Chicago News Weekly Issue 8

November 16 - November 22, 2022 • The Voice Of Black Chicago • Vol.1 No 8

E E FR

The Key to Become a Millionaire

Black ownED

Dispensary Opens

How’s your

WATER?

2

November 16 - November 22, 2022

E notes OUR RIGHT TO EQUALITY

Chicago News Weekly Cheryl Mainor Norman

President & Publisher Kai EL’ Zabar

Editor In Chief Vice President

Darnell Pulphus

Art Director

Editors Danielle Sanders Managing Editor Sterling Caprico Fashion Editor Margo Crawford

Copy Editor

Marti Worell Arts & Culture Editor

Staff Writers

Sharice Braford Liz Lampkin Marcus Bouldin David Pierce Tammy Gibson Phyllis D Banks Marti Worell Dr. Mila K. Marshall, PhD

OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT In June of this year, the Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion, upheld for nearly a half-century, no longer exists.

Opposing Judges said that the court’s decision means that “young women today will come of age with fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. The court’s opinion means that “from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A state can force her to bring a pregnancy to term even at the steepest personal and familial costs.”

This loss of fundamental constitutional protection is because of selfish Republican white males who think that the power over a woman’s body rests with them, best get ready to go to battle because the war has just begun.

MAN’S LAW VERSUS GOD’S LAW

We voted last week and women all over the country in red and blue states chose the right to choose their own fate. I’ve always felt that a woman or any female pregnant with a child had the right to determine whether she can manage the demands/responsibility of birthing and raising a child. Women do not need the Pope, the President, our fathers, husbands, or any other man to tell us what we can and cannot do with our bodies. It’s as simple, as that. Today more than ever, now Contributors is the time for women to connect to the ‘Feminist Movement.’

NNPA Newswire And yet, though many young women identify with what FemiTheresa Horton nists stand for, they shy away from the stigma with which it is asStacy M. Brown sociated. To men, it means that women are anti-men, which is the Mare Evans furthest thing from the truth. Instead, one only needs to look at its Dr. Sanja Rickette Stinson history. Feminists rose as women who moved to take their power.

Power that has always been denied them by men. Women took 8348 S Stony Island Avenue responsibility for themselves without fear of what men would do.

Chicago, IL 60617 And because I am pro-woman does not mean I am anti-man, just (773) 236-1464 as, because I am pro-Black does not mean I am anti-white. When Vol. 1 No 8 a man says he’s a feminist, is it presumed that he’s anti-men?

Wednesday, Here’s the thing, women are powerful beings. We are as indeNovember 16, 2022 pendent of men as we are interdependent. We think, we create, Chicago News Weekly is published weekly on we organize, and we manifest just as men do. But the fear of a Wednesday. woman’s power began long ago with ‘primitive man’ who had difwww.cnwmedia.com ficulty accepting that a woman would bleed monthly and still live. chicagonewsweekly@gmail.com chicagonewsweeklyeditorial@gmail.com She also birthed future generations. To the primal man that was everything. A woman and her children represented more help Subscription $52 year in re-enforcing the clan or tribe. The ownership of her meant everything to the man. So, he sought to control and oppress her to increase his wealth and power. This is one of the reasons for polygamy. The more wives a man had, the more children, and the fruit of that becomes more workers of the land. So, man has always seen ‘woman’ as an asset that he had to control. Failure to see her as an equal partner has brought us to where we are today.

November 16 - November 22, 2022

photo credit: Dot Ward

Terri Winston

Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief WHAT WOMEN WANT Women have grown over time, no longer solely dependent upon men, she recognizes her own value and contribution to the world. We are not at war with men we are at war to become CEO of our own destinies. That is the threat.

As a result, men want to manage women. In part it’s primal, in part it’s fear, In part it’s political; in part, it’s about power.

That fear is the denial of what being a Feminist means—a woman who recognizes and accepts the intricacies of being a woman, embracing the complexities thereof and through all the challenges faced to be self-expressed. It is not fair to say, ‘You have to choose whether you want to be a doctor or a mother.”

We’re seeking gender equality, political and economic equity—equal pay and consideration in the job market.

What women know now is that we will not have any of what we want if we don’t build our own institutions, where we can teach ‘woman things,’ unique to women. Such is the secret to strong ancient cultures that embraced ‘Women Secret Societies,’ the same as they implemented Men Secret Societies. If we do not, we will not have our stories told, we will not have our poems on a page, our music will not be played, and our songs will not be sung. Only women can write our stories.

Together man and woman pour into both boys and girls, but we grow up to be men and women. We cannot afford to be afraid of change. We must once more seize the moment to establish our position in the world and our place in society. We must do this together men and women, Black and white, otherwise, we are doomed.

3

City News What Happened To The 2016 World Series Champions The Chicago Cubs After Breaking The 108-Year Curse?

By Marcus Bouldin CNW Staff Writer

It’s

been six years since the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 MLB World Series Championship. After a rain delay halted the action late in the evening, Cleveland’s Michael Martinez was at bat with two outs and a man on first at the bottom of the tenth.

Mike Montgomery is on the mound for the Cubs. Martinez hit a slow roll down the left side of the pitcher’s mound. Third baseman Kris Bryant sprints to scoop up the ball and throws it to first base to end the game. The Cubs defeats the Cleveland Indians 8-7.

The city erupted into cheers and highfives as the beloved Cubbies ended their 108-year “Billy Goat” curse.

Six years later, so much has changed since that historic baseball game. Right fielder Jason Heyward, who signed a record-breaking 8-year $184 million contract with the franchise months before the 2016 season opened, is being released from his duties as a Chicago Cubs. Catcher Wilson Contreras will be leaving once free agency begins. Pitcher Kyle Hendricks will be the only player from the championship team heading

4

into the spring training as a Chicago Cubs.

What about the rest of the 2016 Cubs roster? Well, players began leaving almost immediately once the season ended. A few left in free agency while the organization traded others. Here’s a rundown on what happened with some of the fan’s favorite Chicago Cubs.

Jake Arrieta (RHP)- The 2015 National League Cy Young winner left the Cubs in 2017 to sign a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Arrieta did return to the Cubs in 2021 on a one-year deal worth $4 million. But was unable to relive the glory of 2016 and announced his retirement in April of 2022. He now hosts a podcast on Barstool Sports.

Kris Bryant (3B)- After the World Series concluded, the 2016 National League MVP began negotiating a contract extension. But those negotiations stalled, and Bryant filed and lost a grievance against the Chicago Cubs over service-time manipulation. As a result, Bryant was traded to the San Francisco Giants at the 2021 trade deadline. Bryant would eventually sign a seven-year $182 million contract with the Colorado Rockies. The contract includes a

$7 million signing bonus. Plus, $182 million is guaranteed. That’s an annual average salary of $26,000,000.

Anthony Rizzo (1B)- The Cubs and Rizzo were engaged in a contract extension in 2021. But Rizzo ended the negotiations and was traded to the New York Yankees. The All-Star first baseman found success with the Yankees and signed a two-year $32 million guaranteed contract.

Dexter Fowler (CF)- The Cubs leadoff man kicked off Game 7 in Cleveland, cranking out a solo home run on the game’s first pitch. After the World Series, Fowler signed with the St. Louis Cardinals on a five-year deal worth $82.5 million. With one-year remaining on his contract, Fowler was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in 2021. Unfortunately, he suffered a season ending ACL tear. He would return to play three games with the Toronto Blue Jays minor league team. On April 22, 2022, Fowler was released from his contract per his request.

Javy Báez (SS)- Báez, the 2016 NLCS co-MVP, said he was days away from getting a long-term extension. But COVID had shut down spring training, and Báez was dealt to the New York

Mets for Pete Crow-Armstrong in 2021.

Báez signed a six-year, $140 million free-agent deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Addison Russell (SS)- The 2016 AllStar contributed to the must-win Game 6 in the World Series. His two-run RBI in the first inning, followed by a grand slam in the third, gave the Cubbies a 7-0 lead. However, in 2018 Russell was suspended for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. The MLB handed Russell a 40-game suspension which signaled the beginning of the end of his MLB career. He played his last major league game with the Cubs in 2019. He is now playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic.

Ben Zobrist (IF)- The World Series MVP Ben Zobrist hit the double that gave the Cubs the lead in the 10th inning of Game 7. But after an extended leave of absence citing personal reasons.

Ben Zobrist retired after his four-year contract with the Cubs ended in 2019.

Zobrist retired as a two-time World Series champion in consecutive seasons.

Winning the championship in 2015 with the Royals and again in 2016 with the Cubs,

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Dr. Mila K. Marshall, PhD CNW Staff Writer

Cannabis Corner

The industry is brand new and those who are well-connected have built those relationships from other markets like Colorado or California.

Weed work

is a safe haven for creative risk-takers.

Compliance is king in this industry and who you hire matters. Ambitious entrepreneurs who’ve made it through the application processes to secure the highly coveted licenses have another unique hurdle, hiring from our hoods but the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act formally refers to as disproportionately impacted areas or

nabis professionals identified as a person of color. Black professionals are at risk of never being found by a company because of the hundreds to thousands of applicants for one position. Also, compliance is king and while there may be an abundance of applicants there are still checks and balances. Plant-touching employees must pass a state background check, and have to be familiar with the state legislation for compliance.

High Turn-

overs “DIA’s” for short. Advancing equity in the cannabis industry requires diversity from the boardroom to the budtender and beyond.

No cannabis experience, lack of culture fit, and transferable skills that don’t align with the job duties and requirements are just a few reasons an applicant would be rejected for a position, says Shawnee Williams, seasoned recruiter, and staffing expert. Shawnee knows firsthand the challenges cannabis businesses face when soliciting, interviewing, hiring, and retaining diverse talent. Her company Illinois Equity Staffing provides HR administration and consulting services to support companies with strategies to find the right fit for their model and team.

“We are a responsible vendor provider in the state of Illinois and have recently been awarded R3 funds to serve 60 justice-impacted Chicagoans” shared Williams. Underrepresentation of Black employees in the industry creates an opportunity for companies like IES and Williams’ work focused on professional development fill a gap. Most early career cannabis professionals in Illinois are network poor despite ethnicity or race. The industry is brand new and those who are well-connected have built those relationships from other markets like Colorado or California.

In 2022 11% of legally employed can-

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Forty-two percent of Black Illinoians in the private sector make no more than $30,000 according to McKinsey & Company’s 2021 report, “The Black Experience in the US Private Sector”. The in-depth report pointed out Black employees are overrepresented in low-paying service industries, are not located in fast-growing cities and counties and 73% of Black workers are in the retail sector. For companies wishing to be impactful, knowing the existing wage and employment trends in the Black community is a must.

Shawnee and her team work with marijuana and hemp businesses tailored to their needs with full awareness of the support systems needed for hiring diverse applicants as well as understanding the nuanced needs of applicants of DIA’s.

“Hiring from a DIA sounds good, but there are lots of barriers to entry when it comes to residents living in these areas, including transportation, childcare, and sometimes even criminal records,” Shawnee says. She believes the pursuit of profit by cannabis businesses is resulting in low retention rates of staff. For social equity entrepreneurs, this high turnover rate and increased cost of training workers with greater needs than others put their businesses at risk. Black-owned businesses and hiring professionals of color can help increase diversity for sure. Ivy Hall, a 61%

Shawnee Williams, Illinois Equity Staffing

Black owned dispensary in Chicago will have all eyes on them for who and how they hire.

“If you’re continuously bringing on folks who don’t stay long, you’re spending anywhere from $3000-$8000 just to replace them” Shawnee lifted up. Her expert advice is for all owners to take the process slowly and make the right decisions the first time. The financial support for cannabis companies to address equity through the hiring process is directed towards violence prevention grants through the states Restore, Renew and Reinvest program; while at the city level in Chicago grants through the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund for cannabis entrepreneurs are focused on construction, purchasing of property, financing and engineering fees for example. Shawnee sees the lack of funding directed towards empowering employment in DIA’s as the next step for advancing equity in the industry.

“I think as ICJIAs R3 program continues to mature and the City of Chicago continues with violence prevention grants, we may see a real focus on cultivating the population of Illinoisans in DIA areas” Shawnee Williams Her advice for diverse talent retention by social equity entrepreneurs and MSOs is to be intentional about DEI initiatives to avoid as Shawnee says, “a sea of only lilywhite faces staring back at you”.

5

City News Mayor Lightfoot joins Alderwoman Taylor, Michaels Organization, DL3 Realty to Break Ground on

Park Station Lofts

The mixed-income, mixed-use, family community will be the first to meet the City of Chicago’s requirements of the

Woodlawn Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance CNW Staff Report Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot

joined Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, the Michaels Organization, DL3 Realty, and a host of community stakeholders to break ground on the Park Station Lofts. The new mixed-income, mixed-use, affordable living community in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood will occupy a city-owned property at the southeast corner of E. 63rd Street and S. Maryland Ave, which is currently vacant.

“I am thrilled to break ground on our first affordable housing development being realized under the Woodlawn Housing Preservation Ordinance,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “The Park Station Lofts will answer many housing needs of the Woodlawn community while also delivering retail space, new streetscaping, jobs, and more to this area. Importantly, this development will ensure that the long overdue influx of targeted investments in Woodlawn does not displace residents, allowing everyone to benefit from this community enhancement.”

The new development comprises 58 apartment homes, 41 of which will serve households earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), as well as 17 market-rate units. The Park Station Lofts are steps away from the University of Chicago and near the upcoming Obama Library Campus.

Park Station is a transit-oriented development, located just 350 feet from the Cottage Grove Station of the CTA Green Line.

“Michaels is excited to expand our South Side presence with this community-driven development,” said Greg Olson, Regional Vice President of Development at The Michaels Organization. “As a national leader in residential real estate, we are committed to leading the way for others to create housing solutions that Lift Lives.”

Park Station is the first new development in the community to meet the requirements of the Woodlawn Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance which was passed by the City Council in 2020 to proactively address the potential gentrification of the neighborhood due to the Obama Presidential Center.

This ordinance, spearheaded by Alderman Jeanette Taylor and Alderman Leslie Hairston in consultation

6

with community stakeholders, ensures affordable housing remains in Woodlawn by mandating affordability requirements on all rental and for-sale housing developed on City-owned residential land.

“The Park Station Lofts highlight the importance of the community-driven Woodlawn Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance,” said Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, 20th ward. “I applaud that Michaels and DL3 are investing in my community and making Woodlawn a place where everyone can afford to live and thrive. I am excited to see the positive impact of this development for my community.”

The Michaels Organization has been developing and managing affordable and mixed-income housing for almost two decades. The Park Station Lofts development is being developed in collaboration with Chicago-based DL3 Realty, a full-service real estate development firm committed to accelerating the transformation of emerging communities.

“DL3 is proud to partner with Michaels on Park Station Lofts, which is the first development to meet not just the letter but also the spirit of the Woodlawn Affordable Housing Preservation Ordinance,” said Leon Walker, Managing Principal of DL3. “This development will provide high-quality, luxury housing to Woodlawn that is accessible to all residents.”

Park Station’s first floor will include approximately 3,500 square feet of retail, two live-work spaces, a

management office, and a community amenity space.

Woodlawn’s Sunshine Enterprises will offer business development and wealth-building classes to local entrepreneurs in the building’s business center. The apartments will be offered in 1- to 3-bedroom layouts and feature amenities such as designer cabinets, solid surface countertops, luxury vinyl plank flooring, and open floor plans.

Financing for the development includes Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity in the amount of $19.4M, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) of $5M, and City of Chicago HOME funds of $6.5M. Commonwealth Edison is providing approximately $140,000 in funding through its Affordable Housing New Construction energy efficiency program. Equity and debt are provided to the project by tax credit syndicator Berkadia Affordable Housing Tax Credit Solutions with BMO Harris as the investor, construction lender, and permanent lender.

DL3 Realty has served as a co-developer partner in the project alongside Michaels Development while Michaels Management will serve as the property management company. FitzGerald Associates and Brook Architecture are the project architects and local joint venture partnership Ujamaa Construction/Brown & Momen will serve as the general contractor. Construction is expected to be complete by November 2023.

November 16 - November 22, 2022

LYTE Lounge Helps Homeless Youth on Southside

New Healthy Lifestyle Hub Opens in Auburn Gresham

much-needed resource opened on the southside in October. The LYTE Collective is an organization that assists teens and young adults experiencing poverty and homelessness on the southside. Located at 549 E 76th St, the LYTE Lounge is a community center where young people can receive support, medical services, educational tools, and legal assistance. In addition, young people can also receive access to meals, showers, and laundry services.

The professionals at the LYTE Lounge also assist youth in finding safe housing and mental health support. Of the number of homeless teens and young adults, 81% of homeless youth comprise black and brown youth. Lack of affordable housing and the lack of a living wage are just a few reasons black and brown youth struggle with homelessness and poverty.

Lyte Collective utilizes a holistic approach to helping young people, meeting them where they are with their mobile services, and assisting them in providing their basic needs. Young people also have the opportunity to get off the streets and enjoy recreational activities at the LYTE Lounge. During a tour of the facility during the grand opening, visitors saw a digital music studio, art room, computer lounge, rest area and gym.

The lounge also offers access to employment resources and educational support. Programming at the Lyte Lounge includes adult basic education, literacy, high school enrollment, GED completion and college admission.

Chief Innovation Officer, Carl Wiley says he anticipates helping over 250 people annually.

For more on the LYTE Collective, visit their website at www.lytecollective.org.

n e w healthy lifestyle hub in the Auburn Gresham community celebrated its grand opening this past Friday. The brainchild of Carlos Nelson, Director of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC), the Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle hub is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Invest South/West Initiative. Located at 839 West 79th Street, the lifestyle hub will house the University of Illinois health center and urgent care facility, pharmacy, UIC Neighborhood Center, Bank of America and Mikkey’s Retro Grill. In addition, the hub also features the Chicago Bears Community Room and teaching kitchen.

The lifestyle hub was funded by the Invest South/West initiative, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation and the Chicago Bears. The University of Illinois health and urgent care facility is expected to serve over 30,000 residents by providing medical, dental and mental health services. The healthy lifestyle hub is just the latest in economic developments coming to the neighborhood. In addition to the lifestyle hub, Yellow Banana, which owns the Save-A-Lot Grocery Store chain plans to add a new store around the corner and there is an affordable housing development under construction across the street from the Lifestyle Hub. The healthy lifestyle hub was built using a majority of minority-owned service providers. According to Teresa Prem real estate consultant on the project, 73% of the service contracts were contracted to minority-owned firms and a majority of the workforce consisted of members of the community. Also residing in the building will be Heartland Alliance, Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, Serenity Home health care and the GAGDC Headquarters. Organizers say they hope the lifestyle hub and upcoming projects bring more economic development to an area previously ignored.

Danielle Sanders CNW Managing Editor

A

Danielle Sanders CNW Managing Editor

A

1,000 MORE

FROM THE STREETS TO THE C-SUITES HOMES IN APPRECIATING NEIGHBORHOODS. SCALABLE, SALABLE BUSINESSES LAUNCHED. PEOPLE IN HIGH-GROSSING CAREERS.

LEARN HOW YWCACHICAGO.ORG/THRIVE2025

November 16 - November 22, 2022

2025

THRIVE

7

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to Host Turkey Giveaway to Help Families Tammy Gibson CNW Staff Writer

I

n the spirit of giving, the Upsilon Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., will host its third annual Thanksgiving Day of Service Turkey Giveaway, Sunday, November 20, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Larry Williams State Farm located at 5932 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL. Upsilon Sigma Chapter is partnering with Larry Williams State Farm Insurance Agency, Thrive Life Wellness Center, and another Phi Beta Sigma Chapter, Pi Psi Sigma. The chapter’s goal is to give away 108 frozen turkeys to commemorate the fraternity’s establishment on January 9, 1914, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Justice of the Appellate Court, Judge Carl A. Walker, is the chapter president. Walker says Upsilon Sigma Chapter has been actively giving back to the community. He wants to ensure the less fortunate have a thankful holiday for Thanksgiving. For the past two years, Walker says families were very grateful that the chapter was able to help them in their time of need. “We had people so happy that they were in tears just to be able to get a free meal,” says Walker.

8

Larry Horne, Chairperson of Community Service, said the responses were positive and not only receiving a turkey but seeing African American men working together and providing assistance to the community. Even during the pandemic, while many organizations could not volunteer, the chapter still provided holiday food to those in need.

“During the pandemic, it was hard on many families and the nation. A lot of families were very appreciative, especially during the pandemic, that we were able to put food on their table,” says Horne.

When Black Greek Letter Organizations have been perceived as negative, giving back, mentorship, and helping brothers and sisters in the community is essential to Upsilon Sigma Chapter. “It’s not about wearing the letters, stepping, and strolling. It’s about providing a service and being a role model in the community,” says Horne.

Walker says it’s crucial that the male youth see a group of African American men work and bond together in the name of brotherhood. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. was founded on the core principles: “Brotherhood, Scholarship and Service.” “Brotherhood is crucial because it’s the foundation upon which we all work to-

gether cohesively and as a family. Scholarship is vital because we require individuals to attend college in order to become a member of our organization. We hold scholarships at the highest level for undergrad students.

Their primary reason for going to school is to get an education. Service is the primary basis for our existence that allows us to give better service to the community,” says Walker.

To receive a frozen turkey (one per household and registration is preferred), interested in sponsoring a family, donate a frozen turkey, or make a monetary donation, please contact Larry Horne at (331) 315-8868 or email at thanksgivingusc.pbs@gmail.com.

For more information about Upsilon Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., go to http://www. upsilonsigmapbs.org/.

Tammy Gibson is an author, re-enactor, and black history traveler. Find her on social media @sankofatravelher

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Emmett Till

National/World News

Statue Unveiled in Greenwood, MS Tammy Gibson CNW Staff Writer

T

he Greenwood, MS, community unveiled a 9-foot bronze statue of Emmett Till Friday, Oct. 21. The statue, located at Rail Spike Park, is an estimated 10 miles from Bryant’s Grocery in Money, MS, where Carolyn Bryant, a white store clerk, accused Till of whistling/ flirting with her. Ironically it’s a short distance from a Confederate monument that has stood outside of the Leflore County Courthouse since 1913.

Democratic State Senator David Jordan of Greenwood, MS, played an essential role in helping pass legislation and securing $150,000 in state funding for the statue. The statue’s unveiling coincides with the movie “Till,” released last month. Matt Glen, a Utah artist, was commissioned to create the statue. Congressman Bennie Thompson, who attended the ceremony, posted on social media that “Emmett Till will not be remembered by the atrocities he endured, but by the justice pursued in his honor.” The statue will be protected from vandalism with security cameras.

Just days after the unveiling of the Emmett Till statue, Argo Community High School held a groundbreaking ceremony of the Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Memorial. The bronze statue of Till-Mobley will be located on the corner of 63rd Street and 74th Avenue in Summit, Illinois. Till-Mobley graduated from Argo Community High School in 1940. She was the first Black student to make the “A” Honor Roll and the fourth Black student to graduate. The sculptor is Sonja Henderson. The statue and plaza will be unveiled on April 29, 2023.

In 1955, Emmett Till and his cousin Wheeler Parker spent the summer in Mississippi with relatives. On Aug. 24, 1955, Till and his cousins, Wheeler Parker, Jr., and Simeon Wright, went to Bryant’s Grocery to buy candy. Carolyn Bryant, a white female clerk, accused Till of whistling at her. Bryant’s husband Roy and half-brother J.W. Milan kidnapped, murdered, and threw Till’s body in the Tallahatchie River. Till’s heinous murder shocked the world and sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Till-Mobley made the courageous decision to decline the mortician at A.A. Rayner and Sons Funeral Homes to touch up her son’s body and insisted on an open casket at Roberts Temple Church of God. Till-Mobley wanted the world to see what was done to her son.

For decades, Emmett Till’s family has sought justice for his kidnapping and murder. The Department of Justice reopened the investigation when Till’s accuser, Carolyn Bryant said she lied about the advances Till made towards her in her trial testimony. The family of Donham denied that she recanted her allegations about Till. The department closed its investigation in 2021.

In 2022, an unserved 1955 warrant for Ms. Roy Bryant was found in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse. The Mississippi Attorney General refused to prosecute Donham. On March 29, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, making lynching a federal hate crime. The bill passed on Feb. 28, 2022, in a 422-3

November 16 - November 22, 2022

vote after the anti-lynching bill failed in Congress over 200 times since 1900.

Tammy Gibson is an author and Black history traveler. Find her on social media @sankofatravelher.

9

Hows Your Water Working ?

CHICAGO WATER SOURCES

By Mila K. Marshall CNW Staff Writer

Black Chicago

has a unique relationship with water. The Chicago River and Lake Michigan are beloved by locals and visitors. Fortunately, Black Chicago lives in a water metropolis with access to over 20 miles of shoreline and 26 public beaches, historic and award winning marinas and the world's largest source of freshwater.

Water in the city is a big deal and for decades water conscious developers, environmental advocacy groups and municipal leadership have worked to protect and manage our most precious natural resource. An example of how forward thinking Chicago had become is that of the creation of a binational non-profit organization for mayors and other leaders to work collaboratively to protect and manage shared lakes and rivers of the region. Back in 2003 then Mayor Richard Daley and the mayor of Toronto, Canada partnered to found and lead the Cities Initiative. Just how important is our Chicago water system? Ninety five percent of the nation's freshwater supply is in Lakes Huron, Michigan, Eerie, Superior and Ontario.

Both the Chicago River and Lake Michigan flow together to create a world class vibe that draws millions to Lake Michigan shorelines and the river walk. Our lake is the 2nd largest of the five Great Lakes and is

10

the only one completely in America. We may have most of the water, but many Black Chicagoans may not have all the awareness of water issues, water agencies, water advocates and water entrepreneurs. We’ve heard about the “green economy” here in Chicago, we have a blue economy too.

KNOW YOUR WATER

Water falls into two categories, drinking water and wastewater. The water that comes out of residential and commercial faucets is managed by the Chicago Department of Water, and rainwater and water that is flushed down toilets and drains is managed by Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. These two agencies work together to deliver water and remove water from homes and businesses in the Chicago metro area.

“People may not know that the MWRD reversed the flow of the Chicago and Calumet River systems,'' Commissioner Steele shared, “Also they may not know that we do not provide drinking water as we are often confused with the Chicago Department of Water Management” she continued.” Depending on where you are located wastewater flows to any of MWRD’s seven water reclamation plants for treatment.

The service area for each of the agencies isn’t that different. MWRD provides sanitation services to municipalities in the Cook County region including Chicago and 128 other cities. The agency was first created in 1889 by the Illinois General Assembly to protect Chicago's only source of drinking water.

Chicago drinking water serves the 77 communities in addition to 120 suburbs. While these two agencies are autonomous politically, they work together to protect water from pathogens, pollutants and poor policies.

Black Chicago is in need of water protections from a range of threats and stressors like; urban flooding, lead contaminated water, water affordability and blue jobs Commissioner Steele, the current President of the Board of Commissioners of MWRD, believes there is a wide range of work to protect our water environment. “Our combined sewer systems are designed to share both sanitary and stormwater flow through the same pipes, eventually leading to our water reclamation plants” shared Steele.

MWRD transforms nearly 1.3 billion gallons of water daily and Commissioner Steele travels around Cook County educating the public and building bridges with community leaders.

DOW is charged with the safe delivery of drinking water. Legislation like the Safe Drinking Water Act

November 16 - November 22, 2022

establishes water standards for about 90 contaminants.

Policies are created to provide a guideline that elected officials, businesses and the general public can use to inform decisions and hold violators accountable.

Just a little under 1 billion gallons of water per day are pumped from strategically placed pumping stations. About 2-miles offshore,12 stations work around the clock to provide clean drinking water Water from the natural world may not be of the highest quality so it must be chemically treated.

According to the department's website there are 5 chemicals used for disinfection.

For lake water to become safe drinking water, chlorine disinfects, aluminum sulfate settles out impurities, blended phosphates coat pipes to prevent lead from contaminating water, activated carbon removes taste and odors and fluoride helps fight cavities in children’s teeth.

Community groups like ‘Blacks In Green’ have stepped up to build bridges to Black communities so they can be informed on what’s with their water.

Naomi Davis is a living legend and champion of environmental justice. A former environmental lawyer for Chicago Naomi’s Southside Green Living Room, located at 6431 S. Cottage Grove in the Woodlawn community, was transformed into a water warriors training ground. Alicia Sanders from US Environmental Protection Agency shared environmental justice grants, Jeremy Orr of Earthjustice shared legislative wins and the legacy of lead in Chicago water and Environmental Policy Innovation Center’s Jeremiah Orr shared his thoughts on equity water and expert voices from the community.

WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER

Saturday’s ‘Water Justice Now,’ was a conversation on what’s in your water and what you can do about

November 16 - November 22, 2022

it highlighted the need for the Black community to move from informed to engaged. Chicago has 400,000 lead service lines and if you’re a person of color, despite your income, it is a high likelihood that your water service lines are made with lead. Why do we have so many? Despite the known public health risks of lead the city of Chicago continued to use lead lines until they were banned at the federal level in 1986 while other cities had stopped decades before.

WATER QUALITY

Covid exposed the fragility of water vulnerabilities of Black Chicagoans spurring water ordinances to prevent privatization and extend relief to low-income Chicagoans. Those attempts to address financial relief have not resulted in passed ordinances. What else is in our water that should concern us besides lead? Commissioner Steele lifts up microplastics as and forever chemicals known as PFAS as contaminants of concern.

“We need everyone’s help to limit the spread of these contaminants and the source of the pollution to ensure we can keep these out of our water environment.”

Water is a basic human right and our government and its agencies should be working to ensure this resource is of the highest quality, especially for vulnerable populations. Over 50% of prisoners incarcerated in Illinois state prisons and jails are Black. Reports of unsafe drinking water, and confirmed the presence of bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease was reported by the Chicago Sun-Times in August of 2022 but have been public for quite some time. Families of those impacted have been organizing to Governor Pritzker’s office to put an end to the inhumane conditions their loved ones must face daily.

The pipeline of water information is leaky. Oftentimes residents are not aware of services, programs and subsidies. Property owners that are curious as to

the quality of their water can get free water testing done by the city by calling 311. Home-based childcare providers can get free assistance for testing, lead abatement and other technical support from Elevate through their Leadcare Illinois program. Passionate water allies can learn to organize and strategize by joining The Black Water Council with Naomi Davis at Blacks In Green.

The waters of our region support our health and our economy. The summer of 2022 brought about new businesses like Sea Black Charters, a Black-owned company that offered cruises on Lake Michigan or the Chicago River docked at 31st street Harbor south of Margaret Burroughs Beach. Also behind Altgeld Gardens a piece of our history forever commemorated by a local landmark. Chicago’s Finest Marina sits on the Little Calumet River and is owned by the Gaines family. This evolving marina is a stop on the Underground Railroad and is one of 11 Black owned marinas in the world and is looking to create a riverfront community of educated boaters and a new generation of Black tradesmen and women working in and around water.

“Clean and healthy water is very important to my family's business,'' shares Charlotte Stanton, co-owner of Sea Black Charters. I’m more involved and aware of what makes the water dirty than ever before” she continued.

Charlotte and husband Jacare Thomas pass on water literacy to their customers, educating them on how to enjoy their cruises and how to keep the water healthy.

At Chicago’s Finest Marina tours are given by environmental groups teaching the public about the region's river system through culturally relevant programming like the African American Heritage Water Trail. Our water is our world and it is our right to have clean water. Let this be an invitation to join those who are shaping a future for clean water for us all.

11

Arts & Culture

Pemon Rami Pens Memoir Growing Up When Blackness Was Golden Tammy Gibson CNW StaffWriter

Pemon Rami is an international film producer, activist, influencer,

and educator who has unselfishly used his talents to develop greatness in others. His memoir “When Blackness Was Golden!” Observations From the Front Line!” thrusts

We celebrated our hair, referring to each other as Brother’ or ‘Sister,’ and continued to be more respectful of our elders as was our tradition.

American culture, pride, and love ruled supreme. Rami honors significant contributors to the history of the Chicago Black Renaissance that has been overlooked or forgotten.

Chicago News Weekly: What inspired you to write a memoir?

Pemon Rami: I wanted to tell the story of the number of people I met and the significant contributions that were made between the 1950-1980s, which I considered to be the golden era of the development of Black art, culture, theater and the movement in Chicago. The pandemic allowed me the time to be able to actually sit down and put the pen to paper. It’s the story of my involvement in theater and film, and the number of people that have been forgotten in terms of history and their contributions that made me want to write the book.

Chicago New Weekly: What was your experience growing up during the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago?

Pemon Rami: In the 1950s we got to a place where we appreciated our Blackness. We celebrated our hair, referring to each other as Brother’ or ‘Sister,’ and continued to be more respectful of our elders as was our tradition. That became the culture we evolved into. We went from that to a movement of Black power, resilience, and cultural identity.

Chicago News Weekly: How did Chicago shape you into the person you are today?

Pemon Rami: I initially grew up in what is now known as Bronzeville. My family lived on Indiana and Prairie in tenement buildings. Part of the reason we moved out because a rat climbed into my younger brother’s crib when he was born. My father said he couldn’t deal with the rats in the building anymore.

At that time, the Chicago Housing Projects were being built.

We moved to Stateway Gardens, which at that point, was absolutely incredible. It was manicured lawns. All the utilities were brand-new. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra would entertain us on the weekends, which most people found hard to believe.

Martin Luther King, Jr. came to speak one weekend in 1956 when I was 15 years old. It was an incredible environment when the community was rich with cultural institutions and places we could go to, like the Savoy Ballroom, Provident Hospital, DuSable Museum, South Side Community Art Center and the YMCA on Wabash. It was an incredible community of enrichment and love.

Chicago News Weekly: Do you believe Blackness is still golden in 2022?

readers into an era when African

Pemon Rami: It’s not as golden as it was. Our work is still in an environment of golden possibilities. What I mean by that is young people are doing wonderful things but not getting coverage from the media. The media used to be a great tool for exploring of what we were doing that was great. That went by way of Ebony, Jet, Essence, and many community-based newspapers and radio shows that have gone away. We must get back to the understanding that our community grows as we grow. There are enough of us that have been educated, and what I’m calling education is an understanding of your responsibility to Black people and the world that will help us to move back to garner the kind of respect and commitment that will help us move forward.

“When Blackness Was Golden!” Observations From the Front Line!” is available for purchase at The Silver Room, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookBaby, Baker & Taylor, BAM, and Ingram and Powell’s City of Books.

Tammy Gibson is an author, and Black history traveler. Find her on social media @sankofatravelher.

12

November 16 - November 22, 2022

BLUE HEAVEN at Black Ensemble Theatre Marti Worell Arts & Culture Editor

T

he Blues comes to life on the Black Ensemble Theatre stage. Blue Heaven is set in a simple, understated music venue reminiscent of those where the Blues is often experienced. One by one, musical artists whose names and music are known around the world to enter the club, each one belting out a signature tune as their ticket for admission. They are Howlin’ Wolf, played by Lyle Miller, Muddy Waters, played by Dwight Heal, Big Mama Thornton, played by Miciah Lathan and Stevie Ray Vaughan, played by Billy Rude. As they chide each other playfully, the bond they share as members of the Blues elite musical is clear.

The love, respect, and comradery are clearly seen and felt as this group shares music and career stories.

You would think this much Blues genre royalty would be enough but there is one more legend on the way to the club and no one knows who it is. But when he arrives on the scene, BB King enters, playing his beloved guitar the world knows as “Lucille.”

Although this little tidbit is not in the play, it’s important to share. BB’s guitar known as Lucille seems obvious. Like you, I always thought Lucille was a special woman in his life. In the early days of his career, B B King often played in a little club in Twist, Arkansas. Probably a juke joint. To heat the club on very cold nights, the owner would fill a large metal can with kerosene fuel, place it in the center of the room, and light it. The people would dance around it while the musicians played.

One night a fight broke out and the can was knocked over. The burning kerosene quickly set the wood building aflame and everyone ran for the door including B B. Once outside, he realized he had left his beloved guitar behind and, without thinking, ran back into the collapsing building to retrieve it.

The next morning, he learned the fight was over a woman whose name was Lucille.

In that moment he decided to name all his guitars, “Lucille” to remind him never to do something that foolish again!

Written by Daryl D. Brooks, BET Producing Managing Director, Blue Heaven shines a light on the life and times of these musical greats through their stories of triumph, joy, love, and shame, bringing each to a place of self-forgiveness. Kudos to the members of this stellar cast for their virtuoso performances and to Jackie Taylor and the Black Ensemble Theatre for continuing to share our stories with passion and authenticity! Blue Heaven runs through Nov. 27. Visit www.blackensembletheatre. org for tickets. Next up: Jackie Taylor’s Joy to the World: A Holiday Celebration.

Performances will be December 10 & 11, 17 & 18. Celebrate the holidays and make a joyful noise with the Black Ensemble Theatre!

A N I M P O RTA N T M E S S AG E F R O M M E D I C A R E

“HAVE YOU COMPARED PLANS? You might find one that saves you money.”

Medicare plans change every year and so can your health. Now’s the time to compare your current Medicare plan to other options and choose the right plan for your health and your budget.

Use Medicare.gov to easily compare options for Medicare health and prescription drug plans.

Do a side-by-side comparison of: · · ·

Plan Coverage Costs Quality Ratings

Medicare Savings Programs, run by your state, can help lower your healthcare costs.

If you’re single with an income of $20,000 or less, or if you’re married with an income of $25,000 or less, you may be eligible to save with Medicare Savings Programs.

Call your state Medicaid office at 1-888-342-6207.

Find your plan at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048)

Paid for by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

November 16 - November 22, 2022

13

Ivy Hall Makes History as Illinois’ First Black Social Equity Cannabis Retailer

By Mila K. Marshall CNW Staff Writer

M

onday November 14th, Chicago’s northside community of Bucktown formally welcomed a new weed company.

Ivy Hall located at 1728 N. Damen opened their doors rooting themselves as a part of Black cannabis history. As Nigel Dandridge took the podium the look on his mother’s face who is also a partner in the endeavor, blossomed with pride. Intergenerational investments in the cannabis sector are inspiring. One of Illinois’ first social equity dispensaries is 61% Black.

The Dandridges’ family business operating in Chicago is proof of how sensible legislation can remove barriers for BIPOC cannabis companies.

Nigel Dandridge expressed gratitude for local and state policy makers that worked to create a pathway for social equity endeavors such as Ivy Hall.

While the Dandridge family has the North Damen location as one of the first, it will not be their last. The brand has plans to open multiple locations in Crystal Lake and Montgomery, IL in the near future.

The morning was infused with photo ops with State Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar and the ceremonious ribbon cutting with the larger-than-life scissors. Surrounded by staff, family and friends Ivy Hall begins its journey to become the leading dispensary in Illinois. Nigel’s remarks were warm and heartfelt as he reflected on the many years of work

14

and preparation.

“Three years is too long”, stated a passionate State Rep.Cassidy in her remarks as she congratulated Nigel Dandridge and his partners on their momentous accomplishment. Cheerful Cassidy took a moment to lift up the much-needed banking access for all of the industry and acknowledged there is much more work to do.

Inside Ivy, Chicago’s first Black owned cannabis brand 93 Boyz sits on the shelves. Founded by Chicago native vibe curator, musician and activist Vic Mensa, Ivy reminds us Black Chicago is leading the way the city brings our buddies along.

While the young company isn’t even a week old, their living legacy already opens the doors for other hopefuls entering the industry; Budtender, Human Resources Coordinator and Senior Marketing Coordinator Current positions are posted on their LinkedIn

page as positions they are seeking to fill.

Ivy Hall hours are Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.- 9 p.m., Fridays/Saturdays 9 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sundays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Surrounded by staff, family and friends, State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, Owner Nigel Dandridge and Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar cut the ceremonial ribbon at Ivy Hall, the first Black owned social equity dispensary in Illinois. photo courtesy of The Gemini Group,

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Dollars & sense

What is the Key Unlocking the Secret to Becoming an Intentional Millionaire?

By Dr. Sakira Jackson CNW Columnist

Unless you are dead you have heard about the best-selling book The Secret.

The Secret is a 2006 self-help book

by Rhonda Byrne, based in principle that thoughts become things. It sold 20 million copies worldwide. While many doubt the book, it is still true if you want to change your results you must change how you think. Over the years I’ve found that you can use this principle too if you put your mind too it. I call it the Intention Principle.

So how do you as a motivated, high-performing entrepreneur utilize this practice to grow your business to millions in sales?

The book the Secret describes how to improve one’s life, relationships, and health through visualization, however the author didn’t outline the visualization process or what to do once you have the vision. In my coach program we not only outline the process; but also, through specific exercises engage in visualization that implement it your business and your life. We call it intentional visioning.

It’s a six-step process that begins with Vision (visualization).

To begin, first you push your mind to a time in the future, 3 to 5 years away, push your mind so that you can see the future clearly. The second step of the Intention Principle ™ is Imagination.

Begin by imagining what your business growth is and the changes have already taken place. This includes the types of clients you have, what they say about you, the number of sales, etc. be incredibly detailed. Only move to step three when you can see this in your mind.

Step three you will identify a specific set of intentions that you believe you will have completed when your vision is manifested. For the non-intentional business owner, this task is a little daunting and is usually one reason why the Intentional Vision does not manifest.

Here is where many people drop the ball, because “I believe it when I see it” shows up. And because their belief is limited to what they can currently see they are unable to push themselves to believe it and the see it. This the point of the true test. Believing is Seeing.

Many of my Intentional Millionaire Members have completed the exercise and the results are astounding.

From increased sales from $60,000 a month to $500,000 per month, from new homes to multimillion dollar contracts, when the mind can perceive it, the world can achieve.

Keep in mind, everything that you use, buy or want to buy was conceived in the mind of someone first. when you

Jesus ‘Chuy” Garcia

Accused of Appropriating Harold Washington’s Legacy in Mayoral Run Announcement Danielle Sanders CNW Managing Editor

D

ays after he was re-elected to the IL House of Representatives, Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia announced his run for Chicago mayor. This is Garcia’s second run for Mayor after an unsuccessful bid in 2015. He joins an increasingly crowded list of opponents vying to unseat Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the 2023 election.

“Now is the time to revitalize our neighborhoods, strengthen our schools and bring safety back to our streets because we believe in a Chicago for everyone, a welcoming Chicago, the same Chicago that welcomed me as a 9-year-old immigrant boy and gave me a fighting chance to dream big,” Garcia said at his news conference.

Garcia made his announcement on the 40th anniversary of Harold Washington’s announcement to run for mayor. A move one of his challengers, Alderman Rod-

November 16 - November 22, 2022

change your mind to “I’ll see it when I believe it”, the mind can become creative and expansive.

Step 4 is Attention. Now that you have intention, you must focus part of your mind on seeing the real world what you have in your mind. Look for opportunities, avenues and paths to towards your vision. Create a task list of what you think you might have to do to get to the vision. Do not worry about being right or all inclusive. Start from where you are.

“Action” is the next step, don’t get stuck here as many people do. Don’t worry about what you don’t know.

Again start from where you are. Trust, have faith. Take the leap. The next action will be there once you start.

Why do good intentions fall off?

Most good intentions fall off because of Step #5. Fear, procrastination and non-belief show up and derail many a plan. The cemeteries are filled with great intentions. Not because they aren’t but due to lack of action. Have you ever noticed there is a little voice in your head questioning your abili-

ty to achieve? It whispers reasons why your plan of action can’t or won’t work.

Quiet that voice that keeps you from achieving your vision with the last step for Manifestation, it’s called the “The 5 Second Rule”. Whenever the anxiety, doubt, uncertainty starts, you start countdown Like a NASA space launch 5- 4 – 3 – 2 – 1. Lift off towards your vision. The same meta-physical energy required to launch a rocket is what you need to launch you towards your vision.

These are 6 steps of the Intention Principle™ – Vision, Imagination, Intention, Attention, Action and Manifestation™. And no, you can’t skip as step. If you do, you will not get the results you seek. It does not matter what is it is you are envisioning.

Politics

erick Sawyer says, “appropriates the legacy of one of the most beloved African American leaders in Chicago history.”

In a statement, Alderman Sawyer said, “The race is about what you can do for Chicago today, not who you rubbed elbows with 35 years ago. With all due respect to Rep. Garcia, he served in the City Council under Harold Washington for about 19 months before Mayor Harold Washington passed. Rep Garcia has found his way into a variety of offices over the years, but he hasn’t been a part of our city leadership or our legislation or our budgeting for more than 30 years. I had the tremendous opportunity to sit with Mayor Washington many times, and he gave me advice on a great many things, including law school and how to navigate it. My father was very close to Mayor Washington, serving as both his Rules committee chairman as well as his President Pro-tempore in the City Council. I grew up with Mayor Washington visiting my father’s office regularly as our State Senator and congressman. He was a friend to our family, and yet I haven’t tried to wrap myself in his

legacy the way Rep. Garcia has.”

Representative Garcia previously endorsed Lori Lightfoot over then-challenger, Toni Preckwinkle in the 2019 election. He says now that was a mistake and said Chicago needs a mayor that will unify and not be divisive.

Garcia joins the race for Mayor with Paul Vallas, State Rep, Kam Buckner, cook County Commissioner, Brandon Johnson, Willie Wilson, Ja’Mal Green, and Alds.

Raymond Lopez, Sophia King, and Roderick Sawyer.

Chicago’s Mayoral Election is in Feb. 2023.

15

commentary Chuck D on Death of Takeoff: ‘When Corporations Show Up God Leaves the Room’ recognize as hip-hop’s voice of reason.

was killed and thought there was no way

#LETITBEKNOWN NNPA NEWSWIRE — “I don’t blame the youth. You’ve got to blame some adults hiding behind the scenes, pied piping and pied papering all of this madness and making this kind of thing seem normal. Was there a shootout at a dice game? Yes. Were Black men involved in that circle? Yes. But it’s somebody pushing buttons and pulling levers and not only doing so but they have been greatly enriched financially by these incidents.”

Chuck said the life artists today lead today, compared to earlier hip-hop stars, is different.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

As

family, friends, and fans, continue to mourn the death of Migos member Takeoff, the demand for hiphop to take a stand against gun violence has grown.

While many have expressed disbelief and anger that the shooting death of the 28-year-old, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, took place allegedly because of an argument over a dice game.

Fans on social media and the mainstream press have quickly tossed blame at everyone from Takeoff’s bandmate Quavo to clothing boss J. Prince Jr. and even to the slain rap star himself.

And as always, hip-hop has come under fire.

That’s no surprise to legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, whom most

16

In putting in a perspective as perhaps only the “Fight the Power” artist can, Chuck noted that any other industry that has seen as many fatalities as hiphop would have addressed that issue long ago.

And Chuck doesn’t put the blame entirely on the artists.

“This curiosity of what is this hip-hop thing, what is this Black thing. The world always seems to want to know and mimic our greatness,” Chuck asserted in a 30-minute interview with the Black Press of America’s live morning news program, “Let It Be Known.

“And if they can find a way to finance and have our people mimic us at our worst – the stereotype that generalizes us as a bunch of murderous thugs and metastasize that over a 10-15-20-year period as being normal, then we got a problem.”

He continued: “I don’t blame the youth. You’ve got to blame some adults hiding behind the scenes, pied piping and pied papering all of this madness and making this kind of thing seem normal. Was there a shootout at a dice game? Yes. Were Black men involved in that circle? Yes. But it’s somebody pushing buttons and pulling levers and not only doing so but they have been greatly enriched financially by these incidents.”

Takeoff’s death counts among a string of murders in the hip-hop community over the past several years.

Other high-profile murders include PnB Rock, Pop Smoke, XXXTentacion, Nipsey Hustle, King Von, and Young Dolph.

“I was in college when Biggie and ‘Pac

we’d ever experience anything remotely close to that again,” media personality Jemele Hill tweeted following Takeoff’s death.

“Now,” Hill continued. “It’s happening so frequently that you barely have time to recover before someone else is killed.”

Chuck noted that a large part of the argument about hip-hop deaths and violence comes from many who don’t consider all available facts.

“There are hundreds of thousands of artists out there,” he said when asked whether the younger artists pay attention to the old heads.

“Who do you count? Do you count the more successful ones because more people like them? When we start getting into followers and likes, those algorithms don’t add up to who we are as a people,” Chuck insisted.

He explained: “I have ten stations on Rap Station (Radio). We play artists from the underground and under-found. We play artists with a 10-15-year career, women worldwide and in more abundance than in the United States.”

Chuck continued: “If you only pay attention to what’s being washed up on your shores, you’re going to get a limited view of what it really is. There is really no kind of educational forum that people can go to like in other aspects of life. Our arts and culture should be taught to us. If we don’t control our educational curriculum, we’re going to let corporations teach us. And, whenever corporations show up, God walks out the door.”

In a recent podcast, Takeoff spoke about receiving his flowers before he died.

“It’s time to pop it,” Takeoff said on “Drink Champs.”

“It’s time to give me my flowers. I don’t want them later when I’m not here. I want them right now.”

Chuck said the life artists today lead today, compared to earlier hip-hop stars, is different.

“At the beginning of hip-hop, especially in the real beginning, cats wanted to get away from that,” Chuck recounted.

“They didn’t want to be in the Bronx.

New York City had been deemphasized and abandoned by the U.S.A. during a tough fiscal time post-Nixon. Cats saw the emergence of hard drugs coming in out of nowhere. Guns coming out of nowhere, and cats wanted to get away from that, and they didn’t want to [rhyme] about that in the 1980s.

He concluded: “You had MCs and rappers who adhered to those values and qualities. We could have “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five that talked about what’s going on, but they also made party records to not talk about things people saw every day.

“There was a balance to at least try to bring good times into the picture. People often said Public Enemy bought a political message, but we came from the 1960s, so we remember a time of being broke but not broken.

“Many cats came from the 1970s doing hip hop in the 1980s and 1990s.

“We came from the Black Panther Party doing lunch programs, the Nation of Islam doing things in the neighborhood.

We remember Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X being assassinated when they were living people to us.

“On my birth certificate, it says ‘Negro.’ I remember being ‘Colored’ and ‘Black is Beautiful.’ That’s a different period that has been kind of pushed under the rug in Americana.”

November 16 - November 22, 2022

World News

Russia Transfers Brittney Griner to Dreaded Penal Colony

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

NNPA NEWSWIRE — A

court convicted Griner in August of trying to wsmuggle narcotics.

She received a nineyear sentence, which an appeals court upheld last month. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden had directed all in the administration to prevail on her “Russian captors” to improve Griner’s treatment and the conditions many must endure in the country’s penal colony. Individuals who’ve spent time at one of Russia’s infamous penal colonies reported that prisoners aren’t allowed outside contact for weeks.

A

ttorneys for Griner said they don’t expect to know her exact location for a couple of weeks.

Russian authorities have trans-

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden had directed all in the administration

earlier this year. “We communicated that many weeks ago, in June.”

to prevail on her “Russian captors” to improve Griner’s

The families of Whelan, who Russia has held for al-

treatment and the conditions many must endure in the

leged espionage since 2018, and WNBA star Griner,

country’s penal colony.

jailed in Moscow for drug possession since February,

Individuals who’ve spent time at one of Russia’s infa-

have urged the White House to secure their release, in-

mous penal colonies reported that prisoners aren’t al-

cluding via a prisoner exchange, if necessary, the report

lowed outside contact for weeks.

stated.

The colonies are notorious for corrections officers’ repeated abuse of prisoners, violence among inmates, lack of food, and inadequate sanitation.

During her court testimony, Griner said she’s still unsure how cannabis oil ended up in her luggage.

She said a doctor recommended cannabis oil for her injuries on the basketball court.

ferred Brittney Griner to the country’s dreaded penal

Confirmed reports said the United States government

colony, a move that, while expected, she and her family

had offered to swap the so-called “Merchant of Death”

“I still don’t understand to this day how they ended

had hoped could be avoided.

Viktor Bout for Griner and another imprisoned Amer-

up in my bags,” Griner said, adding that she was aware

ican, Paul Whelan.

of the Russian law outlawing cannabis oil and that she

Attorneys for Griner said they don’t expect to know her exact location for a couple of weeks.

Bout, who’s serving a 25-year federal prison sentence

had not intended to break it.

Russian officials jailed Griner in February when au-

and notorious for his desire to kill Americans, report-

“I didn’t have any intention to use or keep in my pos-

thorities arrested her at a Moscow airport after finding

edly has been at the top of Russian President Vladimir

session any substance that is prohibited in Russia,” Gri-

a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage

Putin’s wish list.

ner said.

A court convicted Griner in August of trying to smug-

“We communicated a substantial offer that we believe

U.S. officials continue to wait for word from the Rus-

gle narcotics. She received a nine-year sentence, which

could be successful based on a history of conversations

sian government on whether they will accept the swap.

an appeals court upheld last month.

with the Russians,” a senior administration official said

November 16 - November 22, 2022

17

Fashion

Dior Dresses Harrods for Christmas C L Blackburn Contributig Witer

If

you haven’t completed your winter holiday travel plans consider a weekend in London, where you can experience the fashion excursion of a lifetime creed as a collaborative partnership for you to enjoy.

Like fashion itself, the House of Dior French luxury fashion has given Harrods a makeover. With a lot of finesse, Harrods has metamorphically become a giant glamorous gingerbread house for the 2022 holiday season. Dior has taken over 44 window displays and illuminates the façade with stars, roses and other flowers.

The Fabulous World of Dior’s Harrods’ makeover runs through January 3, 2023, and celebrates Monsieur Christian Dior’s love of British elegance and the fashion house’s ongoing partnership with the luxury department store. The Christmas collaboration also marks the largest luxury brand takeover of Harrods.

It’s a lovely love affair between the two powerhouses that only beauty can create.

Window Displays and illuminating Façade

The main attraction of Dior’s transformation clearly is the magical display across the 44 window installations, with “small theatres of wonder” to be seen from Brompton Road to Hans Crescent, via part of Basil Street.

Inspired by the “celebration of dreams and Dior savoirfaire,” each display is showcased against a backdrop of gingerbread, with decorative moldings and details of sculpted sugar and caramel, alongside outfits designed

by Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Dior cruise 2023 line, Dior beauty, and fragrances.

While the Brompton Road façade of Harrods has been decked out in an impressive installation, reinterpreting sketches created by Chiuri and Roman artist Pietro Ruffo for the Dior cruise 2023 collection. Highlights include the classic Dior references, such as the compass rose, a symbol precious to the founding couturier, as well as celestial choreography and stars displayed on the ornate Edwardian architecture of the department store.

Dior has also fashioned a central star structure, erected to an impressive height of seventeen metres, the building’s largest structure to date, which appears to dance before the dome of the British department store, beckoning visitors within. While a few steps away, on Hans Crescent, the entrance at Door n°5 is ornamentally flanked by a majestic forest of biscuit fir trees.

Two exclusive pop-ups

Not to deny its unique creative approach to form, shape and color Dior has taken its design presentation by staging two exclusive multi-experience popups, which draw their décor from “the most beautiful

18

Christmas fairytales, inside the landmark department store.

The first, designed as an authentic gingerbread house, constitutes Monsieur Dior’s Atelier and features the fashion house’s signature leather goods and accessories, including the Lady Dior and Dior Book Tote.

The second pop-up not to disappoint offers a gift shop inspired by a cabinet of curiosities featuring “the perfect present,” from ready-to-wear to shoes. Highlights include sweaters adorned with poetic patterns, homeware items from the Dior Chez Moi capsule, and a series of T-shirts featuring socially aware prints evoking the first-ever collection of Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior.

Dior highlights beauty and fragrance

This Christmas emergence goal is to highlight all areas of Dior, including beauty and fragrance, which are getting two additional temporary spaces. One is dedicated to La Collection Privée Christian Dior fragrance collection, complete with a dream workshop “tracing the history of Dior through the prism of its signature compositions” including Gris Dior, Ambre Nuit, Oud Ispahan and Bois d’Argent. While the other focuses on “mark-up, the art of perfume and exceptional pampering,” explains Dior in the press release.

‘Kingdom of Dreams’ exhibition

Alongside window displays, pop-ups and a café, Dior has also created an exclusive in-store ‘Kingdom of Dreams’ exhibition that explores the tradition of

gingerbread houses. Dior has crafted its landmark locations, from Granville to La Colle Noire and 30 Montaigne, entirely out of gingerbread cookies in micro proportions.

The enchanting display recounts the Dior journey so far, from gingerbread Monsieur Dior thinking about the future silhouettes he will fashion to trying his hand at embroidery, and in the perfume atelier, there is a scale model of the original Miss Dior dress, echoing the first Dior fragrance. While on Avenue Montaigne, a mischievous fairy transforms a piece of candy into a Bar jacket with a wave of her wand.

Le Café Dior at Harrods

Once the customer has seen the windows and the illuminated façade, bought a Dior gift or two in the popup, and visited the exhibition, there is only one thing left - to eat a Dior-inspired gingerbread cookie. Inside the French fashion house’s elegant tearoom, complete with chairs dressed in its iconic Dior toile de Jouy, fans can eat gingerbread in the shape of the Dior Bar jacket and the Lady Dior bag, as well as the signature CD Diamond motif and even the 30 Montaigne plaque.

Le Café Dior, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, also offers a menu filled with “classic great classics of French cuisine and culinary specialties with a twist of British influence,” such as Cornish crab with green apple, Atlantic lobster Thermidor and its yuzu vinaigrette, and a roasted chestnut velouté with winter chanterelles.

For those with a sweet tooth, the menu also offers a selection of gourmet creations, including tarte tatin or pear baba, and pastries reinventing traditional Christmas desserts, such as a sumptuous honey cake in the shape of a Christmas tree.

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Arts & Culture

Chicago’s Stages for

the Holidays Marti Worell Arts & Culture Editor

It’s

November, and we’re in the holiday season.

Everyone is making plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve, and because it finally looks like we’re moving further away from our COVID past making fresh starts. Plans include gathering with family and friends for good food and libations, anticipating sharing old memories and creating new ones, and simply being in a space of the kind of joy that only comes during these holiday festivities. While we all look forward to these warm gatherings, we also look forward to sharing experiences at Chicago’s many entertainment venues. To help with your entertainment planning, here are a few productions to consider adding to your holiday season activities.

The 1998 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical, The Lion King, begins its triumphant return to Chicago at the Cadillac Theatre on Nov. 17, running through Jan. 14, 2023. The Lion King was a groundbreaking theatrical endeavor as the first live adaptation of a Disney animated film. The creative team, led by visionary playwright, film and stage Director, Julie Taymor known for her masterful use of Asian inspired masks and puppets in costume design, included Tony award winners Garth Fagan (Choreographer) with Sir Elton John and Tim Rice (Musical Score)! If you’ve never seen this magical production, or you want to experience it again, either way, it’s a fantastic way to spend an evening with family or friends from ages 6 to 96! Do not hesitate to get your tickets for this fantastic, jaw-dropping, joyful, energetic stage adaptation of the beloved

November 16 - November 22, 2022

animated film. Tickets sellout fast. Visit broadwayinchicago.org for tickets.

Hyde Park’s Court Theatre is taking its audience on a different kind of African journey with their production of The Island written by South African playwright, novelist, actor & director, Athol Fugard along with two more South African playwrights & actors, John Kani (Black Panther, Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, and Lion King live action remake) Winston Ntshona (Sizwe Banzi is Dead ((play)), The Power of One, Dogs of War).

“The Island” is running at Hyde Park’s Court Theatre. The story is about political prisoners, Winston and John and their survival on South Africa’s infamous Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 of his 27-year imprisonment. A sobering glimpse into the social, physical, and psychological wounds of Apartheid, “The Island” is a complex work of liberation and a testament to the transformative power of theatre as the audience journey with these two pris-

oners who find strength, purpose and friendship after long days of grueling toil at meaningless tasks in the prison quarry, while secretly rehearsing a twoman version of Sophocles’ Greek tragedy Antigone While this African journey is the polar opposite of the feel-good experience of Disney’s “The Lion King,” perhaps it will provide the audience with a deeper understanding of the human spirit and the innate will to survive in the face of racial oppression and cruelty driven by the delusion of superiority long held by the white South Afrikaners.

“The Island” is as important now as it was when it was produced by The Serpent Players in 1972, we watch members of our political party attempt to strong arm the American democratic foundation. Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent makes her solo directorial debut at

Court, bringing her vision of resistance and resilience to the stage, featuring actors Ronald L. Conner and Kai Ealy.

The Island will run through December 4. Visit courttheatre.org for tickets.

Last Thursday, “Black Panther II: Wakanda Forever, ‘the long awaited sequel opened in theaters across the world.

The pressure is immense because of the overwhelming success of its first installment. Not spoken out loud much, but the question is, will Chadwick Boseman’s absence make a huge difference? What do think? Let us know.

Blue Heaven, Black Ensemble Theatre’s much anticipated production featuring the stories and music of five of the most influential Blues musicians of all time is running through Dec. 27. Clap your hands, tap your feet, and sing along with the music of Big Momma Thornton, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and B.B. King. Visit blackensembletheatre.org for tickets.

Other noteworthy productions for the season include Living All Alone Phyllis Hyman Musical at John Ruffins Theatre 47 in Park Forest, IL. This encore performance runs from Nov. 12 through Dec. 11.

A Christmas Carol, Goodman Theatre’s cherished holiday retelling of the Christmas classic is celebrating 45 years as a Chicago tradition and must see for holidays. It runs from Nov. 19 through Dec. 31 and tickets are on sale now!

Visit goodmantheatre.org to get yours.

Stay tuned to Chicago News Weekly for more of what’s happening for the holidays in Chi-town!

19

Health/Healthy Living

DIABETES CAN BE MANAGED-CHOOSE TO ACT RESPONSIBLY & SAVE A LIMB

By Clover Lee Contributing writer

If

you’re Black in America, you know that Diabetes is prevalent amongst African Americans. You also know as Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death.” He said that in Chicago at the Medical Committee for Human Rights in 1966. Unfortunately, it still remains true.

SUPPORTIVE EVIDENCE Risk factors for diabetes amongst Blacks is overwhelmingly in your face. In your search to identify supportive evidence, you can select any state and seek the impoverished areas. What you will find is that the African-American community in those areas stands out because you will immediately recognize the circumstances that contribute to the perpetual state of poor health.

On top of limited access to quality care, there’s few dietary options that can lead to one’s eventual healing and possibly overcoming diabetes.

Sadly too many Black communities are actually ‘Food Deserts.’ These communities literally have no major grocery stores and the ones that do sell old food. The meat is bad, but not bad enough to be considered rancid, but close.

The fruits and vegetables are on their way to bad. The point? There’s no nutritional value gained. How can one manage their well-being?

COMMUNITY OBSTACLES THAT KEEP YOU SICK Sugar is the poison that replaced tobacco. The only good thing about it is that smokers weren’t obese. Now people are obese on top of the added health issues of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart issues. They’re trapped in food deserts where exercise facilities are few and far between, and there are fewer safe parks.

The devastating consequence of obesity and diabetes, can both be prevented with proper diet and exercise.

Diabetes accelerates the buildup of fats and cholesterol, known as atherosclerosis. The fatty goo accelerates the process that causes the narrowing of blood vessels and decreases the amount of oxygen-rich blood that goes to your organs. If it happens in the heart, you can have a heart attack. And if it happens in your arms and legs, you can develop PAD—peripheral artery disease.

If this buildup is left unchecked or undiagnosed in the legs, it can progress to a late stage that’s known as critical limb ischemia, which most likely if not attended to will lead to a painful, debilitating, nonhealing wound—an ulcer or gangrene—in your foot. Most doc-

20

tors treat this with an amputation-first strategy, despite the fact that there are minimally invasive procedures that decrease the odds of amputation by 90 percent.

You see why it’s so important to know about your disease?

SMART ALTERNATIVE CHOICES Being informed provides you the opportunity to manage your disease wisely from a perspective of empowerment. Yes, be the ‘physician and heal thyself.”

There is a procedure called an angiogram, which basically is an X-ray that examines the anatomy of your blood vessels. You shoot a contrast agent into the, or a gas to protect the kidneys, and it tells you what’s open and what’s clogged, right? It’s very easy.

The doctor can use his/her skill set to use a small catheter balloon, a wire, to go in and unclog it.

In minority and underserved areas, 90 percent of patients who had an amputation never had an angiogram before it, which is criminal, because up to 90 percent of lower--extremity amputees will die within five years.

The national average of those who aren’t tested is about 50 to 70 percent falling among the Black community.

It’s unfortunate but Black doctors care more about you because you are family. When they see you, they see

their parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends. They want you to keep your limbs, to heal and get better.

A caring concerned Black doctor is less likely to amputate a limb if they can prevent it from having to be done.

Because of one wonderful young Black doctor, Foluso Fakorede, MD, the founder of the Heart Disease & Amputation Prevention Institute in rural Mississippi; who happened to be an interventional cardiologist and limb-salvage specialist, from 2015 to 2018, amputation rates amongst Blacks decreased by 88 percent in the area just by instituting preventive strategies, doing angiograms on patients who needed them, and successfully treating them.

So that is the root of our advocacy fight that led to the establishment of the Congressional PAD Caucus in 2019, whose main objective is to prevent amputations that are performed without appropriate anatomic testing and to screen high-risk patients early in the disease process.

In real-time we are seeing diabetes prevalent in 40 and 50-year-olds. That means that in the near future more patients will be unable to exercise and will eventually be lost to productivity in society. This is a vicious cycle that we must prevent and it begins with you. ..

Be informed and act responsibly regarding your health.

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Don’t Distort Harold Washington’s Legacy for Your Own Benefit Letter to the Editor

An Open Letter to Chicago’s Mayoral Candidates Mayor Harold Washington lived a life that was big, bold, groundbreaking and uniquely African American.

As the anniversary of Mayor Washington’s death on Nov. 25th approaches, we have noted one candidate who never knew Mayor Washington attempting to distort his legacy for their own benefit.

That is an insult to those of us who knew him, worked with him, and fought with him. We fear more candidates will lay unfounded claim to his legacy, which

would be especially insensitive for any candidates who are not African American.

We do not condone any attempt to rewrite the Washington narrative for political ends in a way the late mayor would not have appreciated.

The first traceable member of his family in the United States was Isam or Isham Washington, born a slave in 1832 in North Carolina.

Mayor Washington grew up in Bronzeville when it was a center of African-American culture. He attended DuSable High School, then a newly established and racially segregated public school where he was a member of the first graduating class.

Mayor Washington was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 and served overseas as part of the racially segregated unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

The future mayor returned to Chicago and enrolled at Roosevelt College, now Roosevelt University, because it was one of the few places to allow black students.

There he was named to a committee that supported citywide efforts to outlaw socalled “restrictive covenants’’ in housing,

a means of keeping Blacks, Jews and other minorities out of white neighborhoods.

It's these experiences that molded him into the leader he became.

When he became the first Black mayor of Chicago he created opportunities and hope for African Americans from Chicago and around the country - many of whom grew up enduring the same segregation and inequality he did.

In spite of all this, his signature phrase was: “I want to be fair to everyone whether you voted for me or not.’’

While Mayor Washington was a true leader of the whole city, not any one group, his experience was one that could only belong to an African American.

For those of us who knew him, who loved him, who worked with him, we demand his legacy remain undistorted, especially by anyone who did not share his experience.

Josie Childs, President & Founder Harold Washington Legacy Committee

Enjoy Responsibly November 16 - November 22, 2022

21

Food & Wine

Easy, Fun, No-Fuss

Thanksgiving Turkey Mari Evans Contributing Writer

Y

ou’re not smiling because you just got that call . . . it’s your turn to cook the thanksgiving turkey. You knew it was coming. Why not, you’re grown, own our own home and you brag that you can cook so your family finally called you out.

Don’t delay, because Mari’s here to help you. I’m going to help you pull this off. It’s not my recipe or my family’s but one I found on the internet some while ago now. But it really takes the burden you’re feeling off your shoulders This Thanksgiving Turkey recipe packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, with none of the stress!

Not only is this roasted turkey recipe fool-proof and easy to make, but it will exceed expectations as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving feast!

Now you know why people stress so much over

22

their Thanksgiving Turkey? Thanksgiving is the one holiday that is all about the food with the turkey as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal.

Sitting around it, are a table of hungry people you cannot disappoint. So yep, it’s a big deal. So let’s get to it and just do it! and just picture what your turkey will look like and how good it will taste because this method is completely fuss-free and easy.

There’s no brining or basting the turkey, no cooking it upside down, or anything strange.

You don’t even need an expensive roasting pan. I’m convinced that this recipe is not only the simplest way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, it also yields a gorgeous, super juicy, perfectly cooked turkey.

The real KEY to baking a perfect Thanksgiving Turkey is not to overcook it–that’s what dries out the meat, and you want to carve into a juicy, moist turkey on Thanksgiving! It’s all about the timing. So plan ahead to get the timing right.

Let’s go ahead and go over the basics– the do’s, and the don’ts– for How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey: What size turkey to buy for Thanksgiving dinner:

First things first: Buy about 1.5 pounds of

turkey per person. (So if you’re feeding 6 people, buy

at least a 10 lb. turkey). That way you’ll have leftovers.

How to thaw your turkey:

Make sure and allow plenty of time for your turkey to thaw! A good rule of thumb is to allow one day in the fridge for every 5 pounds of turkey. I always give myself one extra day, just to be safe. Set the turkey on a cookie sheet or pan, to catch any liquid the turkey may drip as it defrosts in the fridge.

Don’t wash the turkey.

If you wash your turkey in your sink you will just contaminate your sink. Remove the turkey from its packaging, dry it off with some paper towels, and then prepare it for the oven. Any bacteria on the turkey will be killed in the hot oven while it bakes.

Don’t brine the turkey.

Don’t buy a wild turkey. If you buy a high-quality turkey from the store (like Butterball or Norbest), then brining the turkey is an unnecessary step. However, if the turkey is wild, you should brine it the night before to make sure it will be moist and flavorful.

Don’t baste the turkey.

Basting is really unnecessary to produce a beautiful golden brown turkey. It also requires you to constantly open the oven, which causes the oven to lose heat and the turkey to take longer to cook–which could lead to a dry turkey. By smearing an herb butter mixture over the outer and inner skin of the turkey you will ensure the skin will brown beautifully and taste amazing.

Don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey.

If you try to put stuffing/dressing inside the cavity of the bird, the turkey will be overcooked by the time the stuffing reaches a temperature that’s safe to eat. Instead, cook your stuffing in a casserole dish. Then you can fill the cavity of the turkey with things that will give it flavor (and add flavor to the drippings/stock): salt and pepper and any mixture of onion, apple, carrots, celery, or citrus.

Do test the turkey with a thermometer.

The only way to really tell if the turkey is cooked (165 degrees F), is by using a thermometer (I love this one). Test the turkey right from the oven—if it reaches 160 degrees F, I take it out and tent it with foil. It will continue to cook inside the foil tent to make up that extra 5 degrees.

Do let the turkey rest.

After removing the turkey from the oven, let it rest for at least 15 minutes, or up to 40 minutes (that gives you some extra time if you need to bake or warm anything else in the oven). If you’re using the drippings for gravy, remove the turkey from its pan to a cutting board and tent it with foil while it rests there. If you’re not using the drippings, then just leave the turkey in the pan and tent with foil.

You don’t need an expensive roasting pan.

If you have a big metal roasting pan, great! If you don’t, no worries. Just use a casserole dish big enough to fit the bird, or buy a $1 disposable foil roasting pan from Walmart (then you can throw it away after).

Place a bunch of chopped veggies on the bottom of your pan. The veggies will act like the wire rack in a regular roasting pan by elevating the turkey slightly.

Place the turkey right on top of the chopped veggies. save the turkey drippings.

After the turkey is finished cooking there will be juice and browned cooked bits at the bottom of your

November 16 - November 22, 2022

Celebrating and Creating Thanksgiving Traditions Liz Lampkin CNW Staff Writer

roasting pan. You can reserve all of it for making turkey gravy. You can also use the leftover neck and giblets you pull from the turkey when you remove it from the packaging, to make giblet gravy. The most flavorful gravy! Your grandma would be proud

How to prepare a simple roasted Thanksgiving turkey:

First, remove the thawed turkey from its packaging. Remove the neck (usually found in the large cavity of the bird) and the bag of giblets (sometimes found in the smaller neck cavity of the bird). Discard them or save them for gravy.

Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.

Next, season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple, and herbs\ Tuck the wings of the turkey underneath the turkey and set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan (or on top of a bed of chopped veggies —carrots, onion and celery work well— in a disposable roasting pan). Tucking the wings prevents them from burning, and helps the turkey sit flatter.

Use your fingers to loosen and lift the skin above the breasts (on the top of the turkey) and smooth a few tablespoons of herb butter underneath. Use some twine to tie the turkey legs together. Then slather the outside turkey in the rest of the herb butter. That’s it! You are ready to let your oven do the rest of the work!

You will want to check the turkey about halfway through cooking. Use your oven light to see if the skin is golden, and then place a large piece of tinfoil over the breast meat of the turkey to help keep it from overcooking.

STEP BY STEP PREP 20 MINS COOK 3 HRS 30 MINS TOTAL 3 HRS 50 MINS INGREDIENTS • ▢1 12-20 pound turkey • ▢1 onion , peeled and quartered • ▢1 lemon , quartered • ▢1 apple (your favorite kind), quartered • ▢.75 ounce container fresh rosemary * • ▢.75 ounce container fresh thyme * • ▢.75 ounce container fresh sage * For the herb butter: • ▢1 cup unsalted butter , softened • ▢1 teaspoon salt • ▢1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • ▢6-8 cloves garlic, minced • ▢fresh chopped herbs

November 16 - November 22, 2022

T

hanksgiving is the time of the year when people come together to celebrate why they are grateful. Families gather and prepare the annual meal together. Good Samaritans volunteer their time to serve others, friends get together for Friendsgiving activities, and believe it or not Christmas trees are up and shining bright. Every year people engage in traditional activities that bring them closer together, allow them to reminisce on good times, and create new memories.

As the first holiday of the season approaches, many have loved ones to celebrate with (old and new) while others may not. Whatever the case may be, there is no reason for anyone to be bored or alone during the holiday season. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate with your family, friends, or yourself, take a look at the list below for new and traditional ways to create memorable holiday moments.

• Host a wine and recipe exchange.

Gather your friends and family and have everyone bring one recipe and a bottle of wine to trade with someone. The recipes can range from simple to extravagant and appropriate for any occasion. This is a fun way to add to your cooking repertoire and add to your wine collection. It’s also a wonderful way to begin planning for the next big

holiday meal.

• Collect donations for a food pantry. As a family, with friends or a party of one, collect canned goods and deliver them to food pantries.

With the price of food skyrocketing and the increase in the need for food for families, donations of any kind would be appreciated.

• Thanksgiving Box. If you’re spending the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with your family, change things up a bit. Before the meal, give everyone a small sheet of paper and something to write with.

Instruct everyone to write one thing they are thankful for and place it in a decorative box. When the meal is done, each person can share why everyone is thankful. Be sure to place those notes back in the box so everyone can add to it each year and remember what they were grateful for.

• Arts and Crafts. Who doesn’t love arts and crafts? If you’re looking for something light and fun for everyone to enjoy, stock up on a variety of art supplies and plan out different crafts for everyone to create. Everyone loves to show off their creative side, and what better way to have fun with family and friends than to show off your creative skills.

• Volunteer Your Time. If you want to spend this holiday giving to others, find a shelter, food pantry, or church to volunteer your time.

Helping others is a good way to spread cheer to those less fortunate.

It’s also a way to remember why you should be grateful for what you have.

• Create a New Family Recipe.

Before or on the day of Thanksgiving, gather a few of the family cooks and create a new recipe. It can be a new appetizer, main course item, signature drink, or dessert. Whatever you decide to make, be sure it is something that is unique to you and your family.

• Go Thanksgiving Caroling. Make it a ‘Thing.’ After everyone has wined and dined on the Thanksgiving feast, go through your neighborhood or a nearby neighborhood, go door to door, and sing songs about being grateful. Do your research and learn a few short songs that send messages of love and thankfulness.

The holiday season is the time when people come together to celebrate and give thanks. No matter what you decide to do and who you decide to do it with, make sure it warms your heart, uplifts your spirits, and leaves a lasting impression in your thoughts. But most importantly, make sure you’re grateful for the time you have to do the things you’ll do.w Liz Lampkin is a Lifestyle, Love, and Relationships writer. Follow her on social media @Liz_Lampkin.

23

ELECT

Dr. Willie Wilson FOR MAYOR OF CHICAGO

COMPASSIONATE COMMITTED & CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP

electwilliewilson.com /drwilliewilson @drwillielwilson @drwilliewilson PAID FOR BY WILLIE WILSON FOR MAYOR