We Amplify Chicago Voices
Chicago’s local and independent media outlets tell the stories of our city. We keep our communities informed and connected. Your donation will ensure the media outlets below can continue to produce investigative stories, highlight Chicago’s vast culture, and report local news that matters to you.
Together, Chicago’s local and independent media represent our communities’ voices: Black and Brown voices, immigrant voices, LGBTQ+ voices, workers’ voices, and more.
Join us to support news for Chicagoans by Chicagoans. Donate now at savechicagomedia.org.
Thanks to generous support from local foundations, your donations to individual outlets will be matched.
Thanks to our partners in this campaign: Thank you to the following foundations for their support: MacArthur Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Square One Foundation and Crossroads Fund.
Arts & Entertainment
An interview with SportsWise teammate Donald Morris. Story: Indigenous The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) has once again partnered with Nia Tero, a nonprofit that works with Indigenous communities to promote their work and culture, and with social art and design lab Amplifier, to make available posters profiling a group of female Indigenous leaders from communities across the world. The goal is to highlight their essential part in working toward solutions to climate change and environmental degradation.
The Playground
ON THE COVER: Natalie Ball (Black, Tracie Ching Cindy Chischilly of Nia Tero PAGE: A drone view of the Mound earthwork by Santiago in Horner This to the ancestral practice of building educates the about the rich cultural history of placemaking and the human connection to the Chicago River and its importance to Chicago’s devel opment as a city (Chicago Public Art Group photo).
DISCLAIMER: The views, or by the authors and providing are do not necessarily reflect the opin of StreetWise.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Sarah Linde & Fran JohnsI Ain't Afraid of No Ghost!
‘Ghostbusters’ Live in Concert
The Chicago Philharmonic Society and the Auditorium Theatre present "Ghostbusters" Live in Concert at 7:30 p.m. on October 8, at the historic Auditorium Theatre 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive. The full "Ghostbusters" film will play on screen while the orchestra performs Elmer Bernstein’s movie score under the direction of Bernstein’s son, conductor Peter Bernstein. Ivan Reitman’s Ghostbusters, starring Chicago Second City alumni Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Dan Aykroyd alongside Ernie Hudson, Rick Moranis, and Sigourney Weaver, was released on June 8, 1984 to critical acclaim and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The widely beloved movie has amassed millions of fans over decades and is considered a “cult blockbuster”—a popular film with a dedicated fanbase. In addition to the full movie screening with live orchestra, the concert will include a pre-concert Halloween experience, with trick-or-treat ing for concert-goers of all ages, a Halloween costume contest, a red carpet with photographers, and visitors from Ghostbuster cosplay groups the Windy City Ghostbusters and Circle City Ghostbusters. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at chicagophilharmonic.org.
A Visual Spectacle!
Diwali: The Story of Ram
To recognize the 75th anniversary of Indian independence, the Mandela Ensemble of dancers presents “Diwali: The Story of Ram” at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive. This family-friendly performance combines dance, music and a digitally animated backdrop of the paintings of 17th century artist Sahib Din from the Mewar region of India. “Diwali” is Mandela Ensemble’s interpretation of the sixth book of the epic Ramayana, a classic tale that spans cultures producing a work that com bines contemporary culture and mythology. Mandela Ensemble dancers are joined by world-renowned Manganiyar musicians who perform with traditional string and percussion instruments. Don’t miss this unique cultural event. Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15. Go to www.mandalaarts.org for more information.
A Dance Celebration!
See Chicago Dance Community Celebration
See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization, presents its 2022 Community Celebration and award presentation, Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 5:30 - 8 p.m. at Venue West, 221 N. Paulina. The annual Community Celebration gathers 250 dance supporters and artists to celebrate Chicago’s dynamic dance community and honor two very special people.
In 2022, See Chicago Dance presents the See Chicago Dance Legacy Award to Joan Gray (pictured), long-time executive director of Muntu Dance Theatre and a leader and mentor in the dance community for decades. Also honored is Ginger Lane with the Distinguished Service to the Dance Field Award in recognition of her groundbreaking artistry and advocacy, establishing Chicago as a city at the forefront of dance and disability. Individual tickets are $250 and are avail able at SeeChicagoDance.com.
The World We Once Knew!
'Somewhere'
Loyola University Chicago presents "Somewhere" at 7:30 p.m. October 6-8 at 1032 W. Sheridan Road. In a potentially parallel timeline where a climate apocalypse has wiped out animals and insects, an entomologist and her brother follow a migration of monarch butterflies to what they hope is the last viable place on Earth. Their encounter with a young group that fled the city to a truffle farm leads to earnest realizations and interpersonal conflict about acclimating beyond the world they once knew. With wit, whimsy, and the forces of nature, Marisela Treviño Orta’s "Somewhere" speculates on climate refugee migration, science vs the supernatural, environmental sustainability, and how shifts in the globe change us. Tickets start at $25 at luc.universitytickets.com.
Cheer Them On!
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Ready for race day? The 44th running of the Chicago Marathon takes place Sunday, October 9. Sponsored by Bank of America, this is one of the six World Marathon Majors, attracting elite runners from all over the world.
40,000+ runners will start in Grant Park and follow the course of the race through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, giving residents ample opportunity to cheer on their favorite participants. The race ends in Grant Park on Co lumbus Drive south of Balbo. The flat and fast Chicago Marathon has been host to five world-record times, most recently by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. Visit www.chicagomarathon.com for more information.
A Symphonic Tribute!
Muti, Pollini & 'Pictures from an Exhibition'
In 1874, the great Russian composer, Modest Mussorgsky, mourning the death of his artist friend Vik tor Hartmann, composed a 10-movement suite for piano inspired by Hartmann’s sketches. In 1922, the composer Maurice Ravel orchestrated "Pictures at an Exhibition" to create what has become the bestknown version of Mussorgsky’s work. Ricardo Muti conducts the iconic orchestration on Oct. 6, 7 and 8 at Symphony Center. Also on the program is César Franck’s supernatural thriller "The Accursed Huntsman." Chicago Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Avenue, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices start at $49. For tickets and more information visit www.cso.org
Furry Friends & Safety!
Laws & Paws
The Wicker Park Advisory Council, in collaboration with Ankin Law Office LLC, presents "Laws & Paws" from 10 a.m. to noon October 8 at Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen Ave. (field next to the dog park). Learn about dog safety, the frequently overlooked legal ramifications of dog bites, the importance of pet insurance and common liability scenarios. Dog walking safety lights that attach to a collar will be given to the first 100 guests. FREE.
Blue-State Red-State!
'Swing State'
Tony Award-winner Robert Falls and his longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rebecca Gilman, team up again for their sixth Goodman production—a contemporary portrait of America’s heartland in a time when it feels like everyone’s way of life is in danger of disappearing. Retired teacher Peg tends to the native plants in her 40-acre rural Wisconsin backyard. Her solitary days are interrupted only by visits from a family friend with a checkered past, until an out-of-state power company makes a land grab. Tickets start at $15 at goodmantheatre.org. The show runs October 7 through November 13.
You Better Work, Covergirl!!
Fall Encounters-Fashion at Epiphany
Don’t miss the pop-up fashion showcase “Fall Encounters – Fashion at Epiphany” on October 7 and 8. This unique 2-day sale, curated by we are MATERIAL, features the work of 12 local, independent designers of fashion, jewelry and accessories. The sale provides a unique opportunity to purchase clothing and accessories made in limited quantities through the artisanal process. Chase Gallery, Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago Oct. 7 from noon to 7 p.m.; Oct 8. from noon to 5 p.m.
For me, StreetWise has done so much for me that no words could truly capture my thoughts and feelings. It’s been an amazing world of learning, as well as a change of style and perception.
What do you mean when you say "a change of style and perception?"
Being with StreetWise for so long—20 years—I’ve met, hung out with, advised, fought with, liked, disliked…but still had love for, so many ven dors and friends of StreetWise. Those things helped me gain the understanding of people as individuals. Embracing this thought helped me further my love for learning; most im portantly, everyone has their “thing.”
Thing?
That motivation, that move ment, that life—that “what ever” that makes up your purpose—known or un known—in life that is your reason for living. Know what I mean?
I do, sir.
Not only that, because I re ceived what my friends, asso ciates—everybody!—gave of
themselves, I was able to adjust my own way of doing things. Some things needed changing, whether I believed it or not, right? Of course, sometimes it took a while for me to adjust to the here-and-now; yet, they happened.
Shoot, putting some “things” on my mind. Appreciation.
In regard to SportsWise, I’m proud of my 13 years being a part of it. I’ve learned how to learn about sports, which, in turn, has leaked over into my everyday life. Helps me to dig deep to get to the truth of the matter, to find out what’s really going on. You get me?
I do. That’s how I like to live my life and, also, what I like to put on other people. So, “my man” for giving me more to give.
Also, working closely with my long-time vendor-crew of John Hagan and Russell Ad ams—and, now, Pat—I get to hear four different perspec tives—mine included—on the
same topic. Sometimes with a similar bend, but, still, it’s from four separate minds. Just the coolest thing.
Any last words, Legend? I watch the new vendors come in, and I think back to my be ginning and how things were, and there is a difference. “Fam ily” was a huge part of what we had—and were. My generation, we’re getting older—we are— and, though we’re still sharp and on our blank, we’re ready to hand over—well, transition— the reins. You young ven dors—current or new—don’t ever hesitate to approach me or some of the other cats—male and female—and just dig. Dig like you ain’t never dug, because at some point, this opportunity to grow will fade away. Make it happen now.
JOHN ON DON Donald is a man amongst men. Comes to the table ready for anything and handles himself well in all situations. He has an
edge that works for him. Once someone “gets that,” all shine. Well, a decent amount of shine!
RUSS ON DON Don and I have been co-work ers and friends for over 10 years, and I love working with him. He likes all sports, and he, like John, gets to the point—no matter what you do to try to derail him! My favorite thing about him is we vibe on wom en’s basketball. It’s always a treat seeing a game with him. Sir, keep up the great work.
PAT ON DON Don is something else. We’ve always had an interesting re lationship. We’re both head strong, so we butt at times; that said, he’s a guy whose story I would love to help write. He’s given me support and nug gets—of all kinds—that have taken hold in my brain. Stuff I’ll nurture forever.
Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org
Rashanah Baldwin Vendors Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.THRIVING PEOPLES • THRIVING PLACES
by Nia Tero & Amplifier / All posters designed by Tracie Ching and Cindy ChischillyWhile people around the world increasingly experience the alarming effects of climate change, solutions to healing the planet have been right in front of us all along.
Countless Indigenous peoples have lived in reciprocity with Earth since time immemorial. Despite centuries of coloni zation and ongoing threats to their sovereignty, Indigenous peoples collectively sustain 80 percent of the world’s re maining biodiversity today; ecosystems essential to our global climate, fresh water, and food security. Indigenous practices offer a critical pathway to healing a planet in crisis. Toward that end, a unique global art project is recognizing inspiring Indigenous women leaders upholding both Indig enous rights and guardianship of collective territories.
“Thriving Peoples, Thriving Places” is the latest in a series of collaborations between Nia Tero, a global nonprofit working in solidarity with Indigenous peoples to strengthen guardian ship of Earth and all beings, and with Amplifier, a non-profit design lab that makes art and media experiments to explain the most important social movements of our time.
Expanding upon the 12 portraits commissioned in 2021, this year’s four new portraits are a collaboration between illustra tors Tracie Ching (Kanaka Maoli) and Cindy Chischilly (Diné). The art will be available digitally and at public art events in cities including Seattle (USA), Auckland (Aotearoa) and Ma nila (Philippines). The project celebrates the vibrant and everpresent leadership of Indigenous women in protecting biodi versity and leading grassroots movements to drive action for the health of the planet.
This year’s activation launches on October 10, Indigenous Peoples’ Day; activities on this day recognize the harm of colonialism and the importance of Indigenous land sover eignty.
The Indigenous women being honored with portraits this year are activists, educators, and climate experts working not for personal gain but for collective thriving, rooted in their ancestral homelands across Turtle Island (North America), Africa, and the Global South. Each of them carries forward traditional knowledge honoring their ancestors while shining a path for future generations:
Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu (Kanaka Maoli) (page 7) is a Native Hawaiian teacher, cultural practitioner and film maker who uses digital media to protect and perpetuate Indigenous languages and traditions.
Rosa Marina Flores Cruz (Afro-binnizá/Afro-Zapotec) (page 9) is from Juchitán, Mexico, an Indigenous town in the state of Oaxaca. She is an activist empowering Indig enous peoples, and her focus is on women’s rights, land rights, agrarian rights, and environmental education.
Natalie Ball (Black, Modoc, Klamath) (page 11) was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She earned her bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies in 2005, furthered her education in New Zealand, at Massey University, where she attained her master's degree in Maori Visual Arts, and earned her MFA from Yale University School of Art in painting and printmaking in 2018. She resides with her three children on the Klamath Tribes former reserva tion, Chiloquin, Oregon, where she works for the Klamath Tribes. Ball is an Indigenous artist who examines inter nal and external discourses that shape Indian identity through contemporary installation art.
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim (Mbororo) (Page 13) is a member of the Mbororo pastoralist people in Chad. She is an expert in the adaptation and mitigation of In digenous peoples to climate change. Oumarou Ibrahim serves as a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues and was one of 15 women highlighted for championing action on climate change by Time Magazine in 2019.
As we head toward the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, it is crucial to remember that climate solution conversations don’t just happen during state-led meetings. The women honored in this initiative and many more like them are driving change daily and weekly, lo cally and regionally, and across cohesive networks of Earth guardians. The organic and ceaseless ways in which Indige nous knowledge is conveyed are not unlike the street paper network bringing this story to you today: purposeful, vigilant, community-led, and future-focused.
This year’s “Thriving Peoples, Thriving Places” campaign continues to elevate the importance of women in move ments toward Indigenous sovereignty and participation in climate solutions. Despite facing gender-based violence, educational barriers, and economic hardships, Indigenous women unfailingly show up, inspiring action and creating change.
The Indigenous leaders recognized here are reticent to put themselves in the spotlight. Instead, they work tirelessly and in reciprocity with the planet and the communities around them. Their work never stops – nor should our support of them. This Indigenous Peoples’ Day – and every day – is a good time to ask: “How can I support what these dedicated women are doing? And how can I create a brighter future for my community and Mother Earth alongside them?”
To learn more about this year’s ‘Thriving Peoples. Thriving Places.’ campaign and see the portraits, go to: NiaTero.org/ ThrivingPeoples
Courtesy of the International Network of Street Papers / Nia Tero / Amplifier
INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF CHICAGO
The Chicago area is located on ancestral lands of Indige nous tribes: the Council of the Three Fires—comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—as well as the Mi ami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, Fox, Kickapoo, and Illinois Nations. According to an essay on the American Library As sociation website by Tara Kenjockety, these tribes had thriv ing trade networks in the Great Lakes area prior to European contact. Some roadways in Chicago reflect the trade roads followed by these tribes. Kenjockety is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, with ancestry also in the Seneca Nation.
Native Americans also traveled and traded extensively via waterways, such as the Chicago River, the Illinois River and then the Mississippi River. The Chicago River (before it was reversed in 1900) also flowed into Lake Michigan and thus, was connected to the rest of the Great Lakes.
Even before the late 1400s and Columbus, the area that is now Chicago was a trading crossroads, according to arche ological evidence and Native American oral history cited in the essay, “Chicago in the Middle Ground,” from the online Encyclopedia of Chicago. Artifacts show copper from Lake Superior and goods from settlements along the Mississippi River to the south.
By the mid-1700s, French fur traders were intermarrying with Native American women and, along with their mixed blood children, had produced a “Middle Ground” culture that dom inated Chicago and the Great Lakes into the first two de cades of the 1800s. Jean Baptiste Point DuSable was one of these traders, who married the Potawatomi woman Kitihawa. DuSable was of Haitian and French ancestry and developed a farm with a gracious five-room mansion near the mouth of the Chicago River by the late 1780s. DuSable and his wife were greatly respected by the French and Metis, or people of mixed blood, until he sold his Chicago holdings in 1800 and moved to present-day St. Charles, Missouri.
Reciprocal trade relationships between the tribes and Eu ropeans helped maintain the tribal hold on the Illinois area around Lake Michigan throughout the 1700s, Kenjockety not ed. The arrival of Europeans on the continent led to marked losses among the tribes of the Great Lakes area through the introduction of new diseases and the push of Eastern tribes westward. War and starvation further decimated tribal popu lations.
The War of 1812 significantly affected the relationship be tween the Indigenous tribes in the Great Lakes area with the British and the United States. The Treaty of Ghent, which was written between the British and the United States following the war, felt like a betrayal to the tribes who had fought along side the British against the United States government. With economic shifts toward agriculture and industry, the Ameri cans and the British no longer felt the need to maintain eco nomic and military relationships with the tribes of the Great Lakes area.
On May 28, 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the In dian Removal Act, which proposed to relocate indigenous tribes—tens of thousands of people—west of the Mississippi River. Those who survived relocation would face new hard ships, because the land allotted to tribes had often been re jected by settlers. Tribes struggled for limited supplies and resources, which led to poverty, starvation and severely dif ficult living circumstances.
Urban Natives
In 1893, Chicago hosted the World’s Columbian Exposi tion. The endeavor was headed by one of America's first anthropologists, Harvard University professor Frederic Ward Putnam. As David R.M. Beck stated in Unfair Labor, “...the representations of American Indians at the fair fell into five categories:
• Indians as they wanted themselves to be known and un derstood
• Indians as objects of science
• Indians assimilating into American society
• Indians as romantic images and actors reflecting a bygone era
• Indians as savage and wild representations of America’s past”
The exposition was said to be the “most successful of all world’s fairs,” but in reality, it reinforced many stereotypes about Native Americans that influenced public perception and U.S. government Indian policy, Kenjockety noted.
Through the late 1800s into the early 1900s, children were taken from their tribes and sent to boarding schools, with the mission to assimilate them into white society. The children faced emotional and physical abuse in an attempt to “Kill the Indian, save the man.”
In 1910, the population of Native Americans in Chicago was 188. An American Indian boarding school graduate, Dr. Car los Montezuma spent his life providing social services to this small, but ever-growing population of Native Americans, until his death in 1922. The following year, an organization called the Indian Council Fire (originally called the Grand Council Fire) picked up where Dr. Montezuma left off. This organi zation, run by and for Native Americans, provided services regarding legal, housing, education and employment.
By 1952, the Truman administration enacted a new “volun tary relocation” effort coordinated by Dillon Myer, the com missioner of Indian Affairs. Myer modeled the process after the one he used to supervise the relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Individuals from reservations were offered training and relo cation into cities—Chicago being heavily favored. However, the training was sometimes on outdated machinery and not focused on skills Native Americans could take back to their reservations. The housing was slum-like. Philleo Nash, who was commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1961-1966, said that
“Myer’s relocation program was essentially a one-way bus ticket from rural to urban poverty.”
Still, Chicago has maintained a thriving, diversely populated Indigenous population. The third largest urban Indian popula tion in the United States, the city has more than 65,000 Native Americans in the greater metropolitan area and some 175 dif ferent tribes represented.
Beyond the social services needs provided by the Indian Council Fire earlier in the century, fostering a sense of cul tural identity was essential for many Indians thrust into urban
life. In response, the American Indian Center (AIC) of Chicago opened in 1953.
At the end of the 20th century, Native people lived throughout the Chicago area, with the highest concentrations in Edge water, Uptown, Rogers Park and Ravenswood, according to the online Encyclopedia of Chicago. Many families are now in their third and fourth generations of urban life and con tinue to maintain ties to extended family and even formal tribal membership. Several tribal communities (Oneida, Menomi nee, Ho-Chunk, Ojibwa) are located in Wisconsin within a half day's drive from Chicago, facilitating involvement.
- Compiled by Suzanne Hanney from online sources
CHICAGO ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED ON INDIGENOUS LEGACY
The American Indian Center’s mis sion is to promote fellowship among Indian people of all Tribes living in met ropolitan Chicago, create bonds of un derstanding and communication be tween Indians and non-Indians in this city, advance the general welfare of American Indians into the metropolitan community life, foster the economic and educational advancement of Indian people; to sustain cultural, artistic and avocational pursuits, and perpetuate In dian cultural values.
Location: 3401 W. Ainslie St., Chicago, IL 60625 Phone: 773-275-5871 Website: www.aicchicago.org
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian focuses on the history, culture and arts of American Indians across the U.S., Canada and the Arctic. Virtual tours are available.
Location: 3001 Central St., Evanston
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Closed Sunday.
Admission: $7 adults age 18-64; $5 seniors, age 3-17, students & teachers with ID; FREE to tribal members with ID. Phone: 847-475-1030. Website: mitchellmuseum.org
The Trickster Cultural Center’s vi sion is to be an authentic first voice of Native American veterans and artists of
all media, including music. A registered nonprofit 501(c)(3), it features post1960s Native American art, speakers, panel discussions, school tours and educator workshops. Come to Trickster to learn about Native American culture, Native peoples and their contributions to the U.S. military, to view veterans’ artwork, to experience multicultural ex hibits and to browse unique items in its gift shop.
Location: 190 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Closed Sunday-Monday Admission: $5 adults, $3 kids Phone: 847-301-2090 Website: tricksterculturalcenter.org
4000N (formerly known as the North west Portage Walking Museum) follows Irving Park Road between the Chicago and Des Plaines rivers, and emphasiz es Chicago as a transportation nexus because of its waterways, even before European contact. 4000N’s nine miles feature interpretive works of public art across seven neighborhoods diversified by race, ethnicity and income. Anchor ing both ends of the trail are significant earthworks: The Serpent Twin on the Des Plaines River at Schiller Woods on the west end and the Coil Mound at Horner Park on the Chicago River at the east end.
4000N began as part of the Great Riv ers Chicago initiative (StreetWise: Au gust 30-September 6, 2021 Vol. 29, No. 34). A steering committee comprised of members from the American Indian Center, Portage Park Neighborhood As sociation and Chicago Public Art Group were awarded a grant from The Chi cago Community Trust. With the grant, they commissioned indigenous futurist artist Santiago X, an enrolled member of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and indigenous Chamorro from the island of Guam. Santiago X proposed earth mounds at the two river sites as a way to pay homage to the ancestral practice.
4000n.org
The Center for Native Futures is comprised of Native artists who came together during the pandemic. The newly formed non-profit seeks to make space for a perpetual Native presence, an Indigenous gallery, in the city of Zhegagoynak (Chicago).
Before its physical space opens, the center is hosting artist talks online, ad vising, and developing a Native artist network. Indigenous Futurism is an ar tistic means for expanding possibilities and realities by imagining Indigenous realities without colonial limitations. The definition of this term is ever-changing and dynamic.
www.centerfornativefutures.org