July 5, 2017 by South Side Weekly

2 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY The South Side Weekly is an independent nonprofit newsprint magazine written for and about neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago. We publish in-depth coverage of the arts and issues of public interest alongside oral histories, poetry, fiction, interviews, and artwork from local photographers and illustrators. The South Side Weekly is dedicated to supporting cultural and civic engagement on the South Side and to providing educational opportunities for developing journalists, writers, and artists.

THE COMICS ISSUE

Volume 4, Issue 35 Editor-in-Chief Hafsa Razi Managing Editors Julia Aizuss, Andrew Koski Director of Staff Support Baci Weiler Deputy Editor Olivia Stovicek Senior Editor Emeline Posner Politics Editor Adia Robinson Music Editor Austin Brown Stage & Screen Editor Nicole Bond Visual Arts Editor Rod Sawyer Editors-at-Large Christian Belanger, Mira Chauhan, Mari Cohen, Jonathan Hogeback, Ellie Mejía, Yunhan Wen Contributing Editors Maddie Anderson, Maria Babich, Bridget Newsham, Adam Przybyl, Sam Stecklow, Margaret Tazioli Video Editor Lucia Ahrensdorf Radio Producers Erisa Apantaku, Andrew Koski, Lewis Page Social Media Editors Bridget Newsham, Sam Stecklow Visuals Editor Ellen Hao Deputy Visuals Editor Jasmin Liang Photography Editor Jason Schumer Layout Editor Baci Weiler Staff Writers: Sara Cohen, Christopher Good, Rachel Kim, Ashvini Kartik-Narayan, Michal Kranz, Anne Li, Michael Wasney Fact Checkers: Eleanore Catolico, Sam Joyce, Rachel Kim, Adam Przybyl, Hafsa Razi, Carrie Smith, Tiffany Wang, Baci Weiler Staff Photographers: Denise Naim, Jason Schumer, Luke Sironski-White Staff Illustrators: Zelda Galewsky, Natalie Gonzalez, Courtney Kendrick, Turtel Onli, Raziel Puma, Lizzie Smith Data Visualization: Jasmine Mithani Webmaster

Sofia Wyetzner

Publisher

Harry Backlund

The paper is produced by an all-volunteer editorial staff and seeks contributions from across the city. We distribute each Wednesday in the fall, winter, and spring. Over the summer we publish every other week. Send submissions, story ideas, comments, or questions to editor@southsideweekly.com or mail to: South Side Weekly 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Chicago, IL 60637 For advertising inquiries, contact: (773) 234-5388 or advertising@southsideweekly.com

Cover illustration by Rohan McDonald

Welcome, once again, to the South Side Weekly’s annual Comics Issue—our third. After three years of publishing comics in a city also home to the Illustrated Press, For the People Artists Collective, Curbside Splendor, CAKE, and so much more, we’re confident Chicagoans know their city is full of stories only images can tell. At the Weekly, we dedicate ourselves to true stories, and this week is no different. In this issue, you’ll find a review of a radish-themed Mexican restaurant in Pilsen, a reflection on Blackness and perceptions of danger, a tribute to a nosy neighbor, an account of the history of Black jockeys across the nation and on the South Side, a tale of seeking citizenship in an era of ICE raids, and more. Each in a rich, visual form that spans as many pages as a text-only article, these pieces take as much time as they need, bringing to life narratives, ideas, and emotions that would take hundreds of words to recount. Some—the joyful frenzy of a horse cantering past its opponents, using virtual reality technology for solace rather than entertainment, a prying narrow-eyed stare—communicate what words can’t capture. But don’t just take our word for it. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to print graphic narratives that both inform and inspire—works that make us say, as Rohan McDonald’s cover puts it, “Wow.”

“i

ride to win”

The age of great Black jockeys barely outlasted the nineteenth century, due to dep-seated racism in America. michael wasney & ellen hao...4 the queen of princeton

tucker kelly...6

excerpt: manual of violence

carlos matallana...7 a visual feast

A review of 5 Rabanitos bridget newsham & ellen hao...12 wolf pack

“Dave Matthews can suck it.” sean mac...14

being here

mike centeno...17 say her name

I often wait up at night worrying about my brothers, or any Black man in my life, because so many have fallen. bianca xunise...21

PUBLIC NEWSROOM UPCOMING WORKSHOPS Thursday, July 6

Thursday, July 13

Thursday, July 20

6pm Workshop: Your Taxes, Your TIFs Led by TIF expert Tom Tresser

6pm Workshop: The Fraternal Order of Police Contract and the FOP Tracker Led by City Bureau and the Invisible Institute

6pm Workshop: What the City Wants Covered Led by Outlier Media founder Sarah Alvarez

4pm–8pm Public Newsroom is open

6100 S. BLACKSTONE AVE. CHICAGO, IL 60637 EVERY THURSDAY 4PM-8PM

JULY 5, 2017 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 3

“I Ride to Win” The tale of Isaac Murphy and the disappearance of Black jockeys WORDS BY MICHAEL WASNEY ART BY ELLEN HAO

4 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 5

The Queen of Princeton TUCKER KELLY

6 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

From Manual of Violence BY CARLOS MATALLANA

This story, presenting the oneiric passages of two kids growing up on the South Side, is a fiction piece excerpted from Carlos Matallana’s ongoing comic book project Manual of Violence, a guide on youth violence made in conversation with teens for teachers. This fall, Matallana will release the full fiction segment, which is a short interlude in the middle of Manual of Violence’s four nonfiction chapters, and plans to release the full book in February 2018.

JULY 5, 2017 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 7

8 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 9

10 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 11

A Visual Feast A review of Cinco Rabanitos in Pilsen WORDS BY BRIDGET NEWSHAM ART BY ELLEN HAO

12 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 13

14 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 15

16 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

Being Here MIKE CENTENO

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 17

18 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 19

20 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 21

22 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

Â¬ JULY 5, 2017

Meet the Artists Rohan McDonald created the cover for this year’s Comics Issue. He is an artist living and working in Chicago. He currently explores ideas that question the boundaries between fine art and design within printmaking and animation. rohanpmcdonald.com

Sean Mac is an artist living in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. He works at Jackalope Coffeeshop and enjoys hanging with friends, going to the beach, and making comics. “Wolf Pack” is based on a day spent going to the beach with friends.

Ellen Hao draws comics, but it’s kind of a new thing. Most of the time she’s behind the computer as the visuals editor of the Weekly.

Mike Centeno was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He’s been living in the U.S. since 2010 and making comics feverishly ever since. He still doesn’t know where he fits in in the world, and tries to figure it out by drawing weird little cartoons. mikecenteno.com

Tucker Kelly is a writer, inkist, and recent transplant from small town Oberlin, OH. Follow him on Twitter @ tuckerwrites for articles, artwork, and artless jokes. Carlos Matallana is an illustrator, graphic designer, and teacher. Over the past few years he has made games, installations, and sculptures as part of his research for his upcoming comic book Manual of Violence. manualofviolence.org

Bianca Xunise is an illustrator based out of Chicago. When she’s not doodling her feelings, she’s probably somewhere eating donuts or dancing to Bauhaus. biancaxunise.com

JULY 5, 2017 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 23

BULLETIN Pathways to Economic Security Teamwork Englewood, 815 W. 63rd St. 2nd fl, US Bank Building. Wednesday, July 12, 10 am–1pm. Free. (773) 488-6600. bit.ly/ WomansInitiative From Englewood? Ready for a career? You’re invited to check out this kick-off event for an initiative hoping to prepare fifty-plus Englewood women for careers in manufacturing, construction, or entrepreneurship. (Margaret Tazioli)

Black Women & Youth Mental Wellness Expo

successfully navigating the college process with their children. (Andrew Koski)

Woodlawn Food Truck Festival 6100 S. Champlain Ave. Sunday, July 16, 10am–6:30pm. Free. bit.ly/WFoodTruckFest Once you’ve finished feeding your brain at the second annual Soulful Chicago Book Fair, there’s no need to venture far to get the rest of your fill. The Woodlawn Food Truck Festival, featuring a lineup of the city’s favorite dives on wheels, will be sure to satisfy hungry fairgoers and everyone else in the community. (Sara Cohen)

Fishin’ Buddies! Kids’ Fest

AKArama Community Service Center, 6220 S. Ingleside Ave. Saturday, July 8, 1pm–5:30pm. Free, registration required online. (312) 8809739. bit.ly/BlkMWE.

Wampum Lake, Thorton Lansing Rd. & Willigan Rd., Thorton, IL 60476. Saturday, July 8, 10am–4pm. Free, registration online. (708) 386-4042. fishin-buddies.net/kidsfest.

This “first of its kind” event seeks to connect community with a wide range of quality mental health and wellness resources, inspirational speakers, and engaging workshops. Although primarily targeted to address the needs of Black women and youth, all are welcome. Vendors have been invited from the following practices: therapy, social work, substance abuse, counseling, holistic healers, fitness coaches, and clinics. (Nicole Bond)

Enjoy the summer sunshine and head to the shores of Wampum Lake for a day of canoeing, fishing, archery, and more with Fishin’ Buddies! The Washington Heightsbased organization aims to provide nature encounters for Chicago children and families. (Lois Biggs)

Stress Reduction Training Imagine Englewood If, 730 W. 69th St. Monday, July 10, 17, 24, 31, and August 7, 3:30pm–5pm. Free. (312) 437-0796. bit.ly/ ReduceStressEnglewood Join the Phoenix Diverse Holistics Collaborative and Imagine Englewood If for the second part of stress reduction trainings for the community. There will talking circles, yoga, and self-care massages to help the body release stress. (Margaret Tazioli).

Crash Course in College Prep CPL South Shore Branch, 2505 E. 73rd St. Saturday, July 15, 1pm–4:30pm. Free with RSVP. bit.ly/CollegeCrashCourse Project Increase, Chicago Scholars, and Oink Group Inc. will be hosting a “Crash Course in College Prep”—a session just for parents, mentors, and other adults on 24 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

¬ JULY 5, 2017

VISUAL ARTS The 14th Annual Silver Room Sound System Block Party Harper Court, 1525 E. 53rd St. Saturday, July 15, 12pm–10pm. Free. (773) 947-0024. silverroomblockparty.com. Dance, sing, and celebrate community at this block party in the heart of Hyde Park. Presented by boutique and art space The Silver Room, the event is expected to attract large crowds—15,000, if it keeps up last year’s numbers. Keep an eye out for exciting performer and vendor announcements in the coming weeks! (Lois Biggs)

The 43rd Annual Arts and Crafts Festival DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl. July 8-9. Saturday–Sunday, 12pm–10pm. Free. (773) 947-0600. dusablemuseum.org

The DuSable Museum’s 43rd Arts and Crafts Festival honors the one-hundredth birthday of Dr. Margaret Burroughs, whose long legacy of contributions to the city’s cultural and arts scenes includes the Black art and history–focused museum and festival themselves. Browse jewelry, pottery, fashion items, paintings, and more. (Sara Cohen)

A Pop Up Called Saturday La Catrina Café, 1011 W. 18th St. Saturday, July 15, July 15, 3pm-8pm. Free, but donations are appreciated. bit.ly/PopUpCalledSaturday Come on down to La Catrina Café in Pilsen for a Saturday night of poetry, Latin music, vintage clothes, and local artists! There will even be a cash bar—“If you’re not going to see A Tribe Called Quest at Pitchfork, then you have no reason to miss this.” (Andrew Koski)

AMFM presents The Jazz Series at Blanc Blanc Gallery, 4445 S. King Dr. Friday, July 7, 7pm. (773) 373-4320. $5 pre-sale, $7 at the door. bit.ly/AMFMBlanc The next iteration of amfm’s Jazz Series, a pop-up music and art showcase in gallery spaces across the city, will be set outdoors and feature the artists Olivier Jean Daniel Souffrant and Bunny, as well as music by Matt Muse, Shawnee Dez, Red, and The Knuckles. There’s rain in the forecast, but come anyway in hopes that you can take full advantage of Blanc’s “huge patio.” ( Julia Aizuss)

MUSIC Jamila Woods Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. July 13th, 8:30pm. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com Jamila Woods: she’s somewhere between Gwendolyn Brooks and Erykah Badu, but is something else altogether. The vocalist/ poet/artist is coming to Thalia Hall to give a special “In Round Performance,” where the stage—positioned in the center—is encircled by audience. Come to get a fresh perspective on this talented native Chicagoan. (Michael Wasney)

Blue Summer The Dojo, message on Facebook for address. July 8, 7pm. $5 donation suggested. bit.ly/DojoBlueSummer The Dojo presents “Blue Summer”, a night of music, art, and community. Four music groups—Woodrow Hart & the Haymaker, Clamor and Claw, Peggy Tenderass, and Red 255—will perform alongside the “Blue Summer Art Room” that’s been created. The Dojo’s gallery space will showcase the work of multiple other artists. (Michael Wasney)

Jazz in the Courtyard Hyde Park Shopping Center, 55th St. and Lake Park Ave. Friday, July 7, 12pm–2pm, and every first Friday through September 1. Free. hpjazz.com Nothing says summer in Hyde Park like the annual free live jazz concerts every first Friday at the Hyde Park Shopping Center. Grab lunch from any of the many restaurants nearby, then sit outside to enjoy the sounds of the Bosman Twins on July 7, the Chris Foreman Quintet August 4, and the Chicago State University Community Jazz Band conducted by Roxanne Stevenson on September 1. (Nicole Bond)

Larry Brown Jr. Reggies, 2105 S. State St. Sunday, July 9, 7pm. $5-$10. 21+ (312) 949-0120. reggieslive.com Chicago-based musician Larry Brown Jr. describes his sound as a “blend of jazz and R&B with a singer/songwriter’s touch the likes of Prince & James Taylor.” He’s been making waves in the international jazz scene too—he’s played festivals including the St. Louis Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Festival New York, and the Lima Jazz Festival, and he recently performed with the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, D.C. And he just made his acting debut this year on the hit series Empire, playing Snoop Dogg’s lead guitar player. Check out his sophomore album, This Music & This Moment, with his band Colour, and come down to Reggies for a night of great tunes. (Andrew Koski)

Chanté Moore The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. 6pm

EVENTS

doors, 7pm show. Thursday, July 13. $22-$46. 312-801-2100. promontorychicago.com

10, 6:30pm. Free and open to the public, but space is extremely limited. courttheatre.org

R&B songstress and Grammy winner Chanté Moore, lately of the reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles and perhaps most famously of the 1999 single “Chanté’s Got a Man,” is stopping by the Promontory for an evening of past hits and new songs from her ninth album, Rise of the Phoenix, slated to be released in September. (Sam Stecklow)

This is the second year for Court and resident artist Ron OJ Parson’s three-year initiative that brings plays by playwrights of color to Chicago neighborhoods. Buffalo Hair, written by Carlyle Brown and also directed by Parson, is a tale set in 1874 about a test of loyalties between the post-civil war Buffalo Soldiers, the U.S Army, and a Black warrior who identified as a Cheyenne. Stay afterward for a Q&A session led by both Parson and Brown. (Nicole Bond)

STAGE & SCREEN Chicago Premiere: No Borders Documentary

Hyde Park Community Players: Twelfth Night

Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St. Saturday, July 8, 7pm–10pm. $5–$10 suggested donation to Sur Negro Comunicaciones, no one turned away for lack of funds. (773) 837-0145. bit.ly/NoBordersDoc

Location to be confirmed, but very possibly Nichols Park, 1355 E. 53rd St. Friday– Saturday, July 14–16 and July 21–23, 7pm. Free. hydeparkcommunityplayers.org

The Chicago chapter of Black Rose / Rosa Negra, an anarchist group, supported the production of the web series “No Borders, Social Struggles across the world / Sin Fronteras, La lucha social a través del mundo” and now hosts its Chicago premiere. Addressing anti-capitalist resistance worldwide, the series in particular hones in on “anti-authoritarian practices within social movements.” ( Julia Aizuss)

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is coming to the South Side. The Hyde Park Community Players, directed by Leslie Halverson, will be performing it six times between the 14th and the 23rd—every time, outdoors, and every time, free. So what excuse do you have? Come on down to enjoy one of the Bard’s cheekiest comedies. (Michael Wasney)

Insecure: A Kitchen Table Conversation

Margaret Burroughs Centennial Film Series: Camille Billops and James Hatch

CPL Blackstone Branch, 4904 S. Lake Park Ave. Wednesday, July 19, 6pm–7:30pm. Free. (312) 747-1425. chipublib.org

DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl. Tuesday, July 11, 7pm. Free. (773) 947-0600. dusablemuseum.org

Join the Chicago Public Library’s AfricanAmerican Services Committee for a lively panel discussion all about season one of Golden Globe nominee Issa Rae’s HBO hit show Insecure. Discuss the show’s powerful themes and complex characters and decide if you are #TeamIssa or #TeamLawrence just in time to get ready for season two, which premieres on July 23. (Nicole Bond)

South Side Projections’s partnership with the DuSable continues with this presentation of the filmmaking duo Camille Billops and James Hatch. 1982 drama Suzanne, Suzanne takes on physical and psychological abuse, while Finding Christa, winner of the 1991 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, explores the nuances of adoption. The films will be introduced by UofC film professor and Black Cinema House curator Jacqueline Stewart. (Nicole Bond)

Court Theatre Spotlight Reading Series: Buffalo Hair NEIU Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd. Monday, July

How Is My Kid Doing? Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside Ave. Thursday, July 6, 6:30pm–8pm. Free. To RSVP email shaynes@gcychome.org. (773) 3584100. garycomeryouthcenter.org This free documentary film screening, presented as part of GCYC Uplift adult community programming, explores how youth from various communities,

including Chicago, are impacted by unequal education. There will be free refreshments and a discussion after the film with the filmmakers. (Nicole Bond)

A Night at the Movies: Within Our Gates Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Thursday, July 13, 8pm–9:30pm. Free, donations will be taken for the musicians. (773) 324-5520. hydeparkart.org Oscar Micheaux, the first major Black feature filmmaker credited with over forty-four films, tells the story of a woman who travels north to raise funds to keep a southern school for Black children open, but she discovers more than fundraising along the way. This 1920 silent film, Within Our Gates, is presented as part of the Comfort Station Silent Films and Loud Music Series, which pairs classic silent films with unconventional bands—at this event, local composer and performer Paul Giallorenzo. (Nicole Bond)

Jazz in the Courtyard Hyde Park Shopping Center, 55th St. and Lake Park Ave. Friday, July 7, 12pm–2pm, and every first Friday through September 1. Free. hpjazz.com Nothing says summer in Hyde Park like the annual free live jazz concerts every first Friday at the Hyde Park Shopping Center. Grab lunch from any of the many restaurants nearby, then sit outside to enjoy the sounds of The Bosman Twins on July 7, the Chris Foreman Quintet August 4, and the Chicago State University Community Jazz Band conducted by Roxanne Stevenson on September 1. (Nicole Bond)

filmmakers. (Nicole Bond)

The Artists Lounge Open Mic South Side Community Arts Center, 3831 S. Michigan Ave. Friday, July 7 and usually every first and third Friday, 7pm–10:30pm. $7, $5 performers. (773) 373-1026. sscartcenter.org This multi-genre open mic, started in 2015 as a collaboration between wordsmiths Dometi Pongo and Johnetta “Awthentic Poetry”Anderson, is back for the summer in July. Poets, singers, emcees, musicians, and visual artists alike can showcase their talent most first and third Fridays of the month at their newest home, the historic South Side Community Arts Center. (Nicole Bond)

Soulful Chicago Book Fair E. 61st St. between S. Martin Luther King Dr. and S. Cottage Grove Ave. Sunday, July 16, 10am–8pm. (646) 359-6605. soulfulchicagobookfair.com The Soulful Chicago Book Fair will bring more than one hundred Black authors, such as the writers from F.L.O.W—For the Love of Writing, previously featured in the Weekly, and Grammy-level entertainment, to a stretch of 61st Street south of Washington Park in the Woodlawn neighborhood. It’s billed as Chicago’s only author-centric festival, with each block featuring a different genre. ( Joseph S. Pete)

JULY 5, 2017 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 25

AUGUST 1, 2014

✶

A R T S , C U LT U R E , A N D P O L I T I C S

✶

S O U T H S I D E W E E K LY. C O M

✶

FREE

SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

The Lit Issue 2017

Send your poems, stories, essays, and artwork to editor@southsideweekly.com by July 19. COMING AUGUST 2

You’re Invited

august 1, 2014

26 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY

¬ JULY 5, 2017

✶

south side weekly

HOSTED BY OWNER & CURATOR STANLEY B. STALLWORTH

AMERICAN JUSTICE: SHE AIN’T BLIND A Provocative Artistic Exhibition

Grand Opening Extravaganza July 21st - August 28th 10am-11:oopm 2635 South Wabash Avenue Chicago, Illinois racializedjustice.com

Exclusive Presentation at 7:00

Your Hosts Stan Stallworth, Owner and Curator,

JULY 5, 2017 Â¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 27

photo: alex jung

BUILD COFFEE COME IN FOR A CUP ON US! This ad is good for one cup of coffee or tea—hot or iced!—between July 5 and 12, 2017

Weekdays 8am-8pm Saturdays 8am-6pm Closed Sundays

buildcoffee.org (773) 627-5058

6100 S Blackstone Ave, Chicago IL 60637