Chicago Weekend Citizen 3-17-2021 by CITIZEN NEWSPAPERS

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R C O R O N AV I R U S N E W S

Citizen Week of March 17, 2021

| Vol. 52 | No. 12 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CHICAGO WEEKEND

Will the Rise of Remote Work Become a Permanent Pandemic Legacy? Page 4

Business owner uses fashion jewelry and brutal honesty to help heal emotional pain Page 5

Chicago Restaurant Week Returns In 2021 Page 7

Chicago African Americans for Philanthropy recognized Corliss Garner and Jonathan Peck during its Connecting Philanthropy and Community program. Photo provided by Daynah Parker

ORGANIZATION ADVOCATES FOR INVESTMENT IN BLACK COMMUNITIES

Serving The Black Community For Decades |

advertising@citizennewspapergroup.com thechicagocitizen@thechicagocitiz www.facebook.com/durrell.garth.9 www.citizennewspapergroup.com

2 | CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

NEWS briefly EDUCATION SNYDER APPLAUDS US CITIZENSHIP ACT OF 2021 The Association of American Universities President Barbara R. Snyder, recently applauded lawmakers for the US Citizenship Act of 2021, stating the Act “would provide long overdue, and desperately needed, reform of our nation’s immigration system. “We applaud Sen. Menendez and Rep. Sanchez for their leadership on this legislation and look forward to working with them as the legislation moves forward. The bill includes sweeping reforms such as an expedited pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. The measure also contains provisions to: help clear employment-based visa backlogs; recapture unused visas; reduce visa wait times; provide green card access to doctoral STEM graduates; and allow qualified students to declare intent to stay in the United States after graduation. These protections and pathways help ensure that we retain the talent we train and are vital to ensuring that our nation stays at the forefront of global innovation and protecting our national security,” Snyder stated.

HEALTH

NO MAGIC PILLS: FOR NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH® 2021, ACADEMY RECOMMENDS NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS FOR VITAMINS, MINERALS The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends focusing on food to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy. In March, the Academy focuses attention on healthful eating through National Nutrition Month®. The Academy recommends obtaining nutrients primarily through food, because multivitamin and mineral supplements are not scientifically proven to prevent disease. They can benefit those who are unable to meet vitamin and mineral requirements through food or have been diagnosed with a deficiency, according to the Academy’s 2018 position paper “Micronutrient Supplementation.”

LAW & POLITICS

CHICAGO DEMS URGE USDA TO ADD CHICAGO AND COOK COUNTY TO URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and U.S. Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), and Maire Newman (D-Ill.), recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase the number of pilot Farm Service Agency (FSA)’s County Committees for its Urban Agriculture program in order to add Chicago and Cook County. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 included dedicated resources and programs for urban agriculture and instructed the FSA to create a pilot of County Committees for Urban Agriculture in order to address long-term and ongoing inequities. Chicago and Cook County were not included in the first tranche of grants from the program. “We are proud that Chicago is home to a robust community of urban and peri-urban food producers, an ecosystem of partnering organizations, and supportive government officials committed to growing our urban agriculture economy. However, in order to maximize the potential of the growing industry, larger scale investment is needed,” the members wrote in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Consequently, we urge you to increase the number of pilot FSA County Committees for Urban Agriculture in order to add Chicago and Cook County to the pilot areas. Chicagoland’s urban agriculture community — with its large number of producers, strong community partnerships, and supportive government officials — would provide a wealth of knowledge, resources, and ideas to the FSA and the USDA as they continue to build urban agriculture programs.”

Organization advocates for investment in Black communities Continued from page 1 BY TIA CAROL JONES

Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy recognized two local leaders during its annual Connecting Philanthropy and Community program, which took place in February. Corliss Garner and Jonathan Peck were honored for their work, which exemplifies a commitment towards advancing equity for Black communities in the city. Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy began in 1998 because African Americans who worked in the city’s social sector realized there was a need for a community, focused on philanthropy, to respond to the needs of African Americans. It advocates for equitable philanthropy, as well as builds infrastructure for equitable leadership. Jessyca Dudley, Chicago African Americans In Philanthropy director, and founder and CEO of Bold Ventures, said over time, CAAIP has become the organizing home and place for African Americans working in philanthropy, as well as in non-profits and other parts of the social sector. Last year, there was not a Connecting Philanthropy and Community program. Dudley said it was because CAAIP didn’t want to be in fundraising

competition with some of the organizations that were directly serving communities. This year’s event was virtual, with a keynote conversation that featured Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and creator of the 1619 Project and Kayce Ataiyero, Joyce Foundation managing director of communications. Dudley said with the conversation between Hannah-Jones and Ataiyero, who went to journalism school together, it was an opportunity for Hannah-Jones to have a different type of conversation than she has had in the past with other venues in Chicago. Dudley said it was not just about the 1619 project, but about her own leadership. Garner, head of corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion at First Midwest Bank, received the 2021 Champion of Diversity Award. Peck, president and CEO of CivicLab, received the 2021 Champion of Social Justice Award. “Corliss has a long history of working with Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy and other philanthropic efforts across the region. So, it was exciting to be able to award her,” she said. “Jonathan Peck who has been a leader in the civic space was nominated for the Champion of Civic

Justice. That is an award that goes to someone working, specifically in a non-profit organization, that’s serving Black communities. So, we really had an opportunity to recognize those who don’t often get recognized for the important work they are doing to advance social justice through educating, supporting and advancing Black communities.” Dudley said COVID was an opportunity to elevate racial disparities within these organizations. She said members of CAAIP really rose to the occasion of addressing and thinking about innovative ways to address racial disparities within their organizations. She said it takes a toll on people. “I think, across all sectors, not just philanthropy, as African Americans, we’ve really experienced the whiplash of being asked to leave our identities outside the door, but suddenly, during COVID, are being asked to be champions for racial equity and for that work,” she said. “So, I think our members are proud to have the opportunity to do that work and are working diligently to move resources to communities of color, but that is a taxing experience for anyone.” For more information about Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy, visit www.caaip.org.

New Human Capital Management System for State Hiring The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) and the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) recently announced the rollout of the State of Illinois’ new human capital management system designed to streamline the application and hiring process. The new system, SAP SuccessFactors’s recruiting module, will enable agencies to hire applicants faster and features an enhanced user experience to keep applicants better informed throughout the process. “CMS is committed to making the State of Illinois the top recruiter in Illinois,” said CMS Director Janel L. Forde. “We’re building more efficient and user- friendly processes to replace archaic systems so that we can ensure a fully transparent

THE SYSTEM STANDARDIZES HIRING PROCESSES ACROSS THE STATE AND IS THE FIRST STEP TO MOVE THE STATE TOWARD 100% ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS.

process for prospective applicants. This system will also help us to fill vacancies much faster and reduce the risk of potential gaps in service to Illinois residents.” The State’s former hiring processes were 99% paper-based and labor intensive both on applicants and hiring agencies. In an effort to increase efficiency, accountability, and transparency in the hiring process, CMS engaged internal experts to map hiring processes and trained staff on the new processes ahead of the rollout to ensure a smooth transition. These process improvements were supported by the Department of Innovation & Technology, which managed

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the design, configuration and implementation of the new recruiting module. “The launch of the human capital management initiative is an exciting first step in modernizing systems that support the recruitment and hiring process at the State of Illinois,” stated DoIT Acting Secretary Jennifer Ricker. “Our team at DoIT strives to implement systems that bring improved user experiences and assist state agencies to better serve the residents of Illinois. The recruiting module will be followed by several additional enhancements over the next 18 months.” The system standardizes hiring processes across the State and is the first step to

move the State toward 100% electronic applications. A fully electronic application process will not only reduce hiring time but also help to encourage the selection of the most qualified candidates from the broadest possible pool of applicants and allow applicants to better track where they are in the hiring process. The human capital management system is supported by an improved recruitment website at work.illinois.gov, where prospective applicants can create a user profile, learn more about opportunities to work for the State of Illinois and get assistance with application procedures. Users can also find information about many valuable State programs designed to assist veterans and people living with disabilities, and to increase the diversity of the State’s workforce.

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

NEWS

Karat Launches “Brilliant Black Minds” to Unlock Opportunities for Black Software Engineers Karat, the world leader in technical interviewing, recently announced Brilliant Black Minds, a program to improve access, fairness, and inclusion across the technology industry. The program, which formalizes Karat’s commitment to providing Black software engineers with $1 million in practice interviews, kicked off last year and is growing to support more computer science students and professional engineers in 2021. Karat’s global network of Interview Engineers has conducted over 80,000 technical interviews for leading tech-driven organizations, giving the company a unique opportunity to make the hiring process more accessible and equitable. Black software engineers have been mostly kept out of the highest levels of tech and not afforded access to the career opportunities that interviews create, according to a press release. The Brilliant Black Minds program leverages Karat’s interview capacity and expertise to empower more Black software engineers with first-hand interviewing experiences, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities. “Job candidates seldom get feedback from interviews, and it’s even less common for that information to make its way to the educators,” said Dr. Legand Burge, Howard University Computer Science professor. “Karat’s ability to share the skills that hiring managers from top-tier tech companies are looking for, coach our students on how to crack the code of the technical interview, and guide our faculty on

Karat recently announced Brilliant Black Minds, a program which formalizes the company’s commitment to provide Black software engineers with $1 million in practice interviews.

how to map our curriculum to meet those practical needs has been incredibly valuable.” The program offers a series of enterprise-grade technical interviews to computer science students and professional developers. After each session, Karat’s professional Interview Engineers deliver real-time feedback and coaching to the participants, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement. Participants also have the opportunity to attend workshops with professional engineers covering subjects, including interview prep, how to demonstrate problem-solving skills in the interview, networking, and salary negotiation, to help prepare

them for the next step in their career journeys. “Brilliant Black Minds aims to eliminate barriers for software engineers,” said Jeffrey Spector, Karat president, and co-founder. “Our goal is to support Black software engineers through the technical interview process so they can advance their careers and achieve their purpose in the world of tech. Tech companies shape the ways we all live, and they need the brilliance and unique perspectives of Black engineers.” In addition to providing direct feedback to the interview participants, Brilliant Black Minds also shares anonymized performance data and trends with key academic and industry partners. This establishes a critical line of communication between the tech industry and the organizations responsible for training and supporting Black software engineers throughout their careers. More than three-quarters of Howard University’s Senior, Junior, and Sophomore computer science students participated in the inaugural program class last fall, and this year, Karat is expanding with new partnerships to serve even more Black software engineers. “Based on the high participation and positive feedback from our pilot with Howard University students, we’re expanding the program this semester to other HBCUs and industry organizations,” shared Portia Kibble Smith, Karat’s global head of diversity, equity & inclusion. “These institutions produce brilliant software engineers, but many of the candidates haven’t

been exposed to formal interview training and preparation for how big-tech companies assess talent, which puts them at a disadvantage.” The lack of interviewing experience is a hurdle for many software engineers, especially as they try to establish a foothold in the industry without a robust network of family and friend connections in the industry. Ensuring Black software engineers have the same access to technical interview experiences was a key reason that Jopwell joined the Brilliant Black Minds program as a partner last month. “Karat’s Brilliant Black Minds program creates opportunities for our community to feel more prepared and confident in technical interviews,” said Ryan Williams, Jopwell president, and co-founder. “This gives our engineering candidates exposure to technical interviews, which is a critical step in leveling the playing field for developers.” Karat is currently offering practice interviews to students from Howard University, Morehouse College, and members of the professional industry association, Jopwell, with plans to expand partners in the future. Previously, the company has partnered with organizations like the National Association of Black Engineers, Internhacks, Ada, and Year Up. For more information about Brilliant Black Minds, or to learn how your organization can get involved, visit https://karat.com/company/ brilliant-black-minds/.

COMMENTARY

Do you, like me, suffer from malaise? BY JIM NOWLAN

In the 1970s, President Jimmy Carter supposedly worried that Americans were suffering from collective malaise, the French word for an underlying feeling of discomfort, uneasiness. Carter was roundly ridiculed. A few years later, President Ronald Reagan campaigned in 1984 on the theme, in sharp contrast: “It’s morning again in America.” Whether that were true, the Reagan positivity fueled his successful re-election. But today, I do feel a sense of personal malaise about how things are going in our country. Do you feel like I do? And if so, why, and what can we do about it? The present brutal winter doesn’t help, of course, and the prolonged pandemic has made me appreciate how much I miss my former, lively social life with friends. Yet, I

Jim Nowlan

think my malaise goes deeper. For example, I am sorely distressed by the continuing, deep polarization, even enmity, in Washington and across the country between otherwise generally decent people on both sides of the Trump/ anti-Trump divide. Second, the pandemic has resulted in a lost year of effective schooling for many, maybe most kids. I fear this will worsen the gaps that exist in American education. We

can’t seem to reduce much the yawning gap between the achievement of minorities and whites. Nor, for that matter, the big gap in achievement between whites and Asian-Americans, as well as overseas Asian students. Further, there appears to be American — probably worldwide — obsession with the pursuit of “things,” as if owning stuff will comfort, amuse, satisfy us. Yet, we seem no happier overall. To me, the above adds up to a worry over general American decline. Worse, I have the sense that many of my friends are resigned to this. Alas, malaise. But what to do about it? First, short-term and practical, I think we need a massive program of summer school for kids of all ages, to help them catch up. Chinese students have not lost a school year, and as I have hectored

readers before, we face intense economic competition from that former, extremely proud “Middle Kingdom.” With apologies for this inapt comparison, I feel like Winston Churchill in the 1930s, crying out for his countrymen to take Hitler’s military preparations very seriously, which plaints were ignored. As for summer school, or some such show of determination not to fall behind, we should tax ourselves to pay the significant costs of operating a major summer program. We cannot continue to overheat the printing presses with the production of endless streams of what I call funny money. First it was the $2 trillion Trump tax cut in 2017, paid for wholly with debt, and now the multi-trillions in pandemic relief, all unsupported by tax revenue. On a larger scale, we could use “a nice little war,”

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to rally Americans. As to a war, “That’s a joke, son,” as Sen. Beauregard Claghorn of old-time radio used to say. Yet rulers around the globe have done just so through history, to unify citizens and distract them from problems at home. The only alternative issue I can think of that could conceivably rally most of us is that of, “Will it be good for our grandkids?” After all, I see bumper strips: “Ask me how much I love my grandkids!” I wonder if the people in the auto really know what we are bequeathing the little ones. The unprecedented amount of debt I speak of above (approaching that of World War II) will sure not be good for our youngsters. My very smart young friend, Jake Secrist of Farmington, suggests that our nation needs to think about updating our mission statement. Maybe, after “the pursuit of happiness,”

we should, I say, add, “the pursuit of harmony, at home and around the world.” I don’t know. You fill in the blank. Can President Joe Biden, our governors and community leaders provide the leadership to rally us somehow? And would their leadership arouse energized followers? After all, if you and I don’t rise to the occasion, it won’t happen. Life is a struggle; always will be. I know the above paragraphs sound hokey, yet it is bedrock. Civilizations rise and fall. Yet our present, relative national slide, if it be such, is not foreordained. For many years, Jim Nowlan was a senior fellow and political science professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. He has worked for three unindicted governors and published a weekly newspaper in central Illinois.

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BUSINESS

Companies’ Post-COVID Dilemma: Will the Rise of Remote Work Become a Permanent Pandemic Legacy? When COVID-19 suddenly forced millions of Americans to work from home (WFH), employees and employers alike feared confusion, dislocation, and lost productivity. Instead, remote work proved to be one of the rare pandemic experiments that nearly all agree has gone better than expected. A year on, as vaccines finally put a return to the office within sight, companies are rushing to decide where WFH fits as a permanent part of their postpandemic strategy. It’s a decision with immense ramifications, argues a new report from The Conference Board. COVID-19’s Biggest Legacy: Remote Work and Its Implications for the Postpandemic Labor Market in the US confirms the sea change in thinking that has taken place over the past year.

Before the pandemic, roughly 8% of workers with office jobs worked primarily from home. Conventional wisdom in most industries still held that workers would be less productive outside the office. Those fears failed to materialize, even as WFH rates soared. Companies, meanwhile, saw the longterm promise of remote work—from reduced spending on office space to massively expanding the talent pool available to hire from. But extrapolating these lessons to a postpandemic world requires caution. “Remote work worked in 2020, with workers and employers reporting increased productivity on recent surveys,” said Gad Levanon, vice president, labor markets at The Conference Board. “But 2020 was also a year like no other, full of stressors likely to drive employees to work

harder and longer. Whether remote work can be as effective in normal economic conditions remains to be seen. Leaders need to be armed with trusted in-house performance analytics—and a clear-eyed view on collaboration and culture—as they seek the optimal balance of remote work in the months and years ahead.” “Beyond its impact on individual organizations, the rise of remote work has the potential to transform the US economy and society as a whole,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board. “If WFH trends hold, millions of workers may relocate over the next decade in search of lower living expenses and higher quality of life. As employees disperse beyond commuter zones, companies may find it increasingly difficult to reverse a decision to embrace remote work.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Working Daughters Deserve Support

NAPSI — For the approximate 23 million women who balance caring for an aging parent with going to work, and often raising children of their own, there is little recognition and not enough support. These women themselves often don’t think of what they do as caregiving; they just consider themselves dutiful daughters. Yet they average 24.4 hours of unpaid care a week, from buying groceries, to managing medication, helping with household chores, assisting their parents with bathing and dressing, and driving to appointments. Many are even providing complex medical tasks, with little or no training, such as administering injections, monitoring vital signs, caring for wounds or cleaning feeding tubes. Collectively, they provide $470 billion in unpaid care, according to the AARP. Often, these women provide this care at great cost to their careers. Working daughters, much like working mothers, may need to switch to a less demanding job, take time off or quit work altogether. They lose wages and job-related benefits costing them, on av-

When businesses support working daughters, it’s good for these women, their parents and the companies themselves.

WORKING DAUGHTERS NEED FLEXIBILITY, PAID FAMILY LEAVE POLICIES AND EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. erage, $304,000 in lost wages and benefits while spending nearly 20 percent of their own income on caregiving. To give these unsung heroes recognition and much needed support, it’s important

to make the care they give compatible with their careers. With 10,000 people turning 65 every day in the United States, the caregiving workforce is only going to grow. Smart businesses must ex-

amine policies and corporate cultures to create environments where caregivers can thrive. Working daughters need flexibility, paid family leave policies and expanding eligibility requirements. They need affordable, quality eldercare options. Learn more at www. workingdaughter.com.

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GOBankingRates has all the answers for the most common tax questions to the most complex in their 2021 comprehensive tax guide.

GOBankingRates Launches Extensive Tax Guide to Aid Americans with Their 2020 Tax Season Believe it or not, the 2020 tax season is already upon us and GOBankingRates has answers for the most common tax questions to the most complex in their 2021 comprehensive tax guide. In addition, GOBankingRates has included a calculator that can help estimate your 2020 tax refund to give you an idea of how much money could be expected once 2021 tax returns are filed. Each April, Americans are required to file their tax returns for the previous year. 2020, which was a year unlike any other included not only a pandemic, but with a tumultuous election added into the mix. According to a press release, each of these historic occurrences had some sort of direct impact on your tax returns, so it’s now more important than ever to stay on top of any tax deductions and credits so you don’t miss out on opportunities for valuable tax refunds from the IRS and your state. According to a press release, it’s never a great idea to procrastinate when it comes to filing taxes, but this year, it’s especially important to get a head start as your tax situation may be more complicated than usual. Stimulus payments and unemployment compensation are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential complications to filing 2020 tax returns, but GOBankingRates’ tax guide is here to help readers file sooner rather than later. “Navigating through paying your taxes is always complicated, but the 2020 tax year took the difficulty to a new level. Many Americans lost jobs, changed jobs, received stimulus checks and/or went on unemployment for the first time. With so many people facing difficult circumstances with their finances and income, GOBankingRates has built a comprehensive tax guide to help Americans navigate all the various complexities of filing your taxes,” said Don Sena, vice president of content for GOBankingRates.com. “From legal ways to protect your money to the best tax apps and tax breaks for retirees and more, the GOBankingRates’ Tax Resource Center has all the information you need to navigate your taxes this year.”

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

FASHION

Best Vitamins For Black Hair Vitamins are a great source of nutrients for Black hair. The strength, look and feel of “healthy hair” can define your overall look. It can also determine how you feel. While there are literally thousands of products that market to “healthy black hair” there are only a handful that have the proper ingredients to keep your hair healthy. And just like vitamins help your body, there are certain vitamins that specifically help your hair. Here is a shortlist of eight vitamins that you need to look for in your hair products: 1. Amino Acids These are the building blocks of protein and your hair follicles require a constant stream of amino acids for optimum hair growth. Eight amino acids are essential for humans, as the body cannot produce them by themselves, and they have to be supplied externally. These are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. 2. Biotin: Biotin is a crucial vitamin for hair growth. In laboratory studies, people who were low

in Biotin experienced slower-than-normal hair and nail growth. Biotin is also water-soluble and supports healthy skin as well. 3. Inositol: This nutrient actually helps strengthen hair by ensuring that your hair follicles retain moisture. 4. Choline Your body actually makes choline in very small amounts, but you need more for hair growth. Choline works together with inositol to encourage hair growth. 5. Zinc An essential mineral for proper health and hair growth. It’s quite common for American women to suffer from low mineral levels of zinc. 6. Copper Another essential mineral, copper, aids in the production of collagen and elastin, which are crucial for healthy nails, skin and hair. 7. MSM MSM is a naturally occurring form of sulfur, which helps the body form keratin – a tough protein that strengthens hair and nails against harmful chemicals.

The strength, look and feel of “healthy hair” can define your overall look and determine how you feel.

8. Overall Diet Goes Beyond Vitamins for Your Hair While it’s not a vitamin per se, a healthy diet plays an important role in how healthy (or not) your hair is. Any product that you use topically on the skin and the scalp won’t achieve its best results unless you put good nutrition in your body.

Your body is one big organism, and your body’s system works together as an organism. So, remember whatever you put on your skin and in your hair isn’t going to work unless you can put it in your body too. The main reason anyone would not see ample results combining topical treatments and good nutrition is if they had other medical issues.

Business owner uses fashion jewelry and brutal honesty to help heal emotional pain

Kia Waters (pictured with The Glam Van) created EarringEverything.com to help women regain their confidence through fashionable finery that inspires women’s empowerment. Kia offers encouragement, inspiration, and support to those healing from emotional pain through her beauty and fashion brands.

What do earrings, eye lash extensions, and emotional growth all have in common? Emotional Support Advocate, Kia Waters, correlates the latest fashion trends with her weekly Web Series: Healing, Wine, & Storytime, a pillar of her EarringEverything brand. EarringEverything.com is an effervescent fashion jewelry brand in Atlanta, Georgia, created by military veteran, black-owned business owner, and Registered Nurse Kia Waters. Waters created the sparkling brand to help women regain their confidence through fashionable finery that inspires women’s empowerment. Besides the affordable pricing and Lifetime Warranty on her prismatic accessories, Waters aspirations pledge deeper than styling her shoppers. “Kia” as she prefers to be called, achieves this by offering an immersive experience into her life through her weekly web series “WATCH LIVE: Healing, Wine, & Storytime” streamed live on Instagram & Facebook. Her casual delivery and animated storytelling is creating major buzz, with both shoppers, fans, and the emotional support community. She reveals destructive stories about her life experiences, living through, and growing from personal tragedies designed to encourage, inspire, and uplift those healing from emotional pain. Following her confessionals, Kia reveals tips that she used to heal her psyche following turmoil and www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Kia Waters’ Glam Van Atlanta. On Instagram as @eeglamvan.

hopelessness. It is her raw emotional transparency that keeps her audience watching, relating, and using her tips to heal from their own emotional pain. Waters’ take-away with each show is “I was destroyed, now I’m an asteroid.” Making light of her rise from depression, and that now she is stronger than a fireball. Waters has created a “text family” where she personally releases inspirational voice notes throughout the week, via text, to uplift and support subscribers. This is also a two-way platform to speak directly with her via text. She also offers One-on-One Confidential Inspiration Sessions, where she listens, offers support and practical tips toward emotional healing and growth using specific actions. Recently, she has teamed up with August Snow, owner of Eminent 8

Hair Salon, to create StyL•I•Nfection. StyL•I•Nfection is an Atlanta-based, beauty sect, that consists of industry-leading professionals providing services during organized events. The stylists use The Glam Van of Atlanta (Waters’ state of the art Mobile Beauty Salon) to offer beauty services in outdoor settings. The beauty faction promotes self-care, self-esteem, and total wellness through beauty enhancement services. Their number one goal is to uplift, inspire, and increase the self-confidence of their clients. Connect with Waters at InfiniteWaters360.com to shop EarringEverything.com, to learn more about and to collaborate with her, and to watch Waters’ web series “WATCH LIVE: Healing, Wine, Storytime” Friday nights at 9pm. For booking, call 808.900.4151 or email Kia@infinitewaters360.com.

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NOT TO BE USED FOR COLOR APPROVAL ACD: A. Del Valle

CD: G. Apfelbach

CW: A. Walentin

P: C. Capola

AM: L. Mitchell

BM: E. Schmidt

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

NEWS FOR 17 CONSECUTIVE, DININGPACKED DAYS, PARTICIPATING DINING ESTABLISHMENTS SHOWCASE SPECIALLY CURATED PRIX-FIXE MENUS WITH PRICES SET AT $25 FOR BRUNCH AND LUNCH, AND $39 AND/OR $55 FOR DINNER (EXCLUDING BEVERAGES, TAX AND GRATUITY).

Chicago Restaurant Week Returns In 2021 Choose Chicago recently announced the return of the highly anticipated, 14th annual Chicago Restaurant Week from Friday, March 19 to Sunday, April 4, 2021. Chicago Restaurant Week offers local food enthusiasts an opportunity to experience some of the city’s most highly sought restaurants. For 17 consecutive, dining-packed days, participating dining establishments showcase specially curated prix-fixe menus with prices set at $25 for brunch and lunch, and $39 and/or $55 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Lending an ideal reason to explore Chicago’s nationally lauded culinary scene, diners can experience new, show-stopping restaurants and familiar favorites alike throughout the city’s vibrant communities. Accounting for the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses – and with support of the restaurant industry at heart – Choose Chicago has adjusted its program dates in 2021 and expanded its purview to accommodate both dine-in menus for restaurants with limited indoor and al fresco service as well as delivery and carry-out menus. This magnified program increases opportunities for restaurants to participate regardless of the availability of dine-in operations. Prices have also been slightly adjusted to augment revenue generation for restaurants during these challenging times.

TOGETHER, WE CAN POWER THROUGH ANYTHING.

In 2020, Chicago Restaurant Week featured a record-breaking number of restaurants, including more than 50 in the suburbs and over 80 first-time participants. Chicago Restaurant Week 2021 is sponsored by 100.3, 101.9, OpenTable, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and Yelp. In an effort to support an industry in need, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is encouraging restaurants to offer wine and spirits beverage pairings on their prix fix menus. A special campaign from SGWS in partnership with the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF) Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, will help provide additional dollars for their one-time, cash grants to hospitality workers facing unforeseen financial strife as a result of the pandemic. Fans are encouraged to follow @ChooseChicago on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and tag #ChicagoRestaurantWeek. About Choose Chicago Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city and its member business community. Follow @ChooseChicago on Twitter and on Instagram @choosechicago. Like them on Facebook. For more, visit www. choosechicago.com. #ChicagoHome | #Only1Chicago

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A brighter future

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104581_QEXL1092000_V1 Leo Burnett

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NEWS

March is National Ladder Safety Month The Illinois Department of Labor’s Illinois OSHA division joins safety officials across the country in promoting March as National Ladder Safety Month. Ladder safety is important both on the job site and at home as each year, approximately 500,000 people are injured and 300 people die in ladder-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “From the smallest step ladder to the tallest extension ladder, it is important to follow safety precautions to avoid being injured or worse,” said Director Michael Kleinik of the Illinois Department of Labor. The goal of the fifth annual Ladder Safety Month, which is sponsored by the American Ladder Institute, is to decrease the number of injuries and deaths caused by the misuse of ladders. With that goal in mind, the American Ladder Institute is offering a variety of training opportunities to help increase safety awareness and the proper choice and use of ladders. Each week of March will feature a different

LADDER SAFETY IS IMPORTANT BOTH ON THE JOB SITE AND AT HOME AS EACH YEAR APPROXIMATELY 500,000 PEOPLE ARE INJURED AND 300 PEOPLE DIE IN LADDER-RELATED INJURIES, emphasis on ladder training. • Week one: Choosing Your Ladder • Week two: Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up) • Week three: Safety While Climbing • Week four: Safety at the Top • Week five: Ladder Safety Misconceptions Free weekly Webinars on each, by industry, safety experts are being provided now. You can register here: https://www.laddersafetymonth.com/Participate/ Scheduled-Events Additional training is also available through the American Ladder Institute as well as the ability to earn a safety certificate after completing the training and a ladder safety test.

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The goal of the fifth annual Ladder Safety Month, which is sponsored by the American Ladder Institute, is to decrease the number of injuries and deaths caused by the misuse of ladders.

You can access the free training here: https:// www.laddersafetytraining.org/ For more information on IDOL’s Illinois

OSHA division, please visit their website at https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/ safety/Pages/default.aspx

Strive FOR EXCELLENCE

Virtual, In Person or Hybrid... your child’s success depends on you. As a parent, you have to be involved in your child’s education to make sure he or she has everything they need to succeed.

LEARN MORE AT WWW.NNPA.ORG/EDUCATION

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CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

NEWS

Africa Is Calling Her Children Home

The inspiring story of Africa and her children around the world, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP has released her debut book: “Africa 101: The Wake Up Call,” telling the story of Africa yesterday, today, and tomorrow… Africa 101: The Wake Up Call is an interactive book about the “hunters” and the “hunted.” The hunters are Africa’s exploiters, slavers, colonizers, and neo-colonizers, and the hunted are the African people who survived against severe odds. In this book, former African Union Ambassador to the United States Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP tells the story of Africa combining a traditional oral style with her in-your-face approach. Although she served as a diplo-

mat, she says that being diplomatic about the real issues facing Africa will do us no good. She warns in this book that the hunt is still ongoing and calls on Africans and people of African descent all over the world to rise up in defense of our beloved continent. Using personal stories, her father’s accounts from the village of Chivu in Zimbabwe, and solid historical references, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP educates, motivates, and challenges the status quo with regard to western countries’ abuse of Africa. Africa 101 is not only an in-depth read about the history, struggles and background of colonialism in Africa, but it is also a hopeful, mind-altering business-centered recipe for mining,

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cultivating and retooling Africa’s greatest commodity - her people. This book is a treatise on changing the mindset of those who would continue on the road to destruction at Africa’s expense and re-educating those towards a new paradigm, one which is full of an abundant life for all by approaching the motherland on her own terms, with respect. Africa is now positioned to rise above the ashes, break the mental shackles of post-colonialism to emerge as a world leader in raw/natural resources of land and mind. See the Africa 101: The Wake Up Call Video at https://youtu.be/ CaijUix6cfc, the book is available at www.africa101.org, or in eBook through Amazon at https://amzn. to/38xzozj.

10 | CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

NEWS

PRNewsfoto/Operation HOPE

Delta Air Lines Teams Up With Operation HOPE to Support Employees Managing Their Financial Health Operation HOPE, an Atlanta-based national nonprofit focused on financial literacy and economic self-sufficiency, recently announced that Delta Air Lines is expanding its partnership with a commitment to serve their workforce in Delta hubs across the U.S. This expanded partnership will give employees resources that promote financial empowerment and inclusion. Operation HOPE’s Hope Inside the Workplace program specializes in credit and money management

and will bring a number of workshops to Delta people, as well as one-on-one debt counseling and financial coaching opportunities. Operation HOPE’s virtual coaching services will be available to the entire Delta workforce of 80,000 employees in key hub cities starting with the largest base – Atlanta. “We are excited that with this innovative collaboration, Delta will become our first-ever, national HOPE Inside the Workplace partner, offering comprehensive financial coaching as a standard

workplace wellbeing practice,” said Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant. “We commend Delta as it demonstrates its commitment to all the men and women who work for the airline. Helping its workforce plan ahead in good times and deal with bad ones is in all stakeholders’ interests, as Delta continues to invest in its employees.” “Operation HOPE is all about financial inclusion and empowerment,” said Delta’s E.V.P. and Chief People Officer, Joanne Smith.

“This new partnership follows a year of economic downturn caused by the global pandemic, as well as historic disparities and injustice. Delta is committed to taking care of and investing in financial health resources for our people.” Delta tested Operation HOPE’s services with a small group of employees in 2020, and participants saw an average credit score improvement of 30 points and average reduction in debt of more than $1,500. In December, Delta CEO Ed

Bastian hosted John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, in an employee town hall to share how his organization equips people with financial tools through programming and coaching. Delta is also partnering with Operation HOPE to support its One Million Black Business and Entrepreneur Initiative (1MBB) program, to support the development of 1 million new Black business owners and entrepreneurs by 2030.

COMMUNITY ENERGY CENTER

Prioritizing innovations, smart policies and pandemic recovery... that’s energy leadership! To learn more about how energy helps your community, visit CommunityEnergyCenter.org

The Community Energy Center, a cooperative with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Hispanic Publications Media, will provide information and perspectives on the integral role of the energy sector in daily life for American families in a wide range of communities.

www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT

New Research on Portrayals of Black Women in Hollywood Signals Progress, But Colorism Persists The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media released the results of Representations of Black Women in Hollywood, a groundbreaking examination of the portrayals of Black girls and women in film and television. While much of the previous research on race and gender in entertainment media analyzed representations of women and Black people as two distinct groups, this first-of-its-kind study focused specifically on the portrayals of Black girls and women in both film and TV. The study revealed signs of progress. In family films, Black women are more likely to be depicted as working in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) occupations than other women of color (e.g., Asian or LatinX) and White women.

Additionally, Black women are just as likely to be depicted as leaders as white women. However, the study also indicates a strong bias toward Black women who conform with white standards of beauty. Nearly 80% of Black female characters have light or medium skin tones, which means that colorism is persistent in representations. 57% of Black leading ladies from popular films in the past decade are depicted with hairstyles that conform to European standards of beauty as opposed to natural Black hairstyles. Of the findings, Geena Davis, Academy Award winning actor, founder and chair of the Institute said, “This revealing new study shows we need to be more aware of the persistence of stereotypes affecting Black girls and women – and avoid repeating

How the Internet Created a New Reign of DJs A new breed of DJs has emerged using one of the most powerful tools in the world, the internet. Shawn Floyd, also known as “Floydboy”, launched United Entertainment, a marketing hive that would tally over 30 billion streams worldwide. Hired by the largest music labels worldwide, Floyd has personally broken over 1000 releases, playing a major role in breaking some of the world’s largest artist known today, from YG, Halsey, Billie Eilish, 50 Cent, Tech Nine, Ella Mai, and more. Yet the project Floyd takes closest to heart is working and building with Multiplatinum Rapper Saweetie. By using the internet, Floyd is able to turn the web into a giant radio station. Reaching millions of listeners in an instant, this now gives artists the best chance of being heard and discovered, targeting millions of devices across the globe within seconds. “Now, we’re no longer relying on the audience of a specific station or playlist. Now, we can go after specific types of listeners, based on what they listen to, where they live and what they like,” said Floyd. He continued: “Remember the good old days when a record would be taken to radio stations or passed off to DJs, where they’d spin it on the air in hopes that station would reach the audience needed to spread the buzz that artists desperately needed. Without radio, your music wasn’t heard and your chances of being discovered

those mistakes when making writing, casting, and other content production decisions. While it is encouraging to see some positive trends, it’s clear that much more work needs to be done to ensure that women of all backgrounds have the same opportunities when it comes to being depicted on screen.” Founded in 2004 by Davis, the Institute on Gender in Media is the only research-based organization working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion and reduce negative stereotyping in family entertainment media. For more information, please visit www.seejane.org. Find the report here https://seejane.org/research-informs-empowers/representations-of-black-women-in-hollywood/

Sony Music Publishing Partners with Silence the Shame to Launch ‘The Soundtrack of Mental Health’

United Entertainment LLC

were slim to none! I knew if I could place the right song or artist with the right viewer, I could create an organic connection. The goal was always to build that digital bridge between artist and fan.” Saweetie would be the shot that Floyd needed. Taking YouTube by storm, Saweetie was introduced on a global level when the viral video “Icy Grl” dropped. “Within months we were over 50 Million viewers nearing close to half a million subscribers. We didn’t wait for the world to catch up to Saweetie, we brought her right to their door step and they loved her!” said Floyd. Floyd stayed silent for years, now stepping out in hopes of sparking art-

ists to tap in and utilize the power the internet provides, the power to track your audience and place your music around the world, to all the right listeners, at all the right places, at all the right times. Many of the hurdles that held artist back, really don’t exist today. “Internet is the new radio and we’re the new breed of DJs. Now, it’s us that make the records spin, it’s us breaking the artist now. Things have changed and we digital marketers have to start seeing our role and responsibility to use the internet as best we can to help break records and place this new wave of music in front of the world. The way radio used to do, the way we see YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram do everyday.” www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Sony Music Publishing has partnered with Silence the Shame to launch The Soundtrack of Mental Health™, a global multi-year program which will offer its songwriters, employees, and the greater music community educational trainings and support around mental health. As a part of Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice fund, Sony Music Publishing will be the first to launch the trainings in April, and they will also be made available to Sony Music Entertainment. The Soundtrack of Mental Health, created by Silence the Shame and its founder Shanti Das, will offer a wide range of workshops for self-care, including coping techniques, stress and anxiety management, and a wellness curriculum for leaders. The program will also offer trainings for mental health awareness and suicide prevention to educate managers and fellow employees on how to notice and support an individual in a mental health crisis. Silence the Shame plans to train 10,000 creatives, musicians, and executives by 2023. Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt stated, “The past year has put a spotlight on how we treat mental health in our industry, and overall society – we must break the stigma and be proactive in our support. This partnership with Shanti and Silence the Shame will help Sony Music

PRNewsfoto/Sony Music Publishing

Publishing, and the greater music community, openly promote mental health care and create a healthier culture for songwriters and employees.” Shanti Das said, “We are truly grateful to Jon Platt and Sony Music Publishing for this important collaboration around an issue that has often been taboo in the music industry. Our goal is to educate this community on mental wellness and to provide effective coping mechanisms, strategies and resources for healthy and productive living.” Silence the Shame is a nonprofit organization, founded by former music executive Shanti Das, that focuses on education and awareness around mental health. Its programs and initiatives consist of crisis response trainings, community conversations, wellness trainings, digital content, and outreach events. Since 2016, Silence the Shame has been working throughout the music industry to promote proper mental health training and awareness among artists, employees, and executives. For more information on Silence the Shame, please visit www.silencetheshame.com and follow them on IG @silencetheshame.

12 | CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

HOME

3 Hacks to Make Spring Cleaning a Breeze (StatePoint) Time for your annual spring clean? Make sure you’re equipped with the right tools and strategies. Here are a few cleaning hacks to help ensure a smooth and easy process. De-Clutter First Reducing clutter in your home means fewer objects to launder, dust and wipe down, and should be the first step of your spring clean. Start with dressers and closets. As the seasons change, you’ll likely be reorganizing them anyway in order to stow winter items away while making spring and summer garments readily accessible. As you do your seasonal swap, have bags and labels on-hand to sort items by what you are keeping, what you plan to donate, and what needs to be recycled or discarded. Use the same organizational method to pare down knickknacks, books and other odds and ends as you tackle pantries, shelving and more. Take this opportunity to wipe down shelving, particularly surface areas with food, dust and other residue build-up. Streamline Your Clean These days, disinfecting high-traffic areas of the home should be top of mind. However, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Streamline the task by selecting cleaning products that are safe for use on a wide variety of household surfaces, and can be used around kids and pets. Consider stocking your cleaning arsenal with an easy-to-use product such as ARM & HAMMER

Essentials Disinfecting Wipes, which kills cold and flu viruses, along with MRSA, strep, staph, E. coli, salmonella and kleb. Available in Lemon Orchard and Renewing Rain scents, these wipes provide citrus-based disinfection that clean without harsh chemicals, and are safe for use on stainless steel, sealed granite, finished hardwood, tubs, shower walls, toilet exteriors and hard nonporous surfaces of car interiors. To learn more, visit armandhammercleans.com. Use Household Items A true deep clean is not just about what meets the eye, it’s also about what meets the nose. Unfortunately, certain nooks and crannies of the home have a sneaky habit of odor build-up. Squash problem areas with a versatile, essential item you probably already have on hand -- baking soda. Place an opened box in your fridge to absorb unwanted odors, swapping it out every month or so. Do the same in pantries where food items like onions and garlic are stored in order to neutralize their strong smells. You might also try using ARM & HAMMER Garbage Disposal Cleaner, which are capsules containing baking soda. Leaving behind a citrus scent, they are a useful tool in combatting kitchen sink odors. A few essentials and some smart cleaning strategies is all you need to give your home some TLC this spring.

Affordable Tips for Spring Decorations and Celebrations

PHOTO SOURCE: (c) Svetlana-Cherruty / iStock via Getty Images Plus

(StatePoint) The arrival of spring brings with it warming temperatures, blooming flowers and endless springtime celebrations. It is also an opportunity to try something new, whether it is in the garden, kitchen or around the home. To help find the fun this season, the experts at Dollar General are offering some affordable spring tips and tricks for celebrating and decorating.

Decorations to Spring into the Season Celebrate spring holidays with extra flair around the home. From adding a colorful vase of flowers to the coffee table, a new wreath on the front door or new pastel-colored pillows for the couch, seasonal decorative touches can help provide a fresh look and pops of color to any home. Consider adding festive holiday-themed decorations too, like a centerpiece filled with plastic eggs on the dining room table. The Season of New Beginnings As they say, April showers bring May flowers. To celebrate the season of new beginnings, set some time aside to plan out thisseason’s garden with fresh flowers, as well as fruits and vegetables to enjoy all summer long. Spruce up your home’s outdoor spaces by painting flowerpots bright new colors and by adding new outdoor or solar lights. With longer days approaching, having the perfect outdoor oasis may invite everyone to spend more time outside. Try out a Seasonal Spring Recipe Spring can also be the perfect time to try out a new recipe, whether it is a new side, main dish or a sweet seasonal dessert. Get some inspiration from DG Easy Meals, which provides meal ideas that anyone in the family can try out, including “Better For You” recipes that offer healthier food choices using ingredients readily found at DG stores. Featured recipes include a BBQ chicken salad perfect for a spring cookout, an apple slaw with honey mustard vinaigrette to complement any weeknight dinner and pink bunny cupcakes that can be assembled as a tasty activity for kids. By freshening up home decor, creating a dreamy outdoor space or trying out the latest spring recipes, everyone can affordably find something to be excited for this spring. www.citizennewspapergroup.com

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

CITIZEN On The Move

Stratford Christian Center Connect To The Community With A Pop Up Food Drive Photos by L.M. Warbington

Doing Good Deeds In The Neighborhood! Stratford Christian Center is located at 9152 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60620

14 | CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

OP-ED

Fight For Women of Color Who Fight For Us By Ben Jealous President Joe Biden has nominated extraordinary women of color to high-level jobs in the Biden-Harris administration. Many of them are being attacked and smeared by the far right. That’s why People For the American Way has launched the #HerFightOurFight campaign. We cannot let far-right forces silence and smear these trailblazing women who are eager to advance the progressive values that Americans voted for when we put Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. Our first ad tells the story of Vanita Gupta, who has been nominated for associate attorney general. Gupta was a young civil rights lawyer in her first job after law school when she heard about a gross injustice in the small town of Tulia, Texas. Almost 40 people—nearly all of them Black— had been wrongly arrested, convicted by all-white juries, and jailed on bogus drug charges. It was a big percentage of the Black community in that town. It was devastating to the individuals and their families. And they saw little chance to get justice. But then Gupta, who was working for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, took up their cause. She exposed the injustice and won their freedom. She even got them pardons from a Republican governor. Gupta has been fighting for equal justice ever since. She led the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division for part of the

Obama administration. And for the last few years she has led the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. But right-wing groups are running a more than million-dollar ad campaign to smear her. And unprincipled politicians like Ted Cruz are attacking her over her civil rights work in the Obama administration. Our #HerFightOurFight ad is narrated by Shirley Sherrod, a former government official who lived through a dishonest smear campaign that twisted and distorted her words to try to destroy her career. She sees the same thing happening to Gupta and other brilliant women of color, and she’s speaking out. It is important to defend women like Vanita Gupta who are being unfairly attacked. But this campaign is about more than these specific women. It is about all of us. These women are ready to make change happen—the change we voted for. They represent the kind of inclusive multiracial and multiethnic society we are building together—and the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to building one of the most diverse governing teams in our nation’s history. I am sad to say it is not surprising that many of Biden’s nominees are being attacked by people who see that vision of our future as a threat. It is not surprising that the descendants of the Jim Crow south whose power is threatened by people of color turning out to vote are passing new laws to try to stop us. It is not surprising to see racism and sexism used as a political weapon. We know that progress is often met with backlash. Our long

march toward justice has sometimes been beaten back temporarily—on the blood-stained Edmund Pettus Bridge, in courtrooms where whiteness trumped justice, in state legislatures where the Constitution’s promise of equal justice was repeatedly betrayed, and in the U.S. Senate, where the filibuster was used to delay passage of civil rights laws. Time and again, we have overcome, often led by courageous Black women and other women of color whose leadership was frequently overlooked and overshadowed. Today, we fight for Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke, a brilliant Black woman nominated to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and other brilliant women who are ready to help President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris fight for a country that comes closer to meeting our ideals of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity for all. #HerFightOurFight. Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and he has taught at Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

NATIONAL NEWS

Nursing Homes Release Reform Agenda To Address Systemic Issues Facing Long Term Care Sector, Learn From On-Going Crisis Care For Our Seniors Act Aims To Improve Nursing Homes By Learning From Tragedy & Implementing Bold Solutions For The Future The American Health Care Association representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and other long term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year and LeadingAge, the association of more than 5,000 missiondriven aging services providers including nursing homes, today released a reform agenda, the Care For Our Seniors Act, to address long-standing challenges affecting the quality of care provided in America’s nursing homes. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated systemic issues impacting the nursing home sector, such as workforce shortages, aging physical plants, and underfunded government reimbursements for care. Many of these issues were raised by AHCA, LeadingAge and other stakeholders for years prior to COVID but were never fully addressed by policymakers. Through the Care For Our Seniors Act, AHCA and LeadingAge are calling on lawmakers once again to help resolve systemic challenges, as well as reflecting on ways nursing home providers themselves can improve. “The pandemic has been an unprecedented tragedy with long term care facilities being at the epicenter of the crisis,” said Debbie Meade, chair of the board of directors of AHCA. “We have seen long-standing challenges exacerbated among our facilities

and without serious reform, we risk more • Structural: Modernize nursing homes crises in the future. The Care For Our Seniors by conducting a national study on how to shift Act pinpoints the biggest issues facing our to more private rooms, which promote resident industry and provides bold, transformative and privacy, autonomy and dignity, as well as meaningful solutions that can ensure support infection control best practices. something like the COVID-19 pandemic never AHCA and LeadingAge say reform will be happens again.” costly, but long overdue. The nursing home “The long term care system that serves our sector has been facing a financial crisis for years elderly has been too-long ignored in this due to low Medicaid reimbursements, the country. That is untenable and does not reflect primary coverage for nursing home residents. who we are as Americans. Now is an With providers dedicating extensive resources opportunity to fund what our country values,” in response to COVID and a significant drop in said Carol Silver Elliott, chair LeadingAge’s new residents moving in, the financial shortfalls board of directors, and president and CEO of have only worsened. Each policy proposal in Jewish Home Family. “Quality care that honors the Care for Our Seniors Act must include the dignity of each of us must be our top government resources, and AHCA and priority; ensuring consistent access and LeadingAge propose several interrelated delivery in safe environments must be our investment strategies to help reinvest in shared goal.” America’s nursing homes to ensure quality The Care For Our Seniors Act has four care, including: main reform principles with policy proposals 1. Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance in each of the key areas: Percentages (EFMAP): Increased federal • Clinical: Enhance the quality of care Medicaid funds are provided to states to pay for in nursing homes by developing clearer the mandatory nursing facility benefit, with standards for infection preventionists, requirements that additional federal funds be requiring that each nursing home have a used for nursing facility rates. registered nurse on-staff, 24 hours per day, and 2. Federal Framework for “Allowable requiring a minimum 30-day supply of Cost” or “Reasonable Cost”: Establish federal personal protective equipment in all nursing guidelines for state allowable cost definitions. homes. 3. Medicaid Rate Adequacy • Workforce: Strengthen and support Requirement: Medicaid rates are brought up to our frontline caregivers by implementing www.citizennewspapergroup.com

equal the cost of care and subsequently updated regularly to keep pace with increases in costs of care. 4. State Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Committee & Required Design Report: The state will be required to form and maintain a state health plan and nursing facility VBP committee with specific guidelines and deadlines to submit reports. This offers the potential for additional resources. “Congress should immediately enact these solutions to deliver the change our long term care systems needs right away,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge. “To effect these changes, we need to professionalize the direct care workforce to attract more people to the field. The long-term care workforce is our most valuable asset and our most critical challenge.” “With a growing elderly population soon needing our services, the moment is now. We must pay tribute to all those who lost their lives to this vicious virus and resolve to bring forth a brighter future,” concluded Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA. “We have already seen what progress can be made when policymakers come together to make long term care residents a priority and through these reforms, we can significantly improve the quality of care for our current residents and generations to come.” To learn more about the Care For Our Seniors Act, please visit www.ahcancal.org/ solutions.

CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021

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PRIVATE FOUNDATION ANNUAL NOTICE The annual report of the BENJAMIN F. & ERNESTINE BURTON FOUNDATION Is available at the address noted below, for inspection during normal business hours, by any Citizen who so requests within 180 days after the publication of this notice of its availability BENJI F. & ERNESTINE BURTON 15754 Chimney Rock Tr. Woodbridge, VA. 22193 Alice S. Walker, Pres. 708-363-4945. ____________________________________

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LEGAL NOTICE

4 Tips for Reducing Your Plastic Footprint at Home

(StatePoint) Plastic contributes to climate change and is a major pollutant, harming wildlife and people. With Earth Day around the corner, here are a few tips for reducing your plastic footprint at home that will also contribute to a healthier planet. Start a Garden From cartons of berries and tomatoes to individually-wrapped cucumbers, it can be difficult to avoid plastic in the produce aisle of your supermarket. By growing your favorite fruits, vegetables and herbs at home, you may avoid some of this waste and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, as foods found in the store are often shipped from distant places. Keep Your Produce Green When you do have to grab a staple that’s not in your garden, bring some reusable produce bags with you. Check out this cute set from Food52’s shop: food52.com. Then, stick to the loose fruits and veggies not already wrapped in plastic. Green Your Hydration In the pursuit of having a constant source of great-tasting, healthy water at home, you may be stocking your fridge with bottled water. However, bottled water contains microplastics and is a significant part of the global plastic waste problem. To stay hydrated healthfully and sustainably, use a water filter pitcher. One great option is the LifeStraw Home Glass Water Filter Pitcher, which protects against over 30 contaminants, including bacteria, parasites, microplastics, lead, mercury and chemicals, including PFAS and chlorine. To shop or learn more, visit LifeStraw.com, Target.com, or CrateandBarrel.com. Rethink Garbage Collection Plastic garbage bags may seem necessary, but there are reusable alternatives available today that can help to drastically reduce your plastic waste. For example, Bagito makes durable, washable, water-resistant garbage can liners from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastics. They are available in three sizes that are ideal for bathroom wastebaskets, kitchen-sized trash cans and outdoor yard debris bins. By doing your part to find sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic, you can reduce your contribution to a global environmental crisis right at home. ____________________________________

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: Y21006079 on FEBRUARY 24, 2021. Under the Assumed Business Name of MAURESHPRECISECUTS INTERPRISES with the business located at: 7143 EAST END, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 6069. The true and real full names (s) and residence address of the owner (s) / partners (s) is: Owner/Partner Full Name Complete Address OMAR AKHIR BEY 7143 S. EAST END, CHICAGO, IL 60649, USA _______________________________________ NOTICE OF MECHANIC’S LIEN We are giving you notice of upcoming mechanic’s lien sale for a 2012 Buick Regal Vin 2G44N5EC9199439 owned by Lynnette Austin 19221 Elm Drive County Club Hills, Illinois 60478. Lien holder Nationwide CAC LLC 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 300, Rosemont Illinois 60018. And a 2016 Nissan Altima Vin# 1N4AL3AP6GC224462 owned by Kaneshia Morris 1640 W. 125th Street, Apt# 9, Calumet Park, Il 60827,Lien holder Prestige Financial SVCS P.O. BOX 26707, Salt Lake City Utah 84126. 2017 Ford Econoline Cutaway 1FDXE4FSXHDC16485 owned by Amber LLC Green, 5700 Carol Avenue, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053. Lien holder Ford Motor Credit Co. POB 105704 Atlanta GA 30345. This is an attempt to collect a debt of $5000.00 each owed on both cars and $7,000.00 for the truck for repairs and storage at Lightning Fast Inc. 17140 S. Cicero Ave. Sale WIll take Place Sat 4/10/2021 from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. at Lightning Fast Inc. To avoid this sale please pay the balance owed. Contact Derek Banks at 708-227-4164. _______________________________________

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PUBLIC NOTICE

COMMUNITY How the USO Serves Our Military and Their Families (StatePoint) Since its founding in 1941, the USO has provided generations of service members and their families with crucial support. During that 80-year history, the world, the military and the needs of service members changed. The USO also adapted, adjusting and expanding its operations to help boost their morale and keep them connected to home. USO Centers USO centers have provided service members with a home away from home since World War II. Initially housed in churches, stores and other community centers across the U.S., the organization’s network of locations soon extended overseas, with centers popping up in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe as military engagements shifted. USO airport lounges were added in the 1990s to give troops a place to relax during long travels, while Mobile USOs have brought support services to disaster sites and U.S. communities without a brick-and-mortar center since 2016. Entertainment It was during World War II that the USO created and established its legacy of entertainment through USO Camp Shows. Since then, the USO has teamed up with hundreds of movie and TV stars, comedians and professional athletes to produce concerts, meet-and-greets and other interactive events for service members. Many of these events are now offered online through the recently launched USO Military Virtual Programming to accommodate new health and safety measures. Staying Connected to Home Evolving modes of communication have also changed the way the USO helps service members connect with loved ones. Today’s USO centers are outfitted with phone rooms, computers and free Wi-Fi. Many also have cated video gaming spaces where service members can play with their spouses and children. New USO programs continue to focus on keeping families connected. The Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program, for example, allows service members to record themselves reading a bedtime story to their child and have that recording, as well as the book, shipped back home. Support for Military Families Over the past 20 years, the USO has added more entertainment and support programs for military spouses and children. USO Coffee Connections, for example, help military

spouses build personal and professional networks. The USO Special Delivery program provides both military spouses and service members with free baby showers. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USO hosted more virtual and socially distant programs for the military community, ranging from drive-thru high school graduation ceremonies to virtual baking classes. Transitions to Civilian Life The USO has also launched support for service members and military spouses as they assimilate into their civilian communities after their military career. The USO Pathfinder Transition Program creates a customized action plan for each participant, assisting in everything from education to financial readiness to career advice. Visit USO.org to learn more about the organization’s evolution and how it supports today’s military. “The sacrifice of service members and their families requires that we rise to the challenge as we have done for the past 80 years and will continue to do for years to come,” says J.D. Crouch II, CEO and president of the USO. _______________________________________

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16 | CITIZEN | Chicago Weekend | Week of March 17, 2021