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312. 877. 5151 Vol. 2 No 20 Wednesday, July 10, 2024
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What in the World are We Talking About?
Idon’t know about you, but I am so tired of the, ’Biden is not up to the job of U.S. President.’ Don’t misunderstand me, I saw the first 2024 Presidential Debate. I felt my stomach fall like an elevator crashing in the shaft. I was expecting ‘the President Joe Biden who delivered The State of Union 2024,’ address earlier this year. He did not present himself as that man, that president. That’s that! But what has since come to fore is the difference between the ‘Maga’ Republican Party and the Democratic National Party. The alarm rang loud and clear from the mainstream media and members of the Democratic inner circle.
And no! I am not talking about the fact that former President Donald Trump took to the golf course instead of the campaign trail and President Joe Biden hit the campaign trail to prove his readiness and capability to run for and win the presidency.
a convicted felon on 34 counts, from a case regarding election fraud, yet they see him as their guy. I think he is an amazing self marketing and promotional guy. Does that qualify him as good for the office of the U.S. President? I don’t think so. We have had four years under his rule which he wants to take on again with a very aggressive vision of himself as the first authoritarian leader of America where he wins every future Presidential race until he dies.
Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief
even after the President has said, “I am not bowing out. I‘m in for the count because I believe I can beat him.”
I don’t want to reiterate all that has been said in the mainstream media but rather speak my opinion on this. So here goes. We can talk about and critique the Maga Republicans all we want, accuse them of being a cult of sorts and attack their beliefs etc., and so on. But what I do respect about them even of it’s mired in a messy pile of fact checking, is that they are Team Trump come hell or high water. They take ‘ride or die’ to a whole different level. The media teases the Maga congressional members who dress like Trump to show their support which serves as an inexpensive marketing tool. Everyone is on deck. It doesn’t matter what you think about Donald Trump now referred to as
And that my friends is the big joke. Those who express concern about whether Biden has his wits about him, pose apprehensions that infer he won’t be able to lead and run the country. But guess what; he has a vice president. In the case where a president dies or is determined incapable at any time during his term, the Vice President is then sworn in. My point, we’re just weeks out from the national conventions of both parties and the concern, though it seems sound to air and discuss amongst the party, I have issue with the very public discussion. The Magas would never take such a discussion public. All of that should have been done behind closed doors where a decision would be made and announced. That doesn’t mean that that party doesn’t listen to the people but to be bullied by mainstream media about Joe Biden’s ability and all that ‘Let-me-save-face’ posturing by the inner circle Democratic Party members with their ‘Look, I love Joe Biden… He’s been a Great President, but this not about what he’s done but about can he do, going forward, and can he beat Trump?”
This is still the rumbling conversation
The continued talk amongst the Democrats is the deal breaker. Where’s their ‘ride or die’ loyalty? The man said he’s in. Either you’re with him or you’re not. There is power in words my people . What you believe has power, so go for it. The people are waiting on you to make your stand and show your belief through your actions. Stop the pontificating and skirting around the real deal. Why haven’t you called for Trump to do the right thing and drop out as a convicted felon for election fraud at that? What about his encouragement of the January insurrection? The refusal of a peaceful transition of power and the fact that he willingly led the ‘Maga Team Trump’ to create and convey the falsehood that the election was rigged. That’s okay? We should just accept that even though legally he can run? People please.
Democrats now I truly get why you are thought of as having no backbone. You have emerged as the aristocratic bourgeoise with all your intellectual stand downs and failure to get to the real points like . . . Let’s say hypothetically that Vice President Pence had been killed . . hung at the gallows built on the Capitol by the January 6 insurrectionists; let’s say that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been murdered, would we be having the same conversation?
photo credit: Dot Ward
around town
CNW Staff Report
FullFest
The 4th of July was celebrated with a parade on 53rd Street which featured Cook County Board
President Toni Preckwinkle as "Lady Liberty", pictured here with 5th Ward
Alderman Desmon
Yancy u
The 3rd annual FULLFEST was a vibrant celebration of sustainability with nearly 200 attendees enjoying music, art, and eco-friendly vendors at the 3.5-acre Eden Place Nature Center. The event highlighted community, creativity, and innovative environmental outreach.
One Hundred Nine and Counting!
And the number is 109! Chicago is the big number winner of one hundred and nine people shot, 19 of which were fatal from gun violence. The shootings spanned across Chicago from midnight last Wednesday July 3rd to midnight Monday July 8th during the extended Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to a police report.
The Back Story
The public has witnessed such acts as CPD Supt. Larry Snelling and Mayor Brandon Johnson during a press conference on Monday calling upon the culprits for accountability for their responsibilities in the shootings.
How different the mayor of one year and counting sounds, "This is a choice. The choice to kill. The choice to kill women, the choice to kill children, the choice to kill the elderly. These are choices that the offenders made, and they calculated," Johnson said. "We are holding every single individual accountable for the pain and the torment that they have caused in this city."
During his mayoral campaign, Johnson, a former social studies teacher, promised to include youth in conversations about public safety and to give them more resources to help keep them away from criminal activities. Johnson addressed mental health and poverty during his campaign as the foundation for the rising crime within the Black communities.
He promised to tackle the root causes of violence by investing in youth, mental health care, affordable housing, violence prevention organizations, and restructuring the focus of law enforcement. In his first year, he made progress funding many of those initiatives, including youth programming and mental health care. Even so, some neighborhoods still living on the edge. While Chicago’s gun violence has dropped a little over 33 percent since its 2021 peak of 4,000 shootings during the pandemic, some predominately Black neighborhoods, like North Lawndale, Austin, and the East Side, has seen a rise in 2023.
In his first year, the mayor’s approved budget allocated a $15 million increase for mental health services, which would include the reopening of six clinics in the next four years. In October, the City Council approved an ordinance creating the Mental Health System Working Group, which will publish a report in May on the reopening of these clinics and plan the launch of Treatment Not Trauma. Chicago’s Department of Public Health is also working to recruit and hire more health professionals.
Mental Health
Johnson promised to expand Chicago’s mental health services by reopening the six facilities former Mayor Rahm Emanuel shut down; he also supported the Treatment Not Trauma ordinance, which would dispatch emergency medical technicians and mental health professionals — not police — to 911 calls related to mental health
So far, he’s set aside more than $76
million for youth programming and year-round employment.
This past summer he increased employment in One Summer Chicago, a city-led job opportunity program, by 19 percent, or 4,000 more kids and teens. This year, the Department of Family and Support Services will fund a pilot of the Peace Book initiative, which convenes youth-led, trauma-informed neighborhood commissions that promote peace and safety.
In August 2023, the mayor defended his “unique approach” to uplifting Chicago’s youth and continuing to welcome migrants, two demographics the new administration has pledged to support amid criticism that the city’s response has been lacking.
So, all this comes into play when looking at what happened over the recent Fourth holiday weekend. According to Snelling adjustments were made after the Fourth of July heading into the weekend, including canceling officers' days off, but ultimately, he said, ”they need communities to come forward.”
That thinking Is not new and has been requested over the years from countless numbers of mayors when senseless killings have occurred in communities all over the country. And yet people are reluctant. Why?
Snelling said, "We have to really stop and think about the mindset of someone who will shoot a child, a helpless child an unarmed mother and think that that's okay. And go about their days.” he continued, "Those people have to be taken off the street. They must be put away if we're not doing that. Then we're failing other families."
When the question directed to the mayor was ‘what adjustments need to be made to keep the community safe?’
Johnson resorted to a familiar response …‘the city needs more support.’
Following Snelling’s lead "I am urging all of you across the entire city to step up and say, 'We've had enough,'" Johnson said. "And I'm hopeful that our ongoing discussions will ensure that our state partners, as well as our federal partners, will swiftly come into the support of the city of Chicago. The city cannot afford to wait any longer."
Johnson said he has asked for more resources from the federal government to help invest more resources into communities.
"Black death has been unfortunately accepted in this country for a very long time," Johnson said. "Let's tell the full story of how we got here, because if you skip a chapter, it won't give us the ability to actually make the proper adjustments so that we can ensure that stronger and safer becomes a reality."
Johnson’s justification is “With the help of more requested federal resources, he is doubling down on efforts to get guns off the street and demand people step up and say something if they know who caused the violence. The reality is that the constituents including some South Side alderpersons say, ‘it's time for the mayor to be more proactive than reactive.’ People want the Mayor to do something that demonstrations action taken. If you haven’t use of the money and can’t show any change it sounds like more talk.
Ald. Jeannette Taylor says a coordinated effort and fostering good relationships with police and residents is why she believes no one was shot or killed in her 20th Ward over the holiday. She said, "We need a coordinated effort that we start to work on in January, not in April, not in May, not in June, in January," Taylor said.
Johnson’s absence on the crucial day, July 4 sparked others criticism because his lack of visibility made a statement especially when the belabored police force was refused vacation time during that time.
What's Going On?
At least 10 people were shot over the holiday weekend in the 15th Police District, where the mayor calls home. Melvin Hill, a 36-year old father and aspiring musician/fashion designer was found shot to death inside his West End home in South Austin has devastated his family.
His sister Lawanda said, "It really takes a village. The mayor can't do it by himself… “The city has to have people that care about people to make change."
Other holiday weekend shootings included two people shot, one fatally Sunday in the 700-block of East 89th Place; Sunday morning three men were shot on a sidewalk in front of the adult University of Chicago’s hospital's emergency room right after 5 a.m.; A 25 year-old man died in an exchange of gunfire Saturday night in South Shore; another South Side drive-by shooting left a 26 year old man dead and a woman injured, in the South Loop neighborhood's 100-block
“Elected officials must take action and listen to the voices of the Americans...”
of East 21st Street just before 11:15 p.m.
‘A 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were walking on the sidewalk when a white SUV pulled up and someone inside fired shots...The man died,” police said.
A woman walking her dog near the Marriott," where a South Loop female resident reported, "I heard at least 15 cleared gun shots." The trail of bullet casings scattered up and down the street left a shattered front door of a condo building, and was a terrifyingly near miss for two women, who in conversation in a parked car about to pull away when they saw two men running up from behind them.
And there were more involving people now facing the lasting impact gun violence can have on a community. Some of the violence includes three mass shootings, killing two women and an 8-year old boy and two other boys in critical condition after multiple shooters opened fire into a Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood home on the South Side.
The report notes that 19 or more of the victims shot were from mass shoot-
ings in Austin, Greater Grand Crossing and Little Italy. Police reports respondence to calls of shots fired and found eight people wounded by gunfire in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street; Two women, 74 and 31, were wounded; Two men, 28 and 23, were also shot in a leg and a third d man 36 year old man was shot in the groin; an 18-year-old woman was grazed in the head and was taken to Stroger as were all victims mentioned here.
Two women, 18 and 19, were also grazed and refused medical attention, police said. One of the women Erica Pinkerton cited that she grew up with the 74-year-old woman who was shot and injured. She noted that the 74 year old minded her own business and bothered no one… and she is fed up with the violence.’
Pinkerton summed up July 4th, "It's assassination day..." she said.
Executive director, Vaughn Bryant of the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, a group of 15 community-based organizations focused on reducing gun violence said his team assisted in the closing of
The A.I. The answer.is...
31st Street Beach over the holiday for safety.
"When you grow up in an environment where there's trauma, you don't resolve your conflicts in an adaptive way, and you use means that can be extreme, for what ultimately, our petty conflicts that don't require people to lose their life," Bryant said. "It's our city, and anything that is happening in our city as citizens, it's our responsibility... You can't complain that you don't have businesses or things that are going on when we're not keeping it safe in the areas for the businesses to thrive."
“The public is feeling some kind of way says,” South Loop Resident Anaise L, “I meant some people that feel not enough is being done to stop the violence.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the violence in a statement, imparting, "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and communities impacted," to the families and friends of those directly impacted.
Johnson said there will be an emergency services assistance to center open on Tuesday, July 9 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00
CNW
Staff Report
p.m. at Fosco Park on Racine Avenue to help support community members.
CNW only listed some of the 109 shootings here because the point is the same.
Cardinal Blase Cupich released a statement on the violence saying, "Cleveland; Philadelphia; Boston; Albany, New York; Detroit; Tampa, Florida; Connecticut; Chicago…share Deadly mass shootings over this year's Fourth of July holiday weekend. . . this year more than 100 people were struck by gunfire, 19 people lost their lives, and countless families and friends of those victims are left with questions, prayers and anger. As I said last year, we have a gun violence epidemic in America, and it is far past time for us to do something about it. The beautiful memories of the people lost tragically to gun violence will remain forever, but so will the trauma from the loss of loved ones.
"Elected officials must take action and listen to the voices of the Americans who are losing children, parents, friends, mentors and hope to gun violence.”
Part 2: How Will Proposed Changes to the Executive Branch Impact the Balance of Power?
Given the recent Supreme Court decision regarding presidential immunity, any proposed amendments or changes to the executive branch by former President Trump or any other political figure have the potential to impact the balance of power within the U.S. government. The balance of power is maintained through a system of checks and balances, where each branch has specific powers and can limit the powers of the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too dominant. If a proposal significantly enhances the powers of the executive branch, it could disrupt this balance. For example: Expanding Presidential Powers: Increasing the authority of the president, such as through executive orders or emergency powers, could reduce the legislative and judicial branches' ability to check executive actions.
Modifying the Structure of Federal Agencies: Changing how federal agencies are structured or how their leaders
are appointed could centralize more power in the executive branch.
Limiting Oversight: Reducing the oversight capabilities of Congress or the judiciary over executive actions could weaken the system of checks and balances.
However, any substantial changes to the powers of the executive branch would typically require legislative approval or even constitutional amendments, both of which involve rigorous processes and checks from the other branches of government. Therefore, the potential impact of such proposals on the balance of power depends on the specifics of the proposals and the broader political context.
Part 3: The Electoral College
The Electoral College is a unique feature of the American electoral system, established by the Constitution, which plays a crucial role in the process of electing the president and vice president of the United States.
Here are its key roles and functions:
Electoral Votes: Each state is allocated a certain number of electors, equal to the total number of its Senators and Representatives in Congress. Washington, D.C., also has three electors. In total, there are 538 electoral votes, and a majority of 270 is required to win the presidency.
Selection of Electors: Political parties in each state typically choose slates of electors before the general election. When voters cast their ballots in the presidential election, they are technically voting for their chosen party's slate of electors, not directly for the presidential candidates.
Electoral Voting Process: After the general election, the electors meet in their respective states in December to cast their votes for the president and vice president. The results are then sent to Congress, where they are officially counted in a joint session in January.
Contingency Procedures: If no candi-
date receives a majority of the electoral votes, the election for president is decided by the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote, while the vice president is chosen by the Senate.
Influence on Campaign Strategies: The Electoral College influences presidential campaign strategies, as candidates focus on winning key swing states that can determine the outcome of the election, rather than concentrating solely on the national popular vote.
The Electoral College system has been the subject of debate and criticism. Supporters argue that it balances power between smaller and larger states and ensures a wider geographic representation. Critics contend that it can lead to situations where a candidate wins the presidency without winning the popular vote, as happened in the elections of 2000 and 2016.
Fact-checking Trump and Biden’s First Presidential Debate
CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash took a hands-off approach during the network's live debate, letting lies and halftruths remain unchallenged. They could have interjected the facts but did not, as it was not their job but rather to ask the questions, get the answers, and allow the viewers to make their own conclusions.
The former president frequently ignored the questions posed by debate moderators by talking about whatever he wanted. In a few instances, they reiterated the question and gave Trump a chance to answer it again.
Joe Biden sometimes pushed back on Trump’s claims, as did Trump, though not always with specificity except to say the other was lying.
The absence of fact-checking and light moderation left the lies hanging. In the moderators' defense, prior to the debate’s start, the network said that the moderators wouldn’t intercede.
Facts you should know from the first 2024 Presidential Debate
Here are the facts based on some of the false claims stated during Thursday, June 27th debate.
On Abortion
The claim: Trump says Democrats support abortion until birth and that “everybody” wanted to overturn Roe v Wade.
The facts: Later abortions are a common line of attack among Republicans – but it’s not true. Less than 1% of abortions in the US are performed at or past 21 weeks, largely because of fetal abnormalities or lack of access to care earlier in pregnancy.
And Roe remained popular throughout the half-century it was in effect. Some anti-abortion activists have also argued that the federal government can use an existing law to implement a federal ban on abortion. The US Supreme Court has also dealt with two abortion cases so far this year – evidence that the issue is far from settled at the national level.
The Environment
The claim: Trump had “the best environmental numbers ever.”
The facts: It’s not clear what “environmental numbers” Trump is referring to, making it impossible to fact-check. However, the Guardian compiled 75 ways Trump made the country dirtier and the climate warmer.
Prescription drug reform
The claim: Biden oversold his prescription drug reforms.
The facts: Biden said seniors’ out-of-pocket costs were capped at $200, but it’s $2,000. The cap on insulin costs out of pocket is $35 a month, more than the $15 Biden claimed.
The Border
The claim: Trump’s border was the most secure in history.
The facts: Trump said that when he left the presidency, the US had the most secure border in history, and later said “hardly” anyone was coming through. While migrant apprehensions have surged under Biden, the increases began in 2020, during Trump’s presidency. The reasons people were seeking to migrate include economic stress caused by the pandemic and natural disasters, as well as long-running issues including violence and political instability. Biden struggled to land lines as Trump lied in first presidential debate
The Economy
The claim: Biden said the economy had “collapsed” and there were no jobs when Trump left office. The facts: That’s a bit misleading – employment rates began to tick up pretty quickly after an initial dip at the beginning of the pandemic, before Biden took office.
January 6
The claim: Trump deflected a question about the January 6 insurrection, blaming Nancy Pelosi for turning down a chance to deploy the National Guard.
The facts: This is false. There is no evidence Pelosi got an offer to deploy National Guard troops, and even if she did, she wouldn’t have the power to turn it down. The president, defense secretary, and army secretary have command of the Washington DC National Guard.
Tax cuts
The claim: Trump claimed his tax cuts were the largest in history and that his administration had the greatest economy in history.
The facts: His tax cut was the fourth-largest since 1940, according to PolitiFact. According to the non-profit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s recent report, Trump created about twice as much debt ($8.4tn) as Biden ($4.3tn). Before the pandemic hit, economic growth during his presidency averaged about 2.7% – that’s good but not as good as the 4% average growth during Bill Clinton’s administration. Unemployment before the pandemic was as low as 3.5% – again, not as low as during Clinton’s presidency.
‘Super Predators’
The claim: Trump said that Biden called Black Americans “super predators.”
The facts: The super predator theory in the 1990s suggested that a growing number of unusually violent young people, especially Black boys, posed a threat to the country. The theory capitalized on racialized fear and was used to encourage policies that led to the disproportionate incarceration of Black youth. There is no evidence Biden used the phrase or ascribed to the theory behind it.
However, Biden’s endorsement of the 1994 crime bill has justifiably come under scrutiny. Biden has defended the bill and said that aspects of it were wrongly implemented.
Assess for yourself.
Project 2025 What It’s All About
Given the last couple of weeks, it’s important to recognize what’s important going forward in the next coming months and the choices that we make as voters. You know the current discussion is still about the last debate and whether or not President Joe Biden should continue as the Democratic candidate.
But former President Donald Trump stood on that same stage and spewed falsehood after falsehood.
Well, I’ve got to tell you it’s clear that President Biden got off to a very rocky start. His performance was less than good, and the naysayers panicked and began discussing that he was not up to the job of president for the next four years. Many asked for him to back out of the presidential race. He has taken a stance to remain in the race against Trump because he believes he’s up to the job and can beat Trump. Sadly, his age only alarmed many, and the fear has metastasized the party and is running rampant among those running for reelection and many who have no idea who they can vote for if not Biden. They just want to beat the former president. Those same people who are in doubt are aware of the Republican agenda also known as Project 2025, an initiative led by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, aimed at preparing for a potential Republican administration in 2025. Just yesterday Trump announced that he knew nothing about the project. Just one more lie he has stated on record. His plan as spoken and written follows the implementation steps almost verbatim.
The project focuses on developing a comprehensive policy agenda and assembling a cadre of conservative personnel ready to implement these policies from day one of the next Republican presidency. Here are the key components of Project 2025:
Policy Blueprint: The initiative seeks to create a detailed policy blueprint that outlines conservative priorities across various areas such as the economy, healthcare, immigration, national security, education, and the judiciary.
Personnel Recruitment: Project 2025 aims to identify, vet, and train individuals who can serve in key positions within the federal government. This includes building a talent pool of experienced and ideologically aligned professionals ready to fill roles in the executive branch.
Government Reforms: The project emphasizes the need for structural and procedural reforms in the federal government to make it more efficient, accountable, and aligned with conservative principles. This includes proposals to streamline regulations, reduce bureaucracy, and enhance executive power.
Implementation Strategies: Beyond policy formulation, Project 2025 focuses on developing strategies for effective implementation. This involves planning for executive orders, regulatory changes, legislative initiatives, and other means to quickly enact the proposed agenda.
Conservative Coalition Building: The initiative aims to unite various conservative organizations, think tanks, and advocacy groups to support the agenda and ensure cohesive action once the opportunity arises.
Project 2025 represents a concerted effort by the conservative movement to be fully prepared for governance, emphasizing a proactive approach to shaping future policy and administration.
It’s not the intention of Chicago News Weekly's role to tell you how to vote -- however, we do urge you to vote and to arm yourself with information and understanding of how the American systems of governing work.
Living Chicago
By Mila K. Marshall, Ph.D. Staff Writer
Leaving Chicago for Texas? Maybe Think Twice About It
There is an exodus of Black Americans leaving the Midwest and relocating to the South, and Illinois is one of the top ten states losing Black residents. Other Great Lakes states with net losses of Black populations are New York, Wisconsin, and Michigan, according to Brookings Institute research.
States like Texas are attractive because
of affordable housing and no state taxes. A staggering 54% of Black residents who relocated to Texas moved for housing reasons, and 22% for jobs. Black businesses also significantly contribute to the state's economy, with over 400,000 Black-owned firms.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas gained 9,085,073 residents between 2000 and 2022, more than any other state. In the past 50 years, Texas has become the state with the largest
population of Black residents, making up 14% of the population.
As Chicagoans consider moving there to take advantage of the affordable cost of living, there is a clear threat, however, to the quality of Black lives, homes, and businesses. Storms are increasing in intensity and frequency, with Hurricane Beryl headed north up the Mississippi towards Chicago, threatening flood-inducing rains. The Category 5 storm wreaked havoc across the Caribbean
and came ashore with ferocious winds in Texas. A new level of resilience and resources is needed when living in the direct path of increasingly powerful and devastating storms.
As storms grow, they also change. Social media timelines are flooded with “marked safe from Hurricane Beryl” along with photos of uprooted trees, washed-out roads, and collapsed structures from the Caribbean to the coasts of Texas. The storm was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Lesser Antilles. Its rapid intensification was also historical. In a mere 42.5 hours, wind speeds increased from 65 mph to 130 mph, leaving nearly 3 million Texans without power. Restoring energy to residents and businesses could take upwards of two weeks, according to officials. Dangerous heat is set to blanket the region, placing millions at risk of heat-related illnesses.
There is no place untouched by the impacts of volatile weather. Black Chicago is all too aware of the dangers of extreme heat, and devastating urban floods have become commonplace. However, Black families should be wise when choosing where to call home during this era of climate change. Indeed, Texas may have affordable housing, but the state also leads the nation in most weather-related power outages.
Disparities in income still plague Black residents in Texas, making it more expensive to prepare for and recover from weather-related catastrophes. While affordability is a draw, nearly 60% of Black Texans are renting their homes, with the greatest housing disparities between Blacks and Whites in cities like Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Renters are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, no matter what city or state they are living in.
What’s the bigger picture?
Considering 40% of the nation's rental stock is in geographies vulnerable to increasingly volatile weather, and minorities are twice as likely to rent than own, unique challenges create a barrier to closing the wealth gap that plagues our community. Renters have little agency to weatherize homes or access adequate insurance. It’s also more likely that low and middle-income Black families reside in buildings suffering from disinvestment, making them highly susceptible to flash floods and damage from hurricanes and tornadoes. Being properly insured helps ease the burden. A 2023 study showed that renters are hit hardest after hurricanes, with reports of greater eviction rates, higher rents, and a decrease in affordable units, and have less access to government assistance.
Moving from the pot to the kettle
Climate change is not slowing down. Those relocating from the Chicagoland area should be well-informed about environmental conditions, water scarcity, and energy costs. Chicago is not without its issues, like extreme cold, raw sewage in surface waters during heavy rain events, and high action ozone days that send people into respiratory distress. This isn’t to say don’t move or relocate, but it is imperative to understand how each region is impacted and how the state you choose is managing its resources and creating policies to protect your homes, health, and businesses. Some people indeed believe the risk is worth the reward, but then again… maybe give it some thought and think twice. How many hurricanes followed by power outages and deadly heat could you take over the course of 90 to 120 days, and can you afford it?
By Zada Johnson, Ph.D. Staff Writer
Eddie Murphy Reprises His Breakout Role in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
A Review
Forty years after the blockbuster success of the first "Beverly Hills Cop," Eddie Murphy returns to his iconic Axel Foley role this month in Netflix’s "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F." Like the original, this fourth installment of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise is packed with wisecracks, shoot-outs, and wild car chases. However, the film is also updated with interesting underlying commentary about policing and a touching storyline about mending family relationships.
The film opens with Foley in his hometown of Detroit, still doing high-stakes detective work decades after the events of the first movie. When he gets a call informing him that his adult daughter may be in danger, he leaves immediately for Beverly Hills. Once he gets there, he finds himself in the middle of a case involving the Beverly Hills Police Department and the Interdepartmental Narcotics Task Force. To save his daughter, Foley teams up with his longtime cop buddies Rosewood and Taggert, along with new allies, to help him crack the case.
For fans of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, Axel F. will be a nostalgic look back at the films that helped catapult Murphy into stardom. From the opening street shots of Detroit to elaborate shootouts in a Beverly Hills mansion, superfans will enjoy the film’s many references to the 1984 original and 1987 sequel. There’s even a reference to "Beverly Hills Cop III," which tanked at the box office (an arresting officer reviews Foley’s previous file in Beverly Hills and quips “[you were here] in 1994, not your finest hour”).
The film also includes songs from the original soundtrack (Bob Seger’s “The Heat Is On” and The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance”) as well as Lil Nas X’s remix of Harold Faltermeyer’s “Axel F” theme song.
While Murphy’s reprisal of Axel Foley aptly recalls the wise-cracking streetsmart detective, he also shows a more vulnerable side of the character during interactions with his estranged daughter Jane (played by Taylour Paige). The strain between Foley and Jane adds gravitas to the action comedy with touching family discord. Paige does a great job playing the straight woman to Murphy’s mischief and punches up the drama when they clash over his absence in her life. There are also threads of social commentary about policing in the film. In one scene, where Foley is arrested after he commandeers a meter maid’s cart to
flee bad guys, he makes reference to being Black despite being a police officer and knowing not to reach for anything while being detained. Throughout the film, he interrogates police corruption, alluding to contemporary criticisms of police injustice and misconduct.
In the supporting cast, fans will find a bevy of familiar faces from the original film. Along with Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggert (John Ashton), "Axel F" brings back Paul Reiser as Foley’s former partner on the Detroit police force and Bronson Pinchot as the eccentric Serge. New faces in the cast are also sure to delight, including Murphy’s real-life daughter Bria, playing the officer who arrests him. Joseph Gordon-Levitt provides an amusing straight man as the BHPD officer Foley works with to save his daughter. The villain of the movie is also an entertaining casting choice—
many will instantly guess he’s the bad guy the moment they see him.
For newcomers, it’s not necessary to watch the first movie to enjoy this fourth installment, but it would be interesting to compare the two and become familiar with the overall Foley universe. Historically, the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise is significant because it proved with its box office success that African-American actors could carry a film as the lead. It is also the progenitor of the detective action comedy genre, which would later be made popular with films like "Rush Hour" and "Bad Boys."
With its enjoyable trip down memory lane and Murphy’s artful return to the detective action comedy universe, "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" is a must-see for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Dollars & Sense
By Dr. Sanja Rickette Stinson CNW Columnist
Embracing Change: Unleashing Personal Growth in a Fast-Paced World
Change has become an undeniable force in our fast-paced world, impacting every aspect of our lives. Whether we realize it or not, change is a constant companion on our journey, influencing our personal growth and professional endeavors. Embracing change as individuals is not only important, but it is also essential for our personal development and success.
In today's ever-evolving world, uncertainty has become the norm. It presents us with both challenges and opportunities for growth. We can adapt to the dynamic landscape by embracing change and unlocking our true potential. Change pushes us outside our comfort zones, encouraging us to explore new possibilities and embrace new perspectives.
As individuals, we must recognize that
change can be challenging. It can be uncomfortable, complex, and sometimes even painful. However, by acknowledging our discomfort and embracing change, we create an environment where personal growth and progress can flourish.
Here are seven simple steps to help you navigate and embrace change in your life:
Stay connected with your values and aspirations: Take the time to reflect on your values and aspirations. Revisit them regularly to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with your personal growth and fulfillment.
Foster a learning mindset: Embrace a lifelong journey of learning. Be open to new ideas, experiences, and perspectives. Recognize that every encounter, whether positive or negative, offers an opportunity for personal growth.
Embrace feedback and self-reflection: Actively seek feedback from trusted in-
dividuals who can provide constructive input. Reflect on your experiences, successes, and failures. Extract the lessons learned from each situation and use them as stepping stones for personal growth.
Cultivate meaningful connections: Build a network of supportive individuals who inspire and motivate you. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to be the best version of yourself. Collaborate, share knowledge, and learn from others' experiences.
Take calculated risks: Step outside your comfort zone and embrace new challenges. Feel free to try new things and experiment with different approaches. Recognize that failure is an opportunity for growth and learning.
Adaptability and resilience: Develop the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Embrace flexibility and strength in the face of challenges. Emphasize problem-solving skills and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
Embrace innovation and embrace technology: Explore technological advancements that can enhance your personal and professional life. Embrace innovation and leverage specialized tools to improve efficiency, expand your skill set, and broaden your horizons.
Remember, embracing change as an individual requires a commitment to personal growth and adaptation. By utilizing these simple steps, you can confidently navigate life's ever-changing landscape and impact your journey meaningfully.So, take a moment to reflect on how change connects to your life, your aspirations, and your personal growth. Embrace change as a catalyst for progress, and let it guide you toward a future filled with endless possibilities.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA
Biden Defies Calls to Step Down, Asserts Commitment to 2024 Presidential Race
Biden’s two-page letter, which his campaign released, emphasized his resolve to stick with it and rally the party against the twice-impeached former President Donald Trump, who has been convicted of 34 criminal felony charges, massive business fraud, and a jury found him responsible of sexually assaulting a woman.
In a resolute stand against mounting pressure from within his party, President Joe Biden declared on Monday, July 8, that he is “firmly committed to staying in the race,” directly addressing congressional Democrats who have recently suggested he should withdraw from the 2024 presidential election. Biden’s two-page letter, which his campaign released, emphasized his resolve to stick with it and rally the party against the twice-impeached former President Donald Trump, who has been convicted of 34 criminal felony charges, massive business fraud, and a jury found him responsible of sexually assaulting a woman. “The question of how we move forward has been well aired for over a week
now,” Biden wrote. “And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump.”
The letter follows a private conference call where five senior House Democrats expressed their belief that Biden should step aside, adding significant pressure on the President and his advisors. However, Biden firmly rejected those calls, noting the importance of respecting the primary process and the voters’ decision. “Do we now say this process doesn’t matter?” he questioned. “We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It is time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.” Biden reiterated his commitment to the race and his confidence in leading the party to victory. “Now that you have returned from the July 4th recess, I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” he wrote.
The President acknowledged the concerns and fears expressed by various party members but stood firm in his decision. “I have had extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members, and most importantly, Democratic voters over these past ten days or so,” he said. “I have heard the concerns that people have— their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them. Believe me, I know better than anyone the responsibility and the burden the nominee of our party carries. I carried it in 2020 when the fate of our
nation was at stake,” he wrote. Biden expressed gratitude for the support he has received from Democratic voters and officials. “I also know these concerns come from a place of real respect for my lifetime of public service and my record as President, and I have been moved by the expressions of affection for me from so many who have known me well and supported me throughout my public life,” Biden noted. “I’ve been grateful for the rock- solid, steadfast support from so many elected Democrats in Congress and all across the country and taken great strength from the resolve and determination I’ve seen from so many voters and grassroots supporters even in the hardest of weeks,” he continued. “I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024.” Highlighting the primary results, Biden emphasized the legitimacy of his candidacy. “We had a Democratic nomination process, and the voters have spoken clearly and decisively. I received over 14 million votes, 87% of the votes cast across the entire nominating process. I have nearly 3,900 delegates, making me the presumptive nominee of our party by a wide margin. This was a process open to anyone who wanted to run. Only three people chose to challenge me,” he stated. “The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party. Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?” Biden firmly rejected the notion of stepping down. “I decline to do that,” he asserted. “I feel a deep obligation to the faith and the trust the voters of the Democratic Party have placed in me to run this year. It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned. The voters—and the voters alone—decide the nominee of the Democratic Party. How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that.”
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) also has voiced strong support for Biden, with California Democrats Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Maxine Waters defending him fiercely during a recent call with Democratic lawmakers. Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida also expressed her unwavering support for Biden, criticizing those calling for him to step down. Meanwhile, the Trump
campaign continues to attack Biden’s age and fitness for office, while Biden’s team counters by highlighting Trump’s own blunders and lack of transparency regarding his health. Trump’s team is trying to make voters forget that he is just three-and-a-half years younger than Biden. Recently, Trump launched into another one his mind-boggling diatribes that ping-ponged from shark attacks to electric batteries to electrocutions. Team Biden called it “unhinged.” In recent months, Trump also confused the leaders of Turkey and Hungary, warned that the world was headed for a second — not third — world war, and called fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter a “wonderful man.” He’s also claimed there were good things about Hitler and white supremacists. Trump is no longer subject to the same routine and regular medical examinations that his rival must undergo as the occupant of the Oval Office. As head of state, Biden must take a litany of medical tests for transparency purposes. The detailed results are made public by the White House physician. In contrast, no information has been made available in years about the health of Trump, who is known to be a fan of fast food.
“We are now at a point and time where people are talking about Biden is too old; hell I’m older than Biden,” Rep. Maxine Waters, 85, said. “Trump has told you who he is. He defined himself,” she said. “He is a no-good, deplorable, lying, despicable human being.” She also warned that Trump’s talk of an impending civil war should not be taken lightly, given his role in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Waters clarified that Biden remains the Democratic candidate and urged unity and support for his campaign. “Do we have to talk about the difference between these two? There ain’t gonna be no other Democratic candidate. It’s going to be Biden and you better know it,” she said, adding, “He should have done better in the debate, but hell, he’s already starting to do better. Did you see the latest interview? And he gets stronger, and he’s going to do better every day.” During the Essence Festival in New Orleans, other CBC members provided additional reasons for Black voters to continue supporting the Biden-Harris administration. Waters assured the audience that she and Biden would continue to fight for the Black community. “I want you to know that for the rest of my years, me and Biden are going to live a long time,” she said. “We are going to win.”
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By Laura Miller Managing Editor
Black Voices Matter An Interview with NABJ President Brandon Pope
As we are undoubtedly on the heels of an ever-changing media landscape and political zeitgeist, there are some organizations and people that serve as a guidepost to ensure that Black journalism always has its voice in the media market. Brandon Pope, an Emmy-winning journalist and educator, has dedicated his time and energy to the core objectives of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) through his work and his involvement with the Chicago chapter as a journalism educator. In this exclusive interview, we delve into his journey, the role of NABJ Chicago, and the upcoming events aimed at fostering a more inclusive media environment.
Early Beginnings and Passion for Journalism
Pope developed an early interest in journalism, captivated by the power of storytelling and the impact of having a voice. Like many journalists, he started his interest in the creative space through content and music media, which sparked his desire to study the craft.
"I just fell in love with journalism because of the sense of adventure and the ability to have a voice," he recalls. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Pope pursued his higher education at Ball State University in Indiana, where he majored in Telecommunications with a focus on News. His journey began with a strong desire to explore and communicate stories that mattered, leading him to join the NABJ as a student in 2012. He was later appointed president of his student chapter at Ball State.
Since joining the NABJ, Pope has witnessed firsthand the vital role the organization plays in advocating for Black journalists and promoting diversity within newsrooms.
"NABJ is an advocate for our members and Black journalists as a whole," he ex-
plains.
The organization's mission is to provide a platform for Black journalists to thrive and to ensure that newsrooms across the country reflect the diverse society they serve.
The Fragmented Media Landscape
If you’re reading this article, you are likely among those who consume media in more traditional ways. However, as the decades have progressed, people are less inclined to pick up a newspaper. There are podcasts, YouTube videos, and a multitude of different ways in which media is digested. Consequently, Black journalists can experience the ebb and flow of these changes more significantly than our counterparts when it comes to employment opportunities and funding. As it relates to the versatility required for "New Media," organizations like the NABJ can assist with not only providing diverse opportunities but also navigating through the field while maintaining the journalistic integrity that is extremely vital in our landscape. Politically, since
around 2016, we’ve seen a surge of sound bites and clips in which former President Trump famously coined the phrase, "Fake News." To prevent biased news, it has to be taught, developed, and fostered, even as the marketplace of consumption changes. This becomes even more apparent in the context of diverse voices.
During our conversation, Pope tells his own story and confidently discusses the versatility required to be a journalist in this landscape. Although primarily a broadcast journalist, he has hosted podcasts at NPR's Chicago affiliate, WBEZ, written for Ebony Magazine, hosted "The Jam" at WCIU, and currently hosts "On the Block Chicago."
Addressing Challenges in Journalism
One of the most pressing issues in journalism today is the widespread distrust of media and the lack of traditional media options to ingest, report, and view the news. Pope acknowledges this challenge and emphasizes the need for continuous effort to maintain credibility. "One of
the biggest challenges is the distrust in media," he notes.
By advocating for transparency and integrity, he believes that journalists can rebuild trust with their audiences.
Pope also notes the need for flexibility to continue to perform in this landscape.
"I think we have to go where people are. Media is now much more fragmented. Fewer people are watching TV, especially TV news, listening to the radio, or picking up newspapers. Almost everything is digital."
He continues, "As journalists, we have to reach people where they are—on numerous platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok. They love podcasts, long reads, or quick highlights. They want immediate results and answers, without an inundation of negativity.
People know there are positive things happening in our communities along with the bad, and they don't want to be bombarded with negativity right away. So, as journalists, we need to balance our coverage. It's our responsibility to
“One of the key focuses for NABJ Chicago is providing scholarships and organizing events that support Black journalists. ”
be where people are, which means being multifaceted. The more multifaceted we are, the better we can reach multiple audiences."
The Importance of Diverse Newsrooms
A central theme of Pope's advocacy is the critical role that diverse newsrooms play in producing quality journalism. "Diverse newsrooms lead to better storytelling and more comprehensive coverage," he asserts.
By including multiple perspectives in reporting, news organizations can ensure that their coverage is well-rounded and reflective of the communities they serve. Often network news outlets, as well as radio broadcasting and traditional newsrooms, are predominately white. This can alter the language used within reporting and the level of detail that can be used to describe Black and minority issues.
The Importance of Black Journalists and the NABJ
Pope emphasizes the unique perspectives and insights that Black journalists bring to the table. "Black journalists provide a voice for the voiceless and bring attention to issues that might otherwise be overlooked," he says. The NABJ plays a pivotal role in supporting these journalists and ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed.
"NABJ is about fostering community and support for Black journalists, protecting them, preserving Black journalism, and empowering the next generation. We honor our past, preserve our present, and empower our future
through workshops, training, immersive experiences, scholarships, financial aid, and funding for coverage outside Chicago. We work with partners to create engagement opportunities and advocate for Black journalists across Chicago and the Midwest. We stand up for them in newsrooms and meetings, ensuring their perspectives are valued. Ultimately, NABJ Chicago is about family—protecting, preserving, enjoying togetherness, unity, strength, and advocating for each other.”
More on Protection and Preserving Black Journalists
While journalists might be on the inside of the struggles, microaggressions, and challenges in multicultural spaces, we asked Pope to press further on this sentiment. “Being a Black journalist in America is challenging, and this continues in the newsroom. Black journalists provide crucial perspectives and context, especially on stories about crime or the Black community. However, their voices are often stifled due to their underrepresentation. Protecting Black journalists means advocating for their perspectives, ensuring they are not treated as monoliths, and addressing mistreatment within newsrooms, such as being passed over for promotions or having their pitches dismissed. It also involves supporting their mental health, as covering their communities can be emotionally and spiritually taxing. This protection is vital and much needed,” he noted.
Leadership at NABJ Chicago
As President of NABJ Chicago, the role allows him to further his commitment to supporting Black journalists and pro-
moting diversity within the media. His leadership is instrumental in organizing events, workshops, and initiatives that benefit both aspiring and seasoned journalists.
Scholarships and Upcoming NABJ Chicago Events
One of the key focuses for NABJ Chicago is providing scholarships and organizing events that support Black journalists. Pope highlights some of the exciting upcoming events, such as professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and panel discussions with leading journalists. "We have several scholarships available for aspiring journalists, and our upcoming events are designed to provide valuable insights and resources," he shares. These initiatives are crucial in fostering the next generation of journalists.
Upcoming NABJ Chicago Fundraising Events
The NABJ is hosting its annual convention in Chicago from July 31st through August 4th. Pope highlights the significance of this event, calling it "an annual gathering of the biggest storytellers and newsmakers throughout the world, all in one city."
He emphasized that the convention offers Chicago a chance to showcase its importance to the country and its rich Black journalism history. This year's theme, "Winds of Change," reflects industry shifts that can have both positive and negative impacts.
The convention will feature numerous workshops and panels to explore these changes. As the host chapter, NABJ Chicago will guide attendees through the
city and serve as a liaison between the national organization and visitors. Pope sees this as a transformational moment for the chapter, with opportunities to raise funds to support student journalists and strengthen their pipeline through mentorship and resources.
“The NABJ Chicago will include three major fundraising events: two separate crosstown experiences featuring the Red Line Doubleheader (July 30th), Kickoff fundraiser (July 31st), and Chicago Mahogany Bus Tour (Black History Tour, August 3rd), hosted by Sherman “Dilla” Thomas. These events are supported by partners like the White Sox, the Chicago Bears, United Airlines, Nielsen, NBC, Comcast, and Telemundo, and aim to empower the next generation of journalists, with all proceeds going toward scholarships, grants, and other initiatives,” Pope notes.
NABJ Origins and Milestones
1975: NABJ is founded in Washington, D.C., with a commitment to strengthening ties among Black journalists and improving the media's portrayal of Black communities.
1984: The first NABJ Convention is held, becoming an annual event that attracts thousands of journalists, educators, and students.
1990s: NABJ launches various initiatives to support Black journalists, including scholarships, internships, and training programs.
The History and Impact of Black Journalists in Chicago
Chicago has a vibrant history of Black journalists who have significantly shaped the media landscape and played a crucial role in advocating for civil rights and social justice. The city is home to several pioneering Black newspapers and media outlets that have been instrumental in empowering the African American
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community and highlighting issues of racial inequality.
The Role of NABJ Chicago
The NABJ Chicago Chapter, established in the early 1970s by trailblazers like Christine Harris, Vernon Jarrett, Francis Ward, and Monroe Anderson, plays a crucial role in supporting Black journalists. This chapter was originally named the Chicago Association of Black Journalists and aimed to increase Black employment in the media, elevate Black professionals into managerial roles, and combat racism within the industry.
The History of Black Journalism in Chicago
The Chicago Defender
Founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott, the Chicago Defender is a cornerstone
of Black journalism. During the Great Migration, it encouraged African Americans to move north, providing crucial information on jobs and housing. The Defender's fearless reporting on lynching, racial violence, and civil rights made it a powerful voice against segregation and discrimination, while promoting Black culture and achievements.
Ebony and Jet Magazines
John H. Johnson launched Ebony in 1945 and Jet in 1951, both based in Chicago. These magazines became icons, celebrating Black culture and achievements, and covering stories often over-
looked by mainstream media, including the Civil Rights Movement. Johnson Publishing Company was a beacon of Black enterprise and media excellence.
The Chicago Crusader
Founded in 1940, the Chicago Crusader has been a steadfast advocate for the Black community, focusing on housing discrimination, police brutality, and economic inequality. It remains a vital voice in Chicago's media landscape.
WVON 1690
Launched in 1963 by Leonard and Phil Chess, WVON (Voice of the Negro) is a legendary Black-owned radio station in Chicago. Under the leadership of Pervis Spann, it became a vital platform for Black music, culture, and news. During the Civil Rights Movement, it provided a voice for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. WVON remains influential, known for its talk shows and community engagement.
Modern Contributions and Legacy
Today, Black journalists in Chicago continue to make significant contributions to the media industry. Not only do we tell Black stories, we tell stories of pride, of history, and in a voice that only we can speak. Organizations like NABJ Chicago support these journalists through networking, training, and advocacy, helping to sustain the legacy of excellence estab-
lished by their predecessors. Allyship is necessary and their position is vital to the amplification of our city and its voices.
Blooming Where Planted
Reflecting on his career, Pope shares his passion for journalism and offers advice to those entering the field. "Stay curious and never stop learning," he advises. His career is a testament to the importance of continuous growth and the impact of storytelling. He also emphasizes the significance of mentorship, having benefited from the guidance of experienced journalists throughout his career. "Mentorship is key. It can open doors and provide invaluable support," he says.
What’s Next For NABJ Chicago
As Pope looks to the future, his vision for journalism is one where diversity is not just an ideal but a standard practice. Through his work with NABJ and his role as an educator, he is committed to fostering a media landscape that is inclusive, credible, and impactful. "We need to keep pushing for change and ensuring that every voice is heard," he says.
Joining NABJ Chicago
When asked if the NABJ was only for broadcast journalists or Black journalists who work for mainstream media outlets, Pope quickly refused the sentiment with this closing remark: “NABJ Chicago is for everyone interested in media, regardless of the outlet you work for, your job, or whether you are a freelancer or an aspiring journalist."
Art & culture
Theater on the Lake Showcases The Back Country Boys Band
Theater on Lake Chicago has one of the most beautiful skylines that serves as the backdrop of the beautiful lakefront. It provides a wonderful scenic frame for several venues along its fabulous lakefront including the theatre. The venue presents year-round programming of contemporary plays presented in a restored 1920s-era building with lake views. It is in Lakefront Green, 2401 N DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60614. If you’re looking for a way to spend a fabulous evening with that special someone, or a group of friends or trying something new make Theater of the Lake a go-to choice and experience an evening under the stars like no other. The current showcased act at Theater on
the Lake is the band The Back Country Boys Band. Their backstory began in Southwest Florida where the band has been performing locally with some national gigs for 4 years. Confronted by Covid like everyone else in the country where classrooms were closed Micheal Joyce and Brayden Reites decided to make effective use of their time.
Seventeen-year-old Micheal emerges as the lead singer and band frontman fresh off an all-state junior season as a quarterback while demonstrating himself as a drumming prodi-
gy. Brayden on the other hand had experienced a shortened freshman baseball season at Saint John Neumann High School. The two began playing music together in Reites’ father’s workshop. That summer they played everywhere with everyone they could which continued throughout the following school year.
The teenagers had shared a lifetime in 2 years discovering their shared drive and commitment practice to be the best at what they chose to focus on. The third year posed the question, ‘Are we poised to do this full-blown?
As the football offers came in Joyce faced to play or not play college football. He chose to pursue his dreams of a music career with his bandmates the moment of choices and decision confronted him. Summer tours awarded him the travel throughout the South and Midwest. But Joyce is twenty-one, and Reites is eighteen, how time flies! Time has granted them experience-250 plus performances appearing multiple times on iconic stages including Chicago’s Joes on Weed exposing them to what commitment looks like amongst themselves as band
members and extended family. The choice was cemented through their success. Other band members include Matt Byrne (bass/vocals) Brendon McCormick (guitar, Banjo, and vocals), and Vinny Cilli (lead guitar). Not familiar? Check out their three original songs --"Magnolia,” “Kissed You in The Rain” and “Pack Your Boots.”
General admission is $20 standing room only; the day of a ticket is $25 standing room only; note that all sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Transportation and valet Parking is limited. Convenient Uber/Taxi drop off is convenient in the location’s Circle Drive located at Fullerton and Lake Shore Drive. There is paid parking available at Lincoln Zoo. Discounted parking vouchers for the LP Zoo lot are available to purchase from Theater on The Lake for $17. You can purchase it upon your arrival at the Theater on the Lake. There is also metered parking at the harbor parking lot located at Cannon and Fullerton. Additionally, there is free street parking at the harbor parking lot located on Cannon just north of Fullerton. For Information regarding plays, please contact The Chicago Park District box Office at: 312.7542.7994 or email boxpffice@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
By Mila K. Marshall, PhD CNW Cannabis Corner Editor
Colorado-Based GreenDoor Would Love for Illinois to Green Light Cannabis Delivery
Colorado is preparing to welcome a new and novel business that the Illinois market can only dream of. Damon Brooks and his partner Samantha Barela are co-founders of GreenDoor, a Denver-based startup that customizes cannabis experiences for consumers. GreenDoor announced in late June their collaborative launch with woman and minority-owned dispensary, Police and Thieves, which is also based in Denver. Their “Experience Box” is a limited-edition cannabis lifestyle box designed to elevate consumer routines.
"We are thrilled to kick off our partnership with Police and Thieves with the release of the Summer Celebration Box," Brooks said. "Our goal is to provide high-quality cannabis that seamlessly enhances our customers' lives. Each box is meticulously curated to effortlessly fit into any lifestyle, adding a touch of indulgence and tranquility to everyday moments."
The Summer Celebration Box is the first of a series of experience-based boxes created to seamlessly integrate cannabis into daily activities. Each box combines premium cannabis products from Police and Thieves with handpicked lifestyle items from GreenDoor, offering consumers a convenient and luxurious solution to enhance their wellness and relaxation routines.
"This partnership allows us to blend wellness with lifestyle seamlessly," Barela said. "Each box reflects our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. We are excited to offer a distinctive product that resonates with our customers' daily lives."
With only 100 boxes available, customers can secure their exclusive Experience Box by signing up through
GreenDoor for delivery or pickup at Police and Thieves. This ensures a personalized and unique experience for those seeking to enrich their daily rituals. Brooks and Barela want to grow and expand their company's services. But expansion is complicated.
Even though Illinois on paper appears to be social equity friendly, the opportunities for companies like GreenDoor to grow in the Illinois market are held up by the failure of regulators to fully support transportation license holders. Illinois transporters are in a jam. An Illinois transport license costs $5,000, but for social equity operators, the non-refundable fee is $2,500.
Although Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1559 in 2023, which waived annual license fees for transporters through January 1, 2027, transporters are still not allowed to store cannabis or infused products, and products also cannot cross state lines. With so little work available and no legal pathway for delivery to residential customers, it makes it hard for the industry to grow, let alone be
equitable.
CNW asked Brooks for his thoughts on industry holdups and Illinois CNW: Your company is unique in that it packages and delivers unique products for a cannabis experience. What problem did you see within the industry that your company was passionate about solving?
Damon: Our company is unique because we streamline the process of accessing cannabis by integrating it with daily lifestyle products into curated boxes. We make the process less intimidating and products more accessible. Our boxes make it convenient to incorporate cannabis wellness into their routines.
CNW: You currently operate in Colorado and you’re interested in expanding. What are the top two challenges that complicate expanding into Illinois?
Damon: As we look to expand into Illinois from Colorado, we face two primary challenges. Firstly, Illinois law does not currently allow for cannabis to be delivered directly to homes, which restricts our ability to
serve customers through our established delivery model. Secondly, the market is predominantly controlled by large Multi-State Operators who are typically hesitant to engage with smaller, social equity-focused companies, limiting our potential for partnerships.
CNW: Why do you believe transportation of cannabis products is so complicated to regulate?
The regulation of cannabis product transportation is particularly challenging due to concerns about safety and legal compliance. The main issues include preventing underage access, as it is critical that delivery services have robust systems for verifying customer age. Furthermore, the risk of theft from delivery vehicles is significant, necessitating strict security protocols to ensure safe and secure transport.
CNW: With your hopes of entering Illinois what is your advice to regulators to get it right?
Damon: I recommend establishing a license category specifically for independent delivery services, reserved exclusively for social equity licensees. Regulators should also consider adapting existing frameworks from alcohol and third-party delivery services to provide a secure, regulated, and equitable opportunity in the cannabis market that supports social-equity entrepreneurs.
GreenDoor is a perfect example of the type of talent and creativity within the industry but on the outside of profits. There are dozens of minority-owned and operating businesses that cannot become multi-state operators themselves because of the ways in which local politics shape the industry. GreenDoor indeed is bent on both market growth and expansion into new states. Its founders hope Illinois will soon green light cannabis transportation, opening the door for their unique business model.
By Laura Miller Managing Editor
Bring Your Own Table
Acouple of days ago, I was asked a question. If I weren’t married, what could I offer a man who has all of his standards and needs met? Initially, the question was a bit of a reach because I am married. However, taking a hypothetical angle, I began to ponder the question over.
While in that momentary thought, I couldn’t find an answer. He immediately believed it was because my value could be diminished by sexual capabilities. Still, in truth, it’s for another reason. A mate should not be chosen under national, cultural, or traditional rhetoric entirely.
I believe that each person's needs are different from one stage in their life to the next, and this is largely because people are not a monolith.
Of course, there are standards that we should all live by -- good character, integrity, honesty (within reason), and the patience and ability required to understand and connect on a deeper level. I can hear some people who followed the
discipline of Kevin Samuels now as you read this, groaning and shuffling in your respective seats because this doesn’t feel like I answered the question for you, so I’ll be more frank.
In this hypothetical situation, if a potential partner asks me what I would bring to the table, I would nearly leave the encounter immediately. Why? Because this person lacks a certain level of understanding of my humanhood. I was not born to think like others. I am what many consider to be an outlier, and because of that, I fit in several boxes while also fitting in none at all.
A mate doesn’t have to be submissive to someone who doesn’t require it. An assertive, high-earning woman doesn’t have to be perceived as masculine by a person who is certain of themselves. Many of us live inundated with extremist-style relationship discussions. Even if you go back to 1970 and review the recorded conversation with James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni, you will find that as calmly and irreverently as they were, no understandings were concluded within the discussion.
The difference between now and then is that modern men are much bolder with their expectations, more aware of the value they provide, and far more demanding with how they present it. Have we forgotten that the goal is pure human connection? Has the infighting between the sexes ruined our understanding so deeply that we have relegated ourselves to transactional behavior?
It’s hard not to conclude that we are so starved in the social media age that we’ve forgotten the essence of what Stevie Wonder wrote, “Love’s in need of love today.” He further crooned, “Hate's going round breaking many hearts, stop it please before it goes too far.” This was written in 1976.
But we can traverse further back:
"Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins," The Bible, 1 Peter 4:8.
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love is deep. The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite,”
William Shakespeare, from "Romeo and Juliet."
“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time,” Maya Angelou.
“Love is anterior to life, posterior to death, initial of creation, and the exponent of breath,” Emily Dickinson.
All of these people have expressed and studied love for hundreds of years and no one mentioned a table. It doesn’t matter what time we exist in, what’s optimal and should be valued is the human experience, getting to know each other, listening for understanding, and feeling to the ending of your soul that love exists and is for you.
So, no, I don’t know what I bring to this imaginary table, because the way that love exists for me, it would only be mentioned as the candles are being lit and the dinner is served.
By Jennifer Porter Gore, Word in Black | San Diego Voice and Viewpoint NNPA Newswire
As White ‘Deaths of Despair’ Made News, Black Ones Skyrocketed
Having culturally competent care — clinicians intimately familiar with the lived experiences of historically disadvantaged groups — is essential for effective mental health treatment. Yet according to the KFF survey, 41% of Black respondents said it was either “somewhat” or “very difficult” to find a mental health care provider who understood their issues, could schedule an appointment in a timely manner, and who were affordable.
Alittle less than a decade ago, it was alarming news that shook the nation. Deaths from suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related liver disease were slashing the life expectancy among white Americans.
The “deaths of despair” phenomenon centered mostly on non-college-educated whites whose declining socioeconomic conditions, researchers said, led to a spike in premature deaths between 1999 and 2013.
But researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles medical school and other institutions have found that deaths of despair have skyrocketed during the last 7 years. The spike, researchers say, has been fueled by the exploding use of illegal drugs such as fentanyl and heroin, as well as an increase in alcohol-related deaths around the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic began.
In fact, “[f]rom 2015 to 2022, the mortality rate from deaths of despair nearly tripled among Black people and it also has surpassed the rate among white people,” says the analysis, published in JAMA Psychiatry. The rates among American Indian or Alaska Native midlife adults in 2022 also were nearly 2.4 times higher than for whites.
“While the opioid crisis did raise drug overdose deaths among white Americans for a time, it was an anomaly,” says Joseph Friedman, the social medicine expert at UCLA who was the lead author on the analysis. But by 2022, he says, the rate of such deaths among whites
had started to decline but had increased exponentially among Black people.
“What’s really important is that now, with these three causes of death, the gap has closed, and it’s moving in the other direction,” Friedman said. The deaths of despair theory reached the national agenda in 2015 when two Princeton University economists argued that poor mental health, stemming from a lack of economic opportunities, was behind rising premature mortality rates among less-educated whites.
The UCLA researchers added that flaws in the methodology of the 2015 report didn’t give enough consideration to long-standing racial inequities in income, educational attainment, incarceration, and access to quality medical care. Those factors, they wrote, can contribute to drug use and poor mental health outcomes.
Because they did not consider those flaws, the Princeton study distorted conclusions about who was most at risk of death of despair, according to the UCLA research. Statistics for Native Americans weren’t included at all, which UCLA first pointed out in a January 2023 report.
“It was burned into the American psyche that it was white people in the rural U.S.” who were most at risk of dying prematurely, Friedman said. “It was just a very small piece of the truth that was very interesting but was widely sold as something it wasn’t.”
Without question, America’s mental health crisis writ large has gained more attention in the past two decades, and it became Topic A during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet multiple studies show overall well-being is still under-addressed and under-treated — especially among Black Americans, who continue to face barriers to adequate mental health care.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 1in 5 adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, including just over 21% of Black people. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 14, and the suicide rate among Black youth ages 10 to 19 surpassed that of white peers for the first time in 2022.
The rate has increased 54% since 2018, compared to a 17% decrease for white youth. But almost 20% of all youth ages six to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year, ranging from anxiety and depression to more severe illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Despite the fact that racism is recognized as a public health crisis, access to medical care for Black people — including mental health care — remains a significant
challenge. More than half of all adults with mental illness do not receive treatment, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
An analysis from KFF, a health policy research firm, issued last week found that Black (39%) and Latino (36%) adults who report fair or poor mental health are less likely than white adults (50%) to say they received mental health services in the past three years. Barriers to access included “costs and difficulties finding providers, with people of color citing additional challenges such as difficulty finding providers with shared background and experiences, lack of information, and stigma and embarrassment,” according to the KFF analysis. Having culturally competent care — clinicians intimately familiar with the lived experiences of historically disadvantaged groups — is essential for effective mental health treatment. Yet according to the KFF survey, 41% of Black respondents said it was either “somewhat” or “very difficult” to find a mental health care provider who understood their issues, could schedule an appointment in a timely manner, and who were affordable.
At the same time, just 4% of psychologists and 2% of psychiatrists are Black, according to their respective medical professional organizations. Experts say that further exacerbates the challenge of finding culturally competent care.
If you need emotional support, are thinking about suicide, or are worried about someone else, call or text the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Help is available 24/7. TTY users can dial 711 then 988 to get help.
Photo Credit Peggy Marco
SAN DIEGO VOICE AND VIEWPOINT —
Food & Wine
By Mare Evans Contributing Wriiter
A Cool, Refreshing Soup
We're in the midst of summertime, and I don’t know about you, but all those heavy, laborious, prep-required menus just exhaust me at the thought of it all. I mean, seriously folks, summer is meant to be enjoyed out in the sun at the beach or around the pool, and perhaps on the golf course, or riding your bike, hitting that volleyball over the net, or playing bid whist with the family on the back porch. But who wants to take on all that heavy got-to-sit-down food, sweat, and sleep?
So as promised, I am suggesting Polish chlodnik cold beet soup as a refreshing vegetarian alternative dish, a great meal on a hot day.
Making this easy beet soup involved a visit to the vegetable section of your favorite grocery shop. Go where beet greens don't get chopped off or go to a pop-up farmers' market! Shopping for this recipe should be a treat, as you stroll the aisles among the variety of organic, locally sourced fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs, as well as lots of fabulous hard-to-come-by products.
Why I Love this Soup
You will love this beetroot soup which is delicious and nutritious and simply perfect the way it's always been prepared. This chlodnik recipe has a great taste, containing both beet roots as well as the greens! Beet greens are very underrated despite being full of goodness and flavor. However, just a note... you can mix them with other greens the next time you prepare greens. Together with the beets, the greens create a wonderfully rich, delicious dish, full of flavor as well as color. And nothing gets wasted!
How to Make Easy Polish Cold Beet Soup: Step-by-Step
This healthy chlodnik soup requires a bit of chopping and grating but overall is very easy to make.
1. Start by finely chopping the beet greens (stems and leaves) and grating the beets (peeled).
2. Place in a pot, add the water (or vegetable stock), and lemon juice, cover and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and set aside to cool completely. You won't have to do any more cooking!
3. While the soup is cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Grate the radish and cucumber, chop the herbs and garlic.
4. Then simply toss these into the beet mixture, add the yogurt, seasoning, stir, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 4 hours) before serving. Serve chilled.
Top Tips
- Use either water or vegetable stock (if you use the latter, do not season until the soup is ready).
- You can use either Greek or natural yogurt, combined with kefir or buttermilk if you like. I do not recommend sour cream or creme fraiche as they have a much higher fat content.
- Chill for at least 20 minutes (up to 4 hours) before serving.
- Storing: refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Serving Suggestions
This Polish cold beetroot soup is traditionally served with hard-boiled eggs. You can also enjoy it on its own or with hearty rye or pumpernickel bread. This soup makes a great starter, perfect to serve at a summer party.
If you like cold soups, you might also like cold cucumber soup with peas and my quick fruit soup recipe.
By C.L. Blackburn Staff Writer
Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Runway Tops the Top
Paris Fashion Week Men’s Spring/Summer 2025 ended on June 23, 2024. The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode thanked all its partners and member houses for making the season special. If you didn’t make it, collections from the season are available to watch and rewatch on the official platform.
How do you form the words to capture a fashion show that is inclusive in its intention to represent the world? Ask Pharrell Williams, whose worldview at Louis Vuitton ushers in a new era of fashion that he's leading like the pied piper, and he is not to be missed.
Pharrell has not mis-stepped since he was instated as men's creative director of Louis Vuitton, with whom he previously collaborated in 2004 and 2008. Since stepping in as head man in charge of the men’s fashion image, statement, and look at Louis Vuitton, a grand convergence between fashion and pop culture has continued to blossom.
This first emerged under DJ Virgil Abloh, the first African-American artistic director of Louis Vuitton, who took the helm of the French fashion house's menswear collections in March 2018. Pharrell's attentive eye for fabric, form, structure, and color takes on the lens of a designer not limited to fabric but to an architectural perception. His perspective in the fashion world attracted the young world of hip-hop and the creators of that genre’s newly established wealth.
The very dapper swag mastery of Pharrell, who blends the old with the new while never losing the LV elegance, has crowned him heir to the French house of fashion design on a different page. His first show was audacious and reflects his ambitious modernization plans at LV.
Pharrell presented another arrow bullseye shot in step with his last spectacle of Louis Vuitton menswear, held on the grounds of the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Accordingly, Pharrell summed it up: “It was an homage to human beings.”
The production began with the entourage associated with Louis Vuitton, featuring a pre-show reception of Williams's multicultural, multiracial coalition of celebrities, extended family, friends, and collaborators, appropriately gathered under the flags of all nations.
The likes of German actor Michael Fassbender posing for photos, the San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot 4-inch tall, French
phenom Victor Wembanyama could not be missed, and British rapper Central Cee was hanging with his girl, all dressed in their new LV glam.
As the sun poked through a curtain of rain clouds, it soon became apparent how Williams had organized his homage -- in a spectrum of skin tones paired with matching monochrome clothing. “From black to dark brown to brown to light brown to beige, a little bit of gray in there. Then we got to light beige, and then finally to white,” Pharrell said of the lineup.
“I don’t know if you guys saw that,” he added.
We Are the World
It was hard to miss. The opening suit was cut in the darkest of formal velvet, while look 66 was a milky silk topcoat. In between, Pharrell's vision of high-flying luxury whizzed by in a multicultural gradient. Backstage, Pharrell said he had been thinking of the impending Olympics, the preparations for which have already brought parts of Paris to a standstill in advance of next month’s opening ceremony.
It was a Pharrell production featuring the arts, complete with a full orchestra wearing custom LV suits and the Voices of Fire gospel choir adorned in Damier check frocks to sing the colorful Williams-composed soundtrack “Triumphus Cosmos.”
But wait, there was more ...
Pharrell continued to take the men’s fashion show to new levels of ambition and expense. No detail was spared the LV touch. The 800-some guests were summoned with Apple AirTags nestled in a custom LV metal case; the grassy runway was painted with the brand’s check pattern; and the list goes on.
It’s hard to imagine that Pharrell is still new to the pinnacle of the fash-
ion world -- this is his first year at the helm of LV, and the recent collection was the latest of Pharrell’s evolving storylines. His vision captured looks organized around different manifestations of what Louis Vuitton called “global dandies,” with diplomats in strict formalwear, pilots sporting cropped blazers and flight jackets in various luminous leathers, and dashing secret agents going incognito in fine tailor-
ing and undercover in muscular zip-ups. Pharrell’s show put the world on notice. VIPs swarmed to Pharrell for that special photo op, and Wembanyama, the newly-minted French Olympic basketball team member, leaned over to express his take on the evening: “Incredible,” he said. “Incredible."
