Diane Latiker Diane Latiker is founder Kids Off The Block, Inc. and mother of eight children. “Ms. Diane,” as the children refer to her, is a 32-year resident of the Roseland community on the far South Side of Chicago. She founded the award-winning and internationally recognized organization Kids Off The Block, Inc. (KOB) in her home in July 2003. Ms. Diane believed that she could make a difference in the community, and for the many youth that she came in contact with daily. She became encouraged and opened up her home to get these young people off the streets and involved in programs that would benefit them for the rest of their lives. The organization celebrated 16 years of service to children/youth, teens and young adults. KOB started out with 10 neighborhood kids, and now has impacted thousands of lives through love, compassion, nurturing and respect.
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Ed Marszewski
Ed Marszewski is a restaurateur, entrepreneur, cultural connoisseur, and unofficial "Mayor of Bridgeport." Professionally, Ed is the Director of the Public Media Institute (PMI), which publishes Lumpen Magazine, Mash Tun Journal, the Quarantine Times, and launched the radio station, Lumpen Radio on 105.5 FM. PMI also programs and facilitates the long-running experimental cultural center, Co-Prosperity, based in Bridgeport, The Community of the Future. Ed is also the co-founder of Version Festival, Select Media Festival, the MDW Fair and other arts and community projects, as well as co-founder of Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar, Kimski, Marz Community Brewing Co., and the recently opened Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream. Ed also recently launched the Community Kitchen, which prepares 1,000 hot lunches a week for residents of Chicago. Forthcoming projects include Buddy in the City of Chicago’s Cultural Center, and a new Marz nano brewery in Bucktown / Logan Square.
