Nevest Coleman was beaten and coerced by Chicago Police Department detectives into confessing to a murder and rape he did not commit. After serving 23 years in prison, he was exonerated, an example of others who will be memorialized in Washington Park.
From the Streets
In an effort to preserve affordable housing, a Northwest Side community group seeks an ordinance that would impose a $20,000 demolition fee on the conversion of multi-unit housing to single family homes.
The Chicago Urban League and 1-800-TruckWreck host the Making a Difference scholarships for recent high school graduates going on to college and careers.
The Playground
THIS PAGE: Nevest Coleman returns to work at Guaranteed Rate Field. He was exonerated after being imprisoned for 23 years (Chicago White Sox on X photo).
DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org
Amanda Jones, Director of programs ajones@streetwise.org
Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org
Ph: 773-334-6600
Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Declan Canaday
Summer Screenings!
Movies in the Parks
Free film screenings by the Chicago Park District continue for the summer. Lake Shore Park (808 N. Lake Shore) will host an 8:30 p.m. screening of "A Dog’s Journey" on July 24, telling the story of an aging dog on a quest to help his family. July 26 sees an 8:30 p.m. screening of "Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie" at Tom Ping Park (1700 S. Wentworth), focusing on the popular team of heroic animals as they gain exciting new powers. Navy Pier’s scienceoriented ‘Water Flicks’ series continues July 29 at 6:30 p.m. with a free screening of "Interstellar," centered on an astronaut’s quest to find a new home for humanity.
Tradition and Teriyaki!
Ginza Holiday Festival
Taking place in Old Town’s Midwest Buddhist Temple (435 W. Menomonee) July 26 to 28, the annual Ginza Holiday Festival brings together an exciting mixture of Japanese American culture. Featuring the craft of traditional "Waza" artisans, taiko drumming performances, craft vendors, and skilled martial artists, the fest will also open the MBT chapel for people who want to learn about Shin Buddhism. Events run from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday. A $5 donation is suggested at the door.
Eat to the Beat!
Taste of Lincoln Avenue
The Taste of Lincoln Avenue street festival celebrates its 40th year at 2500 N. Lincoln Ave. from July 26 to 28. Live performers including ‘Stache!, Sixteen Candles, and Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute will perform alongside a gallery of local vendors and restaurants, a children’s carnival, and ticketed wine and whiskey tastings. Admission is free, with a $10 suggested donation. Hours are 3 - 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A Family Fiesta!
Fiesta del Sol
One of the largest Latino festivals in the Midwest returns to Pilsen July 25 to 28, at 2026 S. Blue Island Ave., with food from local vendors, traditional musical performances, carnival rides, a soccer tournament, and educational workshops. The Pilsen Neighbors Community Council (PNCC) brings the festival for its 52nd year to benefit local scholarships and act as an economic engine. The event runs from 3 - 10 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Lakeside Dance!
Community Lakefront Powwow at Foster Beach
Celebrate American Indian culture with an all-ages powwow July 25 at 5100 N. Simonds Drive, near Foster Beach, beginning at 6 p.m. Organized by the American Indian Center of Chicago, this event features performances of traditional dances and music from various tribes. Traditional cuisine will also be available. Admission is free.
Year of the Dragon!
Chinatown Summer Fair
Celebrating 45 years and counting, the Chinatown Summer Fair returns July 27 and 28 on Wentworth Avenue, running from Cermak to 24th Place. Beginning with a traditional lion dance procession, the free festival will feature Asian music and dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, street vendors, dance competitions, and a variety of delicious food. Hours are noon - 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday.
Weekends in the Park!
Wicker Park Fest
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the music-oriented Wicker Park Fest returns to the corner of Milwaukee and Wolcott July 26 to 28. Headliners include Jamila Woods, Superdrag, La Luz, and Fiji Blue, alongside a curated selection of house musicians. A 'Kids’ Fest will also premiere, along with special events for pets. A $10 gate donation assists the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce in promoting local businesses and funding local schools. The festival runs 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Music For Everyone!
Teens in the Park ‘Inferno’ Mobile Recording at Chase Park
As part of its Mobile Media Arts program, the Chicago Park District is bringing a free mobile recording lab to Chase Park (4701 N. Ashland) on July 24 to promote local arts and community development. Teenage attendees (13 to 19) will be given access to studio-quality equipment to produce and refine their music and engage in community workshops and peer meetups. The event takes place from 4 to 6 p.m.
Write Your Heart!
Poetry at the Green
The Chicago Poetry Center collaborates with The Green at 320 (320 S. Canal) to showcase local poets July 26 at 5:30 p.m. This week’s free performance features Jennifer Karmin, local poet and curator of the "Red Rover" poetry series. An open mic will be held afterwards for those who want to share their own pieces.
One World, One People!
Bantu Fest
Food, art, and culture from over 30 countries will be brought together at this multi-cultural festival commemorating diversity and unity over July 27 and 28. Along the Midway Plaisance (centered at 1130 Midway Plaisance), live musicians, global cuisine, dozens of vendors, a "Children’s Village," and "Village Shows" for each featured nation will run from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. One-day admission is $20 for adults, $10 for children.
Paying tribute to willie mays
John: Willie Mays was one of the all-time greats. He was born on May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama and died on June 18, 2024. He had a very special Hall of Fame life. He played baseball in the Negro League for the Birmingham Barons, then the New York Giants, the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets.
He also served in the U.S. Army in the Korean War from May 29, 1952 to July 28, 1953, so he missed about two seasons due to his service and he played most of his career at Candlestick Park, where you cannot hit a home run, because its location near the ocean made it windy and foggy. Still, he had an incredible baseball career with a .301 career batting average, 3,293 hits, 660 homers, 1,909 RBIs and 339 stolen bases in about 20 seasons of baseball.
Russell: My condolences to the family. I remember when I was 8 years old, San Fran would come to Chicago and kill my Cubs. The “Say, Hey” kid was a great man. Back
in the day it was hard for a Black man to play baseball. I am glad he could show what he could do. He was a wonderful fielder and in the 1954 World Series the NY Giants played against the Cleveland Indians – he caught everything.
He served his country. Just think – instead of 660 homers, he could have been up to 700.
William: Just overall, really impressive: the time he took out of baseball to be in the military and serve our country, his home runs, his RBIs, World Series victories, MVP awards.
And he stayed with the Giants almost the whole time before he went with the Mets in 1973. Nowadays there’s no loyalty in sports.
Allen: Of course, I am proud he was a Black man and broke the barrier. He started out with the Negro League, the Chattanooga Choo-
Choos. Jackie Robinson also came up through the Negro League, got into MLB. They did a real good job as Black soldiers. My condolences to the family.
John: Condolences. He had a lot of impressive feats, including NL batting champion one time in 1955 and four-time NL home run champion: 1955, 1962, ’64 and ’65.
On April 30, 1961, Willie Mays all by himself hit four home runs in a 14-4 trashing by the San Francisco Giants of the Milwaukee Braves, who are now the Atlanta Braves, in Milwaukee County Stadium. It would be more impressive if it were done at Candlestick Park, because its location near the ocean made it windy and foggy. You would see fans covered up in blankets in July.
Russell: A dozen Gold Gloves – the most of any center fielder -- from 1957-68. He was 93 years old, lived a good life. I
will remember you always.
William: My condolences to the Mays family. He broke the racial barrier like Frank Sinatra did with Sammy Davis Jr. May he rest in peace, and I hope he’s still having success in heaven’s baseball league.
Allen: I'm impressed that he started out playing baseball at age 17. And in 1954, and 1965, he won the Most Valuable Player Award, and 1951 he was considered the Rookie of the Year. I'm just thankful that I know a little bit about his history and that I lived during his lifetime.
John: Willie Mays had a great life, not only on the field but off. No one ever said a bad word about Willie Mays.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors (clockwise): A. Allen, Russell Adams, William Plowman, and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.
Check your heels! Everyday foot care
As we age, taking care of our feet becomes more and more important. Healthy feet allow us to safely stay balanced and move properly. Here are some foot care tips for seniors:
HYGIENE
• Wash Your Feet Regularly: Clean your feet every day, especially after exercising. Use mild soap and warm water to remove dirt and sweat.
• Dry Your Feet Properly: After washing, make sure to dry your feet well. Don’t forget to dry the spaces between your toes to avoid fungal infections.
• Moisturize: Apply a gentle moisturizer to prevent dryness and skin cracking.
SKIN AND NAIL CARE
• Daily Check: Check your feet daily. If you can't see the bottom of your foot, use a mirror or ask someone else to help.
• Regular Trims: Keep your toenails trimmed straight across to prevent ingrown toenails.
• Look for Redness or Sores: Treat issues quickly to prevent problems. This is especially important if you are diabetic or have blood flow problems.
• Foot Powder: Use cornstarch or foot powder to absorb excess moisture.
FOOTWEAR
• Comfortable Shoes: Choose well-fitting shoes that provide proper support. Tight or ill-fitting shoes can cause blisters, corns, or calluses.
• Cushioning: Look for shoes with proper cushioning to protect your feet.
• Avoid High Heels: Seniors should avoid wearing high heels regularly. They can cause foot problems and pain.
• Proper Socks: Choose socks made of materials that keep your feet dry to prevent fungal infections.
MEDICAL CARE
• Get Professional Help: If you have difficulty trimming your own nails, visit a podiatrist regularly.
• Regular foot checks with your doctor or podiatrist: Regular check-ups can maintain or improve foot health for seniors.
• Custom Inserts: If you have specific foot issues, you may need custom shoe inserts prescribed by a podiatrist.
Remember that healthy feet add to your physical well-being and allow for continued independence. By following these simple foot care practices, you can keep your feet comfortable and happy!
Dr. Marina Claudio is a board-certified family physician who has been in practice since 2003. She is currently a Medical Director at Molina Healthcare of Illinois/Wisconsin. She's a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the UIC/ Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency Program.
by Dr. Marina Claudio
From Wrongful conviction to Exoneration An Innocent man tells his Harrowing Story
by Stella Kapetan
In the National Register of Exonerations, Illinois leads the states with the most exonerations at 532 since the register’s inception in 1989. These wrongful convictions were based on one or more factors: police and prosecutorial misconduct, false confessions, eyewitness misidentification, faulty forensics, ineffective counsel, and paid and unreliable informants.
Nevest Coleman, age 54, one of the men in the register, spent 23 years in prison for a 1994 murder and rape before DNA testing led to his exoneration in 2017. He recently sat down with StreetWise Magazine to tell his story, from being beaten and coerced into a false confession, to his fight while incarcerated to clear his name, to the joys of freedom and the lingering challenges from his ordeal.
In 1994, Nevest was 25 years old, living on Chicago’s South Side. He was employed as a well-respected White Sox groundskeeper. He was active in his church and enjoyed spending time with his large, close-knit family that included his two young children and his fiancé who is also his son’s mother. He had never been arrested.
“At the time I was enjoying life because my daughter was born in 1992,” Nevest said. “Things were looking good for me. Everything was well. My son, Nicholas, was born in 1994. I was working since 18.”
His downward spiral started when his mother asked him to find the source of a foul odor in her Englewood home. Nevest and a friend found the body of 20-year-old Antwinica Bridgeman in the basement. It is unknown how Antwinica came to be there. The outside door to the basement was never locked, making it easily accessible.
Nevest’s mother called the police. Around 11 p.m., detectives came knocking, and Nevest went with them to the police station for questioning, despite his father’s apprehension.
“I haven’t done anything, so I’m going to go down there with them,” he told his father. “I was nervous, but I wasn’t afraid."
From that moment, Nevest would not be free for the next 23 years.
During a grueling and lengthy interrogation with about eight detectives looming over him in a small, windowless room, Nevest repeatedly denied involvement and said: “I have to go to work in the morning. Are you finished with me? They said, ‘We’ll be done in a minute, and you’ll be ready to go home.’”
In another room a detective suddenly punched Nevest in the face and called him a "lying n__".
“I said, “Why did you do that?’” He was punched again. “I fell and balled up.”
Nevest was then allowed to call his mother. “I don’t know what is wrong,” he told her. “I don’t know what is going on, mom.” She said she and his father would send someone to the station.
A man later entered the room and, “I asked, ‘Are you here to help me?”’ Nevest recounted. The man said yes. Nevest assumed he was the person his parents sent but would later learn he was an assistant state’s attorney (ASA). Nevest said that when he told him that a detective had hit him, “He said ‘we’ll talk about that later.'"
The detectives had Nevest repeatedly tell his story. “They said, 'that story isn’t good enough,'” Nevest said. They told him the story they wanted him to tell. ”That’s when I really got nervous and scared,” Nevest said. The fabricated tale involved Nevest and Antwinica walking home from a get together, running into two men, then all four going to Nevest’s mother’s home. There Nevest became angry that Antwinica was having sex with the other men and struck her. Then the other men killed her. The detectives asked Nevest what he would have done if that situation had been real. “I said I would have run away,” Nevest said. “The detective said ‘OK, you ran away.’”
His father came to the station in the morning. “Daddy, they beat me,” Nevest told him. “Whatever is going on I didn’t do it.” His father told him to calm down, and he would take care of it.
A detective later asked Nevest if he was hungry and gave him a breakfast sandwich. The ASA, who Nevest still thought was there to help him, and a detective asked him how the detectives treated him. He said alright because they had given him food. Nevest later learned his father had brought him the sandwich.
Afterward, the ASA told him to say what happened. Nevest said this time he told the fictitious story because detectives assured him he would be able to go home if he did and “I didn’t want to get beat up anymore.”
The ASA had Nevest initial and sign the transcription taken by a court reporter. The ASA then revealed who he really was. Then they “locked me up.” Nevest said. “That’s when I realized I wasn’t going home. I was scared and nervous.”
Nevest immediately recanted his confession to his father and the attorney his family hired.
While in Cook County jail for more than three years awaiting trial, Nevest read in a law book that a defendant could not be convicted on a confession alone. And no physical evidence was found at the crime scene. “I’ll be home soon,” Nevest told his mother. “Everything was looking good.’”
His attorney had said not to worry, though Nevest thought he was not fighting for him.
At his trial, Nevest was deeply hurt as two of the detectives who had interrogated him testified he was never hit. The detective who punched him did not testify, and Nevest does not know his name.
Nevest smiled at his family as the jury returned from deliberation, believing he would be acquitted. But the foreman announced he was guilty of murder and rape. “I put my head down and started crying,” Nevest recalled. “I looked at my attorney and shook my head. I looked at my family who were hugging each other and crying. My brother told me to be cool.” Nevest was found not guilty of kidnapping.
The judge sentenced Nevest to natural life plus 30 years without the possibility of parole. “I started crying,” Nevest said. “I was scared and terrified thinking of what I heard about what happens in prison to someone convicted of rape and murder of a woman."
Soon after arriving in prison, Nevest lined up his medication intending to kill himself, but pushed it away. “I thought about my son and daughter and my family and what I would
Left: Nevest Coleman today (Stella Kapetan photo). Right: Coleman (left) returns to work at with the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2018 (Chicago White Sox on X photo).
The Chicago Torture justice Memorial
Disgraced Chicago police commander Jon Burge and a number of his detective subordinates terrorized suspects with various tortures to force them into confessions during the 1970s until Burge was fired in 1993. The names of these victims will be inscribed in the planned Chicago Torture Justice Memorial (CTJF). Most are African American males and some are still in prison.
“The memorial by Nia Architects represents the long fight to force the city to admit that it happened and that it shouldn’t have happened and we believe survivors,” said Jen Ash, executive director, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials Foundation.
The foundation aims to construct the memorial at 55th Place and King Drive in the Washington Park neighborhood. Groundbreaking is anticipated in the fall or early winter. The $3.5 million estimated cost is being funded from a Mellon Foundation grant, the City of Chicago and CTJF fundraising.
The list of 125 names to be inscribed was developed over the years by the People’s Law Office attorneys, CTJM organizers and the City of Chicago. It is likely that more individuals will be discovered, according to Ash.
The memorial encompasses people who were tortured by Burge and/or those under his command at the Chicago Police Department. Burge was fired about a year before Nevest Coleman's interrogation, so his name will not be on the memorial. However, according to Nevest's lawsuit, one detective who interrogated him had served under Burge.
For more information and updates on the memorial visit ctjmfoundation.org. – Stella Kapetan
put them through,” he said. “And I realized I couldn’t let the state or police win. And if I would be found innocent and cleared of all charges, I would be dead. My family is still here, and from day one I told people 'I’m going home. This won’t last long. I’ll be free. Sooner or later, something is going to happen.'”
Regular visits from his family anchored him to sanity. But he convinced his fiancée that it was best for her to stop visiting and move on with her life. And his father “could not bear to see me in jail because he couldn’t take me home with him,” Nevest said. His father’s only visit was two days before he died, and Nevest believes he came because he knew he was dying. Nevest’s mother died in 2009. Nevest said that it was “eating him up” to miss his parents’ funerals, children’s graduations, son’s sporting events and grandchildren’s births. “But I realized if something happened to me as far as snapping out it would affect them as well.”
Nevest also drew strength from the close friendships formed with a group of nine other inmates he refers to as brothers.
At Menard Correctional Center he worked as a grounds crewmember and cleaned the cell house. A corrections officer told him that he had followed his case and believed Nevest would be going home one day and to be patient.
Nevest’s future started looking bright in 2016 when the Cook County State’s Attorney’s conviction integrity unit began reinvestigating his case, according to The National Registry of Exonerations. The clothes Antwinica was wearing when she was killed and her fingernails were tested for DNA. It matched a convicted serial rapist. Nevest was excluded from the DNA profile.
Soon afterward, Hill Correctional Center prison employees told Nevest to get dressed. He thought they were going to beat him up or send him to segregation. Instead, he was told he had an attorney call. Nevest had no attorney but took the call. On the phone was Russell Ainsworth from the Exoneration Project who said he was going to look into Nevest’s case.
“I thought this had to be a joke,” Coleman said.
Ainsworth and others from the Exoneration Project began asking Nevest questions about the case. Nevest was leery of them at first, remembering how he said he was tricked by the ASA. But they gained his trust after they talked with his family.
The Exoneration Project fights to free the wrongfully convicted, exonerate the innocent and bring justice to the justice system, according to their website. They have had more than 200 clients exonerated since 2007.
As a result of the DNA test result, Nevest attended court hearings where a bailiff told him he knew he was coming back. “It made me feel proud,” Nevest said. “I had one foot out the door.”
On Sunday, Nov 19, 2017, prison officials told Nevest to pack up. He recounted: “I said I’m not packing up anything because packing up on a Sunday means something bad is going to happen. They said ‘you must not have heard.’ I said ‘heard about what?’ They said ‘just pack your stuff.’” Nevest
nervously paced the cell all night before he was allowed to make a call the next day.
“My sister said ‘didn’t you hear, you are free,’” Nevest recalled. ‘We are out here waiting for you to come out.’ I said, what? I asked the corrections officer if he was going to lock me up again, and he said, ‘Coleman, you are a free man.’ I got a smile. I shouted ‘I am a free man.”’
Ainsworth came to the prison a few hours later. “He said, ‘I knew you were going home,’” Nevest recalled. “I thanked and hugged him.” At about 1:20 p.m. Nevest, with Ainsworth beside him, walked out of prison. Nevest’s siblings and children reached out and grabbed him as he walked toward them.
“My daughter said ‘Daddy, I have a surprise,’” Nevest said. “She handed me my granddaughter. I hugged her while crying.”
Nevest’s brother asked what he wanted, and on their way to their cousin’s house for a chicken and pizza dinner, they bought a cold Starbucks drink Nevest had seen advertised on the prison television.
Nevest was nervous at the house because he was in a different environment. Also, he didn’t know if he could trust the non-family members there whom he had known before prison, as he knew that some friends had told people in the neighborhood they thought he was guilty. He also remembered the detectives who interrogated him and the fellow prisoners who came to him as a friend but would later want to beat him up. This lack of trust still persists. “I only trust my family and my attorneys,” he said.
That night Nevest slept on the couch to be out in the open and because a closing bedroom door reminded him of his steel prison cell door slamming shut. It would be five months before he could sleep in a bed.
Prosecutors said in a hearing two weeks later they would not retry Nevest. The same judge who had sentenced him told him he was free to go. The Chief Cook County Criminal Courts judge issued Nevest a certificate of innocence the next year.
A few months after Nevest’s release, Jerry Powe, White Sox groundskeeper supervisor, asked Nevest if he wanted his old job back. Jerry had offered character testimony at Nevest’s trial and had visited him in prison. Nevest reported for work at Guaranteed Rate Field a week later with his lunch in hand. Head groundskeeper Roger Bossard greeted him: “I saved you your spot. I knew you would be back,” the Chicago Tribune reported at the time.
Nevest was assigned to keep Gate 4 – the main entranceand the surrounding area clean and in order. “I loved it,” he said of the job he still has today. “I felt like I never left. It felt good to be back at the job I had before.”
Nevest with his siblings, from left: Miguel, Jennice, Nevest, Angie, and Louis (photo provided by Nevest Coleman).
A security guard at Guaranteed Rate Field, who was also a retired Chicago policeman, asked to shake Nevest’s hand and apologize. “You don’t owe me an apology,” Nevest told him. “But he said, ‘what they did to you reflects on us all. There are some good cops.’” Nevest shook his hand. “I can’t dislike them all,” Nevest said.
Nevest said the best thing about being free is the ability “to move about by myself, nobody to tell me where to go. I can go to see my grandchildren whenever I feel like it and see my family. I eat and take a shower whenever I want. When my family says come over, or let’s do this or that, I stop doing what I am doing to spend time with them.”
But he still suffers effects from his ordeal. “Physically I’m free, but mentally I’m not free.” He faces the window while dining in restaurants so he can view his surroundings. He feels safe and secure at home only after he checks all locks and windows. He does not wear earbuds at work to be aware of who is around him and works only when there will be no crowds. “I don’t trust people in the streets,” he said. ”I don’t know what you may do to me, what you are capable of doing to me.”
Also, he said he has “associates that he hangs out with” but does not call them friends. Again, it is a trust issue.
He is angry that there has been no repercussion for the detectives who interrogated him and he wonders what they and the ASA think about his exoneration and their role in sending an innocent man to prison. He is also angry that police officers whose misconduct results in wrongful convictions remain on the force. “They don’t take them away from their family,” Nevest said.
Nevest has filed a lawsuit against the detectives involved in his interrogation, City of Chicago, Cook County and the ASA. It is awaiting a trial date. The lawsuit states that several of the detectives had been involved in torture and other misconduct resulting in false confessions where the defendants were found not guilty at trial or were later exonerated. One detective, the lawsuit alleges, trained under disgraced Chicago Police Department Commander Jon Burge, who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice charges in a civil case about his participation in the torture of suspects.
Nevest reached a settlement in his lawsuit against the State of Illinois.
The lack of justice for Antwinica Bridgeman remains a tragedy. No charges have been filed in her murder, despite the DNA test results.
Nevest’s present and future involves his family, whose support and love have always sustained him. “I take my son and my daughter and my grandchildren and spend all the time I can with them,” he said. “Now I can actually move forward with them.”
Palenque
wants to
multi-unit through new ordinance
Palenque LSNA (Liberating Spaces though Neighborhood Action) has proposed a Northwest Preservation Ordinance, which would impose a $20,000 demolition impact surcharge on conversion of multi-unit housing to single family homes.
The ordinance seeks to protect affordable housing in Logan Square, Avondale, Hermosa and Humboldt Park. Fees generated by the surcharge would help fund the Here to Stay Community Land Trust.
“Our community is at a crossroads, facing pressures from high-density development near transit without adequate racial justice and affordability measures,” Palenque LSNA leaders said on Facebook. “We have witnessed the adverse effects of gentrification firsthand, particularly in Logan Square. Our fight
Left: Nevest in his Wendell Phillips High School senior portrait. Right: Nevest working at gate 4 at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Both photos provided by Nevest Coleman).
LSNA Preserve homes new
is to ensure that new developments do not displace long-term Black and brown residents who deserve to benefit from improvements in their neighborhoods.”
Palenque press material also cited the 2023 study by the Institute of Housing at DePaul University, which notes the role of two- to four-unit buildings as unsubsidized, lower-cost rental housing. In 2012, these units comprised 38 percent of Chicago’s rental stock but in 2021, just 32 percent.
Logan Square/Avondale saw a 15.3% decline in affordable units between 2012-14 and 2019-21: from 40.4% of its housing stock to just 25%.
West Town/Near West Side had a 14.6% decrease in this period and Rogers Park/Uptown, a 12.5% decrease.
– Suzanne Hanney, from prepared materials
making a difference scholarships
Hosted in partnership with the Chicago Urban League, 1-800-TruckWreck honored 15 graduating seniors during a June 28 luncheon at Malcolm X College with $2,500 scholarships, renewable each year they are in college. Created by Amy Witherite, owner of 1-800-TruckWreck, the Making a Difference Scholarship provides financial assistance to students who have demonstrated leadership in their schools and communities.
The scholarship winners include: Dylan Flowers, Gary Comer College Prep, who wants to major in computer science at Morgan State and become a software engineer; Tremayne Russell, Ogden International, who will major in economics at Trinity College with the goal of a career in business; Marcus Driver Jr., Morgan Park Academy, who will major in biology at Tuskegee University, focused on either veterinary medicine or wildlife biology; Sarra Hassan of Lane Tech, Aamina Fields of The Chicago High School for the Arts, and Ayanna McClain of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School, all of whom want to major in psychology and become psychiatrists, with Fields continuing at North Carolina A & T and McClain at Grand Valley State.
Nikolayshia Jones of Lindblom Math and Science Academy will go to Howard University for journalism and film; Kosisochukwu Okeke, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, will go to the University of Illinois at Chicago for nursing; Azaria Muhammad, Kenwood Academy High School, to Spelman College for biology with the goal of opening a women’s clinic.
Mariah Gause, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, seeks to major in chemistry at North Carolina A & T to become a dentist/orthodontist. Rowan Mitchell, Kenwood Academy High School, will continue at Xavier Louisiana in biology on the way to becoming a cardiologist. Denyia Hall, Perspectives Leadership, wants to major in nursing at Western Illinois University and return to a Chicago hospital as a registered nurse. Mauricia Harris, Thornwood High School, will continue in business administration at Indiana Tech with the goal of owning a salon and becoming a fashion designer. Isis Clark of Disney II Magnet High School will major in musical theatre at Howard University, and Tazajhe Wells of Muchin College Prep in fashion merchandising at Clark Atlanta.
For the second consecutive year, 1-800-TruckWreck and Witherite Law Group made a record $900,000 donation to fund higher education for students from Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, all cities where it has locations.
– Suzanne Hanney, from prepared materials
Scholarship recipient
Tremayne Russell with Maya Hightower, Director of Community Relations for Witherite Law Group (Witherite Law Group photo).
