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ThinkWise Living Your Dream of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.” Today, we see visible evidence of Dr. King’s dream fulfilled. As Chicago’s own, Barack Obama, steps into his role as President of the United States, we applaud him on continuing the legacy of Dr. King. Even more important, we applaud him on staying the course with his own dream. He fulfilled it despite the many obstacles in front of him and despite the fact that there was no precedent for a man of color to achieve the highest office in the land. He succeeded because he refused to pay heed to any idea of limitation. We each need a big dream in our lives – it is the spark Mary Beth & Michael Speer that propels us forward through any obstacles. Dr. Michael Executive Director, Publisher Beckwith says “There is a haunting call within our consciousness enticing us towards reality. Reverberating withn last week’s ThinkWise column, we said “we are all in our soul, it urges us to become and express increasingprovided with infinite possibilities to create mean- ly more of our essential self. We are on the planet to ingful, fulfilling lives. But first, we respond to that call, to wrap our consciousness around the must be clear on our purpose. Your divine treasure within us, and to be joy, creativity, peace, purpose, at any point in time, is anything compassion and unconditional love.” that makes your heart sing. It’s the special Your “call” is your dream. It contains great power, but way of living that you dream about.” must be trusted and nurtured in order to This week, we celebrate two great men manifest. Dreams are not bound by any We each need a precedent. And, they are not limited by any who have truly lived their respective dreams. On January 15, we celebrate the big dream in our appearances – unless you choose to let them birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and on lives – it is the be limited. When confronted by any apparJanuary 20, the inauguration of President ent obstacles, remind yourself that “because spark that Elect Barack Obama. It seems no coinciI’m not moved by appearances, appearances propels us dence that these two events occur back-tomove for me.” back. forward through 45 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King had and live your dream in 2009. It is any obstacles.” theNurture these famous words: great gift that you bring to this world. “I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and Mary Beth & Michael Speer tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have Mary Beth Speer is Executive Director of the a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out DuPage Center for Spiritual Living. Michael Speer the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be is Executive Director of StreetWise and is also a Spiritual Teacher self-evident: that all men are created equal.”” at DuPage Center. Contact them by e-mail at “I have a dream that my four little children will one day michael@speerit.com or visit their Web site at www.dupagecenlive in a nation where they will not be judged by the color ter.org.
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www.streetwise.org J A N U A R Y 14-J A N U A R Y 20, 2009
Street News Service Kenyans celebrate Barack Obama’s election as head of the free world. The Big Issue in Kenya talks to Barack’s grandmother and others from his father’s home village.
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ginny & the chef Ginny & the Chef offer a healthy alternative to mixed drinks and show how to make their favorite non-alcoholic beverages.
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events calendar Martin Luther King’s Birthday celebration at the Chicago History Museum, George McGovern on Abraham Lincoln, Polar Adventure Days and the Chicago Music Awards.
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Chicago goes to Washington Whether or not they get close to Barack Obama Chicagoans are making the pilgrimage to Washington D.C. for his inauguration to be part of history.
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International Network of Street Papers page 5 This Week in Chicago page 6 Cover Story page 12-13
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J A N U A R Y 14-J A N U A R Y 20, 2009
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Guest Editor: Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Facing the scope of family homelessness
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At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, homeless students numbered 10,642— an increase of 1,672 students.
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Children on the way to the CCH-sponsored Equal Voices Town Hall Meeting Sept. 06 By Laurene Heybach Director, Law Project Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
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hica go’s Pla n to End Homelessness, (StreetWise, Nov. 5-11, 2008) a guest editorial from the City’s Housing Commissioner, masks the true extent of homelessness in Chicago. In it, Commissioner Ellen Sahli reports a “24% decrease in the number of homeless families” between 2005 and 2007, which she attributes to the success of the City’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless supported the Ten-Year Plan, but has clearly identified that the City’s failure to put sufficient resources in the Plan ensures its failure. (See Una ddressed, Why Chica go’s 10-yea r pla n to end homelessness will not work at http://chicagohomeless.org/files/Archive/ Unadd_reformat.pdf).
Just a quick look at the numbers of homeless students reported by the Chicago Public Schools during that same time period shows what a false measure the Commissioner is using. There were 8,970 homeless students counted by CPS at the end of the 2004-2005 school year. CPS is required by federal law to count these students and to include not only those children whose families access shelters, but also students whose families are doubled-up in the housing of others because they cannot afford housing of their own. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, homeless students numbered 10,642—an increase of 1,672 students. Certainly these numbers are inconsistent with any decrease in family homelessness. Most significantly, on the date the editorial appeared, 8,273 homeless students were identified by CPS through the month of October, 2008. With eight months to go in the 2008-2009 school year yet, the figures are already substantially higher (+475) than in October 2007. Let’s be forthright about this. Creating a false sense of progress on the issue of family homelessness is not in the best interest of our City. Homelessness is taking a terrible toll on our children, our families, our communities. I expect StreetWise not only to invite scrutiny of its guest editorials, but to ensure that the public gets the real picture on Chicago’s homelessness.
Contributing Writers John Godoy is a Chicago-based wellness consultant and personal trainer with a leading prevention-based, integrative health and wellness provider.
Jim Memolo is a member of WGN’s 720 Sports Central, where he can be heard from 7 to 9 p.m. weeknights and weekend afternoons. Memolo previously hosted morning drive on Sporting News Radio and was morning drive co-host for five
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years on WSCR. He also served as producer for Howard Cosell's shows on ABC Radio. Ginny & The Chef: Originally a professional chef, Chef J now writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column on food and fitness in Chicago. J. is 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 W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G
such as Chicago Tribune and On-Health magazine. Ginny has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science and dietetics and a master’s degree in nutrition communications & marketing. Richard Pegue has lived the music he writes about. Pegue has been music director at WVON and program director and fill-in disc jockey at WGCI. He is now heard Saturday nights on WKKC, 89.3 FM.
J A N U A R Y 14-J A N U A R Y 20, 2009
International Network of Street Papers (INSP)
Obama win affects Kenya politics When Barack Obama was declared leader of the free world, the streets of Kenya were filled with a new spirit of optimism. Zachary Ochieng, from The Big Issue in Kenya, travelled to Obama’s ancestral village to witness the celebrations.
By Zachary Ochieng The Big Issue in Scotland
s the streets erupt in singing, dancing and wild uluations of joy, a bull is slaughtered in Nyango’ma Kogelo village and a feast is declared in the honor of the man decreed leader of the free world – whose economist father was born right here. Obama’s grandmother, Sarah, is 86 and is the guest of honor at the feast. But almost as soon as the votes are counted and her grandson was confirmed as the next in line to George W. Bush, things change. An almost impenetrable police protection ring is immediately thrown up around her, and she has become virtually inaccessible. Journalists who used to wander into her compound for a chat now have a hard time making their way through the appointments system that is introduced and managed by the conquering hero’s half-sister, Dr Auma Obama. Sarah tells me she didn’t want special treatment on election night. Her wish wasn’t granted. But when we speak, she talks of her immense pride in her grandson. She believes his victory was due to his hard work and eloquence, and is quietly confident that the repercussions for Kenya, a
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abroad and from the major towns in Kenya to monitor America’s unfolding drama from Kogelo. Obama’s step-brother, Abong’o Obama, cannot conceal his joy, “I believe what has happened today will change the world.” The party and feasting that is going on at Sarah’s home is mirrored right across the nation, which is united in a night-long vigil, thousands of people glued to television screens. For the people of the late Obama senior’s home village, in Siaya District of Nyanza province, it is an especially poignant wait. As the triumph was announced, they burst en masse into the dusty road, waving twigs and miniature American flags and chanting gospel and traditional songs.“Ja Kogelo yiengo piny” - Dholuo for “the man from Kogelo shakes the world.” The celebrating masses literally drink their towns dry: several bars run out of beer. They can hardly be blamed for seizing the opportunity to celebrate a historic triumph of democracy that saw the first black man elected to the most powerful position in the world. Last December the country was wracked with violence after elections which saw both incumbent president Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga claim victory. Kibaki grabbed power and had himself sworn in, which sparked a wave of unrest. In the subsequent protests, more than 1,000 people died and the number displaced is estimated at between 300,000 and 600,000. The trouble was finally quelled after a power-
Last year, they stole victory from our son Raila Odinga, but God has now compensated us only a few months later.
nation crippled by corruption and standing in the shadow of violence, will filter through from the opposite side of the Atlantic.“Though he has his roots in Kenya, Barack is the president of the US. But we believe his win will benefit Kenya as well,” she says. Revealing that she was soon to visit her grandson in the US, Sarah was surrounded by family on election night. They have travelled from
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sharing deal was brokered in April, with Odinga sworn in as Prime Minister. But resentment remains, and this is why Obama’s victory in the US is seen as a harbinger of hope for the future. “Last year, they stole victory from our son Raila Odinga, but God has now compensated us only a few months later. As a community, we are very proud of Obama’s achieve-
PHOTO COURTESY IMAGES.NEWSMAX.COM
ment.” says Mary Otieno, a Nairobi businesswoman and native of Kisumu, the bedrock of Prime Minister Odinga’s support. Members of the Luo, a Nilo-Hamitic ethnic community from where Obama’s father hailed, have been walking with heads held high and a renewed spring in their step. For a community that is known to be proud and arguably the most educated in the country, the Luo are now referring to themselves as the only community that can produce a president in Kenya as well as in the US. Riaga Ogalo, the chairman of the Luo council of elders, is full of praise for Obama, whom he first met in 2006 when he visited Kenya. “His victory is not only a victory for the Luo community but for Kenya as a whole. We are very proud of him.” The bullish spirit of optimism that accompanies the victory reaches even the poorest neglected corners of Kenya: “Obama is our son and so is Raila.We are unstoppable,” an elderly Luo man from Nairobi’s Kibera slums was overheard saying as crowds pour into the streets. President Mwai Kibaki declared November 6 a public holiday – perhaps wisely, given the jubilant imbibing that wiped out beer supplies. “This is a momentous day not only in the history of the United States of America, but also for us in Kenya,” the President told Kenyans in a state broadcast. “Senator Obama’s victory is our own victory because of his roots. We are full of pride.”
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Former president Daniel arap Moi also congratulated Obama. “The Kenyan people noted with joy your commendable oratory, persuasive powers and gentlemanly conduct. Your victory is a momentous turning point in the politics and race relations of the USA,” said Moi. Prime minister Odinga said Obama’s victory would boost trade between Africa and the US, and he would become a totem for the citizens of the future: “The election of an African-American with Kenyan roots to the White House would give hope to the youth that everything is achievable.” At US ambassador Michael Ranneberger’s residence, wine flowed freely as hundreds jammed in to celebrate Obama’s win. Ranneberger asked Kenyan politicians to learn from Republican candidate John McCain’s gracious manner in conceding defeat and signalled that the US will be keeping a watch on Kenya to see “fundamental democratic reforms.” Once the jubilations have died down, there are serious issues that Kenya must address. Obama’s election has already sent signals to the Kenyan leaders that corruption must end. Vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka has warned colleagues to clean their house if they expect any help from the American presidentelect. Reprinted from The Big Issue in Scotla nd © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org. All rights reserved.
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This Week in Chicago: 25 Years Ago By Suzanne Hanney & Sylvester Quast, vendor #6908 Editor-in-Chief & Vendor volunteer
n the March 20 elections, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington admitted for the first time that he might not be able to defeat incumbent Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Edward R. Vrdolyak, according to a WMAQ radio taping quoted in the Saturday, Jan. 14, 1984 Chica go Defender. However, Washington said on “Chicago News Conference,” hosted by Bill Cameron and set to air the next day, that he was positive he would win “a handful” of ward committeeships: “enough to cripple Vrdolyak’s stranglehold as head of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee,” according to the Defender . Vrdolyak responded to the Defender that “Unless he [the mayor] is willing to pinpoint what he has or does not have, I will not get into it with him.” Vrdolyak was also a South Side alderman and head of a 29-member coalition that had blocked Washington in the 50-member council. In November, the Chica go Tribune had disclosed that the Cook County Democratic party had endorsed Walter Mondale for president in that month after Vrdolyak met with two top officials in the Republican White House of Ronald Reagan. Vrdolyak at first denied meeting with Chief of Staff James Baker and political director Edward Rollins, but later said they talked only about 10th ward issues, according to David K. Fremon’s Chica go Politics, Wa rd by Wa rd. Republican sources said Vrdolyak was trying to shake them down, but Mondale was seen as
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the weakest opponent to the incumbent Republican president. “The chairman of the Democratic party Harold cavorting with Republicans? Washington received a perfect campaign tool in his attempt to oust Vrdolyak as party boss by electing new, friendlier Democratic ward committeemen in 1984,” Fremon continued.“But he failed to use it. Washington allies Jesus Garcia and Robert Bemer won committeeman elections, and several pro-Washington blacks displaced those who earlier opposed him.Yet antiWashington sentiment proved more popular than anti-Republican feelings among the white ethnic Democratic committeemen. Vrdolyak carried the committeemen’s weighted votes over token opponent John Stroger by a 2 to 1 margin.” Meanwhile, Washington was still coy when the Defender asked whether or not he would endorse the Rev. Jesse Jackson for president. He spoke highly of Jackson, the paper noted, but said only, “I am sifting and weighing the endorsement process.” West Side activists had earlier accused Washington of snubbing them in selecting delegates to the Democratic National Convention; Washington had responded about the need for a “cross-section in each congressional district.” Metropolitan Sanitary District Commissioner Tom Fuller had even said a group of leaders was ready to file a Jackson slate. Just the same, Harold Washington and Jackson in turn, influenced Barack Obama’s run for president 24 years later, according to the B a nd B blog from the Texa s Hill Country. The
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
blogger excerpted Edward McClellan’s article in Sa lon , which noted that “In New York, Obama read about Washington's victory and wrote to City Hall, asking for a job. He never heard back, but he made it to Chicago just months after Washington took office. In Obama’s memoir, Drea ms From My Fa ther , he wrote about walking into a barbershop and seeing the new mayor's picture on the wall. When Jackson ran for the presidential nomination, Obama “was impressed to see a black man on the same stage as Walter Mondale and Gary Hart,” McClellan noted. In addition, “Washington also strengthened the community organizations in which Obama was cutting his teeth... Obama's Project Vote, which put him on the local political map, was a successor to the South Side voter registration drive that made Washington's election possible.”
From the sports desk
Sports scene takes a chill with Black Hawks’ Winter Classic By Jim Memolo StreetWise contributor
t's tough to gauge what lies in store for Chicago in 2009. Considering the State of Illinois has a governor facing charges and possible jail time, while the biggest single sporting event of the year is an outdoor hockey game, the upcoming 12 months might fall under the title, "the more things change, the more they stay the same." I will leave the burial of our modern-day Caesar to the political beat. But the Black Hawks home game, dubbed the "Winter Classic," could signal a change of direction for the local sports scene or simply serve as a rare curiosity piece. You would have been labeled a certifiable maniac if you had suggested just two years ago that a Black Hawks game, in any setting, would be the biggest event on the Chicago sports landscape. But, it has come to pass, leaving a long list
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of questions in its wake. Is hockey really ascending in popularity? Are we attracted to the shiny gem dangled by the Hawks’ brilliant marketing brain trust? Are we bored with the traditionally favored Bears and Cubs or just frustrated with both those franchises? Maybe Chicago is looking for new heroes and the Black Hawks have arrived just in time. We have become calloused to the Cubs’ annual rite of futility and the Bears’ commitment to mediocrity. Time and Black Hawks success will go a long way toward answering all these questions. One fact beyond a doubt is the Winter Classic was a unique experience. Rare is the chance to share a once-in-a-lifetime event with family and friends, and be part of a little bit of history so significant, yet not dependent on the final score for its success. It’s a great way to make us all a little warmer in the face of a harsh winter and harsher times. A Cubs Fall Classic may be the only thing that could trump W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLAPSHOT.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM
A brief description of the ongoing mirth above
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alt of the Eartha... Eartha while she continued to do Cabaret Theater, My fascination with television and films. Besides the 1958 St. Louis Eartha Kitt started Blues film, she also did an all-black version of Anna early on. I heard her Luca sta with Sammy Davis Jr. Later audiences music on the radio and enjoyed Eartha’s Timbuktu . There’s not enough then I saw her on televispace to list all of Eartha’s earthly achievements-sion. Wow! Who was that? including a recent trip to Chicago. She was here in As a young man in the 1998 in The Wiza rd Of Oz as the Wicked Witch of mid ’50s, that cat-like the West. And we were recently blessed with Eartha’s presence in November when she taped a purrrrrr was ear-eye- and PBS special to be shown in February. WHAT A really attention-getting. RICHARD PEGUE COINCIDENCE Eartha and ETTA JAMES, both biThe Christmas “wish list” Chicago Radio Personality from SANTA BABY made racial with disavowing dads. The film CADILLAC RECORDS profiled Etta and opened December 5 many people pay attention to the woman on the and Eartha passed away on Christmas, 20 days later. radio singing with the seasonal tunes of the time. EARTHA WAS WRITE and has written several Spike Jones’ All I Wa nt For Christma s Is My Two Front Teeth was cute, but oh, that Eartha. RCA books including a few biographies and most recently REJUVENATE, a manual for staying Records sold a lot of 78’s with Eartha’s C’est Si Bon ’ and I Wa nt To Be Evil. The albums started in physically fit. At 81 she was VERY fit except for her cancer which took the life of one of our ORIGINAL 1952 with the original cast of New Fa ces Of DIVAS. Wouldn’t you agree? 1952. Tha t Ba d Ea rtha , Down To Ea rtha and We look for more information and possible word more followed, including music from her film from Eartha’s daughter, Kitt McDonald. Take note, with Chicago’s Nat King Cole, Sa int Louis Blues. JACKIE TAYLOR; this looks like something for your Eartha recorded albums as late as 1994. “THE MOST EXCITING WOMAN in the world.” crew. I vote for Angela Bassett to play Eartha on film. So said Orson Wells--who was no doubt a front LATE NIGHT TV- I was up late Friday night and row fan of Miss Eartha. For more than 60 years, Miss Kitt was always there entertaining her initial punched into Channel 5 and there was ISAAC fans with her singing and exotic acting skills and HAYES on a Conan O’Brien rerun and it was later, gaining attention on her opinSOOOO GOOD to see Isaac having fun conducting ions. And it was her outspoken, wellhis band with Conan’s guys sitting in. delivered, in-your-face attitude that got Isaac switched to SHAFT and substiher in trouble. tuted CONAN’s name into the song EARTHA WIND AND FIRE Do you and did a two-minute adlib horn stab ending, that was the greatest! Anybody recall her 1960-something encounter with LadyBird Johnson at that White I heard her music got a tape? ⇒ Saturday’s NBC rerun of House luncheon? “You send the best on the radio and then the opening ceremonies from the of this country off to be shot…” and I saw her on televi- Olympics was super impressive at this after that Eartha’s visibility evaporated sion. Wow! Who was point. Those 2008 dancer drummers in the mainstream…until CATwere overpowering. Now, how is that? As a young WOMAN! Chicago or the U.S. going to top that YOU SHOULD NOW SING THE man in the mid ’50s, IF? Around Christmas, WTTW Channel THEME SONG from the series. that cat-like purrrrrr 11 ran a wonderful one-hour special by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I am “Dadadadada BATMAN…” That was was ear--eye-now a new fan! the music that brought Adam West and and really QUICK ’08 DEPARTURE LIST: Eartha together in the 1966-67 show. Although actress Julie Newmar was ISAAC HAYES >BO DIDDLEY >PERVIS attentionCatwoman first, as a replacement, JACKSON (Spinners) >LEVI STUBBS(4 getting. Eartha took the role to the next level Tops) >NORMAN WHITFIELD and that was HOT! Already a number (Temptations producer) >DEE DEE one fan, I did not miss a single episode. WARWICK (Dionne’s singer sister) Now I have to look for the DVD, some>MIRIAM MAKEBA >ODETTA body help!!! And Halle Berry should say “thank HOLMES >RUDY RAY MOORE >and you, Eartha!” Chicago’s BERNIE MAC. Many more in unrelated More TV yielded an Emmy nomination in 1966. fields, look for a list. THURSDAYS ON OGDEN We missed you during Did you see her in the movie Boomera ng? KICKIN’ WITH THE KITT Miss Eartha arrived in the holidays, but we return to lunch at the Central West Department Of Senior Services on Thursdays January 1928 in the cotton fields of Columbia, from 11 until 1pm. Pat and Ann will be looking for South Carolina. She wasn’t there for long, as she the family to come back NOW! Ernest L and I will was raised mainly in Harlem and then attended the play the music with Mr. Franklin’s delicious food. High School For The Performing Arts. After graduThanks for the photos, Sandrel Scott.Thank You for ating, she connected with the Katharine Dunham reading this column. And thanks to Ben Cook, who dance troupe. After a tour, Eartha stayed in Paris, does a great job of preparing this page. adding singing to her act before coming back to New York and working the leading nightclubs. New Fa ces and Monotonous were hits for And Happy New 365.25 to you.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF WWW.JALC.ORG, BLOG.SAGWATCH.NET, WWW.BRITANNICA.COM
The Best Music of Your Life
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FoodWise with Ginny & the Chef Chef’s Secret Recipe Chef’s Pomegranate Cherry Sparkler
~ serves 1 ~
Shopping List: • 1/4 c. pomegranate juice • 1/4 c. cherry juice • 1/2 c. sparkling water [or ginger ale] • 1 slice fresh lemon • 1 slice fresh lime
Non-toxic solutions
By Ginny & the Chef
StreetWise contributor, www.ginetics.com
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ine has become an important part of gourmet meals all over the world. In Japan, Sake [rice wine] is almost required as both a cultural and business necessity. Is alcohol in small amounts really good for us? Some studies may indicate that red wine – in very small amounts – may benefit our hearts. However, no one is saying that “cocktails” are good for you. The cocktail is actually a mostly American invention. Chicago was a big part of that intoxicating innovation. During Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal and Al Capone was serving bathtub gin, moonshine, and who knows what other homemade rotgut booze, bartenders in speakeasies had to find a way to make the “hooch” taste good enough to drink. Fruit juices, sugar syrups, cola, chocolate, candy, and just about anything else was tossed into a glass and mixed with distilled spirits.“Rum & Coke,” for example, is certainly not a gourmet beverage, and no one is thinking it’s good for your health. Yet even the nastiest moonshine tastes OK if you add enough CocaCola to it. Maybe that’s why this drink is still one of the most popular cocktails being ordered today. Now we have the celebrity “mixologist” who is creating new expensive drinks in every major city. “Chocolate-Caramel-Apple Martinis?” Really now, why would anyone put booze into that? It is certainly not a martini. It’s practically a dessert. If your mixologist can’t make a tasty alcohol-free cocktail, then we call that person a “toxicologist.” Alcohol is a poison. That is why when people drink alcohol, it’s called being intoxicated. Chef and I know that alcohol in small amounts can be beneficial to your health. However, millions of people have alcohol-related problems. For these folks, it can become deadly. There are millions of people all over the world who do not
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drink alcohol as part of their religious or social beliefs. This is a huge and underserved market. A smart restaurant manager could get rich if this group were well served. We like to use our food and nutrition skills to mix tasty, healthful beverages. While visiting Seattle, Washington recently, many high-end restaurants had entire menus of “Mocktails.” We have some favorites to share with you. First – water! It is the most natural, no-calorie drink that our bodies actually need to survive. A person can go weeks without food, but only days without water. The gourmet water segment is really taking off because food and beverage companies know that the health and wellness trend is not going away anytime soon. Our hint:try replacing one of your high-calorie beverages with water, bubbly or flat, and we guarantee you will lose some weight and feel better! Our second favorite non-alcohol beverage is tea. The Japanese have known about the health benefits of green tea for hundreds of years. Finally, it is starting to catch on here in America. Chef and I frequently visit Argo Tea on Rush Street off Michigan Avenue. When Chef orders his latté, he makes it a tea latté. Tea, like coffee, contains powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals that are good for our overall health. Tea is also calorieand fat-free! Our top favorite non-alcohol alternative is juicefruit or vegetable. If you don’t have time to eat your five to 11 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, home juicing is a great way to go. We recommend making your own juice drinks using a Vitamix or another powerful blender. If possible, always use fresh organic fruits or vegetables. It is much cheaper than buying juice already prepared for you. Remember, celebrations can be even more fun and enjoyable without alcoholic cocktails! If you don’t believe us, give it a try. W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G
Ginny’s Mixing Instructions: • Combine chilled pomegranate and cherry juice in a red wine glass. • Add one slice [each] of lemon and lime to glass. • Fill the glass the rest of the way with chilled sparkling water or ginger ale. • Serve with a sharp Cheddar or Maytag Blue cheese.
Nutrition Facts
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Health & Exercise
Super bowl stuffing By John Godoy StreetWise contributor john@lifepts.com
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n the one hand, Super Bowl Sunday is a time to gather around the television with your closest friends and neighbors and enjoy a wonderful day of pomp, pageantry and athletic excellence. On the other hand, it represents an opportunity for dietary disaster. Brian Wansink, a psychology professor at Cornell University, is world-renowned for Fast Fact: his research on Your natural volume the underlying envicontrol and innate quality ronmental factors that affect our eating control mechanisms will behaviors. In his be hindered unknowingly bestselling book by your concentration on “Mindless Ea ting,� the game, causing you to Dr. Wansink eat excessive quantities of food. describes one particular study performed here in Chicago several years back, on a large group of moviegoers. One group of movie goers was given a medium- size bag of stale popcorn and the other a large-size bag of stale popcorn. Neither group was aware that the popcorn they were given was controlled to be stale. After the movie, the researchers from his lab measured the quantity of popcorn that remained in the bags from both groups. What they found was that the group given the large bags ate an average of 53 percent more popcorn than those with the medium bags. So, although the food may have been stale and the size of the servings different, the moviegoers completely lost track of what they ate and the quality seemed to be inconsequential. What does this mean to you? Well, during Super Bowl Sunday, there is a very good chance that for the duration of the game, you will be completely distracted from the volume and quality of the food you are eating, just as the moviegoers in Dr.Wansink’s study. Your natural volume control and innate quality control mechanisms will be hindered unknowingly by your concentration on the game, causing you to eat excessive
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quantities of food. The key to alleviating this dilemma is first, to know it is likely to happen, and second, to plan accordingly. Most people are going to stick with the typical Super Bowl fare of wings, pizza, chips and fast food. Therefore, if you are not going to control what you eat, then control your environment. Here are a few suggestions. Purchase less pizza and wings, purchase individual chip bags over big bags, place
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the food on smaller serving trays and place those trays far from easy reach. When the game is over and the crowds have gone home, what remains is reality. The game can be a great distraction for a period of time, but real life is just around the corner. Let the spirit of this great game ennoble you to live your life in such a fashion that when your game is done, you walk off the field knowing you did
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event calendar - January 14-20 Thursday
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.BLACKLOOKS.ORG
Wednesday Christmas Gift Exchange-Bring in any unwanted new items to benefit local homeless charities and receive a bar gift certificate worth $15 or more. Daily (ends January 31). Cubby Bear Wrigleyville, 1059 W. Addison St. For more information, call 773-327-1662. No cover. Free lunchtime meditation-Learn relaxation techniques with Susan Lipshutz, LCSW. 12 1 p.m. Allyu, 600 W. Chicago Ave. For more information, go to www.allyuspa.com or call 312- 755-1313.
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Monday
George McGovern-The former U.S. Senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee discusses his thoughts on Abraham Lincoln and his impact. 6 - 7:30 p.m. McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum, 445 N. Michigan Ave. Free. Reservations required. For more information, call 312-2224860.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day-commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Enjoy dramatic readings and musical performances that reflect Dr. King's messages of peace and justice.11 a.m.–2 p.m. Free admission, no reservations required. Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St.
Saturday
Upcoming
Fourth Annual Polar Adventure Days- The winter celebration features ice sculptures, crafts, arctic camping demos, storytelling, an up-close look at Siberian huskies and other animals and more. Also, rent snowshoes for free and trek about the grounds. The first 500 visitors receive a free mug filled with hot chocolate. Northerly Island, 1400 S. Linn White Drive. 12 - 4 p.m. Free. For more information call 312-742-7529.
Writers on the Record with Victoria Lautman featuring Barry Unsworth- Acclaimed British author Barry Unsworth, winner of the Booker Prize, in conversation about his new historical novel, Land of Marvels, January 21 at 6 p.m. at the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St.. His story unfolds in 1914 during the death throes of the Ottoman Empire, in present-day Iraq. While Western nations struggle unscrupulously for a slice of Mesopotamia, a British archeologist tries desperately to preserve the fantastic treasures he’s unearthed, even as an encroaching railroad--and the search for oil-threaten to destroy his life’s work. Writers on the Record with Victoria Lautman is a partnership with the Chicago Public Library and 98.7 WFMT Radio. The interview will be broadcast on Sunday, January 25.
Sunday 28th Annual Chicago Music Awards-this year's tribute to Chicago's musical heritage is held in honor of President-elect Barack Obama. The 200 nominees, representing 43 categories, include Wilco, Kanye West, Smashing Pumpkins, R. Kelly, M.A.D.D. Rhythms and others. R&B star Angela Winbush, among the event's performers, receives the Producer's Award. Attend an optional pre-show reception for an additional $25. 6 p.m. VIP reception; at 7 p.m. Awards show begins. Some proceeds go to the Bernie Mac Foundation for Sarcoidosis. $50-$75. Tickets: ticketmaster.com. Vote for nominees: chicagomusicawards.org. Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave. For more information, call 312-427-0266.
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Green Spa Night at Greenheart Shop-Learn how to make natural body products from ingredients in your own kitchen: a hands-on workshop for everything from face masks and salt scrubs to natural hair spray! Wine and snacks provided. Space is limited- contact Greenheart to reserve a spot. Thursday, January 22 6 - 8 p.m. Greenheart Shop, 746 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, www.greenheartshop.org
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StreetWise
Time commitment: 1-year commitment
Contact: Michael Speer at 312. 829.2526 Address: 1201 W. Lake St. Chicago Tasks: Aid in adult education, including computer assistance, GED studies and job readiness training. Time commitment: Flexible Become a Vendor. Prescreening 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Ask for Michael or Greg.
Metropolitan Tenants Organization
The Illinois Hunger Coalition The Illinois Hunger Coalition is seeking a volunteer to work at our downtown Chicago office. We are a statewide non-profit organization that combats hunger and poverty through education and advocacy. We also run a Hunger Hotline (1.800.359.2163) that provides a number of services including: referrals to food pantries and free and reduced-price clinics, referrals to the WIC program, and referrals to programs that help cover the cost of utilities and housing. We also prepare food stamp applications and applications for free medical insurance over the telephone. Please contact Diane Doherty at 312.629.9580 or email dianedihc@aol.com with subject titled “VOLUNTEER” if you are interested in this opportunity.
The Chicago Recovery Alliance Contact: Dan Bigg, cra@att.global.net Address: Many sites throughout the city Tasks: Syringe exchange, medical care, overdose program, safe sex/injection education, substance abuse and shelter referrals, legal assistance (training included for all services). Time commitment: Flexible; site visits last 2 hours. Website: www.anypositivechange.org
Community Health Contact: Kelly Jordan, kjordan@community health.org www.communityhealth.org or call 773.395.9901 ex. 23 Address: 2611 W. Chicago Ave. Tasks: Community Health is a free health clinic offering free primary and specialty care as well as medication. We are looking for volunteer Polish and Spanish interpreters. Interpreters need not know medical terms, but must be at least conversational in either Spanish or Polish. We are also in need of Volunteer Physicians and Specialists. Volunteer Physicians and Specialists must be licensed in Illinois. Volunteers are needed for day, evening and Saturday clinics. Time commitment: Generally 1-2 times per month.
VITAS Healthcare Contact: Beverly Carnes-Brinson, Volunteer Services Manager, 773.533.2890 Address: 700 N. Sacramento Tasks: Patient care at home or in a nursing home, inpatient unit, administrative, bereavement. Training: VITAS Healthcare in Chicagoland Central is offering free hospice volunteer training as a community service to persons interested in providing support to the terminally ill and their families. In this comprehensive session, you will gain knowledge and experience on the hospice philosophy, death and dying issues, grief and bereavement. Time commitment: Flexible
Court Appointed Special Advocates Contact: LaDora Robinson-Locke, 312.433.4928 Address: 1100 S. Hamilton St. 8 West Tasks: Act as a nonlegal advocate and friend for a child in the court system (training provided.)
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Contact: Rebecca McDannald, 773.292.4980 ext. 223 Address: 1180 N. Milwaukee Ave. 1st Fl. Tasks: Work on Tenants’ Rights hotline, data entry. Time commitment: 8-hour training session, but hours are flexible. Website: www.tenants-rights.org
Due to limited space, StreetWise will be cycling various volunteer contacts throughout the month. For a full listing, please visit the new StreetWise Web site at www.streetwise.org
Access to Recovery Contact: Vince Gillon, 773.407.9030 Address: 113 Custer, Evanston Tasks: Assist with office duties pertaining to ATR clients. Help with computer tasks, such as creating resumes, employment search and online applications. Time commitment: Flexible Email: carepoint@ameritech.net Website: www.carepointoutreach.org
Albany Park Community Center Contact: Michelle Fleming, 773.433.3737 Address: 5121 N. Kimball Ave. Near CTA Brown Line Kimball stop. Tasks: Tutor immigrants and new readers in English and literacy skills. Training provided. Time commitment: 2-4 hours per week.
Blue Gargoyle Adult Learning Program Contact: 773.955.4108 Ext. 308 or email volunteer@bluegargoyle.org Address: 5638 S. Woodlawn Tasks: Tutor adults in reading, writing and/or math, and/or job skills and computer skills. Time commitment: Minimum 2 hours per week after completing training.
Erie Neighborhood House Contact: Susana Ortiz, 312.563.5800, sortiz@eriehouse.org Address: 1347 W. Erie St. 312.432.2257 Tasks: Tutor adults in English as a second language, Language Exchange Spanish/English, GED reading, writing and Math, literacy in Spanish, Citizenship exam preparation. Time commitment: months, hours, once or twice a week.
Freedom Ambassadors Become a Freedom Ambassador! Inspire people to be informed, active citizens and protect their rights. Ambassadors share information and provide assistance to visitors at the new Freedom Museum. For more info, call (Nathan N. Richie Education Programs Manager McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 754, 312.222.3211nrichie@freedommuseum.us
Gads Hill Center Contact: Adriana Moreno Nevarez, 312.226.0963 ext. 244, Address: 1919 W. Cullerton Tasks: Tutor/mentor teenagers for a college prepatory program in Pilsen, tutor for homework in after school program, newspaper club tutor, sports teacher. Time commitment: 2 hours a week for 2 months.
Literacy Chicago Contact: Zaundra Boyd, 312.870.1100 ext. 108, zboyd@literacychicago.org Address: Multiple sites throughout Chicago Tasks: Community Adult Learning Centers-Volunteer tutor training-AL-ESL W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G
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StreetWise Feature
Chicago goes to Washington By Suzanne Hanney Editor-in-Chief
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arack Obama’s mentor, Judson H. Miner, is looking forward to a January 20 presidential inaugural ball in Washington, D.C., based on his experience at the Democratic National Convention. “It was really wildly more emotional and exciting than I and my wife thought, so after that experience I was quite hopeful we would be invited to the inauguration.” A partner in Miner Barnhill & Galland and City of Chicago corporation counsel from 1986 to 1989, Miner met Obama in 1993, when the thirdyear law student came to work with the civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development specialists. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation online called Miner one of Obama’s three role models. (The others are Obama’s wife, Michelle, and Harvard law professor Martha Minnow.) Three weeks before Inauguration Day, Miner was still learning about two other events he would attend. He was planning to stay with his University of Chicago law school roommate. Just being at the inauguration is exciting, Miner said. “because of the historic significance of that event. And we’re very fond of Barack and Michelle, so that adds a whole additional dimension to it.” With up to a record five million people expected in the nation’s capital, few Chicagoans will get
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as close to Obama as Miner. Still, those from the President-elect’s hometown agree that they are making the trip so they can celebrate the first African-American U.S president, the winner of a grassroots campaign. U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Chicago) is leading 600 people – 10 busloads plus others flying, driving, or traveling by train. The group will stay in Gaithersburg, Md., 21 miles outside Washington. “A lot just want to be a part of it,” said Tumia Romero, Davis’s deputy chief of staff. “They don’t care if they go to the inauguration, they just want to be in D.C., in that number…in that same space.” After Obama takes the oath of office January 20, the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue is generally open to the public, but rather than leave people in the cold, Romero said Davis will host a reception in the Oversight Committee hearing room of the Rayburn House Office Building. Davis was a member of the Oversight Committee, and has now taken Rahm Emmanuel’s spot on the House Ways and Means Committee as Emmanuel becomes Obama’s chief of staff. Davis had wanted Obama’s seat in the U.S. Senate, and “he campaigned the old-fashioned way, in places like Rockford and Peoria, telling people to call the governor and ask that he be appointed,” Romero said. However, Davis ultimately declined the appointment “because there was too much controversy surrounding it,” including W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G
media calling all day, she added. Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces federal charges he tried to “sell” Obama’s seat for money or political benefit. The evening of January 20, there will be 10 official inaugural balls that the President and First Lady will visit. Davis’s group will have its own event at its hotel “because the congressman wants to make sure people can bring out their evening dress, that it’s not just for the elite who pay $300 to $500,” Romero said. Dominique Turner, Cory Smith, Kenneth Wright and Brandyn Rouse will cover the inauguration as the pilot group of young journalists with the Morgan Douglas Carter TRIPS Memorial Foundation. A motivational speaker and spokesperson as well as a radio/TV/internet host and journalist in the African-American community, Carter also advised politicians at the local, national and international level until his death Nov. 16, 2008 at age 61. Wanda Carter, his wife and business partner, realized Obama’s inauguration as the first AfricanAmerican president was the perfect occasion to honor Carter’s dream of training youth in TRIPS: Television, Radio, Internet, Publication and other Services such as graphic arts, photography, community or media relations. The group will film their travel by van and their stay at Howard University. Afterward, they will meet weekly for training and telling the stories
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about their schools, churches and social activities. Their work will appear on the Carters’ Chica go Communica tor news magazine, their Web site and on public access television. “Heart” was the word TRIPS students used to describe what Obama’s presidency meant to them. “It’s a heart feeling, I watched how we suffered in the 1940s, fought for our rights, Rosa Parks,” said Turner, 20, a graduate of Thornton Township High School. “This man was able to make the impossible possible,” said Smith, 16, a sophomore at Bremen High School.“Anybody can do anything as long as they put heart into it.” “It’s another heart-warming feeling, very inspirational to see a black man become president… something powerful,” said Wright, 23, also a Thornton grad. “It’s a blessing to be here in this time to see it done.” “It’s a very heart feeling because I see my grandparents, 70something years old, my great-aunt who will be 95 and see a black man become president, it brings tears to my eyes, to see this that they never thought they would see in their lifetime,” said Rouse, 24, a student at South Suburban College in South Holland. Turner said the nation will benefit from Obama’s “quality as a man, his relationsh ip with Michelle Obama.” Turner and Smith also look forward to viewing the White House. “ It’s a chance to humble myself and pray before Obama,” Turner said. “It’s something I will pass down to my two lovely kids.” Smith agreed.“The main thing is to see history.” To help make that history since 2004, members of the nonpartisan group Interchange and other grassroots volunteers and independent musicians have gone door to door for Obama,
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raising funds and registering voters, says Tim Tuten, co-owner of The Hideout bar in Bucktown. As a result, the bar is bringing two busloads of musicians and friends to Washington’s Black Cat bar for their own “Big Shoulders Ball” January 19. Chicago musicians Andrew Bird, Tortoise, the Waco Brothers with Jon Langford and Sally Timms, Judson Claiborne, the Icy Demons, Ken Vandermark, Freakwater and Honeyboy Edwards have all done fundraisers for non-profits or the Obama campaign. They represent varied genres in Chicago music: jazz, country, blues, rock, post-rock,“cultural diversity, racial diversity, musical diversity,”Tuten said.“It’s an example that Chicago is not about one sound of music or one age group, Chicago is about a sensibility,” Tuten says. “That when we say it’s the ‘City of Big Shoulders’ or the ‘City That Works,’ we respect working people, working musicians.” The Big Shoulders Ball, Tuten said, reflects the Chicago attitude that “if you don’t have a place at the table, you bring your own chair. If all the big shots are doing their own thing, we do it too, and with more spirit. That’s the Chicago style and we believe that reflects what Barack Obama means.” Big Shoulders tickets are $50, “probably the cheapest ball there is,” he added, with proceeds going to Chicago Public School bands and the Future of Music Coalition. The Hideout is a “dive,” Tuten said, as in “close to the ground.” “You want a president who is closest to the ground, where there’s roots, where grass grows. What Chicago is about is [that] lots of hardworking people each doing their part can make an enormous change and finally in this country,
...to see a black man become president, it brings tears to my eyes, to see this...they never thought they would see in their lifetime.
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[FROM TOP TO BOTTOM] PHOTOS COURTESY OF WWW.NYFOLKLORE.ORG, FULL BLAST, W/KV, MYOLDKYHOME.BLOGSPOT.COM, WWW.AVCLUB.COM, WWW.PRAISEBETTIE.COM
PHOTO BY BEN COOK
From left, Wanda Carter, Cory Smith, Brandyn J. Rouse, Dominique Turner, Kenneth Wright, Jean Moore, Deborah Smith
David “Honeyboy” Edwards Best Known For: Edwards is a true living legend. From the Delta to Chicago, throughout the United States and most of Europe, Honeyboy has traveled every blues highway many, many times. He recently received a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album called Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas!
Kevin Vandermark Best Known For: One of the "Chicagoans of the Year in the Arts, 1994" (Chicago Tribune, January 1, 1995) for the Vandermark Quartet.
•One of the "25 For The Future," the most significant improvising musicians under the age of 40 by Down Beat Magazine, June 1998. •In 2004, was named one of the "Musicians Of The Year" by All About Jazz, New York. Icy Demons Best Known For: This experimental indie club rock group consists of cofounders Chris Powell (a.k.a. Pow Pow) and Griffin Rodriguez (a.k.a. Blue Hawaii), who use an odd assortment of vintage keyboards and ethnic percussion. They are preparing for an upcoming European tour to promote their new album, Miami Ice.
Andrew Bird Best Known For: Drawing on Hungarian gypsy folk, early jazz, country blues, and south Indian music, Bird opted to play his violin in a most unconventional manner, accompanying himself on glockenspiel and guitar, adding singing and whistling to the equation. He has recorded 6 studio albums, and three live albums. The Waco Brothers Best Known For: Their live shows. Combining a driving punk beat, country instrumentation, and political lyrics, this group (Jon Langford, Steve Goulding, Alan Doughty, Deano, Tracey Dear and Marc Durnate) have an enthusiastic following who appreciate their lack of subtlety.
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The Playground crossword
Ask Eugene Each week StreetWise’s own Eugene answers life’s toughest questions. If you can’t take the answer, don’t ask the question. Dear Eugene: Do you have any ideas I could use to make my upcoming Super Bowl party more exciting? — Daaa Bearsss, Wrigleyville
Dear Bearsss, I have a math equation that will sweep you and your guest away. Your party (+) karaoke (x) pie (Shepard’s) (+) 1984’s forgotten masterpiece, the Super Bowl Shuffle... Chorus: We are the Bears Shufflin' Crew Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you. We're so bad we know we're good. Blowin' your mind like we knew we would. You know we're just struttin' for fun Struttin' our stuff for everyone. We're not here to start no trouble. We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle.
Walter Payton: Well, they call me Sweetness, And I like to dance. Runnin' the ball is like makin' romance. We've had the goal since training camp To give Chicago a Super Bowl chance. And we're not doin' this Because we're greedy. The Bears are doin' it to feed the needy. We didn't come here to look for trouble, We just came here to do The Super Bowl Shuffle. Willie Gault: This is Speedy Willie, and I'm world class. I like runnin' but i love to get the pass. I practice all day and dance all night, I got to get ready for the Sunday fight. Now I'm as smooth as a chocolate swirl, I dance a little funky, so watch me, girl. There's not one here that does it like me, My Super Bowl Shuffle will set you free. Etc... (enjoy)
You can send Eugene your questions at 1201 W. Lake, Chicago, IL or e-mail him at supreme_eugene@yahoo.com
sudoku medium difficulty
last week’s answers
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Vendor Profile
Evanston vendor rich with friends By Ben Cook
with the owner, whom he’s known for over 20 years. “They’ve been rthur Tedei has an unmis- real good to me.” Sometimes takable silhouette: it’s not Arthur’s chair will run out of often that people attach charge before he gets gumball dispensers to home, so he has their electric wheelbecome good friends chairs. “Adults love it. with the Evanston fire If I stop where a department. Its membunch of kids are, I bers have helped him have to sit there for 15home on more than 20 minutes because I’m getting a one occasion, and they they keep buying new chair at tabs on him when they gumballs from me. I the beginning see him. have extra reinforce“I sometimes get of next year. more help on the street ment on the front of I’ve had this than I do in my apartthe chair to support one for three ment” (Arthur lives in the extra weight. I carry my papers up years and it’s assisted care). When he front, my battery about done. I gets home, Arthur is charger in back. I don’t put feet still very much the come self-contained.” socializer. He keeps his of wear on it, door open when he’s Arthur speaks with a I put miles weak, gravely voice home in case anyone and a self-deprecating wants to stop by for a sense of humor while chat, or to get someconveying a sense of thing off his or her kindness that has made chest. him a community Arthur has been at staple in Evanston. StreetWise for over 10 Arthur can be found in front of years. In fact, he is the vendor who the Barnes & Noble in Evanston originally convinced now-Director from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a of Distribution Greg Pritchett week—providing that the weather (StreetWise cover story January 7is accommodating. While he 13) to come to the office and receives Medicare and public aid, become a vendor. He likes his job Arthur is not content to live an idle and the independence and friends life. He’s out all day, every day that come with it, and plans to because he’s a people person.“I’m continue selling the magazine as getting a new chair at the begin- long as he’s physically able to ning of next year. I’ve had this one support himself. for three years and it’s about done. When he’s not selling the I don’t put feet of wear on it, I put papers, Arthur loves to watch miles,” Arthur says with a satisfied movies. He was excited about aa smile. “I don’t let my disability Monday morning Rocky marathon handicap me or get in my way.” on television that starts first thing When he backs up his wheelchair, in the morning. He also likes anyhe replicates the back-up bell of thing starring John Wayne. heavy construction equipment To his customers he would like with a “beep, beep.” to say, “Thank you for the many He considers many of his cus- years you have been buying tomers his friends. After buying StreetWise from me and thank you his magazines, he likes to head to for not letting my disability get in Billy Goat at 309 W. Washington for the way of coming up and talking a meal. He enjoys hanging out to me.”
Meet: Arthur Tedei
StreetWise staff
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Is equipped with a Sam’s Club gumball machine
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Loves any movie starring John Wayne
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