AustinWeeklyNews 081920

FREE

■ Westinghouse College Prep votes to keep school resource officers, PAGE 4

Vol. 34 No. 34

■

August 19, 2020

■

austinweeklynews.com

■

Also serving Garfield Park

@AustinWeeklyChi

Austin in Crisis: Special Section Inside

@AustinWeeklyNews

Historic building could get new lease on life

City accepting development proposals for Laramie State Bank Building

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

After years of abandonment, the Laramie State Bank building, 5200 W. Chicago Ave., may finally get a new lease on life.

On Aug. 11, the Chicago Community Development Commission voted unanimously to authorize the city’s Department of Planning And Development to invite developers to submit proposals not only for the building itself, but for the entire block of Chicago Avenue, between Laramie and Latrobe avenues.

This is part of the city’s Invest South/West initiative, which aims to attract investment and development to chronically disinvested West and South side communities, including Austin.

Although the city doesn’t own any of those lots, development commission officials indicated that the current owners are willing to sell and the city is prepared to buy the land if any issues do arise.

The city intends to send out requests for proposals later this month, with proposals due by the end of November. The goal is to start construction by 2022. Already, Austin-based Westside Health Authority has expressed interest, saying that they hope to turn the site into a museum of African American culture.

Laramie State Bank was built in 1929. Longtime Austin residents John Young Sr. and Earline Ruffin bought the building in 1994, and it was designated a Chicago Landmark by the City in 1995. But the building has been boarded up since 2012 due to multiple building code violations.

See LARAMIE BUILDING on page 8

IGOR STUDENKOV

FRESH FACE: New 15th District Commander Patrina Wines said that she believes community policing is her calling. Wines had breakfast with the Austin African American Business Networking Association on Aug. 11.

New 15th District commander lauds community policing

Commander Patrina Wines was promoted in July to replace Yolanda Talley

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Local leaders and community members were introduced to the 15th District’s newest commander during a breakfast

meet-and-greet hosted by the Austin African American Business Networking Association on Aug. 11 at Sankofa Cultural Arts Center, 5820 W. Chicago Ave. in Austin.

Commander Patrina Wines, a 27-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, was promoted to 15th District commander in July, replacing former commander Yolanda Talley. Wines, a South Side native, previously served as a captain in the 3rd District.

She’s also been a lieutenant in the Office of Community Policing, a Watch Operations lieutenant and a community policing sergeant in the 5th District, according to a statement released last month by CPD’s News Affairs division.

In addition, Wines has experience in training coordination in the department’s Narcotics Division. She has a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement management from Calumet College and is a member

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 COMMANDER WINES on page 9

Larry Williams,Agent 5932 W. Lake Street Chicago, 60644 (773) 379-9010 larry.williams.b0bk@statefarm.com

2 Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

Pro-police rally held in North Lawndale prompts protests

Counter-demonstrators say Aug. 15 rally an insult to spirit of Freedom Square

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

A rally held Aug. 15 in Homan Square in support of police and the Republican Party prompted a brief scuffle between police and counter-protestors who attempted to burn a Black the Blue flag that organizers were waving. Eleventh District Commander Darrell Spencer eventually intervened to deescalate the conflict.

The rally, attended by roughly two dozen Republican Party political candidates and residents from other parts of the city and suburbs, was held in a vacant lot that Black and Brown community leaders and activists from the South and West Sides transformed in 2016 into a space to protest police abuse.

The 11 counter-protestors who attended the rally said that they felt insulted that the Back the Blue organizers would pick the site for a pro-police political rally. As the rally happened, roughly 100 uniformed police officers wearing vests and helmets looked on.

The site is across the street from the Chicago Police Department’s Homan Square facility, which police say houses evidence the department seizes during investigations.

Police say the facility also houses the department’s ballistics lab and is a base of operations for officers working undercover, among other personnel.

In 2015, the Guardian newspaper reported that the facility was also used as an off-thebooks interrogation site where detainees are abused. At the time, the department denied the claims made in the Guardian report.

In July 2016, activists with the Let Us Breathe Collective turned the vacant lot cross the street from the facility into “Freedom Square” for 41 days, providing free food and resources for the community while protesting the alleged torture.

On Saturday, Ashley Ramos, one of the rally organizes, said that she and her colleagues chose Homan Square, because it’s where Deputy Police Chief Dion Boyd died by suicide on July 28.

“We’re here today to pay our respects to Chief Dion Boyd,” Ramos said. “We support the police’s positive impact on the community and reestablishing bonds with the community.”

But most of the speakers at Saturday’s rally were Republican Party politicians running for elected offices in the suburbs. They denounced Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and other Democrats as dangers to the city.

Yesoe Yoon, a Skokie Republican running for

Provided

POLICE RALLY: Count-demonstrators march in the streets to protest the Back the Blue rally held in Freedom Square on Aug. 15. a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, said that she was against defunding the police, but added that preventing the kind of police misconduct that led to George Floyd’s death should be a priority.

Yoon said that Black communities should receive financial assistance and “a little education,” adding that “we have to give them a better value system, so they aren’t influenced by Marxist ideas.”

During the rally, Ramos presented Spencer with a large plaque honoring Boyd and several speakers mentioned the stress that police officers have to deal with.

Jeffrey Muehlfelder — a 42-year-old police detective who lives in Jefferson Park and is running for state rep in the northwest side’s 19th District — was the only candidate at the rally with a West Side connection.

According to the Invisible Institute’s database of complaints against police officers, Muehlfelder works in the 25th District, which includes Galewood and other portions of Austin. Muehlfelder confirmed his employment in a follow-up interview.

In his remarks, Muehlfelder spoke out against Black Lives Matter and the protests that have taken place since the death of George Floyd.

“Black Lives Matter — it was a lie from the very beginning,” Muehlfelder said, adding that disparities in arrests were only natural, when most of the crimes were committed in majority-black neighborhoods.

“This neighborhood we’re standing in right now leads the city in homicides,” Muehlfelder said. “In my neighborhood, we have five [homicides]. It’s absurd, and I’m here to say we need to put an end to this.”

The Invisible Institute’s data shows 26 use of force reports for Muehlfelder, eight civilian complaints, four “civilian compliments” and 60 “honorable mentions.”

None of the complaints were sustained and no action was taken as a result of them. Most of the complaints state that no affidavit was presented.

Other Republican Party candidates who

spoke include Mark Curran, who is running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Dick Durban; Theresa Raborn, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District, which includes parts of the South Side and much of the south suburbs; and Sargis Sangari, who is running for the 9th congressional district in the north and northwest suburbs.

“We need to back the police,” Raborn said.

“They are the thin blue line between the civilized society and total anarchy.”

The counter-demonstrators arrived about 40 minutes after the rally began. The police quickly formed a barrier between the Freedom Square lot and the street.

During the course of the rally, several local residents stopped by. A middle-aged man who declined to give his name accepted one of the free Back the Blue t-shirts that the rally organizers were giving out.

He said he took the shirt, but said it represents “everything [the police] are not.”

“They need to get rid of every police officer,” he said. “They don’t protect the community. They protect things. If you call, they don’t help.”’

The man’s companion, who also declined to give her name, said that, in her experience, police officers don’t see people who live in North Lawndale as human beings.

“In this neighborhood, everyone is not a gangbanger or a drug dealer, but they treat us like that because we live in a low-class area,” she said.

A North Lawndale resident who lives near Douglass Park, who identified herself as Rachel A., said she was astonished by how many police officers there were compared to the number of counter-demonstrators.

“I live in the neighborhood and I believe in Black Lives Matter, and I believe in defunding CPD,” said Rachel A., who is white. She added that she believed the funding should instead go to community resources, especially schools.

When asked about the accusations that defunding police would lead to anarchy, she said that, since she was an anarchist, she didn’t see that as a problem. She said that anarchy doesn’t mean complete chaos.

B. Travin, of Little Village, said that he supports abolishing policing, because “it’s getting increasingly obvious that the police are the force that’s keeping us from actualizing the new world order, a new way of living,” While he said he wasn’t entirely sure what it would look like, he believed that, when people need help, they need “someone with interpersonal skills and compassion” — not guns. He said that he wasn’t impressed by the Back the Blue rally.

“It was pathetic, really,” he said. “Everybody hates the police and it was evident by the fact that they only had 15 people there and that event was planned for weeks.”

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

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 Business Manager Joyce Minich ≈ GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer ≈ HOW TO REACH US 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 773-626-6332 FAX 708-467-9066 CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE www.AustinWeeklyNews.com TWITTER @AustinWeeklyChi Austin Weekly News is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. It is distributed free of charge at locations across Austin and Garfield Park. Our hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Advertising rates are available by calling our office.

Printed entirely on recycled paper. © 2020 Growing Community Media NFP.

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020 3

Area chamber of commerce demands store be reopened Garfield Park Chamber wants city officials to allow One Eleven Food & Liquors to reopen

SPEAKING OUT: Siri Hibbler of the Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce speaking at a rally at One Eleven.

By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

The Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce wants the city to allow a liquor and grocery store to reopen after it was forced to close last month.

City officials shut down One Eleven Food & Liquors in July for failing to comply with a safety plan to mitigate criminal activity around the business. The store at 111 N. Kedzie Ave. was put on the plan four years ago after Chicago Police attributed some crime, violence and loitering to the store.

The city revoked the store’s business license in 2019. Last month, One Eleven lost its appeal of the revocation, forcing the shop to shut its doors after 42 years and eliminating a source for fresh food.

Neighbors led by the Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce rallied at the store Thursday, saying the closure was an assault on Black-owned businesses on the West Side and an effort to gentrify the quickly changing neighborhood.

Siri Hibbler, who leads the chamber, said One Eleven was the only Black-owned retailer in the neighborhood that owned its storefront.

It was also one of only two Black-owned liquor stores in East Garfield Park, she said.

The chamber is demanding the store’s business license be reinstated and leaders want to meet with Mayor Lori Lightfoot on the issue.

“This has been one of the main grocery facilities, food facilities, not just liquor, that this community knows,” Hibbler said. “… This is a fight that we’re having right now over the entire country within our Black communities. The inequality and the injustice that is done to our residents, to our businesses — it is time that the city listens

PASCAL SABINO

to us.”

Bridgett Carter, who lives in the area, said the store is particularly important because it was one of the only places to get fresh produce, meat and dairy in the area.

“We need to come to this store. We have older people that can’t even walk — we have a senior citizen building over here, this is the only store they can make it to,” Carter said.

The city initially shut down One Eleven using a process called summary closure that allows police to close establishments they say pose a repeated threat to public safety.

The store is located just off the Kedzie Green Line station, which has been a hot spot for shootings, loitering and illegal street peddlers.

In 2016, there were shootings in the area on consecutive days, one of which involved someone opening fire from within the store, according to the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

After a temporary closure in 2016, the city required store owners to agree to a plan to reduce crime in the immediate area outside the store before they could reopen.

Verlinda Dotson, whose family runs the store, said they installed extra lighting

and cameras, built an iron fence and hired security guards to comply with the plan.

“Everything they told us to do, we put into play,” Dotson said.

Some at the rally said it was unfair for the store to be blamed for the crime in the surrounding area.

“With regards to people being outside of their perimeter, that’s not their responsibility. That is on the street, it’s on the city of Chicago,” Hibbler said.

While some neighbors want the store reopened, others have worked for years to shut it down. Longtime resident Annette Briton lives just across from One Eleven and said the store attracted loitering, public drinking and violence late into the night.

“There is a responsibility of business to do their part to make it a safe place for the public,” Briton said. “It attracts a certain type of undercurrent of people. … That kind of an atmosphere doesn’t uplift our community.”

Briton said the area has improved since the store closed, with her block becoming “a much more peaceful area to live.”

Hibbler said increased scrutiny on the

grocery store is part of the gentrification of Garfield Park, accelerated by recent developments like the Hatchery Chicago next door to One Eleven.

Hibbler said the Hatchery’s pristine, new facility illustrates what happens when the city supports a business, while the struggling One Eleven is what happens when the city neglects Black businesses and communities.

The chamber will protest the Hatchery and other new developments until the city begins supporting longtime Black-owned businesses in the neighborhood, Hibbler said.

She said many of the complaints against the grocery store are from newcomers to Garfield Park.

“We’re saying to those people is that you need to know how to be inclusive to the community that you chose to come into,” Hibbler said. “You’re embarking on racism here in our community.”

Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) did not return calls about the closure.

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

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

“The” Friendship BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Dr. Reginald E. Bachus, Pastor

COMMUNITY AN EXCITING DIGITAL PORTAL DEDICATED TO EVERYTHING

5200 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60644 773-378-6600

fbcchicago.org • facebook.com/friendshipbcchicago SUNDAY SCHEDULE 8:30AM 1st Sunday Communion 8:30AM Morning Worship Service 9:30AM Sunday Church School 11:00AM Mid-Morning Worship Service MIDWEEK SERVICES (Wednesday) 12:00PM Noon Bible Study 6:00PM Bible Study 7:00PM Prayer Meeting

4

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

West Side Lives Joshua Flynn, Austin native and Black Libertarian

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Joshua Flynn, 33, is currently running against state Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (78th) as a Libertarian. Flynn, a lifelong Austin resident, is the Libertarian Party’s 29th Ward committeeman, as well as the party’s 7th Congressional District’s state central committeeman.

He spoke about the rarity of being a Black Libertarian in Chicago, answered some questions about the party’s philosophy and talked about what he’d do if elected to Lilly’s seat in November.

On the Libertarian Party “We don’t believe in infringement on people. We believe in a person having their own freedoms. If a person wants to do drugs, as long as that person isn’t hurting anyone else, they choose to do that. They are consenting adults. That’s their own beliefs. We don’t believe telling people what to do, as long as they aren’t harming anyone or committing property crime or violent crimes.”

So you don’t believe in, say, universal healthcare, which can’t be provided by any other entity but the government?

“No, we believe in the markets, which can decide a lot better than what government can do. Government controls healthcare and look at where we’re at now … Look at [Illinois House Speaker] Michael Madigan. Government involvement means government corruption.”

“It’s not many — not many at all, especially here in Illinois. That’s the reason I’m trying to grow the party here in Cook County. A lot of people didn’t realize it existed until last year, when I had my meetings here in Austin.”

How long have you been a Libertarian?

It was just constantly taxing the people, but not seeing any change in the community.

The streets and roads are not doing well, our education system is poorly operated, and economics in our community is poor.”

What’s your campaign platform?

“My platform is education, economic development and safer streets. I want all schools working stronger in our communities — public charter schools, private schools all working strong to better the education for our kids. I believe in less property taxes, less corporate taxes, so organizations and businesses can come into our community.

So, you don’t believe that the government should have any role to play at all?

“I believe in some government intervention. I’m not an anarchist. I don’t believe in privatizing the military or privatizing prisons. I believe the government should give businesses loans that they can pay off to help Illinois pay off the debt it has accrued. That, in turn, can help with the pension fund, because we’re so behind with that debt itself.”

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

“I’ve been a Libertarian for a little over two years. I was a Democrat before, but had to walk away. It wasn’t just the corruption itself, but so much Provided How large is the JOSHUA FLYNN entitlement within Libertarian Party? the party — the way “We’re the third largest party in the coun- they rule Cook County. And then the [Country, as well as Illinois. Not as big as the Dem- ty Board President] brought in the sugar tax. ocrats and Republicans, but we’re constantly growing. People are seeking other parties.

It’s time for change throughout the country.

The Democrats and Republicans have been in charge for so long and behind their leadThis is part of a series called West Side People, which are interviews designed to introduce ership there’s been nothing but corruption. our readers to their fellow West Siders. If you or someone you know is interested in being How many Blacks are in the Libertarian interviewed for this series, email: michael@austinweeklynews.com. party?

West Side Lives

Proud to partner with Austin Talks

austintalks.org INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? Contact Lourdes Nicholls 708.613.3329 Lourdes@oakpark.com

GARFIELD PARK LITTLE LEAGUE

“BUILDING BETTER CHILDREN

ONE BASE AT A TIME” For more information or to donate, call us at 773.443.2746

★ Register now at Gpleague.org ★

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

5

Lawndale lags on census

Community groups trying to reach hard-to-count residents

By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

North Lawndale still trails much of the city in census responses — and its residents are among the hardest to count in Chicago, according to a citywide analysis of federal data.

What makes a community tough to count is different for each neighborhood. The data on hard-to-count populations takes into account factors like language barriers, age, internet access, how many residents rent versus own and how much of the population is living in poverty.

The data estimates that in parts of Lawndale, up to 40 percent of residents may not respond to their mail-in census surveys.

Parts of the neighborhood have a response rate as low as 32 percent, compared to a citywide average of 56 percent.

At the same time, the federal government announced last week it will end the U.S. Census count one month earlier than expected.

Neighborhood groups are helping the city boost census participation in the area. Organizers said the longstanding social conditions that made West Siders hard to count were only exacerbated by coronavirus.

“They’re not very trusting that their information is going be used the way that the census says is going to be used,” said Angela Brown, a director at Sinai Community Institute, which is working to increase census participation in Lawndale.

The legacy of disinvestment, redlining and poverty in Lawndale has left many residents distrustful of the census, said Karen Castleberry, who is helping with census outreach through I Am Able, a trauma-informed care agency. Much of her outreach has been focused on educating residents on how important the census is since many have been disillusioned by how the government has historically failed Black people on the West Side.

“There are many age groups who do not participate in the civic duties of voting and census because they look at what they’ve experienced through the years with lack of representation, lack of resources. … North Lawndale is a community of lack,” Castleberry said.

Castleberry said many residents she has spoken to have given up on participating because of what they perceive as deliberate efforts to by the government to ignore them. Voter ID laws, restrictions on mail-in ballots, questions about immigration status and the recent shortened deadline for the census have sent a message to Black communities that they don’t count, Castleberry said.

“Eventually, you just don’t participate,” she said.

A large portion of Lawndale residents have also been involved in the criminal justice system, which has led many to mistakenly assume they won’t be counted in the census, said Javonna Askew, who works with I Am Able. Many think people convicted of felonies lose their right to vote, which is not true in Illinois. Askew said that

misunderstanding leads many to believe they lose the right to participate in other civic duties, like the census.

“A lot of the younger generation in North Lawndale feel that they don’t have the right to vote because of their criminal background,” Askew said. “So they completely separate themselves from the system that they feel like they don’t have the power to change.”

Askew has also encountered many instances where a family’s reliance on social services has led them to avoid the census or otherwise underreport on the census.

“They’ve been apprehensive to give housing numbers because they’ve been under the impression that would affect their eligibility for government assistance,” she said.

Many in Lawndale use food stamps are are afraid if they accurately report the number of people in the household, they may lose some of the money they rely on. In particular, renters experiencing housing insecurity who depend on Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers fear they will be dropped from the program entirely if they have more people living in a home than what is allowed.

“Maybe a friend came home from prison and he’s sleeping on the couch. They won’t count a friend because they feel that it would affect their housing eligibility,” she said.

In other instances, people who are housing insecure or experiencing homelessness often aren’t included in the census because they are unaware they still count even if they are in a temporary living situation, like staying with family, friends or at a shelter, organizers said.

The neighborhood organizations have pushed back on misinformation by raising awareness that everybody counts, regardless of age, citizenship status, criminal history or income.

I Am Able’s organizers have integrated census education and outreach into every aspect of their work, including their mental health services and COVID-19 support. The organization delivers groceries to elderly people, which gives them the opportunity to meet people where they are at and overcome barriers like the lack of digital access in Lawndale.

They are also teaching people about why the census is important, as the state government can lose around $1,800 per year for each person that skips the census. That money funds social services and public investment.

Likewise, Sinai has been phone banking to remind people to participate in the census.

They’ve also incorporated census outreach into doctors visits, community events and partnering with schools, day cares and churches to get the word out.

“It is important for our children’s future,” Brown said. “When we think, ‘What do we want to look like 10 years from now?’ We have to do something today in order to affect our tomorrow.”

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

Block Club Chicago’s coronavirus coverage is free for all readers. Block Club is an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom.

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

Provided

COPS STAY PUT: Students at Westinghouse, where the local school council voted to keep school resource officers.

Westinghouse votes to keep school resource officers Vote comes after several delays

By PASCAL SABINO Block Club Chicago

The local school council for Westinghouse College Prep narrowly voted on Aug. 11 to keep Chicago police officers on campus.

The 6-4 vote to keep officers comes after the decision was pushed back several times to better define what school resource officers do, gather more student and teacher input, and ensure there were enough votes for a majority.

At a previous meeting, board members also narrowly voted 5-4 in favor of keeping school police. But Chicago Public Schools required six votes from the 11-member council one way or the other to be binding.

Nearly everyone who spoke to the council at multiple town halls demanded police officers be removed from campus. No community members spoke in support of keeping officers at the meeting for the final vote.

Many said they worried the presence of officers would reinforce the schoolto-prison pipeline and the trauma Black youths face by being criminalized for misbehaving in school. Teacher Anne Prendergast said the majority of teachers she surveyed also supported removing officers.

“Black students in CPS are being overpoliced by SROs relative to their representation in the population,” she said. “We have to ensure that we’re creating a climate that allows Black students to be treated with the same dignity and respect as their white peers.”

But a survey of some students and parents showed most who responded favored keeping officers, according to school leaders.

Council members who voted to keep the officers said they understand the frustrations, but they feel officers are needed because of high crime activity in the surrounding area that could affect students.

Parent representative Marvin Simpson said he sympathizes with those calling to defund Chicago Police, but doesn’t want to remove officers from the school until there’s some alternative.

“If you remove SROs from the school, what are you replacing them with?”

Simpson said.

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

CONTACT: pascal@blockclubchi.org

6

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

7

NEED TO REACH US?

Call Editor Michael Romain at 773-626-6332 michael@austinweeklynews.com

‘T

Jail the shooters and looters

hey can go after the looters, but can’t find the shooters,” is the current rallying cry by those who want to backhandedly defend the criminals who were out looting following the recent incident in Englewood.

Let me be clear, I don’t believe the looting truly had anything to do with the shooting. It was the excuse by those within the black community who are criminal-minded to go out to Michigan Avenue, Oak Street and along North Avenue to high-end stores and steal what they wanted. Nobody can convince me that any of them had a need for Gucci or anything at Best Buy or Water Tower Place. Those Black folks who can mouth/key that phrase and see no difference between finding the looters and identifying a shooter are par for the course when it comes to the “excuse-filled” segment of folks within the community. And for me, their illogical comparisons come as no surprise.

Here’s a couple of major points regarding the difference: The majority of those businesses that were looted had cameras within. Those owners quickly shared the videos with the Chicago Police Department.

When it comes to shootings, very few are actually caught on camera. And even if caught on a camera system, how many homeowners or cellphone tapers are quick to share the video with CPD? I won’t hold my breath for that response.

Far too many of us have become so accustomed to being in the victim role that some just refuse to believe in the criminality of our people. Even the young fool who has been accused of broadcasting his alleged attempt to break into an ATM using a hammer has his defenders claiming that he is not the brightest star in the sky. One even went so far as to claim trying to break into an ATM with a hammer is akin to going to a gunfight with a knife.

I countered that he used the tools he had with him.

Had he brought a blowtorch, he would have used it. But the tool of choice was a hammer, so that’s what he used. And to broadcast criminal activity over some streaming video service is called “confession.”

Which brings me to the conclusion that those folks gathering without masks and so intent on their dastardly deeds have become so disregardful of COVID-19 that they forget this is a real pandemic. As with a lot of the initial beliefs about the virus, like Black folks couldn’t get it, the truth is we can. Then children were having a hard time getting it, but guess what? Now reports are coming out saying they are getting it. If those who were out looting come down with it, so be it. That’s a consequence for the actions they took.

I want to live in a society where criminals are held accountable for their behaviors. My motto is: Jail the shooters and the looters!

ARLENE JONES

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS in Pre-K (4 yr. olds), 1st and 2nd grade

Your child deserves the best There’s still time to apply for your child to attend one of the best public schools in Chicago

Apply today—spaces are limited alainlocke.org/enroll

TOP 15% of Alain Locke Charter School

all schools in Illinois

Named BEST Chicago Public School

for grades K through 8

3141 W. Jackson Blvd | Chicago, IL 60612 | 773.265.7230 Image credit: © Sandra Steinbrecher 2018 |  @sandysteinbrecherphotography |  @sandragoldin

8

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

COMMENTARY

The harvest of American racism

A

mericans wake up each morning to banner headlines describing the latest urban eruption and go to bed reeling from seemingly endless TV images of burning buildings, overturned cars, and rampaging youths. These are not singular events. The whole country, it seems, is on fire and the anarchy in the inner city may spread to more affluent neighborhoods.

People are frightened and angry. Because the riots spread quickly from one city to another, the conclusion that they are somehow linked, possibly orchestrated by agitators — perhaps even Russian agents — seems plausible to many and absolutely incontrovertible to some. It is a heyday for conspiracy theorists and particularly white supremacists. Generally, there is an appetite for suppressive action, almost without regard to what form it might take.

It is the summer of 1967.

Those words were plucked virtually verbatim from Robert Shellow’s introduction to the 2018 volume of The Harvest of American Racism: The Political Meaning of Violence in the Summer of 1967.

The Harvest report was prepared for the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, which had been established

by President Lyndon Johnson and chaired by Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner “to analyze the cause of, and make policy recommendations with respect to, the urban rebellions that had swept the country with ferocious intensity,” according to political scientist Michael C. Dawson’s forward to the 2018 bound volume of the 1967 report.

The Harvest report was prepared “by a team of then mostly young social scientists [Shellow included] who were far more aggressive than the Commission leadership” and who saw the looting and vandalism and riots “in part as manifestation of the increasing political militancy of urban black youth.”

The country, the report’s authors argued, had two choices: “either massive, brutal repression of the black liberation movement, or finally acting to thoroughly address racial inequality — socially, economically, and politically.”

Johnson’s administration rejected the report as being “far too radical” and “politically ‘unviable’” Dawson writes.

“One of the original researchers later found a copy in an archive with the word ‘Destroy’ stamped on the cover page,” he points out.

In his 2014 work The Long, Hot Summer of 1967: Urban Rebellion in America,

Matthew M. McLaughlin summarized the Harvest report’s “bleak conclusions” and radical recommendations.

“America, its authors warned, stood on the brink of race war. The long, hot summers had seen ‘recurrent clashes between police and Negro youths,’ in which ‘the shock troops of the white society meet those of the black.’ It was a matter of time before ‘one of these clashes [will] cause each side to call forth its partisans in increasing numbers.’

“A moderate response to the summer of 1967 would only increase contempt for the white-dominated social order, since ‘Negro youth today are just not interested in being moderately discriminated against.’ In case anyone doubted the urgency of the situation, the authors set out their predictions for the future in the report’s most chilling passages. It foresaw a worsening crisis and an ‘irreparable fractionation of whole cities into enemy camps’ as armed white vigilante homeowners rallied behind overstretched police forces.”

This “apocalypse could still be averted,” McLaughlin writes, “but only if America embraced radical change.” Not token concessions — poverty grants and some jobs here and there — but a “radical redistribution of power.” Which also means a radical redistribution of wealth.

A half-century later, as we live through the failures ’67, I see that history being remixed today. If we’re to seriously

examine the political implications of this current historical inflection point, we cannot divorce Monday’s looting of Louis Vuitton from Sunday’s protest on the South Side against police brutality and the police state in which too many Black and Brown people live. They are both symptoms of a larger political crisis.

Protest movements — as Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward demonstrate in their seminal 1977 work Poor People’s Movements: Why They Succeed, How They Fail — are defined by “collective defiance.”

Rarely do the poor and marginalized become defiant; rarely do they stop blaming themselves for their impoverishment and marginalization and challenge a dominant authority that has self-evidently lost its legitimacy, Piven and Cloward write. When that happens, protecting couture retailers should not take priority over working toward systemic redress.

I adamantly disagree with the destruction of property and I think those who do it should be punished, but I must nonetheless concede that the system that made possible my peaceful strolls through the Gold Coast, my sightseeing along the Magnificent Mile, is morally, culturally, spiritually and economically bankrupt. I know it. You know it. Everyone knows it.

The looters know it, too.

Now, as then, the country has two choices.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

LARAMIE BUILDING

respondents and the current property owners,” Lassiter said. “If [the negations] became a challenge, the city, again, has the acquisition authority. It’s not our goal, but if [that authority] has to be used that way, it would be considered.”

He said that, while the city will request proposals for other West Side sites, given the continuing deterioration of Laramie Bank, “stabilizing the historic structure has become a priority.” Lassiter added that while the city’s requirements are broad, officials will look at redevelopment that reflects community needs. The city website indicates that developers and community nonprofit organizations can submit proposals.

During the meeting’s public comment period, Jacqueline Reed, WHA’s founder and director emeritus, said that the organization is interested in turning the site in the “AfricanAmerican Culture and Arts Museum.”

“One of the things that the community needs the most is the way to learn about our rich history and culture, and the AfricanAmerican [community] doesn’t have such an institution on the West Side of Chicago,” she said. “We would also see that this would provide a significant connection for AfricanAmerican youth and [show] how history

shaped the culture they experience today.”

The museum would include interactive exhibits, such as one that allows young people to wear traditional clothing from various African cultures and one that allows them to be in the perspective of a Chicago Defender reporter. The usual would also serve as a cultural space for dance and other entertainment.

Quiwana Bell, WHA’s chief operating officer, noted that her organization already has several facilities in Austin, with its headquarters located only a few blocks east, at 5051 W. Chicago Ave. “We’ve developed a lot on Chicago Avenue and we would really like to see this development happen,” she said.

CONTACT: igorst3@hotmail.com

MICHAEL ROMAIN

Revival? from page 1

According to the Chicago Department of Buildings, as of July 2017, that included safety issues with its water system, elevators, doors and windows, as well as its outside walls. Its historical terra cotta structure was found to be “loosened, cracked or broken.”

In addition to the bank itself, city officials said that Young and Ruffin currently own two lots on the west side of the block. The remaining five lots in between are owned by Chicago Ave LLC. Ethan Lassiter, the city’s planner for the west region, said didn’t identify the owners of that corporate entity, but he said that “both ownership groups have been supportive” of what the city is doing. Ideally, both would simply sell the property to whoever submits the best proposal without the city ever buying anything.

“The city prefers and desires to facilitate a private transaction between the RFP

POISED FOR REDEVELOPMENT: The Laramie State Bank Building could get a new lease on life if the city follows through on its plans to facilitate the historic building’s revival.

Chicago Landmarks

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

West Side group hosts summer camp, offers kids safe space

COMMUNITY FIRST: Commander Wines at a gathering at Central and Corcoran on Aug. 12. The event was hosted by the 15th District’s Austin Response Team.

BUILD Chicago’s camp offers enrichment activities, sports

Shanel Romain

By ZACH CUNNING AustinTalks

COMMANDER WINES Getting to work from page 1 the International Association of Chiefs of Police, CPD explained.

During Tuesday’s breakfast, former 15th District commander and Deputy Chief of Patrol Ernest Cato touted the district’s “unique dynamic,” which he said entails close working relationships between the police department and community organizations.

“Commander Wines wasn’t just plucked somewhere and put here by chance,” Cato said. “Commander Wines from 2008 to 2012 was a CAPS [Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy] sergeant in the 5th District. See where I’m going with this? So her mindset was already established early on in her career — from being a patrolmen to a sergeant — is about how to work within the community.”

Cato said that community “isn’t necessarily where you live. Community is about the values you share.”

Wines said that community policing “is basically what my calling is,” adding that “without community there is no problem-solving.”

Wines and other 15th District officers said that the district’s unique emphasis on community policing was critical with ensuring that looting that affected the city’s Streeterville and West Garfield Park communities last week did not spread to Austin.

Wines said that the department utilized “positive loitering,” whereby police officers and community members establish a visible presence in problematic areas and lean on community organizations like Austin Coming Together and the Westside Health Authority to provide resources and support for residents.

Each week, the 15th District’s Austin Response Team takes over a corner in the community and provides free food, live music and resource tables. On Aug. 12, Wines and other officers flooded the corner of Corcoran and Central in Austin.

Officers from the 15th District said that residents who want information about upcoming events and initiatives by the Austin Response Team can text ARTNOW to 64600.

Cato added that the department’s new Community Safety Team has been critical in addressing concerns about possible looting.

The team is “designed to partner with local stakeholders to address violence, neighborhood concerns, and ongoing conflicts,” according to the River North Residents Association.

“The Community Safety Team consists of nearly 300 officers who will be deployed to scenes of shootings and robberies throughout the city, and will also work with community-based organizations, faith leaders, and neighborhood leaders to address the inequalities and injustice that seed the bitter fruits of violent crime.”

Malcolm Crawford, the founder of AAABNA, recalled that there have been at least six commanders since his organization started hosting the breakfast meet-andgreets with 15th District commanders.

Former commander Al Wysinger, who helmed the 15th District from 2005 to 2008, was the first commander to participate in AAABNA’s meet-and-greets.

Crawford pointed out that many of those past commanders in the 15th District — including Cato, former commander and Deputy Supt. Barbara West, and Wysinger, who was shortlisted to become superintendent before Supt. David Brown got the job — have gone on to serve in even higher positions within the department.

“Y’all got to keep her here for a little while,” Crawford said. “We know this is a grooming ground for greatness.”

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

BUILD Chicago has been hosting a summer camp in Austin for youth from kindergarten to 8th with enrichment activities, peace circles, basketball and volleyball – and a small farm with some very friendly chickens.

Daniel Brown, a middle schooler who’s been participating in BUILD programs for two years, said having an in-person summer camp this year was important because “it keeps kids like me doing stuff instead of staying home and sleeping. It keeps us active.”

Without BUILD’s camp, he’d just be bored at home this summer.

Jamey Makowski, BUILD’s manager of program development, said she has a lot of experience with summer camps but never during a pandemic.

“We had to bring our young people together to give them some sort of an outlet this summer,” she said.

Normally, BUILD would host multiple camps throughout the South and West sides, some with upwards of 100 kids.

This year, the organization could host only a single camp, with about 60 kids, Makowski said.

In past years, the camps have had morning and afternoon sessions.

But this year “we realized that we would serve our young people better and get the maximum use out of the camp if we did a full day.”

Many of the kids are still dropped off in the morning, but some families are only able to come in the afternoon, and BUILD still wanted to serve them, she said.

BUILD staff did a lot of research – and a lot of reading – to understand the health guidelines from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention and the city, Makowski said.

Jill Bradley, BUILD’s chief operating officer, said the campers were placed into groups of 10 based on age.

Each group was assigned a colored wrist band so that staff could easily ensure groups stay separated and use spaces at their allotted times.

Social distancing requirements made them reimagine how to best use the space, Bradley said.

They rented large, air-conditioned tents to use as rooms for each group of students, a previously little used field served as a volleyball court and the shade of a nearby tree was used on Mondays and Fridays for peace circles.

“We’re not in Shangri-La,” said Bradley, ref-

9

erencing James Hilton’s peaceful utopia in the novel “Lost Horizon.”

“Occasionally, there are challenges in terms of violent incidents. Someone did get killed a few weeks ago.”

The peace circles gave kids a safe place to discuss those difficult and painful topics and sort through their feelings.

Makowski said they wanted to bring “young people together to give them some sort of outlet this summer.

“To give the young people a safe space, to speak their truth is what we say, to just be able to be open and have some freedom to speak and express everything that they’ve been dealing with over the past few months,” she said.

The twice-a-week peace circles has been important because it gives the kids an opportunity to think through what they want to discuss in advance. It means if something happens during the week, they know there will be somewhere for them to talk about it, she said.

On the other side of BUILD’s grounds is what is officially called the garden, but Bradley said it’s really a small farm.

Carmen Scott, who leads BUILD’s enrichment program, said they started with just five chickens about several weeks ago, with the number in their “chicken mansion” quickly growing to 14.

They maximum they could have is around 30 but no roosters, she said.

In addition to the chickens, the small farm has beds with tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce and peppers.

Cortez Dean, who’s been part of BUILD for four years and manages the “farm,” said they’ve also been planting flowers to attract natural pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

“We heard about the population [decline] of bees, we wanted to help out a bit.”

They dedicated one of their beds and part of a small peace garden to flowers that specifically attract bees, and Dean said he’s interested in the possibility of creating some low-maintenance hives to help out the bee population.

CEO Adam Alonso said it has taken nearly $300,000 to make this summer’s camp happen.

They raised the money through a GoFundMe, and Zynga Corp. kicked off the summer camp campaign, he said.

“Everyone, I think, can come together around the fact that it’s been horrible for everyone, and especially for kids in neighborhoods that are already challenged. I will gladly write my check so these kids can have a fun summer, they can get out, they can be engaged with BUILD staff,” Alonso said.

CONTACT: michael@austinweeklynews.com

10

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

REAL ESTATE FORÂ SALE

deadline: 9:30 am Monday office hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday

CLASSIFIEDS TO PLACE AN AD

CALL: 773-626-6332 | FAX: 708-467-9066 | E-MAIL: classifieds@AustinWeeklyNews.com Place your ad online anytime at AUSTINWEEKLYNEWS.COM/CLASSIFIED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HAPPY KIDD’S WEST INC. 6928 W 16th St Berwyn, IL 60513 We are seeking a Director and 2 teachers. Director must be qualified and have Associate’s degree or equivalent. Teachers must be director or teacher qualified. Mon thru Fri. working with Infants to 6 yrs old. Compensable salary negotiable based on experience.

Call 773-619-5545 or fax resume to 773-728-5437.

PART TIME DRIVER Local Co. seeking part time driver to deliver parts around Chicago area.

Must be able to lift 75lbs. Must be able to pass drug test and have valid IL DL. Email resume HR@ sievertelectric.com

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Hephzibah Children’s Association Requirements include: is a social service agency in Oak • Minimum of 6 semester hours Park, IL providing a variety of proin education, recreation, social grams including Residential Group work, or related college courses Homes, Foster Care programs and • Experience working with children other Family Based services and You will supervise and assist chilDay Care. dren with e-learning programs; We are accepting applications for plan and supervise arts and crafts, Youth Development Specialists in indoor & outdoor play, games, our Day Care program for the 20sports, homework help, lunchtime, 21 school year. You will assist with snack time and more. e-learning, and provide supervision The program will follow the safety and care to 5-11-year-old (Kindergarten-5th grade) children in the guidelines of the IDPH regarding face masks, social distancing and Oak Park community. cleaning & disinfecting.

Full time and part time hours may Contact Amy O’Rourke, be available as follows: Director of Day Care at: Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm aorourke@hephzibahhome.org or Monday-Friday, 2:30 – 6:00 pm.

Equal Opportunity Employer River Forest Public Schools District 90 is seeking an Elementary School Special Education Teacher.

Qualifications: Valid Illinois Professional Education License with Learning Behavior Specialist I Endorsement, a Master’s Degree is preferred and successful teaching experience in special education resource and instructional classrooms is preferred Job Duties: The teacher will be responsible for instructing students with multiple disabilities including: autism, communication disabilities, cognitive and physical disabilities within the least restrictive environment at the elementary level.

Application Procedure: Interested candidates should complete the online application available at district90.org. Please do not send hard copies of supporting documentation, i.e., cover letters, resumes, licensure, etc. to River Forest Schools District 90; instead, upload these materials onto the online job application system for proper processing.

You have jobs. We have readers!

Find the best employees with Austin Classified!

Call 773/626-6332 to advertise.

SUBURBAN RENTALS

CEMENT

Apartment listings updated daily at:

CEMENT PUBLIC NOTICE Residential Commercial Industrial Licensed Bonded Insured Free Estimates ¡ Veteran Owned

Drives Walks Patios Stamped Concrete Curbs/Gutters Garage Floors Foundations Water Control / Management

devegaconcrete.com ¡ 708-945-9001

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue.

Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

SUBURBAN RENTALS OAK PARK: ROOSEVELT/ OAK PARK AVE. CORRIDOR 2BR 4RMS close to blue line. On site laundry, parking, heat & water incl. $1200/ month 708-383-9223

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead or plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

ROOMS FORÂ RENT

AIR CONDITIONING/ HEATING

AUSTIN CLEAN ROOM With fridge, micro.

Nr Oak Park, Super Walmart, Food 4 Less, bus, & Metra. $116/wk and up.

773-637-5957

AIR CONDITIONING AND APPLIANCE EXPERT

ITEMS FOR SALE CABINET AND HUTCH Beautiful ranch oak cabinet and hutch, bought at Marshall Field’s.

Cabinet dimensions 49W x 28H x 18D. Hutch dimensions 49W x 29H x 11D. $199.00 708-488-8755 CHURCH PEW Church pew 9ft in length, 42 in high, dark brown in color.

P/U in Brookfield area Cell 708-308-0869 IRON MUSIC STAND WITH BRASS FINISH $35.00 708-488-8755 LENOX CHINA 5 piece place settings Lenox china, Tuxedo pattern WATERFORD GLASSES Colleen pattern, 2 water goblets, 2 wine glasses, 5 double old fashioned glasses IRISH CARDIGAN Men’s size large.

708-386-6160

Air Conditioning Automotive A/C Refrigerators Ranges • Ovens Washer • Dryers Rodding Sewers Lic/Bonded 25 yrs experience

FREE SERVICE CALL WITH REPAIR AND SENIOR/VETERAN DISCOUNT.

708-785-2619 or 773-585-5000

MAGANA

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N

HANDYMAN Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates

773-637-0692 Ask for John

Attention Home-Improvement Pros!

Reach the people making the decisions – place an ad in Austin Classified! Call 773/626-6332

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,� as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20003978 on August 5, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of JAY SIMON PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS with the business located at: 4328 W 21ST STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60623.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: JAMES W. SIMON IV, 4328 W 21ST STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60623, USA.

“QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION� ESTABLISHED IN 1987

Published in Austin Weekly News 8/19, 26, 9/2/2020

COMMERCIAL ˜ INDUSTRIAL ˜ RESIDENTIAL

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,� as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County.

Registration Number: Y20004100 on August 13, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of KYLA BLEDSOE with the business located at: 5125 W CRYSTAL ST 1ST FLOOR, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: KYLA BLEDSOE 5125 W CRYSTAL ST 1ST FLOOR CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA.

708.442.7720 '5,9(:$<6 Â&#x2021; )281'$7,216 Â&#x2021; 3$7,26 67(36 Â&#x2021; &85% *877(56 Â&#x2021; 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* Â&#x2021; 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7( FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors â&#x20AC;˘ Home Re-wiring â&#x20AC;˘ New Plugs & Switches Added â&#x20AC;˘ New circuit breaker boxes â&#x20AC;˘ Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp â&#x20AC;˘ Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential â&#x20AC;˘ Commercial â&#x20AC;˘ Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. â&#x20AC;˘ Bonded â&#x20AC;˘ Ins. â&#x20AC;˘ Low Rates â&#x20AC;˘ Free Est.

708-409-0988 â&#x20AC;˘ 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts â&#x20AC;˘ 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park â&#x20AC;˘ All surrounding suburbs â&#x20AC;˘ Chicago area

PAINTING & DECORATING

ROOFING

CLASSIC PAINTING

MIDWEST ROOFING

Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

HANDYMAN

PUBLIC NOTICES

708.749.0011

708/386-2951 â&#x20AC;˘ ANYTIME Work Guaranteed

Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years

ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ? ď ?

Published in Austin Weekly News 8/12, 8/19, 8/26/2020

Call the experts before you place your legal ad!

Publish your assumed name legal notice in Austin Weekly News Call Mary Ellen for details: 708/613-3342

Published in Austin Weekly News 8/12, 8/19, 8/26/2020

773-637-0692

Small & big work. Free estimates.

Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,â&#x20AC;? as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20004035 on August 7, 2020 Under the Assumed Business Name of B&B TOURS with the business located at: 1311 NORTH PARKSIDE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: LINDA EILEEN BARFIELD, 1311 N. PARKSIDE AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,â&#x20AC;? as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y20003957 on August 5, 2020Under the Assumed Business Name of RUSIN CONSTRUCTION with the business located at: 3346 N NATCHEZ AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60634. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ZBIGNIEW RUSIN, 3346 N NATCHEZ AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60634, USA.

All types of roofing repairs Commercial - Residential Call for free estimate

PLASTERING McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

Published in Austin Weekly News 8/19, 8/26, 9/2/2020

Starting a New Business?

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

(773) 626-6332 | FAX: (708) 467-9066 | E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@AUSTINWEEKLYNEWS.COM

11

CLASSIFIEDS

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year

AustinWeeklyNews.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAMP TRUST 2006-HE1 Plaintiff, -v.JERMAINE BEARD, CITY OF CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF WATER, HARRIS N.A., CITY OF CHICAGO, NHS REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 09518 1049 S. MAYFIELD AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60644 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 16, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 3, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1049 S. MAYFIELD AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60644 Property Index No. 16-17-407-0160000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $250,909.08.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, Alexander Potestivo, POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 263-0003.

Please refer to file number 111928.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago IL, 60606 312-263-0003 E-Mail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw. com Attorney File No. 111928 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 18 CH 09518 TJSC#: 40-368 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 18 CH 09518 I3152201

Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite

1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 268864 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 2019 CH 03632 TJSC#: 40-713 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2019 CH 03632 I3151929

tion to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-04-215-013-0000.

Commonly known as 4821 West Hirsch Street, Chicago, IL 60651.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Mr. Matthew C. Abad at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Kluever Law Group, 225 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 236-0077. SPS000215-19FC1 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3153816

AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants, 17 CH 14629 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, September 21, 2020 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-14-108-028-0000.

Commonly known as 3906 West Gladys Street, Chicago, IL 60624.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611. 19-042344 F2 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3154213

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC Plaintiff, -v.TERRANCE JONES, DEBRA JONES AS NEXT FRIEND OF T.J., A MINOR, DRMS, INC., UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF TERIE JONES, IF ANY, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, GERALD NORDGREN, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DECEASED MORTGAGOR, TERIE JONES Defendants 2019 CH 03632 601 NORTH RIDGEWAY AVENUE CHICAGO, IL 60624 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 29, 2020, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 23, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 601 NORTH RIDGEWAY AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60624 Property Index No. 16-11-115-0160000 The real estate is improved with a single family home with no garage.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING INC.; Plaintiff, vs.

CECILIA FRANCISCO AKA CECILIA N. FRANCISCO; FIRST AMERICAN BANK ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND OFELIA FRANCISCO; Defendants, 19 CH 8679 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auc-

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION DITECH FINANCIAL LLC; Plaintiff, vs.

HAROLD T. ROBINSON; LIBERTY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY FKA COVENANT BANK; COOK COUNTY; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY; UNKNOWN OWNERS

local employees... happy employees!

Hire Local.

Place an ad on AWN’s Local Online Job Board.

Go to AustinWeeklyNews.com/ classified today!

AUSTIN WEEKLY

news

Contact Mary Ellen Nelligan for more information.

(773) 626-6332 maryellen@ austinweeklynews.com

12

Austin Weekly News, August 19, 2020

Recovery can be hard.

PCC will support you every step of the way.

PCC Community Wellness Center has 13 health centers that serve the West Side and near west suburbs. We offer specialty mental health and substance use treatment during medical appointments at our health centers.

Behavioral Health Services (773) 378-3347 Ext 4252    

Emotional support & counseling Support and wellness groups Psychiatric medication management Help finding resources

Substance Use Treatment, 18+ (708) 406-3929 







 



Treatment for the use of heroin, prescription pain pills, alcohol, cigarettes, and other substances Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) with Suboxone, Vivitrol, or Buprenorphine Chemical Dependency Clinic Prenatal care, including ultrasounds & delivery during active treatment Peer support, including peer doulas Support groups and access to ongoing care after treatment

Learn more at pccwellness.org PCC accepts many health plans, including Medicaid and Medicare.

We also offer a discount program for patients without insurance.

No one is denied services, even if you cannot pay.

PCC’s Chemical Dependency Clinic is located at the PCC Walk-In Wellness Center at West Suburban Medical Center.

Here, patients have direct access to the first doses of medicine for the recovery of substance use. After treatment is established, patients may continue their treatment and care at another PCC health center.

Patients at the Chemical Dependency Clinic will have a peer support specialist with lived experience to help them manage their recovery and appointments.

AUGUST 19, 2020

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER (AFT) IN 2019.

THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.

AUSTIN

IN CRISIS How the community is facing the impacts of COVID-19 and civil unrest

RAPID RESPONSE REQUIRED PAGE 3 | ACT COVID-19 RESPONSE HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 4 A FOCUS ON RACIAL EQUITY PAGE 7

2

Austin Weekly News • August 19, 2020

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin community.

Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life of all residents. Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve four impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets. Learn more at AustinComingTogether.org.

ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers CHAIR

Larry Williams Broker, State Farm Insurance VICE-CHAIR

Ruth Kimble Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers’ Network SECRETARY

Angela Waller Community & Government Relations Director, Advocate Aurora Health

TREASURER

Deborah Williams Community Outreach & Engagement Specialist, Habilitative Systems, Inc.

Directors

Tenisha Jones

Jack Macnamara

Senior Director of Strategy and Operations, West Side United

Visiting Scholar, Center for Urban Research & Learning at Loyola University

Bradly Johnson Director of Core Programs, BUILD Inc.

Founders

Reginald Little

FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR

Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools

Mortgage Loan Officer for Residential Lending, Old Second National Bank

1955-2019

Reverend Reginald E. Bachus

Senior Marketing Strategist, Zoe Communications Group

Sharon Morgan

Mildred Wiley

Dawn Ferencak

Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church

ACT STAFF Leadership Team

Service Delivery Team

Darnell Shields*

Jerome Sader

Planning & Investment Team

Executive Director

Neighborhood Network Manager

Shavion Scott

Sandra Diaz

Darrel Washington

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Community Hub Coordinator

Alicia Plomin

Jai Jones

Marketing & Development Manager

Community Engagement Coordinator

Andrew Born

Dollie Sherman

Research & Evaluation

Youth Engagement Coordinator

*Ex Officio Member of the ACT Board of Directors

Planning & Investment Manager

Jose Abonce Lead Organizer

Ethan Ramsay Project Coordinator

Esther Ramsay Micro Market Recovery Program Coordinator

Nicole Marcus Micro Market Recovery Program Intern

We’re hiring! Learn more at AustinComingTogether.org

ACT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS A House in Austin Accion Austin Childcare Providers’ Network Austin Weekly News Be Strong Families Beat the Streets Chicago Because I Care Beyond Hunger (formerly known as Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry) BUILD Inc. By the Hand Club for Kids Cara Catholic Charities Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures

Chicago Community Loan Fund City of Refuge Cluster Tutoring Program Erikson Institute Friends of the Children Friendship Community Development Corp. of Austin Greater West Town Community Development Project Housing Forward I.C. Stars IFF Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Jane Addams Resource Corporation Kids First Chicago

KRA Westside American Job Center Legal Aid Chicago (formerly known as LAF) Manufacturing Renaissance Mary Shyrese Daycare Maryville Academy Mercy Housing Lakefront New Moms OAI, Inc. Oak Park Regional Housing Center Open Books PCC Community Wellness Center Project Exploration Sarah’s Inn South Austin Neighborhood

Association St. Joseph Services St. Leonard’s Ministries Stone Community Development Corporation The Catalyst Schools The Loretto Hospital The North Avenue District, Inc. UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work VOCEL Westside Health Authority West Side Forward (evolving from Bethel New Life) Worldvision Youth Guidance

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

Austin Weekly News • August 19, 2020

3

Rapid Response Required

By Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together

H

istorically, Austin has experienced many inequities that have limited access to the resources and opportunities crucial for its residents to live healthy lives.

These economic and social conditions are referred to as social determinants of health.

For decades, areas like Austin have struggled as a result of a lack of investment in almost all determinants, such as education, physical environment, healthcare access, and employment.

COVID-19 and the civil unrest that has followed have compounded conditions even further.

Many of Austin’s social service agencies were unexpectedly paralyzed. From the urgent need to reconfigure programming to fit virtual platforms, to finding creative funding sources to cover unbudgeted expenses, the survival of several organizations continues to be at risk.

“Going forward, existing businesses must be comfortable in an environment that is likely changed forever,” said Ed Coleman, President and CEO of West Side Forward, an Austin-based nonprofit evolving from Bethel New Life whose services have provided critical guidance to entrepreneurs and business owners during this time.

When a crisis strikes, a community’s infrastructure is tested. So for Austin, the last few months have been an unprecedented stress test. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us all to confront our weaknesses. It has made clear for all the unstable ground on which we stand.

With a situation as new and complex as this, there is no one solution. But there is certainly a desperate need for action.

SOME REAL SOLUTIONS Austin Coming Together (ACT) immediately increased our outreach, surveys, and strategy sessions. Since 2010, ACT’s goal has always been to create sustainable solutions to address Austin’s core needs, and that means adapting to change. Although the challenge was new, we took it on the same way we always have: by listening to the community and leveraging the assets we do have to create the greatest impact.

Austin Coming Together (ACT) created a COVID-19 response strategy to decrease the short-term, negative impact of the pandemic on Austin, while also assisting the community to continue upward momentum for the future. The strategy builds on ACT’s existing work and on the community’s strengths to support Austin through: 1

Advocacy

2

Communication

3

Resource Development

4

Resource Deployment

For ACT, our work is relational. Having such strong relationships with key partners, frontline services, and block clubs who were able to identify families with the highest need allowed us to quickly respond. Those partners have become essential in executing our response efforts.

part of Austin’s essential support network and like ACT, had to pivot to the nuances of our shaken landscape.

two-year planning phase involving over 500 community stakeholders. The result was a shared community vision and a roadmap for economic revitalization. Implementation of the five-year strategic plan began in 2019.

The initial support from that Relief Fund allowed us to create the Austin COVID-19 Relief Fund, enabling ACT to provide subgrants to threatened organizations as well as direct deposits to struggling residents.

Austin Forward. Together is empowering residents to carry out 84 actions across seven issue areas: Community Narrative, Economic Development, Housing, Public Safety, Education, Youth Empowerment, Civil Engagement.

But although incredibly helpful, these efforts are all just temporary. We must keep up this dialogue on innovative ways to fix the City’s deep-rooted problems if we are to bring the magnitude of resources truly needed to neighborhoods like Austin.

“We have seen a drastic increase in people seeking our help. Since March, we have expanded our service provisions to include financial payment In order to connect assistance, rental Going forward, existing and homeownership residents to the resources they need resources to more businesses must be and improve the quality than 700 households,” of their lives, ACT’s says Athena Williams, comfortable in an Austin Community Hub Executive Director of team continues to build environment that is likely Oak Park Regional relationships with the Housing Center and community. The Hub Co-Chair and Strategy changed forever. is among others like Lead of Austin Forward. it across Chicago that Together’s Housing ED COLEMAN, PRESIDENT make up United Way Task Force. The OPRHC AND CEO OF WEST SIDE FORWARD of Metro Chicago’s agency has also been Neighborhood Network busy providing rental Initiative. Austin’s Hub team has led ACT’s counseling and property management resource deployment of everything from PPE education to property owners. supplies, food, and laptops, to connections And this ability to persevere by always to direct financial assistance, and COVID-19 listening and flexing to community needs testing. hasn’t gone unnoticed. Longtime partners are razor focused and new ones are realizing HOW TO MOVE FORWARD the time for commitment is now.

Although the future may seem uncertain, one “...there is this incredible knowledge and thing I know for sure is that if we are to be power of communities in addressing large successful in saving lives, we must address scale problems, and we want to support the underlying systemic issues that will still that,” said Kimberlee Guenther, Chief Impact plague Austin long after the virus does.

Officer at United Way of Metro Chicago.

Efforts to improve social determinants for United Way’s Chicago COVID-19 Relief Austinites must be endorsed. One of those Fund made it possible for nonprofits in the is a quality-of-life plan for Austin, created by Neighborhood Network, such as ACT, to and for the community, called Austin Forward. leverage unrestricted donations that could Together. Supported by the Local Initiatives be used where necessary.

Support Corporation (LISC), ACT facilitated a

MORE ACTION NEEDED The plan has made significant progress, but there is still much to do.

Chicago Police Officers join the ACT team in handing out masks and resource information at a distribution event in March 2020.

The organizations committed to carrying out the work in Austin Forward. Together are

We are seeing an increased interest in neighborhood-led support, but to fully rebound from economic deprivation, Austin needs reinvestment at a level it has not seen before. n

4

Austin Weekly News • August 19, 2020

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

ACT COVID-19 Response Highlights In order to ensure that the social services essential to Austin are able to survive, ACT has created a COVID-19 Response Strategy to support the community in four ways: Advocacy, Communication, Resource Development, and Resource Deployment. Here are a selection of updates on the progress we have made.

Up to 100 volunteers are needed to host each of the Pop-Up Food Pantry events in Austin.

ADVOCACY

ACT voices the needs of the key agencies that make up Austin’s support infrastructure, from education resources to social block clubs and nonprofits.

$550,000 was the total amount granted from the Chicago COVID-19 Response

Fund directly to ACT member organizations to best serve Austin residents. Originally only expected to be $25,000, ACT’s advocacy in conversations with United Way of Metro Chicago and the City made the case for increased support for Austin.

COMMUNICATION ACT leverages all communication channels to disperse accurate, helpful information, and to provide updates on our progress in order to uphold ACT’s core value of transparency.

Hundreds of residents from in or nearby Chicago’s Austin neighborhood participated in a virtual town hall meeting on April 25, 2020. Experts shared up-to-date information about the impact of COVID-19 in our community, highlighted key resources, and discussed the best ways to protect yourself and your family. The RERRT supported ACT in hosting this event, which streamed live on ACT’s Facebook page.

$50k went to each of these members:

$25k went to each of these members:

ACT transformed their weekly Activities in Austin email to be solely about COVID-19 relief opportunities. The email lists resources for families, businesses, and nonprofits, as well as job openings, and ideas of ways to help.

Subscribe to ACT’s emails at

AUSTINCOMINGTOGETHER.ORG

RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT ACT creatively solves problems through collaboration with our partners to determine the best ways to get essential resources to Austin residents wherever they may be. ACT was able to support families by connecting them to:

50K

Masks Distributed

600K+

Pounds of food distributed

500

Laptops Distributed

5

COVID-19 Testing Sites

$140K

in Direct Financial Assistance to Families

6

Austin Weekly News • August 19, 2020

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

Plan Leaders Community Narrative

Economic Development

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Briana Shields

Jerrod Williams

Briana Janeé Arts

Kenneth Varner Healthy Schools Campaign

STRATEGY LEADS

Community Resident & SANA Member

Thomas Gary

Community Resident STRATEGY LEADS

Lasondra Kern

Erica Staley

Community Resident

Manufacturing Renaissance

Suzanne McBride

Heather Sattler

Austin Talks

Alicia Plomin

Austin Coming Together

Michael Romain

Austin Weekly News

Cindy Schneider Spaces-n-Places

Community Development Consultant

Education TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Natasha Smith-Walker Project Exploration

Crystal Bell

Ella Flagg Young Elementary School

Housing

Public Safety

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Athena Williams

Bradly Johnson

West Cook Homeownership Center

Allison McGowan

Community Resident STRATEGY LEADS

Shirley Fields Hunters Realty

Rosie Dawson

Charles Anderson

Westside Health Authority

STRATEGY LEADS

West Cook Homeownership Center

Ruth Kimble

Chris Banks

Michele Clark High School

Austin Childcare Providers’ Network

Athena Williams

Community Resident

BUILD Inc.

Marilyn Pitchford Heartland Alliance

Chris Patterson

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago STRATEGY LEADS

Adam Alonso BUILD Inc.

Bradly Johnson BUILD Inc.

Edwina Hamilton

Jane Addams Resource Corporation

Natasha Dunn

Bertha Purnell

Melody Lewis

Cata Truss

Roxanne Charles

Sean Schindl

Kids First Chicago

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE?

Carmen Scott-Boria

Deborah Williams

BUILD Inc.

D’elegance Lane Westside Health Authority

Deonna Hart BUILD Inc.

Jeramie McGill

Habilitative Systems Inc. STRATEGY LEADS

Arnold Bearden

South Austin Neighborhood Association (SANA)

Sharif Walker

CEO of Bethel New Life

St. Joseph Services

Frederica Malone Catholic Charities

BUILD Inc.

Catholic Charities

West Side Forward

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Juan Villalobos Gina Young

Austin Chamber of Commerce Community Resident

TASK FORCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

BUILD Inc.

Chicago Public Schools VOCEL

Civic Engagement

STRATEGY LEADS

Pam Price

Emily Peters

Youth Empowerment

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

Jordan Bester Westside Health Authority

Contact ACT’s Lead Organizer, Jose Abonce at 773.417.8615 or jabonce@austincomingtogether.org for more information.

AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2020 QUARTER 3

Austin Weekly News • August 19, 2020

7

A Racial Equity Focus

By Alicia Plomin Marketing & Development Manager, Austin Coming Together

A

fter reports in April showed the effects of COVID-19 were heightened in minority communities, Mayor Lightfoot formed a Racial Equity Rapid Response Team (RERRT). This collective effort aimed to address the racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality outcomes, while also looking at the underlying causes behind why these communities are at the greatest risk. At first, the effort focused on three communities where cases were most prevalent: Austin, Auburn Gresham, and South Shore.

The goals of the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team (RERRT):

Flatten the COVID-19 mortality curve

in Black and Brown communities in Chicago

Build a groundwork for future

work to address long standing and systemic inequities in Black and Brown communities (health, economic, and social) the solutions,” said Ayesha Jaco, Executive Director of West Side United.

That is why the RERRT brought on a trusted community organization as an anchor partner in each target area. Austin Coming Together (ACT) was identified as the lead to help develop and implement strategies to meet the need in Austin. With healthcare services already limited, an early priority became creating access to free COVID-19 testing.

Through RERRT efforts, five mobile testing sites were established in Austin alone.

Executive Director of Austin Coming Together Darnell Shields speaks with Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot at a community event hosted by the Adams and Austin Block Clubs in July 2020. Photo by Heidi Zeiger

“The key to the success of the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team is that multiple stakeholders, most especially long standing Other RERRT goals include implementing community leaders, are sitting at the same contact tracing, table together, and increasing looking at the distribution of PPE. data, following Through donations, community leaders’ The key...is that multiple as well as by working insights to cowith manufacturers to design solutions, stakeholders, most especially switch to producing and pulling together the RERRT city, philanthropic, long standing community masks, was able to secure and other resources thousands of to take action,” leaders, are sitting at the PPE supplies that said Sybil Madison, same table together...to take continues to be Deputy Mayor of distributed through Education and localized efforts action.

Human Rights for led by community the City of Chicago. partners.

SYBIL MADISON, DEPUTY MAYOR, West Side United, EDUCATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS, CITY To combat the a coalition of area OF CHICAGO growing food health institutions insecurity, the RERRT whose goal is to launched a series of pop-up food pantries. In address the death gap that exists between partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods Depository, the RERRT worked with local and downtown, was brought in as a cocommunity-based organizations like ACT to convenor for the RERRT initiatives. They schedule distribution days where food boxes quickly became an instrumental partner of meat, produce, and dry goods have been due to expertise in gathering data and given to more than 9,000 households so far. understanding the area’s health factors.

behind. “We felt that digital inequities were going to deepen already wide achievement gaps if we didn’t act quickly,” said Daniel Anello, Chief Executive Officer at Kids First Chicago.

The RERRT learned from and adopted several aspects of West Side United’s working model, one of them being the importance of community partnership. “When we see success is when we galvanize, empower, and arm community leaders as contributors to

Since the RERRT began, COVID-19 deaths in the hardest hit areas like Austin are more than 20 times higher. Recently, deaths in the Latinx community have also increased, so the City added Marshall Square, Belmont-Cragin, and Little Village to the neighborhoods targeted by

CONCENTRATING ON CONNECTION As education moved online, inconsistent or unavailable access to the internet caused already vulnerable students to fall even farther

Just months ago, Kids First Chicago released research that found Austin had the City’s largest connectivity gaps. Only one in three households here have internet access.

Inspired by early conversations with ACT, Kids First Chicago established a sponsored internet services program for high-need communities and families. This concept led to Chicago Connected, a groundbreaking multi-year public-private partnership to close Chicago’s digital divide and ensure that Chicago Public Schools students have access to the internet and remote learning. It is the latest of its scale and longest in duration in the nation, with 100,000 students getting free internet access in Year One. ACT was selected as the primary lead agency in Austin for Chicago Connected. Additionally, A Better Chicago has also granted ACT funding to facilitate a similar effort that will help to cover families not eligible through CPS.

THE REAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS

the RERRT. We now can see the reasons behind why COVID-19 has ravaged these neighborhoods.

Policies rooted in structural racism do not allow Black and Brown communities to thrive. As David Ansell, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President for Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center summarized, “concentrated poverty is killing people.”

According to an open letter to the Chicago community written by more than three dozen healthcare organizations that was released in June, systemic racism is a public health crisis.

Collectively, the group of federally qualified health centers, safety-net hospitals and major academic medical centers care for more than 8 million patients across the Chicago area. As part of the RERRT, the group hopes to see bold steps to fulfill a shared responsibility to serve communities equitably.

BREAKING THE PATTERN Partnerships like the ones we’ve described create a platform for a real connection between government and community to be formed. These connections are creating viable opportunities and a willingness to be proactive.

But in order to break the patterns of disenfranchisement and make sure we build on lessons learned, we must translate our responsive solutions into a solid framework.

And we must do it in collaboration with the community. n