September 30 - October 6, 2009 by StreetWise

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S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

YOUR CITY FROM THE STREETS

M I S S I O N: TO

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

From the Director Future StreetWise director Bruce Crane, 1962

By Bruce Crane Executive Director

n the on-going psychological debate of nurture versus nature I am leaning, ever increasingly, toward nurture. Looking back at my childhood, I remember many things. Sometimes I can see directly how those circumstances and events shaped who I am today. I guess I’m quirky enough that people regularly ask how I developed this view or gained that skill. Much of the time I can’t really explain why I am the way I am. However, over the last five months in conversations with some of our vendors, I have made more connections and gained a greater understanding of myself. In the process, I have found what I have in common with our vendors is that we all are a product of our environment. My environment was relatively typical of middle class suburbia until I was in first grade. My parents got divorced. By today’s standard this is not unusual, but back then and for the rest of

my grade school years, we were the only divorced family in the school. Our neighbors didn’t look at us like lepers, but they did look at us. People just didn’t have any experience interacting with a divorced family and few had a mother who worked full time. We were latchkey kids before our time, even before people locked their doors. My mother started doing portrait work (using her children as models to develop a portfolio), then got her master’s degree and started teaching photography at the local high school. A few years later, she was hired by The School of the Art Institute where she spent the next 28 years as a professor of photography, raising our family, and pursuing her creative photographic work. I am so fortunate to have been nurtured by my mother, who has grown into one of the most prolific and respected creative photographers of the genre. My upbringing was not without its difficulties and challenges. Mom was working when most of my friends’ mothers were home. I regularly took a bus from school to the Art Institute to wait for my mother to finish teaching night school, assuaging boredom by hanging out with the security guards, maintenance men, and at the graduate student metal and woodworking shops. My parents’ divorce agreement followed what was typical at the time: mother gets custody, dad gets to see the kids for dinner on Wednesday, all day Sunday and for some vacations. My mother bought an old two flat in Chicago when I was 12, with a very workable master plan: the tenant’s rent would cover much of the mortgage, the second largest bedroom would make a great darkroom, and a subscription to Popula r Mecha nics would turn me into the handyman the building would need. I don’t know how well the mortgage was covered, but I do know that she required the

From the Director continued on page 14 W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

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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S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

Street News Service Andy Freeze, president of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) interviews Neil Donovan, the new executive director for the National Coalition for the Homeless. page

Event Calendar Country Fest plus... Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler’s Wife, reads from her new novel; Veggie Bingo, Lincoln Park Block by Block, Pretty in Pink Fundraiser, Robie House neighborhood tour and more....

page

World Vendor Spotlight

On display: Barbara Crane

A second chance is well received

The photographer for 60 years discusses influences on her work as she receives an award for Chicago Artists Month.

Willaim Dawson has experience running his own business. Thanks to Vancouver’s Megaphone he’s able to reassemble his post-divorce world. page

page

news

streetwise

entertainment

volunteer

Guest Editor page 4 INSP page 5 This Week in Chicago page 10 Cover Story page 11-13

The Playground page 14 Vendor Profile page 15

Ginny & the Chef page 6 DineWise page 6 Theatre page 7 Event Calendar Page 8 -9

Volunteer Chicago

S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

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Online at www.streetwise.org

Letter to the editor:

Olympic oversight needed

Environment Illinois pushes for stronger bill

here was much fanfare in the news in mid-September about the agreements reached between the city, City Council, and the 2016 bid committee to ensure that we met all of the prerequisites of the final Host City Contract. But there were two proposals these three entities didn’t support that all Chicagoans need to be aware of, and we must work to ensure that they’re brought immediately back to the City Council and unanimously ratified. The two proposals, originally introduced by Alderman Manuel Flores (First Ward) and supported by aldermen Joe Moore (49th Ward) and Eugene Schulter (47th Ward), among others, called for the involvement of the Office of the Inspector General in reviewing the operations of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, and the creation of an advisory committee made up of a diverse collection of established and well-respected civic and community organizations. These two proposals would have been a major step forward, but they were defeated. Chicagoans should be gravely concerned about why these three entities rejected the involvement of the inspector general, whose mandate is to fight corruption. It should be of grave concern why they took issue with a means for informed residents to give advice on how the Games are developing and how they are affecting our neighborhoods. Advice is a far cry from “taking control over the powers of an elected body,” as some council members charac-

terized the proposed amendments during recent Finance Committee and City Council meetings. We must have more checks and balances. Greater citizen participation in the running of our city is imperative. Think parking meters, think Skyway, think CHA transformation, think Meigs Field. Keep in mind this bid includes a financial plan that spans seven years. If there’s any shortfall, miscalculation, or misallocation of funds, taxpayers will ultimately be responsible for making up the difference. The Olympic Games should benefit Chicago by creating real jobs, serving as a catalyst for economic development, improving our transportation system, and providing housing for all. To accomplish these goals, Chicagoans must be provided full operational disclosure and have a powerful voice every step of the way. There should be a symbiotic relationship between the city and the people it serves. We implore the City Council to work with community groups and create an advisory committee, and to empower the inspector general to enhance the Council’s rightfully created accountability measures for the 2016 Games. Only together can we ensure that Chicago is remembered for hosting the Olympics the right way—with full participation of its residents, with fairness and equality. Jane Ramsey, Executive Director Jewish Council on Urban Affairs W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

The American Clean Energy Secuirity Act, passed by the House of Representatives in June, isn’t up to snuff, says the green group Environment Illinois. In a hope to petition the support of Illinois senators Durbin and Burris, the group has upped the goals of the house bill before it hits the senate floor. They argue that the cheapest way to save energy—a call not lost in this economy—is to retrofit existing buildings for increased energy savings. With their provisions, they claim that Illinois families on average would save $252 dollars a year in evergy costs, and retrofiting existing facilities would create over 30,000 jobs in Illinois. By saving energy, more carbon-spewing coal plants will be unused, thus, by the year 2020 the nation will have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 480 million metric tons, the equivalent of taking 87 million cars of of the road. Illinois directly would benefit from preventing 16 million tons of emission, equivalent 2.9 million cars on the road for a year. —Ben Cook

Contributing Writers Ginny & the Chef: Originally a professional chef, Chef J now writes a syndicated weekly 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. Jason Berry studied art history at UIC and the University of Chicago. Jason lives in Blue Island and works with the community on historic preservation, public space, housing, and environmental justice. He is a co-founder of the May T. Watts Appreciation Society, whose Web site, www.thegreenestbuilding.org has been recognized nationally.

S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

WorldWise

International Network of Street Papers: Street News Service

Homeless people’s input needed for success

By Andy Freeze, President North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Coalition for the Homeless, a network of individuals and groups committed to the purpose of ending homelessness in America, recently announced Neil Donovan as its new executive director. Donovan has been working with and for persons experiencing homelessness for more than 26 years, in positions ranging from street outreach to his new post. His previous work in Boston includes IMPACT Employment Services, which he founded; TransAccess; the Women’s Violence Prevention Project at Shattuck Shelter-Center for the Homeless; and the Men’s Transitional Housing Programs at Boston’s Pine Street Inn. He’s also worked as senior adviser at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and was the first director of the Center for Capacity Building at the National Alliance to End Homelessness in Washington, D.C. Andy Freeze: How did you get started working on the issue of homelessness? Neil Donovan: In my early 20s I was studying to be a brother of religious orders with the Xaverian Brothers. It was an important and life-changing period in my life. My first internship involved working at Common Life, a drop-in center for homeless and runaway youth. As a new intern, I asked a young girl in the shelter if she wanted to talk. She said, “Only if you promise to come back tomorrow.” I agreed to return, hoping that our conversations could help her in some small way and maybe turn into something lasting. The Xaverian Brothers’ motto is “In harmony small things grow.” So I guess in a way I’ve just never stopped “coming back tomorrow.” AF: You’ve worked with and for people who are homeless over the course of 26 years, working at a variety of agencies. From what you’ve learned, what will help NCH move forward with its plan/agenda? ND: Everywhere I’ve worked and everything I’ve learned, from working with and for people experiencing homelessness, has taught me about the importance of justice. The Coalition’s mission, strategic plan, and stand on justice is clear and direct: “Bring America Home.” It’s the cornerstone of our beliefs and the engine that drives our advocacy. The only way that we can work toward ending homelessness, either as a coalition or as a nation, is through housing justice, health-care justice, economic justice, and civil rights. AF: You worked at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) developing a nationwide movement of local communities creating Ten-Year Plans to End Homelessness. Can you talk about the reasons behind developing these plans? ND: It’s really important and helpful for any individual, business, or organization to develop a plan for the

S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

future: an individual service plan, an action plan, or a strategic plan. It causes you to think about where you are today, where you’d like to be tomorrow, and what it’ll take to get there. So in 2001 the USICH joined with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, asking communities to develop plans to end homelessness. The Alliance first developed the concept of the plans and set the timeline at 10 years. The USICH followed the Alliance’s lead, narrowing the initial focus of the federal government on addressing chronically homeless individuals, and planned to later extend that focus to chronically homeless families and beyond. AF: You then went to the National Alliance to End Homelessness to start up the Center for Capacity Building, which works with communities across the country. What did you learn from this experience, and what else do you think is needed to help communities accomplish the goals contained in their individual TenYear Plans to End Homelessness? ND: I think there was a lot to learn from the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness experience. National advocacy groups learned that a call to action must consider the overall capacity of local communities to respond. The federal government learned that top-down guidance only works if that guidance takes into consideration the needs and characteristics of local communities. And local communities learned the importance of building capacity to a level that would allow them to end homelessness and not merely maintain a level of support. I think two things are needed to help communities accomplish the goals contained in their Ten-Year Plans to End Homelessness. First, include current and former homeless people at every level of planning, development, and execution. At the Coalition, we ask all groups—public and private, local, state, and federal—to begin every meeting by asking the basic question, “Is everyone here who needs to be here?” If there isn’t a first-person representative stakeholder representing W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

homelessness at your meetings and convenings, your plan has a greater potential to fail. Second, local communities cannot and will not end homelessness without a greater federal commitment. There’s an expression: “Homelessness is a national problem with local solutions.” The end of that sentence should be “. . . and a greater federal commitment.” AF: NCH has been around over 25 years. What do you see as the role of the Coalition as the organization moves forward? ND: The original purpose or role of the National Coalition for the Homeless remains its only purpose: the Coalition exists as a national network of current and former homeless people, activists and advocates, communitybased and faith-based service providers, and other dedicated individuals and organizations committed to ending homelessness in America. It’s what attracted me to the Coalition, and more importantly, it’s what will Bring America Home. The power is in its simplicity. AF: NCH played an important role in organizing NASNA. How do you see the two organizations working together more in the future? ND: I spoke earlier about the need for creating and maintaining various methods of communication that can carry the voices of homeless men and women. NASNA and its incredible network of news organizations and newspapers around the world provide a perfect method of carrying those voices and the issues they represent. I’m excited about continuing the Coalition’s work with NASNA, exploring new ideas for partnership, and working together on the goal of ending homelessness. © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org

StreetWise is a member of NASNA & the International Network of Street Papers, which maintains the Street News Service.

FoodWise with Ginny & Chef J

By Ginny & Chef J StreetWise Contributors (www.ginetics.org, www.researchchefs.us)

Seven Deadly Sins... ...against Health Part 2: Sloth aziness truly is a “sin” against your health. Laziness is also known as sloth! It’s one of the biggest barriers to staying good and healthy. Most folks say they want to exercise, but then procrastination sets in. Do any of these statements sound familiar? “I’ll do it in the morning.”“I’ll do it at lunchtime.”“I’ll make time after work.” It’s a perpetual cycle of broken promises. Usually, this leaves you feeling bad about yourself. Does your day usually go something like this? Wake up, hit the snooze button, and then rush to shower and leave for work. You sit in the car while you drive to work. Once at work, you sit at your desk until lunchtime. You sit and eat (worse, you eat at your desk). After work, you drive home. Once you arrive, you order some dinner and sit some more until it’s time to go to bed.

The next morning it starts all over again. Now, Ginny and Chef J. aren’t saying you must join a gym or work out like a fanatic every day. However, some of us have fallen victim to sloth. Here are a few suggestions to help you break the habit. First, add some fun to your morning. Many studies have shown that adding some physical activity to your daily routine can help improve your mood, weight, and sleep. It’s best to start with something fun: Arrange your work schedule so that you can go for a walk, jog, or play some racquetball. Or how about turning on some music and dancing for a few minutes? If all that sounds too complicated, try adding some basic body movements while waiting for your coffee to brew. Jumping jacks, push-ups, and sit-ups can be done anywhere, and no equipment is needed. Abdominal crunches and glute squeezes can be done in the car; you can easily perform these while waiting at red lights. Once you’re at work, make it a point to take activity breaks, especially if you sit at your desk all day long. Also, try taking your bathroom breaks on another floor, using the stairs whenever possible. At lunch, grab a buddy and head out for a 20-minute walk, or hit the office gym for a quick no-sweat workout. On the way home, do a few more isometric ab crunches and glute squeezes in the car. When you get home, immediately throw on your sweats and take a quick jog or walk. Try walking to your favorite takeout restaurant; eat there and then walk home. At night, instead of sitting on the couch or in front of the computer, get on the floor and stretch. And during your favorite shows’ commercial breaks, do a set of push-ups, sit-ups, or jumping jacks. Finally, don’t be lazy in bed—add some healthy sexual activity! Sex is great exercise and good for your overall well-being. Of course, be sure to practice safe sex, with a committed partner you love.

DineWise B By Lee Barrie & Cindy Kurman Barrie StreetWise Contributors

Chilam Balam: a delightful, cozy Mexican Cocina with a great background story... It’s an American story that’s so good we love to tell it: the talented, young chef with limited means but lots of drive lands a job working for one of the finest. Eventually—and still with limited means—he finds an enthusiastic entrepreneurial business partner and they strike out on their own. It could go either way but, in this case, it’s a success right out of the box. We’re talking about chef Chuy Valencia, who spent time in the kitchen of Frontera Grill, and his business partner, the delightful Soraya Rendon, an ambitious and focused Mexican immigrant in her first restaurant gig. The restaurant is Chilam Balam, a Mexican Cocina located at 3023 N. Broadway in the Lakeview area. It’s one of these great neighborhood finds where the buzz starts softly and builds quickly. To get there you walk downstairs from the street level. Once you’re inside, you’re gleefully amazed at the warmth, color and joy emanating from the 30 or so people who have been lucky enough to get a table. It’s wonderful—small, artistic and colorful, with the aromas of fresh Mexican sm all-plate cuisine prepared with a knowing and skilled palate. Chilam Balam is a small-plate, BYOB spot that serves up deli-

eing is never a good Noare matter what cious food thatlazy is meant to be shared. Theidea. portions larger than might bethe expected, and athe flavors are time although of day,they’re therenot is huge, always “better way.” carefullyGetting thought out.inThethe presentation with amore touch ofand habit isofcreative, moving whimsy littlemake pretense. are broughthealthier, out when they’re eatingand lessverywill usDishes all happier, slimready so everything comes out at its peak of flavor and temperature. The wait staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, so take advantage of their expertise and let them guide you through a terrific food adventure. We joined friends who had heard the buzz about Chilam Balam, so we gave it a try, sampling a wide range of dishes. To make a long story short, most everything was delicious and the choices are more one of personal taste than of good or bad. Choose what you feel like; there are enough choices that you can sample many or save some selections for your next visit. The menu is divided into three sections (keep in mind that the menu changes seasonally, so the dishes below may or may not be on menu when you go). The first and largest section is Small Plates, with 8 selections to choose from. Items include C orn masa memelas topped with smokey black bean puree, goat cheese, arbol chile salsa and dressed greens; Young greens tossed in roasted poblano dressing, avocado, toasted sweet pumpkin seeds, grilled jicama, orange and red onion; Grilled pork ribs basted with Oaxacan pasilla glaze, radishes, and sweet plantains with crema; Grilled hanger steak in guajillo sauce, roasted potatoes, crispy onion and cila ntro; Empanadas filled with braised mushrooms in pipian verde, two cheeses, epazote and roasted green chiles; Halibut ceviche tossed with red onion, cucumber, jicama, cilantro, habanero, avocado and tomato; tostadas; Guacamole with traditional garnishes and crispy tostadas, mild or spicy, and Soup of the day with seasonal garnishes. With a nod to those who would rather enjoy a full-sized meal, the second section features Larger Plates—three entrée-sized dishes. Choose from Grill seared jumbo scallops, fresh corn chileatole, grilled wax beans, baby cherry tomatoes and roasted mushrooms; Roasted W W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

Chef J’s Secret Recipe Seared Salmon with Fall Pears (serves 2)

FoodWise Shopping List: • 2 five ounce pieces of fresh salmon • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter • 1 large pear; Bosc or Bartlett (sliced thinly) • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice • 2 Tablespoons honey • Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste • Garnish with fresh chopped dill (optional)

FoodWise Cooking Instructions: • Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. • Place butter in skillet. • Place salmon on melted butter. • Then place pear slices around salmon. • While cooking, mix lemon juice and honey in small bowl. • Sauté salmon and pears about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. • Then drizzle NUTRITIONAL INFO lemon/ honey mixture over both. • Cook for 1 minute, until outside is golden brown, but still pink in middle. • Gently remove from skillet, and arrange pear slices around salmon. •Garnish with fresh chopped dill. leg of lamb in a rustic sauce of mulato chiles, bitter chocolate and sesame seeds; roasted garlic-potato puree, or Grilled, herb marinated whole game hen with charred tomato molcajete salsa, blackened knob on ions and pot beans. The third section of the menu includes three monthly small plate specials. In September the choices are Slices of mixed heirloom tomatoes, chunks of fresh cheese, chilaca chile-avocado dressing and sunflower greens; Handmade quesadilla filled with melting cheese, epazote, grilled corn, green chile, and grilled summer squash, and Sliced Ahi Tuna in chileagua, pickled red onions, charred purple carrots and fresh herbs; tostadas. The dessert menu changes frequently and we recommend you save room for a delightful finish to your meal. Keep in mind that the restaurant’s seating capacity is small, so if you are flexible in your dining schedule, try to arrive either early in the dinner hour or toward the latter part. ¡Que aproveche! Chilam Balam 3023 N. Broadway St. Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 296-6901 www.chilambalamchicago.com

Hours: Sun.-Thurs.: 5 -10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat.: 5 - 11 p.m. Tuesday: closed Prices: Small plates: $7.75 - $11.25; Larger plates: $16.50-$20.95

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

S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

StreetWise Theatre

Merce Cunningham Dance Company comes to Colombia Composer/sound designer Richard Woodbury and visual artist Anna Kunz, both members of Columbia College’s faculty, contribute their artistic talents when the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC), one of the world's preeminent modern-dance companies, makes its first appearance in the intimate 272-seat theater at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. The company will perfo rm two distinct site-specific “events” in October: Chicago Event 1 will be held on Thu 10/1 at 8 p.m. and Sat 10/3 at 3 p.m., and Chicago Event 2 will take place on Fri-Sat 10/2-10/3 at 8 p.m. Cunningham, who passed away July 26 at the age of 90, described Events as choreographic collages consisting of excerpts from the MCDC’s repertory and new sequences arranged especially for each site-specific performance, presented without intermission. Woodbury, who’s served as the Dance Center's music director since 1980 and is an associate professor at Columbia, contributes music along with MCDC music director Takehisa Kosugi for both Chicago Event 1 and Chicago Event 2. Kunz, who teaches painting at Columbia, provides decor design for the first two performances; Robert Rauschenberg's painting Immerse, created in 1994 specifically for MCDC’s Events, serves as decor for the remaining performances. As part of the MCDC’s residency, Dance Center chair Bonnie Brooks will give pre-performance talks, free to ticket holders, 10/1 and 10/2 at 7 p.m. and 10/3 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $38. For tickets or more information, call 312-3698330 or visit colum.edu/dancecenter. RICH FOREMAN PHOTO

Light Opera Works presents C'est la Vie In C’est la Vie, Dominique and Fatiguée are down-on-their-luck chanteuses at a fading cabaret in 1950s Paris. Forced to sing the same Edith Piaf songs night after night, the pair scheme to have their boss “conveniently detained” by the police so they can finally perform their own material, if only for one night. Since its 2002 Chicago premiere at Theatre Building Chicago (under the title La Vie Ennui) , C’est la Vie has been produced in Vienna, Budapest, and Oxford, England, and has been touring Spain since 2007. The Light Opera Works production will run Fri 10/9 through Sun 11/15 at the company’s Second Stage, 1420 Maple Ave. in Evanston. Book, music, and lyrics for C’est la Vie are by Gregg Opelka, whose screwball 1940s musical Soup du Jour was produced by Light Opera Works in 2002, and a Los Angeles film company has purchased the rights to his 2007 holiday comedy Marrying Terry. Making her Light Opera Works debut in the role of Dominique Jolie is Kelly Anne Clark, who previously played Jeanette Guerre in The House of Martin Guerre at Goodman Theatre. Award-winning cabaret artist Jennifer Chada plays Fatiguée Fourbue. Light Opera Works artistic director Rudy Hogenmiller directs and choreographs C’est la Vie. In addition to helming many productions for the company— A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, The Mikado, The Sound of Music, and Kiss Me, Kate—he’s been nominated 17 times for Joseph Jefferson Awards and has won six times for best direction and choreography in Chicago. Performances are Fri-Sat 8 p.m and Sun 3 p.m., through 11/15, and previews are Sun 10/4 at 3 p.m., and Wed-Thu 10/7-10/8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24-$39 (previews, $21); ages 21 and under admitted at half price. To order, call 847869-6300 or visit light-opera-works.org.

S E P T E M B E R 30-O C TO B E R 6, 2009

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Event Calendar September 30-October 6 ages further community exploration. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St. For more info call 312-642-4600. Free with $12-$14 general admission to the museum; kids 12 and under free; Mondays free. A musical based on the Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday-morning cartoon vignettes, Schoolhouse Rock Live! features "Conjunction Junction," "Unpack Your Adjectives," "Do the Circulations," and other songs. Thu-Sat 8 p.m., through October 3, Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. For more info call 773-784-6969. Tickets are $10. Chicago TechExpo 2009 is a one-day conference featuring the latest technology for your business, with on-site tech coaching, raffle prizes, workshops, and social-networking opportunities. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt. For more info visit chicagotechexpo.net.

Friday The Wicker Park Critical Mass Ride is a monthly bike ride through the Wicker Park neighborhood; helmets recommended. First Friday of the month, 6-9 p.m., Ashland and Milwaukee avenues, 1200 N. Ashland Ave. For more info call 312-551-7300, ext. 11. Free. The exhibit Neolaia/Pathos: new.youth.passion features the work of 13 young Greek-American artists using various media, including painting, photographs, sculpture, and video. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., through January 9, National Hellenic Museum, 801 W. Adams St. For more info call 312-655-1234. $5 suggested donation, free for kids under age 12.

Friday: Robie House walking tour

Wednesday Audrey Niffenegger, the local author of The Time Traveler's Wife, reads from her new novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, at 7:30 p.m. at the Swedish American Museum Center, 5211 N. Clark St. Hosted by Women & Children First; for more info call 773-728-8111. Tickets are $29.67; admission includes a copy of the book. The first exhibition of its type in the U.S., Pearl of the Snowlands: Buddhist Printing at the Derge Parkhang features prints, books, photographs, and videos of the only surviving traditional Tibetan printing temple. Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Columbia College Chicago's Center for Book & Paper Arts, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. For more info call 312-344-6684. Free. Raise money for community gardens (NeighborSpace) while playing bingo for prizes such as locally produced honey and hot sauce, handmade soaps, and— the grand prize—a box stuffed with fresh fruits and veggies, at Veggie Bingo Wednesdays; also features free hot dogs and tofu dogs and a guest caller each week. 6-8 p.m., through October 14, the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave. For more info call 773-2274433. Bingo cards are $1 ($5 for six cards).

Thursday Local spas and salons honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month with $31 massages, manicures, facials, waxes, and other beauty treatments at the Pretty in Pink Fundraiser, daily through October 31. Participants include Chicago Hair Care (3633 N. Ashland Ave.), Elizabeth Adam Salon and Day Spa (845 N. Michigan Ave.), and Rachael's Spa (1940 N. Lincoln Ave.). For more info call 312-435-9391 or visit prettycity.com/pink. Nora Chipaumire with Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited, Zimbabwean exiles, perform traditional music and dance with politically charged spoken word in their piece "lions will roar, swans will fly, angels will wrestle heaven, rains will break: gukurahundi." Thu 10/1 and Sat 10/3, 7:30 p.m., and Sun 10/4, 3 p.m., Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. For more info call 312-2802660 or visit mcachicago.org. Tickets are $10-$25. Share your own memories and experiences at Lincoln Park Block by Block, an historical exploration of the North Side neighborhood, detailing infamous events such as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the shooting of John Dillinger, the Great Chicago Fire, and more; a take-home map encourW W W. S T R E E T W I S E . O R G

The architectural wealth of the neighborhood surrounding the University of Chicago ranges from the venerable influence of Europe to the distinctly American design of the Robie House. Explore the area's architectural diversity on the Robie House Historic Neighbors Walking Tour, a 60-minute selfguided audio tour that’s wheelchair accessible. FriSat 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Robie House, 5757 S. Woodlawn Ave. For more info call 708-848-1976. Tickets are $10. Browse the items of 100 antiques dealers from the U.S. and abroad at the Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair (formerly the Chicago Antiques Fair), showcasing antiques and fine art from a wide range of categories, periods, and locales. Fri 10/2, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat 10/3, 11 a.m.6 p.m., Sun 10/4, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Mon 10/5, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Merchandise Mart, 12th floor, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza. For more info call 800677-6278 or visit merchandisemartantiques.com. $15 per day, free for kids under age 13.

Saturday Sketch troupe Stir-Friday Night! humorously explores multigenerational Asian-American issues in a new revue, Rock Out With Your Wok Out! Sat 7:30 p.m., through November 7, Donny's Skybox Theatre, 1608 N. Wells St. For more info call 312-337-3992 or visit secondcity.com. Tickets are $10-$12. AIDS Run and Walk Chicago, the annual 5K lakefront event, also features live entertainment and a health expo. The top fundraiser receives two roundtrip tickets to Europe, while the top 300 fundraisers

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Event Calendar September 30-October 6 (as of Wed 9/30) score a VIP breakfast. 9:55 a.m. run, 10 a.m. walk, Columbus and Balbo drives, 300 E. Balbo Dr. Register at aidsrunwalk.org (registration fee: $25-$30). Satisfy your sweet tooth at the 13th annual Eli's Cheesecake Festival, featuring free samples, cooking demos, live music and entertainment, cheesecake-eating contests, and a classic car show on Sunday. Bring a canned food donation for a free slice of cheesecake. Sat 10/3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sun 10/4, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Eli's Cheesecake World and Cafe, 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr. For more info call 773-205-3800. Free.

Sunday The City of Hope's Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer, a noncompetitive event, raises funds to support breast cancer research, treatment, and educational programs. Gallery Park, 2415 W. Lake Ave., Glenview. For more info call 800779-5893. The Shedd Aquarium’s Community Discount Days offer free general admission and discounts for admission to the Oceanarium and "Wild Reef" exhibits. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr. For more info call 312-939-2438. Free. The Free First Sunday for Kids monthly promotion includes all-day admission to the Children’s Museum. First Sunday of the month, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Chicago Children's Museum, 700 E. Grand Ave. For more info call 312-527-1000. Free for kids ages 15 and under, $9-$10 for adults. Daniel Burnham's Enduring Vision for the Philippines features architectural and landscape photographer Tim Long’s photographs of Manila's streets and buildings, which were designed by Burnham two years before he began work on the Plan of Chicago. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., through January 10, City Gallery, 806 N. Michigan Ave. For more info call 312-744-6630. Free.

Monday At the Burnham Memorial Design Competition Exhibition, view 19 proposals from architecture firms around the country for a memorial to urban planner and architect Daniel Burnham, to be constructed on the Field Museum campus. Includes 3-D models of the winning proposal from David Woodhouse Architects and a bound copy of Burham's original Plan of Chicago. Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m., through November 1, Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. For more info call 312-922-9410. Free with general admission ($9-$15). Celebrate Chicago's Italian-American heritage at Fiera Italiana with food vendors, live music, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, art displays, and fashion shows. Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m., through October 9, Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. For more info call 312-994-2620. Free. Krista Ortgiesen, one of the creators of the all-female go-go dance troupe the Janes, leads a cardio-dancing class that incorporates classic go-go moves to the sounds of '60s-style rock 'n' roll. Wear workout attire and comfy shoes. 6-7 p.m., Flamenco Arts Center, 3755 N. Western Ave. $12 per class, $60 for sixclass package.

Tuesday The City Treasurer’s Inaugural Wealth Fitness Summit—9-10 a.m.: Take Control of Your Spending; 10-11 a.m.: Understanding the Home Buying Process; 11 a.m.-noon: Investing in Today’s Economy; noon-1 p.m.: Alternatives to Foreclosure; 1-2 p.m.: Understanding Your Credit Score. Olive Harvey Middle College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave. For more info call 773-291-6292. Professional instructors lead free Latin dance classes for beginners; the length of the class varies based on class size. First and third Tuesday of the month, 6-8 p.m., Nacional 27, 325 W. Huron St. For more info call 312-6642727. View the decorated coffin containing a priestess-musician who lived in southern Egypt more than 1,000 years ago at The Life of Meresamun: A Temple Singer in Ancient Egypt. Learn about her way of life though CT scans, digital re-creations, musical instruments, documents, jewelry, pottery, and more. Tue 10 a.m.6 p.m., Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, 1155 E. 58th St. For more info call 773-702-9514. $4-$7 suggested donation.

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Country Music Fest Saturday, October 3

Sundday, October 4

Petrillo Music Shell, (Grant Park)

• 6 pm - Jamey Johnson • 7:30 pm - Miranda Lambert

• 6 pm - The Flatlanders featuring Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock • 7:30 pm - John Rich

Best Buy Honkey Tonk Stage • 11 am - The Kimberly Wolff Band • 12:30 pm - Hazzard County • 2 pm - Lucky Town • 3:30 pm - Southern Exposure • 5 pm - Coy Taylor Band

Americana Stage • Noon - The Nashville Wreckers • 2 pm - Musikanto • 4 pm - CMA Songwriters’ Series Featuring Lee Ann Womack, Bob DiPiero, Dean Dillon And Scotty Emerick • 6 pm - Or, The Whale Photo of Dean Dillon • 8 pm - Joe Pug

Best Buy Honkey Tonk Stage • 11 am - Mark Stary & The Whisky Roses • 12:30 pm - The August • 2 pm - The White Saddle Band • 3:30 pm - Geoff Elvee • 5 pm - Dan Whitaker & The Shinebenders

Americana Stage • Noon - Urban Twang • 2 pm - Special Consensus • 4 pm - Tom Schraeder & His Ego • 6 pm - Colin Gilmore • 8 pm - Alejandro Escovedo

Kids’ Corral

• 11 am & 12:15 pm - Jeanie B! • 1:30 pm & 2:45 pm - Patti Ecker • 4 pm – 4:45 pm - Little Nashville • 5:15 pm – 6 pm - Little Nashville

• 11 am & 12:15 pm - Super Stolie • 1:30 pm & 2:45 pm - Chris Fascione • 4 pm – 4:45 pm - Little Nashville • 5:15 pm – 6 pm - Little Nashville

Dance Stage

• Line Dance Instruction / Dancing at Noon, 2pm, 4:30pm and 6:30pm each day • DJ / Open Dance Floor at 1pm, 5:30pm and 7:30pm each day • Square Dance Instruction / Dancing at 3pm – 4:30pm each day

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This Week In Chicago 25 Years Ago

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By Suzanne Hanney “Chicago, often thought of as a Second City, is certainly changing its reputation because of the many professional first-class musical organizations and the complex of theatres and dance companies that are thriving within the Lake Michigan area,” entertainment columnist Earl Calloway wrote in the September 29, 1984, edition of the Chica go Defender . The Lyric Opera had a “super production” of Eugene Onegin in progress, while Grace Bumbry was set to star in Erna ni with Luciano Pavarotti. Other stars on the Lyric schedule were Eva Marton, Placido Domingo, Mirella Freni, and Kurt Moll. Productions included Ara bella , Ca rmen, Die Fra u ohne Scha tten, The Abduction From the Sera glio, and Il Ba rbiere di Siviglia . Sir Georg Solti’s production of Handel’s Messia h, featuring the Chicago Symphony Chorus and mezzo-soprano star Marilyn Horne, took place that weekend. Meanwhile, violinist Itzhak Perlman opened the Auditorium Theatre’s Great Artists series, which also included the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ferrante & Teicher, Louis Jourdan in the play Gigi , the Chicago City Ballet, Twyla Tharp Dance Company, the American Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Folklorico Nacional de Mexico. The Goodman Theatre produced Leonard Bernstein’s Ca ndide, its first musical in a year. Recording star Roy Ayers debuted at Rick’s Cafe, which also welcomed Billy Eckstine, the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Frank Sinatra Jr., Ramsey Lewis Jr., and Patti LaBelle in 1984. The Jacksons were in the third month of their Victory Tour, having recently played Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Booking agents were said to be looking at Comiskey Park for a date in mid-fall, “before the hawk arrives.” Ultimately, Michael Jackson and his brothers performed three concerts there on October 12-14, to roughly 40,000 fans per show. During an interview on Essence magazine’s TV show, Jermaine Jackson “told some very interesting experiences about his marriage, his career and the current tour with his brothers, which is [his] first since he left [the Jackson 5] and became a husband,” Galloway wrote. Jermaine was married to Hazel Gordy (they divorced in 1987), daughter of Motown recording magnate Berry Gordy; he stayed behind at Motown when the Jackson 5 left the label for CBS Records in 1976 and changed their name to the Jacksons, with Randy replacing Jermaine. He rejoined his brothers in time for the Victory Tour. Jackie Jackson was the only brother not on the tour, due to a knee injury, but he rejoined his siblings for the final concert at Los Angeles’s Dodger

HTTP://VALORIEBURTON

Editer-in-Chief

Stadium on December 9. The biggest tour of its time, the five-month Victory Tour featured 55 concerts across the United States and Canada and grossed a record-breaking $75 million. Michael donated his share to charity, saying it was “about giving back,” according to michael-jackson-trader.com. He invented four new dance moves for the tour: the “moonwalk in place,” the “magic moonwalk,” the “forward moonwalk,” and the “sidewalk in place,” though his brothers voted down the latter move. He performed the forward moonwalk only once, in Dallas. The tour turned out to be the Jacksons’ last. Michael stunned his fans—and his family—when he announced at the December 9 concert, while singing 1978’s “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground),” that he was leaving the group. He told promoter Don King that he had no interest in participating in a world tour.

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Eaters, 1981. Polaroid type 809_8 x 10

Barbara Crane By Jason Berry StreetWise Contributor

alking into Barbara Crane’s Chicago studio is to come face to face with a life filled by the constant pursuit of art and a vision. Work from throughout her career, which stretches back to the late 1940s and is still going strong, can be found on every wall. Flat-file drawers of prints line one wall, and boxes bursting with photos are stacked high above. Crane readily admits she lets few of her images go to waste. Any “accident” with the camera or in the darkroom can become the source of her next inspiration, sending the artist out to perfect the latest discovery. Others are reborn in her many grids, scrolls, and assembled pieces, where multiple prints are arranged with both great motion and architectural precision. Crane’s work can be small, with some prints the size of your hand, and it can be large, with murals growing to over five feet.Yet all these images are, as she says, her “private world.” That world is about to go on display for everyone to enjoy at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Opening October 1, the career-spanning retrospective exhibition Ba rba ra Cra ne: Cha llenging Vision is both a play on her forthright dedication to challenging the technical boundaries of photographic vision and an acknowledgement of

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her complex, deliberate, and challenging vision of art and art making. Cha llenging Vision , organized by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, brings together an astounding range of over 300 photographs that recognizes the 60-year career of the Chicago artist-photographer and educator. This retrospective of Crane’s work also opens Chicago Artists Month 2009, where Crane will be celebrated with the very first Ruth Horwich Award to a Famous Chicago Artist. The Horwich Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of an esteemed local artist, is being presented to Crane for “her enduring career committed to stretching the boundaries of photography and her lifelong dedication to teaching.” Crane was born in Chicago and spent her earliest days in South Shore before her parents moved to Winnetka. From there she traveled to Oakland, California, to attend Mills College, where her early photographs show an emerging interest in abstract art. Marriage took her to New York City, where she completed her studies at New York University. In New York, Crane—who confesses to being teased for visiting museums by herself—dedicated her time to experiencing the city’s diverse art world. She purchased her first photography book, Edward Weston’s 50 Photogra phs, (which she still owns WW WW W.. SS TT RR EE EE TT W W II SS EE .. O O RR GG W

today) for $4 at a used book stall on 14th Street. Returning to Chicago, where she raised three children, Crane continued to develop her passion for photography, which began at her father’s side in the family’s darkroom. She started photographing her children, and later was commissioned for portraits by Chicago’s proud business barons. It was this work that she took to Aaron Siskind, the acclaimed photographer and professor at the influential Institute of Design (ID). Crane admired Siskind’s work, which she knew from galleries in Chicago, and he invited her to pursue a graduate degree at ID. It took only one day for her to accept his offer. While attending ID, Crane began teaching at her high school alma mater, New Trier. After three years there she accepted a position at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), continuing to chart her own path as an early photography educator. She retired from SAIC in 1995 as Professor Emeritus. Fitting an artist so rooted in Chicago and its artistic traditions, Crane’s most frequent subject is Chicago itself: its architecture, its people, and its public spaces. Her images dance with the intensity of our metropolis. Crane has returned to photographing architecture several times, including a commission documenting Chicago landmarks. Each

StreetWise People of the North Portal, 1970-71. Gelatin silver print_16 x 20

Wipe Outs, 1986. Gelatin silver print_16 x 20

Visions of Enarc, 1983-86-Polaroid Polacolor ER-20 x 24

Chicago Beaches and Parks, 1972-78. Gelatin silver_11 x 14

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of the architectural series explores a unique technical question she’s intent on answering. Many capture the expression created by a skyscraper’s pattern of windows. Others layer building against building, producing a collage-like effect from Chicago’s dense skyline, that’s made possible by Crane’s use of a telephoto lens. Crane says she loves the pulse of the city and the feeling of “being out in the world with the sun on my skin.” Early on she often photographed with large-format cameras, the sort you see in old movies, with the photographer disappearing beneath a dark cloth hood in order to see the image focused on the ground glass. These heavy cameras were supported on a tripod, which Crane packed into a red golf bag to wheel around Chicago. While she heard her share of funny remarks— “Hey lady, you’re awfully far from the fairway!”— Crane also noted that the large-format camera gave her an opportunity to appear “official” and go unnoticed by many people who passed through her lens. She used this anonymity, her face hidden behind enormous cameras, to capture some of her most engaging images. The people who find their way into her frame are caught unaware, but never disinterested, allowing us to see an uninterrupted slice of their lives. Photographs from Crane’s People of the North Porta l series (1970-‘71) were taken as patrons left the Museum of Science and Industry. In these photos Crane, positioned outside the museum’s entrance, captures images of people from all over the world as they acknowledge or ignore her camera, while staying true to a new artistic goal she set for herself each day. In the Commuter Discourse series (1978), her own shadow is cast in the midst of a swirling rushhour crowd on their way to Union Station. At risk of being trampled by the massive swarm of commuters, Crane stands alone—she says she has to be alone to work—and collects images of a world eager to catch the next train home. The final prints often show parts of multiple images, separated by the frame of the film roll, to present a juxtaposition of pattern and form.The tension of the photographer as a still, solitary observer up against a quickening world distills the hurried condition of contemporary life and draws attention to the unique experience of observing a world in motion. Crane’s Bea ches a nd Pa rks (1972-‘78) slows down these observations to allow the tenderness, not to mention the occasional unexpectedness, of human interaction to be brought forth. In Crane’s recent work, and in her still-life photographs of found objects, she’s quick to point out the deliberate balance of her images on the photographic paper, so that the negative space carries as much weight as the image we’re drawn to. Crane says she likes to “see everything,” and although chance figures prominently in much of her work, the final image is always carefully composed. The influence of Crane’s interest in painting shines through here. Although her sister got to take painting while she was given piano lessons, she has the painter’s eye for line, drawing, and composition as well as the musician’s sense of harmony. Crane exhibits many of her images in a series, creating a modern, repeating effect, or shows two images side by side as a pair, akin to the painter’s diptych. Yet in Crane’s color photography, particularly the photos taken in nature, we discover deeply vibrant tones that can give way to a dapple-lit abstraction beyond the reach of any painter. Through it all, Crane’s photography shows a remarkable conceptual consistency, guided by an embrace of the lessons taught at the ID: photography that’s strong with ideas but above all devoted to

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StreetWise Pedway Notations, 2009. Archival Pigment Print13 x 19

at right: Schisms, 2001. Somerset Photo Enhanced paper with Epson Archival ink19 x 13

exploring the rich accidents of a medium that’s constantly evolving through each introduction of a new technology. And Crane has been no stranger to photography’s changes: a trip to teach in Boston, where she was without a darkroom, led her to investigate the possibilities of Polaroid prints. But it was during the year Crane lived in Tucson while working on a retrospective book and exhibition of her work that was organized by the Center for the Creative photography at the University of Arizona, that her polaroid images came to life. She recalls the cyan blue of the desert sky, and the desert’s unforgiving light burns on in images of items collected and displayed on a backyard fence, work that Crane describes as her most autobiographical. Today Crane explores the challenges of the digital age (we each shared our enthusiasm for the possibilities of the iPhone). Her most recent work, Pedwa y Nota tions, above, (2009), was created while she was perched low on a sidewalk planter documenting the rhythm of passing legs and the shadows cast by unseen torsos. These images, manipulated and arranged with Photoshop, read like musical scores, so effective is the tempo of their arrangement. In her digital work Crane proves that artists need not fear their creative abilities will be rendered moot by the medium’s advances. A smaller sample of Crane’s work is currently on display at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in an exhibit titled Then/Now: The Eterna l Threa d of the ID Aesthetic, which includes photographs from Crane’s 1966 master thesis at ID. At the September 10 opening of Then/Now, a small group gathered to hear Crane discuss her work, her time at ID, and its influence. The neatly edited exhibit summarizes Crane’s varied and experimental approach to photography while highlighting the “eternal” conceptual thread that’s tied each of her photo series to the next. In the audience was an admiring crowd of former pupils, fellow ID grads, gallerists, and others who’ve been impacted in some way by Barbara Crane. Her full retrospective may have been overdue—so challenging is her vision—but to the group gathered around her at IIT, the opportunity to glimpse Crane’s private world has been well worth the wait.

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BARBARA CRANE: CHALLENGING VISION October 3, 2009-January 10, 2010 Exhibit Hall Chicago Cultural Center 78 E. Washington St., Chicago

Visions of Enarc II, 1991-92. Polaroid and Copy transfers on Arches Watercolor Paper-10 x 16-

Opening Reception and Chicago Artists Month Celebration: Thu 10/1, 6-8 p.m. Exhibition Events Sat 10/3, 2 p.m.: Interview of Barbara Crane The artist is interviewed by John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs at Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas (Garland Room, first floor) Gallery Talks Thu 10/1, 5:30 p.m.: guest curator Kenneth C. Burkhart Fri 10/29, 12:15 p.m.: Gregory Knight, deputy commissioner for visual arts Thu 11/19, 12:15 p.m.: Abigail Foerstner, essayist on Barbara Crane Thu 12/17, 12:15 p.m.: Whitney Bradshaw, curator of photography for the Bank of America collection Thu 1/ 7, 12:15 p.m.: Barbara Crane THEN / NOW: THE ETERNAL THREAD OF THE ID AESTHETIC September 10, 2009-February 1, 2010 Kemper Room Art Gallery Paul V. Galvin Library Illinois Institute of Technology 35 W. 33rd St., Chicago

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Coloma to CovertSandwich, 2007._Inkjet print_13 x 19

Above: Coloma to Covert Collage, 2007-8. 4x6 C-print collaged prints-8 x 24

Sand Findings, 199293-Archival Inkjet print-13 x 19

The Playground From the Director continued from page 2 plumber and electrician to teach me as they built the darkroom, and as a result, I learned the skills and took over plumbing and electrical work for the house at a very young age. But that is only scratching the surface. I recently heard my mom being interviewed answering the question of how she became so Bruce Crane, 2009 technically proficient and cutting edge in doing new things. She said: “what could she lose by trying, and why couldn’t she succeed if she did so? Much of what I try doesn’t work as planned but it leads me to something wonderful that I want to explore further. And so I go there, as if I’m drawn to it.” Now I have the answer for why I can build and fix things: my mother exposed me to things I had an inclination for, and nurtured the feeling that I should try it. As I grew, I took apart anything that broke, occasionally I fixed it, and sometimes I made something else out of the parts, just as I’ve learned my mother does with her photographs. I had misgivings about our cover story: Am I allowing my position at StreetWise to creep into our editorial platform? First, I thought our editor was right, this is news, this is about Chicago, and this is about one of the City’s most notable art events. It is likely the largest one person photography exhibition the city has ever undertaken. But most important is how relevant the content of her art is to us all. Vast bodies of her work capture people in public places. Mom celebrates the diversity of everyday people; people who are differentiated by many factors, including the nurturing of their childhood environment. As I talk with our vendors, I see that this is largely what differentiates us as well. Our environments and nurturing yielded different results. I have been able to meet adversity with the tools that were nurtured into me. Not all of us have been so fortunate. When people ask me about why I am working at StreetWise, I can now say it has a lot to do with my mother. She demonstrated the love of people, the appreciation for their diversity, a self-challenging work ethic (at 81 she’s usually at her studio!), and through her art, she gives creativity to the community. I’ve never led a non-profit before, but my mother gave me the confidence to try, skills to face challenges, and Popula r Mecha nics that have kept coming for more than 40 years.

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Worldwide Vendor Spotlight

Vancouver vendor appreciates 2nd chance By William Dawson Megaphone vendor “I was born in Vancouver but I was educated in the States, and I’ve travelled the States and Canada a lot. I came back home to spend the rest of my years in Vancouver. “I used to own an ATM company, but a bad series of events—a bad marriage, basically—happened, and I lost my company and ended up homeless in the east end. “About six years ago I got myself on disability, but that wasn’t quite enough. I heard about Megaphone from another person who was selling it, and they were making money. I thought selling the paper was quite easy and fun, so I started too. It’s a means to subsidize my income, have a little extra spending cash. “Selling the paper gives me the opportunity to deal with people one on one in the public. I’m not panhandling. I actually have a vested interest in what I’m selling and I like talking to people, so it’s a great avenue for me to communicate and tell people what’s going on with me and the city. “I think homelessness in this city needs to be addressed. When they’re spending the amount of money they’re spending on the

Meet: William Dawson

Olympics, that money should also go towards homelessness. They could take care of it with the amount of money they spend on the Olympics alone. “Future plans? Wow. I’m nearing retirement age, so I want to be happy and comfortable and that’s about it. “The thing about Canada is that people here are a forgiving group. They’re willing to give people a second chance and this is my second chance—getting my act together again—and by having this extra revenue source I’m able to live a little better, eat a little better, and it gives me self-esteem. “What I want my customers to know about me is that I’m a worthwhile person, and I’d like to have the opportunity to make something of myself, and this is the start of it.”

SNS Exclusive © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org Street pa pers like this one a nd StreetWise 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 its content through the Street News Service. This Service provides exclusive content to street pa per rea ders worldwide.

“

I think homelessness in this city needs to be addressed. When they’re spending the amount of money they’re spending on the Olympics... —William Dawson

StreetWise Vendor News Amie S. Davis, featured in the September 9th profile, wants her customers to know she’s enrolled in the LEEDS job training program computer skills course and as a result she has different work hours. You can find Amie at Rush and Chicago at the following hours: Monday 2-30 -4:30 p.m.; Tuesday 6:30-9 p.m.; Thursday 2:30-7:30 p.m.; Friday 2:30 -4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Edward Becvarik, featured in the August 5th profile, wants to let his customers know that he has secured his own apartment. PADS helped him out with application fees for his apartment in Oak Park, which he moved into at the beginning of September. He has been without his own residence since October of last year, and was sleeping in a storage unit. “It was a really overwhelming sleeping in my apartment the first night. It still is, really. It’s increadible.”

Look for the Badge!

Where the money goes...

Please purchase your copy of StreetWise from badged vendors only! For questions or comments regarding our vendor force, please contact Greg Pritchett at (312) 829-2526 or at gpritchett14@yahoo.com.

Vendors buy StreetWise for 75 cents, and the remaining $1.25 goes directly to the licensed vendor.

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