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Vol. 3 No 12 Thursday, July 10, 2025
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E notes
Reflections on a City in Motion
Today I sat outside on a Starbucks patio across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago. I sipped on my matcha green tea latte as my one-year-old puppy sat inside her dog bag in a chair next to me, not so happy with her SB Pup Cup. She usually gulps it down like a starved, lost dog. But not today. Instead, she made a familiar gesture—she simply turned her head away from the cup and then laid her head down in alignment with the seat of the chair upon which I had placed her.
I tried a couple of times before accepting that she just didn’t want it. Her refusal alarmed me because she hadn’t eaten all her food in her bowl. These are the things we must pay attention to as a dog mom—or as the mother of a child. Their eating habits are significant indicators of various things. So, I’d have to check on her once we returned home. For the moment, she appeared fine.
It’s the July 4th weekend, and Michigan Avenue had on display a full parade of pedestrians: residents and visitors, all in tourist mode. Each was in rare form and represented the world… Chinese, Japanese, Native Americans, Vietnamese, British, Irish, Scottish, English, Welsh, French, German, Cuban, Spanish, Russian, Venezuelan, Italian, Canadian, Mexican, Swedish, Norwegian, Somalian, Nigerian, Chilean, Brazilian, Ghanaian, Senegalese, South African, Argentinian, Bolivian, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Guyanese, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Surinamese, Uruguayan, Iranian, Lebanese, Arab, Israeli, Libyan, Iraqi, Turkish, Bulgarian, Belgian, Algerian, Palestinian, Ukrainian, Korean, Tanzanian, Jamaican, Sudanese, Ivorian (Ivory Coast), Ugandan, Ethiopian—Americans from around the country: rich, poor, and middle class.
People representing the world, all present to catch the NASCAR Cup Series hitting the streets of the Windy City.
As I sat and observed while sipping on my matcha green tea, I couldn’t help but
question:
Why can’t people just get along? Seriously?
And perhaps more importantly: Why can’t we embrace every human being’s right to live?
Why can’t man accept that he is not God—that he did not create himself or the universe in which we live?
The idea that we, as human beings, are destructive is very disconcerting. How arrogant of us to think of ourselves as we do—as creators.
We birth life as a consequence of our own birth, which was awarded to us by our Creator. It is how we reproduce. It is not our creation, but rather a gift given to us—to procreate.
So any destruction of ourselves, or others, is an abomination.
To destroy what you can’t create is an atrocity.
To deny others the gifts of life on earth, gifts given by our Creator, is unacceptable.
So be the instructions of the Ten Commandments—provided to man as the laws by which to live.
Instead, we have basically rebuked them and have egregiously disrespected the Creator of all life.
Going forward, I project that we must humble our assumed all-powerful stance and return to acknowledge that we are— like all creations—not our own Creator. I am humbled. I am grateful. I am!
Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief
photo credit: Dot Ward
Talent Over Tokenism Black Mayors Slash Crime Despite Media Silence
Black mayors are proving that talent, vision, and a relentless focus on evidence-based policy—not tokenism—are transforming communities.
While cable news pundits and national newspapers often fixate on urban dysfunction, Black mayors across America are delivering measurable, record-breaking progress in public safety—and getting almost no credit for it. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin have overseen some of the steepest reductions in violent crime their cities have experienced in decades. But they are far from alone. From New York to Los Angeles to Chicago, Black mayors are proving that talent, vision, and a relentless focus on evidence-based policy—not tokenism—are transforming communities. Yet their achievements have largely been ignored by mainstream media outlets that rarely look past sensational headlines. Baltimore, long branded one of America’s most dangerous cities, released midyear crime data showing a 22% drop in homicides compared to the same period last year. Nonfatal shootings are down 19%, and juvenile homicide victims have declined by an astonishing 71%. Police are solving more crimes, with a homicide clear -
compared to last year, and the clearance rate for homicides has surged to 79%, a level rarely seen in major cities.
ance rate of 64% and a nonfatal shooting clearance rate 20 percentage points above the department’s 10-year average. “These historic lows are the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based public safety strategy that we have implemented in partnership with residents,” Mayor Scott said. “But our work is far from over—68 lives lost to violence is 68 too many.”
The progress didn’t happen by chance. Under Scott’s leadership, the Baltimore Police Department has combined targeted enforcement with offers of help. Commissioner Richard Worley described how the Group Violence Reduction Strategy works: “We go out and give them a letter and basically say, ‘Listen, we know you were doing the shooting. We want you to put the guns down, or we will take you and your entire drug operation off the street. But here are the services—job training, education, relocation.’” Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Mayor Woodfin has led an aggressive, community-driven approach that’s paid off. The city’s homicide rate has fallen 52%
“The Birmingham Police Department is extremely aggressive in what they’re doing and how they’re taking a different approach in policing our community,” Woodfin said. He credited a blend of new technology, such as the Real Time Crime Center, and grassroots cooperation. “When you share information, it doesn’t allow the criminal element to be emboldened and hide behind fear of people,” Woodfin explained. “Those who are killing people are not just walking our streets.” Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said the city’s street outreach teams are also preventing retaliatory shootings before they happen. “We are really, really hammering at it,” Pickett told the City Council. “I am very appreciative of all the men and women in the Birmingham Police Department who are leading our fight.”
While total violent crime in Birmingham has edged up slightly, the plunge in homicides shows that sustained focus and coordination can work—even if major media don’t bother to cover it. State and federal partners in Maryland have also acknowledged Baltimore’s progress. “Baltimore City released a midyear report showing the fewest homicides ever recorded at this point in a single year,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s office said in a statement. Across the country, other Black mayors are driving similar results.
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has presided over a 24% drop in shootings and a 14% decline in murders so far in 2025, the fewest shooting incidents recorded in more than a decade. Robberies and burglaries are also down, with NYPD data showing consistent reductions across nearly every major crime category. On the West Coast, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass saw homicides fall 14% in 2024 and gang-related killings drop nearly 45% in areas targeted by community safety programs. Overall violent crime declined by 3%, and property crimes like burglary and auto theft dropped by thousands of incidents compared to the prior year.
In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has overseen a 22% decrease in murders and a 31% drop in shootings through early 2025, reaching the city’s lowest homicide totals in over a decade. Offi-
Governor Moore Attends a Press Conference with Mayor Brandon Scott on Public Safety in Baltimore by Pat Siebert at 100 Holliday St, Baltimore, MD 2120 (Wikimedia Commons / Photo by Maryland GovPics)
A ‘New Direction’
West Coast Black News Publisher, Dr. John Warren, Elected Board Chair of NNPA
SAN DIEGO VOICE & VIEWPOINT
— In his new leadership role, Dr. John Warren of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint plans to bring a “new direction” to the Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents more than 230 African American-owned newspapers and media companies across the United States.
Dr. John Warren of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint made his mark at the 2025 National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual convention in Savannah, Georgia when he became the third person from the West Coast to lead the 85-year-old organization, whose members are mostly from the East Coast, South and Midwest.
Warren says he has been preparing for the job for more than 20 years.
NNPA members elected Warren at the conference held from June 26 to June 28.
In his new leadership role, Warren
plans to bring a “new direction” to the Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents more than 230 African American-owned newspapers and media companies across the United States.
“Now, I won’t telegraph all my plans,”
Warren joked when California Black Media (CBM) asked him to share his vision for the organization founded in 1940 as the National Negro Publishers Association.
“I will say this: I will push to reinvigorate the NNPA, starting with each region,” said Warren, who is also an attorney, ordained minister, U.S. Army veteran and college professor. He has also served as a Washington, D.C. Board of Education member and U.S. congressional aide.
“I will bring people back — people who have pulled away over the years,” Warren continued. “There is a whole new board
of directors elected with me. We will organize major training sessions before we begin our work, taking a close look at the organization’s priorities and operations, everything — budget, finance, programs, etc.”
Warren said there is a perception that the NNPA has been “a closed and selective network” serving the needs of only some members. He promises to change that, taking steps to “open the organization to all members.”
At the awards ceremony on June 27, the Sacramento Observer, received the conference’s top honor, the highest overall score across all awards categories with a cumulative total of 154 points.
The Observer earned first-place awards in Education Reporting, Business Reporting, Original Photography, Youth and Children Coverage, and Facebook Campaigns. It also ranked
CNW Staff Report CITY News
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller Announces Bid for Congress in Illinois’ 2nd District
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller officially launched her campaign Tuesday for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, citing her family’s deep-rooted legacy of public service and a commitment to expanding healthcare access and economic opportunity.
Miller introduced her candidacy through a campaign video that highlights her personal and professional journey—from growing up in Chicago in a family shaped by the Great Migration, to raising her own family in the south suburbs, to now seeking to bring that generational story to Capitol Hill.
“My great-grandfather was a Pullman Porter; he helped build the Black middle class. My grandmother, mother, and sister were all teachers, and my dad wore this country’s uniform his entire career,” Miller said in the video. “I’ve carried that legacy forward.”
First elected to the Cook County Board
of Commissioners in 2018, Miller has focused her tenure on healthcare equity, particularly for women and communities of color. She says those priorities will remain central to her platform as she seeks to represent the 2nd District in Congress.
“I believe in an America where everyone who works hard can afford the essentials, where healthcare is driven by medicine, not politics, and where the long march toward equality—in its many forms—moves forward, not backward,” she said.
Miller criticized what she described as federal policies that favor the wealthy at the expense of working families, and said the urgency of the moment is
what’s driving her campaign. “Washington is tearing up so much of our progress,” she said. “I refuse to let them. I’m running for Congress because I am determined to rise to the challenge of this fateful moment.”
Her campaign launch has already drawn endorsements from elected leaders across Cook County, signaling growing support for her candidacy in the crowded Democratic field.
Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District stretches from Chicago’s South Side into parts of the south suburbs and includes a diverse cross-section of communities. The seat is currently held by Rep. Robin Kelly, who has not yet announced her intentions for the 2024 election cycle.
Miller’s entry into the race adds a familiar name with strong local roots and a track record of legislative work focused on public health and social equity.
Dr. John Warren, newly-elected board chair for the National Newspaper Publishers Association and publisher of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint (left), with former board chairs Karen Carter Richards (Houston Forward Times) and Bobby Henry Sr. (Westside Gazette) following the official swearing in ceremony.
The A.I. The answer.is...
“Character” refers to a person’s moral and ethical qualities. It consists of beliefs and moral principles that can guide their behavior in discrete ways. Personality is the sum of a person’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects that are manifested through behavior and actions.
These share similarities in how behavior is expressed in discrete ways, particularly as it pertains to one’s personality, which is the sum of a person’s physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects, manifested through behavior and actions.
So review the following words and note their interconnection as we confront the value and significance of character in more and more of our elected officials, co-workers, family, and friends.
Let’s define these terms and then explore their interconnections:
Disposition:
In psychology, a disposition refers to a person’s inherent qualities, tendencies, or inclinations to act, think, or feel in a particular way. It’s a “state of readiness” or a “tendency to act in a specified way.” Think of it as a predisposition or a natural
bent. For example, someone might have a cheerful disposition, meaning they generally tend to be happy and optimistic. Dispositions are often seen as relatively stable over time, but they can be influenced by experiences and learning.
Constitution:
In a psychological context, constitution refers to the fundamental psychological and physical makeup of an individual. It encompasses the sum of an individual’s innate characteristics, influenced by both heredity and life experiences/environmental factors. It’s the underlying structure or nature of a person, including their physiological tendencies that might contribute to their personality and temperament. For example, someone might have a robust constitution, implying physical and mental resilience.
Persona:
Coined by Carl Jung, persona refers to the social face or “mask” that an individual presents to the world. It’s the personality an individual projects to others, often adapted to fit social situations and fulfill societal expectations, while potentially concealing their true inner self. The persona helps individuals navigate their
environment and interact with society by reflecting the role they are playing. For instance, a doctor’s persona might be professional and authoritative, even if they are shy in their personal life.
Attribution:
In psychology, attribution is the process by which individuals explain the causes of events, the behavior of others, or their own behavior. It involves making inferences about why things happen. Attributions can be internal (dispositional), meaning the cause is attributed to personal characteristics (e.g., “She failed because she’s not smart”), or external (situational), meaning the cause is attributed to outside factors (e.g., “She failed because the test was too hard”). Attribution theory explores how people make these causal judgments and the biases that can influence them.
Interconnections:
The words “character,” “personality,” “disposition,” “constitution,” “persona,” and “attribution” are deeply intertwined, forming a complex web that defines an individual’s psychological landscape.
Character and Personality as Overarching Concepts:
Character (moral and ethical qualities, beliefs, guiding principles) and personality (sum of physical, psychological, emotional, and social aspects manifested through behavior) are broad terms. They represent the overall “who” a person is.
The other terms contribute to, or are aspects of, a person’s character and personality.
Constitution as the Foundation:
A person’s constitution is the most foundational element, representing their inherent, largely biological and genetic predispositions, along with the influence of early life experiences. It sets the stage for what kinds of dispositions and personality traits might emerge. For example, a “strong constitution” might contribute to a generally resilient personality.
Disposition as a Tendency within Constitution:
Dispositions are tendencies that spring from a person’s constitution. They are the consistent inclinations in thought, feeling, and action. While constitution is the raw material, disposition is how that material is inclined to behave. A cheerful disposition, for instance, might be partly rooted in one’s constitutional makeup.
Personality as the Expression of Constitution and Disposition: Personality is the observable manifes-
tation of a person’s constitution and dispositions. It’s how these inherent qualities and tendencies play out in their behavior and interactions with the world. A disposition for kindness, supported by a healthy constitution, contributes to a kind and empathetic personality.
Persona as the Social Facet of Personality:
The persona is a specific aspect of personality that is presented in social contexts. It’s the adaptive “mask” worn to fulfill social roles and expectations. While it’s part of one’s personality, it might not always reflect the “authentic self” (which is more closely tied to character and underlying dispositions). For instance, a very serious personality might adopt a jovial persona when performing as a comedian.
Attribution as the Interpretive Lens:
Attribution is a cognitive process that plays a crucial role in how we understand all these concepts, both in ourselves and others.
When we observe someone’s behavior (which is a manifestation of their personality, character, and dispositions), we make attributions about the underlying causes. Do we attribute their behavior to their innate disposition (internal attribution – “they’re just a kind person”) or to the situation (external attribution – “they were just being polite”)?
Our own character and personality can influence our attributional styles (e.g., someone with a hostile attribution bias tends to attribute negative intentions to others).
The choices we make about our persona can be influenced by our attributions about what is expected or effective in a given situation.
In essence:
Your constitution provides the raw material and basic framework.
Your dispositions are the ingrained tendencies that arise from that framework.
Your character represents your core moral and ethical alignment, guiding your overall behavior.
Your personality is the sum of how these internal aspects are expressed through your actions, thoughts, and feelings.
Your persona is the deliberately crafted or socially adapted version of your personality presented to the world.
Attribution is the mental process of assigning causes to behaviors and events, which in turn influences how we perceive and interact with our own character, personality, dispositions, and the personas of others.
Laura Miller Managing Editor
When AI Makes You a Stranger Black
Users Say Tech Tools Are Whitening Their Images
Have you ever dropped a selfie into an AI headshot app, hoping for a quick glow-up — and what came back looked like someone else entirely? Not just a better camera angle or soft lighting. We’re talking about new cheekbones. A thinner nose. A lighter skin tone. Maybe even a hairstyle that would make Lisa Kudrow proud. For many Black users, that “professional” headshot doesn’t look like an upgrade. It looks like erasure.
A Glitch in the Mirror?
AI photo generators — the apps popping up all over social media offering polished, LinkedIn-ready portraits in seconds — are under fire for distorting the features of people of color. And not by accident.
AI ethics advocate Christelle Mombo-Zigah tested several popular headshot apps and watched as they reshaped her into someone she didn’t recognize. Her dark skin was lightened. Her hair texture was changed. Her face was subtly — or not-so-subtly — remixed.
“These headshot generators aren’t just editing photos — they’re altering identities,” she wrote on LinkedIn, calling the phenomenon a kind of digital colorism.
The tools, she argued, weren’t just smoothing blemishes or fixing lighting. They were applying a biased blueprint for what “professional” looks like — and that blueprint didn’t include her real features.
MIT student Janelle Chin had a similar experience. After uploading a photo for a more “refined” headshot, she was
u NATIONAL NEWS Continued from page 4
cials credit community-based outreach and investments in neighborhood violence prevention. And in Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens announced that violent crime was down nearly
stunned when the AI lightened her skin and turned her brown eyes blue.
“I was like, ‘Wow — does this thing think I should become white to be more professional?’” she told The Boston Globe.
It’s Not Just You
These aren’t isolated glitches. A 2023 study from the University of Washington found that image generators like Stable Diffusion tend to default to whiteness — especially when prompts are vague (like “a CEO” or “a person from Oceania”). In most cases, the AI ignored darker skin tones entirely.
Why? Because AI models are trained on massive datasets pulled from the internet — and the internet has a long history of overrepresenting whiteness, especially in professional imag-
16% in 2024, with homicides decreasing and property crime dropping as well. The city has invested in hiring more officers while expanding the At-Promise Centers that connect youth with educational and mental health resources.
ery.
So when the tool generates what it thinks a polished headshot should be, it often leans toward a Eurocentric ideal.
And the Bias Isn’t Just Visual
Speech recognition tools — the same ones behind voice-totext apps and virtual assistants — show a similar pattern. A Stanford study found that five major transcription services made nearly twice as many errors when transcribing Black speakers compared to white speakers.
The error rate for Black men?
Over 35%. That’s not a small mistake — that’s a different sentence.
“The disparities were consistent and significant,” said researcher Allison Koenecke, who
In both large and mid-sized cities, the results are undeniable: fewer families burying loved ones, more cases solved, and more residents willing to engage with police. But to hear much of the national narrative, you’d never know it. As several
co-authored the study.
Even language models like ChatGPT have been shown to respond differently based on racial cues. A 2024 Nature study found that prompts using African American Vernacular English (AAVE) triggered more negative responses than those using standard English. Meanwhile, a Stanford audit revealed that ChatGPT gave less favorable advice — including lower price estimates — when names like “Jamal Washington” were used instead of “Logan Becker.”
So… Who Is AI Really Built For?
Tech companies are starting to respond. OpenAI added a “diverse defaults” feature to its image tool DALL·E, which attempts to vary race and gender when they’re not specified in
social media users have pointed out, in Baltimore, Birmingham, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta, Black leadership is not a box to check or a headline to boast about.
It’s what drives real, life-saving change—whether the national
prompts. Other apps are now letting users pick their ethnicity — a Band-Aid on a bigger wound.
But the issue runs deeper than filters or dropdown menus.
When AI consistently edits Black faces, misunderstands Black voices, and downgrades Black names, the message is clear: you’re being corrected to fit someone else’s standard.
That’s not enhancement.
That’s erasure.
And in a world increasingly shaped by machine-generated images and voices, the fight for accurate representation isn’t just cultural — it’s technological.
So the next time an AI gives you back a version of yourself that doesn’t feel like you?
Trust that instinct. You’re not being sensitive. You’re being replaced.
media notices or not. “While we acknowledge the historic lows we are experiencing, we must simultaneously acknowledge that there is much more work to do,” Scott stated. “And our success makes me commit even further to doing it.”
Cover Story
Laura Miller Managing Editor
Basslines and Breakthroughs Darlene
Jackson moves the needle and the crowd
As we set the tone of this cover story, the soundtrack of its embodiment should be tracks and playlists specifically curated by DJ Lady D. Enter the trance of understanding her life, and move with us through the music. Know as you read that the glass ceiling in any space is never easy to penetrate—but the glass ceiling in DJ culture and nonprofit leadership rises even higher than corporate standards.
Still, here we are—chronicling the work, the grind, and the cultural signature of a woman who placed the records on the board, moved the crowd, and helped reshape the space she walked into. We’d like to introduce you to one of Chicago’s favorites: Darlene Jackson, affectionately known as DJ Lady D. (Start with her playlist “Chicago House 4EVER” to follow her sonic fingerprints.)
If Chicago’s heartbeat had a voice, it might sound like Darlene Jackson spinnin’ deep, soulful house at dawn. But to understand what that means, you have to understand House music—born in the warehouses and underground clubs of Chicago in the early 1980s. A genre built on gospel, soul, disco, and liberation, House became a sanctuary for the queer Queer and Black and brown communities that mainstream culture ignored. It wasn’t just dance music—it was church, it was healing, it was resistance with a four-on-the-floor beat. It grew out of necessity. When radio
stopped playing disco, when clubs began shutting out marginalized people, House emerged as a pulse that wouldn’t be silenced. It started with Frankie Knuckles at the Warehouse, but it evolved rapidly—spreading from South Side roller rinks to Hyde Park lofts, and eventually across the Atlantic to Europe, Russia, and beyond. House gave the displaced a rhythm to reclaim space. To say someone is a Queen of House is to acknowledge her command not just of music, but of emotion, community, and cultural memory.
Darlene Jackson grew up on the South Side and attended the renowned Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, coming of age in a city already pulsing with this revolutionary sound. The daughter of a household that prized records and rhythm, she lived a life steeped in books, beats, and a sharp sense of possibility. Known now around the world as DJ Lady D, she’s not just a respected selector—she’s royalty. When Chicago Magazine first dubbed her the “Queen of House” in 2008, it wasn’t just a nickname. Since then, Rolling Out has spotlighted her as a cultural curator, and 5 Magazine described her as a bridge between legacy and innovation in house music—both a headliner and a mentor shaping the next wave. It was a recognition of decades spent navigating the scene boards, community dance floors, and international festivals. A title earned in a soul-bending genre built on
devotion and groove. Her rise paralleled the music’s expansion, and her fingerprints are on every beat she plays—from crate-digging in Bronzeville to commanding festival stages from Seoul to São Paulo. Known as DJ Lady D, she’s not just the “Queen of House”—a title first given to her by Chicago Magazine in 2008—she’s a Black woman blazing her own path. From childhood acting alongside Cicely Tyson to dropping out of med school and becoming one of the first Black women to DJ globally, her life has always danced between art, advocacy, and audacity.
She once told me, “House is love.” That was her definition of the music. And it’s clear that for her, House isn’t just a genre—it’s a way of being, a cultural and spiritual anchor. From battling gender bias at the turntables to leading nonprofit initiatives, her story is about joy, resilience, freedom—and keeping the baseline pumping LOUD from Chicago to Russia.
Born to Spin
“My brothers were DJs growing up,” Jackson tells me, her voice thick with fond memories. “We had DJ equipment all over the house. When they weren’t around, I’d dive in—touching needles, pushing buttons. I wasn’t intimidated.”
But curiosity wasn’t enough in a craft dominated by men. “It was a boys’ club,” she says. “I’d wait to be number ten in the rotation. They’d let nine dudes go ahead
of me, and by the time it was my turn, the party would be shutting down. I’d be standing there ready, excited to play, and someone would say, ‘We’re wrapping up.’ And even if I didn’t have my records yet, they wouldn’t let me use theirs—but they’d let John or whoever else play on their setup. So I started buying my own. I needed to own my sound.”
She cut her teeth on the North Side, where basement parties were the proving ground. But her big leap came in 1999 at Soul Junkies, a converted shoe store off Belmont Avenue in Wicker Park. “That night changed my life,” she recalls. “I was so nervous—my hands were shaking. But I dropped the needle and went into the zone. I didn’t realize the guys leaning against the wall were promoters. They were nodding their heads—just vibing quietly. A week later, I was getting booked. That’s when I knew: I belonged.”
That early determination still pulses through her sets today: ferocious, unapologetic, undeniably hers.
Trading a White Coat for House Music
At Meharry Medical College, Jackson was on track to earn an M.D. But her heart wasn’t in it. “After a couple years in med school, I realized it wasn’t bringing me joy—I was going backwards. I took a year off. I started going back to the clubs, to my happy place. And I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m much happier now.’”
Photo: Marilee Britton
Photo: DC K Clark
That year shifted everything. She never returned to med school. Instead, she chased energy—and in 1999, she landed her first public gig at Soul Junkies, a shoe store turned underground venue.
“I went in terrified. My hands were shaking as I put the needle down,” she laughs. “But I did it anyway. Later I learned the guys against the wall were promoters—and they signed me up for more gigs.”
Her decision wasn’t exactly welcomed. “My mom thought I was crazy,” she says with a laugh. “My dad, he understood. But my mom? She was relentless about med school for years.” For a decade, she urged Darlene to go back to med school. But when Jackson brought her parents to her Grant Park show, everything changed.
“There were 5,000 people holding their hands in the air. My mom saw them losing themselves while I played—and then she understood.” That moment wasn’t just vindication. It was a revelation: Jackson’s healing didn’t come from treating bodies, but from freeing souls.
Citizen of the World
Jackson’s passport is worn at the edges, stamped with memories from South Korea, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Canada, and beyond. But long before those international bookings, she says, “I felt like a citizen of the world before I ever left the country.” Growing up in Chicago—especially in Rogers Park—meant learning how to navigate differences early and often. “The neighborhood was so diverse,” she recalls. “You had every kind of person on your block, and that taught me to listen—to culture, to voice, to rhythm.”
That openness to the world shaped her not just as a DJ, but as a storyteller. As a child actor, she appeared in The Marva Collins Story alongside Cicely Tyson and Morgan Freeman. “One day, she looked down at my chipped nail polish, held my hand, and said, ‘Pretty little girls don’t come to school with chipped polish.’ She even added it to the script.”
More than polish, the film left a worldview: “It taught me kids from the South Side were citizens of the world,” Jackson says. That lesson set the tone for international tours—from Chicago basements to massive clubs in Moscow, where fans who didn’t speak English embraced her set with unspoken reverence. “They showed me their love without speaking a word.”
The Healing Work
She may not wear a white coat anymore—but healing remains central to Jackson’s mission. She does it through beats, education, mentorship, and civic leadership.
Girls Rock Chicago invited her to run a DJ workshop for girls aged 8–16.
“I sat down and wrote a curriculum from scratch,” she says. “We did it for 10 years. Exposure to arts opens your world—makes you less self-limiting.”
She leveraged that success into academic outreach, becoming Career Center Liaison at Columbia College Chicago. Simultaneously, she earned her master’s. She navigated administrative chaos, layoffs, and pandemic pivots—eventually joining Collaboraction’s board in 2020.
“I didn’t even know what being on a board meant at first,” Jackson laughs. “A year later, I was vice chair; then in 2024, I stepped up as Executive Director when our project almost derailed.”
Now she’s leading the charge to open Collaboraction’s new theater in Humboldt Park, slated for Fall 2025. Collaboraction is a radical arts organization using theater, film, and social innovation to spark conversation and action around trauma, equity, and justice. Under Jackson’s leadership, the organization shifted to hybrid programming, embraced digital storytelling, and leaned into restorative art practices.
“Med school wasn’t for me. But healing? That’s me,” she affirms. “I heal through music and through this work. I’m still doing surgery—it just looks different.”
In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Jackson is also driving cultural investment. In 2025, she partnered with Airbnb during Lollapalooza to headline one of their music-driven experience events.
As EBONY reported, “Airbnb is doing so much more than helping people find a place to stay; they’re giving guests and locals alike a chance to dive into the heart of the city’s culture and connect with others through our music—house music.”
She also became one of the recipients
earned it, through work.”
She is not just the Queen of House. She is the architect of her own kingdom— where self-possession, advocacy, and dancefloors collide.
And the beat? It’s only getting louder.
Collaborations, Crews, and Sounds That Shaped Her
Jackson’s musical career isn’t just solo decks and international flights. Over the years, she’s collaborated with house legends like Mark Farina and Ron Carroll and released tracks across soulful, deep house, and Afro-house subgenres. Her label, D’lectable, became a platform not only for her own productions but for elevating underrepresented voices in the scene.
“I’ve always believed in passing the mic,” she says. “It’s about curation and collaboration, not ego.”
of Rémy Martin’s V.S.O.P “This Is My City” microgrant initiative, earning $20,000 for D’lectable Music to support creative community-building in Chicago. It wasn’t just a grant—it was a nod to the cultural ecosystems she’s helping nurture. “Philanthropy, for me, is rooted in access,” she says. “It’s about finding joy, expression, and Black creativity. We deserve that.”
Grounded and Genuine
Even as her profile grows, Jackson remains rooted in her origins. “My mom’s 92. I’m one of her caretakers,” she says. “I’ve had my lights turned off. I’ve worked in retail. I take out my own trash. I’m not far removed from struggle—and that keeps me grounded.”
Her world isn’t curated: “My friends are a rainbow coalition. I don’t perform DEI—it’s how I live.”
She walks into rooms with clarity, strategy, and creativity. “People say, ‘You’re creative but business-minded.’ They think the two don’t mix. But I had to change that narrative. Once I did, I realized, why not make money from my art? That’s when I truly became a philanthropist.”
Jackson proves again and again that she doesn’t just belong—she leads. She’s overcome the “boys’ club” of DJing, her family’s concerns, and the constraints of traditional career paths. She’s a mother spinning stories for young audiences, a stage-setter for communal healing, and above all, an autonomous Black woman living life at full volume.
She concludes: “25-year-old me? She was unsure—wondering if respect came only with that ‘M.D.’ But she’d be delighted to know my future me is okay. That respect wasn’t handed to me—I
As a member of the Chicago-based SuperJane DJ collective—a crew of powerhouse women including DJ Heather and Colette—Jackson helped rewrite the rulebook on who could headline and hold space in a genre long monopolized by men.
Her sound blends classic Chicago house with global textures—Afrobeat percussion, Latin house breaks, and strippedback minimalism that lets the emotion breathe. Whether she’s remixing a gospel vocal over a thumping bassline or layering soulful vocals onto a deep groove, Lady D builds bridges between the sacred and the sweaty.
“House always had room for joy and resistance,” she says. “That’s what I play for. That’s who I play for.”
Sidebar: Essential Tracks + Reflections
DJ Lady D’s Must-Spin Tracks
“Champagne Lady” (original mix) –Lady D
“Chicago (Gotta Have House)” – Ron Carroll ft. Lady D
“The Way We Used To” – Lady D & Gene Farris
“Don’t Stop (DJ Heather Remix)” –Lady D
Words from Her Collaborators:
“Lady D is a master at bridging soulful and gritty. You feel Chicago in every drop she plays. What she brings isn’t just skill—it’s intention. She brings church to the club.” – DJ Heather
“She’s not just one of the best to ever do it—she’s opened doors for all of us. When I saw her playing Moscow, I thought: ‘This is the future of house, right here.’” – Ron Carroll
“Working with her, you realize she doesn’t just rock a set—she builds community, and she means every beat. Her booth is always warm. You feel welcome, and that’s rare in this game.” – Colette
Photo: Erik Michael Kommer
The Big Beautiful Bill? Nah, we’re not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe
From where I stand, rooted in the rich tapestry of Black America, the pronouncements of “Big Beautiful Bill” often echo with a familiar, unsettling rhythm. Yeah, I’m Blackety Black, and history has taught me to listen not just to the promises of grand legislation, but to the often-muted drumbeat of its actual impact on our communities. When the architects of such bills speak of sweeping progress, of revitalizing infrastructure and creating jobs, a part of me hopes for genuine transformation.
Yet, another, more seasoned part, remembers how often “progress” has bypassed, displaced, or even harmed Black neighborhoods, especially when conservatives are the architects. You will note in this bill, a lot of the items most beneficial to middle America expire right around election time. I wonder why… Let’s hit a few key items
1. Yeah, the bill makes permanent the individual tax rates enacted in 2017, which favor the wealthiest Americans. Middle America will see a modest increase in after-tax take-home pay. But it nickels and dimes these gains out of your pocket with little details like the repeal of energy tax
u WORLD NEWS, Continued from page 5
among the top three in several other areas, including Environment; Social and Criminal Justice; and Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle.
“Simply put: It feels really good to be honored in that way,” Larry Lee, publisher of the Sacramento Observer, told CBM. “Our team works really hard to present news and information in a thoughtful and compelling way. Every-
credits and student loan payment plans.
2. Yes, health insurance costs will increase for non-Medicaid Americans. Many hospitals and medical facilities rely on Medicaid as a part of their revenue model. Without Medicaid revenue, hospitals will have to increase the cost of non-Medicaid patients. It’s just math and it’s how insurance works.
3. Yup, the bill creates new, temporary tax deductions (expiring 2028) for qualified tip income (capped at $25,000) and eligible overtime pay (capped at $12,500 for individuals, $25,000 for joint filers. Keep in mind, the poverty income level is between $15,000 and $30,000. Every little bit counts, and this is a very little bit.
4. If you buy a new car that is assembled in the country, you can deduct up to $10,000 per year in auto loan interest… but only for purchases between 2025 and 2028. Yup, it expires.
5. Our seniors will enjoy a new temporary deduction (expiring 2028) of up to $6,000 for individuals aged 65 and older. Did I say that it EXPIRES?
6. Here is a good one. The bill permanently increases the maximum Child Tax
one in our newsroom strives for excellence. They are the winners — the people who take the time to create every story, every headline, every photo, every caption, every layout.”
Lee added, “I always tell our team that we don’t do what we do for awards, but it is always nice to be honored, to be recognized for our hard work.”
The Los Angeles Sentinel also received three honors at the NNPA Awards for Religion Section coverage (first
Credit from $2,000 to $2,200 per child and indexes it to inflation.
7. The bill establishes a savings program where the U.S. government deposits $1,000 (except Trump is famous for not paying people) upon the birth of a child between 2025 and 2028 (yeah, it expires). Parents can contribute up to $5,000 annually, with tax-deferred growth for higher education, job training, or home down payments.
8. The bill enacts significant cuts to Medicaid spending (estimated 12% cut), including new work requirements for some adults, and more frequent eligibility checks. It also introduced new restrictions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including raising the work requirement age from 54 to 64 and shifting some costs to states with high error rates. As a result, citizens who lose Medicaid will show up in emergency rooms for care. When they don’t pay, these hospitals will pass that cost on to insured patients, thus increasing everyone’s cost of health care and healthcare insurance. Again, it’s math, and it’s how insurance works.
9. Once again, conservatives have oke-
place); Community Service Reporting (second place); and Video Campaign (third place).
Both Warren and Lee emphasized the “critical” need for the Black Press to continue covering and centering Black stories and engaging Black audiences in the historic tradition of the Black press. Freedom’s Journal, America’s first African American newspaper, was published in New York City almost 200 years ago in 1827.
doked their voters into believing that they are concerned about the US debt and deficit, while raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. Every Conservative President since Regan has run up debt and deficits to unprecedented levels.
So, what do I think about this bill? We know how conservative legislation works since we have proof of concept enacted at the state level. Fact is, 9 of the 10 poorest, least educated and least healthy states are conservative led states and have been for 10+ election cycles. Conservatives have mastered the art of fooling their poor, unhealthy and uneducated voters into being afraid of something or someone and voting against their own best interests. This time, they have fooled their voters into being afraid of immigrants and poor people. Their legislative agenda is largely a grift that distracts their voters into supporting with the belief that they will address the boogeyman that they are fooled into being afraid of. Every Republican president following Eisenhower has presided over an economic downturn. This legislation is just another conservative grift that will create strife and likely an economic downturn.
“We inform and educate our readers. That’s what we do. That’s what I’ve always done. We are always teaching when we write stories,” said Warren, who first started working for the Black Press at 17. He is now 79.
Lee says he has confidence in Warren’s leadership.
“He is forward-thinking, smart, strategic and courageous,” said Lee. “He has tremendous knowledge on policy issues — and hopefully his experience and insights can help position the NNPA in a way that continues to empower the Black Press.”
For Warren, focusing on helping to steer NNPA members as they continue to transition from print to digital is paramount. Although, he reminds them, “print is not dead.”
“We have to figure out ways to bring more resources and dollars to our sector — by innovation, with public policy. How can we help ourselves to be more sustainable as we continue to do the important work that we do?”
SPORTS commentary Douglas J.
Baseball’s Broken Contract
The Case for Scipio
Because of all the batters he could fan, it is perhaps only fitting that Chicago native Scipio Spinks comes from the Windy City.
Indeed, during one memorable contest, Spinks and future Cincinnati Reds hurler Gary Nolan combined to strike out 37 batters in a Class A Northern League game in 1966.
Spinks, who used to play for the West Park Babe Ruth Baseball League, attended St. Rita of Cascia High School and later Harlan High School. He reportedly went on to play for Woodrow Wilson Junior College, which was subsequently renamed Kennedy-King College. For the Red Raiders, he led his team to the city finals against Wright Junior College.
After pitching for Wilson, Spinks was drafted by the Houston Astros, for whom he played in 1969, 1970, and 1971. But only modest success followed him: in 35 career games—including those he appeared in with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972 and 1973—he won seven games and threw seven complete games.
Though he has no regrets about his time playing the game, Spinks—who once served as a double for the late Louis Gossett Jr. in a movie about Hall of Famer Satchel Paige entitled Don’t Look Back—is annoyed about one very important thing: he doesn’t receive a Major League Baseball (MLB) pension.
Spinks, who turns 78 on July 12, is one of 508 retirees being denied pensions by the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), the union that represents both current players and minor leaguers. All these men receive are yearly non-qualified retirement stipends of $718.75 for every 43 game days on an active MLB roster, up to a maximum payment of $11,500. Due to vesting rule changes that averted a strike in 1980, the players’ union was offered the opportunity to give its members the following sweetheart deal: one game day of service credit to buy into the league’s umbrella health insurance plan, and 43 game days of service for a pension. However, the deal excluded men like Spinks, who played prior to 1980.
Spinks
Fast forward 45 years, and neither MLB nor the MLBPA wants to retroactively restore these non-vested men into pension coverage. Instead, taxes are taken out of their non-qualified retirement payments, which cannot be passed on to a surviving spouse or designated beneficiary.
So when Spinks dies, the payment he is currently receiving will not be passed on to any of his loved ones, including his third wife, Jeanette, or his daughter from his first marriage, Terri Lynn. Meanwhile, the maximum IRS pen-
sion a vested retiree can receive is $275,000. And the minimum salary for the 26th man riding the pines this year is $760,000.
Though Spinks may not look back on his career with regret, he is focused on getting the MLBPA to right what he feels is a significant wrong—namely, shortchanging him out of a meaningful retirement benefit.
“SOMETHING needs to be done,” he told me via email recently. “Let’s do something about it. I’m tired of this bullshit with the players’ association.”
With the average MLB salary last year reported to be $5.1 million, and with MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark reportedly receiving a yearly salary of $3.41 million, Spinks contends that the union is forgetting to take care of men like him—those who helped grow the game by enduring labor stoppages and going without paychecks so that free agency could happen. After all, unions are supposed to help hard-working women and men in this country get a fair shake in life.
Since the league doesn’t have to negotiate this matter in collective bargaining, it’s essentially up to the union to go to bat for these men.
What makes this especially reprehensible is that Clark—the first former player to serve as executive director of the association—received the Negro League Museum’s Jackie Robinson Award in 2016, yet has never commented on these non-vested retirees, many of whom are filing for bankruptcy at advanced ages and having banks foreclose on their homes.
Other persons of color affected by this blight on the national pastime include Wayne Cage and Vince Colbert of the Cleveland Indians; Pablo Torrealba of the Atlanta Braves; George Lauzerique of the Milwaukee Brewers; Joe Gilbert of the Montreal Expos (who wore uniform number 42 as a tribute to Robinson); and Aaron Pointer, an NAACP award winner who was the first African-American linesman in the PAC-10.
Spinks has given a good part of his life to baseball. Besides playing with the Astros and Cardinals, he is currently the head coach at the University of Houston-Downtown. For six years, he also served as a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
From where I sit, it’s time the union— and, in particular, Clark—look back at what Spinks and the 507 other men have given to the game and remedy this injustice once and for all.
Douglas J. Gladstone (@GLADSTONEWRITER) is the author of “A Bitter Cup of Coffee: How MLB & the Players’ Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve.”
David Seaton Columnist
The American welfare system, originally designed as a temporary safety net for those in crisis, has morphed into a multi-generational lifestyle for millions. The latest Republican-led tax bill, backed by former President Donald Trump, finally takes a necessary stand: if you are an able-bodied adult receiving SNAP or Medicaid, you must work a mere 80 hours per month—just 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday—to continue receiving benefits. And predictably, the outrage has begun.
A viral video recently featured a morbidly obese woman with nine children by nine different
David Seaton CNW Columnist
THE BOOK OF DAVID
Enough is Enough Working Americans Are Tired of Carrying the Lazy and Entitled
men, throwing a tantrum over the new work requirement. Her protest? A $1,000 shopping spree at Costco, filled with processed junk—chips, sodas, frozen waffles—while ignoring the fresh produce, lean meats, and healthier options available at lower cost. She didn’t want food. She wanted convenience. She didn’t want nutrition. She wanted indulgence.
And we, the working taxpayers, foot the bill.
Not only do we subsidize this kind of irresponsible consumption through SNAP, but over 75% of SNAP recipients are also on Medicaid. That means
we are paying for both the junk food and the inevitable hospital visits that follow—from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and every other preventable illness caused by a reckless diet and sedentary lifestyle.
This is not compassion. It’s codependency. We are enabling self-destruction—and bankrupting our nation in the process. For years, hardworking Americans have watched as their paychecks are taxed to death while others game the system. These people aren’t victims of circumstance; they are victims of a culture that glorifies laziness,
Laura Miller Managing Editor
excuses poor decision-making, and punishes accountability. Welfare is no longer a safety net. It has become a hammock. Every dollar a working single mother spends in taxes is a dollar she cannot spend on her own children. Every small business owner who grinds 60 hours a week to make payroll and pay benefits is forced to subsidize someone who refuses to put in even 20. That’s not charity—it’s theft by redistribution. Critics will cry “racism,” “ableism,” “elitism”—anything to avoid a conversation about personal responsibility. But the reality is simple: if you are healthy enough to shop, drive, TikTok, and have multiple chil-
dren, you are healthy enough to work part-time.
America cannot survive when a growing number of citizens live by the belief that they are owed something for nothing. That’s not a safety net—that’s a ticking time bomb.
It’s time for taxpayers to say, “Enough.” Enough of financing laziness. Enough of rewarding irresponsibility. Enough of pretending that demanding accountability is cruel. What’s truly cruel is forcing working Americans to carry people who refuse to lift themselves up. If this new policy offends someone, maybe it’s because it hits too close to home.
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Make Your Summer Love Last — Forever, Maybe
It’s not too early to think about the end of a summer fling — in fact, that’s what gives it its edge. The sweetness is wrapped in the countdown: all that sunlit chemistry, with festival energizing in the background, knowing that .. the summer ends sooner than you think. That tension between barefoot romance and real-life return tickets is the whole magic of the genre.
If you ask me, too many romcoms treat Labor Day like a guillotine. As if the ferry off Martha’s Vineyard erases all the intimacy, connection, and potential that bloomed under July skies.
Where was the wise Auntie in these tropes? The one sipping her porch soaked iced tea side-eyeing the chaos, and saying, “Baby, it don’t have to end just because the fireworks did.” She would’ve shown our starry-eyed leads how to transition from rooftop kisses to autumn FaceTimes. And let’s be real — most of these movies were made B.C. (Before Cuffing),
so they missed the evolution: that with the right energy (and a little wisdom), a summer spark can stretch into sweater weather.
So now, knee-deep in Summer Time Chi, a few dates in, maybe feeling the magic doesn’t have to stop, it just ele-
vates into cuffing season— here’s a list of 5 ways to make your summer love last. Forever, maybe. (Auntie-approved. Keith Sweat whines in the background.)
1. Build a Little Beyond the Beach
Don’t just keep things cute under the sun — sneak in a little “what do your days really look like?” Real talk in between rooftop drinks. Ask questions that root you in reality: goals, routines, quirks. Summer ends, but shared values are seasonless.
2. Snapshots and Small Rituals
Start tiny traditions: a shared playlist, Friday ice cream check-ins, photos of your outfits before a date. These become muscle memory — easy, intimate habits that bridge the seasons. (Yes, even long-distance can hold onto these.)
3. Talk About September in July
Let’s normalize saying: “I like you enough to want to see where this goes — past summer. Can we talk about what that might look like?” It doesn’t kill the vibe — it elevates it. The right person
won’t get spooked — they’ll lean in.
4. Make Space for Real Life
Summer dating can be a bubble. At some point, invite each other into your actual lives — your friends, your dog, your work stress. If they’re still standing after a chaotic Wednesday, you’re building something that might just hold through winter.
5. Romanticize the Shift
Just as you made summer into a love story, do the same with fall. Plan a trip to see the leaves change. Buy them a hoodie that smells like you. Swap summer bops for cozy playlists. Let the romance evolve — don’t try to trap it in July’s glow. Remember, it’s not about stretching summer forever — it’s about growing the relationship through the seasons. Love isn’t confined to a beach town or a cute montage — but it is built, moment by moment, with care and clarity. And if you need theme music? Keith Sweat’s Make It Last Forever stays undefeated. Put it on loop and start practicing the bridge between summer love and real love.
Christian Mitchell South Side Roots and Statewide Vision Propel Lieutenant Governor Bid
Christian Mitchell, a longtime Democratic operative, former legislator, and deputy governor, is stepping into the statewide spotlight as he campaigns to become the next lieutenant governor of Illinois. Known as a policy strategist and coalition builder, Mitchell is positioning himself as a progressive yet pragmatic partner to help lead Illinois into what he calls a “cleaner, fairer, and more just future.”
A son of the South Side, Mitchell brings a personal and professional story that blends deep Chicago roots with statewide ambition. Born and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood and later in the suburb of Westchester, Mitchell was brought up by a single mother, a nurse, and his grandfather, a union steelworker and military veteran. That working-class foundation, he says, shaped his views on equity, opportunity, and public service.
“My story is not unique,” Mitchell said in a recent interview. “It’s the story of so many Black families in Chicago. We believe in hard work, in community, and in a government that should work just as hard for you.”
Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago in 2008, becoming one of the first in his family to graduate from college. While many of his peers pursued careers in consulting or law, he
returned to the South Side, joining SOUL (Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation), a grassroots, faith-based organization. As a community organizer, he advocated for equitable school funding, affordable housing, and the expansion of public transit.
In 2012, at just 26 years old, Mitchell was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives to represent the 26th District, which spans from River North to South Shore. He was the youngest member of the 98th General Assembly and quickly emerged as a leading voice for progressive causes. During his tenure, he sponsored legislation on clean energy, criminal justice reform, childcare expansion, and minimum teacher pay. Among his signature achievements was helping to overhaul the state’s education CITY NEWS, Continued on page 15 u
Former state Rep. Christian Mitchell was selected by Gov. JB Pritzker to be his running mate for lieutenant governor in the 2026 election. Courtesy of the University of Chicago.
After Tragedy, A Cultural Crossroads
Is the Vibe Hurting the Community?
The recent mass shooting outside a listening party for rapper Mello Buckzz in Chicago was a devastating event. Four lives were lost, including individuals close to the artist, and more than a dozen others were injured. Authorities believe Buckzz may have been the intended target. While the investigation continues, the tragedy raises a broader cultural question: what is the cost of consistently reinforcing certain energies in music?
The intersection of violence and music is not a new conversation. But this moment offers an opportunity to examine whether an environment shaped by themes of death, aggression, and retaliation is contributing to ongoing harm— not from a place of judgment, but from a place of cultural self-awareness.
Art as Expression — But What Happens When the Mood Never Shifts?
In hip-hop and other genres, music has long been used to process trauma, articulate injustice, and channel emotion. The presence of violence in lyrics is often a reflection of real circumstances—not fantasy, but reality. For many artists, particularly in underserved communities, music becomes a form of survival and testimony.
However, when dark themes dominate the artistic landscape without
variation—when death, paranoia, and revenge become the prevailing aesthetic—a question emerges: Does the music continue to reflect reality, or does it begin to reinforce and attract it?
This question isn’t limited to any one genre or community. Similar patterns have appeared throughout music history, across cultural contexts.
When Music’s Energy Mirrors Real-Life Consequences
The deaths of hip-hop artists such as Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Pop Smoke, King Von, and XXXTentacion were preceded by music that often detailed violence, mortality, and retribution. Their careers were also marked by the constant presence of real-life danger—legal issues, public feuds, surveillance, threats, and, in some cases, active gang affiliations.
In rock and alternative music, similar patterns have emerged. Jim Morrison of The Doors frequently wrote about death, chaos, and destruction. His life, marked by instability and substance abuse, ended at age 27 under unresolved circumstances. Bon Scott of AC/DC embraced a persona of hard-living rebellion; he died of alcohol-related complications shortly after the release of Highway to Hell. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “That Smell,” a
song warning of doom brought on by addiction, was released shortly before the band’s fatal plane crash.
These examples suggest a recurring pattern: artists who immerse themselves in death or destruction in their work often find themselves surrounded by turmoil in their personal lives—not metaphorically, but literally and repeatedly.
Psychological Research on the Impact of Violent Music
Scholarly studies have examined the effects of violent lyrics and aggressive musical content on cognition and behavior. While there is no conclusive evidence that such content directly causes violent actions, research indicates a more complex interaction between music, environment, and psychology.
A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that participants exposed to violent lyrics experienced short-term increases in aggressive thoughts and hostile interpretations of ambiguous situations. Additional findings suggest that repeated exposure to violent themes may lead to emotional desensitization and a greater acceptance of aggressive behavior as normal.
However, other studies highlight the cathartic function of music. For individuals processing trauma, anger, or isolation, music can offer emotional
relief and validation. The impact often depends on context—including the listener’s background, emotional state, and the community norms surrounding the music.
What remains consistent is the recognition that music is not inert. It carries mood, message, and memory—and those elements can shape both individual behavior and collective culture.
Culture Care vs. Censorship
This issue isn’t about censorship, nor is it about demonizing any genre or community. The question is whether current creative norms—particularly those that promote fatalism, confrontation, or constant vigilance—are contributing to harm in ways that artists and audiences may not fully realize.
The shooting at Mello Buckzz’s event is a tragedy. It is also a moment that invites deeper reflection:
Is the atmosphere being cultivated through music—the tone, the language, the energy—truly serving the people who create and consume it?
Artists have the right to speak their truth. But every truth comes with an echo. If that echo is constantly dark, violent, or fatalistic, it is fair to ask whether it is building a foundation for healing— or one for harm.
funding formula and offering early support for what would become Illinois’ marijuana legalization framework. He served as chair of the House Economic Opportunity Committee and vice chair of several judiciary and technology committees, shaping policy in critical emerging areas.
In 2018, Mitchell served as interim executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois, where he helped modernize operations and improve voter outreach. That same year, following the election of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mitchell was appointed Deputy Governor of Illinois—a role in which he oversaw portfolios including energy, infrastructure, environment, and public safety.
As deputy governor, Mitchell became the architect of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), a landmark
2021 bill that made Illinois a national leader in clean energy. The legislation committed the state to a carbon-free power sector by 2045 and included substantial equity provisions, directing investments to Black and brown communities historically excluded from the green economy.
“We can’t fight climate change without addressing the injustices that created the crisis in the first place,” Mitchell said. He also helped implement the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the largest infrastructure investment in the state’s history. Advocates credit him with ensuring that funding reached underserved neighborhoods and union workforces.
In 2019, while serving in state government, Mitchell earned a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He was admitted to the Illinois bar and remains an advocate for legal reforms, particularly in juve -
nile and pretrial justice.
Mitchell’s path took another turn in 2023 when he enlisted in the Illinois Air National Guard. Now serving as a First Lieutenant, he describes it as a way to deepen his commitment to public service and national security.
“It was a way to give back—to serve my state and country in a new capacity,” he said.
Now seeking the lieutenant governor’s office in 2025, Mitchell’s campaign focuses on climate leadership, education reform, and economic justice. He has pledged to expand workforce training programs, support Black-owned businesses, and partner with communities to reduce gun violence through prevention—not just policing.
He’s running on a platform that merges data-driven policy with grassroots organizing. Supporters say that’s what makes him uniquely equipped to serve
alongside the next governor—whoever that may be.
“He’s got the experience, the heart, and the vision,” said State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, a longtime ally. “And more importantly, people trust him because he’s never forgotten where he comes from.”
If elected, Mitchell would be the first Black man elected as Illinois lieutenant governor.
“It’s not about breaking barriers for the sake of it,” Mitchell said. “It’s about building bridges—for kids growing up in neighborhoods like mine to see a government that looks like them, works for them, and believes in them.”
As Illinois looks ahead to the next chapter in its leadership, Christian Mitchell’s blend of South Side grit, statewide policy experience, and service-minded leadership could make him a defining voice for the next generation of Illinois politics.
u CITY NEWS Continued from page 14
ARTS & CULTURE
Summer Rewind
Xavier Ramey’s Bookshelf
Last week’s cover story featuring Xavier Ramey struck a chord. Readers connected deeply with his honesty, his clarity of purpose, and his insistence on designing a more just world from the inside out. We took care to walk you through his journey—from curious kid in Lawndale to strategist, speaker, and founder of Justice Informed—but we left out one detail that’s a staple in most of our profiles: his favorite books.
Each summer, we ask our featured guests to share the words, authors, or pages that have shaped them—what they return to, what they recommend, and what’s sitting beside their bed or beneath their TV. In Xavier’s case, books weren’t just a hobby—they were a survival tool, a way to make sense of the world and imagine new ones.
So here’s a rewind. Whether you’re poolside, porch-sitting, or just enjoying a slower pace this season, we hope a few of these make it to your own stack.
Xavier Ramey’s Top 5 Favorite Books:
The Bible
“I love the Bible. It is one of my favorite books,” Xavier said. Its spiritual grounding runs through his work and his personal code of leadership.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
“The Alchemist was huge for me. My father gave me The Alchemist,” he shared. This classic story of destiny and purpose reflects the intentional way Xavier approaches both life and strategy.
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
“The Five Love Languages was huge for me.” A favorite for how it transformed his understanding of communication and care across all kinds of relationships.
The Book of Proverbs
“I read Proverbs in the Bible like it was a textbook,” he said—turning to its
timeless lessons on humility, wisdom, and character as daily guidance.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Though mentioned outside the main interview, Xavier has recommended Baldwin’s work often, once calling The Fire Next Time a “very simple book, very easy to understand” that he gifted to
others to plant seeds of deeper reflection. Baldwin’s call for moral reckoning and love in the face of injustice is a throughline in Ramey’s own mission. These aren’t trendy picks. They’re books about growth, reflection, healing, and hard-earned truth—which feels pretty on-brand for someone helping others rebuild how we relate, lead, and live together.
Food & Wine
Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup
Iwas reading the New York Times Sunday edition, and they offered a recipe for Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup—a favorite of mine. So, I chose to compare the recipes: that of my North Carolina Cherokee great-grandmother and the New York Times version.
I’m sharing my great-grandmother’s recipe, which has been updated and adapted by her daughters over the years.
I can’t vouch for this Times recipe yet, but I can for the following delicious blend of sweet, spicy, and creamy—a recipe that’s been a favorite in my family for over 70 years. It makes a perfect comforting meal. And as a plant-based foodie, it’s also easily adaptable for vegan diets.
Spicy Corn and Coconut
Soup
Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30–40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1–2 jalapeño peppers (or serrano chiles), minced (adjust to your preferred spice level)
2 small red potatoes (6–8 ounces total), cut into 1/2inch cubes
5 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 5 ears of corn) or frozen corn kernels
2½ cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth for non-vegan)
1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
Optional Garnishes:
Torn cilantro leaves
Chopped scallions
Toasted coconut flakes
Chopped roasted peanuts
Crispy fried shallots
Lime wedges
Extra sliced chiles
Rainbow-colored bell peppers work too
Instructions:
1. Prepare the corn:
If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cobs. For extra corn flavor, use the back of a spoon or a butter knife to scrape the cobs into the bowl with the kernels to release any milky juices. Set aside. (Skip this step if using frozen corn.)
2. Sauté aromatics:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots, minced garlic, ginger, and jalapeño (or serrano chili). Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft and fragrant—about 3–5 minutes.
3. Cook corn and potatoes: Add the corn kernels and any reserved corn juices to the pot. Sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the corn appears brighter and slightly softened. Add the diced potatoes and stir to coat, cooking for another 1–2 minutes.
4. Simmer the soup:
Pour in the vegetable (or chicken) broth and the full-fat coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Partially blend (optional): For a creamier soup with some texture, use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup directly in the pot. Blend until you reach your desired consistency, leaving some corn kernels, potato chunks, and chili flecks intact. Alternatively, carefully ladle about half the soup into a standard blender (ensure the lid is secure but leave the center vent open to
allow steam to escape), blend until smooth, and return it to the pot.
6. Finish and season:
Stir in the fresh lime juice. Season the soup with salt to taste. Adjust spiciness with additional minced chili if desired.
7. Serve:
Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with your desired toppings—such as cilantro, scallions, toasted coconut, or peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of freshness.
C.L. Blackburn Contributing Writer
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