Illinois news

• Mayor Johnson On What He’s Done for Black Chicago After First Year: Part 1

  16-05-2024 00:54 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Mayor Brandon Johnson met with Nicole Jeanine Johnson to discuss how, in his first year, he made specific and intentional investments in Chicago’s historically divested Black community and the tension caused by migrant spending. Below is part one of the full transcript, with appropriate edits for clarity.
  Q: What do you regard as some of your biggest accomplishments? 
  Mayor Brandon Johnson: Serving in this capacity this first year has really been the joy of this particular phase in my
  
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• Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar speaks truth to power on the fiery Funeral for Justice

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Mdou Moctar was born to shred. The spirit of rock ’n’ roll lies deep in his soul and pulses through his fingertips every time he grabs his ax. When Moctar was growing up in Niger, his parents disapproved of rock music, but he was so determined to play electric guitar that he built one in […]
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• Sensor Ghost expand the bounds of D.C. punk with their skewed songs

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Sensor Ghost’s brief, bitten-off art-punk songs slice through the air like an alarm clock buzz-sawing into your sleeping brain. The D.C. trio partake of their hometown’s storied punk legacy, and all three members are scene veterans. Guitarist Amanda Huron established herself with the mid-90s emo band Impetus Inter, and more recently she played in a […]
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• Orville Peck’s outlaw country spectacle stampedes into Chicago

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Before Beyoncé came strolling in with Cowboy Carter, another provocateur was stirring up the country scene and challenging perceptions of what Americana can be. Out-and-proud gay crooner Orville Peck merges the classic outlaw styles of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings with a modern-rock bent that often diverges into gothic atmospherics—on his 2019 single “Dead of […]
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• Nourished by Time makes collage art out of funky, R&B-infused synth-pop

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Nostalgia-drenched synth-pop projects are thick on the ground right now, but few feel as fresh as Nourished by Time, the solo project of Marcus Brown. This music sounds like what might happen if Boys II Men wrote songs with Siouxsie & the Banshees while crammed inside a teen girl’s closet. It’s as kaleidoscopic as studying […]
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• Monsieur Periné animate their cosmopolitan Afro-Colombian fusion with romance and humor

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Monsieur Periné are musical maximalists. Based in Bogotá, Colombia, they write songs informed by a wealth of Afro-Colombian, European, and Latine styles, and they sing in Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese. The ensemble, led by vocalist Catalina García and multi-instrumentalist Santiago Prieto, formed in 2007 and started out playing covers at weddings and corporate events […]
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• Hip-hop polymath Rich Robbins celebrates a year of Soft and Tender with a big hometown show

  10-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Rich Robbins was voted “Best individual hip-hop artist” in the Reader’s 2023 Best of Chicago audience poll, but he’s much more than a rapper. He’s real soft, real tender, and so dedicated to his craft that he almost got hit by a car while trying to film content for his 2023 single with Mick Jenkins, […]
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• Thousands Wear Orange to Honor Hadiya Pendleton and Raise Awareness on Gun Violence

  10-06-2024 16:57 via chicagodefender.com
  
  By Ashleigh Fields
  Thousands remembered the life and legacy of Hadiya Pendleton on June 7 by wearing orange for Hadiya Pendlet. Pendleton, a teen shot and killed in Chicago on Jan. 29, 2013, a week after performing for President Barack Obama’s second inauguration and less than a mile from his Chicago residence, is a striking reminder that gun violence hits way too close to home for many. 
  “On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, we #WearOrange to honor the victims of gun violenc
  
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• Armed Cops Barge Into Home, Arrest Black Father & Son Without Warrant

  10-06-2024 14:45 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: Getty Images
  An Indiana man is seeking justice after police officers entered his home and made multiple arrests without a warrant.
  Video obtained by WLFI shows Lafayette Police Department officers entering the home of William Neal without a warrant on May 21. Neal said police told him that they were conducting a wellness check because they had reason to believe that someone was hurt inside.
  “We had a call that we need to check on you. You need to come out here. That’s not a la
  
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• ‘Karen’ Threatens To Call Security On Black Woman For Using Bathroom

  10-06-2024 14:15 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: Getty Images
  A white woman is being dubbed a “Karen” after she threatened to call security on a Black woman for using a public bathroom in their workplace.
  A video of the encounter, which unfolded at a law firm in Buffalo, New York last week, was shared by TikTok user @topcat716. In the video, the Black woman appeared to be exiting a communal bathroom when the white woman confronted her.
  “Can I ask who you report to so I can call the law firm?” the white woman ask
  
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• Illinois promised to help with funeral costs for children lost to gun violence. Only two families benefitted.

  10-06-2024 13:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  This story was originally published by the Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here. The Mychal Moultry Jr. Funeral and Burial Assistance Program is supposed to give Illinois families with severe financial needs up to $10,000 to help bury children under 17 who were killed by gun violence. But […]
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• How to apply for funeral and burial assistance in Illinois

  10-06-2024 13:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  This story was originally published by the Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here. If you or someone you know had a child under 17 who was killed by gun violence, you might be eligible for compensation from the state of Illinois to cover funeral and burial costs. The […]
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• Al Roker Talks Prostate Cancer, Wellness And His Recent Visit To Chicago

  09-06-2024 16:30 via chicagodefender.com
  
  In a candid Q&A, Al Roker discusses his battle with prostate cancer, the importance of men’s health awareness and his impactful storytelling initiatives, while also sharing humorous anecdotes and advice for a healthier lifestyle.
  Here’s one indisputable truth about Black men and preventable health conditions: They are more likely to die from them than any other ethnic group. 
  This is especially true for prostate cancer in that one in six Black men will develop it in his life
  
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• Meet Paris’ Black Dandies, the Sapeurs

  09-06-2024 15:00 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Jocelyn Armel, aka the Bachelor, is one of the most talked-about ‘Sapeurs’ in the media. He’s known for his outings, interviews and above all for his promotion of the ‘Sapeurs’ and Africa. Author providedby Daouda Coulibaly, EDC Paris Business School
  You can spot them in the streets of Paris or at fashion events in London, Milan, Brussels or Dubai. Most are Black African men with sharp outfits designed and chosen to get them noticed. Known as “Sapeurs” &
  
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• Bally’s Chicago Casino Maintains Strong Revenue and Admissions in May

  09-06-2024 15:00 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Gross gaming revenue of $13.8M up 12.7%; admissions top 118,000
  May marked the most successful month yet for Bally’s Chicago Casino with the highest revenue ($13.8M) and admissions (118,650) since opening on Sept. 9, 2023.
  “Our continued growth demonstrates Bally’s Chicago Casino’s popularity with locals and tourists alike, aligns with our community engagement initiatives and supports our dedication to responsible gaming,” said Mark Wong, Vice President and General
  
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• Byron Donalds Defends Jim Crow Comments: ‘The Black Family Was Together’

  09-06-2024 14:30 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: Getty Images
  Florida Rep. Byron Donalds (R) is defending his stance on Jim Crow as the time when “the Black family was together,” NBC News reports.
  Donalds, a Trump campaign surrogate, initially made controversial comments about the Jim Crow Era on Tuesday (June 4) during an outreach event for Black voters in Pennsylvania.
  During the campaign event, Donalds suggested that circumstances have worse for Black people because they’ve embraced Democrats. He then pointed to Jim
  
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• Conservative Group Attempts To Stop Reparation Payments In Evanston

  08-06-2024 15:15 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: Getty Images
  Evanston’s historic reparations program is facing a class action lawsuit, WTTW reports.
  The city had established a reparations program to address the housing discrimination and segregation in Evanston in the 1900s. The original program included distributing $25,000 to eligible Black households for home repairs, down payments, or interest or late penalties owed to the city.
  Officials expanded the program to dole out cash payments to Black residents to use at their discre
  
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• 90% of Michigan state troopers are White − why making the force more representative is a challenge

  08-06-2024 15:15 via chicagodefender.com
  
  The Michigan State Police force is predominantly White and male. Doug Coombeby Ann Marie Ryan, Michigan State University
  Experts see increasing diversity among police as a key solution to reducing racial bias in traffic stops, arrest rates and officer-involved shootings.
  But while police agencies have invested in recruiting more racial minorities and women, progress in diversifying police forces has been slower than the public wants.
  As a researcher who works with police agencies to improve thei
  
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• Clean Slate Expungement Provides Second Chances in Harvey This Saturday

  08-06-2024 14:30 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Join NDICA, OAI, Inc., 2nd Ward Alderperson Colby Chapman and local leaders on June 8 for a transformative expungement event at Transformation United Methodist Church in Harvey.
  The Clean Slate Expungement event is hosted by NDICA, OAI, Inc, Governors State Violence Prevention program, and City of Harvey, 2nd Ward Alderperson Colby Chapman. 
  The event will be held on Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Transformation United Methodist Church located at 15446 S. Lexington, Harvey
  
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• 11 Fun Things To Do In The City This Weekend

  08-06-2024 00:19 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Finally, the forecast calls for Summer, so expect a flood of events this weekend. Out of the plethora of amazing things to do, these are our favorite ones. Click the event titles for more info.
  Chicago Blues Festival – June 6-9
  The largest free Blues fest in the world is back! Living legends Buddy Guy and Shemekia Copeland highlight this venerable showcase. Mr. Sipp and Southern Avenue will join them. For Blues lovers and “casuals,” this fest always promises a great time. 
  
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• Downtown curfew, DNC security, police surveillance lawsuit

  07-06-2024 17:00 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Out of sight, out of mind Alder Brian Hopkins has a message for kids in Chicago: the Loop’s not for you. Hopkins wants to extend the existing curfew from 10 PM to 8 PM—in the summertime, before the sun even sets—for all unaccompanied children in the city’s central business district, whose boundaries are roughly Division […]
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• Crowning Achievement (Target Practice)

  07-06-2024 16:54 via chicagoreader.com
  
  By Robin Segg
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• Juneteenth Illinois: Two-Day Event Highlights The Holiday’s Four Pillars

  07-06-2024 16:30 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Recently, leaders of Juneteenth Illinois gathered at Malcolm X College to host a press conference to highlight the importance of Juneteenth in Chicago. 
  The purpose of the press conference was to share the initiatives they are implementing to build on the four pillars of Juneteenth: equity in education, health, wealth and justice.
  Juneteenth Illinois doesn’t just stand on the principles of uplifting Black youth in the city; it aims to exemplify these principles through its actions. Th
  
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• Jahmal Cole: Transforming Chicago’s Neighborhoods One Block at a Time

  07-06-2024 16:00 via chicagodefender.com
  
  By Courtney Alexander 
  Chicago native and trailblazer Jahmal Cole discussed the adversities in his life that inspired his activism journey, revitalizing Black communities in Chicago, and his social impact organization, which transforms and renews the lives of the youth and elderly. 
  The mission statement of the notable Chicagoland non-profit organization My, Block, My Hood, My City is to inspire the youth, empower communities, and build a better world one block at a time. 
  My Bloc
  
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• Mentoring Youth Through Technology (MYTT) Celebrates 11th Anniversary Gala, Supporting Scholarship and STEM Initiatives for Community Youth

  07-06-2024 14:25 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: MYTTIL.com
  Mentoring Youth Through Technology (MYTT) is proud to announce its 11th Anniversary Gala, taking place on June 7th at Galic Park in Oak Forest, IL. 
  The event is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will bring together community leaders, supporters, and advocates to celebrate a decade of empowering youth through mentorship, education, and technology. The event is sponsored by Comcast, ComEd, Bright Star Community Outreach, The Village of Matteson, Peace in the South Suburbs,
  
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• Superintendent Gets Restraining Order Against White Dad Who Shoved Him

  07-06-2024 14:00 via chicagodefender.com
  
  Photo: MAX TV – BARABOO/YouTube 
  A judge has granted a temporary restraining order filed against a white father who shoved a Black superintendent during a graduation ceremony in Wisconsin, WMTV reports.
  In his filing, Baraboo School District superintendent Rainey Briggs detailed the incident where a graduate’s father rushed onto the stage and pushed him out of his daughter’s reach.
  “On the night of May 31, 2024, the Baraboo High School was having their high school gr
  
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• Dancing into summer

  06-06-2024 20:02 via chicagoreader.com
  
  June is busting out all over, which means it’s time for Chicago Dance Month. The annual citywide celebration of dance and movement, presented through the nonprofit service organization See Chicago Dance, is now in its 12th year. And though the opening-day performances last Saturday at Navy Pier got rained out for the most part, that […]
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• Milo’s Market forges the one sandwich to rule them all at the next Monday Night Foodball

  06-06-2024 19:55 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Gilberto Bahena has already been initiated into the Sacred Order of Mary Stark. He knows the secret handshake. He sat stoically for the ecstatic agony of the hidden meat loaf tattoo. And he always bows and recites a short prayer before lighting up Mary’s stove. Bahena also is a registered Friend of Foodball, having developed, […]
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• Lee’s Unleaded Blues rises from its own ashes

  06-06-2024 17:53 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Like a phoenix rising from its own ashes, Lee’s Unleaded Blues (7401 S. South Chicago) has risen again after a decade of disuse, defying grim pronouncements about the demise of “real blues” on the south side. Chicago entrepreneur Warren Berger, who also owns Club Escape (a Black LGBTQ+ bar a few blocks away at 1530 […]
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• Review: Bad Boys: Ride or Die

  06-06-2024 17:04 via chicagoreader.com
  
  Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment in the franchise, finds the buddy cop duo of Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) a bit older but not at all wiser. Narratively, we aren’t breaking any new ground for the action-comedy genre. Our heroes are framed for a series of crimes they […]
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