PUBLICATION TEAM
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Publisher & Editor
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Morris Reed
Westside Health Authority/CEO
Karl Brinson
Westside Branch NAACP/President
Bernard Clay
Introspect Youth Services/Executive Director
Michael Romain
The Culture
CONTACT US at stories@ourculture.us
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By MICHAEL ROMAIN The Culture
On a bright Sunday afternoon, a small crowd gathered outside Theatre Y’s West Side home at 3611 W. Cermak Rd., ready to set off on a three-mile walking performance called In Good Company.
The site-specific, traveling work — part theatre, part public conversation — is designed to transform ordinary city streets into a stage for civic imagination. Over the course of three hours, participants are invited to reflect on community, democracy, and belonging.
Created by Theatre Y Artistic Director
Melissa Lorraine with dramaturg Evan Hill, ensemble member Eric K. Roberts, rapper and curator The Law of Huey, Chicago’s first Youth Poet Laureate E’mon Lauren, and writer-political scientist Bryan Brickner, In Good Company weaves together theatre, dance, music, and dialogue. The Chicago run, which ended Nov. 9, featured guest artists Marvin Tate, Emily Bynum, Kaniya Redmond, Roesha “Ro” Townsel, and the Stone Temple Choir.
The Nov. 2 performance began with a circle of chairs — each one, a performer explained, representing “a different void.” Audience members were asked to imagine those they dislike, those loved by the people they dislike, and those who love their own antagonists.
“Each chair holds something about ourselves we’d rather not examine,” one voice said. “These lovers of the unlovable — their love makes our hatred feel imperfect.”
As the piece unfolded, participants took turns inhabiting these chairs, improvising dialogue about empathy and contradiction. “While we’re here, I think we’re ready not to be ready,” another performer offered. “Ready to represent some good company — some better company.”
The exchanges blurred the line between audience and actor. When one participant hesitated, a performer gently reassured her: “This show is about doing something uncomfortable for others.”
The group then set out through the surrounding neighborhood — a slow procession that drew curious glances from passing drivers and residents near Cermak and Kedzie. Along the way, performers recited fragments of dialogue that echoed the day’s central questions: “When we see the world differently, how do we still move forward together?” and “How do we rehearse and embody solidarity?”
After the three-mile walk, everyone returned to Theatre Y for a free shared meal and conversations among community members.
Founded in 2006, Theatre Y has long blurred the boundaries between performance and community action. The company, now permanently located on the border of North Lawndale and Little Village, operates on a member-supported “free theater” model and has staged work everywhere from La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York to Illinois prisons.
The In Good Company project was developed in collaboration with Germany’s Goethe-Institut and Helgard Haug of the Berlin-based collective Rimini Protokoll, known for expanding the possibilities of theater in public space.
For Theatre Y, the walk is both literal and metaphorical: a continuation of the 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage ensemble members made in 2017, re-imagined for Chicago’s streets.
BY DAN HINKEL Injustice Watch
Renwick Wells and Mickey Mason say Chicago police detectives bullied witnesses into falsely blaming them for murder.
Claims of police abuse are all too common in the Cook County courts. But Wells and Mason have an uncommon piece of evidence from an unusual source: a 77-page report commissioned by prosecutors themselves, citing more than a dozen cases where witnesses or defendants allege that one of those detectives, Brian Forberg, or his partners did the same thing to them.
Snowballing claims of coercion by specific Chicago detectives have historically signaled wrongful convictions waiting to be revealed.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, however, has shown no sign she plans to act on the bracing report ordered up by her predecessor, Kim Foxx. Instead, Burke — 12 months into her first term — has continued to handle cases involving Forberg one by one in court, rather than systematically investigating their glaring similarities.
Defense lawyers and family members of imprisoned men argue Burke owes them a more in-depth review or an independent investigation, given the close ties between the accused detectives and the state’s attorney’s office. Forberg’s late wife was a prosecutor in the office’s unit tasked with evaluating innocence claims. And John Foster, a sometimes-partner of Forberg’s who is now a commander of detectives, is also married to a former assistant state’s attorney.
Thelma Reed, Mason’s cousin, said she believes he will eventually be exonerated and freed from prison. But she doesn’t think prosecutors are taking his innocence claim seriously.
Burke’s approach to the Forberg cases is emblematic of the ways her office has weakened the already broken system for freeing the innocent in Cook County, which leads the nation in known wrongful convictions. The office’s main vehicle for righting wrongful convictions is the Conviction Integrity Unit, also known as the CIU. Earlier this year, an Injustice Watch investigation found the group has a mixed record. While the Foxx administration credited it with clearing more people than any similar group nationwide, the majority of those had relatively minor drug convictions. At the same time, the CIU had overlooked at least 21 people who were later exonerated of murder.
The office exonerated 113 people in 2022; in 2023 and 2024 combined, it cleared only four
Nearly a year in, Burke has made the unit even less likely to address prosecutors’ past mistakes. She has not replaced several staffers who left at the end of Foxx’s term, with the team of attorneys now half the size it once was. And while experts say a group reviewing convictions needs lawyers with defense experience, the CIU has gone from few to none. Burke has also tightened rules to exclude more people from raising their innocence claims to prosecutors.
The result? The unit has not exonerated anyone in a year.
Burke has also removed protections that civil rights advocates say could prevent
Watch complete records of the CIU’s actions. Burke declined to answer detailed questions for this story, but sent a statement saying she needs to ensure the conviction review process is “consistent, fair, and available to all defendants.”
Until six years ago, Forberg attracted little attention beyond news clips reporting that he was one of the department’s top recipients of overtime.
Then, in 2019, the Illinois appellate court put a spotlight on him when a ruling against Kevin Jackson — imprisoned for a 2001 murder — included a dissent saying the case had “all the hallmarks” of a wrongful conviction. Mikva noted other allegations of coercion by Forberg and Foster.
After that, Jackson’s attorneys started hearing similar claims. In 2020, Injustice Watch reported on the case of Rico Clark, who said Forberg and another partner had coerced witnesses into framing him for a 2006 murder. Activists led by Jasmine Smith would show up at the Cook County criminal courthouse and public events protesting for the release of men who said Forberg railroaded them.
In 2022, Jackson’s lawyers publicized Forberg’s marriage to a former CIU prosecutor whose unit had denied Jackson twice. Foxx responded by hiring attorneys Thomas Geraghty and Robert Owen as special assistant state’s attorneys to look into Jackson’s case. Rather than appearing in court, they wrote a wide-ranging report criticizing police and prosecutors and concluding there was “an unacceptably high likelihood” that the witness statements were coerced.
The appellate court threw out the conviction, and Jackson went free in late 2024.
wrongful convictions. She has allowed police to charge some gun crimes without review by a prosecutor, and she has pared back her office’s lists of police with serious credibility issues.
Burke ran a tough-on-crime campaign, was endorsed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, and gave few details during the race about her plans to address wrongful convictions — even after reporting revealed she had prosecuted a boy for murder who was later exonerated.
Burke has declined Injustice Watch interview requests since the month before she took office. Her office has continued to deny Injustice
Geraghty and Owen cited 13 other cases in which Forberg and detectives working with him were alleged to have used pressure tactics. A particularly jarring allegation comes from Derrick Hatchett, whose 2004 murder confession was thrown out after he alleged officers beat him before Forberg and another officer told him to expect more if he didn’t confess. Another witness alleged she was pressured after more than 40 hours in detention.
The report also noted that witnesses and the defendant in Jackson’s case were Black, making it relevant that Foster had been dismissed from the Drug Enforcement Administration
COOK COUNTY on page 18
As federal SNAP benefits see-saw in the courts, West Side families are turning to neighborhood pantries and hot-meal providers that are straining to meet demand
BY STAFF The Culture
At Above and Beyond Free Food Pantry, 817 S. Pulaski Rd., director Ken Cozzi is watching the impact of the SNAP cuts play out in real time. His pantry — one of the few on the West Side open six days a week — has seen demand nearly double since the federal government’s shutdown triggered benefit disruptions.
“I averaged around 175 people between January and September; now it’s over 350,” Cozzi said on Nov. 4. “This week, we got about 18,500 pounds of food, which is nothing. We blow through it.”
Above and Beyond receives weekly deliveries from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and collects donations from Costco, Target, Mariano’s, and Sam’s Club. But even those relationships can’t guarantee steady supply.
“We never know what we’ll get,” Cozzi said. “I was at a location where we usually get 30 to 40 boxes — this time I got one.”
Storage is another major pressure point.
“We can always use more food, but we need places to store it,” he said. “Most pantries have one fridge and one freezer. I’m a larger pantry than most, but even we run out of space.”
Despite limited capacity, Above and Beyond helps supply a pantry in East Garfield Park and two in Austin, leaning on informal partnerships built over time.
“We do work with each other,” Cozzi said. “If I can’t store something, I’ll call other pantries and they’ll store it. But it’s not a system-wide thing — it’s just based on relationships.”
Like many independent providers, Above and Beyond operates on a razor-thin margin.
“We’re private, self-owned, where 100 percent of everything we get goes out,”
Cozzi said. “We make no money. We’re hemorrhaging money constantly.”
Still, the pantry’s work reaches beyond food. Clients can meet with a social worker to access IDs, Social Security cards, job resources, or housing support — steps Cozzi hopes will help people “break the cycle of food insecurity.”
Residents say the need is clear. David Kaszuvski, 45, visited Above and Beyond for the first time on Nov. 4. “People need to eat regardless of political party, so it’s important that places like this are funded and they exist,” he said. “It helps out the community.”
Across the West Side, others are stepping in. In North Lawndale, chef Quentin Love has opened The Soul Food Lounge, 3804 W. 16th St., to neighbors affected by the SNAP cuts. Every Tuesday from noon to 3 p.m., anyone can walk in and eat a free meal. Love said he’ll continue
The Greater Chicago Food Depository’s website — chicagosfoodbank.org — is one of the most comprehensive, easy-to-navigate guides for finding food assistance. Whether you’re looking for nearby pantries, hot-meal programs, mobile distributions or shelters — or you’re trying to help a neighbor — the website’s interactive map is the fastest way to see what’s available, when it’s open, and what you’ll need before you go. Below is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to use the site so you can get accurate, up-to-date information in just a few clicks.
Step 1: Open the website
• Go to www.chicagosfoodbank.org
• When the page loads, you’ll see a menu bar with key navigation options (Find Food, Donate, Get Help, etc.).
• Click “Find Food” on the menu.
Step 2: Access the “Find Food Assistance Programs” map
• After clicking “Find Food,” scroll until you see a section titled “Find Food Assistance Programs & Other Benefits in Chicago and Cook County.”
• Within that section, click the link/button labelled “Search our map to find free groceries or a meal at a food pantry or food assistance program near you.”
as long as the need persists.
“We have a food insecurity problem that restaurant owners can fix,” he said in a recent Facebook video. “If you’ve got a restaurant, open your doors for a few hours and feed people. We have the power, the food, and the responsibility.”
A GoFundMe he launched had raised about $6,300 by Nov. 9. Outside the restaurant, at least 40 people lined up minutes before opening. One of them, Marvin Gary, said Love’s effort shows what community support can look like under strain.
“I’ve seen tougher times, but I just think it will work out. It’s just about us sticking together and doing stuff like this,” Gary said. “If we have stuff like this, it will be better for us. I’ve seen a lot of reciprocity and people extending their hands to others. But it’s tough. It’s a war.”
• The interactive map will open, showing locations of pantries, hot-meal programs, and other support sites across Cook County.
Step 3: Use the map filters to tailor your search
• On the map page, look for filter options to narrow by type of program (e.g., food pantry, hot meal service), neighborhood/zip code, or days/times of operation.
• Zoom and pan the map to your area of interest (West Side, Austin, North Lawndale, etc.).
• Click (or tap) each pin to open a pop-up with information about the site: name, address, hours, and sometimes eligibility guidelines.
• Note any special details (e.g., whether ID is required, whether meals are served on-site, whether delivery is available, etc.).
The Love Fridge Chicago (TLFC) was established during the summer of 2020 in response to the strain COVID-19 had on our city’s food system. Because no matter what’s going on in the world around us, we all deserve access to food regardless of background, citizenship status, or mental state. Learn more at thelovefridge.com
Austin
• A House in Austin Fridge | 533 N. Pine Ave.
• The Austin Fridge | 4945 W. Division St. Humboldt Park / West Garfield Park
• Oasis Community Fridge | 1520 N. Kostner Ave.
North Lawndale
• Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church Fridge | 3622 W. Douglas Blvd. Little Village / South Lawndale
• The Love Shack | 2751 W. 21st St.
Shanice Bailey didn’t expect to become the face of a crisis. But as federal SNAP cuts collide with a surge in benefit theft across Illinois, the 37-year-old college student and mother has found herself navigating a system that is offering less help — and fewer protections — just when she needs them most.
Bailey lost her SNAP benefits after federal work-requirement changes tightened eligibility under the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act. The law expanded job requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and narrowed exemptions for college students. Bailey, who is pursuing her bachelor’s degree full-time, said she was told she needed to work 30 hours a week to stay eligible.
“Once they implemented the new policy, I automatically was unqualified for SNAP because I go to school,” she said. “I can’t work 30 hours.”
Then came the latest blow. As the federal shutdown continues, the Biden administration confirmed it can provide only partial SNAP funding for November, leaving states responsible for the remainder. Illinois officials have warned residents to expect reduced payments and significant delays as they recalculate benefits.
For Bailey, who had already turned to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to fill the gap, the policy shift was only the beginning.
On Nov. 4, she checked her LINK card in the early morning hours and discovered that every dollar of the TANF cash she was counting on had been stolen.
“I got up at 3 a.m. and someone had already taken all my cash off my LINK card,” she said.
“The card was still in my purse.”
Her experience mirrors what state officials describe as a rapidly escalating wave of theft.
ABC 7’s I-Team has documented hundreds of thousands of dollars drained from Illinois EBT accounts in recent months through card-skimming and PIN-hacking devices installed on point-of-sale terminals.
But even when theft is confirmed, Bailey — and thousands like her — are left without
recourse. Congress allowed the temporary authority for states to reimburse stolen SNAP benefits to expire in December 2024. Without that authority, Illinois is legally barred from replacing stolen aid, whether SNAP or TANF.
“Even a bank reimburses people,” Bailey said. “To be told as a vulnerable person that nothing can be done — it’s disheartening.”
With reduced SNAP funding, ongoing benefit theft, and no reimbursement mechanism, West Side residents are turning to food pantries and community organizations for help. But for Bailey, the crisis is far more personal — a daily reminder of how policy decisions made in Washington shape the lives of people trying simply to stay afloat.
Illinois officials are urging SNAP users to take extra precautions while waiting for longer-term solutions. According to IDHS, recipients should:
• Change their PIN every month\
• Freeze their LINK card between transactions
• Disable the out-of-state purchase feature in the EBT app
• The state also plans to join the USDA’s Mobile Payment Pilot later this year, which will allow LINK users to “tap to pay” with their mobile phones at grocery stores — eliminating the physical cards that can be skimmed.
For updates, SNAP recipients can visit www.link.illinois.gov.
The current SNAP crisis has prompted many residents to step up and give in ways small and large. But Ken Cozzi, the director of the Above and Beyond Free Food Pantry, says that, while food may be front of mind for many potential donors, cash is still king and often the best thing to give pantries that are struggling to pay workers.
“We’re able to put the funds where we need them, and often, it might not be, you give me a dollar, here’s a dollar worth of food,” Cozzi said. “Often, it’s, well, give me a dollar and I’m able to pay a driver.”
But if you do want to give food, follow Feeding America’s advice and give food that is “‘shelf-stable’ or nonperishable – you can keep it in your pantry and it won’t go bad. And remember, only donate food that hasn’t reached its ‘sell-by’ date yet.”
Specifically, food banks often need items like:
• Peanut butter
• Canned soup
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Canned stew
• Canned fish
• Canned beans
• Pasta (most prefer whole grain)
• Rice (most prefer brown rice)
Food banks will NOT accept the following category of food items:
• Items needing refrigeration
• Expired food
• Leftovers
• Food with packaging concerns
• Baked goods
In addition, as Cozzi explains, make sure to
communicate with the local food pantry you plan to donate to BEFORE visiting with your donation.
“Let us know what you’re doing,” Cozzi said. “Let us know if you need any support with your donation, figure out the type of items, and when they’ll be delivered or picked up. Make sure there’s a plan because when you just show up, as much as it’s appreciated, logistically, it may present some problems. For instance, we may not have a place to store it, and we very often have to stop our service to run out to unload vehicles.”
ABy MICHAEL ROMAIN
The Culture
new documentary examining how Chicago communities are transforming shuttered public schools into centers of hope, healing, and opportunity drew dozens of community members to the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Austin on Oct. 30.
Beyond Closure — produced by On the Real Film and Borderless Studio — chronicles efforts in Austin, Englewood, and Bronzeville to repurpose former Chicago Public Schools buildings after the district’s controversial 2013 mass school closures. The featured sites include the former Emmet Elementary School, now home to the Aspire Center for Community Innovation at 5500 W. Madison St.
The Oct. 30 event included guided tours of the Aspire Center, followed by a screening and a panel discussion with organizers, advocates, and artists who helped drive the decade-long transformation.
The film documents how neighborhood groups reclaimed once-vacant properties such as Emmet, Woods, and Overton, converting them into community hubs, arts incubators, workforce centers, and, in some cases, proposed affordable housing developments. Producers said the work represents a blueprint for other neighborhoods wrestling with disinvestment.
For Austin Coming Together (ACT) Executive Director Darnell Shields, the closing of Emmet was a rupture residents refused to accept.
“When Emmet closed, it wasn’t just an empty building — that left a gap in the heart of the community,” Shields said during the panel. “But as devastating as that was, the thing that was really beautiful is the people here in Austin weren’t having it.”
Shields said local organizers, including those with the nonprofit Westside Health Authority (WHA), began asking what Emmet could become “that works for Austin now.” That question eventually led WHA, under CEO Morris Reed, to marshal the resources to purchase the building and anchor the redevelopment.
Reed said one of the greatest obstacles was convincing people that Austin residents could pull off a project of this scale.
“We’re not rich organizations, so people just didn’t believe,” Reed said. “As Darnell and I were getting resources to achieve this vision, people kept telling us, ‘No, no, no.’”
Documentary traces how residents reclaimed shuttered schools to build new neighborhood assets like the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation
With thousands of Chicagoans facing a sudden gap in food assistance due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and the pause in SNAP/Link benefits, the Greater Chicago Food Depository is expanding its emergency food operations with additional Saturday distributions at select sites across the city.
The pop-up hubs — some of them on the West Side — will operate on staggered schedules throughout November and will distribute pre-packaged boxes containing more than 20 pounds of groceries. Supplies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out.
Residents are encouraged to bring their Link2Feed card, though it is not required to receive food. The West Side sites activating throughout November include:
• Aspire Center, 5500 W. Madison St., Austin
• Grace and Peace Church, 1856 N. LeClaire Ave., Austin
Reed described his experiences with private developers who attempted to acquire Emmet, believing they were “doing us a favor” by redeveloping the former school for profit. The community pushed back.
“The people said, ‘Hell no! We can do it ourselves,’” Reed said.
First District Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps, a former CPS teacher, said the film resurfaced the trauma felt by educators and families in 2013.
“What struck me as I was watching the film was the amount of hurt that I still hear,” Stamps said. “So many Chicago Public Schools educators and Chicago Teachers Union members were knee-deep in that fight — getting dragged out of the boardroom, getting stomped on, getting locked up. It was horrible.”
Stamps said the activism against the closures became part of her classroom curriculum, empowering her students to speak at board meetings and articulate what their school meant to them.
Helen Slade, executive director of the Austin-based youth art and design nonprofit Territory, said youth-driven art and design programs give young residents the same sense of agency that community leaders exercised during the fight for Emmet.
“When they get into programs like Territory where they’re being asked to identify problems and come up with solutions, it’s the most amazing experience for them,” Slade said. “That’s the same experience people had when they got together to do the Aspire Center. They said, ‘I have agency in my own neighborhood. I can control the narrative.’”
Producers Paola Aguirre Serrano of Borderless Studio and Erin Babbin of On the Real Film joined moderator Reesheeda Nicole Berry, executive director of the Kehrein Center, in underscoring that the film captures only a slice of the labor behind such projects.
Today, the Aspire Center houses Westside Health Authority, Austin Coming Togeth-
• Harmony Community Cares, 1908 S. Millard Ave., North Lawndale
Visit chicagosfoodbank.org for updated information on the food distribution.
er, BMO Bank, the Jane Addams Resource Corporation, and the Freedom Center — an example of what community-led redevelopment can yield.
Organizers said they hope Beyond Closure encourages other neighborhoods to view shuttered public assets not as symbols of abandonment, but as raw material for resident-led transformation.
“There is this tension, though, about why we have to create something out of what has become divested in the first place, when other neighborhoods and communities get to have all of those things and not have to sacrifice their schools and other parts of their communities to build and create,” Berry said. “We’ll sit in that tension tonight.”
Despite months of turmoil, CPS agrees to a $175 million pension reimbursement — but only if a record TIF surplus is approved, leaving long-term funding questions unresolved
BY MILA KOUMPILOVA Chalkbeat Chicago
The Chicago school board voted Oct. 30 to make a pension reimbursement to the city after 18 months of controversy and leadership turmoil stemming from the payment. But there is one catch.
The board voted unanimously to authorize the $175 million payment to the city to support a municipal pension fund that covers city workers and some non-teaching district staff — but only if the entire $552.4 million tax surplus boost for Chicago Public Schools that Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed comes through.
Chicago’s City Council must approve that record level of funding from special economic development taxing districts, known as TIFs, as part of the 2026 budget the council must pass by the end of the calendar year. The proposed surplus would provide CPS with almost exactly the $379 million in TIF funding the district’s 2025-26 budget passed in August assumed — plus an amount equal to the pension payment.
The vote on the Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund marks the end — for now — of an intensely divisive chapter for the district that ultimately contributed to the departure of the previous CPS superintendent. Some hope it will build trust between the district and the mayor. Yet others worry about the timing, due to fiscal uncertainty and budget cuts. And the one-year agreement doesn’t resolve pension responsibilities in the longer term.
Some City Council members have said they think the surplus tax amount in Johnson’s proposal is too large. Before Thursday’s special board meeting, some board members said they would prefer to wait until the district actually receives the TIF money before approving the reimbursement.
The CPS budget approved in August said the district would only make the pension reimbursement payment if additional revenue from the city or the state came through.
But district officials assured the board Thursday that the agreement protects the district in the event that it does not get the full TIF amount proposed by Johnson. And some board members argued that approving the agreement now would send an important message of good faith to the mayor’s office and aldermen.
“This is something that, as a board, we voted on, and it’s important to keep our word,” elected board member Yesenia Lopez said.
Still, a couple of board members said that despite voting for the payment, they are concerned it would siphon away funds that could instead reverse cuts to district custodians, crossing guards, and other positions the district made this summer.
“It absolutely takes dollars away from the classroom and our school communities who need support now more than ever,” said elected board member Ellen Rosenfeld.
The Chicago Board of Education meets on Thursday, May 29, 2025. The board approved an agreement to make a pension reimbursement to the city. | BECKY VEVEA / CHALKBEAT
Rosenfeld and other board members also called for a longer-term plan to spell out responsibility for the pension payments and disentangle city and district finances.
The city is required by law to make annual payments to the municipal fund. But faced with ballooning payments in 2020, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot shifted a portion of it to CPS. That move angered the Chicago Teachers Union, Johnson’s former employer and close ally. The union lambasted Lightfoot, accusing her of balancing the city’s budget on the backs of students.
With backing from an almost entirely Johnson-appointed school board, former CPS CEO Pedro Martinez refused to pay the reimbursement, citing looming budget deficits. The clash over the payment led to the resignation of the entire school board and to Martinez’s firing by a new board handpicked by Johnson.
But current board members aligned with the teachers union and mayor have argued that chipping in for the pension fund is part of being a reliable partner to the city.
The district has seen some added financial pressures this fall, including federal grant funding the Trump administration has withheld over the district’s Black Student Success Plan and transgender student policies.
Under the new pension payment agreement, the board approved on Oct. 30, the district can subtract the $8 million in federal magnet grant funding it stands to lose from the pension reimbursement if it cannot recoup that grant loss in another way. However, as Lopez noted, the agreement doesn’t account for other funding the Trump administration might cut or withhold.
The Chicago Board of Education has quietly narrowed its superintendent search to two finalists — and interim Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Macquline King is not among them. According to a Nov. 7 Chicago-Suntimes report, the remaining candidates are Alex Marrero, superintendent of Denver Public Schools, and Meisha Ross Porter, the former leader of New York City schools. The Sun-Times obtained the names from anonymous sources familiar with the search process. As of Nov. 7, CPS officials had not responded for comment. School board members signed non-disclosure agreements, preventing them from publicly identifying the candidates.
The two finalists were expected to sit for interviews with the board the week of Nov. 10-14, after this article went to print.
The board's decision drew sharp criticism from the Westside Branch NAACP. Branch President Karl Brinson said criticized the process. "King was good enough to be an interim, but all of a sudden she wasn't good enough to make the finalist list," Brinson said. "We were headed in the right direction with her."
King, a former principal who stepped in after Pedro Martinez’s tumultuous ouster, has navigated a steep budget deficit and political tensions inside Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. She lost support from some mayoral allies when she presented a budget that differed from the mayor’s preferences, including her resistance to a potential CPS loan to help cover a disputed city pension payment. But West Side NAACP leaders viewed that position — as well as King’s continued backing of the Black Student Success Plan despite federal pushback — as evidence of her integrity and independence.
The board selected its finalists during a closed session and is keeping their names confidential, citing a desire to protect applicants from repercussions at their current jobs. A community panel — students, parents, teachers and principals — interviewed the candidates on Nov. 3 before the board makes a final decision at a special session next week. The contract vote is expected in December.
Although Chicago’s mayor no longer appoints the CEO, Mayor Brandon Johnson will still interview the finalists. Board leaders say his input matters, given the administration’s recent role in helping CPS avoid even deeper budget cuts through large TIF surpluses.
By MICHAEL ROMAIN
The Culture
Illinois lawmakers have passed the Clean Slate Act (House Bill 1836), a bipartisan measure that would make the state one of 13 nationwide — plus Washington, D.C. — to automate the sealing of certain criminal records. The bill, approved by both chambers in late October 2025, was still waiting for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature when this article went to print.
If enacted, the law would establish a framework for automatic sealing of eligible, non-violent criminal records, removing the need for individuals to file complex court petitions. Advocates say the reform could clear pathways to employment, housing, and education for more than 1.7 million Illinois residents with qualifying records.
“This legislation is about creating pathways to opportunity for people who have earned a second chance,” said State Sen. Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-Chicago), the bill’s Senate sponsor. “Illinois families and our economy benefit when we remove unnecessary barriers.”
The Clean Slate Act amends the state’s Criminal Identification Act to require state agencies to begin automatically sealing eligible arrest and conviction records once individuals meet statutory criteria and waiting-period requirements.
Under the plan, the Illinois State Police, circuit clerks, and local law-enforcement agencies will share data through a new automated system, overseen by a Clean Slate Task Force composed of court officials, advocates, and individuals with lived experience.
Supporters say this reform modernizes a record-clearing process that has long been burdensome and inequitable. Fewer than 6,000 Illinoisans successfully petition to seal records each year — a pace that would take more than a century to clear all currently eligible cases.
The act applies to records “not considered serious,” primarily non-violent and lower-level offenses such as:
• Municipal ordinance violations
• Class C misdemeanors and similar minor offenses
• Certain non-violent felony convictions, including some drug-possession and property-crime cases
New legislation could automatically seal millions of old Illinois criminal records — giving people a fairer shot at jobs, housing, and stability
Exact waiting periods — the time a person must remain conviction-free before automatic sealing — will be set during implementation by the Illinois State Police and the Clean Slate Task Force.
According to the Clean Slate Initiative, the law is expected to open opportunities for an estimated 1.74 million residents and strengthen local economies by reducing barriers to work.
The law does not apply to violent or high-risk crimes. Excluded offenses include:
• Class X felonies (the state’s most serious offenses)
• Sex offenses requiring registration
• Human trafficking, robbery, vehicular hijacking, and certain burglary convictions
• DUI, domestic battery, and crimes requiring special registration (such as arson or violent offender laws)
Sealed records will remain visible to law enforcement, courts, and prosecutors, but will no longer appear in most public or employer background checks.
Beyond record sealing, the bill also directs state agencies to improve the accuracy and completeness of criminal-record data, requiring clerks and police departments to correct
missing or incomplete information.
Implementation will unfold in phases after the governor’s signature. The Illinois State Police and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts must create a statewide data-sharing system to coordinate record-sealing across agencies. Counties may need to invest in new software or staff to meet the new requirements.
Advocates and researchers describe the Clean Slate Act as both justice reform and economic recovery.
Roughly 2.2 million adults in Illinois have an arrest or conviction record. The Clean Slate Initiative estimates that those barriers cost the state about $4.7 billion annually in lost wages and productivity.
In states that have adopted automatic record-sealing laws, surveys show nearly half of participants reported improved job prospects or financial stability, and more than a third reported better family relationships and mental health.
Residents who believe they may qualify should:
• Monitor official updates from the Illinois State Police, Illinois Courts, or Clean Slate Illinois.
• Confirm that sentences or supervision periods are complete. Automatic sealing applies only after all terms are fulfilled.
• Check for data accuracy. You can request your state criminal-history record from the Illinois State Police and verify that cases are closed and dispositions are correct.
• Seek local assistance. Free legal aid is available through groups such as Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Illinois Legal Aid Online, Live Free Illinois, the Lawndale Christian Legal Center, Westside Justice Center, and the Freedom Defense Center of Austin.
The Clean Slate Act represents one of Illinois’ most comprehensive second-chance policies in decades — shifting from a petition-based bureaucracy toward an automated system centered on fairness and reintegration. If signed into law, it will mean that thousands of Illinoisans each year won’t have to ask the courts for another chance. The state will offer one — automatically.
By MICHAEL ROMAIN The Culture
If you’ve driven down 16th Street in North Lawndale lately, you may have noticed a striking new mosaic mural brightening the corner of 16th and Ridgeway. The colorful artwork, which wraps around the facade of Del-Kar Drugs, Inc. — a neighborhood pharmacy that’s been serving the community since 1960 — is a vivid tribute to the people and history that made this stretch of the West Side so storied.
When I stopped by Del-Kar on Oct. 31 to speak with owner Edwin Muldrow, the longtime pharmacist began pulling out framed photos and newspaper clippings as we talked, pieces of history that, like the mural outside, tell a story about the heart of 16th Street.
“Done about two summers ago, the artwork was provided by the Green Star Project,” Muldrow said, referring to the Chicago nonprofit that brings students and volunteers together to create large-scale public mosaics. “Jordan and his people did it, and they used students for the summer and had different corporations come out for community days. It was funded by Amazon and the Ferrara Family Foundation.”
At first, Muldrow said, he was just happy to have a mural. But as he got involved in the creative process, he began to see an opportunity to make it deeply personal.
“I said, I got an old picture of the store, why don’t we use that as inspiration,” he recalled. “The reason Martin Luther King is on there is because he would come in here and shop when he lived on Hamlin. Sammy Davis Jr. is on there because he had his business, Symone — it was his version of Mary Kay or Avon, giving Black women an opportunity to become entrepreneurs. Then up top, I used Fred Hampton Jr., because the very first Black Panther headquarters was on 16th and Hamlin. So I was paying homage.”
At the mural’s base are Muldrow’s parents, immortalized in tile. “That’s my father, and the woman behind him is my mama,” he said proudly. “We’ve been in business since 1960, when my dad started on the corner of Douglas and Homan. We’ve been on this corner since 1964 — we were here before and after the riots following King’s assassination.”
The building that houses Del-Kar Drugs itself holds deep neighborhood history. Before Muldrow’s father moved the pharmacy there in the 1960s, 3720–3726 W. 16th St. served as the original Vice Lords headquarters, a reminder of how the block has long been intertwined with the social, political, and cultural forces that shaped Lawndale.
“My dad used to say 16th Street is the
heart and soul of North Lawndale. All that stuff — the Vice Lords, the Panthers, King, Sammy Davis — it all happened right here,” Muldrow said.
The mural, titled “Past Lessons Become Future Blessings,” was created by Green Star Movement, a nonprofit student arts group, over about nine months in 2023. It was funded through grants from Ferrara Candy Company and Amazon.
COURTESY EDWIN MULDROW
“Green Star’s work is deeply rooted in preserving the rich history of our diverse communities, so it was incredibly fulfilling to weave those historic photographs and stories into the mosaic,” said Kamelia Hristeva, Green Star’s founder and chief executive officer, in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. “Each image had its own story to tell, and it felt like we were not only creating art but also honoring the legacy of the neighborhood.”
BY STAFF
The Culture
More than 100 people gathered Oct. 28 for the annual Beth Anne Residency Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, held on the grounds of Beth Anne Residences, 4952 W. Thomas St. in Austin.
During the event, residents and organizers presented a $3,000 donation to Kenya Brown, a breast cancer survivor and founder of We Care 2 Agency, a nonprofit that provides financial and emotional support to people living with cancer.
“This is my second year receiving a dona-
tion from Beth Anne Residency,” Brown said. “The seniors there raised $3,000 that will go toward our nonprofit and only be used for breast cancer awareness.”
Brown said she was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago and will celebrate six years cancer-free in November. Through her recovery, she has continued to support others in treatment by delivering “love token bags” every two weeks to the cancer center where she received care.
Her organization currently runs a program called Helping My Sister Through the Storm, which provides small financial contributions to women in active treatment. “We have people giving $25 here, $30 there,” Brown said.
“We’re paying rent right now for a young lady who’s fighting cancer for the third time in two years. She’s stage four and not able to work.”
Brown said she hopes more community members and organizations will join her efforts — by contributing funds, donating toiletries, or helping provide groceries for people in treatment. Donations can be sent via Venmo, Zelle, or Apple Pay to (773) 403-7420.
• Call: (773) 403-7420
• Email: wecare2agency@gmail.com
• Visit: wecare2agency.com
• Donate: Venmo, Zelle, or Apple Pay to the phone number above
• Connect: Her Facebook page is here
Community Frame captures everyday life on Chicago’s West Side — the moments between headlines. It’s where we share your photos, short stories, and scenes from block parties, youth games, neighborhood meetings, and front-porch conversations, among other scenes that show us simply living. Share your story by emailing us at stories@ourculture.us.
Following Sunday’s walk, Brown announced plans to launch a new initiative, Breast Cancer Buddy, which will create an online community for people living with breast cancer. The group will connect participants with financial help for essential bills and build a network of mutual support.
“Our goal,” Brown wrote in a recent Facebook post, “is to make sure no one has to face this journey alone.”
By MICHAEL ROMAIN The Culture
Imet Larry Harghes, an independent mobile vendor, in a vacant lot near Madison and Hamlin — the same lot where an Aldi once stood. A Pan-African flag waves above his setup like the Cubs’ W after a win. When the flag’s up, Larry’s open for business.
“Most people call me Dove Man — like the soap,” he says, smiling. “I’m out here every day except Sunday, Monday, and bad weather.”
Harghes has worked this corner for nearly four years, selling hygiene products from his car.
“I’m an independent mobile vendor. That’s somebody who goes place to place selling
merchandise out of their vehicle. I can sell anywhere in Chicago. I picked this spot because it’s a desert — not much access to stores. So I try to accommodate people. Business is constant. I take cash, Cash App, Zelle.”
He’s retired now, after 23 years in healthcare.
“I retired four, maybe five years ago, and got bored. I make enough to support myself, but this isn’t just about me. Hygiene is a necessity — men, women, children — everybody needs it. Folks ask for certain things and I try to get them. I was born and raised in West Garfield Park.”
He gestures toward the empty lot beneath his feet.
“I remember when this area was bustling,” he says. “I’m not going to tell you my age, but
I remember when there were Black-owned stores all up and down this strip — Flagg Bros., bowling alleys, churches, theaters. This spot used to be an Aldi’s. I joke with people: ‘Aldi left.
I did not.’”
“Aldi’s left a lot of Black and Brown neighborhoods, and nothing replaced it. So this is my
contribution. I’m not nonprofit, but I’m bringing something this area needs — and I’m licensed. If you want to get licensed, go down to City Hall’s Small Business Affairs office. Fees run maybe $100 to $300, depending on what you sell. Renew every two years. Get legal so you’re protected. Pay your taxes.”
The upcoming exhibition, “The Architecture of Resistance and Resilience,” coincides with BUILD’s citywide door installation project, celebrating creativity, community, and transformation
By MICHAEL ROMAIN
The Culture
BUILD Chicago will host its annual art show, “The Architecture of Resistance and Resilience,” on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Graff, 3527 W. Grand Ave., highlighting the power of art as both resistance and renewal on the West Side.
The exhibition will feature artwork by BUILD youth, mentors, and community artists. Proceeds from the event — $75 per ticket, which includes hors d’oeuvres and cocktails — will support BUILD’s therapeutic and community art programs, which engage more than 3,200 young people and families each year.
The show coincides with BUILD’s latest public art initiative, Doorways to Destiny, a collaboration with Welder Underground that brings sculptural door installations to neighborhoods across Chicago. Each door is co-created by youth, artists, and community members as a symbol of the possibilities that open when education, employment, wellness, and creativity come together.
Last month, BUILD unveiled its first set of doors at its Austin campus, and on Nov. 6, Bethe; New Life unveiled its own door on its campus at 1140 N. Lamon Ave. in Austin.
According to BUILD, the doors are “more than works of art — the are beacons of community pride, resilience, and vision for the future.” The organization describes the initiative as a way to “build connections, spark imagination, and create tangible reminders that every community deserves new pathways to growth and opportunity.”
Artist Corey DooleyJohnson, 27, created Bethel’s door with his friend and fellow artist Kent Jones.
“There are two messages on this door, one is love and the other is light,” DooleyJohnson said at the Nov. 6 unveiling ceremony. “We just wanted to send a message right now, especially with how crazy things are now.”
The Chicago Park District is now accepting proposals from local artists, collectives, and organizations for the 2026 season of Night Out in the Parks, the citywide cultural program that transforms neighborhood parks into free community arts venues.
Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, according to the district’s website. Selected projects will be presented in parks across Chicago from spring through winter 2026.
Launched in 2013, Night Out in the Parks supports hundreds of local artists and cultural groups each year through public performances, film screenings, concerts, and site-specific art installations. The program, produced in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is designed to make high-quality art accessible in every neighborhood. The Park District says it is looking for creative proposals that are free, accessible, and community-oriented, representing a range of disciplines — from dance and theater to film, visual arts, and culinary demonstrations. Applicants must be based in Chicago, and nonprofit status is not required. In addition to artistic quality, reviewers will consider factors such as budget feasibility, audience engagement, and suitability for outdoor presentation.
Artists can apply at chicagoparkdistrict.com/night-out-parksproposals. Questions about the process may be emailed to noitp@ chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Other participating partners in the Doorways to Destiny campaign include Project Exploration, My Chi My Future–Austin, Michele Clark High School, Leland Elementary, Gone Again Travels, McCormick YMCA, Rauner Family YMCA, and South Side YMCA.
Founded in 1969, BUILD (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) continues to “disrupt the pipeline of gun violence” through mentorship, mental health support, and creative expression. Visit buildchicago.org for more information about “The Architecture of Resistance and Resilience.”
A virtual presentation outlining the application process is available on the Park District’s website. An in-person office-hour session to help prospective applicants will take place Nov. 17, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., at Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave. Call (312) 746-5092 for more info.
Free concert and new photo exhibition celebrate the West Side’s deep musical roots and the healing power of the blues
By MICHAEL ROMAIN
Culture
Two efforts to preserve Chicago’s classic sound are converging this month at Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St., where a new, permanent photo exhibition honoring West Side musical legends will share the spotlight with a free community blues concert promoting mental health and cultural pride.
FOUR Blues Inc., a newly incorporated West Side nonprofit, will host “Blues Music for Mental Health” on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Austin Town Hall Park’s first-floor, east-wing classroom. The nonprofit’s name stands for Further On Up the Road, a song by the musician Bobby Blue Bland that connects to the organization’s mission “to carry this older music on into new generations,” according to its website.
The event will feature Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers, guest R&B singer Arlene Stovall, and spoken-word poets performing between sets. A chicken buffet from Chef Daddy’s will be served, and community organizations are invited to set up informational tables.
“The blues came from the African Ameri-
can experience in the South as a way to share stories and cope with hard times,” said Bonni McKeown, a longtime journalist who serves as FOUR Blues Inc.’s president. “We’re reviving it as a tool for both cultural and economic renewal on the West Side.”
FOUR Blues Inc. was founded by community advocates like McKeown and musicians, including Taylor, a second-generation West Side bluesman. The group aims to revive traditional blues, soul, and R&B in the same neighborhoods where those genres once flourished — using them to spark conversations about mental health, intergenerational connection, and neighborhood revitalization.
The concert coincides with the “Unsung Austin—West Side Stories” exhibition, curated by Gregg Parker of the Chicago Blues Museum, which opened earlier this year inside Austin Town Hall’s cultural center. The permanent installation explores 70 years of West Side music history through archival photographs, vintage posters, and stories of legendary artists, including Eddie Taylor, Otis Rush, The Emotions, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
“Chicago is known all around the world for
its blues and soul,” Parker told Block Club Chicago when the exhibit opened. “But they just say ‘Chicago,’ and the West Side often gets overlooked.”
The exhibit, free and open to the public during park hours, also spotlights historic venues like the Copa Cabana and Silvio’s Lounge — neighborhood clubs where early blues musicians shaped the sound that would define modern American music.
The timing of these efforts reflects a larger citywide push to preserve and elevate Black cultural history. The Chicago Public Library’s Renaissance Project, funded by the Mellon Foundation, is currently hosting fall programs that explore the Black creative legacy across art and music — from building
cigar-box guitars inspired by Chicago’s electric blues heritage to illustration workshops honoring Chester Commodore of the Chicago Defender, and a live performance by Vino Louden tracing the journey from Delta blues to Chicago’s electrified sound.
Other programs honor sculptors Richard Hunt and Marion Perkins, beauty innovator Marjorie Stewart Joyner, and physician-organizer Dr. Leonidas Berry, whose “Flying Black Medics” linked medicine with community action.
Together, these projects — from FOUR Blues Inc.’s grassroots revival to the “Unsung Austin” exhibit and the library’s Renaissance Project — are part of a growing movement to restore the West Side’s cultural legacy and reclaim its central role in shaping Chicago’s artistic identity. See the full list of Renaissance Project programs at chipublib.org.
BY STAFF
The Culture
Five artists have been selected as finalists to design a permanent monument honoring Rekia Boyd in North Lawndale’s Douglass Park, the nonprofit A Long Walk Home announced during a Nov. 5 ceremony at the Nichols Tower, 906 S. Homan Ave.
The finalists are Nina Cooke John, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Tiff Massey, Sonja Henderson, and Nekisha Durrett. The Rekia Boyd Monument Project extends more than a decade of public-art activations led by A Long Walk
Home’s Girl/Friends Leadership Institute in and around Douglass Park. The initiative asks a central question: How do we build a monument that commemorates Rekia Boyd’s legacy and celebrates Black girlhood? Boyd, 22, was killed in 2012 by an off-duty Chicago police detective, a case that helped galvanize a generation of organizers to demand justice for Black women and girls harmed by state violence. Girl/Friends youth leaders have long honored her through murals, photography, performances, and healing-centered programming created in the neighborhood she called home.
A Long Walk Home — a Black women–led arts organization that trains young people to end violence against girls and women — is leading the monument effort in partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the Chicago Park District, and Monument Lab, as part of the broader Chicago Monuments Project. According to WBEZ Chicago, the Rekia Boyd Monument is one of eight new monuments funded through a partnership between DCASE and the Mellon Foundation. The institutions have invested $250,000 in the project so far.
Peoria Packing Butcher Shop, a longtime staple for Chicago meat lovers, has officially opened its new 100,000-square-foot facility at 4521 W. Roosevelt Rd. in North Lawndale, marking a major relocation from its historic Fulton Market location.
The business’s last day at 1300 W. Lake St. was Oct. 25. The move ends decades in Fulton Market, where ongoing redevelopment and rising property values have transformed the once-industrial district into a hub for restaurants, offices, and luxury residences.
Company officials said the new space provides room to expand operations and add new features, including a full-service deli and on-site meat processing facilities.
In a Facebook post Monday, the company celebrated its first day at the new site.
“Thank you all for making the first day amazing,” the company’s post reads. “We are so incredibly excited to open this new space, and can’t wait to keep servicing our customers at the utmost quality for many years to come.”
The post added that the shop’s first weekly special from the new location will debut on Wednesday and encouraged customers to “stay tuned for more updates.”
The company’s new hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
On social media, early visitors shared excitement about the move, with one Facebook commenter noting the store “has that Moo and Oink vibe” — a playful nod to the beloved meat chain that once anchored community cookouts and block parties. Moo & Oink, a once-iconic Chicago meat wholesaler, shuttered all its locations in 2011, including its Austin store at 4848 W. Madison St. Local officials, including Ald. Monique Scott (24th) and City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, visited the store on its opening day.
Peoria Packing, founded in 1993, has built a loyal following for its no-frills, wholesale-style approach—selling large quantities of fresh meat directly to the public. The company said it plans to maintain that model while expanding retail offerings at the new site.
Marshall Hatch Jr., a pastor at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church at 4031 W. Washington Blvd. in West Garfield Park, was named to Time Magazine’s Time100 Next list, a list of up-and-coming innovators, artists, leaders and advocates.
Hatch is featured among names such as WNBA star Paige Bueckers, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and new CBS News boss Bari Weiss. He made the list for his advocacy work as the executive director of the church’s social justice ministry, the MAAFA Redemption Project. Hatch will attend the
Two redevelopment proposals for the former Chicago Public Schools (CPS) building at 5345 W. Congress Pkwy. (formerly Louis Armstrong Elementary School) were scheduled to be presented to the community at a meeting on Monday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at BUILD Chicago, 5100 W. Harrison St. in Austin. The meeting was scheduled to happen after this article went to print.
Time100 Next ceremony Thursday in New York City.
Rev. Al Sharpton wrote about Hatch for Time’s list, with Sharpton saying he watched Hatch grow up while working with his father, longtime faith leader Marshall Hatch Sr., to advance social justice on the West Side.
When asked what the honor means to him, Hatch responded with one word: ubuntu. The ancient African phrase translates to, “I am, because we are,” Hatch said, emphasizing his commitment to community.
“We’ve been the boots on the ground,” Hatch said. “We’ve been doing, as [Civil Rights icon] Ella Baker said, the spade work of building people, building community from within.”
The school closed in 2013 as part of a 50-school round of closures announced by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. At a Nov. 5 community meeting held at the Columbus Park Refectory, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd., Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward) said two bidders exceeded the minimum bid required by CPS. The winning bid must still be approved by the Chicago Board of Education.
One proposal comes from Chaste Hair Institute, currently located at 3 S. Austin Blvd., which plans to expand its existing cosmetology-training and salon business, Ald. Taliaferro said.
The other bid is from a nonprofit proposing a family fitness center offering exercise resourc-
es, personal training, and programs for families and children.
Ald. Taliaferro noted that the winning developer will face significant remediation costs — the former school building requires asbestos abatement, which he estimated at around $1 million. He said multiple earlier developers withdrew after preliminary inspections estimated the cost. He said Chaste first approached him two years ago, and he signaled his support for their proposal then.
“I happen to be a man of my word,” he added, confirming his continued support for the Chaste Hair Institute proposal.
Last week, a proposal by the Michaels Development Company to build a 51-unit, all-affordable apartment building at 136 N. Kedzie Ave. in East Garfield Park was advanced by the City Council’s zoning committee and awaits a full City Council vote scheduled for Nov. 12, Block Club Chicago reported.
Two community-driven repurposing initiatives were presented for consideration on Nov. 6 as official Focal Projects of the Austin Forward.Together quality-of-life plan.
Led by the Island Civic Association, Reimagine 1100 S. Menard aims to repurpose a long-vacant lot at 1100 S. Menard Ave. into a vibrant community gathering space that reflects neighborhood values and culture. Residents are invited to share input to help shape the design.
The other project, designed by Austin youth through the nonprofit Territory, involves turning the original “Creating Space” installation at 557 N. Central Ave. into “Creating Space 2.0.” The original installation was recently removed. Austin Forward.Together leaders will vote on whether or not to formally endorse the initiatives as AFT Focal Projects, which gives the organizers behind those projects access to AFT’s expansive network of implementation partners and potential funders, among other benefits.
— Reporting by Block Club Chicago’s Michael Liptrot
By MICHAEL ROMAIN
Culture
I interviewed Winston Reed, 37, the owner of Cut Right Barber and Beauty at 811 S. Pulaski Rd. in West Garfield Park on Nov. 7. He was getting ready for a community feeding he planned to host just three days later. Reed’s energy is what his shop’s name promises — sharp, focused, and grounded in purpose.
Ialways tell people the same thing: the secret to my success is determination, drive, and hustle. You’ve got to have a vision, and then you’ve got to attack it. Attack the vision. That’s what I did.
I show people this tattoo on my arm. One of my first ones. It’s the shop name — “Cut Right.” I got it back in 2014 or 2015, before any of this existed. I was building the brand even then. I used to post “Come get cut right” on Facebook, and that’s how it took off. I set out the vision early and stuck to it.
I went to Westinghouse Career Academy, and honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without their barbering program. That school gave me direction. It gave me a skill. When I came out, I knew I had something to build on. So I built the brand first — before I had a shop, before I had a location, before any of this.
People ask if the shop is profitable, and yeah — it is. This brand is marketable. But it didn’t come easy. I tell everybody: you get out of life what you put into life. I’m not big on spirituality — I’m big on suffering, on pushing yourself. Everything I do, I beat myself up to do it better. I’m real self-motivated. Always have been. Nobody had to tell me to get up and do
“You get out of life what you put into life.”
something, not even when I was a kid. What brought me to this location? Vision. But also necessity. I was already thinking about moving, and then the barbershop I was working at got shot up. A couple kids got hit while I was cutting hair. That was Jan. 16, 2020, right down the street on Pulaski. That changed everything and pushed me harder.
My clientele went down after that, but I never quit. I never folded. I found this space, tore it down, remodeled it, and built it back up myself. I had to. I was forced to find some-
About ‘The Grind’
From barbers and bakers to tech founders and corner-store owners, The Grind explores how West Side entrepreneurs are redefining what it means to build something lasting. Each installment profiles local innovators whose businesses strengthen the fabric of Austin, North Lawndale, Garfield Park, and beyond — creating jobs, community spaces, and new possibilities. Through their stories, The Culture chronicles not only how people work, but why they keep grinding for the neighborhoods they call home.
If you know a business or social entrepreneur you want us to profile, send us a tip at stories@ourculture.us.
where else to go, but it ended up putting me right where I needed to be.
By Thanksgiving of 2020 — the first year in this new shop — I fed 400 people. That was just the beginning. Every year since, I’ve done something for the community. Because what’s the point of building a brand if you’re not lifting up the people around you?
Volunteers are needed for the two-day event, which follows the Westside Branch NAACP’s record-breaking $70,000 Freedom Fund fundraiser in September
BY STAFF
The Culture
Famed actor, director, and comedian Robert Townsend will return to his hometown this December to host a two-day pop-up film festival aimed at raising funds for the Westside Branch NAACP and Hillside-based The Answer, Inc., an autism awareness and support agency.
The festival, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6–7, will take place at various locations across the city, with sites between Columbia College and the Chicago Cultural
Center under consideration. Organizers said final details are expected in the coming days.
The event will feature screenings of some of Townsend’s own films as well as a few of his favorites, along with question-and-answer sessions, comedy showcases, and even a bid whist tournament where attendees can play alongside the Hollywood veteran himself.
Organizers are seeking volunteers to help coordinate and staff the festival, providing services ranging from security to catering and transportation.
“All volunteers will also get a free screen-
ing of a movie during the festival,” said Janeicia Williams, a member of the organizing team.
Townsend, who attended Austin High School, is best known for directing Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), and The Five Heartbeats (1991). He also created and starred in The Parent ’Hood, a sitcom that ran on The WB network from 1995 to 1999.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Cooley High (1975), the Chicago-set comingof-age classic in which Townsend made his first film appearance.
The planned pop-up festival follows a milestone year for the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP, which recently revived its long-dormant Freedom Fund fundraiser. The September event at the Kehrein Center for the Arts in Austin drew over $70,000 in profit — the most in the branch’s history, said Branch member Sacella Smith, who chaired the Freedom Fund event.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Westside NAACP Branch member Perriyana Clay at (773) 491-2292.
Remel Terry, longtime Austin advocate and NAACP leader, will help oversee the selection of Chicago’s next police accountability chief
By MICHAEL ROMAIN The Culture
A longtime West Side community advocate, Remel Terry, was sworn in as chair of the city’s Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) on Oct. 30, marking a major milestone in the city’s ongoing effort to strengthen civilian oversight of policing.
Terry, who also serves as First Vice President and Political Action Committee Chair of the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP, addressed members of the branch during its monthly meeting on Nov. 1 at the Sankofa Cultural Arts & Business Center, 5820 W. Chicago Ave. in Austin, where she thanked fellow members who showed up for her during what she described as a grueling selection process.
“If you are one of those folks who talk about what people should be doing and that we need more out of officials, well those officials also need you to show up for them,” Terry told attendees. “It’s very important that my people showed up for me.”
Terry explained some of the commission’s responsibilities, including its “authority to request certain research or investigation of the Office of Inspector General’s Public Safety section.”
Terry’s appointment comes as the commission begins the critical process of selecting a new chief administrator for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), the agency responsible for investigating serious allegations of police misconduct. According to an Oct. 31 report by WTTW, the commission has narrowed the field of 24 applicants to five finalists in its search.
Her predecessor, Anthony Driver Jr., stepped down from the role earlier this year to launch a campaign to succeed longtime Congressman Danny K. Davis in the U.S. Congress (7th District).
The CCPSA was established in 2021 under the Empowering Communities for Public Safety ordinance, which created a seven-member civilian oversight body charged with overseeing the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Police Board, and COPA.
Among its duties, the commission:
• Reviews and approves CPD policy changes
• Sets goals for CPD, COPA, and the Police Board
• Recommends candidates for police superintendent and COPA administrator
• Hear public feedback on policing
• Monitors reform efforts tied to the federal consent decree
• Local Oversight: The District Councils
• Complementing the city-wide commission are 22 elected district councils, each representing one police district. These three-member councils serve as the neighborhood-level link between residents and police, hosting public meetings, gathering community input, and advising the CCPSA.
On the West Side, the councils include:
• 10th District Council — covering North Lawndale and Little Village
• 11th District Council — covering East/ West Garfield Park and Humboldt Park
• 15th District Council — covering Austin
Each district council meets monthly, and residents can view upcoming agendas and meeting details on the CCPSA calendar.
By MICHAEL LIPTROT Block Club Chicago
West Side community members are calling for stronger penalties for the driver accused of hitting and killing an Austin fourth-grader outside his school.
Anakin Perez, 9, was crossing the street in front of McNair Elementary, 4820 W. Walton St., on Sept. 18 when a woman driving westbound hit him before dragging him under her car, police and family said. Anakin — remembered as a friendly, athletic, lovable, and energetic child — was brought to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The driver was taken into custody that day and issued a citation before being released, police said. But even that citation has been reduced in court, the family’s lawyers say.
During the driver’s first court appearance on Oct. 22, prosecutors transferred the misdemeanor citation to traffic court, attorney Michael Adler said. Currently, the driver has only received a citation for failure to exercise due care to a pedestrian in the road, he said.
Anakin’s family and his neighbors are calling for criminal charges to be brought against the driver. A petition calling for the stronger charges has garnered nearly 1,300 signatures as of Oct. 25.
“It’s like my son’s case, my son’s death, is not being heard,” said Alejandra Gallegos, Anakin’s mother. “It just isn’t fair.”
The family and attorneys point to several factors that merited criminal charges for the driver, whom Block Club is not naming because she hasn’t been criminally charged.
The driver fled the scene upon fatally striking Anakin and eventually returned nearly 30 minutes later, according to the family and video reviewed by Block Club.
Fleeing the scene of an accident is a felony, with elevated charges possible for not returning until 30 minutes later, according to state law. A field sobriety test is required for anyone fleeing the scene of an accident, and if the test is refused, their
driver’s license is to be revoked.
Adler said that the driver fled the scene and refused a sobriety test, but no felony charges were brought.
“To put it in the simplest way, she fled the scene of a homicide. That is a felony,” said Adler. “The police knew she met the definition of the law, but they just said, ‘We’ll give her some grace.’”
Community outcry was swift following Anakin’s death.
The afternoon of the incident, dozens of family members, McNair staff, and parents, alongside Austin community members, held a memorial vigil for the fourth-grader. Community members at the vigil recalled Anakin as a joyful kid who loved coming to their homes to play. Classmates tearfully embraced as they remembered him.
Several people at the vigil spoke out on the need for more crossing guards at the school, which currently only has one.
The following day, a GoFundMe was started to help the family, described in the campaign as being financially overwhelmed by the sudden loss. On Oct. 17, the Change.org petition was started by a family friend titled “Justice for Anakin Perez! His death was worth more than 1 ticket!”
“Anakin’s tragic death was a painful reminder that these reckless driving behaviors cannot continue,” the petition reads. ”We must act now to prevent another tragedy. We urge the City of Chicago and local authorities to put this woman behind bars and implement stricter enforcement of traffic laws, especially in school zones and small streets throughout the Chicago neighborhood.”
According to Chicago police arrest records, the driver was arrested in May 2015 for driving with a suspended license. The family’s attorney claims she has a pending DUI case.
Gallegos hopes that the added attention to the case can motivate the Cook County State’s Attorney Office to reevaluate.
“In an ideal world, what I would like to see is for her to be criminally charged, for them to properly investigate my son’s case,” Gallegos said. “We’re talking about somebody that had a whole life ahead of him, who had no idea what was going to happen that day, because he was just trying to cross the street to go to school.”
A spokesperson for the State’s Attorney’s office said charging decisions are based on police investigations and recommendations.
“We have not been contacted by law enforcement to review this incident for potential felony criminal charges,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office remains open to reviewing any information that is brought to us by police, as all charging decisions are based on the evidence and the law. Our office remains committed to pursuing justice for everyone in our communities.”
A Chicago police spokesperson said the investigation into the accident remains open. In the meantime, the family of Anakin Perez is pursuing a potential civil lawsuit, their attorneys said. The driver in the case did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read More
Read more Block Club Chicago stories at blockclubchicago.org. Contact reporter Michael Liptrot at michael@blockclubchi.org.
By MICHAEL ROMAIN
The Culture
The 2026 election season officially kicked off Oct. 28 as candidates across Illinois lined up to file nominating petitions for offices up and down the ballot. Two races in particular — the 7th District Congressional race and the 8th District State Representative race — will affect the balance of political power on the West Side.
The filing period, which ended Nov. 3, marks the first major step toward the March 17, 2026, primary election. Filings are processed by the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE) in Springfield and determine which names appear on the ballot for local, state, and federal offices — including judgeships, congressional seats, and statewide positions.
To appear on the ballot, candidates must submit nominating petitions with a required number of valid signatures from registered voters in their district. For congressional and statewide races, candidates file with the ISBE; for local offices, filings typically go through
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academy in 1998 while on leave from the Chicago Police Department after yelling a racial slur during a class session.
Presented with the report, prosecutors under Foxx opted not to retry Jackson but kept fighting other cases cited in it. Under Burke, prosecutors have continued to defend convictions tied to Forberg and denied allegations of a pattern of abuse.
‘ALL THESE PEOPLE AIN’T MAKING THIS STUFF UP!’
An Injustice Watch review found 10 more cases involving Forberg that included allegations of coercion, for a total of 24. All defendants are Black. Eighteen remain in prison.
Two of the men who weren’t in the report are
county election authorities.
Candidates who file on the first day are entered into a lottery for the coveted top ballot spot. Those who file on the final day are entered into a separate lottery for the last ballot position. Objections to petitions may be filed in the weeks following the close of the filing window.
The full list of candidates is updated daily on the ISBE’s Candidate Filing and Results portal (elections.il.gov).
The race to represent Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, which includes much of Chicago’s West Side and near-western suburbs, is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years: 13 Democratic candidates and two Republican candidates filed to run.
Longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis — who has represented the district since 1997 — announced in July that he will retire at the end of his current term and has endorsed state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (8th) as his preferred successor.
Wells and Mason, convicted of killing 19-yearold Terry Morris in 2003. At trial, the three witnesses who allegedly identified the men recanted and gave confounding testimony.
Now, lawyers for Wells and Mason have filed
Democratic Party:
• Kina Collins, gun-violence prevention and healthcare organizer | Austin
• David Ehrlich, adjunct lecturer | Streeterville
• Thomas Fisher, board-certified emergency medicine physician | West Loop
• Richard R. Boykin, attorney and former Cook County Commissioner | Oak Park
• Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago City Treasurer | East Garfield Park
• Anthony Driver Jr., former president, City of Chicago’s Civilian Oversight body | Bronzeville
• La Shawn K. Ford, Illinois state representative (8th District) | Austin
• Jason Friedman, attorney | River North
• Rory Hoskins, mayor of Forest Park | Forest Park
• Anabel Mendoza, immigration advocate| South Shore/Hyde Park area
• Jazmin J. Robinson, community organizer | West Town
• Reed Showalter, attorney | Near West Side
• Felix Tello, political advocate | Near West Side/Fulton River District area
petitions seeking freedom based on claims that Forberg and Foster pressured witnesses. One witness testified she lied to escape a drug charge and because police paid her. Another said police told him he’d go free if he cooperated. A third said police threatened to charge him with murder.
Prosecutors have yet to respond to the court filings.
Family members hope prosecutors or the courts will be swayed by the similarities between their cases and those in the report.
Some advocates say Burke should conduct a more thorough review; others say Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul should handle the cases. Raoul previously declined to take over one case.
Forberg retired from CPD in late 2023 but was rehired months later as a criminal intelligence research specialist. He was also briefly hired as a part-time detective in Merrionette Park before resigning after inquiries
Republican Party:
• Chad Koppie, perennial Republican candidate | Gilberts
• Patricia “P Rae” Easley, media personality | Austin/Garfield Park area
In the 8th District — which covers parts of Austin and Garfield Park — four Democratic contenders filed to run.
• John Harrell, pastor and community activist | Austin
• Jill Bush, 29th Ward staffer | Austin
• Shantel Franklin, real estate agent and former legislative liaison | West Garfield Park
• Latonya Mitts, community advocate and daughter of 37th Ward Ald. Emma Mitts | Austin
The race could decide who succeeds Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, who is now seeking to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis in Congress.
from reporters.
Forberg’s cases are likely to continue to haunt the courts. Jackson filed a federal lawsuit against Forberg and Foster in September. Foster remains a commander of detectives. Activists have taken symbolic “no confidence” votes, and at a public meeting, Smith pointed at Jackson and asked Foster, “Do you remember that man?”
“He did 23 years and four months … for a crime that he did not commit,” she said.
This story was produced by Injustice Watch, a nonprofit newsroom in Chicago that investigates issues of equity and justice in the Cook County court system. This article first appeared on Injustice Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Every Tuesday, 12–3 p.m., The Soulfood Lounge, 3804 W. 16th St. | Free Meals at The Soulfood Lounge | Weekly hot meals available for neighbors; volunteers and donations welcomed to support food insecurity efforts.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 4–6 p.m., Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St. | FOUR Blues Show at Austin Town Hall | A free all-ages blues event with Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers, R&B singer Arlene Stovall, spoken word poets, and a chicken buffet from Chef Daddy’s.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 5:30–8:30 p.m., Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd. | Film Screening & Panel Discussion | A screening and community conversation on federal deployment of agents and national issues, featuring Congressman Danny K. Davis, CPD Supt. Larry Snelling, and attorney Carlton Mayers, among others.
Thursday, Nov. 13, 6–9 p.m., Goose Island Barrel House, 603 N. Sacramento Blvd. | Buzzing for NLEN: Honey & Beer Tasting Fundraiser | A North Lawndale Employment Network fundraiser featuring tastings, food, live music, and a silent auction. Supports Sweet Beginnings’ beelove® honey workforce program for returning citizens.
Thursday, Nov. 20, 5–9 p.m., Morgan MFG, 401 N. Morgan St. | Austin Coming Together Membership Awards 2025 | ACT’s annual fundraiser honoring leaders across Chicago and supporting community initiatives.
[ November 12-25 [
Friday, Nov. 14, 1 p.m., Freedom Defense Center of Austin, 5500 W. Madison St. | Men’s Wellness Group: Rethinking Masculinity | A facilitated session exploring masculinity, messages we’ve received about it, and what healthy expressions can look like.
Friday, Nov. 14, 6–7:45 p.m., Douglass Park Cultural Center, 1401 S. Sacramento Dr. | Free Spirit Friday: Creative Pathways Film Premiere | Free Spirit Media premieres three new short films by the 2025 Creative Pathways Cohort, plus an encore film from 2024.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Hope Church, 5900 W. Iowa St. | Expungement Event | A Cook County–only expungement fair with on-site attorneys. Attendees should bring their records; light refreshments provided.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Douglass Public Library, 3353 W. 13th St. | Youth Art & Zine Drop-In | A free all-day creative studio with painting, clay, zines, snacks, and youth artwork displayed throughout the library. Ages 5–16.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 1–5 p.m., EarthPaint, 5666 W. Corcoran Pl. | Art in Motion: Made in Austin — Free Community Art Pop-Up | A hands-on community art session with paint, music, and collaborative public art creation. Ages 12+; all materials provided.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 3–6 p.m., Monday Coffee, 3243 W. 16th St. | Capture & Color: Reuniting Through Memories and Color | A family archive workshop featuring photo digitizing, scrapbooking, storytelling, and intergenerational connection through color.
Saturday, Nov. 15, 6–9 p.m., The Graff, 3527 W. Grand Ave. | BUILD Youth & Community Art Show 2025 | A celebration of youth and community artistry with a silent auction supporting BUILD’s art programs.
Monday, Nov. 18, 1 p.m., Freedom Defense Center of Austin, 5500 W. Madison St. | Men’s Wellness Group: Rethinking Masculinity | A facilitated conversation on identity, messages about masculinity, and shaping healthier models.
DON’T MISS THESE THANKSGIVING GATHERINGS
Thursday, Nov. 13, 2–5 p.m., Intentional Sports Center, 1841 N. Laramie Ave. | 1K Turkey Giveaway | A drive-thru event providing one 12–16 lb frozen turkey per vehicle while supplies last. Open to all residents; volunteers receive a turkey and an Intentional Sports T-shirt.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 5:30–8 p.m., Bethel New Life, 1140 N. Lamon Ave. | Austin Providers Networking Night | A Friendsgiving-style gathering for local providers to build partnerships, share resources, and collaborate ahead of Austin Collective Action Weeks.
Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2–5 p.m., La Follette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave. | Black & Brown Unity Resource Fair | A community event offering resources, service providers, support programs, and opportunities for empowerment and connection.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 5–8 p.m., Skyline Conference Room, 3750 W. Ogden Ave. | #EmpowerLawndale: Mental Health Summit | A mental health summit highlighting men’s mental health, featuring speakers, resources, a turkey giveaway, and raffles.
Thursday, Nov. 20, 4 p.m., Freedom Defense Center of Austin, 5500 W. Madison St. | Men’s Wellness Group: Rethinking Masculinity | A guided session
Thursday, Nov. 20, 12–3 p.m., Intentional Sports, 1841 N. Laramie Ave. | Thanksgiving Celebration | A free community Thanksgiving gathering with Alderwoman Emma Mitts, Westside Health Authority, and the Good Neighbor Campaign.
Thursday, Nov. 20, 3–7 p.m., Columbus Park Field, 500 S. Central Ave. | BUILD Flag Football Turkey Bowl | A day of youth and adult flag football games, refreshments, teamwork, and pre-holiday community celebration.
Saturday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m., North Ave. & Laramie Ave. | Turkey Drive Giveaway (Perseverance Ministries) | A first-come, first-served holiday turkey distribution providing 200 turkeys—one per family.
Saturday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Michele Clark High School, 5101 W. Harrison St. | Annual Thanksgiving Celebration & Food Drive | Fathers Who Care and Westside Community Stakeholders to host a holiday event collecting food donations and distributing goods to families in need.
discussing messages about masculinity and envisioning healthier expressions.
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, 6 p.m., Douglass Branch Library, 3353 W. 13th St. | 10th District Strategic Plan Community Conversation (2nd Conversation) | A follow-up community conversation to develop the 2026 District Strategic Plan; open to all residents.
Tuesday, Nov. 25, 4 p.m., Freedom Defense Center of Austin, 5500 W. Madison St. | Men’s Wellness Group: Rethinking Masculinity | A facilitated dialogue exploring masculinity and building healthier models of manhood.
