July 5 - 11, 2023

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Arts & Entertainment

Event highlights of the week!

SportsWise

The SportsWise Team discusses its favorite summertime activities.

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Cover Story: Farm bill

Every five years, Congress passes legislation commonly known as the "farm bill," which sets national policy for agriculture, conservation, forestry -- and nutrition. Roughly 80 percent of the money goes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, which feeds nearly 43 million people in the U.S.

A former deputy secretary of agriculture describes four challenges in shaping the next billl, for which congressional hearings have already begun.

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From the Streets

The City of Chicago receives funding from the Mellon Foundation to add monuments in honor of people who have historically been excluded or underrepresented. Also, during its recently concluded spring session, the Illinois General Assembly approved $85 million in new money against homelessness, as outlined by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

Inside StreetWise

Vendor A. Allen chats about three vendors and friends known as the "StreetWise globetrotters": Jeremiah Holcomb, Joe Jones, and Sam Sanders.

The Playground

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.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Compiled by Kyra Walker

Inside a Creative Mind!

20x2 Chicago

20x2 is a live event where 30 creative people from all different walks of life - writers, musicians, filmmakers, web geeks and other bon vivants - are asked the same questions and given 2 minutes each to answer in any way they choose. The results may take any form, from spoken word to music and film, and can be as varied as the emotions and reactions they evoke. This edition’s question is “W hat Did You See?” The show is hosted by Andrew Huff, featuring local artists Veronica Arreola, Lily Be, Keidra Chaney, Jasmine Davila, Amy Eaton, Noah Ginex, Connor Gorman, Theo Hahn, Jitesh Jaggi, Felix Jung, Edward Moses, Nikki Nigl, Alisa Rosenthal, Charles Peterson, Raven See, Scott Smith, Jenni Spinner, Moshe Tamssot, Don Washington, Brenda Wlazlo. See the answers at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St $20 at 20x2chi.org or at the door. 21+.

Performance & Parade!

Firebird Parade at Caracol Gathering Space

As part of Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks, Guggenheim Fellow in Choreography Nejla Yatkin has surprised visitors in various parks with free pop-up performances of her Firebird dance, based on the mythical phoenix bird that purifies land and water, bestowing fertility. On Saturday, July 8, she will lead a concluding performance followed by a parade, 5-7 p.m. at the Caracol Gathering Space just south of the McCormick Place bird sanctuary. Roaming visitors are welcome to add their own Firebird flourishes – costumes, sounds and movements – to the event. Raindate is 5 p.m. July 9.

Keys Facing Off!

Chicago Duo Piano Festival

Celebrate the 35th anniversary season of the Chicago Duo Piano Festival. Founded in 1988 by Music Institute of Chicago piano duo Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem, the July 7-16 festival's mission is to foster a deeper interest in the repertoire, performance and teaching of music for four hands and two pianos. Enjoy celebratory works by Schubert, Brahms, Holst, Richard Strauss, Chabrier, Ravel and more. Concerts will be at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston. More information at www.musicinst.org/chicago-duo-piano-festival

The Godmother of Rock 'N' Roll!

Marie and Rosetta

Hailed as the “Godmother of Rock ‘n Roll” Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced various rock icons, from Elvis to Jimi Hendrix. Rosetta was a trailblazer. She sang at church in the morning and the Cotton Club at night. This play with music showcases Rosetta’s first rehearsal with young protégée Marie Knight as they prepare for a tour that would establish them as one of the greatest duets in history. The play will run July 6-August 6 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd. Tickets are $35+ at northlight.org/events/marie-and-rosetta/

Wartime Gothic Novel!

'Author on Tap'

John Milas will be in conversation with Gus Moreno about his gothic horror novel, “The Militia House” on July 11, 7-8 p.m. at Exile in Bookville, 410 S. Michigan Ave. Milas served on active duty in the Marine Corps and was deployed in Afghanistan in 2010. The book focuses on Corporal Loyette and his unit, and their strange visit to the militia house. The story is a brilliant exploration of the unceasing horrors of war that’s no more easily shaken than the militia house itself. Milas will sign books after the event. FREE. Register on exileinbookville.com

Artisan Makers Outside!

Summer Artisan Fest

On July 8, spend a summer afternoon at Independence Park, 3945 N Springfield Ave. From 11 a.m.-5 p.m., shop over 40 artisans, from home décor, to jewelry, to clothing, vintage items and everything in between. Bring a blanket and enjoy music and food. RSVP on Eventbrite.com

Eye-Opening Cinema!

Film Screening: 'Crip Camp'

Kick off Disability Awareness Month with a revolutionary movie about those with disabilities on July 6. "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution" is about a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities. They talk about how the camp transformed their lives while igniting a landmark movement. This film will be shown at the Chicago Public Library’s Little Village branch, 2311 S. Kedzie Ave., from 1-3 p.m. Thursday, July 6. Masks are encouraged in all spaces of the library.

Harry Potter: Magic at Play

Beyond Storytime!

Harry Potter Story Time returns at 11 a.m.

every Thursday in July to Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. Children can explore the Dursley’s living room, step onto a boat and cross the Great Lake to Hogwart, take some of Hogwarts’ most beloved classes, practice quidditch, fend off a swarm of Cornish Pixies in defense against the Dark Arts, traverse the Forbidden Forest, and so much more. Tickets start at $19. Learn more and purchase tickets at harrypottermagicatplay.com/chicago

Growing Up in 90s Chicago!

Erika Sánchez

New York Times best-selling author Erika Sanchez (“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter”) will celebrate the release of her memoir, “Crying in the Bathroom,” at 7 p.m. July 11 at Pilsen Community Books, 1102 W. 18th St. Sanchez grew up in Chicago in the ‘90s as the daughter of immigrants, a self-described pariah and melancholic rabble-rouser. Now an awardwinning author, she writes about everything from sex to white feminism to debilitating depression. Space is limited and masks are required. Register at pilsencommunitybooks.cm/events

Jazz For All!

The Courtyard Series: The Chris Greene Quartet

The Chris Greene Quartet has been a highly visible part of Chicago’s jazz scene since 2005. See the CGQ at 6:30 p.m. July 11 at Colvin House, 5940 N. Sheridan Road. Members Steve Corley, Damian Espinosa, and Marc Piane have been able to develop a true group sound and feel, harking back to bands from the classic age of jazz when groups could stay together for a long period of time, yet they still incorporate elements of funk, hip-hop, rock, pop, the blues and reggae. The CGQ has been honored at the 2018 Chicago Music Awards for “Best Jazz Entertainer” and was voted “Best Jazz Ensemble” in 2022. FREE. Reserve your spot on Eventbrite.com

Summer is back & in full swing

Russ: Pat, please let me go. Every year we do this, it gets my mind moving. Talking about our favorite games to play in the summer is an interesting topic. Well, first and foremost, I’m 64—

All: (Laughter.)

Russ: Yes, I am 64, so my sports-playing options are a bit limited. However, the ones that move me the most have been the same since I was a shorty. Y’all heard of Piggy?

Patrick: Of course! The onliest game everybody can play when at a BBQ.

Russ: That’s right. All you need is a softball, a bat, a place to play and, at the very least, three people. No base running. Someone pitches, someone hits, and everybody else tries to catch it on the fly or on a bounce. There are rules, though, that y’all work out before the game. One of them is there can’t be more than one bounce before a solid catch. Another one is it must be a solid catch—no juggling. But, yeah, if you get those things right, you get to bat. You hit, then eventually someone will catch a ball from you, then they bat.

John: And it keeps on going. Shoot, I never played softball as much as baseball, but I do remember playing it.

Patrick: What about you, John? What’s yours?

John: Well, I used to play baseball and bowl a little while I

was with my sister in Las Vegas, but the two sports I enjoy the most in the summer are basketball and swimming.

Patrick: What is it about these two?

John: Both you can play solo, get a good workout and, more importantly, time really does go by when I’m having fun. Swimming, I would do the float, challenging hard against the choppy water. If it’s not too rough, it’s fun as heck. However, we gotta be aware of not getting caught in one of them rip currents. Now, basketball, on the other hand, my idea of fun is either full court 5-on-5, or the suicide drill.

Donald: Suicide drill?

John: Yeah, so, if I miss a three-pointer, I grab the rebound, run a fast break. In the middle of the court, I already had placed cones—3, to be exact—and I leap over them and hit a layup. The—

Russ: Hol’ up.

Patrick: (Laughter.)

Russ: Okay, so you saying you’re really Superman or somebody?

John: (Laugh.) Listen, I do all I can to make sure I don’t have to do too much leaping! Shoot, I’m almost a master three-point shooter now!

Patrick: Right!

Donald: Man, get outta here. Cones?

John: Yeah. Outside, I can bring whatever I want to the court. On the inside, usually, the gym lets me. It’s only when it’s crowded they don’t.

Patrick: Does sound like it’d be a good workout, assuming you miss a few three-pointers of course.

Russ: Right.

John: It is. It’s a better workout than just playing 21 or 32 or any of those games not teamfocused. In those, there’s way more standing around than anything.

Patrick: Good points, John. Well, I guess my favorite summer sport—and I don’t do it enough—is badminton. Love me some friggin’ badminton; nearly as much as I love pingpong. Badminton’s a lil’ easier to access, so to speak, than the other two, so that’s mine.

Donald: I used to like badminton a lot.

Russ: What about you, Don? You got anything?

Donald: My favorite summer sports to play these days are the ones that sit right within my mind…as I watch others work it out. I’m nice and good.

Any comments or suggestions?

Email pedwards@streetwise.org

Rashanah Baldwin

Vendors (l-r) Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.

THese four challeNges will shape the next FARM BILL -and how the u.s. eats

by Kathleen Merrigan

For the 20th time since 1933, Congress is writing a multiyear farm bill that will shape what kind of food U.S. farmers grow, how they raise it and how it gets to consumers. These measures are large, complex and expensive: The next farm bill is projected to cost taxpayers US$1.5 trillion over 10 years.

Modern farm bills address many things besides food, from rural broadband access to biofuels and even help for small towns to buy police cars. These measures bring out a dizzying range of interest groups with diverse agendas.

Umbrella organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union typically focus on farm subsidies and crop insurance. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition advocates for small farmers and ranchers. Industry-specific groups – such as cattlemen, fruit and vegetable growers and organic producers – all have their own interests.

Environmental and conservation groups seek to influence policies that affect land use and sustainable farming practices. Hunger and nutrition groups target the bill’s sections on food aid. Rural counties, hunters and anglers, bankers and dozens of other organizations have their own wish lists. As a former Senate aide and senior official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I’ve seen this intricate process from all sides. In my view, with the challenges in this round being so complex, and with critical 2024 elections looming, it could take Congress until 2025 to craft and enact a bill.

Here are four key issues shaping the next farm bill, and through it, the future of the U.S. food system:

THE PRICE TAG

Farm bills always are controversial because of their high cost, but this year the timing is especially tricky. In the past two years, Congress has enacted major bills to provide

economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, counter inflation, invest in infrastructure and boost domestic manufacturing.

These measures follow unprecedented spending for farm support during the Trump administration. Legislators recently jockeyed over raising the debt ceiling, which limits how much the federal government can borrow to pay its bills.

Agriculture Committee leaders and farm groups argue that more money is necessary to strengthen the food and farm sector. If they have their way, the price tag for the next farm bill would increase significantly from current projections.

On the other side, reformers argue for capping payments to farmers, which The Washington Post recently described as an “expensive agricultural safety net,” and restricting payment eligibility. In their view, too much money goes to very large farms that produce commodity crops like wheat, corn, soybeans and rice, while small and medium-size producers receive far less support.

FOOD AID IS THE KEY FIGHT

Many people are surprised to learn that nutrition assistance – mainly through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps – is where most farm bill money is spent. Back in the 1970s, Congress began including nutrition assistance in the farm bill to secure votes from an increasingly urban nation.

Today, over 42 million Americans depend on SNAP, including nearly 1 in every 4 children. Along with a few smaller programs, SNAP will likely consume 80% of the money in the new farm bill, up from 76% in 2018.

Why have SNAP costs grown? During the pandemic, SNAP benefits were increased on an emergency basis, but that temporary arrangement expired in March 2023. Also, in response to a directive included in the 2018 farm bill, the Department of Agriculture recalculated what it takes to afford a healthy diet, known as the Thrifty Food Plan, and determined that it required an additional $12-$16 per month per recipient, or 40 cents per meal.

Because it’s such a large target, SNAP is where much of the budget battle will play out. Most Republicans typically seek to rein in SNAP; most Democrats usually support expanding it.

Anti-hunger advocates are lobbying to make the increased pandemic benefits permanent and defend the revised Thrifty Food Plan. In contrast, Republicans are calling for SNAP reductions and are particularly focused on expanding work requirements for recipients.

DEBATING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provided $19.5 billion to the Department of Agriculture for programs that address climate change. Environmentalists and farmers alike applauded this investment. The intention is to help the agriculture sector embrace climate-smart farming practices and move toward markets that reward carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services.

OrGANIC AGrICULTURE AS CLIMATE SOLUTION

Organic agriculture helps mitigate climate change in several ways, according to the nonprofit National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

First, organic farming reduces greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, as well as industrial gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, which trap heat from the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere that would otherwise escape back into space. Organic farms rely on composting and crop rotation to improve the health of soil in which crops are grown, rather than fossil fuel-based fertilizers.

Fossil fuel-based fertilizers – whose production is energy intensive – are prohibited in organic farming. So are most synthetic pesticides and fumigant pesticides, like chloropicrin, which can raise nitrous oxides – the most potent greenhouse gas – by 700 to 800 percent.

Organic farming also helps soils “sequester” or capture and hold more carbon, which also reduces nitrous oxide emissions. A lack of pesticides means soil invertebrates like earthworms, spiders and other insects can live to form soil components that build organic carbon.

Because organic matter is continuously retained in the soil, organic agriculture replenishes groundwater and helps crops perform well in extreme wet or dry weather: up to 40 percent better in drought years. Read more at: https:// www.nrdc.org/resources/grow-organic-climatehealth-and-economic-case-expanding-organicagriculture – Suzanne Hanney, from online sources

Below: Tractor (photo by Sergio Orojoes). Right: Organic farming (Aleksandar Wolff photo). Page 10: Fresh produce at the Waverly Market, Baltimore, Maryland (Edwin Remsberg photo). Page 11: Jaqueline Benitez puts away groceries at her home. Benitez, 21, who works as a preschool teacher, depends on SNAP benefits to help pay for food (Allison Dinner photo)

SNAP AS A BENEFIT TO THE ECONOMY

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not only the nation’s largest food assistance program, it’s an automatic stabilizer for the economy.

During an economic downturn, for example, when unemployment increases and wages fall, more individuals become eligible for SNAP and enroll. As SNAP participants spend their federal benefits, they generate income for those involved in producing, transporting, and marketing the food. The impact of this increased spending by SNAP households “multiplies” throughout the economy as businesses supplying the food and other goods—and their employees—have additional funds to make purchases of their own.

A 2019 study by the U.S.D.A.’s Economic Research Service showed that a hypothetical $1 billion increase in SNAP benefits in a slowing economy would increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $1.54 billion. This increase would in turn support 13,560 jobs, including nearly 500 agricultural jobs (farming, forestry, fishing, and hunting). The expanded benefits would also boost income in the agriculture industries by $32 million.

Also, research shows that when government spending targets low-income individuals, such as SNAP recipients, the multipliers tend to be larger. The reason is that low-income recipients of government assistance spend most, if not all, of the money they receive soon after receiving it. (The free market-based Foundation for Economic Education, however, said policy intentions are one thing and actual practice is another; food stamp recipients tend to treat extra benefits like gamblers winning more disposable “house money,” and spend it on junk food.) Higher income individuals, on the other hand, are more likely to delay consumption and save or invest the money. Read more at: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/july/ quantifying-the-impact-of-snap-benefits-on-the-u-seconomy-and-jobs

–

Suzanne Hanney, from online sources

This big pot of money has become a prime target for members of Congress who are looking for more farm bill funding. On the other side, conservation advocates, sustainable farmers and progressive businesses oppose diverting climate funds for other purposes.

There also is growing demand for Congress to require USDA to develop better standards for measuring, reporting, and verifying actions designed to protect or increase soil carbon. Interest is rising in “carbon farming” – paying farmers for practices such as no-till agriculture, and planting cover crops, which some studies indicate can increase carbon storage in soil.

But without more research and standards, observers worry that investments in climate-smart agriculture will support green washing – misleading claims about environmental benefits –rather than a fundamentally different system of production. Mixed research results have raised questions as to whether establishing carbon markets based on such practices is premature.

A COMPLEX BILL AND INEXPERIENCED LEGISLATORS

Understanding farm bills requires highly specialized knowledge about issues ranging from crop insurance to nutrition to forestry. Nearly one-third of current members of Congress were first elected after the 2018 farm bill was enacted, so this is their first farm bill cycle.

I expect that, as often occurs in Congress, new members will follow more senior legislators’ cues and go along with

traditional decision making. This will make it easier for entrenched interests, like the American Farm Bureau Federation, and major commodity groups, to maintain support for Title I programs, which provide revenue support for major commodity crops like corn, wheat and soybeans. These programs are complex, cost billions of dollars and go mainly to large-scale operations.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s current stump speech spotlights the fact that 89% of U.S. farmers failed to make a livable profit in 2022, even though total farm income set a record at $162 billion. Vilsack asserts that less-profitable operations should be the focus of this farm bill – but when pressed, he appears unwilling to concede that support for large-scale operations should be changed in any way.

When I served as deputy secretary of agriculture from 2009 to 2011, I oversaw the department’s budget process and learned that investing in one thing often requires defunding another. My dream farm bill would invest in three priorities: organic agriculture as a climate solution, infrastructure to support vibrant local and regional markets and shift away from an agricultural economy dependent on exporting low-value crops, and agricultural science and technology research aimed at reducing labor and chemical inputs, and providing new solutions for sustainable livestock production.

In my view, it is time for tough policy choices, and it won’t be possible to fund everything. Congress’ response will show whether it supports business as usual in agriculture, or a more diverse and sustainable U.S. farm system.

Kathleen Merrigan is executive director, Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, Arizona State University; and former deputy secretary, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Courtesy of The Conversation.

A HIGhER FOCUS ON nUTrITION

Since October 2021, recipients of food stamps, otherwise known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP), have received a permanent increase, in order to obtain foods that are lower in price, yet higher in nutrient density.

The permanent SNAP increase – generally between $12 to $16 per person, per month – was required by the 2018 farm bill, which also stipulated that food stamp benefits must be reevaluated every five years. Food stamps account for 80 percent of the farm bill, with the remainder devoted mostly to crop insurance and conservation.

The reason for the benefits increase is that U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines recognize that 60 percent of American adults have one or more diet-related chronic diseases. About 74 percent of adults are overweight or obese, while 40 percent of children and adolescents are overweight. Hypertension encompasses 45 percent of adults (54% of Blacks and 46% of whites); type 1 or 2 diabetes touches 11 percent of Americans; 35% have prediabetes.

Based on food prices in June 2021, the cost of a SNAP Market Basket for a family with male and female heads of household age 20-50 and two children, age 6-8 and 9-11, is now $835.57 a month. The intended breakdown is 25 percent protein, 24 percent vegetables, 16 percent grains, 14 percent each fruits and dairy, and 7 percent miscellaneous.

According to an Urban Institute study, SNAP benefits are now adequate for 79 percent of recipients in the U.S., but there’s a gap for the remaining 21 percent. In Cook County, the SNAP benefit per meal is $2.38, while a modestly priced meal costs $2.41. That’s 1% more than the SNAP benefit.

– Suzanne Hanney,

from online sources

City to receive $6.8M From Mellon Foundation for new Monuments

On June 20, the Mellon Foundation announced a $6.8 million grant to the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) to support installation of eight priority projects – including a Chicago Torture Justice Memorial, as part of the Chicago Monuments Project (CMP).

These eight projects will add – permanently and temporarily – to the City of Chicago’s collection, and memorialize events, people, and groups that historically have been excluded or underrepresented.

“Chicago’s monuments and memorials are more than just public art — they speak directly to the values, history, and vision of our great city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I’m grateful for the Mellon Foundation’s support of the Chicago Monuments Project and the creation of cultural works around labor, civil rights, racial justice, and other areas that represent our diversity, honor our history, and tell our story.”

Collective soul-searching about Chicago’s 500 monuments began in the wake of George Floyd’s death in May 2020. CMP was a collaboration between DCASE, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and the Chicago Park District (CPD). Its work was guided by an advisory committee of community leaders, artists, architects, scholars, curators, and City officials. As the first conversation of its kind in a major U.S. city, it drew thousands of Chicagoans from diverse communities via surveys, live discussions and online comments at ChicagoMonuments.org

FROM THE STREETS

Forty-one monuments necessitated discussion, based on stereotypical depictions of Native Americans, or racist acts committed by those portrayed, according to CMP’s final report issued last August.

CMP agreed that its most important work was in the development of new works that will tell an inclusive story going forward. As part of its engagement process, CMP released a call, “Reimagining Monuments: Request for Ideas,” to solicit proposals from individual artists, and from community groups that rethink the place, purpose, and permanence of monuments in our public spaces. DCASE provided initial planning grants of $50,000 to groups behind eight new works:

• Chicago Torture Justice Memorial (1) Artist Patricia Nguyen and architectural designer John Lee dedicated it to torture survivors of Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge and his subordinates. The idea of a memorial dates to a historic reparation ordinance passed by the Chicago City Council in 2015.

(1) (2)

• George Washington Monument Intervention (2), in a public way in Bronzeville. Renowned Chicago artist Amanda Williams will explore the complicated connection between George Washington and the Black community by connecting famous figures like Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and everyday people who also carry the surname.

• A Long Walk Home (ALWH) (3): is an arts organization that empowers young people to end violence against girls and women, and is committed to activating public spaces with its vision. Along with #SayHerName: The Rekia Boyd Monument Project, they will design a temporary monument in Douglass Park with the goal of a permanent one.

• Mother Jones, in partnership with the Mother Jones Heritage Project (MJHP), will honor Irish Immigrant Mary Jones’s important contributions to labor history.

• Mahalia Jackson: The monument by artist Gerald Griffin was spearheaded by the Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI), to honor the legendary gospel singer at Mahalia Jackson Court. The new plaza and community gathering space at 79th and State streets is in the community where she lived.

• Pilsen Latina Histories, lead artist Diana Solis and scholars from the University of Illinois, Pilsen Arts & Community House staff, inspired by the book, “Chicanas of 18th Street: Narratives of a Movement from Latino Chicago,” will mark historic events that have shaped this neighborhood.

• Chicago Race Riots of 1919 Commemoration Project , designed and produced in partnership with youth artists at Firebird Community Arts’ Project FIRE, this

project will create durable glass bricks engraved with the names of 38 people killed during 13 days of brutal, racially motivated conflict. The bricks will be installed in predominantly Black and Brown Southwest Side residential areas, where the riot occurred.

• Early Chicago, a series of monuments that explore the settling of Chicago, including those to Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable (Chicago’s first non-indigenous settler), and his wife Kitihawa, and projects that amplify Native American stories. DCASE will work with the Chicago Park District to commission the monuments.

The new projects are in various stages of development; some have been in the works for many years and seek DCASE assistance to help implement existing designs. Other projects are new ideas where designs still need to be created. Additional funding from Mellon will also support ongoing programs that facilitate continued engagement of artists and communities. Also included are website creation, updating of signage, the development of public art education programs and tools, and funding for a comprehensive inventory, documentation, and condition assessment of the City’s collection.

Legislation brings aid for homeless services

As the Illinois General Assembly closed its spring session, Gov. J. B. Pritzker laid the groundwork to end homelessness in the state with his new budget initiative “Home Illinois,” which includes $85 million in new money to support homelessness services:

• $40.7 million to support Emergency and Transitional Housing

• $10.8 million toward Homelessness Prevention Programming

• $6 million toward Permanent Supportive Housing

• $3 million for Homeless Youth Programming.

The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) had sought additional funding for these four line items that address housing insecurity. The state’s budget also includes funds for asylum seekers, as well as federal funds for rapid rehousing, eviction support, triage shelters, and pilot programs.

CCH also sought legislation to provide additional support to people experiencing homelessness. For students, school may be the only place where things are stable. Schools are federally mandated to provide services, but sometimes students aren’t aware that help is available – and teachers are unsure how to identify or help them. HB 3116, sponsored by state Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville) and state Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) requires training for all school personnel.

In collaboration with Cabrini Green Legal Aid, CCH passed SB 1367, the Public Housing Access Bill, sponsored by state Sen. Christopher Belt (DEast St. Louis) and state Rep. Lillian Jimenez (D-Chicago) to make sure people exiting incarceration have access to public housing. The bill standardizes the criminal background screening process, shortens look-back periods, provides applicants an opportunity to present mitigating circumstances before being denied due to their background, and more.

CCH advocacy won a partial victory on Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). CCH sought a 20 percent increase, so that cash assistance would go from 30 percent of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), where it has been for six years, to 50 percent. Pritzker’s office sought to set the FPL level at 40 percent; final budget implementation will raise it to 35 percent of FPL.

–Suzanne Hanney, from email

–Suzanne Hanney, from email

Images provided by The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) speaking with Laura Davis, a service provider from Springfield, during CCH's Legislative Breakfast (Chicago Coalition for the Homeless photo).

Vendor A. Allen introduces the 'Streetwise globetrotters'

StreetWise has a variety of vendors, ranging from glorified beggars to professional entrepreneurs. All of the vendors have their own unique profiles and personalities, but some of them take it to a whole new level: like Michael Jordan playing basketball, Mike Tyson boxing or Michael Jackson singing and dancing.

StreetWise Globetrotters Joe Jones, Sam Sanders and Jeremiah Holcomb all show up collectively to become an awesome force.

A lot can be learned from their unity and synergy: the way they put their money together to rent hotel rooms and cars, how they share resources and relatives when they're in different cities. In the past year alone, they’ve been to the Super Bowl in Arizona, the Pro Bowl in Las Vegas, the Kentucky Derby and the Indy 500. They remind me of the Three Musketeers and their motto, “All for one, and one for all.”

They were all selling the magazine outside the Super Bowl in Arizona and someone gave them tickets to Shaquille O’Neal’s Super Bowl party, so they got inside. They also managed to sell outside the WM Phoenix Open that was happening at the same time. It was nothing new for Sam Sanders, who said he had been to golf events when he sold cars.

I asked each of them for advice on how they make it happen.

Joe Jones said that he has been a vendor for nearly 30 years and he saves up his tips above the magazine cover price to make trips happen. Also, since StreetWise is part of the International Network of Street Papers, with publications in nearly 100 places around the world, why not go the extra mile and sell StreetWise at major events to make a dollar.

Jeremiah Holcomb says to love yourself, stay focused, and remember, StreetWise is a hand up, not

a handout. "Stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.” He said he works long hours to afford his trips, and his customers also help him when they know he is planning to go somewhere. He likes to travel and meet people from different areas.

Sam Sanders says that to be streetwise, listen to the people, smile and thank them for their support. He has other sources of income that he juggles to be able to afford the trips. He not only works, he said, but he lives life. Sometimes, he combines work and play.

These guys are great examples of camaraderie and companionship among vendors – a brotherhood. We’d like to salute the StreetWise Globetrotters for taking StreetWise national, and being an example of teamwork.

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the

Last week's Answers

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When you buy the magazine, take the magazine, and read the magazine, you are supporting our microentrepreneurs earning an income with dignity.

New vendor orientation is every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at 2009 S. State St. Find your nearest vendor at www.streetwise.org