August 19-25, 2009 by StreetWise

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A U G U S T 19 - A U G U S T 25, 2009

)OUR CIT) FROM THE STREETS

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H E L P P E O P L E H E L P T H E M S E LV E S TO S E L F - S U F F I C I E N C Y T H R O U G H G A I N F U L E M P L OY M E N T

A summer full of insight By Lindsay Friedman Former StreetWise Intern

When a person in Chicago is homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or in need of an income, StreetWise is the one business that will give anyone a chance to succeed— even me. During my internship here, I’ve learned more about running a business than at any other job I’ve had. Former vendors, current vendors, interns, and volunteers make opportunities possible for everyone to better themselves. StreetWise runs like the circle of life: the office is where employees do business and vendors buy their magazines, receive training, and have access to computers; there’s even a spot to donate clothes. The vendors help the employees, just as the employees help the vendors. In fact, some of the employees are former vendors; they inspire the new vendors by showing them what lies ahead if they don’t give up. A business should have employees who are well trained in their specific industry, but at StreetWise, the employees go above and beyond by providing and teaching the tools of overcoming obstacles and showing that everyone has the potential to achieve their goals. My goal before I learned more about StreetWise was to gain experience in advertising, writing, and working with people. I’m in my second year of college at the University of Colorado and haven’t taken any business or marketing classes yet, but being able to see how StreetWise operates as a business has given me an advantage for the future. Before this summer, I felt that the vendors

were just homeless poor people selling a magazine; I never thought of what they did as being part of an actual business. I would give them a dollar without taking a magazine because I felt bad for them, but I didn’t realize that they’re working, just like I am. Negative stereotypes like that need to be broken, because these people are doing a job just as anyone else would. I’ve never seen a business run the way StreetWise is run. When I told my friends that I was working here, their initial reaction was, “Oh . . . uh, cool”—they weren’t informed, just like I used to be. But after I told them how StreetWise works—a circle of good deeds that produces more good deeds and successes—they couldn’t believe such a place exists. The people I’ve worked with have truly inspired me and been so willing to teach me. Yes, I filed documents and helped organize the office just as many interns do, but all the employees tried to teach me something; I don’t believe most magazine editors, writers, designers, and advertising executives would do that, especially for a new intern with absolutely no experience. The people at StreetWise give to those who are already fortunate and keep giving to those who need a job. Most businesses have employees who dread going to work and doing the same boring routine, but StreetWise is fortunate to have employees who love to work and who love to make a real difference in the world. If every business had people who are as excited to come to work every day as the ones at StreetWise, they’d all be efficiently managed and operated.To have a business that’s for the people, by the people, where everyone is trying to help everyone else succeed in their lives, breeds endless hope for promising futures. I’m truly happy I was able to be a part of the StreetWise experience.

Tune in to StreetWise Street Scene Join us every Thursday at 4:30 for our CAN-TV21 call-show, now in its 6th season! 2

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STREETWISE STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER BRUCE CRANE BCRANE@STREETWISE.ORG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SUZANNE HANNEY SUZANNESTREETWISE@YAHOO.COM DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION GREG PRITCHETT GPRITCHETT14@YAHOO.COM

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STREETWISE IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AND IS SOLD BY THE POOR AND HOMELESS OF CHICAGO. STREETWISE IS A REGISTERED 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND IS A MEMBER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN STREET NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION.

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INSP Camp Quest stirs debate In nearby Minnesota, Michigan, and several other states, Camp Quest, and atheist summer camp for kids is elliciting strong reaction from believers. page

StreetWise Theatre High Fidelity: The Musical plays at Route 66 Theatre, Up comes down at the Steppenwolf Theatre, and the History Boys run is extended through the end of September at the TimeLine Theatre.

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International Vendor

Rebuilding American Jobs

Meet Søren Lambæk A former sail maker who now sells Hus Forbi in front of an IKEA in Copenhagen, Denmark, Søren tells some of his life experiences.

Education is crucial towards keeping American labor in demand acording to both the National Urban League and a La Raza honoree.

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From the Streets: Cruel comments on homeless man

The original heading on a Facebook account, since deleted, that violated the privacy of a dead homeless Native American man.

By Suzanne Hanney Editor-in-Chief

Facebook account with cruel and demeaning comments about a dead homeless man has drawn the wrath of Native Americans nationwide – but especially his relatives in Chicago and Michigan, who point to the violation of private medical records.

Before it was discovered and reported to Facebook, which shut it down, the account attracted 676 members, including some who identified themselves as emergency service technicians, nurses and doctors in Chicago and south suburbs. One man said that the man’s photo was used as a screensaver at the fire department. A woman said her Christmas card had been a photo of the homeless man in hospital gown and monitors, with a red and green elf hat someone had plopped on his head. “Just for fun – inside jokes,” read the headline from the originator of the account, who added a Native American head dress as the illustration. “This is to track how far a certain Native American alcoholic (C.C.) went for treatment of acute intoxication and to see how many EMS/nurses/doctors/police have taken care of him at on [sp] time or another before his passing. If you have taken care of him, you already know his name.” A Chicago woman who worked on an ambulance crew wrote that “CC” had been discovered at a far southwest side Chicago church when an usher unlocked it for early morning mass. He had supposedly been receiving food there. At least seven persons posted pictures of Christopher Cornstalk without permission of his family, according to Jennafer Yellowhorse, a member of Natives Against Racism, which was monitoring Facebook in order to bring offensive content

to light. The elf hat photo was the most offensive, but “mascoting” photos were nearly as much so, Yellowhorse said. In one such photo, for example, Cornstalk was sitting between two firemen grinning with thumbs up; in another, he posed behind a truck in the middle of a crew fully garbed in firefighting coats and helmets. Yellowhorse said that when she reported the Facebook account to authorities, they shut it down. They also shut down the account of Ma king Cha nge, her Santa Monica street paper that broke the story, which was a violation of First Amendment rights, she added. However, the group had captured the offensive photos on their own new site: http: //nativesagainstracism.weebly.com. She said got in touch with StreetWise in order to bring the story to wider notoriety – and resolution. The only Chicago Fire Department personnel involved was the woman who wrote about picking up Cornstalk up in the Southwest Side church, spokesperson Larry Langford said in a lengthy email to Yellowhorse. In addition, “computers in the 100 firehouses in Chicago are on a locked network and …input to the screensaver mode for addition of outside media is prohibited.” Langford told both Yellowhorse and StreetWise that his staff had blown up photos on the offensive Web site and determined that none featured CFD personnel or equipment. It took only one phone call to the American Indian Center in Uptown to find Cornstalk’s family: his niece is Jannan Cotto, AIC’s youth coordinator and his nephew is the finance director. “I am disgusted and outraged,” Cotto said in a telephone interview. “I don’t know how people could be so insensitive, especially people whose jobs are to help people and protect people. It’s beyond unprofessional. It’s despicable. I hope that everyone that’s involved in this loses their jobs.”

Cotto’s mother, Jannan Cornstalk of Petoskey, Michigan, said she has presented the offensive material about her brother to an attorney. “If they get hit in the pocketbook, it’s a wakeup call but if they get a slap on the hand, they will have no regard for someone else’s feelings,” Cornstalk said. “The damage to my brother is already done, I’m looking at preventing it from happening to someone else. Just because you’re a nurse, EMT doesn’t give you the authority. Did they ask my permission, did they ask his foster mom? No they just went and did it.” She added, “It’s sad that everybody goes online and does these passive aggressive things in these sites. Sometimes we don’t like to be bitter people but it just gets under your skin. When I was growing up, I dealt with a lot of prejudice. I don’t like to think that people can be that way, but it is.That people be that mean-spirited, with no regard to the effect on other people. Now it’s affecting the community, because a bunch of people at the Center know about it.” What hurt her most was that the people on the Facebook account were also likely the people who attended her brother’s funeral in July 2006. He was found dead in a Markham field at age 44 of what officials termed natural causes. “On the one hand, they said they loved Chris and on the other hand, there were making derogatory comments on Facebook.” Cotto said her uncle’s foster mother thought he had fetal alcohol syndrome,“so he didn’t have the mental capacity a normal adult would have. Having grown up in the foster care system, not having a stable place to live affected the way he approached the world. He was a good person, nice to me. He had a problem. It just upsets me that people would make fun of him and his illness.” Jannan Cornstalk said her parents were both alcoholic, made worse by the instability of her father’s commercial fishing job. After one instance where the parents were drinking or had left the children alone when they were living in Chicago, the siblings were put into foster care and split up. Cornstalk was adopted by an Evanston family and later lived with her children on the North Side. Her brother Christopher had a foster mother in the southwest suburbs. Christopher Cornstalk was mostly Little Traverse Bay bands of Odawa Indians, as well as Ojibwe and Potawatomi. The surname is significant to Indian people because it is the plant that helps them to survive, his sister said. After his funeral, she and his foster mother brought his ashes to Lake Michigan and placed them in the water near where his father had fished.

Contributing Writers Ginny & the Chef: Originally a professional chef, Chef J now writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column on food and fitness in Chicago. He’s also the president of the Chicago Research Chefs LLC and president emeritus of the Chicago Nutrition Association. Ginny has written nutrition and fitness articles for several local and national publications, such as the Chicago Tribune and On-Health magazine. She has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science and dietetics and a master’s degree in nutrition communications and marketing.

in Broadcast Journalism from Northern Illinois University. Just one year later, Beshanda earned a Master of Arts degree from Columbia College Chicago, also focusing in Journalism. Outside of working hard to cultivate a career in media, Beshanda enjoys reading and creative writing. She is excited to help contribute to StreetWise’s cause for community awareness. John Godoy is a Chicago-based wellness consultant and personal trainer with a leading prevention-based, integrative health and wellness provider.

Allison Horton has worked as a freelance journalist for several Chicago-area publications, including Time Out Chicago, the Chicago Defender, the Daily Southtown, and the Northwest Indiana Times. She recently completed a master’s degree in journalism at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and was awarded a scholarship from the Association of Women Journalists for the creation of her entertainment Web site, thesuite411.com.

Beshanda Spencer has worked in the Chicago news market for the past 5 years. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

International Network of Street Papers Street News Service By Jasper Hamill Reprinted from The Big Issue Scotland

h, summer camp! Even though most British children don’t get to experience the ritual of marshmallow roasting, singing of songs and furtive snogging that defines the holidays for most American youngsters, we can all agree that it sounds like pretty good fun. So how much of a lark can kids expect at an event being hailed as “Camp Dawkins,” where “Kumbaya” is replaced with John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’and ghost stories are swapped for earnest wrangling about the theory of evolution? It sounds about as much fun as fat camp. But plenty of parents think otherwise. The first atheist summer camp, called Camp Quest, pitched tent in a field in Somerset. From July 27-31, a small squad of short-trousered pioneers embarked upon an adventure into atheism, learning about evolution, science, astronomy and philosophy by night, whilst clambering up climbing walls and shooting with bow and arrow by day. Demand has been high: the camp sold out quickly, and one planned for summer 2010 looks set to be even larger. “We want to give children the sort of education that isn’t covered in school, such as philosophy and the scientific method,” explains Samantha Stein, camp organizer.“It’s more a way of teaching them about the world, not telling them what to think.We’re not about indoctrination and we don’t pursue an anti-religious agenda. “Most of the kids who come here are atheist anyway so it’s very difficult to indoctrinate someone into becoming something they already are.” Try telling that to the evangelicals who are already lining up to slam the camp. Because archevolutionist Richard Dawkins’s charity gave Camp Quest a financial donation (they say it is almost £500), Christian pressure groups have labelled the event “Camp Dawkins” and claim it is part of an insidious attempt by the scientist-cum polemicist to coerce kids into some kind of atheistic cult. Certain elements of the press have also associated Dawkins with the camp. One article in The Sunday Times, which began with a version of the famous Jesuit line (“give Richard Dawkins a child for a week’s summer camp and he will try to give you an atheist for life”), irked Dawkins so much that when I asked him about the article, he furiously replied:“Contrary to The Sunday Times – it is, after all, a Murdoch paper – Camp Quest has no connection with me, except that my foundation made a charitable donation to it of, I believe, £495. “I know nothing of the camp itself and don’teven know where it is. That Sunday Times article was an outrage, saying that I was ‘grooming’ your atheists, and quoting that disgusting Jesuit boast.” Calming down a little, Dawkins blasted: “What little I know of Camp Quest sounds admirable.The quotation I gave The Sunday Times is, to the best of my knowledge, appropriate. “Camp Quest encourages children to think for

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School’s in for Atheists The first Camp Quest sprung up in rural Kentucky, mere miles from a creationist museum. Pictured is a group at an offshoot camp in Minnesota

themselves, sceptically and rationally. There is no indoctrination, just encouragement to be open minded, while having fun. “That should answer your specific question about whether the camp is ‘appropriate’ for children. Of course children should be left to make up their own minds, that is the whole point. “Will they be taught to recognise the primacy of evidence over faith? Isn’t that what making up your own mind means! Will it hurt their capacity for imagination? You must be joking!” While Dawkins clearly plays no part in Camp Quest–and we would dare not invoke his wrath by implying so – religious critics on the opposite end of the scale still see the event as part of a war to brainwash kids into thinking there’s no God, no purpose to life and that the Earth’s construction took an awful lot longer than seven days’ worth of divine labor. For some, Dawkins is a kind of Trotsky figure, always scheming and plotting to bring down religion. But at the moment, Dawkins seems to be losing. Creationism and intelligent design are beliefs that are resurfacing in society, with around half of adults convinced that evolution is not fact, according to a recent poll by charity Sense about Science (an independent group who “promote the benefits of scientific research to the public”). Their results found that 22 per cent of people believe that a Creator made the world, with about half of that group indicating that the creation took place 10,000 years ago. Evangelical Christian groups would like these numbers to swell and would rather there were no atheist camps. Justin Thacker, head of theology at pressure group Evangelical Alliance, insists Dawkins’s fingerprints are all over Camp Quest.“I think it’s quite amusing,” he says.“Perhaps Dawkins realises that his propaganda doesn’t work with the adults, so now he’s going to try it with the children, which, in a strange way, is as if he’s taking his atheism and acting more and more like a religion. I don’t think he’ll find he’s anymore successful there.” Thacker believes no child will respond to the thought that the existence of life is essentially a random occurrence and that life is meaningless. Far better to go to a Christian camp, propounding W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

the message that humans are on Earth for a reason, he says. Thacker insists religious camps are more open-minded. “It’s acceptable for a child on a Christian camp to say, ‘I don’t believe God exists’.The child is not ridiculed or told they’re an idiot. “What’s going to happen at the Dawkins camp If someone stands up and says, ‘I believe in God’? I can guarantee that child will be mocked and humiliated for that opinion. “Who’s having the most open debate?” Yet for all this rather gentle arguing that is, let’s not forget, taking place in an essentially secular country, it’s easy to gloss over the admirable goals behind the first-ever Camp Quest. It was held on land owned and leased by Bullittsburg Baptist Assembly in Boone County, Kentucky, in 1996.The camp’s founder, Edwin Kagin, lives 10 miles from a creationist museum in Kentucky that claims humans ran around with dinosaurs. Kagin wanted to present a rational response to such claims. It remains his mission to help what some Americans see as “dirty little atheists” come to terms with their lack of faith and learn about evolution and science, including Dawkins’s theories. “Camp Quest is like a light in a dark and scary room for these kids,” says Kagin. “Some of them have cried when they’ve been at Camp Quest, because it’s the first time they’ve felt comfortable admitting their non-belief.” The camp was thought by Baptists to be so controversial that the state of Kentucky exempted the church from a key civil rights law–which stated that the church could not discriminate against Camp Quest if the group wanted to lease the land. Some of the children who attended the camps have endured taunts from other children who tell them they will burn in hell for their beliefs. In Britain, it seems less likely kids would be bullied based on their refusal to accept God, but the resurgence of belief in creationism or intelligent design suggests there is still a need to make sure children don’t fall for non-scientific mumbo-jumbo. It might not be much fun at “Camp Dawkins,” and it may not have anything to do with him, but its aims are still noble. There’s plenty of time for silliness during the rest of the summer, right? © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org

FoodWise with Ginny & Chef J Chef J’s Secret Recipe Musical Summer Salad (serves 6)

FoodWise Shopping List: • One 15-ounce can of organic salad beans • 1 garlic clove [minced] • 2 tablespoons of cilantro [chopped] • 1 avocado [diced] • 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice • Salt and pepper to taste. Ginny & The Chef Cooking Instructions: • In large bowl add beans [drained]. • Add garlic and cilantro and gently toss. • Add avocado, and lime juicegently toss. • Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. • Cover with plastic wrap, and allow flavors to meld in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving By Ginny & Chef J StreetWise Contributors (www.ginetics.org, www.researchchefs.us)

Music and Movement Who can resist tapping their foot when they hear a favorite song? Music gets us moving and that is a good thing. Moving is not only good for our bodies, it is also good for our brains. Making music is a healthy brain activity. Playing an instrument, singing and moving to music can spread new connections between our brain cells. I remember growing up and being awakened to the sounds of Mozart or Handel; both great composers. My mother called herself a “long hair” music lover. My family never really understood what she meant until we saw pictures of Chopin and Ludwig van Beethoven. We knew the melody of Moonlight Sona ta long before we understood the significance of the composer. Mother would say,“Long-hair music is for intellectuals and artist.” Of course, like most bright young people we wanted to be smart and creative. Music can also produce an emotional response. That response can impact our bodies. Studies have shown that when this happens it can either increase or decrease your heart rate. Music can increase the intensity of your workouts as well. I have had much success getting my fitness clients to stick to their exercise program by listening to a

block of their favorite songs. One especially exercise-resistant client told me when she doesn’t wear her iPod she can barely make it through ten minutes of exercise. However, when her favorite songs are playing, she can go for 45 minutes to an hour! One of my good friends is a physical therapist. She uses music to help her clients in recovery from strokes and other neuromuscular disorders. Her clients focus on the beat of a song.Then they move different parts of their bodies with different forces and speeds. This helps them build up muscle memory that has been destroyed. New brain connections are formed. A historic study by Dr. Beisman in 1967 showed that children [boys and girls] could learn important skills - like throwing and catching balls, balancing, and dodging - better when listening to music. Music is a powerful thing. It can touch people in so many different ways. Chef and I recommend a daily dose of your favorite music every day to keep you healthy and happy. However, remember to listen to your music wisely. When listening to your iPod keep the volume low enough so that you can hear other people or cars around you. Always be respectful of your neighbors. Play your music only at the appropriate times of day. The next time you think you are not in the mood to exercise or go for a walk, turn on your favorite song! Then watch your energy level rise naturally. W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

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Chicago DineWise

A Mano: By Lee Barrie & Cindy Kurman Barrie StreetWise Contributors

A Mano, from the owners of the popular Bin 36 restaurant upstairs, is a delicious addition to Chicago’s growing collection of contemporary Italian trattorias with a stylish and casually chic vibe. And with its Bin 36 lineage, A Mano offers multi-faceted wine and cocktail menus. With its openness and varied seating spaces, the restaurant is an irresistible place to relax and enjoy conversation with friends over a nice glass of wine or a cocktail and some intriguing countrystyle Italian food. Located in River North, but very near the Loop, A Mano works very well for lunch, as an after-work wind-me-down, or as an interesting place for a casual dinner. On warm weather days, there is a comfortable outdoor seating area overlooking Dearborn. The lunch menu offers a stellar combination of authentic wood-fired oven pizza, soup, salads, panini and pasta. A welcome and delicious

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An irresistible, spacious trattoria to relax & enjoy with friends feature that separates A Mano from other trattorias is a robust antipasti bar ($12 per person) that can be ordered alone or as an accompaniment to the menu items. One can easily construct a balanced, filling meal from the antipasti bar alone, but coupled with a panini, pizza or pasta dish, the meal is a taste treat, indeed. The antipasti items change daily, but you’ll find some salads, tapenades, Italian cheeses, crostini, frittata, focaccia, grilled vegetables and homemade soup. The dinner menu offers a nice selection of Italian specialties. If you’re interested in some shared appetizers for the table, A Mano offers a variety of smoked meats and Italian cheeses. Other starters include a nice Trio of Bruschetta and an Antipasti Plate. Salads are plentiful, including an Asparagus Salad, Prosciutto di Parma with Summer Melon, Caesar Salad, Heirloom Tomato Salad and an Argula Salad. The wood-fired pizza is very fresh; the crust is thin and crispy. We enjoyed the house made A Mano Fennel Sausage as well as the Classic Margherita. Other intriguing choices include Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Whole Manila Clams,Wild Mushroom, Prosciutto di Parma, and Soppressata Salami. Panini selections run the gamut from hearty to light, and all are tasty. Choices include Prosciutto & Mozzarella with oven-dried tomatoes and arugula, Grilled Vegetables with fresh goat cheese, Chicken Parmigiana with marinara sauce and arugula, and the house specialty, Nonna Caputo's Meatballs with marinara sauce and fontina cheese.

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Pasta dishes are also given solid attention. Among the more unique choices are Linguini with mussels, clams and shrimp in a white wine and saffron broth, Garganelli with Wild Boar Ragu, Raisins and Pine Nuts, Lobster & Scallop Ravioli and a Risotto of the Day. Entrée choices include Grilled Flat Iron Steak, Whole Roasted Fish of the Day and a half Rotisserie Chicken with olive oil mashed potatoes. A Mano offers a generous dessert menu, including Cannoli, Chocolate and Espresso Mousse, and Tiramisu.We thought the homemade gelati and sorbets made for an excellent, refreshing finale. Don’t forget to check out the nightly specials. There are good deals for everyone, even the kids on Monday.

A Mano 335 N. Dearborn Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 629-3500 www.amanochicago.com Hours: 11:30-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. SundayThursday; 11:30-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-11 p.m. FridaySaturday Prices: Antipasti Bar, $12; Pizza, $12.50; Entrées: $12-$24 Cindy Kurman Barrie and Lee Barrie are the principals of Kurman Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing and public relations agency. Please visit their blog at gotbuzzatkurman.com

Health & Fitness

It’s about more than just looking good By John Godoy

LARGEMIRROR.COM.AU

StreetWise Contributor

f you were to ask people on the street what they thought physical fitness was, they’d likely tell you it was something they did in their youth, when they had more time, or that it was something only health nuts pursued. They would describe images of buff bods, six-pack abs, and curvy, sexy waistlines. They’re mistaken, of course. Physical fitness is much more than that. It carries far greater power than simply looking good with your shirt off. It’s freedom—it dramatically increases your choices and your capacity to do whatever you want in every aspect of your life. It will improve your personal life as well as your work life and social life. It does all this by giving you not only a greater sense of self, but by providing you with a greater physical and mental capacity to perform your endeavors. It might be the self-confidence necessary to ask someone out on a date or stand up for yourself when confronted by a bully. It might be the ability to play with your kids rather than sitting on the sidelines because your body won’t respond to your mind’s desires. It might even be a greater capacity for creativity and endurance in your work or studies as a result of greater stamina and blood and oxygen flow. To better understand this point, try looking at the concept of physical fitness from the opposite perspective: the absence of fitness. In the absence of fitness we greatly jeopardize not only our capacity to work but, more importantly, our very employability. As an

employee, if you’re constantly sick or need special equipment such as the kind of chair commonly seen under the backsides of workers at megastores and banks, your employer may quietly discriminate against you because you appear less productive: meaning you provide your employer fewer returns for the money they’re paying you than someone who’s more physically fit and thus has a higher capacity for work and productivity. People who sacrifice physical fitness jeopardize their finances in the long term in that all their hard-earned money

will be used to cover medical expenses. A lack of physical fitness also leaves you susceptible to violence, as predators pick on those who seem weak and look like easy targets. Being physically fit sends a signal that you aren’t to be meddled with. Remember, physical fitness is a choice, just like sloth and apathy. If the latter two are your choice, then I encourage you to consider how much more freedom you would have in your life if you incorporated fitness.

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

Event Calendar August 19-25 Thursday It’s Dance Night in Evanston, with music by the Midway Ramblers. Starting at 6:30 p.m. with a dance lesson, the spirit of the Cajun bayou fires up at 7:30, with the Ramblers playing until 9 p.m. 909 Davis Plaza, Evanston (the Davis stop on the El and Metra). Free and open to all ages.

Friday-Sunday The Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest (GAAF) is a free, weekend-long event that features artists, open studios, and live entertainment on three outdoor stages. Experience art of all disciplines, plus music, theater, and food and drink on the cobblestone streets of the Glenwood Avenue Arts District in Chicago’s historic Rogers Park neighborhood. The two-day street fair is Saturday and Sunday from noon until 8 p.m., but it begins with a kickoff party Friday night, 6-10 p.m., on the North Stage at Glenwood and Lunt, with live, acoustic blues and ragtime by Devil in a Woodpile, exotic belly dancing from Read My Hips, and fire dancing with Pyrotechniq. Main Stage (Morse Ave. at Greenview Ave.) Saturday Noon: Soul 45s (DJ set)¬ 1 p.m.: Jimmy Bennington's Colour and Sound (jazz) 2 p.m.: Zutano (Latin) 3 p.m.: Back in the Day (hip-hop) 4 p.m.: Jon Drake & the Shakes (Americana, rock) 5 p.m.: Dave Herrero (blues) 6:15 p.m.: Black Diamond Heavies (rock, soul) 7:30 p.m.: Deal’s Gone Bad (soul, ska) Sunday Noon: Soul 45s (DJ set) 1 p.m.: Sarah & the Tall Boys (country) 2 p.m.: South Boulevard (blues, soul) 3 p.m.: 11 (funk rock) 4 p.m.: the Drastics (dub reggae) 5 p.m.: Elephant Gun (rock, Americana) 6:15 p.m.: Ifficial Reggae (reggae) 7:30 p.m.: Ty Stone: The Soul of James Brown Post-festival performances Dukes Hideaway, 6920 Glenwood Ave.: Fri 9 p.m.: the Mudflapps Sat 9 p.m.: Sons of Susan Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood: Fri 9 p.m.: the Mark Cleveland Band, Marc Jordan Sat 9 p.m.: An Evening With Nick Tremulis Sun 8 p.m.: Kelan Phil Cohran

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Calendar Spotlight: Chicago Park District’s Family Day Camp Series Spend an action-packed day with your kids this summer at a Chicago Family Day Camp. Travel with three to five families and a “camp leader” on public transportation to Pilsen or Jackson Park for a day filled with hands-on nature and art activities and trips to neighborhood parks and cultural organizations. From fishing and swimming to museum tours and nature trails, the whole family can enjoy exploring Chicago neighborhoods together in a new way. Family Day Camps take place on Fridays through August 28 and are recommended for children ages six and up with an adult; they cost $10 per person. Register by calling 312.742.8497 or visit explorechicago.org. August 21: Pilsen Discover Chicago’s largest Mexican-American community in Pilsen. Tour the exhibits at the National Museum of Mexican Art and make your own masterpiece in a hands-on workshop. Then grab a quick, authentic Mexican lunch on bustling 18th Street before participating in outdoor activities and swimming at Harrison Park. August 28: Jackson Park Explore nature and the site of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition on this adventure to Jackson Park. Stroll through Wooded Island and the Osaka Garden on a guided tour, learn how to fish in the nearby lagoon, and enjoy lunch at the 63rd Street Beach House and swimming in Lake Michigan. Family Day Camps are presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Chicago Park Red Line Tap, 7006 N. Glenwood: Fri 9 p.m.: the Rogers Park Rocks Sat 9 p.m.: the Mudflapps, Barry R. Rabovsky Sun 8 p.m.: Outlaw Family Band, the Montauks

District. They begin at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street, at 9:30 a.m., and return to the Cultural Center at 3:30 p.m. Lunch and transportation are included, but participants should bring their own swimsuits and towels. Chicago is a great family destination and an excellent value this summer. In addition to Family Day Camps, check out Neighborhood Week at the Family Fun Tent in Millennium Park, Neighborhood Scavenger Hunts, and the Great Performers of Illinois festival, featuring an 8,000-square-foot corn maze. To find more ideas for family fun, visit explorechicago.org. Red Red Meat, a Chicago alt-rock band that broke up in 1997 but has reunited for various shows since then, performs a free show; Canadian indie-rock band Rural Alberta Advantage opens. Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St. 6:30 p.m. 312.742.1168. Free.

For a complete lineup, go to glenwoodave.org.

Monday The Chicago Park District's annual outdoor film series takes place in more than 125 neighborhood parks and makes for a great cheap date (just remember to bring your own picnic and blanket). Free. For more information call 312.742.7529. Showing tonight: 1984’s Ghostbusters (River Park, 5100 N. Francisco Ave.) and 2008’s Kung Fu Panda (Ellen Gates Starr Park, 2306 W. Maypole Ave.).

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Tuesday Relax and wait out the madness with Rush Hour Concerts at St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron St., now in its 10th season. Featuring Third Coast Percussion, a group that combines the energy of a rock concert with the finesse of classical chamber music, the Chicagobased group has swiftly gained national attention since its performances at the Kennedy Center and the Chicago Cultural Center. This is the last chance to catch Rush Hour Concerts until next summer. 5:45 p.m. 773.338.9480. Free.

StreetWise Theatre PHOTO: MICHAEL BROSILOW

Up coming down at Steppenwolf Up, not to be confused with the current Pixar film, is closing its run at the Steppenwolf Theatre this Sunday, August 23. It’s the story of Walter Griffin, who on the best day of his life built a flying machine that reached the clouds. Ever since he’s tried to recapture that authentic moment of feeling completely free. His son, Mikey, dreams of a different path to freedom: getting rich. And his wife, Helen, just dreams of a husband who will keep his feet on the ground. Up is a quirky, bittersweet tale about an American family trying to escape the boundaries of the everyday by harnessing the power of the imagination.

Tony Hernandez and ensemble member Ian Barford

The History Boys at TimeLine Theatre Originally scheduled to run through the end of June, this popular production has been extended through September 27. The recipient of more than 30 major awards, including Tony and Olivier awards for Best New Play, The History Boys follows a rambunctious group of clever young men as they pursue higher learning, games, sexual identity, and a place at their university under the guidance of three wildly different teachers and a headmaster obsessed with results. Set during the 1980s in northern England, it’s a hilarious and provocative play about the anarchy of adolescence and the purpose of education, specifically how history should be taught. The History Boys premiered in London at the National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre in May 2004 and played to sold-out audiences for an extended run before touring Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia, in 2006. The play premiered on Broadway in April of ’06 and received six Tony Awards. It’s also been adapted into a feature film. This show routinely sells out, so get your tickets early! Seventeen weeks of sold-out shows and counting! Wed-Thu 7:30 p.m., Fri 8 p.m., Sat 3 and 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m., TimeLine Theatre Company, 615 W. Wellington Ave. $25-$35. For more information call 773.281.8463. The History Boys runs 3 hours and 15 minutes, with one intermission.

Playwright Bridget Carpenter is an award-winner whose works have been produced at theaters across the country, including Arena Stage, Lincoln Center, and the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Anna D. Shapiro directed Steppenwolf’s critically-acclaimed production of August: Osage County, currently playing on Broadway. Up features Steppenwolf ensemble members Ian Barford and Martha Lavey alongside Rachel Brosnahan, Jake Cohen, Tony Hernandez, and Lauren Katz. Wed 2 and 7:30 p.m., Thu-Fri 7:30 p.m., Sat 3 and 7:30 p.m., and Sun 3 p.m., 1650 N. Halsted St. (downstairs theatre). $42-$50. For more information call 312.335.1650 or visit steppenwolf.org.

PHOTO BY LARA GOETSCH

High Fidelity: The Musical at Route 66 Route 66 Theatre Company will present the Chicago premiere of High Fidelity: The Musical in its first major production since its Broadway run in 2006. The rock musical will run through October 11 in the old Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding space at Pipers Alley Theater, 1608 N. Wells St. Part rock concert and part offbeat romantic comedy, High Fidelity is the fourth production from Chicago’s newest Equity theatre company. High Fidelity is based on the 2000 film starring John Cusack. Originally a 1995 British novel by Nick Hornby, High Fidelity has become a cult classic around the world. The show features music by recent Tony Award winner Tom Kitt and Amanda Green and a book written by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire. The story follows Rob, the thirtysomething owner of Championship Vinyl, a beloved Chicago record store. When his current relationship with girlfriend Laura goes south, Rob enlists the help of his two quirky clerks to expound on the intricacies of life and music while revisiting his former relationships to find out where he went wrong. Route 66 Theatre Company takes a Flight of the Conchords approach with the show, featuring the talents of Michael Mahler and Jonathan Wagner as clerks Dick and Barry, respectively, who will double as onstage band members alongside Derek Hasenstab and Jim Barclay. High Fidelity also stars Jeff Award-winning actor and Route 66 artistic director Stef Tovar as Rob. The Pipers Alley Theater setting provides patrons with an intimate bar atmosphere to enjoy this Chicago premiere event. Thu-Fri 8 p.m., Sat 4:30 and 8:30 p.m., Sun 3 p.m. $25-$39.50. For more information call 312-664-8844 or visit route66theatre.org.

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

Marc Morial, Vice President Joe Biden and Cheryle Jackson,president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, and Valerie Biden Owens at the 2009 National Urban League Annual Conference in Chicago

Rebuilding America’s Workforce

By Suzanne Hanney Editor-in-Chief

ice President Joe Biden told the National Urban League annual conference at McCormick Place on July 31 that the $787 billion stimulus package was a “most misunderstood” piece of legislation.

“What part of this act is about was not keeping people from falling through the cracks, but keeping them from falling in a deep black hole," Biden said, according to the Associated Press. "We had to build a foundation for a newer and stronger economy." Women, minorities, and veterans have been hardest hit by the recession, Biden added, and said he’d instructed President Obama’s Cabinet to educate business owners in those groups about opportunities such as loans from the Economic Recovery Act. "The Urban League has never backed down," Biden said. "There's a greater need for you today in this new century . . . than there was 99 years ago." The organization was founded in 1910 to help African-Americans from the South who were new arrivals in New York. But last December, amid an 11.2 percent jobless rate for African-Americans, National Urban League president Marc Morial said, “Clearly we have not seen the promised benefits of the $700 billion taxpayer bailout of Wall Street.” He proposed the creation of a jobs program to rebuild America’s infrastructure. “Main Street and urban America need action now,” he said, calling for 150,000 to 200,000 new jobs. A similar program during the 1974-‘75 recession resulted in 100,000 jobs, he noted. “We agree with President-elect Obama, the nation's governors and mayors, and a growing

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number of leading economists that the centerpiece of a job-focused recovery plan must be substantial investments in rebuilding the nation's infrastructure and shifting to a greener, more energy-efficient and energy-independent economy,” Morial said last December. “We know this will work. One Department of Transportation study found that for every $1 billion in investment, 48,000 jobs are created in one year. Without these much-needed investments in infrastructure, many inner-city communities are doomed to continue the cycle of joblessness and poverty.“ National Urban League officials said a 9 percent nationwide unemployment rate translates to 8 percent for whites, 17 percent for AfricanAmericans, and 12.5 percent for Latinos. The jobless rate in Illinois, as of June, is even higher: 10.3 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Morial also sought funding for pre-apprenticeship programs in the construction industry to benefit disadvantaged workers. Besides infrastructure, he sought community development block grants to build schools, community centers, libraries, recreation centers, and parks. On February 17 President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which includes $48 billion for infrastructure such as highways and bridges, mass transit, rail, and aviation. Illinois’ share is $936 million, according to officials at the Illinois Department of Transportation; the district that includes Chicago received $282 million and the city itself another $180 million. Soon afterward, IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig identified $693 million in “shovel-ready” projects statewide “that can be awarded quickly to put people to work in the construction industry.” WW WW W.. SS TT RR EE EE TT W W II SS EE .. O O RR GG W

Among Cook County’s largest were: • $21.1 million to reconstruct and improve intersections on I-294 to Halsted Street in Markham and Harvey • $10.9 million to resurface five miles of the Bishop Ford Expressway west of King Drive to 130th Street in Chicago • $8.9 million for resurfacing 4.3 miles of the Bishop Ford from 130th Street to U.S. 6 (159th Street) in Dolton, Chicago, Calumet City, and South Holland • $7.1 million for ramp modifications and a retaining wall at Hubbard’s Cave on the Kennedy Expressway • $6.24 million for a bridge “carrying 26th St. and I-55 Frontage Rd. B over the Franklin Connector” in Chicago

By August 6, IDOT had awarded 205 projects worth $505 million statewide, and the department has already started 180 projects worth $100 million. It’s also started a new Web site to allow the public to track active projects: dot.state.il.us/ DashboardPublic.

Education is the key By Allison Horton StreetWise Contributor Earvin “Magic” Johnson always wanted to become a businessman once he retired from basketball. “I wanted to go back to the community and try to affect change,” said the five-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend, who says he’s invested $2 billion in urban communities through his partnerships with retailers like Starbucks,T.G.I. Friday’s, and Best Buy. The key to affecting change is educating the workforce, according to panelists during a discussion hosted by the National Urban League during its annual conference, July 29-August 1, at the McCormick Place convention center. Johnson was

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StreetWise Feature

Above: Work on the Dan Ryan, a “shovel-ready” project I.D.O.T says can put Americans to work. Below: An Allstate booth at the National Urban League conference here.

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Bottom: Gov. Pat Quinn at the National Urban League conference opening reception

joined on the panel by local businessmen and community leaders, including Thomas Wilson, chairman, president, and CEO of Allstate; Paula Prahl, senior vice president of communications and public affairs for Best Buy; Wayne Watson, president of Chicago State University; and Dr. Larry Goodman, president and CEO of Rush University Medical Center. The panelists agreed that education is needed to obtain a job in today’s world. “The system of education in high school, community college, or college and beyond must work together in order that we stand the best chance in the 21st century in preparing a skilled workforce,” said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and moderator of the panel. In 2007, he added, seven million young people across the U.S. didn’t finish high school on time . Watson noted that people who have an associate’s degree make $500,000 more in their lifetime than those who only have a high school diploma. He said a “solid general education” that includes math, communication, and critical thinking skills is vital. Urban areas often don’t receive quality education, Wilson said. “That is a problem in America that needs to be fixed. We need to have people with a broad-based education who can learn how to do other things. It is important to [us] to build a sustainable workforce. “Businesses have to stand up, complain, and do something about the crappy education our kids get in America,” he said. “They are our customers and our employees. We need good educated people.” Unfortunately, American businesses are looking overseas to fill their need for educated workers, Wilson said. One solution, in his opinion, would be to extend the required education period, making it mandatory for people to receive education from ages 3-20; partnerships between businesses and the public sector would help fund the needed education. Wilson said Allstate is currently advocating for elementary and high schools as well as community colleges. “I have never fixed anything in my company without money,” he said. “Whatever is wrong requires money to fix it. I have a hard time when we say in the educational system, ‘We should fix it but we can’t have any more money—we should just do it more efficiently.’” Watson agreed that extending the age requirement in the educational system would raise “the quality of life” for young people. “The people who are being harmed are not the people in power,” he said, adding that statistics have shown that only four out of every 100 African-American males will graduate from college. If these were the odds for young males in affluent (i.e., white) suburbs, there would be an “uproar,” Watson said, adding that the people being affected don’t have a voice that’s heard by those in power. “We can change America and improve the quality of life, but we have to make a very clear decision that they believe in education,” he said.“Education is not just for the rich, but for everybody.”

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

StreetWise Feature

Giving a ‘Second Chance’ By Beshanda Spencer StreetWise Contributor Sherann Jackson traveled from Springfield, MA. to attend this year’s National Urban League conference in Chicago. While she networked and attended several events, it was a workshop on The Second Chance Act that went beyond her professional ambitions and hit close to home. With her 19-year-old brother facing jail time, Jackson was seeking answers. If her brother was sentenced to several years in prison, what options would he have upon his release? The audience was shown statistics that highlighted the disproportionate ratio of minority youth in the criminal justice system. Youth of color account for nearly 70 percent of those confined although they comprise only 38 percent of the youth population. James Bell of the W. Haywood Burns Institute says this is because youth of color are charged more than youth of other ethnic backgrounds for similar conduct. Mark Solar, executive director of the Center for Children’s Law and Policy, agreed. Solar used zero tolerance policies that several educational systems have adapted as an example. These laws “work against youth of color” when incidents that can be solved in the school are turned over to the judicial system. The problem is that some “teachers aren’t taking the time to discipline kids. Instead they send them straight to jail,” Illinois Rep. Annazette Collins (D10th) said. Rep. Collins spoke about Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) that requires states to assess and address the disproportionate confinement of minority juveniles in all secure facilities. Launched in 2007, the DMC Action Network and its subsidiary, Models for Change, provide resources to address the disparity problem. DMC occurs because of location of offenses, but also conscious or unconscious racial and ethnic stereotypes, according to a Powerpoint presentation during its inaugural available on the Center for Children’s Law and Policy Web site. Among the solutions is to identify decision points where racial disparities exist or where there is unnecessary involvement of the justice system. Key decisions can be made at arrest, referral, informal resolution, detention, petition, adjudication, probation, placement or waiver. Through improved data and intentional and targeted interventions, Models for Change locales are working to promote fair and unbiased juvenile justice systems that treat youth equally regardless of their race or ethnicity. Peoria is one of the first sites. But it was the Second Chance Act that caught Jackson’s attention. The act provides counseling and training for people reentering society to help

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them not only with employment but with addictions as well. Several faithbased organizations receive funding to provide these services. Because this is a national effort, programs are available in most states. Toni Irvin, a representative from the City of Chicago Reentry Initiatives program, highlighted Chicago’s efforts. Irvin cited various training programs being offered through the City Colleges of Chicago as examples, as well as the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. Kennedy-King College, for example, offers a 16-week training program for the formerly incarcerated. The program, officially titled Chicagoland Youth and Adult Training Center (CYATC), trains participants in automotive repair. The initiative is a collaboration between the private sector, faith-based organizations and government. The program works because Kennedy-King College receives stateof-the-art equipment and sponsoring dealers get well-trained employees for entry-level service positions. Students are trained in a simulated classroom environment. Their curriculum encompasses brake repair to oil changes. They also receive tutoring and life-skills training. Having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify someone from obtaining a job. The council for reentry is committed to finding employment for newly released individuals, who are reviewed individually and on a case-by-case basis. This way they are placed into positions that are right for them and do not pose a risk to others. Reentry laws are also being reevaluated as they relate to public safety. “A lot of businesses are under the impression that certain licenses may be denied to them but we are taking another, closer look at those sanctions,” Irvin said. Kennedy-King’s CYATC program was expanded thru an ordinance introduced by Mayor Daley that allowed the Chicago Department of Fleet Management to participate in the program. Because of the ordinance, graduates have the opportunity to do preventive maintenance on non-public safety light-duty City vehicles. This paid work enables these individuals to establish a foundation for continued employment at private auto body shops. This City contract has also laid the foundation for a similar potential arrangement with the State, according to information provided by the City of Chicago. Changing the public’s perception is something everyone can do immediately to strengthen reentry initiatives. Panelists encouraged the audience to do this by sharing success stories and contacting government officials in support of initiatives as they relate to reentry efforts-something Jackson plans to do.

La Raza honors Instituto Instituto del Progreso Latino (Instituto) received the 2009 Affiliate of the Year Award from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation’s largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization at its annual conference in late July in Chicago, immediately prior to the National Urban League conference. The two conferences, each by a leading minority advocacy group, were both held in Chicago by coincidence, not because of President Obama’s ties to the city, officials said. The Urban League conference had been scheduled two years ago. The 2009 Affiliate of the Year Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Latino community and support for NCLR policy and programmatic initiatives. "We are honored to be recognized as the 2009 NCLR Affiliate of the Year Awardee, the success of Instituto del Progreso Latino can only be measured by the success of the families who walk through our doors and create positive impact that resonates throughout their lives and community,” said Juan Salgado, president & CEO, Instituto del Progreso Latino. Incorporated in 1977 to help Latino immigrants learn English, find employment and accustom their children to US educational systems, Instituto now helps more than 14,000 participants annually to advance their basic academic skills, improve their English or Spanish, obtain a high school diploma, pass the GED exam, become U.S. citizens, increase their job skills, and provide assistance with employment opportunities. Workforce Development and Career Pathways Instituto provides workforce development for highly skilled manufacturing positions as well as career pathway training to foster a competitive workforce that meets today’s market demands. Programs include: • ManufacturingWorks: In partnership with the City of Chicago, it identifies skill gaps among the existing workforce along with skill sets needed for hard-to-fill positions within a context of no-waste, “lean manufacturing” principles. Last year, ManufacturingWorks helped 530 persons find jobs at 130 Chicagoland companies, including Azteca Foods, Inc. and Kraft Foods. • The Center for Working Families (CWF): A dynamic partnership between Instituto and The Resurrection Project that provides job training, career coaching, financial counseling and access to public benefits increasing a family’s economic self-sufficiency. Among CWF’s 396 current participants, 353 are receiving career coaching, 216 have secured full-time jobs, 139 maintain a family budget, 151 have completed a financial literacy course, 17 have established retirement accounts and six have bought a home. • Carreras en Salud: An award-winning collaborative program with Association House of Chicago, Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center of Wilbur Wright College and the National Council of LaRaza, which helps limited English-proficient students become Licensed Practical Nurses. Over 700 students have enrolled since 2005 and 85 have completed the program; they have doubled their salaries, earning an average $40,000 a year. • Mujeres Avanzando: Instituto’s latest pilot program helps single mothers with careers, wealth creation, leadership development and childcare. In partnership with Mujeres Latinas en Accion and The Resurrection Project, it involves one-on-one career coaching and work with a financial coach to create a family budget and investments. Leadership development is based on self-discovery and knowledge-building within a culturally sensitive program created by Mujeres Latinas. Crossgenerational & Bi-lingual Education Learning supported by family engagement that produces more high school and college graduates is the goal. Early education programming such as KEY (Keep Educating Youth) works with elementary age children in the areas of academic tutoring, life skills, arts, and sports recreation so kids will stay in school. The Escalera Program is a college bridge program partnership with the National Council of La Raza and the PepsiCo Foundation that addresses barriers to education, employment and economic mobility ranging from limited English proficiency to low-income origins, juvenile records or legalization status. The program shows career opportunities and the necessary education to attain them and explores different types of colleges and universities. Currently, Instituto is leading the way in Illinois as the largest citizenship preparation center; it processes 2,500 applications annually with 98% becoming U.S. citizens.

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The Playground

Ask Eugene

Crossword

“all the brilliance that will fit” Dear Eugene: I was riding the train to work today and I was a bit perplexed . . . I saw a young man wearing a brand-new three-piece suit, a bold red tie, a short, conservatively swept haircut, and to complete the ensemble—the part that confused me—he was reading the National Enquirer. What gives? —Seriously, What Gives? Dear Seriously: That is quite the people-watching debacle you’ve found yourself in, to be sure. Please allow me to intercede and analyze the situation to death. Eugene’s Professional Opinion: This young man’s car was being worked on. He drives a Saab because he likes to splice luxury with Swedish sensibilities. (He’s rich but not that rich, otherwise he’d be driving an Audi.) He normally abhors the public rail, and as a wunderkind Yuppie he’d never mix with the common commuter, as doing so is lean on networking opportunities. He just happened to be reading that groundbreaking journalistic stool because he found it on the train (probably left behind by some miscreant band of ne’er-do-wells). He would never buy it with money intended for a hedge fund or fair-trade monocle-cleaning solution. No, no! I’m sure that if you’d followed him he would have traveled to some high, smoked-glass tower to make more money than you’ve ever dreamed of. He also would’ve dipped his hands in superheated paraffin wax to revitalize himself from the sully before heading to a back-room, wine-fueled power lunch.

You can send Eugene your questions at 1201 W. Lake, Chicago, IL, 60607 or e-mail him at supreme_eugene@yahoo.com.

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

International Vendor Spotlight

Former sail maker sells in Copenhagen, Denmark Name: Søren Lambæk Age: 50 Town: Copenhagen Country: Denmark Street Paper: Hus Forbi I’ve been homeless for a year and a half, but I’ve only been selling Hus Forbi since April. I have found myself a good selling spot in front of IKEA in Gentofte north of Copenhagen. I also give people hand with the trolleys there. Yesterday I sold 100 papers – that’s the most I’ve sold on one day. I sleep rough at Charlottenlund Fort (beach north of Copenhagen in an area with many rich people, ed.), so, when people ask, I can tell I have a nice address! I know the man, who is taking care of the place. He is looking after my stuff during the day when I’m out selling. I sleep under a roof there, last time it was raining he told me he “forgot” to lock the toilets – so I could go inside. I cook my own food on a primus – lot’s of spaghetti – but I’m also good at rice porridge! I worked as many different things before I became homeless. My last job was as dustman, but I got fired since I had no driving license. I’m educated as a sail maker and have been working, among other things, as a scaffolder and a caretaker. I consider selling Hus Forbi as a job as well. I like it because of the contact with people. I spend a lot of time talking with the buyers. Most people are nice to me, a lot just pass without noticing. I’ve only met one guy who yelled at me: “Why don’t you get a job” etc. All I can say is that I work more hours than many

others. I’ve also been robbed once – in Istedgade in Copenhagen – a man stole some money from me. I think it was about drugs. I don’t use drugs myself, never did and never will, but I smoke a little pot sometimes. I was born in Copenhagen and have lived here all my life. I’ve also been married. I have two kids, 20 and 18 years old, but I don’t see them for the moment. One day while selling at IKEA I met my exwife and the kids.We had a chat and they bought a paper and gave me 200 kroner (27 Euro). Actually I talk better with my ex now than when we were married. Where will I be in five years? I hope I will have a job – maybe as a caretaker. I like outdoor life and as I said before, the contact with people, and I’m good with my hands. I’ve been helping many friends repairing their windows and so on. I also hope to find a place to live – one bedroom would be enough for me. And I hope to find a new girlfriend some day. Until them I will keep on selling Hus Forbi . It’s good for me. I’m a work horse, if I didn’t have a job I’d go out drinking. Hus Forbi keeps me from that, you can’t sell when you are drunk. By Street News Service SNS Exclusive © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org Street pa pers like this one a re produced a ll over the world to provide editoria l voices missing from the ma instrea m media . The Interna tiona l Network of Street Pa pers brings together their content through the Street News Service. This Service provides exclusive content to street pa per rea ders worldwide.

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A U G U S T 19-A U G U S T 25, 2009

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