelines requiring U.S.-bound passengers to show proof of a negative COVID test result. Airline passengers have the option to purchase these specially discounted test kits before or after purchasing their airline tickets. Each kit Previon assembles contains a CDC-approved Rapid Antigen test and instructions for performing the test during a virtual appointment with a testing specialist who will guide the traveler through the sample collection process and supervise the test. Within minutes after completing his or her test,

a traveler will receive a secure link to download the digital health certificate required for travel.

With decades of experience in the field of preventive health, Previon brings to this partnership its deep expertise in health test kit assembly, shipping, and tracking. For example, Previon prints a barcode on each test kit, thus associating the test kit with the specific person to whom it was sent. This makes it possible to track the progress and status of the mailed kits, improving the program’s efficiency and providing these companies with valuable, actionable data.

Previon Provides Hundreds of Thousands of COVID-19 Self-Collection Kits to U.S. Distributors Through a separate partnership with a next-generation point-of-care diagnostics company, a healthcare innovator, and an expanding list of retailers, Previon is helping Americans easily access and complete COVID-19 PCR tests. Under the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program, retailers can offer free COVID-19 testing in their local communities and receive reimbursement. To retailers who participate in this program, Previon ships self-collection, self-administered PCR tests for them to distribute to their customers, who can take the tests on their own and deposit their completed tests in a collection box at the retail location.

One of Previon’s partners in this initiative arranges for the tests to be shipped to a lab and processed within 48 hours and then delivers the results to the test takers via email. Previon

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is assembling hundreds of thousands of these test kits and shipping them to retailers.

Whether organizations wish to distribute self-collection COVID-19 antigen tests complete with oversight by a testing specialist, or self-collection, self-administered COVID-19 PCR tests, or at-home tests to screen for colorectal cancer, diabetes, or other conditions, Previon has the expertise to help them fulfill these needs quickly, efficiently, and intelligently. As Joel Luce, Previon’s CEO explains, “Previon specializes in innovative health test kitting solutions, including printing, mailing, and tracking physician-ordered, direct-to-patient kits through expert, multi-channel campaign management services and our patented workflow software, Preventive Care as a Service™️ (PCaaS™️). Our work with these diverse companies highlights the range of our skills and capabilities as well as our flexibility and passionate commitment to solving our clients’ preventive healthcare challenges, whatever they may be.”

Previon is the single source for preventive health test kitting, kit logistics, and healthcare communications that provides integrated best-practice solutions through custom health test kits, optimized communications, and value-added consulting to help healthcare organizations adopt processes that close care gaps, meet CMS regulations, and drive continuous quality improvement.

Learn more about The Previon Way™ and our innovative Preventive Care as a Service (PCaaS) solution by visiting us at Previon.com and by connecting with us on LinkedIn.

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Prioritize Self-Care for a Brighter Future (Family Features) When so much of the world is beyond your control, it’s easy to become anxious or overwhelmed trying to take care of everyone and everything. Making selfcare a priority allows you to take charge and protect your own mental and physical wellness.

For many people, self-care gets neglected while other needs and obligations move to the forefront. That’s why being intentional and getting organized can help put you on a better path.

“A steady schedule is a healthy schedule,” said Jackie Michaels, a vocalist, songwriter, actress and author who shares her own journey to help others learn how to appreciate life by encouraging self-care, self-love and healing. “Set intentional goals to realign your life and create time for yourself to accomplish your goals.”

Michaels offers these words of wisdom to those who are just beginning their journey of intentional self-care.

Take advantage of the energy of the moon. A new moon is an ideal time to contemplate and plan for the future, as its path toward light and energy can align with your progress toward a milestone or goal. Conversely, a full moon’s expansive positive energy is thought to help amplify both conscious and sub-conscious thoughts for productive meditation. As the moon wanes, this is a time for reflection, shedding what hinders your progress as you prepare for another fresh start with the return of a new moon.

Make time for yourself to find balance. In today’s busy world, this advice can be much easier said than done, but that’s why Michaels recommends arming yourself with tools that can help. For example, the Love Me Right Self-Care Journal and Planner can help you set boundaries for yourself and others.

You can use the calendar to set and take necessary breaks from time to time as a step toward self-care management.

Relax and release before starting a new week.

Each week is an opportunity for a fresh start. Take time over the weekend to mentally rest and recharge, paying attention to areas of growth and accomplishment. It’s also helpful to be intentional about letting go of disappointments and missteps from the week behind you and focus your mental energy on how to

continue progressing toward your goals.

Make every effort count. When time is precious, there’s little room for lackluster effort.

While you may not be able to realistically put everything into all that you do, you’ll likely discover a pattern of greater success in the activities where you invest yourself more deeply.

Ultimately, you may find it easier to pass on activities that don’t pique your interest enough to command your full energy.

Recognize there’s no guilt in putting yourself first. Think about what you give to your friends, work and other external forces in life.

When your effort is limited, chances are your results are, too. The same applies when you’re working on yourself. If you only give what energy is leftover after giving to everyone and everything else, you’re not likely to achieve the results you desire. Understanding that giving all of yourself is the only way to reach what you aspire is the first step toward letting go of the guilt you may feel when you make yourself and your own time the first priority.

Give yourself credit and acknowledge your achievements. When you’re busy chasing your goals and dreams, it’s easy to lose sight of what you’ve already accomplished. Take time to celebrate victories and be proud of what you have accomplished. Also remember acknowledging milestones and progress toward bigger, long-term goals can help keep you motivated and determined to reach the finish line.

Find more inspiration for your self-care journey at jackiemichaels.com/love-me-right.

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REGGAE PIONEER JIMMY CLIFF RELEASES ACOUSTIC MUSIC VIDEO FOR “HUMAN TOUCH” LOS ANGELES PRNewswire -World-renowned musician, actor, singer, songwriter, producer, humanitarian, and global music legend Jimmy Cliff releases a heart-felt acoustic music video for his latest single, “Human Touch.” The GRAMMY Award winning artist offers the new visual in time to celebrate February’s Black History Month.

“Human Touch” was first released in 2021 on Aug. 6, Jamaican Independence Day. The song was written by Jimmy while in Japan on a tour stop as he was feeling the distance from friends and family back home, due in large part, to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. As one of the last surviving members of the great generation of Reggae pioneers who have since passed (Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Toots Hibbert), he helped bring the genre to all corners of the globe and helped it gain worldwide popularity. Jimmy Cliff’s impact on music and culture is inescapable.

He received Jamaica’s highest honour “The Order of Merit” and was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. His critically acclaimed album Rebirth was awarded the GRAMMY Award for “Best Reggae Album” and was selected as one of Rolling Stone’s “50 Best Albums of 2012.”

Immortal anthems including “Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “The Harder They Come,” and many of his other singles

PRNewsfoto/Geffen/UMe

Vision Addict

such as “Wild World,” “Hakuna Matata” (with Lebo M.) have had chart success across the globe including Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, U.K. and New Zealand.

Everyone from Annie Lennox to Paul Simon has sought him out for collaborations, while Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, New Order, and Fiona Apple have

recorded notable covers. Springsteen’s “Trapped” was included on the We Are The World benefit album. Bob Dylan announced Cliff’s track “Vietnam,” “the greatest protest song ever written.” A distinctive screen presence, he had a starring role in the film and on the soundtrack for the 1972 classic The Harder They Come, which drew an international spotlight on reggae. His career in film includes his wonderful version of “I Can See Clearly Now,”

from the ‘Cool Runnings’ soundtrack and his other film appearances include Club Paradise, Muscle Shoals, Marked For Death, and more.

This July will be a month of celebration for Jimmy Cliff, marking the 50th anniversary of the acclaimed film and soundtrack, The Harder They Come, which had Cliff acting and starring in the lead role. In 2011, The Los Angeles Times credited the film to having “brought reggae to the world.”

Veronica N. Chapman Launches Inaugural Black Children’s Book Week

Black Content Creators Experience New Streams of Income Entering NFT Industry

NEWARK, N.J., PRNewswire -- In an effort to extend Black History Month to celebrate Black children, and the power of positive representation, Entrepreneur and children’s book author Veronica N. Chapman will launch Black Children’s Book Week (BCBW). The inaugural global celebration lasts Sunday-Saturday, Feb. 27-March 5.

“Research shows that when Black children see themselves represented positively in their media, it fortifies their self-esteem and helps protect them from the impact of racism,” says Veronica N. Chapman, founder of Black Children’s Book Week.

“In an ideal world, Black children would get to grow up fully experiencing the joys and protections of childhood, and not be dehumanized simply for having melanin-rich skin.

Instead, they are often affected by and fully aware of the devastating impacts of racism, which can replace their natural childhood curiosity and zest with anxiety and fear. Black Children’s Book Week is an invitation for everyone to be intentional about making sure Black children feel our love.”

Administered by Boxxout Enterprises and Black Baby Books, a platform dedicated

UPPER MARLBORO, Md., PRNewswire -- NFTs are creating passive income opportunities for digital content creators. Jamesha Bazemore, owner of Cocoa Twins, an online digital crafting store, just sold her first NFT for almost $1k, instantly boosting the value of her six-figure content creation brand. Bazemore is diversifying with the addition of NFT licenses to her brand; she houses five trademarks and copyrights for her art, owning the entirety of her digital content.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become increasingly popular for artists and other creatives like Bazemore. Her digital artwork and merchandise feature designs of people of color. Launched in 2016, Cocoa Twins has generated an average of $15k in passive income each month. After serving in the Marine Corps, and with the emergence of Black content creators, Bazemore sought an opportunity to transition her work into the NFT marketing space.

Bazemore shared that 90% of her revenue is passive. Garnering high praise for the designs, Cocoa Twins has amassed over 19k followers via social media.

“My hope is to bring awareness to the digital art space. People wanted to

to simplifying the discovery of children’s books with Black characters, many have responded to BCBW’s call to action to help “raise the vibration in the world” for Black children. Authors, educators, community advocates, and more, are organizing events during the week to accomplish this goal. Countries participating in BCBW include, but are not limited to, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Nigeria, St. Lucia, Venezuela, and more.

Black Children’s Book Week is a global celebration of Black children and the people who ensure Black children are represented in books and other children’s media. Founded by Entrepreneur and Children’s Book Author Veronica N. Chapman, and administered by Black Baby Books, LLC, a platform Veronica launched to make it easier to discover children’s books with Black characters, Black Children’s Book Week will start every year on the last Sunday in February.

To learn more about Black Children’s Book Week or to attend, please visit (https:// blackbabybooks.com/bcbw/) and follow Black Children’s Book Week on Instagram (@blackchildrensbookweek).

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see more Black art so that’s what I’ve done,” Bazemore states. Her work is now established on the Foundation platform for NFTs. “Since I was able to make that impact in the creative and crafting space, I’m hoping to do that with the NFTs.” In the last month, the NFT industry has seen trends of more than 300,000 purchases with an average cost of over $2k per sale. This indicates a range of growth in financial opportunity, especially for African-American entrepreneurs such as Bazemore.

Bazemore encourages other creatives to trust the process as she prepares to debut a new collection on Foundation. “In building this practice, artists are actually building a brand. This digital age breaks glass ceilings and income barriers. We don’t have to be starving artists. We can make a living from our art.”

Cocoa Twins is an e-commerce platform for digital art & art education.

Images on the site may be licensed by users for use in creating other products.

Content Commanders is a storytelling & strategy company specializing in adding more power, personality & perspective to a brand’s digital, print & social media messages.

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An easy DIY activity to get kids excited about STEM STEM learning can be accessible and right at children’s finger tips no matter their age or background. It can even be as easy as walking into the kitchen and looking around for inspiration

(BPT) - Most parents typically tell their children not to go to the pantry for a snack before dinner but what if letting your kids into the pantry could help ignite their passion for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)?

STEM learning can be accessible and right at children’s finger tips no matter their age or background. It can even be as easy as walking into the kitchen and looking around for inspiration. Igniting a curiosity for STEM early can help drive youth into a future including STEM, enabling them to take advantage of a field where jobs are projected to grow 9% by 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To help close the STEM opportunity gap, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Raytheon Technologies are partnering together to enhance Boys &

Girls Clubs of America’s DIY STEM curriculum so that it’s culturally relevant and focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The organizations want to get kids excited about STEM, inspiring youth to start seeing STEM in their everyday surroundings (like through food!), providing more access and opportunity to STEM learning.

“By integrating a diversity, equity and inclusion framework into the new Boys & Girls Clubs of America DIY STEM curriculum, we are able to create a program that inspires all youth and highlights the possibility of a STEM career,” said Susan Cody Ciavolino, director of educational STEM foundation at Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America, an expert in youth development, suggests this fun, hands-on DIY STEM activity, aimed to surprise and excite kids while also building important social-emotional

skills needed to succeed in STEM, both at school and within the workforce.

DIY STEM Activity: Bridge Building * Items needed: Various materials that can be found in the kitchen - use your imagination! From gum drops or marshmallows as the “glue” to dry spaghetti noodles, graham crackers and pretzel sticks as the connectors, encourage kids to use their imagination as to what materials will best create a bridge. * Directions: Play around and try different methods to build a homemade bridge between two tables or surfaces.

Encourage youth to test the weight of their bridge with everyday items like a toy car.

Enjoy this DIY activity and continue to encourage the kids in your life to look at their surroundings and have fun with DIY STEM, as it can lead to a great future.

You are Black history in the making.

Houston White, Barber Minneapolis, MN

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Create a Healthier Home Through Smart Updates

(Family Features) Many homeowners looking to improve their living spaces seek out upgrades that can add visual appeal, improve functionality or increase resale value. However, some updates can also benefit the mental and physical health of those who occupy the space.

While making your home healthier can involve simple steps like decluttering, swapping out cleaning products for natural versions and opening windows to let in more fresh air, there are other projects that can be done to create longer-lasting results. Consider these ideas to create spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but also impart a sense of well-being.

Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint Changing the color of a room can transform your space while also positively impacting your mood. Bright, warm colors like yellow may be uplifting while cooler shades like beige, pale green and soft blue can be soothing. Repainting can also help prevent mold and mildew growth on walls while repelling dust and allergens. Traditional oil- and latex-based paints give off gases that may cause issues such as eye and respiratory irritation. Look for paints with no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and that are certified not to contain heavy metals, carcinogens and other harmful compounds.

Upgrade Your Flooring

Made of natural materials, hardwood flooring is not only attractive but is a hygienic, easy-to-clean choice. The organic beauty and grain of the wood creates an intrinsic connection to nature. You can set the foundation for your living spaces with an option like artisan-crafted Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.

Each floor is handcrafted, one board at a time, from sustainably sourced timbers. Whether you select each detail – wood species, grade, texture and color – or choose from a collection of popular tried-and-true finishes, the result is a unique floor with distinctive character. Learn more at wideplankflooring.com.

Add Natural Light If your home lacks adequate natural lighting, adding or replacing windows and skylights can allow more sunlight into your living space. This offers several benefits, including an improved sense of well-being and increased productivity, not to mention the potential cost savings when you install energy-efficient versions. Additionally, light-blocking shades and adjustable light technologies can work with natural circadian rhythms to enhance sleep.

Modernize the Kitchen From appliances to countertops, there are a variety of kitchen upgrades that can make your space healthier. Incorporating automated technology like a touchless faucet can reduce the amount of contact with germs while a water filtration system can improve the quality of your drinking water. Updating your countertops with a non-porous material like quartz, which replicates the look of natural stone, provides a contemporary aesthetic, and the antimicrobial surface will not harbor bacteria or viruses.

Create a Bathroom Oasis

Even a small space like the bathroom can benefit from wellness-focused updates. Soaking tubs and spa showers with hydrotherapy showerheads can help reduce stress and provide a mental respite. Additionally, a heated towel rack not only brings a touch of luxury but can reduce energy usage and keep towels free of mold and mildew between washes. Touchless faucets and toilets can also help reduce the spread of germs while bringing convenience.

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Take Steps to Support Literacy 8 ways to inspire children to read

(Family Features) Reading is a foundation for learning, yet a vast gap exists in access to books for low-income neighborhoods.

According to the Handbook of Literacy Research, in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio of books per child is just one age-appropriate book for every 300 children. Without books in the home, children lack the opportunity to practice reading skills and are exposed to fewer opportunities to build their vocabularies.

While these limitations can hinder personal performance, multiple studies correlate low literacy rates with social concerns like elevated drop-out rates, reliance on welfare programs and criminal activity.

Literacy is a cause that affects the community as a whole.

Learn how you can champion literacy in your community with these tips:

When children have their own library cards, they can practice the grown-up process of checking out and caring for books.

What’s more, honoring due dates helps teach responsibility.

Marking that date on the calendar is a fun way to build anticipation toward the next visit.

Support Organizations That Promote Literacy Conducting your business with companies that share your commitment to literacy is a way to inspire reading on a larger scale. One example is The UPS Store, which created the Toys for Tots Literacy Program in partnership with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to provide disadvantaged children with direct access to books and educational resources that enhance their ability to read and communicate effectively. You can donate at participating locations or contribute online.

Give Books to Children The joy of receiving and opening a gift is exciting in its own right, but a book is a gift that keeps giving. You can make a book gift extra special by choosing a topic or theme that has special meaning, such as a place you’d like to visit together or a beloved character you enjoy incorporating into your make-believe playtime with the child. As a bonus, if it’s age appropriate, read the book together for the first time so it always carries a special memory.

Create Reading-Inspired Traditions Children thrive on routines and rituals, and incorporating books into special moments can be an especially effective way to establish positive connections with books and the joy of reading.

At home, traditions might be as simple as bedtime stories or reading parties where the whole family dons pajamas early and gathers in a room to read together, whether quietly or out loud.

You can also tie reading traditions to special celebrations, like reading a favorite story together before heading to bed on the eve of a birthday or holiday.

Visit the Library Libraries can be awe-inspiring places for kids. The wall-towall books represent thousands of possibilities. With so many options to choose from, you can introduce children to the delight of discovering different genres, enchanting topics and favorite authors who keep you coming back for more.

Participate in Events Supporting Literacy Show your support by attending and participating in events that showcase the importance of reading. Examples might include book fairs and fundraisers for literacy programs in your community. You can also look into programs offered through your local library and community center. If you find a shortage

of events in your area, consider creating one of your own, such as visiting a local senior living center and reading to residents or hosting a book swap or book club with your friends and neighbors.

Encourage Kids to Get Hands-On Reading a book is one way to demonstrate literacy, but kids can also develop a love for reading and put their comprehension skills into practice by adapting their favorite stories for playtime.

That might mean acting out a different ending for a favorite story or drawing a picture from a scene they remember best. You can also promote literacy by encouraging kids to write songs or their own short stories, which they can illustrate for a finished book to share with others.

Start a Neighborhood Library Recognizing not all kids have access to books at home, you can help promote an interest in reading by creating a mini library within your neighborhood. Create a small structure that will protect books from the elements and spread the word that the contents are free for the taking. Encourage users to return books when they’re done so another child can enjoy them and invite neighbors to donate their gently used books to help fill your library.

Model Good Reading Habits for Kids Children learn from the examples set by trusted grown-ups.

Sharing your love of reading with a child demonstrates you value learning and education. You can encourage children to mimic your interest in reading by sharing stories about the books you enjoyed most when you were their age and choosing to spend quiet time reading together in place of screen time.

For more tips and information on how you can support literacy, visit theupsstore.com/literacy.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Kebabs Recipe courtesy of Rachel Gurk of “Rachel Cooks” on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Servings: 3 Skewers: Nonstick cooking spray 2 chicken breasts (6 ounces each), cubed 1 ham steak (6 ounces), cubed 6 bamboo skewers (8 inches) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup lactose-free 2% milk 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese salt, to taste (optional) pepper, to taste (optional)

Quick, Nutritious Recipes to

Make Family Meals Easy Enjoy dairy dishes without the discomfort

To make skewers: Preheat broiler to 500 F. Line broiler pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Thread cubed chicken pieces and cubed ham pieces onto skewers.

In small bowl, combine Dijon mustard, maple syrup, black pepper, paprika and oil.

Brush mustard mixture on skewers.

Broil about 5 minutes, flip and cook 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

To make sauce: In small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Add Dijon mustard. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until thick. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese, whisking until melted.

Add salt and pepper, to taste, if desired.

Serve chicken and ham kebabs with sauce.

Chicken, Spinach and Feta Casserole Recipe courtesy of Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, on behalf of Milk Means More Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 3 eggs, slightly beaten 2 cups cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 teaspoons dried minced onion 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Preheat oven to 350 F. Place spinach in colander. Use back of large spoon or rubber spatula to press moisture from spinach.

In large bowl, combine spinach, eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, feta cheese, flour, butter, onion, oregano, salt and pepper.

Spoon into greased 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, 45-50 minutes, or until set near center (160 F). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(Family Features) Dinnertime dishes loaded with nutrients help keep loved ones connected while refueling after busy days spent at work and school.

Dairy foods – key ingredients in many at-home meals – provide nutrients for people of all ages to grow and maintain stronger bodies and minds.

However, some bodies are unable to break down the sugar found in milk, known as lactose, which causes an upset stomach and a heavy, bloated feeling.

Rather than avoiding dairy and missing out on beneficial nutrients, people with lactose intolerance can enjoy real dairy products that are naturally low in or don’t contain lactose without the stomachache with foods like: • Lactose-free milk, which is real milk with the same 13 essential nutrients as regular milk • Hard and aged cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and Swiss • Yogurt with live and active cultures, which help break down lactose, making it easier to digest These easy-to-make meals offer lactose intolerance-friendly options for families seeking to keep milk on the menu. Because they all require an hour or less in the kitchen, they provide quick solutions for those hectic schedules without sacrificing taste or nutrition.

Visit MilkMeansMore.org to find more delicious dishes that fit a lactose intolerant meal plan.

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REAL ESTATE HUD/BANK FORECLOSURES CITY & SUBURBS Call: FRED D. CLINK (773) 294-5870 REALTY SERVICES CONSORTIUM ____________________________________ 3+ Bedroom HOMES FOR SALE SELLER FINANCING Call: FRED D. CLINK (773) 294-5870 REALTY SERVICES CONSORTIUM ____________________________________

DOGS PETS LIVESTOCK Use Seal N Heal® to seal wounds on dogs & cats with a bitter taste to prevent gnawing, allow healing. At Tractor Supply® (www.happyjackinc.com) ________________________________________

LEGAL NOTICE/ PUBLIC NOTICE PRIVATE FOUNDATION ANNUAL NOTICE The annual report of the BENJAMIN F. & ERNESTINE BRUTON FOUNDATION Is available at the address noted below, for inspection during normal business hours, by any Citizen who so requests within 180 days after the publication of this notice of its availability BENJAMIN F. & ERNESTINE BRUTON 15754 Chimney Rock Tr. Woodbridge, VA. 22193 Alice S. Walker, Pres. 708-363-4945. ________________________________________

COMMUNITY How Support Systems Are Failing Millions of American Children (StatePoint) At a time when the economic impacts of COVID-19 are making it hard for many families to afford healthy food and safe housing, and everchanging work and school schedules are making their logistics hard to juggle, a new report finds that inequities in the system are further exacerbating these issues for millions of American children.

The report from Generations United, a nonprofit that strengthens practices and policies to benefit all generations, finds that 2.6 million American children are living in “grandfamilies.” While grandfamilies -- homes where children are raised by relatives or close family friends -- have more stability, higher levels of permanency and greater safety than traditional foster care, it’s much harder for these children and caregivers to access basic services and support in areas such as housing, education, and health care due to bureaucratic barriers.

For example, if a grandfamily caregiver doesn’t have a legal relationship to a child, something as simple as enrolling the child in school or taking them to the doctor can be difficult or impossible; and in some states, caregivers not related by blood or marriage can’t apply on a child’s behalf for benefits such as Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for

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PHOTO SOURCE: Illustration by Ash Trowel/Burness ______________________ Often formed out of trauma, including parental death, incarceration and deportation, grandfamilies come from all geographic locations, socioeconomic levels, races and ethnicities. However, Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native children are the most likely to be in grandfamilies, and therefore, are the most likely to be impacted by these inequities.

“When children can’t remain with their parents, they do best with people who know and love them,” says Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United. “However, we cannot ask grandparents and other relatives to take on the responsibility of raising children without helping them meet children’s basic needs in return. We must do more to ensure grandfamilies have access to the basic support they need to help the children they raise thrive.”

Butts says that there are many ways that policymakers and decision-makers can support grandfamilies, including: • Supporting quality kinship navigator programs, which offer information, referral and follow-up services to grandparents and other relatives raising children, linking them to essential benefits and services.

• Promoting financial equity for grandfamilies by creating a kinship caregiver tax credit, improving access to foster-care maintenance payments and TANF. (Families within the foster care system can receive, on average, $511 per month in financial assistance for one child, compared with an average of just $249 for those outside the system.)

• Changing workplace policies to recognize the needs of grandfamily caregivers and improving their access to respite care, child care, and counseling.

For more report findings, visit gu.org. To learn more about kinship navigator programs and other services available if you are a grandfamily caregiver yourself, visit grandfamilies.org.

“It’s time to rethink our communal systems of care to include the unique needs of grandfamilies,” says Butts. “Meanwhile, if the impacts of COVID-19 or other events have caused you or someone you know to step in to care for a relative or friend’s child, reach out for support. There are people ready to help you get the services and support your family needs.” ______________________________________

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How we’re boosting the fight against hunger Bank of America is proudly supporting our employees’ health and safety and addressing one of our local community’s most critical needs.

Each day, millions of Americans suffer from food insecurity, which typically spikes during the winter months. For every employee who lets us know they’ve received a booster shot, Bank of America is donating $100 to local hunger-relief organizations.

This is a direct investment in the health of our teammates, and in the well-being of the communities where we work and live.

Through this effort, our team in Chicago recently presented Northern Illinois Food Bank and Greater Chicago Food Depository with checks totaling $400,000. This contribution is in addition to our long-standing philanthropic support to help fight hunger and food insecurity across the country. We are proud to be able to help our community as we work together to move forward.

Rita Sola Cook President, Bank of America Chicago

Learn more at bankofamerica.com/chicago

Donations in each market reflect $100 per employee who has recorded their booster and an additional company contribution. Vaccination boosters and vaccination reporting are voluntary.

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