June 20 - 26, 2022 Vol. 30 No. 25
2
$
$1.10 + Tips go to vendor
Starting
June 27 Streetwise will cost
$3 + Tips
We Are Giving Our Vendors a Raise! Beginning June 27, StreetWise costs $3.00 + tips. Vendors will now earn $1.85 per issue instead of $1.10 for every magazine sold.
Why now? StreetWise has not increased the price of our magazine to the vendors or customers since 2008! It was only the second increase in the 30-year history of StreetWise. The cost of living has gone up 34% since 2008. A dollar's worth of goods in 2008 would cost $1.34 today. Our vendors deserve more money in their pockets to offset the rising costs of food, transportation and housing. StreetWise magazine is an award-winning weekly publication that also serves as a platform for people with lived experience to share their stories and their views as writers and more. Post-COVID inflation has hit us hard. Our production costs have increased 25% over last year.
Selling StreetWise is a Job Selling StreetWise isn’t begging, and it isn’t asking for charity. It’s a job. Our vendors are self-employed microentrepreneurs who build relationships and create connections between and across communities that change perceptions about homeless and low-income individuals. The new price of $3, with vendors paying $1.15 for their papers, means each paper sold nets the vendor a solid $1.85. It raises the floor so that our vendors earn a wage that is worth their while. It’s time for this to happen. We talked with our vendors and received feedback from some of our customers and supporters. We have nearly unanimous support for the price increase. Now is the time. The price increase, by expanding one of the most reliable income sources we have, will give StreetWise vendors an income they need to thrive, and not just survive.
Our Vendors Deserve a Raise!
4
Arts & (Home) Entertainment
6
SportsWise
8
Cover Story: Mass shootings
More and more events are happening in Chicago, and we want you to know about the best of the best!
The SportsWise team shares their favorite summertime activities from their youth.
Use of antidepressant medications among youth near schools that experienced shootings increased over 20% afterward and persisted for at least three years, according to a study profiled by The Conversation. The effects on adolescent mental health were more lasting when there were fatalities, but even without, students who experienced shootings were likely to be absent or to be held back a grade -- and to have less success in adult life. Meanwhile, better staffing by mental health professionals could provide frameworks to prevent school gun violence.
12
From the Streets
15
The Playground
Nonprofit Working In Concert teams with Chicago Public School students to present the opera "Future Perfect." In addition, Covenant House's new youth shelter opens in East Garfield Park, and Maya Ravanska from Macedonian street paper Lice v Lice talks about the effect of rising production costs on street papers.
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
StreetWiseChicago @StreetWise_CHI
Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief
suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
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
LEARN MORE AT streetwise.org
DONATE
To make a donation to StreetWise, visit our website at www.streetwise.org/donate/ or cut out this form and mail it with your donation to StreetWise, Inc., 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616. We appreciate your support!
My donation is for the amount of $________________________________Billing Information: Check #_________________Credit Card Type:______________________Name:_________________________________________________________________________________ We accept: Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express
Address:_______________________________________________________________________________
Account#:_____________________________________________________City:___________________________________State:_________________Zip:_______________________ Expiration Date:________________________________________________Phone #:_________________________________Email:_________________________________________
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Compiled by Emma Slings
Summer is Back!
Millennium Park Summer Music Series Millennium Park Summer Music Series at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St. (June 20 – August 18), offered 6:30-9 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, returns with an exciting variety of music from established and emerging artists. 2022 highlights include DakhaBrakha, a Ukrainian folk quartet that combines avant-garde, traditional and contemporary sounds; Charles Stepney: Out of the Shadows, a full ensemble tribute to “one of the underrated heroes of Chicago soul music”; globally renowned Nigerian Afrobeat saxophonist, composer and activist Femi Kuti; and Jeff Tweedy, founder of Wilco and one of contemporary music’s most accomplished musicians, with a special opening act from Chicago’s The People’s Music School. This program is made possible by the Millennium Park Foundation; sponsors include Chicago Transit Authority, Millennium Garages. MillenniumPark.org
Juneteenth Celebrations Continue!
Celebrate Juneteenth at the Field Museum Illinois residents have free admission to the Field Museum on June 20 in celebration of Juneteenth. Related events will be hosted throughout the day (free with museum admission). “Exploring Juneteenth: How the 1893 World’s Fair Connects to the Legacy of Ida B. Wells and the Continued Quest for Freedom” is from 10–11 a.m. with author and historian (and great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells!) Michelle Duster in the James Simpson Theatre. “Meet a Scientist: Representing the African American Experience at the 1892 World’s Fair” is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m in the Grainger Science Hub. For details, visit fieldmuseum.org.
Part Of Your World!
Music Theater Works Presents Disney’s 'The Little Mermaid' Spend part of your day under the sea with the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Now through June 26, Disney’s "The Little Mermaid" is performed at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL). This performance is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story and the Disney animated film and includes the familiar songs by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken. Tickets start at $19.50. Limited seating available! Interested in a more interactive experience, visit northshorecenter.org to purchase Under the Tea tickets where you can meet the characters while enjoying treats, beverages, and receive a special Under the Sea gift!
The Sound of Pride
ENTERTAINMENT
'Together We Rise' The Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire present their annual Pride Concert at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25 at Gannon Concert Hall of Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N. Halsted St., on the DePaul University campus. Each ensemble performs a variety of musical styles, from classical to pop. The Gay Chorus and Treble Quire are unique among LBGTQ+ choruses in that they perform both separately and together across a three-concert season each year: tenors, baritones and basses for the Gay Chorus, sopranos, mezzo-sopranos and altos for the Treble Quire. Tickets are $20-$40 at windycitysings.org/ pride. If you are interested in participating, email join@windycitysings.org or visit windycitysings.org/audition.
4
Just be a Queen!
Chicago Is A Drag Festival It’s the return of Chicago Is A Drag Festival! Get tickets and head to the Cheetah Gym Parking Lot in Andersonville (5248 N. Clark St.) on Friday, June 24 from 4–10 p.m. The festival will be outdoors with an exciting lineup of performers brought to you by A Queer Pride. Must be 21 or older to attend. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for entry.
Art Goes Green!
'Unsettled Ground: Art and the Environment' from the Smart Museum Collection W hat is happening in the conversation between art and the environment? Visit the Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., to listen. Curated by Katerina Korola with Berit Ness and student curators at the University of Chicago, the featured exhibit "Unsettled Ground" includes over 20 artists. Mukul Dey, Ruth Duckworth, Hiroshi Sugimoto and others observe a range of ecologies through a unique variety of media. Make a reservation to visit and reflect on the role and responsibility of humankind in relation to the Earth. Closes June 26. This exhibition has been made possible by the Feitlet Center for Academic Inquiry Fund and Museum’s SmartPartners. .
Keep it Local!
Evanston Made BIPOC Members Group Show Don’t end June without visiting the BIPOC Members Group Show in Evanston! At the Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central St., Evanston, you will see Curator Fran Joy exhibit a compilation of work from local individuals of color. Along with Joy’s own work, over 25 artists are recognized, including Indira Freitas Johnson, Jevoid Simmons, and Yaounde Olu. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Additional events throughout the week include Black Representation within American Media with Joyy Norris, Black Family Legacy and Art with Yeegah Thurman, and Social Justice Sewing Circle with Dr. Melissa Blount (space is limited). RSVP to attend. The BIPOC Members Group Show runs through June 30. More information at evanstonmade.org.
To Be, Or Not To Be!
50-minute Hamlet Come experience the passion and tragedy of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in just 50 minutes and with only two actors! The Shakespeare Project of Chicago has already taken Jeff Christian’s adaptation of Hamlet to many Chicago audiences, and on Saturday, June 25 it will be performed outside at Washington Square Park (across from the Newberry) from 1–2 p.m. No registration or tickets required. Seating is limited. For more information, visit www.shakespeareprojectchicago.org.
Back to Festivals!
Logan Square Arts Fest Logan Square Arts Fest is back, organized by volunteers from the community to benefit the community. Enjoy poems while you wait, a community mural project Sunday with One Heart, One Soul, a live installation by Runways Lab Theatre on "How to Go to the Monument and Converse with the Eagle" (at the top of the Illinois Centennial Monument), a series of live-painted murals and more. Music by Combo Chimbuta, Man Man, Sarah Shook, Jnana, and more. Fri 5-10 p.m., Sat & Sun Noon-10 p.m. on Logan Square: Logan Blvd@Kedzie. logansquareartsfestival.com
Celebrate All Day Long!
Glenview Summer Fest Glenview’s favorite food and vendors are showing up at its annual Summer Fest – and you’re invited, too! Come Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to Lehigh Avenue and Jackman Park, in Glenview, for food trucks, good sales, and family fun. This free event includes crowd-favorite bands and businesses along with crafts for kids and other entertainment from the Glenview Fire Department. The fun continues far into the evening as the Summer Fest transitions to the After Sunset Music Fest from 6-10 p.m. The Freddy Jones Band will headline the night. VIP tickets for prime seating, sponsor swag, food and drink tickets, private bathrooms, and more are for sale on their website. Non-perishable food items and personal care items are additionally welcome as donations for the Northfield Township Food Pantry. Visit business.glenviewchamber.com for more information.
www.streetwise.org
5
Vendors Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.
Russ: When I was a little boy, in the summer, we played a game called Off the Wall— Patrick: Like the Michael Jackson song. Russ: That’s right! This game was as exciting as it was to see Michael Jackson perform. So, the way it’s played is, first, you come up with a rubber ball, it wasn’t always as easy as just having one around. Sometimes, we had to scrounge up one somehow—and a glove… although, a glove was not required. In fact, it meant more to play without one. And before I forget, obviously, we needed a wall.
SPORTSWISE
Donald: I like it. Russ: Good. Okay, so there’s a person “at bat” and, then, there are any number of folks in the “outfield.” The person up to bat throws the rubber ball against the wall with the mission of not having anyone catch it on the fly. There are markers to show how far a single is, as well as a double, triple, and home run. If the ball drops into any of these areas without be-
ing caught, then that’s a hit. Get enough hits—or a home run—and you score as with a regular baseball game.
Patrick: What was your “thing” in volleyball, John? What did you do better than anything else?
Patrick: This was my stuff, y’all. Disliked the glove option. Felt so much better to snag the ball on the run with one hand. Felt so friggin’ good, especially on a long run.
John: Serve. I served like a Greg Maddux or a Kerry Wood. I swear, when I came up, everyone knew we were going to, at the very least, get one point. Russ: Right on.
John: I’m a bit disappointed I never got to play that one. For me, it was volleyball. Either in grammar school or with my cousin, it was always fun—win or lose. Donald: Another good thing about volleyball is, it’s truly a team sport. Men and women can play together, keeping it competitive and fun. John: Very true, Donald. And it can be played indoors or at the beach. I guess for the summer, I’d go with the beach version.
Patrick: What about you, Don? What’s your favorite summer sport? Donald: I liked Piggy a lot. Well, it’s softball, but not all formal. And I ain’t been able to walk the walk as I used to, but I remember. The best thing about this is you didn’t have to be the best to get in the game. Everybody just got in who wanted to get in. So, everybody just ran out into the field and found a spot wherever the heck they wanted. Most adjusted according to the batter. Power hitter: go deep. Weaker
hitter: crowd the infield. So, how the game goes is that the Rashanah Baldwin hitter hits the ball, and the fielders go for the catch. Often, there’s a bounce-maximum in how many times the ball can bounce before it’s caught. If caught before the maximumbounce level, then you switch with the hitter, and it starts over. The main goal, usually, is to get to bat and hit forever. Patrick: Man, I loved—shoot, love—Piggy. It’s like line dancing—you can join in with whomever, whenever, and have a blast. Now, real quick, I want to add in one: Crate Ball. It was our version of basketball in the projects. We didn’t always have access to a basketball court, so we crafted a rim from a milk-crate, hooked it to a wall, and it was on. So, that’s my summer goodness…well, that and badminton!
Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org
The current outbreak of COVID-19 has led to stressful times for many of us. Our routines have been disrupted and there may be a lot of anxiety about what is happening.
Stress & COVId-19
Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) to help reduce stress for you and those around you.
Tips to help yourself • Give yourself a break. Remember, it is important to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media stories about the pandemic. It is important to stay informed, but, practice moderation. Over-consumption of the news on the pandemic can be upsetting or stressful.
by Dr. LaTonia Sweet
• Take care of yourself and try to stay healthy. Try to eat healthy, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs. • Stay active and make time to relax. Try relaxation techniques such as stretching, meditating, praying or engage in activities you enjoy. Take breaks between stressful activities and do something fun after a hard task. This will help you maintain a sense of hope and keep you thinking positive. You may also keep a journal to write down your thoughts and things you are grateful for. • Stay in touch. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Reaching out to people you trust is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness, and boredom during social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. You can use the telephone, email, text messaging, and social media to connect with friends, family, and others.
Tips for your child, family and others
• Listen and teach coping skills. Let your child know it is okay to feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your stress so that they can learn coping skills from you. • Monitor your family’s exposure to news coverage. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand. • Establish a schedule or routine. It is important to keep a
• Check in with others often. Staying in touch can help you and your family feel less lonely and isolated. Use telephone, email, letters, text message, video chat and social media options to stay in touch.
Get Help If You Need It If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911. If you think you have questions or need help that and it is not an emergency, please contact your provider. You may also contact the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline toll-free at 1-800985-5990. Dr. Sweet is a Psychiatrist and Addiction Medicine specialist. She has been a leader in community mental health and integrating mental health care within hospital systems. Since 2018, Dr. Sweet has lead Molina Healthcare of Illinois and Wisconsin behavioral health operations.. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/ managing-stress-anxiety.html
HEALTHWISE
• Keep your child informed on what is going on with the pandemic. Answer any questions they may have and teach them ways of staying safe.
routine. Create a schedule for homeschool learning activities and be sure to make time for fun activities and relaxation.
7
The lasting consequences of school shootings on the students who survive them by Maya Rossin-Slater, Bokyung Kim, Hannes Schwandt, Marika Cabral, & Molly Schnell
As the U.S. reels from another school shooting, much of the public discussion has centered on the lives lost: 19 children and two adults. Indeed, the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas is the second deadliest such incident on record, after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Since the Columbine massacre in 1999 in which two teenagers killed a dozen students and one teacher, at least 185 children, educators and others have been killed by gun violence at American schools, according to figures compiled by The Washington Post.
COVER STORY
But this death toll captures only one part of the immense cost of gun violence in American schools. We have studied the long-term effects of school shootings on the health, education and economic futures of those who survive such incidents. Our research shows that despite often escaping without physical harm, the hundreds of thousands of children and educators who survive these tragedies carry scars that affect their lives for many years to come.
Deterioration in mental health In a 2020 study, we analyzed 44 school shootings that took place in the U.S. between 2008 and 2013 to assess the im-
8
pact the incidents had on students’ mental health. Using a unique data set documenting antidepressant prescriptions in the surrounding areas, we found that antidepressant use among youth near schools that experienced shootings increased by over 20% following the event. This increased usage of antidepressants persisted for over three years after the shooting, indicating that the deterioration in mental health among local adolescents was not temporary.
The effects were more pronounced when the school shootings included fatalities, suggesting that events like the massacre in Uvalde are likely to result in long-lasting health effects on survivors that extend beyond the physical injuries some have received.
Educational and economic trajectories But the mental health impacts of mass school shootings tell only part of the story. While deadly massacres like the one in Uvalde receive widespread media and public attention, many more acts of gun violence at schools are less fatal and less highly publicized. Indeed, figures from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security show that in 2021 alone there were 240 incidents in which a gun was either brandished or used in a school. Of all shootings that took place at U.S. schools in 2018 and 2019, nearly three-quarters had no fatalities. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an impact. A girl grieves for a friend killed in the Uvalde shooting (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images).
To assess their effects, we studied fatal and non-fatal school shootings in Texas – taking a wider lens and considering acts of gun violence that frequently take place at schools but are unlikely to make national news. Between 1995 and 2016, 33 Texas public schools experienced a shooting on school grounds during school hours – some schools had more than one. Using detailed educational and labor market data, we compared the trajectories of students at schools that experienced shootings with those of students at schools that were similar in terms of institutional and student characteristics, such as demographic makeup and percentage of students from low-income backgrounds. But the comparison group of schools did not have a shooting over our study period. We found that students who had been exposed to a shooting at school were more likely to be chronically absent and to be held back a grade in the two years after the event. www.streetwise.org
9
School Mental healt resources critical t Safe school environm Terrified children run to safety at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas (Pete Luna/Uvalde Leader-News, CC BY-SA).
by Amy Briesch & Sandra M. Chafouleas
They were also significantly less likely to graduate high school, go to or graduate from college. The impacts extended into their early adult life. In their mid 20s, they were less likely to be employed and had lower earnings than their peers who had not been exposed to a shooting at school. Eighteen of the 33 shootings we included in the study resulted in no fatalities, and no shootings resulted in more than one death. Yet, the negative impacts on people’s lives were profound. Our results reveal that each student exposed to a shooting could expect to earn US $115,550 less over the course of their lifetime.
Living with the consequences The tragedy of the lives lost to gun violence in America’s schools cannot be overstated. But the data indicate that even those who escape these horrific events alive and without physical injuries are also victims. These adverse impacts are observed in students exposed to mass shootings, but also the more routine acts of gun violence in schools that rarely make the news. With an average of nearly 50,000 American students experiencing an act of gun violence at their school annually in recent years, our findings suggest that the aggregate costs of school gun violence in terms of lost lifetime earnings is nearly $5.8 billion. The full costs in terms of detriment to the mental health of tens of thousands of young people is harder to quantify. So as we mourn the 21 lives lost in Uvalde, we must not forget about the hundreds of other students who were at the school that day. These students will be forced to live with the consequences of what happened for decades to come. Maya Rossin-Slater is Associate Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University. Bokyung Kim is a PhD candidate in economics at The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Hannes Schwandt is Assistant Professor of Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern University. Marika Cabral is Associate Professor of Economics at The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Molly Schbell is Assistant Professor of Economics at Northwestern University. Courtesy of The Conversation.
10
Whenever a mass shooting takes place in schools, public discussion often focuses on laws or policies that might have prevented the tragedy. But averting school violence needs more than gun policy. It requires both prevention and crisis response that take students’ emotional well-being – not just their physical safety – into account. School violence prevention also requires professionals – counselors, psychologists and social workers – who know how to create an emotionally safe environment, which research shows is critical to safe schools. Unfortunately, statistics show there is a critical shortage of such employees. Staffing shortages have become a major obstacle to creating schools that are emotionally safe for children. As school psychology professors who train future school psychologists, we know that school counselors, psychologists and social workers are in short supply. Though school shootings have led to increased hiring of police officers to serve in schools, the hiring of experts in school mental health has not kept pace. Demand is greater than supply, a trend that is projected to continue in the years to come.
Staffing matters Employment of school counselors is expected to grow 11% over the coming decade. However, there are not enough trained professionals to fill the positions. Current ratios are already twice what they should be, with one school counselor for every 464 students and one school psychologist for every 1,200 students. These ratios are even higher in schools where most students are members of ethnic or racial minorities. Better-staffed schools are more likely to use preventive and restorative approaches to student violence – ones that aim to educate, rather than those that simply aim to punish.
th to ensuring ments
School counselors like Jacquelyn Indrisano, left, can help students feel welcome and safe at school (Craig F. Walker/ The Boston Globe via Getty Images).
In understaffed schools, providers manage only to keep up with emergencies, rather than doing the preventative work required to make schools safer and more successful. Key preventive and restorative activities to promote emotionally safe environments include: 1. Promoting connected communities: Research has found that when students feel more comfortable at school, and feel like they belong there, they are less likely to engage in aggressive behavior at school – even when they have experienced violence at home. Key activities such as group decision-making, teamwork-building and conflict resolution – often led by teachers with support from school mental health personnel – can help build this type of community. 2. Teaching social-emotional skills: School mental health professionals can help to ensure all students are taught strategies to identify their feelings, calm themselves and connect with others. Students with these skills not only have fewer conduct problems and less emotional distress at school but get better grades as well. Most states, however, don’t require schools to teach these skills to all students. 3. Intervening early: Schools are in a unique position to provide proactive supports when data suggests widespread need. For example, rates of anxiety and depression in youth have doubled since the onset of the pandemic, such that as many as 20% of students in a classroom may be affected. Targeted therapeutic supports delivered in small group for-
mats by school mental health personnel can help prevent the development of future disorders. 4. Providing accessible mental health suppport: Schools can be a primary source for mental health support for young people in crisis. This includes both providing direct services in school and coordinating care with community providers. For many students, especially students of color and those with fewer financial resources, school may be the only accessible way to receive mental health treatment.
Preparing school staff Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more severely since it began, schools have been struggling to provide enough mental health support to students, given insufficient staffing. There are several federal bills proposed that aim to expand the number of school mental health workers. One bill would help grow the pipeline by subsidizing the cost of graduate training for those who commit to working in schools. Another would provide grants directly to schools to fund additional in-school positions. However, experts project both bills only have a 3% chance of being enacted by Congress. Amy Briesch is Associate Professor of School Psychology at Northeastern University. Sandra M. Chafouleas is Professor of Educational Phycology at University of Connecticut. www.streetwise.org
11
FROM THE STREETS
working in concert presents 'future perfect' - an opera inspired and shaped by cps students
12
“Future Perfect” is a new opera inspired and shaped by Chicago Public School students that will have its world premiere June 23-26 in an architecturally significant Austin neighborhood venue. The opera for all ages celebrates interconnectedness as it focuses on Miranette, a curious youth who leaves a forbidding society to go towards a future she wants to see. “Don’t label me,” she says, as she removes the insignia demotions pinned to the sash all youth are required to wear. She ventures beyond her fenced-in society, and meets a colorful cast of young people, puppets, dragons, butterflies and grown-ups who help her. The full production is supported by an intergenerational cast of 31 individuals (ages 4-79), an orchestra, costumes and sets. Librettist Christine Steyer began a partnership with Chicago Public Schools in October 2014. Steyer performed opera excerpts for five different classes at Nicholas Senn High School and facilitated a space for the students to think and write through what it feels like to be labeled: what words like “diversity” and “interconnectedness” mean to them, and what a future perfect world would look like.
The opera is drawn from five years of workshops with 1,300 local youths, who examined themes of separateness, interconnectedness and transcendence through a variety of lenses. Workshop participants came from Senn, Lane Tech and Al Raby High Schools and John Kinzie Elementary School, as well as Lincoln Elementary School, and youths from the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Oak Park. Facilitated by musicians, poets and artists, the workshops yielded many of the opera’s lyrics and costume designs. In addition to Steyer, the award-winning team behind the production includes composer David Shenton, Jeff Award-winning director/ fight choreographer Nick Sandys and conductor Tim Pahel. Appropriate for ages 5+, the opera is in English with open captioning. It runs one hour and 45 minutes, with no intermission. There is free parking on the street and in next-door lots and is close to the CTA Green Line. The venue is mobility-accessible. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 23 & 24; 7 p.m. Saturday, June 25, and 4 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at the Kehrein Arts Center, 5628 W. Washington Blvd.
LEFT: The youth cast of "Future Perfect: Top row (left to right): Norah Lougachi, Caleb Reed-Jennings, Isabella Airato, Tekla Schreiner-Witte, Ruby O’Shaughnessey, Henry Lombardo. Bottom row (left to right): Shiloh Jennings, Benjamin Govertsen, Sam Combs, Henry James Hansen, Amelia Holly. CENTER: Three costume designs for Future Perfect from workshops with 6th & 8th graders at Kinzie Elementary. RIGHT The Adult Cast: Top row (left to right): Rose Guccione, Brian Allen Pember Jr, Katie Rub, Sarah Kropski, Dominique Frigo. Second Row (left to right): Susan Lewis Friedman, Peter Stigdon, Wydetta Carter, Paul Geiger, Marcela Ossa. Third row (left to right): Hailey Cohen, Barbara Smith, Christina Ray, Jeffrey Goldberg, Christine Steyer. Bottom row (left to right): Kaleb Nuesse, Suzanne Walsh, Xandra Daigle, Dennis M. Kalup, Carl Ratner. Images provided by Working In Concert.
Covenant house opens youth shelter in east garfield park Covenant House Illinois (CHIL) transitioned to the public phase of its Campaign for Youth Potential with a ribbon cutting on its new youth shelter in East Garfield Park. More than 100 people attended the May 6 event, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (both D-IL), Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago First Lady Amy Eshleman, Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th ward) and Covenant House International CEO Kevin Ryan. CHIL moved into its new, 3-story, 24,000-square-foot campus at 2934 W. Lake St. last October and continued to develop the space. It is now raising the last $3 million of an $11.5 million campaign. The 40-bed shelter has 17 young adults staying there. The need is overwhelming, said CHIL Executive Director Susan Reyna-Guerrero, LCSW. On any given night, there are 3,000 18- to 24-year-olds experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Just off the CTA Green Line, the campus serves young men and women ages 18 to 24 who face homelessness and other dangers such as human-trafficking, domestic violence, and LGTBQ+ discrimination. The organization provides shelter, meals, and other support services with the goal of building client's self-sufficiency.
Tickets are $35 general admission/$50 VIP; seniors age 65+ $25; and students $10 at workinginconcert.org/futureperfect. The Kehrein Arts Center is a 900-seat storytelling theater, art gallery, and community gathering place—one of the few major building projects on Chicago’s West Side since the 1968 riots. Completed in 1954 by the architectural firm of Belli & Belli, the mid-century modern addition to the all-girls Siena High School evoked the neo-futuristic vision of Eero Saarinen (best known for the St. Louis Gateway Arch). But after Siena moved out in 1971, the building deteriorated until the non-profit charter school Catalyst Circle Rock moved there in 2008 and later purchased the building. Its $5 million renovation was facilitated by $1 million from the Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and political backing that led to support from the State of Illinois. The building re-opened in May 2019. –Suzanne Hanney, from online sources
Each shelter resident meets with a master’s-degree-level social worker to determine a plan, Reyna-Guerrero told NBC5 News. More than 1 in 3 (35%) were formerly in the foster care system; 41 percent left abusive homes. Current resident Shauwnique, 23, a model, student and singer/songwriter, performed two songs she composed for the group – and brought the entire audience to its feet. Covenant House Illinois first opened its doors in February 2017. It has provided more than 15,000 nights of shelter and served 1,200 youth since then. Alderman Burnett told the crowd, which included donors and staffers, how he had been intermittently homeless in his youth and how many residents and former elected officials fought him about bringing the shelter to East Garfield Park, just off the CTA Green Line. "I had residents who did not want this here—literally did not want this here—humiliated me, talked about me...all kinds of things." –Suzanne Hanney, from online sources
www.streetwise.org
13
how a rise in publishing costs is affecting street papers by Tony Inglis / courtesy of INSP.ngo
Several street papers in the International Network of Street Papers (INSP) have noticed a rise in printing and publishing costs. INSP spoke to Maja Ravanska, project manager and managing editor of North Macedonian street paper Lice v Lice. INSP: You've mentioned that the increasing price of publishing a physical magazine is putting strain on your organization. How much are costs increasing, and what is the effect? Maja Ravanska: We started planning our 10th anniversary (which is this year), and we thought that the worst was over, but we got a note from the printing house about increasing prices for printing. In March, we were notified of a third increase in price, and now we have 30 per cent higher printing costs compared to 2020. Have you put into place any methods to try and combat this? The printing costs are not the only challenge. The pandemic accelerated the digitization process, but also changed consumer habits. There are major transformations in social habits of users worldwide. It’s all focused on digital channels, digital media and digital ways of communication. On the other hand, we have vendors with very limited digital skills. Regarding the printed edition - instead of bimonthly, the magazine is now printed once every three months, and we reduced the number of pages. At the moment, we are looking into solutions to print on cheaper paper, and to look for a different format, or even a different product. We’ve also had to reduce staff. What are the reasons behind this price hike? Is it the general cost of living rise we are witnessing, or is it something impacted by specific events? The answers that we are receiving from printing houses are that with digitization processes, that the pandemic accelerated, print media is more at risk than ever. Also, the war in Ukraine is causing numerous market challenges. The supply of paper is limited because of the very limited circulation of print media in the country. All of this together is a major blow to the printing industry, and for print media outlets such as ours. The pandemic caused street papers to think about the concept and how it exists in a modern, digital age, but we saw street papers adapt in order to continue existing. Do you see production costs skyrocketing as a bigger threat? Do you think the street paper concept is facing a reckoning?
Yes, definitely. We are witnessing that in general, printed media is having difficulties. The digital era is taking its toll. Millennials, Gen Z-ers, they don’t receive information in formats like print magazines. Even our grandmothers are on social media while drinking their morning coffee. I believe that being part of an international network is very important in this regard – we should learn from each other and find solutions that could work for the whole street paper model. What advice do you have for other street papers that are facing similar problems? We have to discuss joint solutions as a network. We need a product that will sustain the mission but will offer ways of communication in line with the needs of the audiences that are using digital channels. Courtesy of the International Network of Street Papers
Maja Ravanska. Inset: A current edition of Lice v Lice (both photos provided by INSP).
14 14
Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the ethe5/22/17 Sudoku s 1 to 9.
PuzzleJunction.com
Streetwise 5/22/17 Crossword
To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the Sudoku numbers 1 to 9.
©2017 PuzzleJunction.com
50 Shortens, in a way 53 Don’t take responsibility 58 Encountered 59 Fit to be tied 60 Frisbee 61 Get bushed 62 Blender setting 63 Highlander 64 Settled down 65 Mideast leaders 66 They, in Trieste 67 Luau strings
5 Dense 33 Indonesian 6 Lackluster island 7 Coin with 12 34 Persia, now stars on it 36 Grasslands 8 Maze word 39 Down the ___ 9 Aimed for 40 Persian spirit 10 ___ sausage 42 Sofas 11 It’s active in 43 11th President Sicily 45 Motley fool 12 Diatribe 47 Badger 13 Genealogist’s 49 Circumvent work 51 Spooky 21 Without a 52 Printer’s doubt directives 22 Challenged 53 Snowman 24 Event attended prop Down by Cinderella 54 Starch 1 It’s catching 27 Writer Uris 55 Hindu garment 28 Busybody 2 Kind of cap 56 Partiality 30 Fountain order 57 Brings into 3 Be impudent, PuzzleJunction.com 31 ©2017 Fencing sword as a childCopyright play 4 Jersey call 32 Letter opener? 61 Ancient cross
Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com
©PuzzleJunction.com
last week's Solution Puzzle Answers
Solution
Solution
Find your nearest StreetWise Vendor at
PuzzleJu
Crossword Across 1 Taj Mahal city 5 Varnish ingredient 8 Potluck choice 12 Barbecue 14 Sport with mallets 15 Sans purpose 16 1944 Gene Tierney classic mystery 17 Commuter line 18 Harvest 19 U.S.N. officer 20 Kind of car 22 Crescentshaped 24 So very much 26 Voting district 27 King, in Cádiz 28 Airline workers 32 Spa treatment 34 “Icky!” 35 Stew morsel 36 Sacred Hindu writings 37 Sword 38 Locker room supply 39 Chapter in history 40 Bridge support 41 Occupy 42 Detectives 44 Grimm character 45 Drags
©2017 PuzzleJunction.com
46 Elated 49 Natural enclosure 52 New Mexico Indian 53 Napkin’s place 55 Close to closed 56 Lager 58 Mother-ofpearl 60 Identical 61 Traveling 62 System of shorthand 63 Fair 64 Hair raiser? 65 “___ bien!” Down 1 ___-bodied 2 Super-duper 3 Awaken
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 21 23 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33
Publicize Burden ___ Baba Crumble Gathered skirt Inkling Bed board Ballyhoo Flowering tree Quarry Devious “Trinity” novelist Field of study Forest Uncouth Milky white gem Blab Small pouch Cuzco’s country Dutch export
34 Bonds 36 ___ out 37 Lunch transport 38 Minor quarrel 40 Red-bearded god 41 Above it all 43 Sound system 44 A billion years 46 Court group 47 Stomach woe 48 Supersized 49 Beer buy 50 Sophocles tragedy 51 Seductress 52 Passion 54 Coatrack parts 57 Ram’s ma’am 59 Frick collection
www.streetwise.org
How StreetWise Works
All vendors go through an orientation focusing on their rights and responsibilities as a StreetWise Magazine Vendor. Authorized vendors have badges with their name, picture and current year.
Buy the Magazine, Take the Magazine Vendors purchase When you buy the magazine, take the the magazine for $.90 and sell it for magazine, and $2.00 plus tips. The read the vendor keeps all of magazine, you are supporting our their earnings. 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
THE PLAYGROUND
StreetWise exists to elevate marginalized voices and provide opportunities for individuals to earn an income and gain employment. Anyone who wants to work has the opportunity to move themselves out of crisis. StreetWise provides “a hand up, not a handout.”
Solution
15
100% of the profits benefit StreetWise and StreetWise Vendors
