CHICAGO DEFENDER (ISSN: 07457014)
Published weekly by Real Times Media, Inc. 4445 S. Martin Luther King Dr. Chicago, Ill. 60653 Periodicals Postage Paid at Chicago, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Chicago Defender 4445 S. King Dr. Chicago, Ill. 60653
INSIDE
Wednesday – Tuesday September 20 - 26, 2017
Cover Story................................................................3 CD Around Town.....................................................13 In the Mixx...............................................................16 Classifieds................................................................19
CONTACT US
At The Chicago Defender Main operator (312) 225-2400 Advertising, ext. 149 Editorial, ext. 128 Classifieds, ext. 145 Circulation, ext. 161
CITY NEWS
South Side Help Center to Honor the Defender and Others at 30th Anniversary Celebration South Side Help Center (SSHC), a not-for-profit, community based organization, will be celebrating 30 years of serving in the Chicago land area, most particularly in the areas of youth mentoring/violence prevention and HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care services, at the historic Parkway Ballroom on September 30, 2017 and will include “Legacy Awards” presentations to the following six notables: Legacy MSM Advocacy & Care Leader: Mark Ishaug, Chief Executive Officer of Thresholds, (Former CEO, AIDS Foundation of Chicago) Legacy HIV/AIDS Outreach Leader: Harold Cherry, Director of Outreach, SSHC (1st and still current, employee of SSHC) Legacy Elected Official & Civic Leader: Alderman Carrie M. Austin, 34th Ward; Chairman City of Chicago Committee on Budget & Government Operations Legacy Woman Leader in HIV/AIDS Philanthropy: Cynthia Tucker, Vice President of Prevention and Community Partnerships, AIDS Foundation of Chicago Legacy Youth Leader: Police Sergeant. Keith L. Parks, Orangeburg County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, Gang Specialist/Coordinator (Former SSHC youth program participant).
Legacy Media Leader: Chicago Defender Newspaper, Leading African-American owned and focused newspaper, which continually publishes features on HIV/AIDS and violence prevention programs and community resources. “Throughout the years, these leaders have been an integral part of SSHC being able to pursue and embody our mission of “Serving People and Strengthening Communities,” said Vanessa Smith, President/CEO, SSHC. “My mother, Betty Smith, founder of SSHC will be present as will our staff, associates, partners, funders and friends as we show our appreciation and celebrate 30 years of legacy and strength. So many agencies that started when we did are no longer in existence, and we are grateful for the opportunity to particularly serve communities of color and other high at-risk populations.” In addition to the Legacy Awards presentations, the celebration will include a reception from 5:00-6:00 p.m. with open bar, a delicious dinner, and live performances by Chicago’s own jazz great Maggie Brown and the Grammy-Award nominated R&B mainstay Kenny Lattimore. The community is invited to purchase tickets for $130. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ south-side-help-center-celebrating-30-years-of-service-tickets-36632813732
Customer Service Hours Mon. – Fri. 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Editorial submissions to The Chicago Defender letters@chicagodefender.com businessnews@chicagodefender.com editorial@chicagodefender.com eventcal@chicagodefender.com EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Interim Publisher: Frances Jackson Senior Staff Writer: Mary L. Datcher Senior Editor: Katara Washington Patton City Desk: Lee Edwards Society Columnist: Carolyn Palmer Social Media Manager: Bernell Lassai Graphic Designer: Diona Jackson Contributing Writers: Rick and Brenda McCain, Kerris Guinn Photographers: Tito Garcia, Worsom Robinson ADVERTISING
Director of Advertising Sales Dyanna Knight Lewis Senior Account Manager William Rogers CIRCULATION
Bertha Cromwell
Verified has conducted an audit of printing, distribution, and financial records, as well as other data to substantiate circulation data submitted to Verified. This audit followed guidelines prepared in conformity with generally accepted circulation auditing procedures involving records covering all distribution methods utilized for qualified circulation during the period(s) covered by the reports. The results of this audit warrant the issuance of this audit report to as a true and accurate statement of the qualified circulation of the client publication. We certify to the best to our knowledge all information set forth in this Publisher’s Statement in true and in accordance with VERIFIED AUDIT CIRCULATION Procedures and Regulations.
City of Chicago Gives $20 Million to ISF to Revitalize Communities By Kerris Guinn Defender Contributing Writer In an effort to revitalize communities by creating capital to reinvest into those areas, the city recently announced that it would be giving Illinois Service Federal Bank $20 million. “This 20 million dollar deposit will [boost] our ability to serve individuals and communities that too often are excluded from traditional financial institutions,” said Lisa Finch, ISF board member. “It marks a significant milestone in supporting a rotation of capital across communities, putting money in underserved communities, and supporting Chicagoans who want to empower themselves and the people around them.” At a press conference this week, City Treasurer Kurt Summers made the announcement and shared his own observations of the disparity in the city. “Black owned banks make up less than 1/10th, of 1 percent... of the 16.5 trillion dollar bank services offered. Only 1/10th of black business owners receive the full amount of their request versus 76 percent of their other counterparts.” Summers said 59 percent of Blackowned business owners don’t try to receive loans because they assume they will not get approved. The unique feature about community banks is that they are specifically designed with the purpose of investing and reinvesting in their community; no other bank is designed to do that for a community, explained Treasurer Summer to the audience. Further-
02 September 20 - 26, 2017 • THE CHICAGO DEFENDER
more, unlike global institutions, local community banks are better at assessing the risks of giving out loans to their specific communities because, unlike these far away institutions, the people who work at these community banks actually have the unique advantage of knowing the people within their community; they’re not just names on an application, their parishioners, neighbors, people who eat at their restaurants. Treasurer Summers added his memory of noticing the visible lack of opportunities available in his own community contrasted to the abundance of other neighborhoods in Chicago when he was a child and he asked his mother: “‘Why are they worthy and we’re not?” “Unfortunately, 30 years later, too many things have remained unchanged. And too many children are asking the same question,” he shared with the audience of community leaders. That’s why it was critical for the city to make this large investment into the Bronzeville bank. Hopefully, with this multi-million dollar investment, the lack of economic opportunities, which is the root of the issue that residents of Chicago face, opposed to the violence that is highly publicized, can start to be addressed. “[I]t takes a commitment to look beyond what’s an individual’s circumstance and to see a collective power of a community with limitless potential,” said Summers to the crowd. “The promise and the potential of Chicago requires no lessons, the spirit of Chicago compels us, and it’s the spirit we must fight, fight, fight to sustain.”
Child Care Assistance Program On Tuesday, Governor Bruce Rauner announced that the Illinois Department of Human Services would expand Child Care Assistance Program access, and will now be able to provide child care to 16,000 more children per month. Rauner emphasized that the decision was made to help alleviate the burden of childcare for working parents, saying that he’s, “proud to stand with families who’re working two to three jobs just to make a living.”
Auto-Strike Ending After around 7 weeks, mechanics at Chicago-based car dealerships ended a strike that involved around 2,000 mechanics and delayed auto repairs all around the area. With this new four-year contract, base pay for mechanics will increase, and various problems (i.e. work schedules, uncompensated time) will also be addressed. www.chicagodefender.com