SSW 12.02.15 - Holiday Issue

2 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY The South Side Weekly is a nonprofit newsprint magazine written for and about neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago. We publish in-depth coverage of the arts and issues of public interest alongside oral histories, poetry, fiction, interviews, and artwork from local photographers and illustrators. Started as a student paper at the University of Chicago, the South Side Weekly is now an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting cultural and civic engagement on the South Side, and to providing educational opportunities for developing journalists, writers, and artists.

Editor-in-Chief Executive Editor Managing Editor

Osita Nwanevu Bess Cohen Olivia Stovicek

IN CHICAGO A week’s worth of developing stories, odd events, and signs of the times, culled from the desks, inboxes, and wandering eyes of the editors

Correction: In a note on Laquan McDonald last week, the Weekly stated that, based on previous reporting on the case, the video of McDonald’s death initially released by the city would show McDonald attacking a police car. This was based on a description of the incident given to the City Council by the City of Chicago’s Corporation Counsel Stephen Patton in March, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. The initially released video does not clearly show an attack. The Weekly regrets the error.

Politics Editor Christian Belanger Education Editor Mari Cohen Music Editor Maha Ahmed Stage & Screen Julia Aizuss Editor Visual Arts Editor Emeline Posner UofC Threat Editors-at-Large Lucia Ahrensdorf, Hyde Park was on edge Monday as a threat posted on the website Jake Bittle, Austin Brown, WorldStarHipHop led the University of Chicago to cancel all Sarah Claypoole, classes and close down its campus and some affiliated buildings Emily Lipstein Contributing Editors Will Cabaniss, after being tipped off by the FBI. The poster, Jabari R. Dean, Eleonora Edreva, who was arrested on Monday afternoon, allegedly threatened to

Lewis Page, kill sixteen white male students or staff, as well as police officers, Hafsa Razi Social Media Editor Sam Stecklow in response to the death of Laquan McDonald. The story was Web Editor Andrew Koski quickly picked up by the national media and deployed by political Visuals Editor Ellie Mejia commentators angling to place the threat in the context of recent Layout Editors Adam Thorp, Baci Weiler, mass shootings and protests over McDonald’s death. Although the Sofia Wyetzner Senior Writer: Stephen Urchick Staff Writers: Olivia Adams, Amelia Dmowska, Maira Khwaja, Emiliano Burr di Mauro, Michal Kranz, Zoe Makoul, Sammie Spector, Zach Taylor Staff Photographers: Juliet Eldred, Finn Jubak, Alexander Pizzirani, Julie Wu Staff Illustrators: Javier Suarez, Addie Barron, Jean Cochrane, Lexi Drexelius, Wei Yi Ow, Amber Sollenberger, Teddy Watler, Julie Wu, Zelda Galewsky, Seonhyung Kim Editorial Intern

Clyde Schwab

Webmaster Publisher

Sofia Wyetzner Harry Backlund

The paper is produced by an all-volunteer editorial staff and seeks contributions from across the city. We distribute each Wednesday in the fall, winter, and spring, with breaks during April and December. Over the summer we publish monthly.

Send submissions, story ideas, comments, or questions to editor@southsideweekly.com or mail to: South Side Weekly 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Chicago, IL 60637 For advertising inquiries, contact: (773)234-5388 or advertising@southsideweekly Read our stories online at southsideweekly.com

Cover illustration by Turtel Onli

fallout from the threat is still taking shape, Hyde Park residents are breathing a sigh of relief. It was an odd, sad day. As recent events in this country and on the other side of the world have reminded us, it could have been worse.

Rauner Backtracks After his call to halt the allowance of Syrian refugees into Illinois on the tail of this month’s Paris attacks went over less than well with some constituents, Governor Bruce Rauner backtracked, reframing his call for a ban as a simple “request” that the Obama administration “take a deep breath.” The irony of his plea for the practice of mindfulness and meditation aside, let’s hope Rauner has realized what many have already discussed endlessly—that he and the myriad other governors on his side have little administrative power in this situation. In other words, the only action he can take that could remotely approach something resembling a ban is to lower the already-paltry percentage state agencies use (currently at sixty percent) of the total federal funds Illinois is given specifically for the purpose of housing international refugees.

Wildcats Win This past Friday, Wendell Phillips Academy captured the 4A Illinois football championship, becoming the first Chicago public high school ever to win a state title. The Bronzeville-based Wildcats, who lost in the same game last year, demolished the hapless, beautifully named Belleville Althoff Crusaders 51-7, as quarterback and Connecticut commit Quayvon Skanes—one of ESPN’s three three-star recruits on the team—rushed and passed for a combined four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Chicago’s Catholic football league continued its statewide dominance: Loyola Academy won the 8A (don’t ask us what these numbers mean) title game 41-0 against fellow Catholic school Marist.

IN THIS ISSUE a plan to rewrite authority

liberation in rapture,

holiday insert

in police misconduct

rhythm, and rhyme

“With this proposal, we’re on the bleeding edge.” isaac stein...4

“ You put a dip in your hip, you let your backbone slip...” ariella carmell...10

“The tradition is family, community orientation, and looking around and seeing what we can do for others.”

11

a collaborative creation

a different kind of education

“Ten Chicago Women/Fifteen Years” at the Bridgeport Art Center sara cohen...6

This is a place for people to have conversations who are generally way too busy and overworked. olivia adams...9

an uneven playing field

“There are so many walls in between.

I feel like I have no way to climb that wall.” jasmin liang...7

narrative action

“Media, in all its incarnations, should serve a higher purpose than just mindless diversion.” anne li...20 an open book(store)

“We’re not going to make a killing on this.” michal kranz...21 DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 3

A Plan for Reform Activists press for citizen-led police oversight

BY ISAAC STEIN

F

or over three years, Larry Redmond, a lawyer who runs a solo practice from his home in Morgan Park, has volunteered pro bono legal counsel for the Chicago Alliance Against Political and Racist Repression (CAARPR). In the shadow of recent and numerous fatal police shootings of Chicago residents, including the high-profile deaths of Laquan McDonald, Rekia Boyd, and Flint Farmer, Redmond and CAARPR are currently lobbying for a complete overhaul of how Chicago investigates police misconduct.

Their objective is to compel City Council to pass an ordinance that would remove the authority to investigate alleged police misconduct from the current system of mayoral-appointed boards, instead transferring it to an elected board of twenty-two Chicago citizens, one from each of the City’s police districts. Redmond believes that this proposal for a Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) is one solution to a system of police accountability characterized by inefficacy and conflicts of interest.

At present, all complaints of misconduct filed against the Chicago Police Department (CPD) are received by the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA), an investigatory board funded by, and accountable to, the City of Chicago. On average, IPRA receives about 6000 new complaints per year.

The mayor of Chicago is responsible for appointing IPRA’s Chief Administrator; last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel named Scott Ando to that post. Ando has a thirty-three-year history in law enforcement, including twenty-eight years with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as as five years as an employee of the Prosecutor’s Office in Bergen County, N.J. Because IPRA’s head is appointed by the mayor and is responsible for determining what constitute misconduct, “it therefore is the job of the head of IPRA to find as little misconduct as possible,” Redmond says.

ellie mejia

Additionally, Redmond says IPRA investigators are often ex-law enforcement agents, like Ando, whom he believes are unlikely to investigate alleged police crimes impartially.

Larry Merritt, IPRA spokesman, denied that ex-law enforcement agents make up a large share of IPRA staff.

“The claim that IPRA is staffed with ex-law enforcement officials is just not supported by fact. Of our sixty investigators, I know of four who have law enforcement experience; I don’t know about the other staff.

Of those four, two worked for the CPD, and two were from out-of-state,” Merritt said.

As of press time, the Weekly’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the names and last job held by each of IPRA’s employees had not yet been fulfilled.

Emanuel also appoints the nine mem-

4 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

bers of the Chicago Police Board, the city body that receives complaints that are “sustained” by IPRA (which means that IPRA investigations of complaints have found the CPD to be at fault). To Redmond, this setup presents a conflict of interest, as the City’s current contract with the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge No. 7, the union for CPD officers, releases individual officers from liability for all monetary indemnity, such as a civil award in a misconduct suit, provided that they “cooperate with [the City of Chicago].”

Redmond cited Ando’s recent firing of former IPRA officer Lorenzo Davis as an example of IPRA’s failure to investigate impartially. Davis, who was employed by the CPD for over twenty years before joining IPRA, has publicly claimed that he was

fired for sustaining allegations of police misconduct; an IPRA performance evaluation obtained by WBEZ that dates from before his termination claimed that Davis held “a clear bias against police.”

“Ando is ex-DEA. And he’s just as bad, or worse, than CPD,” Redmond claimed. “[Davis] was fired from IPRA because he was told by Ando, and told by IPRA, that he should change his findings.

“I’ve heard [Ando] speak on at least one occasion,” he continues. “His tone was such that I got the sense that he would do anything to suggest that a police officer’s actions, no matter what they were...that they were founded.”

Redmond believes that the fact that IPRA may only recommend sanctions against officers, and not actually fire or indict them, is evidence that the agency is ineffective. His additional suggestion that complaints against CPD officers rarely develop into sanctions against them is also supported by data.

The Citizens Police Data Project, an online database compiled by the Invisible Institute, concluded that of 56,362 complaints filed between 2002 and 2008, and 2011 to 2015, 2,277 were sustained by IPRA—meaning that the IPRA investigators concluded that the CPD acted improperly just over four percent of the time.

In Redmond’s hometown of Morgan Park, 18 out of 307, or approximately six percent of complaints were sustained.

However, the “sustained” cases include recently closed complaints that were received prior to the years in question. In September, IPRA closed the case of Dante Servin, the CPD officer who shot Rekia Boyd, and recommended his firing about three years after the incident took place (IPRA is authorized to indict or fire police officers; those powers are respectively reserved for Alvarez and the Police Board, which will hear the Servin case in at a to be determined date. Police Board representatives could not be reached

POLICING

for comment for this story.)

Redmond said that he was hopeful when former mayor Richard M. Daley established IPRA in 2007, replacing the Office of Professional Standards (OPS), an internal CPD body that was charged with investigating the misconduct of its own officers. But in 2012, he joined the CPAC campaign with the belief that an elected organization with the power to indict is necessary to curtail policing practices, such as stop and frisk, that he argues are inherently racist.

“I remember when IPRA was formed,” he said. “Yes, I was hopeful for it. But it never had any clout at all.”

In response to what it sees as an internally conflicted and ineffectual system for prosecuting alleged CPD misconduct, CAARPR published “Draft Legislation for an elected Civilian Police Accountability Council” on its website. Redmond said the group has not yet presented the plan to aldermen, but says that it aims to do so by “early 2016, maybe by spring.”

According to the proposal, CPAC would be authorized to “appoint the Superintendent of Police,” “investigate police misconduct,” “indict police officers for crimes they commit,” “establish its own budget,” organize a board to review police pensions, and suspend any active-duty police officer suspected of shooting a civilian. In addition, CPAC members must not have ever been employed at any law enforcement agency, including the CPD. Redmond, who said that individual CPAC candidates would not need to have any qualifications except residence in the police district for which they intend to run, also does not think that the proposal would lead to bias against police in misconduct investigations, and rather “merely eliminates a conflict of interest.”

Nothing like CPAC has been proposed in any other American city.

“With this proposal, we’re on the bleeding edge,” Redmond said. “Do I think that the [CPD] is particularly brutal or rac-

“I’ve heard [Ando] speak on at least one occasion; his tone was such that I got the sense that he would do anything to suggest that a police officer’s actions, no matter what they were...that they were founded.” ist, and therefore this kind of board is only necessary for Chicago? No; there are other departments that are as brutal as Chicago. I think that more generally, all police departments are racist.”

In response to the question of how CPAC would thoroughly conduct criminal investigations without members who are affiliated with law enforcement, he also said that CPAC members would not conduct the investigative work themselves, but may choose to hire investigators from both the private sector or law enforcement agencies.

He named Appolon Beaudouin Jr., his personal friend and an investigator with the Hammond, Indiana branch of the Northern District of Indiana Federal Community Defender’s Office, as the type of investigator that CPAC would want to retain.

At his current job, Beaudouin Jr. said that he collects evidence for cases in which defendants have been indicted for federal crimes. From 1991 to 2003, he also worked at the Office of the State Appellate Defender, which is the public defender service for the State of Illinois.

While working at his former post, he said that his view of Chicago’s investigations

into alleged police misconduct was most affected by the Illinois State Attorney’s 2002 investigation into the alleged torture of police suspects by former CPD Commander Jon Burge. In their final report, specially appointed investigators found that Burge was guilty of “prisoner abuse,” but did not seek an indictment, claiming that the statute of limitations had expired on the incidents, which occurred in the 1980s. In 2007, the plaintiffs reached a $19.8 million settlement with the City of Chicago. Burge was later indicted and found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, for which he was sentenced to four years in federal prison.

At the time, People’s Law Office, a Chicago-based group of civil rights lawyers, compiled a report that argued that the investigators could have easily sought an indictment for Burge, and found that Edward Egan, one of the State Attorney’s investigators, was the uncle of a detective who had worked for Burge. In addition, the report claimed, a total of eight of Egan’s living relatives were CPD officers. The report stated that this was a conflict of interest. Beaudouin, Jr., who interviewed some of the same victims as the State Attorney’s Office, re-

ferred to the State Attorney’s investigation as “the biggest bullshit that you’ve ever seen in your life.”

He added that he does not assume that any police documents are truthful in the course of conducting investigations.

“In investigating any police officer, what I have done is my standard operating procedure--find out if this officer was ever sued by anyone,” he said. “I find those documents [in federal court], and then I find the people that filed the suit, and then I go and interview them.”

However, Beaudouin, Jr. does not agree with Redmond’s suggestion that the best way to investigate alleged police misconduct is to exclude ex-law enforcement from the proposed CPAC. He believes that the Board should include both ex-law enforcement and civilians, but have a majority of civilians.

“For me, the smartest thing to do is at least have a conversation with law enforcement. A conversation between law enforcement and civilians,” he said, adding that from the police perspective, officers have mixed opinions on alleged misconduct.

In order to become law, CPAC must pass City Council as an ordinance, as IPRA was, and would not have to pass as a bill in Springfield. Redmond said that CAARPR wants to canvass in order to gain popular recognition and support, particularly in South Side neighborhoods, before it presents its proposal to “targeted aldermen.”

But Redmond said an objective is to finish collecting signatures of citizens that support the draft legislation by this upcoming February. The group has already circulated a petition based on the proposal.

“Once the Alliance has enough support for CPAC, it will be in a position to threaten aldermen who do not support the proposal with democratic removal from office,” Redmond said. “They must put it on their agenda.”

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 5

VISUAL ARTS

A Collaborative Creation “Ten Chicago Women/Fifteen Years” at Bridgeport Art Center

BY SARA COHEN

T

en women, ten collections of individual life experiences, ten unique approaches to visual art––these all qualify as accurate descriptions of “Ten Chicago Women/Fifteen Years,” the current exhibition at the Bridgeport Art Center, which presents the fruits of fifteen years of work of ten female Chicago artists. And yet, despite their distinctions, words like unity, friendship, and collaboration are what most authentically represent these artists and their relationship to one another.

“We meet every six to eight weeks. We look at each other’s work, we critique it, we drink copious amounts of alcohol, and we eat dinner, and, you know, we talk about art,” said Suzanne Cohan-Lange, one of the artists. Another collaborator, Sharron Pierce, laughed and nodded in agreement, adding, “We go home and do our art, and when we’re stuck we’ll come back and bring a piece and say, ‘What do you think? I don’t know what to do, do you have any ideas?’”

These informal and lighthearted conversations have formed the structure of their collaborative artistic discourse for over fifteen years. The women initially came together as friends looking to support each other in a field they viewed as dominated by men.

“When Linda [Sorkin Eisenberg] and Elyn [Koentopp-Vanek] invited us, they invited women,” said Cohan-Lange. “We said we needed to support each other. That’s all.

It was not an overtly political act.”

After Eisenberg and Koentopp-Vanek began collaborating, they each invited other independent artists, including many who had become friends while pursuing graduate art studies at Columbia College. Gradually the group blossomed to the ten women whose work can be viewed today at the Bridgeport exhibition.

In contrast with the collective nature of the group’s artistic discourse, each artist has remained highly specialized and idiosyncratic in her own craft. “I think that our work has remained true to who we are,” said

Cohan-Lange. “What we do is we push each other to be better.”

Due to a variety of factors, each of the featured women’s art has evolved over the years. Lois Long, explaining the method behind her photography, said, “I continued with the mirrors and the glass because they became these things I could play with with the light because there’s still a reflective surface on it, so it creates a layering. As we get older, our lives become much more layered, and so I liked this idea that the layers were there. And it also reflects what it sees. And I think about the reflection not only in terms of physical reflection but also mental reflection.”

With this passage of time also came a necessary adaptation to new artistic methods. Though Long claimed she was “dragged kicking and screaming into digital,” she learned to effectively utilize the new medium. Her photographs reflect her evolving spirituality, introspection, and versatility; on display were strikingly vibrant shots that

6 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

sara cohen

were both realistic and surreal, and which at times more closely resembled abstract painting than traditional photography.

Suzanne Cohan-Lange also attested to ability-related adaptations to her work she’s had to make over the years. “I always worked life-size,” she said. “I can’t do that anymore––it’s too hard. [Sharron Pierce] used to work on pieces that weighed 500-1000 pounds. You can’t do that once you get to be a certain age. And so you learn. I’m working in glass now, these head-sized pieces, since I can.” Cohan-Lange’s striking twopart display, “The Conversation: Talking to Ourselves,” incorporates cast glass, steel, and LED elements, with an array of subtle and detached faces interlinked through the mouth by a long illuminated ribbon.

“When I first started,” Cohan-Lange said, “I was welding life-sized figures.

She [Pierce] was doing pieces of clay that weighed the same as a Buick. So you know, you adapt to what you can do.”

Despite these aforementioned changes,

as well as the various life events, achievements, and challenges that each woman has experienced over the years, their friendship has only gotten stronger. They look forward to their meetings, itching for the critique to which they attribute their continued artistic growth. “Critique is not a bad word,” clarified Pierce. “It’s bad and scary for students usually, but it exists for positive reasons. It’s always positive. We ask for it. We wouldn’t bring our work if we didn’t want to be critiqued. And we grow from it.”

“Just little subtleties,” added Linda Sorkin Eisenberg, whose exhibited sculptures offer a complex and colorful rendition of the garments and personas behind select Greek goddesses and mythical figures. “It’s not like, ‘This is awful, you’ve got to change the color.’

It’s more suggestion.”

Since the group’s inception, the ten have had joint, cumulative shows of this nature almost every year. With such marked success, it’s no wonder that the women envision continuing on with the group as long as they can. As for diversifying the gender composition of the group, the women say they would be open to anyone who requested to join, though they cannot imagine a man electing to endure their chatter-filled, high energy meetings.

“When we have meetings in each other’s houses our husbands flee—they run upstairs,” Cohan-Lange explained.

“Or they leave the house,” said Pierce.

“We’re loud.” The two look at one another and laugh jovially.

“I mean this is serious work,” Cohan-Lange continued. “But that doesn’t mean that we don’t giggle and scream. And you can do that if you’re a room full of people that are supportive and not critical–– there’s the difference. So it’s not about criticism, it’s really about construction, helping, collaboration.”

Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th St., fourth floor. Open through December 31. Monday–Saturday, 8am–6pm; Sunday, 8am–noon.

Free. (773) 247-3000. bridgeportart.com

STAGE & SCREEN

Kartemquin’s latest documentary illustrates the harsh realities that thwart CPS students’ college dreams

The Uneven Playing Field

BY JASMIN LIANG

courtesy of kartemquin

“I

want to be known for who I am, not who I want to be,” says Elizabeth, organizing the storage of her parents’ small clothing shop in Brighton Park.

Elizabeth is one of many second-generation Hispanic youths who aspire to improve their current situation by getting a college degree.

Undeterred by financial obstacles, Elizabeth believes in what her soccer coach has told her: “You are the leader.”

This is the beginning of In the Game, a Kartemquin Films production directed by the Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker Maria Finitzo. Over the span of five years, the film follows three

students at Kelly High School in their journey from high school soccer matches to the real world. However, the playing fields are uneven in both games. The fact that Kelly does not have its own soccer field poignantly mirrors the girls’ future: college is a playing field exclusive to those who can pay for it.

For the girls, it is no longer a matter of winning the game, but instead simply staying in it, whether that means having three jobs at the same time, or taking a gap year in order to pay for a year of tuition at a community college through work.

Finitzo highlights this tension between illusory hope and stern reality through the

parallel storytelling of different characters.

Maria, the captain, wins her first architecture design competition and decides to pursue architecture in college, but former captain Elizabeth has already compromised to reality, dropping out of college after a sudden fire destroys her family’s house. Elizabeth’s circumstances foretell those of Maria, who is eventually forced to suspend her studies and get married. “There are so many walls in between. I feel like I have no way to climb that wall,” Maria says, after a lawyer tells her that it is almost impossible for her to rise above her financial difficulties.

Even if the possibility exists, its fulfill-

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 7

STAGE & SCREEN

ment demands total devotion and immeasurable sacrifice. The girls, like many other children from immigrant families, bear a family obligation to help out the household in a variety of ways, but achieving their college dream might entail severing family ties, as In the Game suggests with Alicia’s story.

While Elizabeth has her parents’ steady support, and Maria settles down with a new family of her own, Alicia is left alone, paying for her tuition on her own.

Alejandro Espinoza, who attended a public screening of In the Game a couple weeks ago at Archer Heights Library, teaches at Curie Metropolitan High School in Archer Heights, right next to Brighton Park. He finds it disturbing that high school often gives these underprivileged students false hope.

“They only told the kids, you are in control of your life and you can deal with your own cards,” Espinoza said after the screening. “One of the responsibilities for us, as educators and as members of the community, is not to preach these hopey hopes—what those students really need is critical hope. We need to teach them to recognize the give-and-take in achieving this college dream.”

As the audience, we see the young players grow on the soccer field and in the classroom. And initially, the film caters to our assumption that the girls will be given the opportunities they deserve; against our expectations, though, it turns out to be a story of those beaten by the system. In doing so, the documentary candidly shatters the popular notion of the American Dream and offers a trenchant criticism of the inequality deeply rooted in our social system. Effort does not determine your outcome in the game of life—race, gender, and socioeconomic background do. This truth is not unfamiliar to the girls. “Sometimes in life, you are still going to fail even when you make the effort,” says Stan, their soccer coach, after the girls are defeated by Whitney Young Magnet High School, a well-funded school renowned for its soccer program.

The soccer game between Kelly and Whitney Young is a microscope the film uses to expose greater issues of racism and funding inequity. At the end, the film hits hard with a news report that, already un-

Liberation in Rapture, Rhythm, and Rhyme

der-resourced, Kelly High School nevertheless suffered the most funding cuts in the 2015 CPS budget crisis. As a result, the school is unable to provide toilet paper, chalk, markers, and other basic school supplies for its students and faculty, tough luck for a student body drawn primarily from undocumented Latino families who cannot vote. Here, the film implicitly criticizes the interest-driven politics of the city. “Our community has been hit harder than other communities,” a Brighton Park Neighborhood Council member says in the film. “I don’t understand how you couldn’t look at it through a racial justice lens.”

Kelly High School is by no means the only neighborhood school in this kind of economic plight. Curie High School, just ten minutes away from Kelly, shares a similar student body and similar challenges. “All the public high schools are fighting against a shrinking pot of money,” Espinoza said, speaking to his own experience at Curie.

“It is bizarre to see that we have external funders coming in to help us fix this, fix that.

It makes you wonder how public the schools are when they receive so little public funding from the city.”

Nevertheless, what lies at the heart of the film is an earnest celebration of the resilience of three girls in the face of adversity, and the value of being part of a team.

Despite the seeming cliché, the film successfully demonstrates its power through an unsentimental narrative that depicts how in a team, one becomes stronger in overcoming setbacks. Individual effort is necessary, yet attention and support from the community are indispensable. Given the social awareness it creates, In the Game earned its place as a selection this year for One Book, One Chicago, a Chicago Public Library program aiming to foster understanding and engagement in the community. Just like what Stan always told the girls at soccer games, the film brings forth a powerful message: we need a team—the concerted effort of every member of the community to ensure the game is played fairly.

8 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

“Y

BY ARIELLA CARMELL

our body was crafted for this,” writes poet Patricia Smith, her verse stark and sparse against a white page, neighbored by a glossy blackand-white photograph of a man in rapture to music. Such affirmations fill the pages of Gotta Go Gotta Flow: Life, Love, and Lust on Chicago’s South Side, at once an exploration of the South Side’s nightlife in the 1970s and a celebration of the body in movement. It is also, in the wake of the artist’s passing in 2011, a rebirth of the images of Michael Abramson— referred to in the foreword as “that white boy lugging that camera again”—initially known for his documentation of Chicago’s urban life.

While one cannot quite call Smith’s poetry in this book descriptive, the individual poems personify the pictures, bringing us into the souls of the subjects.

One image, for instance, depicts two

women poised in their seats, arms waving to the music. Smith takes on their voices, writing, “We dance demurely in our seats/while waiting for partners.” By writing from their point of view, Smith gives us a glimpse into the inner lives of bodies in motion, the thoughts caught behind their furrowed expressions, the beads of sweat. They are no longer strangers to us; while the intimacy of Abramson’s camera brings us close to his subjects, Smith’s poetry provides us with the cadences of their voices and the pulsating rhythms of the jazz clubs depicted.

Smith’s accolades include two Pushcart Prizes, the Carl Sandburg Literary Award, and the Academy of American Poets’ Lenore Marshall Award. She is a four-time Nation-

al Poetry Slam champion; her background in spoken-word clearly informs the tone and tempo of these poems, often foregoing floridity for the power of simple declarations.

Take the interior monologue of a fur-coated woman whose back is turned to us, her cocked cigarette ghostly white: “I am not about/compromise/I am not about/negotiation/I am not about/discussion.” The musicality lies in her terseness, her repetitions, her proclamations.

Smith does not only rely on performance-inspired verse, however, often delving into different varieties of metric composition. Some poems even function like songs, using lines that invoke assonance and rhyme schemes such as, “You put a dip in your hip, you let your backbone slip/You keep your eyes on the prize and let his nature rise.” One could say the book is an exploration of different types of music, from thumping bass to slow jazz.

Above all, this collection of photographs and poetry illuminate the culture of a Chicago forty-plus years past. The pages brim with the modish fashions of the day—flared sleeves and plaid suits, miniskirts and tight pants— and conjure up the aura of not only a time but a place. The clubs of Chicago have a certain texture like no other locale, and through Abramson’s lens every grain is tangible, even the grime glistening. Every expression is caught at its most potent moment, from a singer in rapture mid-song to the dead-eyed gaze of a woman rejecting advances. Though these people are clearly and proudly of a different era, we can’t help but know them through the modernity of Smith’s words, often evoked through the power of the women’s voices, the sense of liberation from the male gaze. The photographs are relics of a different time, and the poetry recasts them in a contemporary and emancipating light. While Abramson may have taken his pictures with a sense of detachment as an outsider to this culture, Smith reclaims the narrative with her words, giving these figures’ thoughts an edge of authenticity. “this is chicago/this is america. oh wait/ this is/1 in the morning,” Smith says, in the voice of a wide-eyed girl staring off into the distance. These are the faces of a country, an era, and, perhaps most importantly, a city.

An Open Book(store)

BOOKS

Theaster Gates seeks to bring rare art books to the masses

BY MICHAL KRANZ

A

s he rummages through a slew of cardboard boxes in the cramped basement of Bing, a new bookstore in Washington Park, curator Hamza Walker’s excitement is tangible. “Check this out,” he says, turning to manager Chris Salmon, “it’s Bauhaus, the band!” He and his colleague proceed to flip through the seminal post-punk group’s pamphlet, surrounded by boxes of similarly rare and highly valuable knick-knacks.

Flanked by empty retail spaces and whitewashed storefronts, Bing sits quietly across from the Garfield Green Line station, easily overshadowed by the trains that rumble overhead. Part bookstore, part reading room, artist and University of Chicago professor Theaster Gates’ newest venture resembles a saloon from the outside. Its catchy name is spelled out in a vaguely Western font, lit up with a bright white neon that flickers invitingly. But despite its humble appearance, Bing has the honor of being the only bookstore on the South Side to exclusively sell art books, and its mission is more community-based than it is commercial.

While most of the pieces Walker and Salmon sift through will end up in Gates’ own galleries rather than at the new bookstore, the pair’s fascination with rare art books demonstrates that the Bing project is about a lot more than just making money.

“Conceptually, [the store] was supposed to be a reading library—an active library that people participate in,” says Salmon, who worked for twelve years at Powell’s Books in Hyde Park.

The store’s warm interior manages to be cozy despite its modernist aesthetic. Its well-lit display room is punctuated by a place for visitors to read and examine the objects around them, a low table that doubles as a seating area and fits the library function Salmon describes. The left-hand side of the room is adorned with books and pamphlets of all shapes and sizes. Artists from Roy Lichtenstein to Yoko Ono are

chris salmon

“The idea is that this is a communal space. People can access these books if they can’t afford to buy them. The stuff is for sale, but we’re happy to have people come in and simply experience them as well.” represented on these shelves, and every item is more intriguing than the last.

The opposite side of the display room has a slightly different character, and although the items are of a similar nature, they are tucked away in various drawers designed to be pulled out and examined. And there is plenty to examine—every drawer contains something eye-catching, like a pamphlet depicting abstract art built around war medals from fascist Italy or photographs of Muhammad Ali in Zurich from 1971.

A door at the back of the display room opens into the store’s as-of-yet unopened

wine bar, and an adjacent staircase leads to a sparsely furnished corridor that ends in a red-brick screening room. Bing has been hosting week-long film screening series there every month (something Salmon calls “passive programming”), showing films borrowed from another Gates endeavor, the Black Cinema House. During other events, passersby can walk in at any time and experience the downstairs space at their leisure.

The layout of the space, as unconventional as it may be, is meant to allow guests to access Bing’s collection of art books, one that is without parallel on the South Side.

The vast majority of the books at Bing come from either Walker’s collections or from Powell’s Books, and while every item is technically for sale, many of them are not priced for the average consumer. The rare Parkett periodical, for example, is listed at $3,500. Salmon, however, says that selling books at Bing is more of a financial necessity than a focus.

“We’re not going to make a killing on this,” he says. “That’s not the idea. But we’d like to cover what it costs to run it, if nothing else.”

The high cost of some of the books at Bing has led some to express concern about the potential for such stores to drive gentrification in the area. The bookstore is located along a stretch of East Garfield Boulevard that already includes the UofC’s Arts Incubator and Currency Exchange Café, both projects of Gates, who has said that he dreams of converting this section of Garfield into an arts and culture district.

But Salmon says that rather than focus on the prices of the books, local residents should see Bing as a resource for people of all backgrounds to visit and enjoy.

“If you can sum up the goal here in one sentence, it’s just to get people in the door and exposed to—and interested in—things they would not normally be exposed to,” he says. “The idea is that this is a communal space. People can access these books if they can’t afford to buy them. The stuff is for sale, but we’re happy to have people come in and simply experience them as well.”

The bookstore’s wine bar is still waiting on a liquor license and its organizers still have many ideas in the works. Regardless of its profitability, however, the people behind Bing seem deeply connected to its idiosyncratic collection of art books, pamphlets, and other ephemera. For them, providing the public with access to such a collection has become a passion in its own right.

Bing, 307 East Garfield Blvd. Tuesday–Saturday, 12pm–7pm. bingartbooks.com

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 9

BOOKS

Word Warrior by Sonja D. Williams paints a colorful portrait of journalist and activist Richard Durham

BY ANNE LI

Narrative Action

R

ichard Durham’s chosen name embodies the force with which he advanced his life’s goal: greater freedom for all people through the narration of stories. Born Isadore Durham, the writer chose the name Richard in light of his admiration for Richard the Lionheart, the crusading medieval king. Details like this one fill Word Warrior, Sonja D. Williams’s lively biography of Durham, a pioneering black journalist and radio dramatist.

Williams, a professor at Howard University and a recipient of three Peabody

is presented as being central to his activist drive and unwillingness to step aside when challenged.

Williams makes Durham’s passion for universal equality and freedom clear. His work tackled issues ranging from women’s rights to health care, and he pursued these goals even while working for labor unions and the Nation of Islam, often giving advice and support to female colleagues. Durham’s friend Abena Joan Brown declared that in his lesser known television program Bird of the Iron Feather, “he wrote not only for

on points of artistic or racial justice. When he refused to cut “anything [he] felt was healthy for inspiring Negroes to a more militant struggle,” Durham faced rumors of being a “Red” communist, but held firm.

Similarly, while writing the Nation of Islam’s journal Muhammad Speaks, Durham insisted on maintaining the publication’s journalistic integrity despite intense pressure from the religious hierarchy. These challenges didn’t stop him from creating seminal works of radio and journalism, including his lesser known authorship of The

“His accomplishments,” she writes, “reinforced my own belief that media, in all its incarnations, should serve a higher purpose than just mindless diversion.” awards for her work as a radio producer, began this biography after hearing episodes of Durham’s radio series Destination Freedom.

“His accomplishments,” she writes, “reinforced my own belief that media, in all its incarnations, should serve a higher purpose than just mindless diversion.”

The story begins a few generations back, taking the reader through the history of race relations leading up to Durham’s childhood in a Chicago facing an influx of migrants from the South. The beginnings of trouble from white realtors back then foreshadow the discriminatory practices that Durham would combat in his work.

Descriptions of Durham as a child are used to heavily presage his future character. The colorful anecdotes provided by Durham’s sister Clotilde, for instance, are framed as an adventurous boy learning to observe and dissect his surroundings.

Durham’s brief boxing career in high school

10 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

himself but he wrote for us so that we could better understand what this journey is all about.”

The name of Durham’s signature radio program Destination Freedom, in which Durham dramatized the lives of historic African Americans, might seem suggestive of the idea that activism is a journey. But true to his chosen name, Durham was more of a crusader than a traveler. Williams portrays Durham as an activist who used words as weapons in an ongoing fight. Hindsight sometimes makes Durham’s career path feel more like destiny than ambition, but this is made up for by William’s ability to convey Durham’s forceful personality.

In Williams’s portrait, Durham’s only downfall is that he would always “whip out his boxing gloves to hammer home his point—sometimes going overboard to do so.” On multiple occasions, Durham’s career is jeopardized by his refusal to compromise

Greatest, Muhammad Ali’s 1975 autobiography.

Durham’s career is itself an accomplishment of racial and ideological progress.

Although his groundbreaking projects faced many obstacles, his perseverance opened opportunities for other black artists of the time and created a path for others to follow.

Sonja D. Williams. Word Warrior: Richard Durham, Radio, and Freedom. University of Illinois Press. 181 pages. $26.

HOLIDAY

TURTEL ONLI

The

Holiday

T

Issue

his issue is our gift to you, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving. In these pages you’ll f ind a Holiday Gift Guide f illed with South Side establishments where you’ll f ind presents and local personalities guaranteed to spread holiday cheer. We’ve also curated creative writing and interviews with South Siders on the traditions and memories that have made the holidays special for them. Happy Holidays!

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 11

Holiday Gift Guide Red Cups DIANE O’NEILL

It’s November but at Dunkin’ Donuts Elvis sings about blue Christmas Frank warns that Santa is coming to town I drink decaf from a styrofoam cup shouting “Joy” celebratory red surrounded by evergreen boughs and “Warning: Extremely Hot” while a few blocks away baristas pour five-dollar lattes in plain red cups entering the war on Christmas while governors vote to exclude refugees slash benefits for people who are poor split families deporting moms and dads but let’s make sure our coffee cups talk about love and peace on earth while we rejoice in our right to bear arms

crafts & classes

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHANNON SEU

FOR ANYONE YEARNING FOR YARN

Yarnify!

Yarnify! is a haven for knitting and crocheting enthusiasts, offering needles, hooks, patterns, and yarns. This shop is not only a retailer of fibrous necessities, but also a welcoming community of artists, ready to provide professional guidance on personal projects or instruction in larger class settings. Beginner classes generally take place over the span of five Saturday sessions and cover the basics of knitting or crocheting. More advanced classes offer instruction on specific techniques and patterns, such as felted clogs or thrummed mittens.

Yarnify!, 47 W. Polk St. Monday–Friday, 11am–7pm; Saturday, 10am–6pm; Sunday, 12pm– 5pm. (312) 583-9276. yarnify.com (Alexandra Epstein)

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS HOME CHEF

Ranjana’s Indian Cooking Lessons

No more excusing curry-fear, roti-phobia, or any other trepidation about subcontinental cooking—Ranjana’s Indian Cooking Lessons promise to demystify this wonderful cuisine.

Hands-on instruction takes place in the warmth of Ranjana’s home, where she teaches the handling of Indian spices, along with vegetarian curries, paneers, daal, and masala. Ranjana has been offering up her knowledge for three decades, garnering rave reviews from Chicago chefs and recognition in the Tribune. Class ends as all cooking classes should—with a nine-course feast consisting of the student’s own work.

Ranjana’s Indian Cooking Lessons, 6730 S. Euclid Ave. Monday and Thursday, 6:15pm– 9:15pm; Saturday 9:15am-12:15pm. Registration required. (773) 355-9559. indiancookingclass.com (Morley Musick)

FOR YOUR AIR GUITARIST

Muzicnet School of Music Do you know someone who is just dying to take their air guitar skills to the next level? A set of guitar lessons from Muzicnet School of Music is the perfect gift to bring out their inner rock star. Three-year-olds and one-hundred-year-olds alike can learn to play anything from piano to woodwind instruments, and even voice. With relatively low prices–– an hour-long lesson will cost you between twenty and twenty-five dollars––this is a gift that will harmonize well with any music lover.

Muzicnet School of Music, 8725 S. State St. Monday–Wednesday, Friday, 2pm–7pm; Saturday, 9am–3pm. (773) 487-7529. muzicnet.net (Margaret Mary Glazier)

12 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

HOLIDAY

FOR PEOPLE OF THE CLOTH

The Quilter’s Trunk

Here, you can find over two thousand bolts of fabric, three thousand spools of thread, and another couple thousand different types of buttons. For novices, there’s a “start sewing” gift pack, which includes basic materials and an introductory book. Seasoned quilters may enjoy a traveler’s gift pack, complete with mini iron and mini cutting mat for any on-thego quilting needs, or a gift card, so that they can choose from the store’s dizzying array of colorful materials.

The Quilter’s Trunk, 10352 S. Western Ave. Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, 12pm– 4pm. (773) 980-1100. thequilterstrunk.com (Hafsa Razi)

home goods FOR THE WINDOWSILL BOTANIST

Verdant Matter

The temperature might be dropping, but at Verdant Matter, the most Pinterest-worthy locale this side of the Garfield Park Conservatory, it’s springtime all year. Since its opening down the street from Thalia Hall in September, Pilsen’s newly founded combination gift shop and succulent greenhouse has become a hub for local horticulturists. From the rustic wood surfaces and glazed ceramics to the Christmas lights and hanging planters, there’s something for everyone. Expect Cactaceae, Echeveria, and more aloe than you can shake a stick at.

Verdant Matter, 1152 W. 18th St. Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7pm. facebook.com/verdantmatter (Christopher Good)

FOR HOMES IN NEED OF SPRUCING UP

Treasures Depot

This independent thrift store is considered a well-kept secret by its devoted fans, a group that consists of both locals and lucky visitors to the neighborhood, who make the trip on the regular to score some of the city’s best deals on used furniture and other housewares. Household items are the main attraction here, but even those with perfectly furnished homes will find something to love among the shop’s collection of clothing and antiques.

Treasures Depot, 3455 S. Archer Ave. Monday–Saturday, 10am–8pm; Sunday, 10am–5pm.

(773) 847-6895. (Eleonora Edreva)

FOR AN OVERHEAD TREAT

JoJo The Balloon Lady

Jo Ann Williams has been serving the Washington Heights community for over sixteen years on the corner of South May and 95th, specializing in balloons, flowers, and gift baskets.

Williams will decorate for any kind of party you’re planning to throw: she says, “You name it, we do it.” There are holiday gift baskets available as well—one of the more popular selections is called, enticingly, the “Victoria’s Secret.” And for the lazier or busier holiday decorators, Williams even sells dressed Christmas trees with ornaments and all the trimmings.

JoJo The Balloon Lady, 1116 W. 95th St. (773) 298-8625. jojotheballoonlady.net ( Jonathan Poilpre)

The Bus

BY JACK MURPHY

Picked us up at the same spot every time, near the teacher’s parking lot behind the school, where the girls would file in, sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, past the same driver, Ed, who would smile wide while starting his speakers.

And though the girls in back surely would have preferred WGCI or maybe a phone to stream soundcloud, Ed controlled the music and in his quiet, kindly, unrelenting way refused anything but Christmas carols. And so it was.

And so they sang. Before Tuesday road games in November, far off in the dark suburbs, when the girls were exhausted from their Bio study guides and ACT prep packets, or trying in panic to finish Macbeth, they sang Joy to the World in back. And After the Latin School destroyed us in December, went up 17-4 halfway through the first, and the girls had to sulk out humiliated through the hallways of the shining, magnificent school, in the bus they sang Dominic the Donkey in back. Or Before the game we almost forgot Aisha when she ran back in for her knee brace, the one against Pritzker when Izzy made five three-pointers in the 2nd half, when the girls on the bench kept trying to do the wave, they sang—what’s it called? Or When Dee Dee made that game-winner in January, grabbed a rebound and dribbled down the entire court, end to end, six seconds flat, put in a layup that nearly gave me a heart attack, they joyously sang ‘Dee Dee’ Bell Rock in back. And I never sang along, though now I wish I had.

When I hear them now, I don’t think of Santa or midnight kneeling in a church—just the back of the bus, the girls singing out of tune, in communion together, forever and ever, amen.

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 13

FOR THE FRAGRANCE FANATIC

Aromatic Synsation

This Woodlawn gem is the perfect one-stop spot for cosmetics, vintage clothing items, and, as the name suggests, aromatherapy products. Stop by the boutique to select from over 100 options of body oils or home fragrances. Then pick out an aromatherapy lamp from an assortment of shapes, sizes, and colors. Finish off by choosing a unique vintage clothing item or accessory to complete the ultimate holiday gift bundle.

Aromatic Synsation, 6540 S. Cottage Grove Ave. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, 12pm–7pm; Thursday, 12pm–5pm. (773) 324-6335. (Sara Cohen)

VANESSA VALADEZ

Thanksgiving, Turkey, and Mogen David Wine Excerpt from chapter three of Old School Adventures from Englewood: South Side of Chicago ELAINE HEGWOOD BOWEN For Thanksgiving, I vividly remember having celery sticks stuffed with dressing, cream cheese, and crushed walnuts, and Mogen David wine, in the middle of a feast fit for a queen. Now just how our family ended up with a wine that has a Jewish association is beyond me. As I researched the wine, I saw blogs and message boards where many people recalled it as being the “festive” wine served during their holidays, also.

But Thanksgiving, no matter where it is celebrated, has nothing on Christmas! During Christmas time, my father would go down to Fulton Market and buy fruits, nuts, candies, and other goodies for our home.

Fulton Market was much like many markets in other big towns, where small store owners would go to buy produce, fruit or fish. And the little guy trying to raise a brood of kids was also welcome to shop. During this season, the area would be filled with people from all over the city caught up in the holiday spirit—sort of like a scene from A Christmas Carol or from If Scrooge Was A Brother (a play performed by one of Chicago’s black theater companies). But my father would also have enough to share with neighbors. Christmas circa 1966 also involved neighbors on our block going house to house singing Christmas carols. The two evergreen or fir trees, one in the front yard and one in the back, would be decorated with festive lights that you could see from at least a block away. And the big snowman that lit up our entire front porch would be on display for all to see. Before we started using real Christmas trees, we would place the fake Christmas tree in the living room, decorate it and wait for the big, white Santa Claus (because this is all we knew) to come down the chimney.

We would leave milk and cookies out, and I guess my mother would come and take those away and place the presents under the tree. During these times, my siblings and I enjoyed games like Operation, Candyland, Twister, Etch a Sketch and Hands Down. These were all just simple things that kept our attention for hours, long before the electronics invasion.

14 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

clothing, hair, mind, & body FOR CHICAGOANS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED HORSES WHEN CTA ISN’T ENUF

1st Choice Fashions Inc.

The West has come to the Midwest. With a collection of cowboy boots and hats that rival any rodeo kiosk in Texas, 1st Choice Fashions offers an array of texana clothing while staying true to the humble roots of the Midwest with their selections of affordable button-downs. The diverse matching belts and buckles combinations, the collection of sturdy wallets, and other accessories compliment any cowboy-in-training. If the Wild West is too wild, blouses, blue jeans, and other more casual pieces of clothing are also available.

1st Choice Fashions Inc. Western Wear, 10518 S. Ewing Ave. Monday–Wednesday, 11am–6pm; Thursday–Saturday, 11am–8pm; Sunday, 11am–3pm. (773) 731-6000. (Ada Alozie)

FOR FASHIONISTAS

Urban Renew Boutique Searching for gifts for your fashion-forward friend? Chic cousin? Stylish sister? Look no further than this trendy Little Italy consignment store. Featuring unused or lightly-used seasonal clothing and accessories ranging in from modern to vintage, this shop could supply the perfect holiday garment for anyone. Prices run reasonably, with jeans costing less than $20, and designer bags going for at most $250.

Can’t make it to University Village? Visit these tech-savvy youngsters on their Etsy shop in cyberspace.

Urban Renew Boutique, 925 S. Loomis St. Tuesday–Thursday, 12pm–5pm; Friday-Saturday 12pm–6pm; Sunday, 12pm–4pm. (312) 952-1086. urbanrenewchicago.com (Sara Cohen)

FOR THE PAMPERED POOCH

Divas-n-Dogs

A spot where you can find both human and canine couture? This boutique is the cat’s dog’s pajamas! Shoes and purses are the highlights for human fashionistas, while doggie shoppers can pick up special treats and toys such as Manolo Barkniks or Jimmy Chews.

Fashion hounds are sure to be satisfied with the wide range of doggie outfits, whether

HOLIDAY your pup prefers knitted sweaters or dresses, sports jerseys or bow ties. Lily, Divas-n-Dogs CEO Lona Reiling’s rescue Chihuahua, is often on hand to offer her friendly sartorial advice.

Divas-n-Dogs, 7142 S. Exchange Ave. Winter hours: Thursday, 11:30am–6pm; Friday, 12pm–6:30pm; Saturday, 11am–3pm; other times available by appointment. (773) 349-2334. divasndogs.com (Olivia Stovicek)

enties, Comet Vintage Comet believes you should make fashion, not war. If someone you know is missing a rad pair of bell-bottom jeans, a groovy miniskirt or hip peasant blouse, look no further.

Comet Vintage, 1320 W. 18th St. Sunday–Monday, 12pm–6pm; Tuesday¬–Thursday, 12pm– 7pm; Friday–Saturday, 11am–8pm. (312) 773-7327. cometvintagechicago.com (Margaret Mary Glazier)

FOR ELEGANT WICKER PARK REFUGEES

FOR THE WELLNESS-MINDED

When it became clear that a changing Wicker Park no longer had space for the mix of creative projects that he called The Silver Room, Eric Williams packed up and relocated his shop to Hyde Park. In the handful of months since then, the shop has retained its eclectic flair. It has jewelry, t-shirts, an art gallery, and, naturally, a juice bar—the business case for which writes itself. But the jewelry is sleek, elegant, and customizable, and the shop is approaching its twentieth anniversary, so Williams must be doing something right.

The Silver Room, 1506 E. 53rd St. Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm; Sunday 11am–6pm. (773) 947-0024. thesilverroom.com (Adam Thorp)

Whether you’re on the hunt for a fruity scrub or a good hair product for curly hair, looking for counseling on nutrition and healthy living, or thinking about hosting a spa party, Greater Grand Crossing’s Life Organics has you covered. Earth-friendly, locally made, and for the most part under the $20 mark, Life Organic’s various skin and hair products make for affordable and thoughtful gifts, especially as the dry winter months approach.

Life Organics, 435 E. 75th St. Tuesday–Friday, 10am–3pm; Saturday, 10am–2pm; Sunday and Monday, by appointment only. (312) 324-4480. lifeorganicsonline.com (Emeline Posner)

The Silver Room

FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET BACK TO THEIR ROOTS

The Curl Kitchen

This is the store for anyone ready to embrace his or her natural look and master the art of curly hair. The Curl Kitchen is the authority on healthy hair, offering a plethora of natural and curl-friendly products, including curl boosters for any type of wave. All textures of curls are catered to here, with products for both men and women. The shop’s Bronzeville location is conveniently adjacent to Huetiful Salon, another establishment with a primary focus on maintaining pure and healthy locks.

The Curl Kitchen, 3428 S. King Dr. Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm; Sunday, by appointment only. (312) 273-3646. thecurlkitchen.com. (Alexandra Epstein)

FOR THE FASHION-FORWARD

Bronzeville Boutique

This boutique brought cutting-edge women’s fashion to Bronzeville nearly twenty-five years ago and is still going strong today. The shop specializes in fancier dress, with a wide variety of show-stopping dresses and high heels, but even lovers of casual wear can stop in to pick up a Chicago Bears T-shirt or a comfy knit sweater. All style-related questions can be directed to the in-store wardrobe stylists, who provide personalized shopping assistance to help every woman find her perfect look.

Bronzeville Boutique, 4259 S. King Dr. Monday–Saturday, 11am–8pm; Sunday, 11am–5pm.

(773) 891-4473. bronzevilleboutique.net (Eleonora Edreva)

FOR THE NOSTALGIC FASHIONISTA

Comet Vintage

Life Organics

FOR GENEROUS SOULS AND THOSE IN NEED

First Lutheran Church of the Trinity

Bridgeport’s First Lutheran Church of the Trinity adheres to the Bible’s instructions to “Love your neighbor as yourself ” by opening “God’s Closet” to the public three times a week. This clothing pantry offers donators a “green” means of repurposing used goods and gives members of the Bridgeport community an alternative venue to look for clothing and other items. This holiday season, enjoy the gift of giving by contributing clothing, toys, and small appliances.

First Lutheran Church of the Trinity, 643 W. 31st St. Tuesday, 5pm–7pm; Friday, 10am– 12pm; Sunday, after 10:30am worship. (312) 842-7390. sites.google.com/site/firsttrinitylutheranchicago (Sonia Schlesinger)

books, music, games, & trinkets FOR THE BOOKWORM

Sandmeyer’s Bookstore Fernando Pessoa once called literature “the most agreeable way of ignoring life.” If so, it’s hard to imagine a better place to ignore life than Sandmeyer’s Bookstore, a literati enclave tucked away on Printer’s Row. Independent and family-owned since 1982, Sandmeyer’s is defined by helpful staff, hardwood floors, and a sense of community—in short, everything that a Kindle can’t offer. It’s too cold to go outside, but it’s just the right weather to turn over a new leaf and pick up a page-turner.

Sandmeyer’s Bookstore, 714 S. Dearborn St. Monday–Wednesday and Friday 11am–6:30pm; Thursday, 11am–8pm; Saturday, 11am–5pm; Sunday, 11am–4pm. (312) 922-2104. sandmeyersbookstore.com (Christopher Good)

Go-Go boots, pillbox hats, tie-dye tank tops, and so much more is hidden away in this Pilsen vintage boutique. With a focus on women and men’s styles from the sixties and sev-

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 15

FOR KIDS AND KIDS AT HEART

FOR FANS OF ALL OF THE ABOVE

“Oh, how cute!” is an exclamation you’ll hear often while walking through this whimsical little store. Its colorful interior is home to shelves of stuffed animals, school supplies, toys, and just about any other kind of unnecessary-but-irresistible knick-knack your inner child has ever wanted.

It’s known for having one of the largest collections of Hello Kitty-related merchandise in Chinatown, and its extensive selection of origami folding paper is also not to be missed.

Giftland, 2212 S. Wentworth Ave. (312) 225-0088. (Eleonora Edreva)

Forget the rest of these places—so boring, so predictable. The pressure of a storefront inevitably leads to a drift into conformity, and nothing sucks the fun out of life like a sure thing.

Instead, check out the roiling ferment of capitalism that Back of the Yards is pleased to call Swap-O-Rama. The flea market’s website claims that its Ashland location attracts 1,100 merchants and 25,000 visitors every weekend, angling for every sort of deal.

Swap-O-Rama, 4100 S. Ashland Ave. Thursday, 7am–3pm ($1 for adults; $.50 for children and seniors); Saturday–Sunday, 7am–4pm ($2 for adults; $1 for children and seniors). Children under 7 always free. (708) 344-7300. swap-o-rama.com/en/ashland-ave (Adam Thorp)

Giftland

FOR TRINKETS, SPICE, AND SOMETHING NICE

Chinatown Bazaar

This cozy, cluttered shop is located in the heart of Chinatown, and its classic red décor matches the neighborhood’s colorful gate. Chinatown Bazaar is a great place to pick up a few low-priced souvenirs commemorating your visit, such as a chopstick training set or a paper lantern. The store is equally known for its wide selection of clothing and brocade cloths, as well as traditional items such as tea sets, which can all be had for reasonable prices. Can’t choose from the variety? The staff is always happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Chinatown Bazaar, 2221 S. Wentworth Avenue. Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm. (312) 2251088. (Anne Li)

FOR THE BARGAIN HUNTER

Bookie’s Paperbacks & More As the temperature drops, there’s no better time to start a book. Bookie’s offers a large selection of both used and new novels with a special 3 for $1 shelf. Not only does it sell literature for cheap, but with a wide offering of puzzles and games, there’s a gift here regardless of age, from a Marvel comic for your child to a game of Monopoly for the family.

Don’t forget a Bookie’s gift card for that co-worker you pulled for Secret Santa.

Bookie’s Paperbacks & More, 2419 W. 103rd St. Monday–Sunday, 10am–7pm. (773) 2391110. bookiespaperbacks.com (Ada Alozie)

FOR THE HI-FI DEVOTEE

Let’s Boogie Records & Tapes Much has been said about the return of vinyl in the twenty-first century—but at Let’s Boogie, the music speaks for itself. Now entering its fourth decade in Bridgeport, Let’s Boogie has everything from rhythm and blues to rock ’n’ roll on analog audio formats.

Whether you’re an old-school audiophile looking for Neil Young white-label singles or a cratedigger in search of samples, there’s plenty to chew on if you prefer your music in rounds per minute instead of gigabytes.

Let’s Boogie Records & Tapes, 3321 S. Halsted St. Monday–Friday, 11am–6pm; Saturday, 11am–5pm; Sunday, 12pm–3pm. Cash only. (773) 254-0139. (Christopher Good)

16 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

Swap-O-Rama

food FOR SWEET SATISFACTION

Scafuri Bakery

These scrumptious Italian cookies can be shipped throughout the United States, with collections at $16 a pound. More impressive, though, are Scafuri’s cakes. These layered desserts are made to order, with choices of buttercream, cake, and filling flavors. From classic vanilla to adventurous orange cake, paired with anything from Bailey’s buttercream to lemon curd filling, there is no shortage of inspiring choices. These creative cakes range from $30 to $150, depending on if you need to feed ten or sixty people. We won’t tell anyone if you keep it all to yourself; when it comes to these masterpieces, it might be best to have your cake and eat it too.

Scafuri Bakery, 1337 W. Taylor St. Tuesday–Sunday, 7am–4pm. (312) 733-8881. scafuribakery.com (Anne Li)

FOR PEOPLE WHO EAT LOCAL

The Back of the Yards Community Market You’ll find no greater collection of local food producers than that at the Back of the Yards Community Market. Located at The Plant, an industrial space repurposed for sustainable agriculture and social business, the market hosts vendors based in Chicago. Come pick up vegetables, saltwater prawns, and honey grown sustainably at The Plant, coffee beans from Four Letter Word Coffee, savory pies from Pleasant House Bakery, or Afghan saffron from Rumi Spices. And don’t forget to bring your Link card—Link dollars are doubled up to $25!

The Back of the Yards Community Market, 1400 W. 46th St. Saturday, December 5, 11am–2pm.

(773) 847-5523. plantchicago.com (Darren Wan)

HOLIDAY

FOR YOUR FAVORITE CAFFEINE ADDICTS

Kusanya Cafe

Phil Sipka opened Kusanya in 2013 to facilitate local empowerment and to provide residents with a gathering space. Brick-walled and intimate, this West Englewood café offers breakfast, lunch, a wide variety of drinks, and free Wi-Fi. Food options range from grits to fresh mozzarella sandwiches; drinks include lattes, flavored lemonades, and everything in between. With Kusanya gift cards ($10 and up), last-minute holiday shoppers can give the gift of support for a local business and an always needed caffeine fix.

Kusanya Cafe, 825 W. 69th St. Monday–Saturday, 7am–7pm. (773) 675-4758. kusanyacafe. showitsite.com (Sonia Schlesinger)

FOR YOUR HONEY

Pullman Community Apiary Housed on the old Pullman Palace Car Factory grounds, the apiary is maintained by the twenty-two-member “Pullman Beeks” group, who share the space with the Pullman Urban Gardens, making their organic products especially flavorful. Honey sells for $1 an ounce in five-ounce or ten-ounce jars; pure beeswax may be purchased upon special request. Register for Master Gardener Edith McDonald’s $70/person six-week beginning beekeeper class in January if you’re seeking gifts for aspiring apiarists; they’ll surely think it’s the bee’s knees.

Pullman Community Apiary, 11057 Cottage Grove Ave. (773) 660-2341. (Sara Cohen)

FOR THE SANDWICH HOUND

Calabria Imports

Normally, it would require a stretch of the imagination to consider a sandwich a holiday present. But after trying Calabria Imports’ classic “Freddy”—a transcendent red-sauced puck of a sausage sandwich—you shouldn’t have any trouble. And if for some reason you’d like to buy other food-based gifts, Calabria has you covered with an array of imported olive oils, homemade cookies, prosciutto, and a formidable wall of giardiniera. Catering and gift cards, in twenty-five or ten-dollar increments, are also available from this specialty Italian grocery.

Calabria Imports, 1905 W. 103rd St. Monday–Friday, 9:30am–7pm; Saturday, 9:30am–6pm.

(773)-396-5800. calabria-imports.com (Morley Musick)

FOR THE EMPTY VASES

Full Blossom Florist

Full Blossom Florist is the perfect shop for those that love beautiful flower arrangements and giving back to the community. Part of the shop’s profits go toward funding funeral services for victims of gun violence. Flower arrangements range from sixteen to forty-five dollars and can be delivered anywhere in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Not only are these arrangements gorgeous, but you can be sure that your money is supporting an important cause.

Full Blossom Florist, 316 E. 75th St. Monday–Saturday, 10am–6pm. (773) 891-5291. (Margaret Mary Glazier)

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 17

Holiday Histories Rebekah Wielgos

MEMBER OF THE SHRINE OF CHRIST THE KING CHURCH IN WOODLAWN Every year at the Shrine our focus is on giving, and we believe that God gives himself to us in a very special way on Christmas by becoming incarnate, and being born, and God becoming man, and we are so excited that he’s coming that we want to make his house as beautiful as possible.

And so every Christmas we bring in something like twelve live Christmas trees all festooned with twinkle lights. We have this beautiful, almost life-sized nativity, and every year the Saturday before Christmas a bunch of us will come and get together, and we will decorate the church, clean the church, try to make it as beautiful as possible for the coming of our infant king. On Christmas we have midnight mass, which is so beautiful, and then a quieter 8am mass, and then the 10am high mass, and then after that there’s usually a social.

I come from a big Polish family on my dad’s side, and on Christmas Eve we all go to vigil mass. Earlier in the day, my dad makes his famous key lime cheesecake, which is a family recipe.

After mass, we go to my grandparents’ house, and they have a big house, which is great because there are a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins and we are all each others’ godparents and godchildren. So we’ll all get together, eat dinner, talk, and then the little kids will remind us that there are presents downstairs, we go downstairs, and per grandma’s rules we sing Christmas carols before we open presents. We almost always sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World,” I think, and then we exchange presents with godparents. We usually get one or two from grandma and grandpa and one or two from our own parents, and then very late at night we all get home. On Christmas morning nobody’s allowed to stir before 8am. We open presents, have breakfast together as a family, try to have sort of a quiet day, and then we have kind of a special dinner for Christmas.

T

his past weekend, I sat in a Woodlawn cafe talking with South Siders about how they spend the holidays. As people recounted stories and traditions, many seemed to relive past holiday seasons, their favorite parts ranging from the spiritual, to the communal, to the culinary. Here are some of those memories.

BY SONIA SCHLESINGER

18 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

Charles Donegan

FROM NORTH KENWOOD We have one son who’s grown, and he’s got eleven-year-old twin boys now, and it’s very meaningful to have them there for Christmas. I mean, Christmas is for everyone, but especially for the children. When I was a boy, like a lot of kids, I tried to stay up until Santa Claus came. Try as I might, I was never able to stay up until Santa Claus came, and a lot of times when I did wake up the next morning, my mother might say, “Well, he came ten or fifteen minutes after you went to sleep,” and I didn’t accept the fact that I just missed it. So I remember that quite a bit; I was so disappointed I wasn’t able to see Santa Claus face-to-face. Our son did similar things, I think.

One Christmas that I recall—we used to have a dog, his name was Jumbo. And at my wife’s mother’s house at 53rd and Michigan, we would open the presents for this person and this person and they all seemed cheerful. So after a while, that dog started growling. We said, “What’s wrong with him?” Well, he was very smart, and he’d see he wasn’t getting a present. We got stuff together and put it in a box and said, “This is for Jumbo!” and he just started wagging his tail, and he was all happy, and we won’t forget that. I can’t remember the present. It might have been a stuffed bear or something like that, but I remember...he was happy at the end.

As a child in particular, or maybe even later, Christmas night, just to see the ornaments on the tree and look out…it just felt, you know, somewhat surreal, but it felt delightful. This is a night we would think about Christmas songs and stories, about the three wise men and all of that, goodwill, peace on earth and so forth, and hoping that that becomes a reality, so that’s just some of the things that I remember about Christmas.

Melissa Hamilton FROM KENWOOD

Our family has a lot of traditions mostly around food, like most Americans of course. For instance, this past Thanksgiving I made a cake, and it’s called a 7 Up Pound Cake. You put 7 Up in the batter, it’s delicious, and it has the lemon flavor to the cake and it’s really good.

In terms of traditions, for example, we just went to Zoolights, because we’re new here; we’ve been here a little over a year and we did that last year…I have small children, so I just like to expose them to all that the city has to offer, so you know the lights and everything. So that’s what we traditionally do of course, putting up the tree, decorations, and things like that. We always adopt a family every year, too, for the holidays. Adopting a family is a family that is, you know, has needs, and if we’re able to meet those needs regarding like if they need clothing or small appliances or toys for the kids, that’s something we like to do and that’s our way of giving back because we know that that’s part of it, too.

We know that if you’re fortunate to have more, to give to others, and I want my children to know the value of that.

HOLIDAY

Djenne Clayton with sons Kenny Clayton (age 11) and Joseph Clayton (age 9) FROM NORTH KENWOOD

DC: I think our biggest family tradition is just getting together with family to share a large meal. I think that’s their [her sons’] favorite part of the holiday.

We usually host, and we’ll make something and then we’ll just eat until we fall asleep. We always make homemade rolls and make a cake of some sort from scratch, and [to sons], you like your grandmother’s macaroni and cheese.

KC: It’s the bomb. And our favorite cake is the chocolate.

DC: Most of our family is here, but they have one grandmother who will come in from Seattle to spend the holiday with extended family. But for the most part aunts, uncles, everyone lives nearby.

KC: We open our presents on Christmas morning. My favorite was when we got the Xbox two years ago.

JC: And the Wii four years ago.

KC: And I guess that’s it. The video games.

DC [to sons]: What’s your favorite memory on Christmas?

KC: Opening the presents.

DC: Every year, the same recurring memory.

JC: Getting up at 1am.

DC: You mean 5am?

JC: Last year it was 1am, to go see the presents.

KC: I like to talk trash to my uncles.

DC: Oh, that’s a Christmas tradition? I think that’s an all-year-round thing....

We’re just grateful that we have family able to get together and celebrate.

Damaris Woodbury FROM WOODLAWN

Our immediate family are not around us, so our friends become our family.

We usually do a Friendsgiving, where friends invite us over to their house and things like that, and then because we are transplants to Chicago we usually spend the Christmas holiday in Puerto Rico, which is where my family is from.

We’ve been in the Woodlawn area since 2003. We really enjoy this area and all it has to offer. We’re also members of the Museum of Science and Industry, and they have a membership breakfast during the holidays to unveil the Christmas trees that are on display there from around the world. My son and my daughter, they love looking at the lights and just looking at the trees, so that’s become another tradition.

Having my son five years ago on Thanksgiving was definitely my favorite memory. I was looking forward to my mom’s Thanksgiving meal that afternoon, but my water broke at two in the morning, and I was like, “Mom, can you save me a plate?” So I ended up with Thanksgiving two days later when I got home, but I got my Thanksgiving meal. So, you know, Thanksgiving will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s the day my son was born, and it’s the best turkey I ever cooked!

Stephanie Breaux FROM SOUTH SHORE

I think definitely in our part of the world and being spiritually oriented, the whole focus is on giving to see what we can do...I think this is the season to really recognize the need of the community. We have the House of Hope, the house of Sister Therese down here, which is used as a center for women with drug addiction, and we can really help them. We also like to get involved in terms of doing some performances for them. It’s all about giving, not about receiving. The tradition is family, community orientation, and looking around and seeing what we can do for others.

Primarily being from Swedish descent, we celebrate with lutefisk and glogg. Glogg is an alcoholic drink, fermented and quite strong, and lutefisk is fish, pickled fish, and it’s like oh my goodness. So we celebrate with that, and we also celebrate with prayer. We always celebrate around four or five o’clock, and then we have our mass, and when we come back, we sit around the tree and talk. And then we want to get our presents open before dawn; we beat everybody to the punch. And then that day too, we usually bring baskets for the poor, and we give them nice things....So yeah, it’s all about giving, and I think the more people give and find that heart in them to do it, the better the world will be. It’s not about getting; don’t spoil your kids.

In South Shore we do caroling in the neighborhood.

We get together; everybody’s invited, and we march around. We have community gardens in the South Shore area, and we invite the community and we sing carols and it’s wonderful, truly. And especially today, we need to do more singing; it’s helpful to the soul. We do “Silent Night,” and “O Christmas Tree,” and” [The First] Noel,” we do that. We do anything and then sometimes somebody will want to come up and add something else.

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 19

BOOKS

A Different Kind of Education Teachers for Social Justice fair provides resources, networking for educators, parents, and students

BY OLIVIA ADAMS

L

ast Saturday, over 700 people flocked to Kenwood Academy for a curriculum fair featuring presentations, workshops, and a panel regarding community organizing and social justice in Chicago area schools. This was the fourteenth annual fair from Teachers for Social Justice (TSJ), an organization of educators from both private and public schools, pre-K to university, who are interested in teaching social justice concepts in their classrooms. According to TSJ co-founder Rico Gutstein, the fair is one of Chicago’s largest educator gatherings of the year.

Keynote speaker Dr. Monique Redeaux-Smith, a member of TSJ and teacher at Morrill Elementary in Chicago Lawn, opened the event with an impassioned speech on the impact that students of color could and have had on the future of Chicago schools.

“You see, these young independent thinkers might gather en masse in the streets of downtown, they might walk out of their classrooms, to protest budget cuts to their education,” Redeaux-Smith said.

“They might charge genocide and fearlessly hold the police accountable for the brutality that they exact upon black and brown people.”

A panel discussion soon followed, which reflected on this past summer’s Dyett hunger strike and its implications for future activism. The panel included three members of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett: Jeanette Taylor-Ramann, chairperson of the Mollison Elementary local school council, and Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, who were both hunger strikers, as well as Pauline Lipman, a professor of education policy at UIC and director of the Collaborative for Equity and Justice in Education.

The discussion focused on the perceptions of the hunger strike as well as efforts to campaign for an elected representative school board, a cause taken up by many of the education organizations represented at the fair. The talk was both impassioned and introspective, with references to the myriad

ervin lopez

ways that Chicago educators and students have attempted to keep their causes in the public eye.

“We don’t wage struggle together. We go to each other’s rally, and we get a little bit of victory, and that little victory, we manufacture it like it was some major victory, and we keep it moving. Is that too candid?”

Brown asked, stealing a glance at Lipman to his left, who nodded vigorously as the audience broke out in a collective chuckle.

“Okay, but that’s the truth!”

After the discussion, the crowds flowed out of the auditorium to look at the curric-

20 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

ulum and resource tables in the classrooms and on the main floors. The classrooms housed sixteen workshops spread over two sessions, where fair-goers could learn more about social justice as it pertained to specific subject areas. “Lynching and the New Jim Crow” connected a high school U.S. history lesson with modern-day mass incarceration; another session discussed whether sexual education should be taught within a health or a social studies course. In the workshop “Students and Teachers: Unite and Fight,” Lindblom Math and Science Academy teacher Ed Hershey and student organizer

Matthew Mata explored recent student-led protests across the city, including the numerous student walk-outs at Roosevelt and Kelly high schools over teacher layoffs and charter school expansion.

On the main floor, curriculum tables spanned across all subjects and grade levels.

TSJ members reviewed applications for presentations from educators and organizations prior to the event, judging them on their observance of TSJ principles. These principles include the promotion of multicultural, antiracist, and pro-justice ideas as well as the utilization of multiple forms of assessment

EDUCATION

“Education... can be very local. And by that I mean, teachers know their student population.”

bob simpson

for students. According to Rico Gutstein, most applications are accepted, but he noted that some are turned away “if they seem too corporate.”

One curriculum table focused on efforts towards news literacy. The featured program began as a set of curricula for college students at Stony Brook University in New York; it’s now being adapted for high school students at alternative schools throughout Chicago, with funding from the McCormick Foundation’s Why News Matters initiative. This program, a collaborative effort between multiple groups, seeks to teach high school students how news stories are constructed, and how to discern well-researched articles from poor ones. One activity asks students to track the sources in an

article from a popular media outlet like Fox News and find out if the writer quoted those sources accurately.

“That was one lesson in particular that the teachers said that students liked because they liked catching the news media outlet doing less vigorous source-checking than they should,” said Michael Hannon, program director for the Alternative Schools Network and one of the project’s organizers.

Photojournalist Riza Falk of the Erie Neighborhood House oversaw the curricula planning for this project and hired recent high school graduates to create lesson plans that would be interesting to high school students. Two of those interns, now nursing students, are workshopping the curricula with adult ESL students in Little Village.

The curricula produced by this team have also been presented to teachers through the Alternative Schools Network, where individual educators are encouraged to modify the lesson plans to fit their own classrooms.

“For me it was important because I know that education, like all things, can be very local. And by that I mean, teachers know their student population,” said Hannon. “Those schools are really working with a slightly older population of students than a public high school, and kids that already have had trouble remaining at school or that have been pushed out of school. So these teachers know these kids better than the expert, someone who is external.”

The TSJ fair doesn’t only attract teachers, but also activists and the parents of

students who attend Chicago schools. Joy Clendenning, a parent, former teacher, and Hyde Park resident, ran two resource tables at last weekend’s fair. She’s a member of a number of education organizations, including Raise Your Hand, an education activism organization for Illinois public schools, and the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference, of which she is the education chair.

According to Clendenning, single issues, like the campaign for the elected representative school board, or the choice for parents to opt their children out of standardized testing, are sources of common concern that connect unrepresented communities with organizations like Raise Your Hand.

“With the opt-out stuff, Raise Your Hand started getting requests to come out to a PTA meeting to such-and-such school on the Southeast Side of Chicago. That was great because we got to know these parents down there,” Clendenning said. “And when we were getting people to go talk to the legislature about getting some legislative support, we had some parents from the Southeast Side who were interested.”

The fair enables this sort of interconnectedness: it is a place where student teachers can gain insights from seasoned ones, and where parents like Clendenning can also find out what teachers in their communities are doing to make their classrooms more engaging.

“I guess I see that part of the curriculum fair that way,” Clendenning said. “That this is a place for people to have conversations [who are] generally way too busy and overworked to kind of take a step back and have those conversations.”

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 21

HOLIDAY

CROSSWORD

Holiday Pick-me-up 1

2

3

4

5

14

7

BY JOE LOTHAN 8

28

29

36

30

41

25 31

38

39

48

49

50

22 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

53 58

59

66

60

63

64

51 54

61

62

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

Across 1. Auction actions 5. Author Morrison 9. Went in ankle-deep 14. Words after “here”, “there” and “everywhere” in popular children’s song 15. Many prayers end with it 16. Persona non ___ 17. Holiday object 20. Disdain 21. Org. that combats file sharing 22. Buy’s opposite 23. Junior, to Senior 25. Factual 27. Page in an atlas 30. Often malicious groups of “zombie” computers used for repetitive tasks 33. Imitate 36. Website with a “Buy It Now” button 38. Envision 39. Biker’s protection 41. Holiday object 44. Pupil cover 45. Place to go in England?

46. Cookie with a white filling 47. Suffix with planet or document 48. “Find x” subject 51. Hectic hosp. areas

35

46

52

65

34

40

45

57

33

43

44

56

13

26

32

42

47

12

22

24

37

11

19 21

23

10

16

18

20

55

9

15

17

27

6

52. Pond organism 53. Not saying a thing 55. “Not much longer” 58. Financial reserves for later years, in brief 61. Some iPods 65. Holiday object 68. Weird 69. Pleased 70. Unadorned 71. German industrial city 72. Rim 73. Comfort Down 1. Outbursts from Scrooge 2. Apple desktop 3. “___ harm” (medical axiom) 4. Goes bad 5. “And we’ll ___ a cup o’ kindness yet”: Burns 6. Poet Khayyám1 7. Pop brand 8. Con 9. 720 AM with transmitter on Willis Tower 10. Came up 11. Challenge 12. And others: abbr.

13. Roald who wrote “James and the Giant Peach” 18. Radio tuner 19. Live bait 24. Yearning for the past

26. Druggie 27. Hajj destination 28. Hate 29. Fencer’s deflection 31. President pro ___ 32. Author Zora ___ Hurston 33. To love, in Italy 34. “___ and the Wolf ” 35. Spirit of the people 37. Yang’s counterpart 40. Barack Obama, astrologically 42. Christmas ___ (holiday stamp) 43. Cry loudly 49. Park place?

50. Uncle’s partner 52. Woody Allen’s “___ Hall” 54. Waffler’s word 55. ___-Ball (arcade game) 56. Takes credit?

57. Rows 59. “___ Land Syne” with the line from 5-Down 60. Minor hang-up 62. Sweet 16 org.

63. Opposite of theirs 64. W.W. I German admiral Graf von ___ 66. Buddhist sect 67. Suffix with cyan or ox For last week’s answers, visit southsideweekly.com/crosswords

CALENDAR

ways to give back Clothing Drive VFW Post, 2129 W. Cermak Rd. Saturday, December 5, 10am–5pm. Bring gently used winter clothing. ddlrscholarship.org Find your gently used winter clothing a new home. The Dennis De La Rosa Scholarship Fund is hosting its first clothing drive. Everything collected will be donated to La Casa Norte, a shelter in Humboldt Park. (Kristin Lin)

Alfreda Wells Duster Civic Club Annual Holiday Party St. John Evangelist M.B. Church, 1234 W. 63rd St. Saturday, December 5, 3pm–7pm. For more information, contact Laura Rice at (917) 941-5865 or laura.wicg@gmail.com Named after the daughter of civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells (also nicknamed the “Mother of Clubs”), the Alfreda Wells Duster Civic Club will be holding its annual holiday party to raise money for the Club’s scholarship fund. The party will feature the famous Duster Club Cake Walk, “back by popular demand”; contrary to what the name suggests, it promises to be highly competitive. (Christian Belanger)

Liberation Lib Holiday Fundraiser Emporium Arcade Bar, 2363 N. Milwaukee Ave. Wednesday, December 9, 7pm–10 pm. $10 suggested donation or $20 drink/token packages. liberationlib.com Working to provide books to youth in Illinois prisons, this organization hopes to change the criminal justice system from the inside out. Help support their mission by taking part in this night of appetizers, drinks, games, and old-fashioned fun. (Sara Cohen)

Annual Christmas Feast for the Homeless and Elderly St. Sabina Academy, Bethune Hall, 7801 S. Throop St. Friday, December 25, noon–2pm.

Led by South Side activist and pastor Michael L. Pfleger, the faith community of St. Sabina plans to distribute hundreds of meals to homeless and elderly residents. In the past, they’ve doled out more than 800 turkeys. This year, they’re seeking donations from time to toiletries to turkey. (Christine Schmidt)

Toy Sorting, Food Distribution, and Bell Ringing Adele and Robert Stern Red Shield Center, 845 W. 69th St. (773) 358-3252. centralusa.salvationarmy.org The Salvation Army’s Englewood location is looking for Angel Tree toy sorters, holiday food box distributors, and red kettle bell ringers this holiday season. Find volunteer opportunities at other Chicagoland Salvation Army locations online. (Kristin Lin)

Greater Chicago Food Depository Greater Chicago Food Depository, 4100 W. Ann Lurie Pl. (773) 247-3663. chicagosfoodbank.org Unload, restock, sort, repeat: Greater Chicago Food Depository offers volunteer opportunities at their member soup kitchens and shelters across Chicago. South Side locations include Chatham-Avalon Ministries, Word of Truth, and Canaan MBC Pantry. (Kristin Lin)

Children’s Home + Aid Holiday Gift Drive Children’s Home + Aid, 125 S. Wacker Dr. (312) 424-0200. childrenshomeandaid.org This holiday season, Children’s Home + Aid is a wish-granting factory. The organization manages a gift drive where donors contribute gifts from wish lists created by children in programs run by Children’s Home + Aid. Sign up online to get matched with a child. (Kristin Lin)

BULLETIN

Rebuild Foundation: Volunteer Orientation

Celebrating Grassroots Organizing in Pilsen Pilsen Alliance, 1952 W. 21st St. Friday, December 4, 7pm. $20 suggested donation. (312) 243-5440. thepilsenalliance.org Pay tribute to local grassroots organizers with a relaxing evening of food, music, and conversation hosted by the Pilsen Alliance.

Pilsen’s long history of community action isn’t over yet—and there’s still room to have a good time along the way. (Christopher Good)

Son Chiquitos: Familia y Tradiciones Navideñas

Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative, 1456 E. 70th St. Tuesday, December 8, 5:30pm– 6:30pm. (312) 857-5561. rebuild-foundation. squarespace.com Join other future volunteers with this nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing the pillars of culture and community in underinvested neighborhoods, while exploring one of the sites rebuilt by this foundation, started by renowned artist and activist Theaster Gates.

(Christine Schmidt)

City-wide Day of Healing

Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy, 2570 S. Blue Island Ave. Saturday, December 5, 10am. $5 suggested donation. (773) 890-0055. idpl.org

The Restorative Justice Project at JMLS, 315 S. Plymouth Ct. Tuesday, December 8, 6am– 8:30pm. (872) 588-8632. chicagopeacecorps.org

Celebrate Latin American cultural holiday traditions with the whole family at this joyous event. Children will be delighted by customary storytelling, while the rest of the family will relish in the provided musical entertainment and refreshments. Consider bringing food to share. (Sara Cohen)

The fifth annual City-wide Day of Healing engages community members through Peace Circles throughout Chicago that create safe spaces for discussion of issues of violence.

Visit the website to find the circle nearest you, or consider hosting your own. (Sara Cohen)

24th Annual People’s Thanksgiving

Un-Fair 2015

Trinity Church, 125 E. 26th St. Saturday, December 5, 4pm–8pm; dinner at 5pm. $30; $5 for “little children” and the unemployed. Contact joeiosbaker@gmail.com for childcare. tinyurl. com/24thPeoplesThanksgiving Fight Back was first published by the Maoist-oriented Freedom Road Socialist Organization in 1998; it survived an ideological schism a year later, and the FBI’s infiltration and arrest of members of its mother organization (they were never indicted). Your donation at this event goes to supporting the intensity expected of any organization with an exclamation mark in its name. (Adam Thorp)

AREA Chicago Release Event Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Sunday, December 6, 3pm–5pm. Free.

Refreshments served. areachicago.org “Healing and repair” is the theme for AREA Chicago’s fifteenth print issue. Swing by the Experimental Station to celebrate its release and explore topics like community healing and prison healthcare injustice with contributing writers and community organizations. (Kristin Lin)

Benito Juarez High School, 2150 S. Laflin St. Saturday, December 12, 10am–3pm.

This event seeks to raise awareness about issues in the juvenile justice system such as systemic racism and racial inequity, to serve as a connection between organizations and individuals across Chicago working to confront these very inequities, and to empower youth ages sixteen to twenty-four to discuss creative solutions. (Christine Schmidt)

WAO Toastmasters Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration Wrightwood-Ashburn Public Branch Library, 8530 S. Kedzie Ave. Saturday, December 12, 10:30am-12:30pm. $20 donation. (773) 5922930. 771880.toastmastersclubs.org Interested in Kwanzaa? Learn about the tradition’s seven principles (and try some great food) at the Wrightwood-Ashburn Overcomers (WAO) Toastmasters Club’s festive Pre-Kwanzaa gathering. Dress in black, red, and green and prepare to have fun celebrating family, heritage, and community.

(Christopher Good)

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 23

VISUAL ARTS Gift Making Chicago Urban Art Center, 1957 S. Spaulding Ave. Saturdays, 11am–4pm; other days by appointment. (773) 542-9126. urbanretreat. com Looking to do what your mom always told you and make a homemade gift for someone you love, or to purchase a one-of-a-kind handcrafted original? Head over to the Chicago Urban Art Center on a Saturday to craft or purchase the perfect gift, or shoot them an email to make an appointment.

(Lewis Page)

MULTIPLES Art Fair Southside Hub of Production, 1448 E. 57th St. Friday, December 4, through Sunday, December 6. Friday, 10am–7pm; Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, 11am–5pm. southsidehub.com This cultural hub dedicated to celebrating local and community art will be putting on a three-day fair showcasing the unsung craft of multiples and reproducible objects. If you’re anyone from an avid photocopy artist to a self-producing mixtape artist, come exhibit your wares in this homey space in Hyde Park.

(Darren Wan)

Krampusnacht Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St. Saturday, December 5, 7:30pm–1am. $10, $5 with Krampus-related costume. 21+. (773) 8370145. coprosperity.org Celebrating Krampus, Alpine folklore’s monstrous counterpart to St. Nick, Krampusnacht provides a space in which both art and participants’ devilish costumes are on display. Come and enjoy the art by Monte Beauchamp, EC Brown, and more, nice artisanal beers, glögg, and a “tongue-ofwar.” Coming dressed in your best Krampus, Leviathan, Perchta, or Alpine Monster attire is strongly encouraged. (Margaret Mary Glazier)

Annual Holiday Arts Show Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Monday, December 7, through Thursday, December 10, 9am–8pm; Friday, December 11,

through Saturday, December 11, 9am–5pm; Sunday, December 12, noon–5pm. (773) 3245520. hydeparkart.org Hyde Park Art Center has been a worthy cause for more than 75 years now; this event allows you to support them and wrap up your holiday shopping at the same time.

This selection of artistic gifts was produced through HPAC’s Oakman-Clinton School and Studio Program. (Adam Thorp)

Bring Your Own Body Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. Opening reception Tuesday, December 10, 5pm–8pm. Open through February 13.

Monday–Wednesday, Friday, 9am–5pm; Thursday, 9am–7pm; Saturday, noon–5pm.

(312) 369-6643. students.colum.edu This collection explores the history of sexological and cultural imagery of the transgender community through pieces from over twenty artists. Through the media of paint, sculpture, film, textiles, and performance, “Bring Your Own Body” guides the viewer to an understanding of the diversity within the transgender landscape.

(Margaret Mary Glazier)

Greater than Art – Triple Blak Cultura in Pilsen, 1900 S. Carpenter St. Friday, December 11, 6pm. culturainpilsen.com To celebrate the work of Chicago poet, artist, author, and educator “Kwaw” Oscar Lester, also known as Triple Blak, the EstablishMint and Cultura in Pilsen will host a suitably art-filled evening. Lester’s works will be on display, alongside a film screening and a silent auction. Triple the fun! (Christopher Good)

Chill Set (a Youth Event) National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. Friday, December 11, 6pm. Free. (773) 521-1621. yollocalli.com It’s hard to imagine a much chiller set than this one: tons of food, live music from DJ Mike P, and ridiculous raffle prizes, all with free entry to the National Museum of Mexican Art, one of the greatest in Chicago.

(Christopher Good)

24 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

STAGE & SCREEN Staged Reading of The Eumenides Augustana Lutheran Church, 5500 S. Woodlawn Ave. Friday, December 4, 8pm. $5. hydeparkcommunityplayers.org If death, dilemma, and destitution are what get you in the holiday spirit, The Eumenides is not one to miss. This staged reading will take you through a family’s trials and tribulations even worse than the political debates at your Thanksgiving table. So why not start the maddening holiday season with some drama that’s not your own? (Margaret Mary Glazier)

Scholar-in-Residence Ari Roth KAM Isaiah Israel, 1100 E. Hyde Park Blvd.

Friday, December 4, 8:20pm; Saturday, December 5, 1:30pm. Free. (773) 924-1234. kamii.org Washington, D.C.-based playwright Ari Roth heads back home to the South Side this weekend to talk anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Jewish and Muslim identity. On Friday, his lecture “My Personal Mosaic” will trace how his European and South Side heritage informed his “intercultural” Judaism; on Saturday, he’ll discuss “Creating a Mosaic Theater” after reading selections of American, Israeli, and Palestinian playwrights. ( Julia Aizuss)

Carol Munday Lawrence’s Nguzo Saba Films Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. Saturday, December 5, 3pm. Free. (773) 7022787. southsideprojections.org South Side Projections presents this series of short animated films about the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which Jacqueline Bobo, the editor of Black Women Film and Video Artists, calls “national treasures.” Though long out of circulation, these films have been transferred from the original film to video for Logan’s Family Saturday event. (Matthew Brown)

Until the Walls Fall Down, Paint Them

Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800 S. Halsted Ave. Friday, December 11, 6pm. Free.

(312) 413-5353. southsideprojections.org Even a decade after his death, Don McIlvaine’s murals and films endure as some of the most intense and authentic art ever to grace North Lawndale. To celebrate both Jane Addams Day and McIlvaine’s legacy, art historian Rebecca Zorach will host a discussion and screening of his films with members of his family in attendance.

(Christopher Good)

Miracle on 34th Street Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12, 7pm; Sunday, December 13, 2pm. $23, $21 for BAC Members. (773) 445-3838. beverlyartcenter.org Shellee Frazee directs this musical based on the beloved 1947 film about a little girl and her mother who find the spirit of Christmas in a surprisingly homey Macy’s department store. Humorous and family friendly, this production might just be a miracle on 111th street. (Matthew Brown)

One Root, Many Branches Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. Saturday, December 12, 7pm; Sunday, December 13, 3pm. $30, discounts available for seniors, students, and children. (773) 241-6080. muntu. com Mid-December might be a little wintry for a fall concert, but this seasonal Muntu Dance Theatre production, which explores the legacy of the African diaspora, should be as thrilling as ever. The concert, featuring new work by Jamaican choreographer Christopher Walker, will honor Muntu’s president, who is retiring at the end of the year. ( Julia Aizuss)

Don’t Call Me Sweetheart Holiday Spectacular Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St. Sunday, December 20, 6pm. $12 suggested donation. (773) 837-0154. coprosperity.org If a staid classic like Miracle on 34th Street falls short for you this holiday season, this fresh take on a live radio play may do the trick. The extravaganza is replete with live

CALENDAR

music, local artists, and, as the proprietors claim, “the sound of Pop Rocks spiraling down your ear canal and lodging in your brain.” (Margaret Mary Glazier)

Agamemnon Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. Through December 6. $38, discounts available for seniors, faculty, and students. (773) 753-4472. courttheatre.org In the mood for tragedy? Renowned scholar Nicholas Rudall’s world premiere translation of Aeschylus’s Agamemnon brings back Sandra Marquez and Mark Montgomery from last year’s Iphigenia in Aulis as Clytemnestra and Agamemnon for Court’s “groundbreaking” second installment of the Greek Cycle. The gods invite our witness.

(Rurik Baumrin)

Repairing a Nation eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. Chicago Ave. November 13–January 3. Friday and Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 3pm. $35, discounts available for seniors and students. (773) 7523955. etacreativearts.org In 1921, riots leveled the “Black Wall Street” neighborhood of Greenwood, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the most successful black communities in America. Nikkole Salter’s play Repairing a Nation uses one family’s complex relationship with the riots as a window into themes of race, reparations, and family. (Christopher Good)

MUSIC The Jazz Series National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. Thursday, December 3, 7pm–10pm.

Free. gozamos.com AMFM, an online arts, music, and fashion Q&A-based magazine, will be hosting its monthly Pilsen pop-up Jazz Series at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Featured musicians include The Jeff Gibbs Quartet, Kokugonza, and Cole DeGenova. Join AMFM, and the eclectic performers of December’s Jazz Series, as they close the year

off in style. (Candice Ralph)

Vibes The Dojo, Saturday, December 5. Doors 6pm, art exhibition 7pm, live literature 7:45pm, music 9pm. $5 suggested donation. (312) 631-8139 (call for address on day of show). facebook.com/ thedojochi Thanksgiving might have vanished in the rear-view mirror, but “Vibes,” hosted by Pilsen’s very own Dojo, will give attendees a cornucopia of things to be grateful for: vegan comfort food, pumpkin kegs, a slow-motion video booth, woodcuts, live painting, art installations, performances from some of the best producers in the city, and good vibes galore. (Christopher Good)

Mortified and the Jazz Ambassadors The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. Saturday, December 5. Doors 6:30pm, show 7pm. 21+. $23 reserved; $20 general. (312) 801-2100. promontorychicago.com Mortified features the pathetic prose and poetry of tragic teenage years and the brave adult souls who are willing to perform pieces of their past and share their shame with the public world. These performances will also be accompanied by some aspiring teen talents; the Jazz Ambassadors are the product of a program that helps young musicians pursue jazz professionally. (Lewis Page)

Ryan Leslie at the Shrine The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Saturday, December 5, doors 9pm, show 10:30pm. $25$32.50. 21+. (312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago. com Producer Ryan Leslie’s resume is impressive—graduating from Harvard at nineteen, he’s written and produced tracks for Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and New Edition and broke out in 2006 with Cassie’s hit “Me&U.” The crooning R&B and hip-hop artist will warm up Chicago on December 5 at the Shrine. (Clyde Schwab)

Johnnyswim Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Wednesday,

December 9, doors 7pm, show 8pm. $25 standing room, $37 seats. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com

Marques Carroll

The well-traveled modern singer-songwriter duo Johnnyswim will be performing their home-recorded album Heart Beats at Thalia Hall. Johnnyswim will raise you to your feet with their anthem-like melodies and break you down with their heart-wrenching ballads.

(Margaret Mary Glazier)

RDGLDGRN Reggies, 2105 S. State St. Thursday, December 10, 7pm. 18+. $10 in advance, $13 at door.

(312) 949-0120. reggieslive.com Red Gold Green’s dynamic blend of rap and live instrumentation is coming to Chicago.

Catch them live alongside some top-notch supporting acts: enigmatic rapper Duckwrth, futurist duo BoneLang, and the South Side’s own artist-abolitionist, Ric Wilson.

(Christopher Good)

Justine Skye The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Friday, December 11, doors 9pm, show 10:30pm. 21+.

(312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago.com Singer-songwriter Adam Ness will open for Justine Skye, a twenty-year-old musician and model most noted for collaborating with Tyga on their would-be hit “Collide,” and also for her stunning purple hair. Her EP Emotionally Unavailable was released by Atlantic this past June. ( Jake Bittle)

Tim Gant The Quarry, 2423 E. 75th St. Friday, December 11. Doors 7pm, show 8pm. (773) 741-6254. mobetterjazzchicago.us Sometime during his high school years, Tim Gant got distracted from his study of the trombone by a piano and a little bit of sibling rivalry. From these modest beginnings, and through practice and passion, Gant has become a well-regarded writer and performer.

You may have heard one of his songs for Aretha Franklin or a multi-platinum hit he wrote for the Backstreet Boys. (Lewis Page)

The Quarry, 2423 E. 75th St. Friday, December 18. Doors 7pm, show 8pm. (773) 741-6254. mobetterjazzchicago.us From his roots in St. Louis—and the city’s long legacy of great trumpet players—to his present-day position as a coveted freelance musician and dedicated educator, Marques Carroll has spent the last twenty-eight years pursuing music with dogged determination.

Listen to the musical results of his work pour out of his trumpet and into your ears. (Lewis Page)

Nayo Jones The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. Friday, December 18. Doors 7pm, show 8pm.

All Ages. $15 standing lounge, $20 seating, $30 tables. (312) 801-2100. promontorychicago.com Nayo Jones is as talented and hard-working as you would expect of a singer who played competitive classically trained flute in high school. Born into a family of Chicago jazz musicians, Jones is now based out of New Orleans and sings solo and with her group “The Nayo Jones Experience.” (Lewis Page)

Sidewalk Chalk & CLOUD9 Reggies, 2105 S. State St. Saturday, December 19, 8pm. 21+. $12 in advance, $15 at door.

(312) 949-0120. reggieslive.com With triumphant and colorful live performances, it’s easy to see why critics and hip-hop heads think of Sidewalk Chalk as heir apparent to the soulful pop of yesteryear.

Their performance will be preceded by the funk of Cloud9 (aka Chicago Loud 9) and the singer-songwriter R&B of Brandon James & Augmented Reality. (Christopher Good)

The Wizards of Winter Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Sunday, December 20, doors 6:30pm, show 7:30pm. $34 seated, $39 seated balcony. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com There is perhaps no more exciting way to start your Christmas holiday than with an innovative performance by The Wizards of

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 25

CALENDAR Winter, alongside four original members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Come feel the TSO-influenced style interwoven with classical and progressive rock. (Lily Zhou)

Christmas Eve with Alan King, Terry Hunter, and Torin Edmond The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. Thursday, December 24. Doors, 9pm. 21+. $10.

(312) 801-2100. promontorychicago.com This Christmas Eve, come dance the night away to mixes by DJs Alan King, Terry Hunter, and Torin Edmond of legendary Chosen Few DJs. These three kings of the Chicago house music scene don’t have any frankincense or myrrh, but they just might have the perfect soundtrack for the night.

(Lewis Page)

Tink

Tink, a Calumet City rapper and songwriter, has made a name for herself by releasing six mix tapes within the past three years.

Having collaborated with a range of artists from Lil Durk to the Pentatonix, the Lauryn Hill-inspired artist will bring a tasty blend of rap and R&B to kick off the New Year. ( Jonathan Poilpre)

Bobbi Wilsyn The Quarry, 2423 E. 75th St. Friday, January 8. Doors 7pm, show 8pm. (773) 741-6254. mobetterjazzchicago.us Bobbi Wilsyn describes herself on her website as “one of the best singers in the Chicago area.” A senior lecturer at Columbia College, renowned singer-actress, and prolific soloist, Wilsyn is sure to live up to this selfdescription during her solo performance at Mo Better Jazz. (Lewis Page)

The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Thursday, December 31, doors at 9:30pm. Early bird $40, general admission $50. 21+. (312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago.com

26 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY ¬ DECEMBER 2, 2015

holiday markets Renegade Craft Fair Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th St. Saturday, December 5 through Sunday, December 6. 11am–6pm. renegadecraft.com More than 250 Chicago-based vendors will be displaying and selling their handmade wares at the annual Holiday Renegade Craft Fair. Stop by for holiday shopping and DIY workshops, or just to pick up a free potted succulent! (Darren Wan)

Uprising Craft Handmade Holiday Market Blue Island Beer Company, 13357 Old Western Ave. Sunday, December 6, noon–5pm. blueislandbeerco.com

“Not your momma’s craft fair!” Jointly organized by the Blue Island Beer Company and the Beverly Area Arts Alliance, this holiday market will feature handmade items from thirty different artists. More importantly, there will be a $1 hole-in-one mini golf challenge, so swing by. (Christian Belanger)

Vends + Vibes Art Market Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 1pm–5pm. (773) 702-9724. arts.uchicago.edu At Vends + Vibes, artists and vendors from all over the South Side will share their crafts with the community. If that alone isn’t reason enough to attend, the market will also host children’s activities, a photo booth, an open bar, and live electroacoustic vibes from Mr. Jaytoo and DJ Jo de Presser. (Christopher Good)

PopUp Holiday Market Pilsen Outpost, 1958 W. 21st St. Sunday, December 20, 12pm-7pm.

Art gallery Pilsen Outpost, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, will hold this popup holiday market just before Christmas featuring the work of seven different artists. Holiday lovebirds (turtledoves, for those wondering) rejoice: one jeweler, Mano y Metal, specializes in “Him & Her” accessories. (Christian Belanger)

Vends + Vibes Art Market Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13, 1pm–5pm. (773) 702-9724. arts.uchicago.edu At Vends + Vibes, artists and vendors from all over the South Side will share their crafts with the community. If that alone isn’t reason enough to attend, the market will also host

children’s activities, a photo booth, an open bar, and live electroacoustic vibes from Mr. Jaytoo and DJ Jo de Presser. (Christopher Good)

Christmas Bazaar Sunshine Enterprises, 501 E. 61st St. Saturday, December 12, 10am-3pm. Free. (773) 904 9800 Looking for music, holiday treats, and perhaps an opportunity to snag some christmas gifts? Check out Sunshine Enterprises Second annual Christmas Bazaar, which will feature over twenty vendors and artisans, bringing together entrepreneurs and community members from across the city.

To sweeten the deal, spending over $75 will earn you a $10 gift card to Greenline Coffee!

(Bess Cohen)

DECEMBER 2, 2015 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 27