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AUSTINWEEKLY news ■
Vol. 35 No. 5
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Austin Green Line to get upgrades,
January 29, 2020
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austinweeklynews.com
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Also serving Garfield Park
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@AustinWeeklyChi
@AustinWeeklyNews
Kobe’s b ’ enduring d llegacy, page 8
Just Housing Ordinance takes effect
Commissioner Brandon Johnson’s signature achievement so far designed to prohibit housing discrimination By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor
An ordinance introduced by 1st District Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson that’s designed to protect people with prior convictions from housing discrimination is now in effect. Johnson’s district includes most of Bellwood, Broadview and Maywood. As previously reported in April 2019, the ordinance is actually an amendment to the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance. The amendment requires landlords and real estate agencies “to determine whether a person has met financial and other qualifications before considering that person’s criminal history,” Marie Claire Tran-Leung — a staff attorney with the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, which helped draft the legislation — said at the time. In a statement released last month, Johnson’s office explained that the Just Housing Ordinance “will protect predominantly people of See JUST HOUSING on page 6
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
THEIR BEES-WAX: Production assistant Alexis Lee pours wax to make candles at Bright Endeavors in Garfield Park.
New Moms kindles bright futures
The non-profit’s job training program doubles as a social enterprise candle company By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
While browsing the candle section at Whole Foods, pick up a Bright Endeavors candle and flip it over. On the bottom label of each candle is the name of the young mother who made it. Bright Endeavors, the New Moms 16week paid job training program, provides young mothers in need with the skills nec-
essary to find gainful employment, while doubling as a social enterprise candle company. “An interesting thing about social enterprises is that it’s a very broad spectrum,” said Sarah-Jayne Ashenhurst, New Moms social enterprise director. “Some don’t operate with the job training force as an actual labor force, as we do.” Targeting mothers between 16 and 24 years in age, the mothers in Bright En-
deavors are given the title of production assistant and split their time between manufacturing beautiful candles and attending professional skills workshops. The moms get paid for both. New Moms is based in Oak Park and in Austin while the production facility is located in Garfield Park. “The moms are here on the production
State Farm Mutual Automobile • Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company • Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com® Larry and his staff are licensed and together have over 75 years of State Farm experience.
See NEW MOMS on page 7
Larry Williams,Agent 5932 W. Lake Street Chicago, 60644 (773) 379-9010 larry.williams.b0bk@statefarm.com