"We have taken upon ourselves to give dignified burials for those who are indigent and unknown,” Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle said of the 180 indigent and unknown and 19 unborn who were buried at the Cook County Indigent Burial service on June 24.
From the Streets
A Northwest Side shelter for older single adults facing homelessness is in the planning stages after securing $13 million in funding.
Inside StreetWise
Meet StreetWise Vendor Percy Butler.
The Playground
THIS PAGE: A white rose and a prayer card from the Cook County Indigent Burial Service (Suzanne Hanney photo).
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Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
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Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
Generational Trauma
‘Anatomy of a Suicide’
“Anatomy of a Suicide” follows three generations of women; a mother, a daughter and a granddaughter, whose individual stories are being told simultaneously. For each, the pain and chaos of the women who came before them force them to question whether they will be able to escape this deeply rooted legacy and instead make their own. Alice Birch's Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winning play is an intimate exploration of inter-generational trauma, told across three interlinking narratives. Playing August 12 - 30 at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. The regular performance schedule is Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 - $35 at TheMetalShop.org. Please note:
"Anatomy of a Suicide" contains themes of suicide, substance abuse, and depression. Age recommendation 14+.
Classical Music Fest!
NEXUS Chamber Music Festival: ‘Music for 8’
Guarneri Hall opens its 2026/27 season with the 9th annual NEXUS Chamber Music Festival, titled “Music for 8.” The shows present a rarely heard collection of string octets on August 12, 6:30 – 8 p.m. at Winnetka Congregational Church (725 Pine St, Winnetka, IL), and August 13-14, 6:30 – 8 p.m. at Guarneri Hall (11 E. Adams St., Chicago). The program features the Chicago premiere of “Music for 8,” by pianist and composer John Novacek. Also included is Dmitri Shostakovich's “Two Pieces for String Octet“ and “String Octet” by Felix Mendelssohn. The August 12 program also features the world premiere of a new string trio by Brooklyn-based composer and Grammy® award-winning trumpet player Michael R. Dudley Jr. Tickets are $50 at guarnerihall.org, with student discounts available.
Intimate Laughs!
Alex Edelman: ‘What Are You Going to Do’ Tony and Emmy Award-winning comedian Alex Edelman returns with another hilarious and thought-provoking dissection of identity: “W hat Are You Going to Do,” playing five perfor mances only August 12 – 16 at Steppenwolf, 1650 N. Halsted St. This all-new show finds the Bostonian asking different and more unsettling questions. Primarily, should he spend his time doing something else? Should he be saving lives like his physician father? Should he be trying to return to the sense of community he experienced growing up among Israelis and Palestinians? In a show that reckons with the effects of time spent in trauma, Edelman deftly weaves in and out of examinations of faith broadly – not just Judaism – and wonders if, perhaps, there might be better things out there for him. Tickets are $54 – $94 at steppenwolf.org
Indigenous Art!
‘The Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity’
The one-of-a-kind celebration of Chicago’s native and Indigenous artistic community returns for a fifth summer in “The Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity." On August 15, from 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., the Goodman, 170 N. Dearborn St., hosts a diverse array of events for all ages—including workshops, panels that highlight and celebrate Indigenous culture and artists, scholars and performers, all for free. RSVP required. The festival culminates with a performance of “The New Adventures of Super Indian”—a classic radio play by singer, actor, playwright and comic book author Arigon Starr (Kickapoo) and performed by an intergenerational cast of Indigenous Chicago artists. For reservations for free events and $10 tickets for “The New Adventures of Super Indian,” visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Sweetest
Swipe Right!
‘I Love You Because’
Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong – even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of bad coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport you into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful modern musical will make you fall head over heels. Playing August 14 - September 13 at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road, Glenview. Tickets are $30-$55 at OilLampTheater.org
Weekend Stroll!
Morton Arboretum Wine & Walk
On Saturday & Sunday, August 15 & 16, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., sip wine and shop for nature-themed art as you stroll around The Morton Arboretum’s Meadow Lake. Guests can purchase wine and other beverages to enjoy as they browse this juried art show featuring regional artists’ photography, woodturning, jewelry, painting, ceramics, fused glass and more, which are available for purchase. The art show is included with $17.95 admission to the Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle. Visit mortonarb.org for details.
There's a Place For Us!
'West Side Story'
A timeless tale of love and rivalry, “West Side Story” brings Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” to the streets of 1950s New York. Caught between the tensions of two warring gangs—the Jets and the Sharks—Tony and Maria find themselves drawn to each other despite the violence that surrounds them. Featuring iconic songs like “Tonight,” “America” and “Somewhere,” “West Side Story” remains one of the most enduring musicals of all time. Playing August 13 - 30 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets are $19.50-$106 at MusicTheaterWorks.com.
A Life of Excitement!
Dionna Griffin-Irons: ‘This is My Moment’ Blending “theatricalized” essays, satirical songs and poetic prose, ”This is My Moment” features the real life story of a woman who has experienced the best life has to offer – a kingpin lover from the past, a jail adventure that tests her faith and a comedy career that teaches the gift of saying “Yes.” Playing August 13-15, 7:30 p.m., at Steppenwolf, 1650 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $38 at steppenwolf.org
Life, Love & Art!
‘Sunday in the Park with George’
Inspired by the painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat, “Sunday in the Park with George” merges past and present into beautiful, poignant truths about life, love and the creation of art. One of the most acclaimed musicals of our time, this moving study of the enigmatic painter, Georges Seurat, won a Pulitzer Prize and was nominated for an astounding 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Playing August 13 – November 1 in the Chopin Downstairs Studio, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets are $28.52 - $65.87 at kokandyproductions.com
Love is in the Air!
Romancing Roscoe
Romancing Roscoe is a free neighborhood block party celebrating Bookstore Romance Day at The Last Chapter Book Shop, 2013 W. Roscoe St., in Roscoe Village. Spend the day (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) meeting romance authors, shopping with local businesses and bookish vendors, discovering your next favorite read, and celebrating alongside fellow romance readers. Throughout the neighborhood, you’ll find exclusive merchandise, interactive activities, giveaways, photo opportunities, and plenty of fun. Be sure to grab an event map and explore Roscoe Village as you visit participating businesses, collect stamps, and enter for a chance to win curated prize baskets. FREE.
All About Lebron James
John: And now, for the 24th season, “As the World of LeBron James Turns.” Brought to you by Prime Video, NBC Peacock, ABC, Disney, ESPN and of course – SportsWise! The way LeBron James has been playing the NBA is more like the former daytime soap opera than an actual NBA off-season: drafts, free agency, trades, the whole song and dance. On July 24, he signed a two-year contract worth $8 million as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, after considering the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He spent the last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Russell: Cleveland is in LeBron’s home state. That would be awesome: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, James Harden, LeBron James. Man, that sounds good.
The Miami Heat? No way. Miami has no bench, no three-point shooters. They traded Tyler Herro and all those guys away. But I didn’t count Miami out. Team president Pat Riley always gets the guy they need to take care of business. Not like the Bulls.
Golden State: Steph Curry, Draymond Green. But I see their age, teams like San Antonio, OKC, would run them to death.
Last, but not least, Philadelphia: Joel Embid and Jaylen Brown. Sounds good, but too much ball control.
Allen: I thought all the AllStars have to make their stop in Miami, so maybe it was time for LeBron to make his stop. As far as the Golden State Warriors, I think he and Steph Curry would get along because of their age and they’re not chasing championships. LeBron is chasing Michael Jordan and if he hasn’t got it by now, he’s never going to get it.
The Lakers is like, “Wherever you go, take your son with you!”
John: Who will escort him in Philadelphia? Dr. J?
Tyrese Maxey, this should be his team. And of course,
Jaylen Brown, who the Celtics traded to the 76ers. Why would they need LeBron? He will slow things down. Tyrese Maxey is more of a transitional, 94-feet player than a half-court set-up.
Miami – no bench and you would have two superstars showing their age: Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron. There’s not enough basketballs to make them both happy.
To me, Golden State would make more sense because LeBron and Draymond have been close as well as Steph Curry. Forget about chasing Michael Jordan. That’s not going to happen. If I were Cleveland, I would rather trade James Harden, because he has a tendency to hold the ball and defenders can see what he’s doing. That killed
the Cavaliers more than anything last year.
Russell: Cleveland, they spend money and make trades. Golden State, Steph Curry, LeBron, they played good in the Olympics in 2024 and won. LeBron will be 44 years old and he’s in good shape, wherever he goes, he will still help the team.
John: Whatever team LeBron went to, he will bring more merchandise, more fans. Philadelphia may not be the favorite, but it’s closer and you get to look at the Doc (Julius Erving) statue outside.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors John Hagan, Russell Adams and A. Allen chat about the world of sports.
Remembering Lives Lost: the cook county indigent burial service
by Suzanne Hanney
The Cook County Indigent Burial Service “is a showcase of Cook County’s values; we believe everyone deserves respect,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in opening remarks June 24 at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 2755 W. 111th St.
“One of my core beliefs is that every person deserves to be treated in a dignified manner regardless of their circumstances. In Cook County, we have a hospital system that brings souls into life and we have taken upon ourselves to give dignified burials for those who are indigent and unknown,” Preckwinkle said of the 180 indigent and unknown and 19 unborn who were buried at the service.
“They may not have the means or the family to make final arrangements, so today, we are their family, and we honor their lives by making sure they are treated with dignity as we bid them farewell.”
Preckwinkle also thanked the numerous people who facilitated the event, starting with Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago. “When I first came into this job in 2010, I was having great difficulty finding a cemetery to bury the indigent. I made the call to [the] Cardinal and was granted help.”
She also singled out Susan Dyer-Hultgren, president of the Cook County Funeral Directors Association; the carpenters of the Cook County Department of Facilities and Management, who for more than two decades have built the wooden burial shells used to hold remains; Cook County Medical Examiner Ponni Arunkumar, M.D. and the staff of her office; students of Worsham College of Mortuary and Malcolm X College, who load the cremated remains and prepare bodies for burial; the Cook County Sheriff’s Police for providing a funeral escort; and various heads of local and township government, including county commissioners like John Daley.
“Actions speak louder than words,” said the Most Rev. Lawrence Sullivan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago and director of mission for the 47 Catholic cemeteries in its physical boundaries, who led the committal service. “You have given your time, talent and abilities to make this service a most memorable, real and holy day for these, the least of your extended family.” He added his thanks to students of Brother Rice, St. Rita of Cascia and St. Laurence High Schools, who served as readers for the service and honorary pallbearers.
loaded into a separate hearse at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, 2121 W. Harrison St., and accompanied by a funeral director. The Cook County Sheriff’s Department then escorts the procession south down Western Avenue and west to Mount Olivet.
Over the years, more than 300 funeral directors have participated, across all ethnic groups: African American, Jewish, Korean, Greek and more.
Spencer Leak, vice president of Leak & Sons, had just died three weeks before the June 24 committal service, where he had been mentioned. “If I called, he sent a car or two. He always participated and was on the medical examiner’s advisory committee with us. Just a nice guy. A.A. Rayner & Sons Funeral Homes has also sent cars a lot. The Black funeral directors have been very generous, always participate,” Dyer-Hultgren said.
She praised Cook County Commissioner John Daley “who I don’t think has missed a service;” Bishop Sullivan’s predecessor in the archdiocesan cemetery position, Monsignor Patrick Pollard; and Deacon Glenn Tylutki, outreach coordinator of cemetery services for the archdiocese. “Cardinal George was unbelievable, a really big deal,” when he came to the first committal service at Mount Olivet. Cardinal Blase Cupich came in the bitter cold winter, soon after his appointment in November 2014, and he posed for individual informal photos with everyone.
Cremations are result of system overhaul
Before coming to Mount Olivet, the indigent remains had been cremated through an outside contractor, Dyer-Hultgren said. The change from whole-body burials came thanks to Dr. Stephen J. Cina, Cook County Medical Examiner from 2012 to 2016.
Dr. Cina was hired to handle a backlog of bodies at the medical examiner’s office, which Dyer-Hultgren attributes to a “confluence of disasters” starting with the 2008-09 recession. Funeral directors had picked up bodies from police scenes, gone unpaid and then stopped doing it so that bodies were left at the Medical Examiner’s office.
Dr. Cina overhauled the computer system for intake and release of bodies, doubled the number of forensic pathologists on staff and installed a new walk-in cooler for storing bodies. He took the office from “crisis back to full accreditation,” Preckwinkle said, according to CBS2 Chicago.
“We all did a yeoman’s job of correcting it, and going forward, making sure it never happened again,” Dyer-Hultgren said. It has been called a model for other jurisdictions, she said. (Rebeca Perrone, indigent and family services manager in the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office since 2015, credits “a great group of multidisciplinary people… really great teachers who showed me the ropes,” while Dr.
Arunkumar, Cook County Chief Medical Examiner since 2016, said Perrone “excels at collaborating with others, external partners, which makes the process go smoothly.”)
Arriving at the cemetery, each of the cremated remains will be in plastic bags and then plastic containers inside their own cubicle within the wooden burial shells. Each niche will have a metal tag with the number that has followed the body from intake through the cremation chamber, Dyer-Hultgren said. Cemetery workers cross-reference the names on the sides of each burial shell with the proper grave and the list sent by Perrone.
Each burial shell can hold 20 sets of cremated remains, and two shells can fit in one grave – 40 in all. The 180 adults and 19 fetal remains buried at the June 24 service used six plots. The graves will remain unmarked, but Dr. Arunkumar said that the cemetery office can provide the location of specific people to interested parties later via the cemetery’s numbered concrete ground markers. Cook County also keeps a virtual cemetery. https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/virtual-cemetery
Who were these people?
“They were not all homeless,” Perrone said. Rather, they may not have families (or they may be estranged from them), or their survivors may be unable to afford the $250 to retrieve their loved ones' remains, which can be waived for financial hardship.
Survivors of unidentified decedents or victims of homicide make identification by visual identificatoin of the decedent on a computer screen. They are seated with a grief counselor, who will have contacted the family after the autopsy.
Perrone will also suggest other sources of financial aid. Social Security provides a one-time death benefit. The Illinois Department of Human Services offers assistance to people receiving Temporary Aid to Needy Families or Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD). Victims of violent crime in Illinois can also receive some compensation thanks to a state law.
The people buried June 24 died between November 2024 and June 2025 and were kept at the Medical Examiner’s Office for a year before burial. It’s a matter of respect for the decedents, Dr. Arunkumar said. The time period allows the ME office time to find families, who in turn may need time to raise the $250 or to make their own arrangements.
“If they are unknown, we take all the steps needed to try to identify them, put them in a national database so that if family puts their information in, they will be able to see if they get a match,” Dr. Arunkumar said.
Unidentified bodies, however, are buried intact, in case future techniques or continued police investigation determines their names, Dr. Arunkumar said. The Medical Examiner’s Office also keeps some DNA (blood, bone or tissue) on file to assist in that process. At the point of identification, families might decide to exhume the bodies and make alternative arrangements or leave the body where it is and even put up a headstone.
Far left: Catholic Cemeteries employees lower burial shells into grave liners, which keeps the ground from collapsing.
Left: Filling the grave, the staff works hard even as they are drenched in rain.
Above: Rebeca Perrone, Cook County Indigent and Family Services Manager in the Office of Cook County Medical Examiner, with the ANDE machine.
(Suzanne Hanney photos).
“If we cannot find family, we will list them on our website, which is updated weekly, so that if someone is missing somebody – and for whatever reason we’re not able to contact them – they will see our website and the list of people we are trying to reach out to.”
The ME office handles nearly 7,000 cases a year, from homicides to accidental deaths and natural causes. Last year, the office did 415 cremations (including the June 24 burials); roughly 1 in 4 cremated remains were picked up, Perrone said.
There were 11,000 sets of unidentified human remains in medical examiners’ and coroners’ offices across the U.S. in 2018, but the NamUs national missing and unidentified persons system helps investigators locate family members for next-of-kin identifications and DNA sample collection for comparisons. Cook County entered its 250 unidentified cases from 1988 to 2014 into NamUs, and in the last two years has identified 39 cold cases, Perrone said.
ANDE rapid DNA technology has also helped. Initially approved in 2016, ANDE meets FBI and military standards worldwide. The ME takes bits of blood, body tissue or bones from the deceased and ANDE maches it to the
saliva of a close relative. Identification can come in less than two hours.
Perrone doesn't publicize back stories but in general terms, she described a few indigent burials that have affected the ME office and staff, she said.
Last year, fetal remains came from a hospital. She had been communicating with the family, who were curious about the disposition, and she anticipated they would show up at the burial.
“I had a Sharpie in my pocket, and I gave the parents and other relatives the marker. I let them give the baby a name. I let them write on the casket. The idea just came to me.”
A formerly unidentified person had been found and Perrone had talked to his brother, although they had been estranged. She put her white rose on his grave.
And a grief counselor had a client who was part of the indigent burial and who had information she wanted them to have.
“I said, ‘Go ahead, write a letter.’ She wrote feelings about her client on a little sheet of paper, folded it up and we put it with the cremated remains. Before we put the top on, we put it in his little cubby. You’re not necessarily going to see this at the burial. You’re not going to know these individual stories, but these affect our office and our staff.”
Right: At the 40th annual interfaith memorial observance for indigent persons on May 6, 2026.
Front row: Dr. Ponni Arunkumar, Cook County Chief Medical Examiner; Rebeca Perrone, Indigent and Family Services in the ME Office; Suzanne Hanney, StreetWise Editor, a reader at the service; Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer, director of connectional ministries, UMC Northern Illinois; Lydia Talbot and Philip Alphonse, readers.
Back row: Nisan Chavkin of Beth Emet The Free Synagogue; Zahra Ali, chief administrative officer for Cook County; Rev. Jane Eesley, senior pastor, First United Methodist Church; Rabbi Max Antman; Ann Melichar; Rev. Gabriel Goldberg and Mark Ertler, director, Medical Examiner's Office (Meaghan Johnson of the Cook County Bureau of Administration photo).
Staff feel sentiment – and honor
During both an interview and at the 40th annual Interfaith Memorial Observance for Indigent Persons, May 6 at the First United Methodist Church, Dr. Arunkumar also spoke of the honor she feels as a forensic pathologist, being the indigents’ last physician.
“We are their voice, telling the story of why their lives came to an end. Sometimes the answers we find prevent other deaths.” Families learn about genetic predispositions to disease. Law enforcement is informed about overdose trends.
As an example, Dr. Arunkumar recalled the seven deaths in 1982 in Chicago from tainted Tylenol. The Medical Examiner’s staff detected the bitter almond smell that confirmed the presence of cyanide. That’s why over-thecounter medications now have tamper-proof caps and boxes.
And in 2015, the ME office detected that fentanyl – more potent than heroin -- was the cause of opioid-related deaths, which led to higher doses of naloxone.
During the committal services at Mount Olivet, her staff will sometimes let their guard down and wonder whether people had enough joy in their lives, so it was a comfort to know they would not be forgotten – “their names would be read in a house of worship with people who came just for them.” The lunchtime service at First United Methodist, katy cornered from the city hall/county building, included greetings from FUMC Senior Pastor Jane Easley; a representative of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and the Mishkan Chicago’s Davening Team, among diverse clergy.
The annual interfaith service was founded by W. Earl Lewis (1949-99), who used to say, “To live and die alone is a human tragedy, but not to be remembered and mourned after earthly life is an ugly blemish on human dignity.” Lewis was ultimately buried among the indigent people for whom he advocated.
Holding the church service is necessary, but not sufficient, Nisan Chavkin of Beth Emet the Free Synagogue in Evanston said in a final benediction. “Honoring the dead is not our only obligation. If we do not comfort our brothers and sisters while they live among us, then we have failed…They deserve to be seen and noticed and known….We cannot meet the challenge as individuals, however good our intentions, only as a community: rich and poor, friend and stranger, native and immigrant. Let us remember that for my sake, for yours and for theirs, this very good world was created.”
Shelter for Older adults on NW side secures $13 million in funding
A Northwest Side shelter for older single adults is in the planning stages by State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (19th district) and Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th ward).
“Alderwoman Cruz is our city elected partner in this effort. The 30th Ward was also home to the new arrivals St. Bart's [Bartholomew] shelter back in 2024, which was such a great addition to our NW side community, given her experience working on this addition,” Julia Mkrtychian, LaPointe’s chief of staff, said in an email. LaPointe is also a social worker and chair of the Illinois State House mental health and addiction committee. Her website describes older constituents who shelter in police station lobbies and hospital emergency rooms when the only alternative is a bed 10 to 15 miles from the neighborhood they know.
Jason Liechty, chief of staff to Cruz, said she had been committed to finding a solution for long-term unhoused folks on the Northwest Side, some of whom have been living in encampments in parks that have been subject to fires – “not a good long-term solution. Stable housing is a prerequisite to folks getting their lives stabilized.”
Liechty described a possible downstairs space where clients could sign up for benefits, receive counseling or health check-ups; and 40 to 60 beds upstairs targeted to adults over 50. He described a “non-congregate shelter” of two beds to a room rather than the 1970s open-room,
church-basement model. The new model has become standard since the pandemic because it enabled clients to transition more quickly to permanent housing.
Roughly $13 million in state capital funding has been secured, with another $450,000 coming from LaPointe’s office. “We anticipate that the shelter provider will have to secure operational funding from the City, just given the shelter's location within City boundaries,” Mkrtychian said. Philanthropic and state funding are also possibilities.
She said the partnership is currently exploring properties in the 30th Ward that might fit their needs regarding size and zoning. They are talking to potential partners who are already doing shelter service work with similar populations. An RFQ (Request for Quotations) would be going out in a couple of weeks with a five-page response. “We hope to select a shelter provider by early 2027.”
North Side Housing and Supportive Services (NSHSS) opened a 35room, 70-bed shelter in December 2024 in a vacant medical building at 7464 N. Clark St. (StreetWise https://issuu.com/streetwise_chi/ docs/jan1-7_2025_issuu) NSHSS used a $6.9 million bond from the City of Chicago Department of Housing to buy the building. Shelter clients come from the City’s Coordinated Entry System, or 311. They often self-select neighborhoods where they already live.
by Suzanne Hanney
State Rep Lindsey LaPointe
Alderman Ruth Cruz
Meet Your Vendor: percy Butler
Veteran Vendor Percy Butler (#2727) grew up on the South and West Sides of Chicago. His maternal grandfather was pastor of First Steadfast Baptist Church on the South Side. He’s a diehard Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan, and even leads his favorite baseball team to World Series wins on his MLB 2022 phone app. “I try to recreate Cubs seasons and have them win another one,” he said.
Time with StreetWise: Nearly 15 years, as consistently as possible.
Vendor location: Mariano’s Ravenswood
part of StreetWise: Generous customers, humble, nice people, they’re kind of influential to me. Each customer, I try to give words of advice, keep good spirits in the air, they’re highly spirited too.
StreetWise within itself inspires me to work hard, be responsible with paying bills and things of that positive nature, getting up and getting to work as consistently as possible.
StreetWise has given me the opportunity to know what a family is, being able to have the opportunity to actually work, how to treat people, how to treat ourselves. It’s almost become more than a job to me. It’s kind of become like a brotherhood to me, another family to me, but I seem bonded within myself. It’s just that all that within itself encourages me, God waking up giving me the effort to get through another day.
always try to tell customers, it’s always a good day when you wake up in the morning because you have an opportunity.
go through the ups and downs, but it’s not about the ups and downs. It’s how we deal with it, it’s how we allow ourselves to deal with it.
A lot of customers respect StreetWise because of how hard we work in every type of weather. They respect the fact that we’re trying. It’s a big thing.
Continuous encouragement and thanks for all of the help that they continue to give, the words of encouragement, how they say no, how they say yes, how they give, what they give, it’s the thought that counts. I could go on.
I’m going to try to be even stronger.
To every vendor that’s having trouble at their locations: stay humble, take initiative, proper action. Stay encouraged. Do your best in your power to stay encouraged on the power that He gives you. We just gotta all pray for each other.
What he enjoys: Music – the Black Eyed Peas to Tupac, Twenty One Pilots, some of everything, but mostly hip-hop, though I listen to gospel too.
