January 29, 2026 Edition

JAN 29 - FEB 4. 2026 . Volume No. 27

RICHARD BOYKIN EXPERIENCE AND A FAMILIAR SEAT

E-NOTES Publisher Cheryl Mainor Norman

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Being Human Kai El Zabar - Editor-In-Chief We people are all spiritual beings living in a human body, although our outward appearances are each unique expressions of the Creator’s vision while being very much the same. I love saying that we are all God expressing itself through us being Kai, Being Laura, Being Cheryl, Being Max, or Being Malachi and so on.

That sounds confusing, I know. Just stay with me on this. It’s not really and as we go on, you will recognize much being stated here is what you know to be so.

They may learn how to make lemonade from lemons while another will learn to teach others how to make money and build wealth while some will assist by sharing theirwealth in many different ways.

We each learn about work and love, with We have all had the experience of en- experiences that are tailored to our particular countering someone (or many) whose life perspective. Yes, we view life through different seems so completely different from our own. lenses, so to some it appears that there are those They can be a new neighbor who dresses who have it easy while others are in a continual state differently, uses different words you never of struggle. The reality is that we are all enrolled in hear on a daily basis or a foreign guest from the school of life on earth. We are all learning, and it Bali visiting friends and you recognize their is very challenging to see, when looking only at the seemingly calm and relaxed composure exterior of a individual, what’s going on internally. amongst people who obviously look, dress, What makes them happy, sad, motivated, speak differently so much that we imagine withdrawn, excited, …inspired? we have nothing in common. Still we might think, ‘But they're nice.’ The reality is, if we go One of the many things that can be so valuable beyond the surface opinion drawn from our about cultivating relationships with people from all belief or summary based merely on physical walks of life is opening ourselves to engage with appearance rather than observing more in- them one step at a time with an open mind. I depth by taking time to listen and really hear, remember traveling to France when we met a and maybe take time to endgame and family from Ivory Coast, West Africa. We were observe their movement, mannerisms , how invited to stay for dinner which was served on a they laugh and how they engage with others. basket woven round top table where the rice dish Perhaps we will see that we all share the same was served and everyone sat around and scooped things going on facing our lives. Meaning that with their hands food which they shoved into their we all are dealing with our thrust to exist and mouths. I was a bit disturbed at first simply because excel, demanding that we take care and it was foreign and I thought unclean, maybe? Yet, I provide for ourselves and our families. Bam! learned that they perform a very intentional Life responsibilities that we all share. We all cleaning ritual before they sit down to eat. As we have the same physical demands–eat, sleep, spend time with others, we get to know those who poop and bathe. Yep, that's pretty consistent seem so different from us initially, and experience across the board. them in real time interaction, we get to witness how much of life’s challenges and joys are universal.

It is as if our different lives are in essence the same gift, wrapped in an infinite variety of containers, wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and donned with flowers. If you’re human, you experience loss, grief, happiness, excitement, anger, and fear. We all may face a variety of difficulties or challenges like money issues of one kind or another, and everyone faces adversity with difficult choices. Our lives show up differently for each one of us because we each learn in a multitude of ways, in different places on the earth, embracing unique cultures, dressing, eating, expressing love, and worshipping, love differently.

At that point we can shed the old lens that trapped us while limiting our views and begin to look beyond the packaging of skin color, clothing preferences, religious practice and socioeconomic differences, hairstyles, the cars they drive, diamonds, glitter and gold to the heart of the human experience. It is of grave importance to honor and value the distinctions between all of us, each one of us, while accepting at the same time that though our appearance may vary in big ways, that is simply the packaging. The gift of being human inside the package is constant.

Then we can open up and know that when I see you, I see me.

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Southwest’s New Seats, Old Inequities MALACHI WEBSTER - STAFF WRITER

NATIONAL NEWS

Southwest Airlines ending open seating might read like a niche travel story, the kind of aviation‑nerd fodder that lives and dies on message boards. But for Black travelers out of Midway, where Southwest dominates the departures board, the shift to assigned seats and stricter “customer of size” rules is about who gets to fly with dignity – and who pays extra for it.

For more than fifty years, Southwest built its brand around first‑come, first‑served seating: check in early, board early, pick whatever open seat you could hustle to. The system was chaotic, but it created small opportunities. Families who understood the game could still sit together without paying extra. Solo travelers who didn’t have money for priority status could, with a little strategy, avoid the dreaded middle seat.

Now, that scramble is over. The airline has introduced fare tiers with different levels of seat choice, from premium rows with extra legroom to basic tickets where your seat is assigned at check‑in. The more flexibility you want, the more you pay. At the same time, Southwest has tightened policies that once allowed plus‑size travelers to routinely book an extra seat and seek a refund after flying. SWA has joined the club!

On paper, this looks like modernization – Southwest finally doing what every other carrier does. In practice, it raises familiar questions for Black Chicagoans who already navigate red‑lined airfares, unpaid time off work, and TSA profiling just to visit family in the South or send a child to a college tour. When every “choice” on a fare screen is tied to a fee, the people with the least disposable income lose the most control.

Midway is a working‑class airport, fed by Orange Line trains and ride‑shares from neighborhoods where household budgets are tight. If you are a South Side grandmother taking two grandkids to Houston, you may now face a decision: pay more to guarantee sitting together, or hope the algorithm and the kindness of strangers sort it out. If you are a tall Black man who has endured years of side‑eye over your size, you will have to weigh whether booking an extra seat is an act of self‑care or an invitation to be singled out under a stricter refund policy.

Airline executives frame these changes as aligning with “consumer preferences” and boosting profits to keep routes viable. But whose preferences are being measured? Surveys about seat assignments rarely reach the church groups, youth basketball teams, and first‑time passport holders who pack Southwest’s Chicago flights. Their priorities are simple: get there safely, sit next to your people, and not feel judged for your body or your bank account.

For Black Chicago, aviation policy is not an abstract debate. When fares go up or comfort goes down, it becomes harder to maintain the family networks that stretch from Chatham to Jackson, Mississippi, or Bronzeville to Birmingham. Those networks are the same ones that fund funerals, show up at graduations, and move cousins out of dangerous situations. An assigned seat on a Tuesday afternoon flight can be the difference between making that trip or staying home.

So the question isn’t just how Southwest boards planes now. It’s whether Chicago’s largest hometown carrier will treat equity as seriously as efficiency. Will they publish data on who gets stuck in basic tiers? Will they engage community groups on the South and West Sides about how policies land on real bodies? Until then, this isn’t just an airline story. It’s another chapter in how mobility – literal, not metaphorical – remains unevenly distributed in this city.

Don Lemon Arrest Tied to Minnesota Church Protest Raises New Questions About Press Freedom and Worship Rights CNW STAFF REPORT ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jan. 30, 2026 — Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested on federal charges tied to their coverage of a Jan. 18 protest that disrupted a worship service at Cities Church, according to court filings and news reports.

Authorities allege the protest crossed from demonstration into unlawful interference with congregants’ civil rights and their ability to worship. Prosecutors cite statutes including conspiracy against rights (18 U.S.C. § 241) and the FACE Act(18 U.S.C. § 248), a law most commonly used in abortion-clinic cases but that also covers certain conduct at “places of religious worship.”

Authorities allege the protest crossed from demonstration into unlawful interference with congregants’ civil rights and their ability to worship. Prosecutors cite statutes including conspiracy against rights (18 U.S.C. § 241) and the FACE Act(18 U.S.C. § 248), a law most commonly used in abortion-clinic cases but that also covers certain conduct at “places of religious worship.” ” Lemon was taken into custody in California on Jan. 29, with reports describing a large federal law-enforcement presence at the time of arrest. Fort, a Minnesotabased journalist, was also arrested in connection with the same episode; a federal judge ordered both journalists released Friday.

The case is fueling a national argument about where press protections end and other First Amendment rights begin. Legal experts note that freedom of the press protects publishing and newsgathering, but does not generally provide special permission to enter or remain on private property if asked to leave—an issue heightened in houses of worship, where free exercise of religion is also constitutionally protected. Critics, including press-freedom groups, warn that using civil-rights charges against journalists could chill coverage of protests if filming and proximity are treated as participation. Supporters of the enforcement argue the arrests target alleged obstruction of worship, not journalism itself.

The Justice Department has not publicly laid out a bright-line test for distinguishing neutral reporting from active coordination. That question is expected to become central as the cases move forward in court.

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CITY NEWS Scrolling Toward a Verdict: Big Tech on Trial MALACHI WEBSTER - STAFF WRITER The headline from overseas is blunt: tech giants face a landmark US trial over social media addiction claims. Behind the courtroom drama is a question that has already been answered, quietly, in countless Chicago living rooms: what happens when a teenager’s phone becomes the loudest voice in the house?

The case in California focuses on a 19‑year‑old woman who says apps like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube hooked her as a minor, feeding an endless stream of content that deepened depression, wrecked sleep, and fueled suicidal thoughts.

Lawyers argue that companies didn’t just host harmful material; they engineered algorithms to keep kids scrolling regardless of the cost to their mental health. Tech firms, in turn, point to long‑standing legal shields and insist they are not responsible for what users post.

This trial matters because, for the first time, a jury will be asked to weigh whether design choices – infinite scroll, autoplay, streaks, and likes – should be treated like a defective product when they harm young users.

If the plaintiff wins, it could open the door to settlements that fund mental health services in schools, stronger age‑verification rules, or even design standards that limit how aggressively apps can chase attention.

Chicago has a direct stake in that outcome. CPS counselors already juggle caseloads that would make suburban districts flinch. Pastors and block club presidents are spending Sunday afternoons mediating conflicts that started in a group chat and exploded on Instagram Live. Parents who work overnight shifts can’t monitor what pops up on a child’s “For You” page at 2 a.m. Yet the profit from those late‑night views flows not to South Shore or Garfield Park, but to shareholders in In neighborhoods from Austin to Roseland, this far‑off tech hubs. legal theory is lived reality. Black Chicago teens are already navigating underfunded schools, exposure There is also a generational echo here. In the 1960s and to violence, and the quiet grind of racism. Social 70s, Black Chicago fought television networks and media can be a lifeline – a place to find community, advertisers over how they portrayed our communities share art, or organize around local issues. But the – demanding better news coverage, more Black same platforms also push a steady diet of fights, anchors, fewer stereotypes. Today, the gatekeepers self‑comparison, and targeted ads for quick‑fix aren’t three local stations but code running on billions products that promise a better body, a better life, a of phones. The principle, though, is the same: if media companies profit from our attention, they should be better you. accountable for the damage their products do.

Research has associated heavy social media use in Whether or not this trial ends in a sweeping verdict, it adolescents with higher rates of anxiety, sleep offers a chance for Black Chicago to push for our own disruption, and body image concerns, impacts that protections: school‑based digital literacy that starts can be magnified for youth who rarely see earlier, city‑funded mental health hotlines that speak themselves portrayed with nuance in mainstream the language of TikTok and YouTube, church and media. For Black girls and queer Black teens in community programs that treat logging off not as Chicago, whose offline worlds may already feel punishment but as self‑defense. The courtroom is in constrained, an algorithm that amplifies Los Angeles, but the evidence has been piling up on “thinspiration” videos or hyper‑policed images of our timelines for years.

Black masculinity is not neutral; it is an accelerant.

Inside-Out Storytelling: When Illinois Prisons Speak Back MALACHI WEBSTER - STAFF WRITER The headline on your phone looks simple enough: a radio play written by and for people in Illinois prisons. But the story behind it cuts straight into how this state chooses to remember, or forget, thousands of Black men and women locked in downstate facilities.

Projects like Mud Theatre’s collaboration with Prisoncast! turn cellblocks into studios, giving incarcerated people the chance to write and perform their own narratives instead of being reduced to case numbers and DOC IDs. In a system where Black Illinoisans are imprisoned at several times the rate of white residents, who gets to speak is not a cosmetic question; it is the difference between being seen as human or as data.

Illinois prisons have long been places where Chicagoans disappear. Dixon, Stateville, Menard – they sit hours from the city, but nearly every block on the South and West Sides has someone with a loved one behind those walls. During the pandemic, those families learned what distance really means: months without visits, scarce information about outbreaks, little say over conditions that shaped whether a father or son came home at all.

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A radio play doesn’t fix overcrowding, abusive discipline, or a parole system that seems designed to trip people up. What it does is insist that people inside are more than the worst thing they’ve done.

When incarcerated writers build characters, crack jokes, and argue about hope, they chip away at the stereotype that prison is where imagination goes to die. For Black Chicago, whose stories are often framed only through crime reports and mugshots, that matters.

It matters because culture moves policy. The same way civil‑rights documentaries or early hip‑hop forced this country to look at policing and poverty differently, a play broadcast inside and outside the walls can reshape what voters, jurors, and even correctional officers think is possible. When you hear a voice that sounds like your cousin narrating a scene about missing his daughter’s first day of school, mandatory minimums stop feeling abstract.

Chicago has its own history of using the airwaves to push back – from WVON talk shows to community radio segments that doubled as organizing meetings.

Giving incarcerated Chicagoans airtime is part of that tradition, stretching a line from 1960s freedom songs to 2020s podcasts recorded on contraband phones. The question for this city is whether we will treat these new prison‑made plays as a novelty or as a newsroom – a place we go to learn what state power really feels like.

If we take them seriously, the implications are concrete. Church groups planning reentry ministries can use the plays as training material.

Journalism classrooms at City Colleges and Northwestern can assign them alongside traditional reporting, forcing students to negotiate with sources who don’t have PR teams. Lawmakers in Springfield can no longer say they don’t know what’s happening inside facilities their budgets keep open.

For Black Chicagoans whose loved ones call collect from downstate, this headline is an invitation. It says: your people are still authors of their own lives. And if they can build worlds from a prison day room, residents here can push just as hard from 79th, Madison, or 63rd to demand a justice system that listens.

COVER STORY

RICHARD BOYKIN Experience, Trust and a Familiar Seat LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITOR JAN 29-FEB 4, 2026

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COVER STORY

Richard Boykin is running for Congress in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, a seat that stretches from downtown Chicago through much of the city’s West Side and into nearby suburbs. It is a district he knows not only as a resident and public servant, but from inside the very congressional office he is now seeking to lead.

Boykin previously served as chief of staff and legislative director to U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis from 1997 to 2006. Nearly two decades later, he is running to succeed Davis, carrying with him firsthand knowledge of how the office functions and what the role demands.

“When you serve as chief of staff, you are seeing the full scope of what that office does,” Boykin said. “You are responsible for making sure the office runs smoothly, that legislative priorities are moving forward, and that constituents are being served every single day. You learn very quickly that this work is about responsibility, not recognition.”

That experience is one of several shaping Boykin’s case to voters. A former Cook County commissioner, attorney and longtime community advocate, he is positioning himself as a candidate whose preparation for Congress began long before this campaign.

Early Roots and Personal Formation Before Richard Boykin ever worked in a congressional office or held elected office, his understanding of service was shaped much closer to home. He speaks about his upbringing not with nostalgia, but as an explanation for how he came to see leadership as responsibility rather than status.

“I grew up understanding that you were supposed to give back,” Boykin said. “That was not something people talked about in abstract terms. It was something you lived every day, in your family, in your church and in your community.”

“My parents believed that if you were given something—whether it was education, opportunity or talent—you had a responsibility to use it in a way that helped other people,” he said.

“That idea stayed with me.”

Family, faith and community were not separate spheres, he explained, but interconnected ones that reinforced the same values.

“Church was not just about Sunday,” Boykin said.

“It was about how you treated people during the week, how you showed up when someone needed help and how you carried yourself even when nobody was watching.”

Those lessons, he said, shaped both his temperament and his approach to public life.

“I was taught to listen before speaking and to understand before acting,” Boykin said. “That may not always be the loudest approach, but it is the one that lasts.”

Boykin speaks about Davis with respect and gratitude, acknowledging the opportunity he had to learn under his leadership. At the same time, he is clear-eyed about the fact that Davis has not endorsed him in the race.

“I have a great deal of respect for Congressman Davis and for his years of service,” Boykin said. “Working for him gave me a deep understanding of what this office requires.”

While he did not receive Davis’ endorsement, Boykin said his focus remains on the work ahead.

“This race is not about any one person’s endorsement,” he said. “It is about whether you are prepared to serve and whether you understand the responsibility that comes with the office.”

“When Richard Boykin served with me on the Cook County Board, he was one of my strongest allies. He helped remove properties from the tax sale list, worked to secure exemptions for people who needed them, and Learning the Office From the Inside played a role in ending the soda tax. We need that kind of Boykin often returns to his years as chief of staff leadership in Washington.”— Maria Pappas, Cook County because, he said, the role offered a comprehensive Treasurer view of congressional leadership. From staffing decisions to legislative planning to constituent Service at the County Level services, the job required precision and patience.

Boykin’s experience at the federal level was later “When you are chief of staff, you are not looking at reinforced by his time in county government. He was one issue at a time,” Boykin said. “You are elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in responsible for the entire operation. You are 2014, representing the 1st District, which includes parts of making sure the office functions, that the staff is Chicago’s West Side and nearby suburbs. He served in supported and that constituents are being helped that role until 2018. in a way that is timely and respectful.”

As a commissioner, Boykin was involved in budget The experience made clear, he said, how closely deliberations, legislative oversight and policy decisions Washington decisions are tied to local realities. affecting residents across Cook County.

“You see how policy decisions made in Congress show up back home,” Boykin said. “You see it when someone walks into the office needing help with housing, when a family is dealing with health care issues, or when a small business owner is trying to navigate federal programs. Those moments stay Boykin described a childhood shaped by with you.” structure and expectation, where education, faith and accountability were emphasized early. Those That perspective reinforced, he said, the influences, he said, taught him to view importance of preparation and institutional opportunity as something that carried obligation knowledge. “That job teaches you that you cannot afford to guess,” Boykin said. “You have to know the with it. process, understand the policy and be accountable, because people depend on that office to help them navigate government.”

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Respect for Danny K. Davis and the Path Forward

“When you are sitting at the table making budget decisions, you understand very quickly that leadership is not theoretical,” Boykin said. “You are deciding how resources are allocated, what programs are funded and how services are delivered.”

He emphasized the weight of that responsibility.

“You do not get to experiment with people’s lives,” Boykin said. “Once a decision is made, people live with it. That is why preparation and accountability matter so much.”

COVER STORY Faith, Accountability and Public Trust Boykin often speaks about faith as a grounding force, but he frames it less as belief and more as responsibility.

“My faith taught me stewardship,” he said.

“Leadership is about taking care of something that does not belong to you. It belongs to the people, and you are responsible for handling it with care.”

That sense of responsibility, he said, extends beyond belief into action.

“When people place their trust in you, that trust has to be honored,” Boykin said. “It means showing up prepared, listening carefully and being accountable for the results of your decisions.”

Community, he added, is not a slogan.

“People want to know that you see them,” Boykin said. “They want to know that their concerns matter and that you are willing to do the work to address them.”

Public Safety and the Fight Against Gun Violence Boykin repeatedly returns to the issue of public safety, framing violence not only as a policy failure but as a moral one. He speaks about gun violence as something that erodes the principles of community, responsibility and care for others that he says first shaped him through faith and family.

“When violence becomes normal, something is deeply wrong,” Boykin said. “It means we have stopped protecting life the way we are supposed to.”

Rather than offering sound bites, Boykin speaks deliberately about prevention, accountability and the obligation of government to intervene before tragedy occurs. That perspective is reflected in a detailed eight-point public safety strategy he has released as part of his campaign.

The plan focuses on reducing gun violence through a combination of enforcement, prevention and community-based intervention. It calls for expanded federal prosecution of gun crimes, stronger protections for victims and witnesses, and greater coordination among law enforcement, schools and mental health professionals to identify warning signs before violence occurs.

Boykin’s platform also emphasizes the role of technology and regulation, including firearm safety features designed to prevent unauthorized use, as well as efforts to limit access to guns for individuals at high risk of harming themselves or others.

Community violence-interruption programs, which have shown success in reducing shootings in highrisk neighborhoods, are another central component of the strategy.

While the plan is policy-driven, Boykin frames the issue in human terms. He speaks about young people lost to violence, families left behind and communities forced to absorb repeated trauma.

“We cannot accept this as the cost of doing nothing,” Boykin said. “Government has a responsibility to protect life, and that means acting with intention, not indifference.”

For Boykin, addressing gun violence is not simply one issue among many, but a test of leadership itself.

He argues that public safety is foundational to peace, prosperity and opportunity, and that without it, communities cannot thrive.

“This is about choosing to protect people,” he said. “It is about deciding that life matters, and then building policies that reflect that belief.”

Realistic View of the Race Boykin approaches the race with a clear understanding of its dynamics. He does not present the front-runner, nor does he minimize 8himself DEC 4as ---DEC 10, 2025 the competitiveness of the field.

“I did not get into this race for attention,” he said. “I got into it because I believe experience still matters and preparation still matters.”

Rather than focusing on momentum, Boykin said he wants voters to consider readiness.

“I want people to look at who understands the job, who understands the responsibility and who is prepared to do the work,” he said.

Governing Through Collaboration Throughout his conversations, emphasizes collaboration.

Boykin

consistently

“No one gets everything they want in government,” he said.

“But everyone deserves to be represented, and everyone deserves to have their voice heard.”

Trust, he added, is built through listening and consistency.

“That is how progress happens,” Boykin said. “You build trust by showing up, by listening and by being honest about what can and cannot be done.”

As he looks toward the future, Boykin frames the race as a continuation of public service.

“This is about doing the job the right way,” he said. “It is about integrity, preparation and respect for the people you serve.”

For Boykin, the seat he is seeking is not unfamiliar ground.

“I understand what that office requires,” he said. “I understand the responsibility, and I am prepared to carry it forward.”

In a political environment often driven by volume and visibility, Richard Boykin is making a quieter case. He is asking voters in Illinois’ 7th Congressional District to consider experience, trust and readiness—and to weigh the value of steady leadership in uncertain times.

Boykin came into the studio and recorded two podcasts.

Check out the CNW Network on all podcast platforms to listen this week! First Photo: Boykin & Publisher, Cheryl Mainor. Second Photo: Boykin & Laura Miller, Managing Editor/Chief Content Officer.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

WHY COACH MJ BELIEVES FITNESS STARTS IN THE MIND LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITOR WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY REVERIE

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SPECIAL FEATURE Coach MJ shares how therapy, discipline, and community shaped her fitness journey and why lasting health requires more than a number on the scale.

By the time February arrives, many people have already stepped away from the health goals they set just weeks earlier. Not because they lack discipline, but because the way we talk about fitness often ignores real life, real bodies, and real history. That is where Menia Morris, known to many as Coach MJ, offers something different.

On a cold January afternoon in Beverly, the line at Sanders BBQ Supply Co. tells you what you need to know before you even taste a bite: this isn’t just a neighborhood spot anymore—it’s a destination.

As director of fitness at Chicago Integrated Health, Morris approaches wellness with honesty, structure, and compassion. Her philosophy was not built in a classroom alone. It was shaped through personal transformation, hard truths, and years of lived experience.

Ten years ago, Morris made the decision to take her health seriously, beginning a journey that would ultimately lead her to lose more than 80 pounds. While the physical transformation was significant, she is quick to point out that the deeper work happened internally.

“I knew something was wrong,” she said. “Not just physically, but mentally. ” Before changing how she ate or exercised, Morris began addressing her relationship with food through therapy. She described patterns of binge eating, emotional eating, and using food as a coping mechanism. Therapy helped her understand the root of those behaviors and laid the foundation for sustainable change.

From there, she worked with a nutritionist and a coach, gradually rebuilding her habits. That process eventually led her into bodybuilding, a world that demands discipline, patience, and consistency.

Morris competed for six years and earned first place at the NPC Midwinter Classic in December 2024. Though she came close to earning her professional card, she chose to retire from competition to focus on family, faith, and community health.

“The stage is not my goal anymore,” she said. “Longevity is.”

Why Discipline Matters More Than Motivation When the conversation turned to why so many people abandon their fitness goals by February, Morris did not blame laziness or lack of willpower. She pointed instead to how we frame change.

“We have been taught to make resolutions,” she said. “But a resolution is not a mindset. It is not even a real decision.”

What many people call motivation, she explained, is often overextension. We promise ourselves sweeping change without addressing the habits and thought patterns underneath. The result is a cycle of enthusiasm followed by disappointment. Continued on Page 12

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Why Coach MJ Believes Fitness Starts in the Mind (con’t) “Discipline is different,” Morris said. “Discipline is something you build.”

She compared physical discipline to spiritual practice. Just as faith deepens through repetition, community, and intentional care, so does health.

There is no moment where it suddenly becomes easy. There is only consistency.

The problem, she believes, is that discipline has been framed as punishment instead of selfrespect.

“We want a new year, new me,” she said. “But it is the same you, with the same habits, trying to force yourself into something you have not grown into yet.”

That mindset, she explained, is why people try to do everything at once. Extreme dietary changes.

Intense workout plans. Unrealistic timelines.

Instead of building momentum slowly, they overwhelm themselves and quit.

Morris encourages clients to start with one manageable change. Drink water consistently.

Move the body for 30 minutes a day. Reduce fast food gradually. Let one habit settle before adding another.

“This is how discipline is built,” she said. “Not through shock, but through repetition.”

Her Perspective on GLP-1 Medications Medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have become increasingly common in weight loss conversations. Morris approaches the topic with nuance.

She acknowledges that for some people, these medications are medically appropriate, particularly for individuals managing diabetes or conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS. PCOS is a hormonal condition that can make weight loss more difficult due to insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance.

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However, Morris is clear about her concerns.

“These medications do not teach you how to eat,” she said. “They suppress appetite, but they do not build habits.”

She explained that without adequate nutrition, especially sufficient protein, people risk losing muscle mass and bone density. Muscle, she emphasized, is essential for long-term health, metabolism, and mobility.

In discussing protein intake, Morris used a hypothetical example of a woman weighing around 150 pounds to illustrate how much nutrition the body actually needs to function well. The point, she stressed, was not the number itself, but the reality that many people are under-eating while trying to lose weight.

“When the medication stops, your mindset is the same,” she said. “That is where people struggle.”

She is particularly vocal about the need for better education in Black and Brown communities, where access to holistic care is often limited and quick solutions are heavily marketed.

The Foundation of Her Philosophy At the center of Morris’ work is one core belief. Fitness begins in the mind.

She encourages clients to focus on five foundational areas: mental health support, including therapy; realistic and honest goal setting; daily movement that supports heart health and mobility; whole food nutrition with adequate protein and hydration; and community and accountability.

“You do not have to be extreme,” she said. “You have to be consistent.”

Community, in particular, plays a powerful role.

Morris has seen time and again that people are more successful when they are supported by others who share similar goals.

“You do not need a crowd,” she said. “You need one or two people who will tell you the truth and remind you why you started.”

What She Wants People to Remember As the conversation came to a close, Morris reflected on what she hopes people truly understand about health and fitness.

“The same amount of time it took to build habits that do not serve us is the time it will take to undo them,” she said. “And that is OK.” There are no shortcuts that replace patience, discipline, and self-respect. But there is freedom in choosing sustainability over extremes. For Morris, fitness is not about chasing a smaller body. It is about building a stronger life.

Editor’s note: This conversation is part of The Stay Ready Playbook, a weekly newsletter focused on mental, physical, business, and financial readiness. In next week’s episode, Morris will return to share the five habits she believes are essential for maintaining fitness discipline over time. Subscribe to The Stay Ready Playbook to continue the series.

d e s r o d En

By Dr. Willie Wilson Priorities of the 7th District Lower Costs.

More Jobs.

Safe Streets.

Richard Boykin caresabout people. He willmake life more affordable for families and seniors. He is an experienced leader we can trust.

Paid for by Richard Boykin for Congress

ARTS & CULTURE DRUMLine Live Takes Over the Auditorium Theatre CANDI MCCRARY - CONTRIBUTING WRITER DRUMLine Live, a touring stage production inspired by the traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), will bring its blend of percussion, dance, and choreography to Chicago next month. The performance is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 3 p.m. at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive.

DRUMLine Live was created by Don P. Roberts, an educator and band consultant who worked on the 2002 film Drumline, one of the first major motion pictures to depict the energy and discipline of Black college marching bands. After the film’s release, Roberts developed the stage production as a way to bring that experience to live audiences.

Rooted in the pageantry and musical discipline of HBCU marching bands, DRUMLine Live translates the sound and spectacle of halftime performances into a theatrical setting. The production features original compositions alongside rhythm-driven interpretations of popular music, combining synchronized drum cadences, brass arrangements, step routines, and dance.

The touring show has appeared internationally and has drawn attention over the years for its high-energy performances. In 2012, a sold-out performance in Bethesda, Maryland, attracted national attention when then–First Daughter Malia Obama attended with her Secret Service detail. The production currently holds an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Ticketmaster.

The show draws on a tradition familiar to many HBCU alumni, where marching bands serve not only as musical ensembles but as cultural institutions on campus. For audiences less familiar with the style, the production offers an introduction to a form that emphasizes precision, call-and-response rhythms, and visual storytelling through movement.

“We are excited to welcome DRUMLine Live to The Auditorium,” said Rich Regan, CEO of the Auditorium Theatre, in a statement. “The artists bring a level of musicality and movement that connects with audiences across generations.”

Tickets for the performance start at $73 and are available through the Auditorium Theatre’s website or by phone at 312-341-2300.

JAN 29-FE B 4, 2026

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a.I The Answer Is..

It seems that we’re talking about lawlessness or a total disregard for the "rules of legally acceptable behavior," on a daily basis. That means we’re witnessing a breakdown of the social contract happening before our eyes. In legal and political theory, this isn't just "crime"— it’s a systemic rejection of authority... And that’s a problem. Here is a breakdown of the key terms used to describe these states of disorder.

1. The Big Picture: States of Disorder These terms describe an environment where the law has either vanished or been rendered powerless.

Anarchy: From the Greek anarkhia ("without a ruler"). It refers to a state of society without government or law. In a legal sense, it’s the absolute absence of any enforceable political authority.

Ochlocracy (Mob Rule): This occurs when the rule of law is supplanted by the whims of a crowd or a mass of people. It’s "justice" by volume and emotion rather than by statutes and due process.

2. Defiance of Authority These terms focus on the actions of individuals or groups who choose to bypass or fight the legal system.

Vigilantism: The act of taking the law into one’s own hands. A vigilante ignores the judicial process (courts, juries, police) to summary-judge and punish alleged offenders based on their own moral code.

Sedition: Conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. It’s the "prequel" to insurrection; it’s the active subversion of the legal order.

Insurrection: A violent uprising against an established government or local authority.

While a riot might be spontaneous, an insurrection is a more organized attempt to overthrow the rule of law.

• Contempt: Most commonly "Contempt of Court." It is a specific legal term for showing open disrespect or disobedience toward the authority of a court or legislative body.

3. Systemic Failures Sometimes the law exists on paper, but "lawlessness" happens because the system fails to act.

Impunity: This is the exemption from punishment. When powerful individuals can break the law without facing consequences, the "Rule of Law" is dead, replaced by the "Rule of Might."

Lynch Law: The administration of summary punishment (especially death) without a legal trial. It is the ultimate expression of lawlessness, where the procedural protections of the law are entirely discarded.

• Color of Law: This refers to an act done by an official under the appearance of legal authority, but which actually violates the law. It’s a "lawless" act committed by the very people meant to uphold it.

JJAN 29-FEB 4, 2026

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BLACK MEDIA ROUNDTABLE WITH LT. GOVERNOR STRATTON

AROUND TOWN

CNW Studios was the host location for an All Black Media Roundtable, with publications that include The Citizen, Chicago Crusader, North Lawndale Community News, TBT News, N’Digo, The Chicago Defender, Midway Broadcasting, and other outlets.

Photo Credit: Malachi Webster, Laura Miller, and Issac Lewis.

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The Stay The Stay Ready Ready Playbook Playbook is is BACK BACK If you haven't subscribed to the Stay Ready Playbook, now's the time! Our next 6-week series just began and is essential for staying updated on trends and tips to remain recession-proof, healthy, and prepared for the next level.

16 JAN 29-FEB 4, 2026

ENTERTAINMENT Where the Apology Landed and Why That Choice Matters LAURA MILLER - MANAGING EDITOR

“FROM POLOS TO GARBAGE BAGS” - ILLUSTRATION BY ELI

When Ye published “To Those I’ve Hurt,”a full-page paid apology in The Wall Street Journal on January 26, 2026, the response was immediate and widespread. The letter circulated quickly across platforms and was parsed for its tone, timing, and intent. In it, Ye recounts a traumatic brain injury, a delayed bipolar I diagnosis, and years of untreated mental illness that he says contributed to harmful behavior.

There is weight in parts of the writing. Ye names regret, acknowledges harm, and expresses a desire for accountability. That matters.

But where this apology appeared matters too. A full-page national newspaper advertisement of this scale typically costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. At that level, the expense is not simply about reach. It is an investment decision. By choosing to publish the letter in one of the most financially secure national publications in the country, Ye made a choice that deserves closer examination.

The Apology Was National. The Impact Didn’t Have to Be Ye is one of the most influential artists Chicago has ever produced. His collaborators, early supporters, and creative grounding are deeply tied to this city.

Yet when he chose to publicly reckon with the harm he caused, that economic weight bypassed Chicago’s local and Black-owned media ecosystem entirely and the Black community-at-large... in particular-- those who helped to make him.

This decision is especially striking because local newsrooms are not merely struggling. Many are disappearing. Across the United States, thousands of local outlets have closed over the last two decades, leaving entire communities with little to no consistent news coverage. Public media has not been spared. The Rescissions Act of 2025 authorized Congress to withdraw previously approved federal spending, including reductions to public media funding, which in turn placed additional financial pressure on local public television and radio stations that rely on those grants to operate. The result has been layoffs, reduced programming, and in some cases the loss of local stations altogether.

Large, well-capitalized media institutions absorb shocks differently. They restructure, pivot, and survive. Smaller newsrooms do not have that margin.

When advertising dollars disappear, they do not simply downsize. They close.

Reporters lose jobs. Coverage evaporates. Communities lose access to stories that reflect their realities.

What makes Ye’s decision even more notable is that he did not need a national outlet for this story to become national. The letter would have circulated widely regardless of where it was published. Its reach was guaranteed.

Had this apology appeared in a Chicagobased or Black-owned publication, it could have done more than acknowledge harm. It could have brought national attention to local outlets that consistently tell stories about people of color, neighborhoods, and communities often overlooked by mainstream media. That attention could have translated into new readers, new advertisers, and sustained financial support for organizations already operating with limited resources.

Given his past pattern of controversial statements and symbolic reversals, skepticism is not unfounded. That skepticism does not negate the content of the letter, but it does sharpen the question of what this apology actually accomplishes and who it benefits.

Instead, that investment went to a publication that did not need it.

about where resources are directed, which institutions are supported, and whose voices are amplified when the spotlight is brightest.

The question becomes less about whether the apology was well written and more about what it did in practice.

In this case, it reinforced a national institution that was already secure. It did not strengthen the local media At the price point of a single national ecosystem that continues to tell the advertisement, one placement could have stories of the communities Ye often materially supported or stabilized multiple invokes. local newsrooms in Chicago. Not symbolically, but practically. It could have What Accountability Could Have funded reporting, preserved jobs, expanded Looked Like coverage, and strengthened independent voices in a media environment where Public apologies are about words. survival is increasingly uncertain.

Accountability is also about action. It is

Questions of Timing and Intent It is also fair to acknowledge that not everyone views this apology as purely sincere. Ye has a long history of public gestures that coincide with moments of professional transition, controversy, or renewed visibility. The timing of this letter, arriving alongside news of an upcoming album, has led some observers to question whether the apology reflects a sustained reckoning or another familiar cycle of provocation followed by partial retreat. In these times such consideration is critical.

Listen, if he should fall, we will be the ones to help him up, not the NYT.

I do not expect Ye to understand the intricacies of media economics or the funding mechanisms behind public broadcasting. But someone with his reach, resources, and deep ties to Chicago could have asked the question before defaulting to the most prestigious option. The choice was not between obscurity and relevance. It was between reinforcing what already thrives and investing in what is struggling to survive. Ye’s apology reached the world. It could have strengthened home. That choice, and what it represents, is worth examining.

JAN 29 - FEB 4, 2026

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FOOD & WINE

The Best Étouffée Recipe MARE EVANS - STAFF WRITER

If you’re new to étouffée, it helps to know that étouffée—from the French word meaning “smothered”—is a spicy Cajun stew made with vegetables and seafood. This recipe is a classic, guaranteed to satisfy any étouffée fan.

Although I didn’t grow up in Louisiana, I still think it has the best food in America. Visiting my grandmother in Baton Rouge was always a treat.

Every time I cook Cajun or Creole cuisine, I’m struck by the balance and strength of the cooking—likely because it’s one of the few places in the United States with a longstanding cuisine all its own. Our family recipe for this classic Cajun stew includes homemade shrimp stock, which gives it a deep, full flavor that’s sure to satisfy any étouffée lover.

Shrimp étouffée is one of those dishes that truly rates top shelf. Étouffée is a common Southern cooking technique, similar to a fricassee. You make a flavorful sauce and cook meat or seafood in it—not as long as a braise or stew, and not as briefly as a sauté.

Debates rage over whether étouffée should include a roux, whether you can use more than one type of seafood (wouldn’t that make it a gumbo?), and whether tomatoes belong in the dish. I went with a roux, one seafood, Tabasco, and no tomatoes. You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your own preferences.

Shrimp, crawfish, or crab can all be used interchangeably.The longer prep time for this recipe comes mostly from peeling the shrimp and simmering the shells for homemade stock. If you use canned or premade stock, prep time drops to about 20 minutes.

PREP TIME 20 minutes COOK TIME 35 minutes OPTIONAL HOMEMADE STOCK 45 minutes TOTAL TIME 100 minutes SERVINGS 4 to 6 Ingredients For the optional shrimp stock Shells from 2 pounds of shrimp ½ large onion, chopped Tops and bottoms from 1 green bell pepper 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 5 bay leaves

18 JAN 29 - FEB 4, 2026

For the étouffée ¼ cup vegetable oil or lard ¼ heaping cup flour 1 large celery rib, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1–2 jalapeño peppers, chopped ½ large onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 pint shrimp stock, clam juice, or fish stock 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning ½ teaspoon celery seed 1 tablespoon sweet paprika Salt, to taste 2 pounds shrimp, peeled (reserve shells for stock) 3 green onions, chopped Hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco, to taste Method Make the optional shrimp stock If you yon’t have prepared stock, pour 2 quarts of water into a pot and add all the shrimp stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot set over low heat.

You’ll need about 2 cups of stock for this recipe. Save any extra for soups or risotto—it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.

Make the roux Heat the vegetable oil or lard in a heavy pot over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the flour, making sure there are no clumps. Cook, stirring often, until the roux turns a deep brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the vegetables Add the celery, green pepper, jalapeño, and onion. Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the stock, seasonings, and shrimp Measure 2 cups of shrimp stock and add it slowly, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the roux. The mixture will seize up at first, then loosen. Add more stock as needed to achieve a sauce with the consistency of syrup.

Stir in the Cajun seasoning, celery seed, and paprika.

Season with salt to taste, then add the shrimp. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Finish and serve Stir in the green onions and hot sauce to taste. Serve over white rice with a cold beer or a glass of lemonade.

FASHION High Steppers: Step, Strut, and Prance in Style C.L. BLACKBURN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I’m a shoe lover—which I assume most women are, whether rich or poor. So, that’s that. But just because you have money and access to the best doesn’t necessarily mean you have good taste. Then there are those with meticulous taste whose budgets don’t allow for splurges on Christian Louboutin, René Caovilla, Magrit, Gianvito Rossi or Manolo Blahnik designs. Lord, have mercy!

God knows Rihanna rocks the shoe so much that Manolo Blahnik has used her as a muse, designing with her specifically in mind for various styles. Recently, though, I’ve had my eye on Blake Lively—ever since she stepped out on the “Another Simple Favor,” press tour promoting her latest film. She traveled from city to city in truly to-die-for designer footwear.

And believe me when I say, she wore the best.

For a London photo call, Lively strutted in a pair of Chanel knee-high black leather boots, pairing them with a wool cardigan from the same fashion house.

Still, it was Christian Louboutin she showcased most frequently, as she is an outspoken enthusiast of the French designer.

19 JAN 29 - FEB 4, 2026

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