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‘Breonna Taylor grant’ to help West Siders become first responders,

Vol. 35 No. 4

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January 27, 2021

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Also serving Garfield Park

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W t Sid West Side clergy l go tto Washington, PAGE 3

West Side leaders call for an end to ‘racist’ police raids Demands made during Jan. 15 hearing convened by Congressman Davis By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

During a virtual hearing convened by Congressman Danny K. Davis on Jan. 16, community leaders from across the West Side called on the Chicago Police Department to end police raids. Rev. Marshall Hatch, the pastor of the New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in West Garfield Park and a co-chairman of the Leaders Network, a faith-based social justice organization, cited recent data conducted by a local TV station that showed the racial disparity in police raids. According to the data, of the 6,800 police home invasions conducted between 2016 and 2019, nearly half took place in just six of the city’s 77 community areas: Englewood, Austin, North Lawndale, Garfield Park, Humboldt Park and Back of the Yards. “Seventy-two percent of these raids were purported to be searches for illegal drugs, but drugs were found in less than 5 percent of the cases,” Hatch said at the beginning of the hearing. “In these communities where we’ve had food deserts, opportunity deserts … we also have constitutional and privacy rights deserts,” Hatch added. Davis convened the hearing alongside Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who addressed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which See POLICE RAIDS on page 9

COLIN BOYLE/Block Club Chicago

REAL TALK: Gino Laurent of the Roseland neighborhood holds a sign on May 30, 2020 as protests occurred downtown Chicago for the second day and night in a row following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Now, West Side leaders are planning “uncomfortable conversations” around race in America.

Pastor to host ‘Uncomfortable Conversations’ on race

Rev. Michael Eaddy to host 4-part series during Black History Month By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

West Side leaders are planning a series of community conversations about race so Chicagoans of different backgrounds

can find common ground and begin rooting out systemic racism. The four-part event series, Uncomfortable Conversations, will look at how systemic racism impacts Black people. It will be convened by Michael Eaddy, president of the People’s Community Development Association of Chicago. The virtual event series starts 5 p.m. Tuesday. Discussions planned for Feb. 9, Feb. 23 and March 9 will build on topics explored in the previous conversation.

“The problems are not new. They’ve always been here,” Eaddy said. But the George Floyd protests, the coronavirus pandemic, and the insurrection at the Capitol have brought racial disparities and the need for reconciliation to the forefront, he said. Healing the racial divide begins with recognizing racism is not a thing of the See UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS on page 6

Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

W. Side ministers pray for country’s future in capitol

Rev. Ira Acree and Rev. Marshall Hatch among leaders who traveled to inauguration last week to pray By SUZANNE McBRIDE AustinTalks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rev. Ira Acree and Rev. Marshall Hatch were in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19 to pray for the country’s future and condemn white supremacy. A day before President Donald Trump leaves office, the two West Side ministers kneeled beside ministers from New York City outside the Washington National Cathedral and called for Americans to advocate for healing and reconciliation. “We’re not here for a party, we’re really not here for a celebration. We are here to offer invocation,” said Acree, senior pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church. “Our nation needs prayer like never before.” The group had planned to gather at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, but it was closed until Jan. 21 due to security measures put in place after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier this month to protest President-elect Joe Biden’s election. Acree and other ministers decried the “last gasp of white supremacy” and the attempt two weeks ago “to use terrorism to subvert democracy” as Congress was certifying the 2020 presidential election, which Biden won by more than 7 million votes. “Enough is enough,” Acree said, calling on faith leaders from all faiths and races –

including evangelicals who’ve backed Trump –“to stand with us, and let us lead the way as we bring real healing and conciliation to this country.” Rev. Gregory Livingston of the Church of the Upper East Side in New York City, said, “White supremacy will not win.” Livingston, the president of The Leaders Network NYC, said the ministers had come together on Inauguration Eve to stand up against white supremacists who are fueled by hate and ignorance and believe they can subvert democracy. “Our response is no and never. … Like the Nazis, these workers of evil will soon be confronted with the truth,” Livingston said. “We were not scared to come to Washington, D.C. … We will not give them ground.” Hatch, senior pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, said the country’s choices are stark and quoted Dr. King: “We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, or we will perish as fools.” Systemic racism is strangling the U.S., he said, adding there should be income equality for all and a safety net that provides the basic necessities for everyone; children shouldn’t have their futures determined by the Zip code in which they live. Community should be the choice, not

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news Editor Michael Romain

Senior Editor Bob Uphues Contributing Reporters Bonni McKeown, Igor Studenkov Reporting Partners Block Club, Austin Talks Columnist Arlene Jones Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Designer Debbie Becker Sales & Marketing Representavies Lourdes Nicholls, Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner ≈ Publisher Dan Haley chaos, Hatch said. “It has been dark in America, it has been four years or separation and strife … but we believe if we work for it, morning will come… and joy comes in the morning. … We declare it’s morning time in America.” Kneeing on the steps of the cathedral, Hatch prayed for a number of people, including the 400,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, a milestone reached Tuesday, according to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. He prayed: “That we love our neighbor as we love ourselves … even in the midst of the darkness you give us light.”

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

OFFERING PRAYERS: Above (from right to left), Rev. Ira Acree, Rev. Gregory Livingston and Rev. Marshall Hatch Sr. hold a news conference in Washington, D.C. Below left, the ministers pray outside of the Washington National Cathedral. SUZANNE McBRIDE/Austin Talks

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Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

29th Ward participatory budgeting deadline Jan. 29

Residents of the ward over 16 years old can vote online By ZACH CUNNING AustinTalks

West Side residents have until Jan. 29 to vote in this year’s participatory budgeting cycle that will determine how the 29th Ward spends $1 million of menu money. Between 60% and 100% of this year’s money will go to street repairs and resurfacing. Norma Hernandez, a community development planner who works for UIC’s Great Cities Institute, which administers Chicago’s PB program, said residents can vote for up to five (out of seven total) projects for the remaining money to be spent on. Those projects are: installing community identifiers for Galewood; public art at Sayre Language Academy; a mural or mosaic at Columbus Park; the installation of speed bumps and four-way stop signs; community gardens; a fitness course at Austin Town Hall; and bike lanes in the central and south part of the ward. Specific locations for the bike lanes, stop signs and speed bumps are not listed on the ballot because the Chicago Department of Planning and Development hasn’t completed surveys of the proposed locations, Her-

Provided

VOTE NOW!: An illustration of the ballots for participatory budgeting in the 29th Ward. The deadline for voting is Jan. 29.

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nandez said. Ald. Chris Taliaferro first brought participatory budgeting to the 29th Ward in 2017, during his first term. In a statement, he said participatory budgeting gives him the opportunity to engage with residents and understand what they deem to be the most important projects in their community. All residents over the age of 16 are eligible to vote, said Byron Watson, who is managing the process and works for the alderman. To vote, residents need to register by filling out a Google form to verify their residency and identity. Once verified, the alderman’s office issues a unique access code and a link for the voting portal. Hernandez said one of their goals when designing the 29th Ward’s participatory budgeting program was to increase voting turnout each year; over 390 residents voted in the first cycle. Increasing turnout is a tall order this year; both outreach and voting have been forced almost entirely online. The committee had hoped to do more outreach, drawing in more residents, “but then the pandemic happened,” Hernandez said. “We don’t know what our results are going to look like.” Maria Sorrell, who leads the team representing the central portion of the ward (from North Avenue to Lake Street) expressed concern about online voting for the ward’s seniors. Sorrell said many of the people who make up Austin’s senior population, “don’t have internet access or even if they have it they

don’t know how to use it. They don’t have email addresses and whatnot.” The other sections of the ward are north (Roscoe Street to North Avenue), led by Tom Drebenstedt, and the south (Lake Street to Roosevelt Road), led by Tina Augustus. Watson acknowledged “there’s a large population of people that just haven’t been able to be reached.” The ward newsletter, which contains the link and QR code for online voting registration, has 2,121 recipients, he said, yet more than 55,000 people live in the 29th Ward, according to the alderman’s website. Hernandez and Watson both said the committee members were key to getting the word out. “A lot of our committee members have a lot of networks in the community, for example, Miss Augustus. We try to just use everybody’s networks,” Hernandez said. Augustus, who is president of the Austin Adams Block Club, has tapped into her network, which includes the South Austin Neighborhood Association and the Austin Chamber of Commerce; she’s also president and CEO of Elevate Services. Hernandez is optimistic about how this year’s participatory budgeting will turn out. “PB has really stopped in a lot of other cities … we are actually one of the few cities that kind of grew within the pandemic as far as still advocating for more participatory practices within our democracy.” You can register to vote online at: https:// bit.ly/3ofieNh.

CONTACT: austintalks.org@gmail.com

Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

How will aldermen address juvenile carjackers?

lack politicians have, of late, been some of the most mealy-mouthed individuals the world has ever seen. Crime in the Black community has been a rampant, ongoing problem for years and, for the most part, those politicians have used the excuses of poverty, bad education and a plethora of other reasons to not forcefully castigate that criminal element. But now carjacking has become the major crime issue affecting their constituents. From the retired school teacher who had her car taken by a group that included what appeared to be a 12-year-old, to the gentleman who willingly gave up his car keys only to be shot and killed because the idiot thief couldn’t drive it, to the senseless murder of the retired firefighter who was hit with a barrage of bullets from a gang of thieves, none of whom lived in the city. The issue is now front-and-center. One of the absolute truths coming to the fore about the carjackers are the number of juveniles involved in this criminal behavior. A lot of Black folk love to profess that the kids are doing it without the parents’ knowledge. However, we only have to go back to the summer of 2019, when 14-yearold Jaquan Swopes was shot and killed during the commission of an attempted car theft. His mama went on television and told the world she knew her nephews liked to steal cars, but her anger was directed at the man who shot her child and not at the nephews who involved him in their dastardly deed. His cousin, Diamond Davis, was 18 and the only one charged as an adult. Her sentence for being involved in the crime? One year in prison and one year probation. The others’ cases went to juvenile court,

where they probably got nothing in terms of punishment. Well the chickens are coming home to roost, as Black folk face the reality of Black children and young adults on a rampage of car theft. Worst is that they are already in one stolen car when they carjack another. What is the real underlying reasons behind all these stolen cars? Is it really just joyriding? Or is it the one year in prison/ one year probation that sounds doable, when we have a criminal justice system that even out in Lake County was willing to be lenient when it involved the death of one of the perpetrators? I’ve always found it interesting that it’s rare to find a Black politician running on a “law and order” campaign. When it involves the police and a Black person, that’s the only time there appears to be pure outrage. However, the current carjacking situation is putting everybody on Front Street, because it’s happening so often. Be it early morning, mid-afternoon, dusk or late at night, the carjacking crews are all over. It is no longer safe to take your groceries out of the car, sit at a stop light or be in front of the old Sears Tower. We’ve had a couple of aldermen finally speak up, even if one of them did some double-talk. However, the anger from the general population in their wards, is going to make all of the aldermen be accountable for the juvenile justice system and carjackers. Pay attention, people! Because the decisions that are made by these elected officials will directly affect the outcome should you or I become the victim.

ARLENE JONES

AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS NEED TO REACH US? Call Editor Michael Romain at 773-626-6332 or email michael@austinweeklynews.com Write to Austin Weekly News, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

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Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS Talking accountability from page 1 past, Eaddy said. To move past racism, people must recognize where racism lives and acknowledge the ways they participate in it, even when it is not their intention. “The truth is, there is a Black awareness and a white awareness. We have to get on the same page. Many times, we are looking at the same thing, but we are seeing two different perspectives … two different realities,” Eaddy said. The theme of the first discussion is awareness. This session will be about recognizing the lived experiences of Black people who encounter racism, and honoring each person’s individual truth, said David Davidson, a racial equity specialist from Courageous Conversations. Davidson will facilitate the discussions. The forum will be “not a debate, but a dialogue of what it means to be socialized in a system in which we go about thinking about one another through a lens of race,” Davidson said. The following three Uncomfortable Conversations will focus on breaking down barriers between siloed communities, bringing people together and finding reconciliation,

REV. MICHAEL EADDY organizers said. Eaddy developed the series of community conversations in partnership with Sinai Chicago, West Side United, the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, Chicago Youth Centers and St. Agatha’s Parish. This reckoning with race is meant to include residents of the West Side and leaders

of organizations and nonprofits that serve the area, said Debra Wesley, executive director of the Sinai Community Institute. “We do have board members who represent a variety of organizations that don’t have the lived experience of those who are in the community that they want to really genuinely impact,” Wesley said. The conversations will challenge the leaders of organizations that do work on the West Side to hold themselves accountable and think critically about how they can “make sure that [their] policies are taking into consideration racism.” Discussions about race are difficult because of the myths that racism no longer exists and the United States is a free and equal society, Eaddy said. But this conversation is long overdue because systemic racism influences every aspect of life on the West Side. Those impacts are evident in the disparities Black people face in wealth, education, health outcomes and incarceration, he said. “Systemic racism is impacting criminal justice and police reform. It is impacting how health services are often provided. It’s impacting how resourced our schools are. It is impacting the economic disinvestment we have all observed in our communities,” Eaddy said.

COMMUNITY

Pascal Sabino is a Report for America corps member covering Austin, North Lawndale and Garfield Park for Block Club Chicago.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS • WINTER 2021 EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE

St. Angela - Givingreimagined the youth of St. Angela School Garﬁeld Park Conservatory:

TODAY’S LEARNERS. TOMORROW’S LEADERS. arﬁeld Park Conservatory has

reimagined once Nowin-person enrolling experiences into virtual Preschool Through 8th Grade options, including new virtual ﬁeld trips. Educators lead students from www.saintangela.org (773) 626-2655 pre-school through high school on live-streamed visits for their classroom. The 45-minute virtual ﬁeld trip will explore one of four themes: Intro to Plants Trip: Unveil the magical world of botany with this introductory exploration of all things plant through a sensory based tour! Grades Pre-K – 4. Pollination Trip Explore the many interesting examples of how plants and pollinators co-evolved to perfect the process of pollination that we depend on for our own survival. Grades 1 – 5. Adaptation Trip Take your students on a fascinating journey through time as you explore how plants have adapted to different environments throughout the years! Grades 3 – 12. Reproduction Trip: Find out how and why plants have developed

1:1 Technology

5 Day Full Day in-Person Preschool starting at 3 years old Small Classes through 8th grade

Austin the best education

their connections with Black history. different ways of reproducing by As we learn about these plants and looking plants in theis Fern aint at Angela School proudRoom, to people, we will ask your students to Palmannounce House and Aroid House. Grade that we now offer 1:1 think about their aspirations and help 5 - 12. technology ratio to all of our them to get inspired! This field trip is “They were excited and talked about scholars. Saint Angela was designated for all grades. how interesting it was, and they had as a school that could benefit from the In addition to field trips, Garfield no idea chocolate “grew on trees” or “Bridging the Youth GapThey Park Conservatory offers weekly that vanilla came Technology from Mexico! Program”. this they commitment with virtual yoga classes, monthly lectures, also wereThrough surprised could visit and many hands-on classes. While forShoulders free and Fund it’s nearby.” Big and Saint Joseph’s th the Conservatory is currently closed Services Saintteacher Angela received new from Pickard -4 grade to visitors, we look forward to Elementary Chromebooks and IPads, resulting in each reopening safely. Learn more at www. Blackhaving History Trip: Indevice. scholar theirMonth own updated the ability to switch from in school to garfi eldconservatory.org. February, has joinbecome GPC educators meet Technology an integraltopart remote learning is crucial. This generous wide variety of for plants discuss ofa student learning, bothand in school and remote learners. During this pandemic

program allows the scholars to stay ahead of the curve and not fall behind. The collaboration between Big Shoulders, Saint Joseph Services, and the communities they serve exemplifies their shared mission to support the youth they serve and create an even playing field for students seeking a high quality education, regardless of socioeconomic status. Saint Angela remains focused on giving the youth of Austin the best education available.

Virtual Field Trips with Garﬁeld Park Conservatory!

Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

AUSTIN WEEKLY NEWS • WINTER 2021 EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT GUIDE

Garﬁeld Park Conservatory Goes Viral

arfield Park Conservatory has reimagined group visits and developed virtual options, including new virtual field trips. Educators lead students from preschool through high school on livestreamed visits for their classroom. The 45-minute virtual field trip will explore one of four themes: Intro to Plants Trip: Unveil the magical world of botany with this introductory exploration of all things plant through a sensory based tour! Grades Pre-K – 4. Pollination Trip: Explore the many interesting examples of how plants and pollinators co-evolved to perfect the process of pollination that we depend on for our own survival. Grades 1 – 5. Adaptation Trip: Take your students on a fascinating journey through time as you explore how plants have adapted to different environments throughout the years! Grades 3 – 12. Reproduction Trip: Find out how and why plants have developed

different ways of reproducing by looking at plants in the Fern Room, Palm House and Aroid House. Grade 5 - 12. “They were excited and talked about how interesting it was, and they had no idea chocolate “grew on trees” or that vanilla came from Mexico! They also were surprised they could visit for free and it’s nearby.” -4th grade teacher from Pickard Elementary Black History Month Trip: In February, join GPC educators to meet a wide variety of plants and discuss

their connections with Black history. As we learn about these plants and people, we will ask your students to think about their aspirations and help them to get inspired! This field trip is for all grades. In addition to field trips, Garfield Park Conservatory offers weekly virtual yoga classes, monthly lectures, and many hands-on classes. While the Conservatory is currently closed to visitors, we look forward to reopening safely. Learn more at www.garfieldconservatory.org.

Virtual Field Trips with Garﬁeld Park Conservatory! Field trips of all kinds are an important way for students to make connections between the classroom and the real world, and to deepen their learning across subject areas. We have developed a new virtual field trip option to provide an exciting and educational experience for your group, and we look forward to helping you plan an engaging and meaningful virtual field trip to the Conservatory.

FREE or LOW-COST STAFF LED THEMED groups@garfieldpark.org l 773.638.1766 l garfieldconservatory.org/group-visits Online Resources for FAMILIES and SCHOOLS Nature based resources are on our website, with new additions added each month. From nature crafts, coloring sheets, to science experiments, there are activities for a wide range of ages. Self-paced digital tours are also available! garfieldconservatory.org/resource-center/

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MA10-17-0193-17]. Additional funding provided by PNC, the Seabury Foundation, and the Dr. Scholl Foundation.

Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

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Austin Weekly News, January 27, 2021

Breonna Taylor grant helps aspiring first responders

The Black Village Foundation’s $1,000 grant to help pay for the certification process, deadline to apply is Feb. 28 By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

Black West Siders who are trying to get certified as emergency medical technicians can apply for $1,000 Breonna Taylor EMT grants. Taylor, the 26-year-old ER technician from Louisville, was fatally shot inside of her apartment last March by plainclothes police officers conducting a raid after having obtained a no-knock warrant. Ta’Rhonda Jones, the co-founder of the Black Village Foundation, a community development nonprofit based in the Auburn-

POLICE RAIDS

‘Unjust, uncalled for’ from page 1 passed the U.S. House last summer, but did not gain traction in a Senate controlled by the Republican Party. That may change now that the Democrats have regained control of the upper chamber. “By making it harder for rogue police officers and departments to escape accountabil-

who are striving to save Gresham neighborhood, lives in a primarily white said her organization field,” she said. established the grants in “Having diversity in order to honor Taylor’s healthcare, especially legacy. in predominantly black “Breonna Taylor’s communities, is crucial death was deeply disturbto decreasing treatment ing,” Jones said. “This disparities. A study out EMT grant was our way of Oregon in 2018 looked of honoring her legacy by at EMT treatment disparshowing our appreciation ities and showed that Affor her dedication to serrican-American patients vice.” were 40 percent less likeDr. Sabha Abour, another co-founder of the ly to get pain medication foundation, said ensurthan their white countering that more African parts regardless of their Americans become health insurance status. EMTs would help adThat’s not OK.” dress racial disparities Two grants are availBREONNA TAYLOR in access to emergency able to Blacks who live medical treatment. on the South or West sides and are either “This grant is important because it gives already in an EMT certification program an additional resource to black students or will enroll in one this spring. The grant

ity for harmful and even fatal acts, banning racial profiling in policing, banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and ending the transfer of certain military-grade equipment to our police departments, we can build safer communities and provide long overdue reforms to policing,” said in a statement last June. “When you hear people say defund the police, no, reimagine policing,” Moore said during the Jan. 16 hearing. Davis’ hearing comes nearly two years after Chicago police used a warrant to raid the home of Anjanette Young on Feb. 21,

Screenshot

SOUNDING THE ALARM: Above right, U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis during a virtual hearing he held earlier this month, in order to call attention to police raids. Bottom left, a screenshot of a CBS 2 report showing video footage of the police raid of Anjanette Young.

2019. Police were looking for a suspect, but only found Young, a social worker, inside of her home unclothed. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, has said that she did not know about the incident in detail before it became one of the biggest controversies of her mayoralty to date, but reporting by the Chicago Tribune revealed that Lightfoot was sent an email a deputy mayor on Nov. 11, 2019 that “was explicit about what happened. “Lee forwarded a summary of CBS’ reporting on the case to Lightfoot and said, ‘please see below for a pretty bad wrongful raid coming out tomorrow,’” the Tribune reported. Lightfoot said earlier this month that she personally apologized to Young ‘on behalf of the city’ for how the social worker was treated during a botched 2019 police raid on her home,” the Tribune reported. During the Jan. 15 hearing, David Cherry, the president of the Leaders Network, referenced Young’s experience. “The case of Anjanette Young is one of more than 6,800 police raids occurring primarily within Black and Latino families and they find drugs in less than 5 percent of these raids,” Cherry said. “We’re not here looking for incremental change and there’s nothing to negotiate. We are demanding an end to these racist police raids and these raids must end immediately.” Young, who could not make the hearing, nonetheless sent a statement that was read on her behalf. Rebecca Cook, the chair of the West Side Branch NAACP’s criminal justice committee, referenced a ruling approved during

is part of the nonprofit’s larger drive to distribute $100,000 in grants to South and West siders by the end of 2021. Specific West Side communities that are eligible include Austin, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park and North Lawndale. “We specifically chose certain communities, because increasing access to wealth in areas that have been deprived by government policies is crucial to the success of those communities,” Abour said. The EMT grant applications are open until Feb. 28. Abour said that they also plan to provide grants for South and West side residents who are trying to get certifications in other fields, such as commercial driving, food handling and culinary arts. She said the organization will release more information on those grants in February. To apply for the EMT grant, visit https:// blackvillagefoundation.org/breonna-taylorgrant.

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

the Illinois General Assembly’s most recent lame duck session that would require police records to be on file for more than five years. The short lifespan of police records, Cook said, meant that the documentation related to officers with patterns of abusive practice “would be destroyed.” The ruling would prevent departments from destroying those records, she said. Rev. Ira Acree, the pastor of the Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin and a co-chairman of the Leaders Network, said during the hearing that “the need for police reform is not a new issue” and that his organization has “championed the issue of police reform since our inception more than 16 years ago.” Acree said “these criminal atrocities, known as botched police raids, never happen in” majority white areas of the city, such as Wrigleville. “We can no longer allow there to be two sets of rules when it comes to policing,” Acree said. “Now is the time to confront Chicago’s ugly tale of two cities.”

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