Chicago Crusader Newspaper

CARRYING WHILE BLACK (See story on page 10 & 11)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

BLACK HISTORY MOMENTS (See feature on page 15)

Crusader THE CHICAGO

To The Unconquerable Host of Africans Who Are Laying Their Sacrifices Upon The Editorial Altar For Their Race

Own Community www.chicagocrusader.com

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Pastor Hunter calls on Speaker Pelosi to convene hearings on police killings in Chicago Crusader granted first interview with Pastor Hunter on June 2

By Chinta Strausberg

In honor and recognition of all mothers who lost their children at the hands of police, Pastor Marvin Hunter—the great uncle of Laquan McDonald— late Wednesday, June 2, 2021 called on United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to convene an investigation into the rising police killings of unarmed Black men and women.

In a letter dated May 25, 2021, Hunter, who is pastor of the Grace Memorial Church on Chicago’s West Side, briefed Pelosi on the murder of his 17-year-old great nephew.

McDonald was shot 16 times on October 20, 2014, by then-Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, 41, who is the first Chicago policeman convicted of murder for an on-duty shooting in more than 50 years.

“The judge made a unilateral decision to reduce his sentence, and

PASTOR MARVIN HUNTER at WVON old studio. in the reduction of that sentence and the action of Jason Van Dyke, started a national protest

across the country and around the world. It set the stage for riots to (Continued on page 2)

After concerns, North Lawndale remains intact in new Illinois redistricted proposal Crusader Staff Report

The community of North Lawndale will remain intact after protests from residents concerned that Illinois lawmakers will break up the Black community during redistricting of the state’s legislative and judicial districts.

Residents said a redistricted North Lawndale would have diluted the Black voting power in that district.

Democrats recently made changes to their redistricting proposal after several public hearings in Springfield.

Those changes included keeping more of the Chicago-area Orthodox Jewish community in a single district and keeping the North Lawndale

neighborhood, a predominantly Black community, in one district.

North Lawndale residents were concerned that lawmakers would not keep North Lawndale together and draw Legislative District 9 and Sen-

ate District 5 boundaries that include historically Black voting majorities.

Residents were concerned that redistricting would take the east side of North Lawndale further north as far (Continued on page 17)

NORTH LAWNDALE LEGISLATIVE judicial districts will remain intact after residents expressed concern the Black community will be broken under a proposed redistricting plan.

EEOC reporting rise in race harassment cases Crusader Staff Report

With several lawsuits totaling millions in potential damages, officials at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are reporting a rise in race harassment cases across the country.

Disability, sexual and pregnancy

discrimination lawsuits have been the biggest EEOC complaints in recent years. But as offices and workplaces grapple with racial tensions after national police shootings, employers and corporations are under more scrutiny as Black and Latino workers report (Continued on page 3)

RYDER INTEGRATED LOGISTICS paid $1 million to settle an EEOC race discrimination and harassment lawsuit after the firm was accused of allowing its employees to use racial slurs and epithets toward their Black colleagues.

Lawmakers pass follow-up criminal justice bill addressing police concerns

Bill is trailer to reforms passed in January lame duck session

By Raymon Troncoso Capitol News Illinois rtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com The General Assembly this week passed legislation addressing lingering concerns from law enforcement about a massive criminal justice reform omnibus passed earlier this year.

Introduced by Chicago Democratic Sen. Elgie Sims, an amendment to House Bill 3443 would act as trailer legislation for the SAFE-T Act, a major criminal justice reform backed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus that was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker in February. That measure mandated body cameras and changed use-offorce guidelines for law enforcement, created a new police certification system, expanded detainee rights and ends the use of cash bail in Illinois.

Unlike the SAFE-T Act , Sims’ new legislation has the support of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois State Police and amends some controversial portions of the act that were opposed by law enforcement.

In a statement posted to its website, the IACP approved of the amendment’s changes relaxing rules around body cameras, removing some use-offorce restriction language and extending deadlines for new training standards.

It passed the Senate 42-17, but in the House, Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-

Chicago, who negotiated most of the major provisions in the SAFE-T Act alongside Sims, ran into opposition from fellow Chicago Democratic Rep. Curtis Tarver.

Tarver called the trailer legislation a “piss-poor bill,” and rejected the idea that it was a Black Caucus amendment because Slaughter did not present it to the entire Black Caucus before he and Sims introduced the legislation.

The legislation ultimately passed 7936, with multiple Republicans voting in favor of the measure and Tarver voting as the sole dissenting Democrat. A brief parliamentary hold was put on the bill, but as of Wednesday, June 2, 2021 it had been lifted, clearing the way for it to head to the governor.

“The SAFE-T Act [is] a bold momentous transformational initiative that makes Illinois a national leader in criminal justice reform, and a model for other states to follow,” Slaughter said. “I beg of you, respect the hard work of the stakeholders that came together on a product where there are no winners or no losers on a bill, where no one gets everything that they want. As a sponsor of this bill I’m absolutely honored to work with all the stakeholders and proud of our efforts.”

REP. JUSTIN SLAUGHTER, D-Chicago, holds up his fist while wearing a black glove after the criminal justice reform bill passes the Illinois House during the lame-duck session of the Illinois House of Representatives on Jan. 13, 2021, at the Bank of Springfield Center. (Credit: Justin L. Fowler of The State Journal-Register) throat, windpipe or airway.The amendofficers when writing reports of the in- can stop them.

The amendment removes the word ment carves out an exception for contact cident.

HB 3443 keeps that provision in “just”, requiring only that a violent with an individual’s neck “that is not inplace, but adds language that allows an felony was committed in general. The tended to reduce the intake of air.” An officer, with a supervisor’s approval, to amendment also removes the require- example listed is a “headlock” which can file a supplementary report for which ment that a dangerous individual “can- be wrapped around a suspect’s forehead not be apprehended at a later date,” leav- or chin. they can access body camera footage.

A provision on law enforcement misDeadly force provisions are also ing the restrictions that an officer must believe only deadly force is able to stop conduct is also changed to be more lechanged.

The SAFE-T Act instituted limits on the suspect and that the suspect is likely nient under the amendment. In order for an officer to be charged with law enwhen an officer may use deadly force to to greatly injure another person.

As a counterbalance to the removed forcement misconduct, a Class 3 felony, two scenarios – when they believe The changes deadly force is needed to prevent death language, the amendment adds that the the officer must have knowingly and inA provision in the SAFE-T Act pre- or harm to themselves or another per- officer’s ability to use deadly force ends tentionally misrepresented or withheld vented officers accused of misconduct son; or when an individual who “just” when the threat of “bodily harm to the knowledge of the facts of a case with the intent to obstruct the prosecution or deor involved in a shooting, or who have committed a violent felony and cannot officer or another” ends.

Chokeholds, which are considered fense of an individual, under the used force which resulted in bodily be caught at a later time is attempting to harm, from using footage from their escape, is likely to cause great harm to deadly force under the SAFE-T Act, are amendment.

The IACP also noted a lack of state body camera or recordings from other another person and only deadly force defined as any direct pressure to the funding for the body camera mandate and the fact that the attorney general can issue penalties to individual officers, rather than penalties for their departformer President Barack Obama sent ments and municipalities, for civil inthe U.S. Justice Department to investi- fractions, as “major issues unaddressed” gate the Chicago police department in the trailer bill. and found their allegations were valid “The Illinois Chiefs support the trailer “The Chicago police department has a bill. It addresses many of our serious shameless history of corruption. As a concerns with the SAFE-T Act, and law result, an indefinite consent decree was enforcement will be much better off implemented; however, we have a new with these changes,” the statement from mayor and under this mayor, the con- the IACP concludes. “We remain consent decree has not been fulfilled. The cerned about unresolved and unadcity administration has only imple- dressed issues, but in recent months we mented 20 percent of the consent de- have strengthened a process of negotiatcree leaving 80 percent unimplement- ing honestly and in good faith with legised,” Pastor Hunter stated. lators about criminal justice reform.”

Hunter wants the U.S. House ComSims released a statement after his mittee to investigate the low percentage amendment passed the Senate.

Pastor Marvin Hunter of murders solved in Chicago and the “Public safety has always been the the only family, right now, that has got- police. He believes that the Uniform number of resulting riots. He also number one priority of the SAFE-T ten justice,” Hunter said referring to the Peace Officers’ Disciplinary Act that wants the U.S. House to investigate Act and our goal remains the same— conviction of Van Dyke. exists in Illinois and in every station in other crimes, including murders, rapes, to create safer communities. That’s “Even George Floyd’s trial is not over. America “gives the framework to the robberies, carjackings, hate crimes, and why, when negotiating these changes, They have not sentenced Derek Chau- municipalities to have fair and equi- U.S. military soldiers selling guns to we again included input from advovin. And the possibility of getting a mis- table contract with the police depart- Chicago gangs. cates, law enforcement officials and trial in the George Floyd trial is very real ments that they hire.”

“I am trying to continue my fight for various stakeholders,” he said. because of the actions of Black Lives However, Hunter believes that the criminal justice reform and police bruMatter participants, which I believe all Uniform Peace Officers’ Disciplinary tality in the city of Chicago and in Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, the time was a part of a larger scheme to Act violates the 4th and 14th Amend- America, and I believe the steps we nonpartisan news service covering make sure that we never got justice in ments, rights of American citizens and have taken at this point in asking for a state government and distributed to these cases,” Hunter said. gives police officers immunity from congressional hearing is the right thing more than 400 newspapers statewide.

Pastor Hunter said there have been their criminal conduct while they are to do, so we can have a conversation It is funded primarily by the Illinois many innocent young men and on duty. about this and hopefully come to Press Foundation and the Robert R. women who have died at the hands of At the family’s request, Hunter said a resolve,” Pastor Hunter said.

McCormick Foundation.

Pastor Hunter calls on Speaker Pelosi to convene. . .

(Continued from page 1) begin as police killings continue to happen,” wrote Pastor Hunter.

He is asking Pelosi to convene a House Select committee hearing concerning the police killings, the Uniform Disciplinary Peace Officers’ Act, the Chicago consent decree on police misconduct, the selling of guns by the U.S. military to street gangs in Chicago and the Chicago race riots after the George Floyd murder.

“This is a continued fight for criminal justice reform and police brutality in Chicago and America at large,” Hunter told this reporter, including the killing of his great nephew.

“Laquan McDonald represented all of the Laquan’s of the world, who were wrongfully killed by police officers, and they never got justice,” Pastor Hunter said. “This is about those mothers of Michael Brown, 18, who was killed by 28-year-old Ferguson, MO officer Darren Wilson and Rekia Boyd, 22, killed by off-duty police detective Dante Servin, who was acquitted in Chicago.

“This fight is to make sure that when those things happen that those families at least have a fighting chance to get justice on behalf of their children. We are 2

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

www.chicagocrusader.com

Jesse Jackson praises bill making Pembroke Township hardship area Crusader Staff Report After months of meetings involving Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, community leaders and Illinois elected officials, the Illinois Senate has passed HB3404 establishing Pembroke Township as a designated hardship area. The move is part of an effort to install a natural gas line in Pembroke and Hopkins Park.

The bill’s passage is a victory for Pembroke residents and Jackson, who reached out to stakeholders including Nicor Gas officials who expressed a desire to have natural gas as an energy option.

The bill also allows the area to have natural gas without the local government having to come up with the typical contribution that accompanies such projects.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition Senior Vice President, and Chief of Global Policy, Reverend Dr. S. Todd Yeary testified during the bill hearings on behalf of the civil rights organization.

“This is a big deal and a new day for Pembroke, a Black farming community that has been left behind in the modern economy,” said Jackson. “This project will help bring business to Pembroke, and it will help others do

business with Pembroke. I thank Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch for his leadership on this issue.”

Yeary said, “At a time when everyone is focused on the next economy, Pembroke has been left behind in the current economy. This bipartisan effort is a strong statement that Pembroke will be neglected no more. Thanks to Speaker Welch and Senate President Don Harmon, the bill sponsors, members of the Legislative Black Caucus and the General Assembly for listening to the people of Pembroke. We look forward to Governor Pritzker signing the bill into law.”

Located 68 miles directly south of Chicago in Kankakee County, Pembroke is one of the poorest communities in the country.

According to the U.S. Census, nearly 97 percent of Pembroke’s 2,208 residents are Black, and about 33.9 percent live in poverty.

Pembroke is a township that does not have a mayor but is governed by an elected Town Board of a Supervisor and four Trustees. It includes Hopkins Park, headed by Mayor Mark Hodges.

For decades, rows and rows of clapboard homes have used large propane tanks or wood-burning stoves to cook their food because there is no gas line in

REVEREND JESSE JACKSON, SR. meets with Pembroke Township officials about the installation of a Nicor gas line in the community. (Crusader file photo) In 2004, about 200 workers lost their ences the once segregated city in AlabaPembroke, which includes Hopkins jobs when Nestle closed a plant after ma, where the late Dr. Martin Luther Park.

During a visit to Pembroke last year, a the property owner demanded higher King, Jr., marched to call attention to the city’s poor and the town’s economic tour guide showed a Crusader reporter monthly rent fees.

The nearest supermarket is 15 miles inequities. three homes with a gas line where When completed, Jackson wants white residents lived, but across the rail- away, and the closest Walmart is 20 Pembroke to have the same amenities road tracks were homes where Black miles from Pembroke.

Jackson has held numerous meetings as the majority white towns that surresidents had large propane tanks in the with Pembroke officials about getting a round it. back yard.

In 2019, Nicor, pledged $5 million There are many poor Black farmers Nicor gas line in the community. He in Pembroke whose land is not well often described Pembroke as his orga- toward the $8 million needed to bring nization’s “Selma,” a name that refer- the project to Pembroke. suited for growing crops.

(Continued from page 1) incidents of race harassment and retaliation on the job.

“We have seen an increase in race harassment cases across industries,” said Anna Park, regional attorney for EEOC’s Los Angeles District Office. “It is very important for employers and staffing agencies to be proactive in addressing these issues. We commend Ryder and Kimco for committing to changes and for being positive change agents in addressing race issues.”

Rosa Viramontes, the EEOC’s Los Angeles District Director, added, “It is important for employers and staffing agencies to realize that both entities have a responsibility to address harassment and retaliation in the workplace.

Ryder and Kimco have put in place measures that will positively impact employees at both companies.”

In the final week of May alone, the EEOC settled three big cases involving racial discrimination and harassment in lawsuits filed against companies across the country.

One of the biggest settlements came from the prominent transportation company Ryder Integrated Logistics and its temporary staffing firm, Kimco Staffing Services. The two firms settled EEOC Race Harassment and Retaliation lawsuits for $1 million each, for a total of $2 million.

The federal agency filed a lawsuit against both firms after accusing them of subjecting their Black employees to racial discrimination.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Ryder and Kimco created a hostile working environment by allowing employees to use racial slurs and epithets toward their Black colleagues.

The EEOC charged that after an African-American employee complained about racial harassment, neither Ryder nor Kimco corrected the situation, instead firing the employee within days of reporting the harassment.

The EEOC’s suit also alleged that Ryder and Kimco discriminated against African-American workers in the terms and conditions of employment in assignment, training, promotion, discipline and termination.

“This case underscores the unfortunate reality that racial harassment and retaliation remain a problem in American workplaces,” said EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows. “Confronting these issues is of critical importance to the EEOC and our nation. The EEOC will continue to use outreach, education, and enforcement when necessary to ensure that employers — and staffing agencies — understand their obligation to prevent and correct unlawful harassment and ensure that workers can raise concerns without fear of reprisal.”

In addition to paying $1 million, Ryder entered a consent decree that aims to prevent workplace harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

The consent decree includes the selection of an equal employment opportunity coordinator; the creation of a cen-

tralized tracking system for race-based harassment, discrimination and retaliation complaints; the review and revision of policies prohibiting discrimination; and the distribution of those policies to all employees. Additionally, Ryder will create an internal complaint process and discrimination training for all employees.

Kimco Staffing Services is also under a consent decree with the EEOC, which includes providing neutral references for the claimants along with the re-hiring of the claimants who desire to return to Kimco.

The company also will retain a bilingual third-party EEOC monitor, create and implement policies and procedures to prohibit discrimination and harassment, which will then be disseminated to all employees, establish a complaint procedure, and train all employees on discrimination and harassment.

The EEOC said Kimco and Ryder will both develop protocols for handling discrimination and harassment complaints raised by temporary employees on assignment. The decrees will remain under the court’s jurisdiction for the two-year term.

In another race discrimination and harassment case, San Francisco-based Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company will pay $725,000 to settle a EEOC racial harassment lawsuit.

Hathaway served as the general contractor for the University of Southern California’s Village Construction Project. The EEOC charged that under the supervision of the general contractor,

EEOC reporting rise in race harassment cases

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Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

Black and Hispanic workers were exposed to racially offensive remarks and graffiti. According to the EEOC, Hathaway failed to take effective corrective action to remedy the racial harassment.

Under a court-supervised, two-year consent decree settling the suit, Hathaway will retain an external equal employment opportunity monitor to review its compliance with Title VII and the decree.

Hathaway will also review and revise its harassment and retaliation policies and procedures, provide training to all employees on racial harassment and retaliation, and establish a centralized tracking and monitoring system for racial harassment complaints and to prevent retaliation.

Hathaway also has agreed to hold subcontractors accountable by requiring them to verify having policies, procedures, and training against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

The EEOC will monitor compliance with the agreement.

In Miami, Wild Fork Foods has agreed to Pay $130,000 to settle an EEOC race and harassment suit.

According to EEOC’s lawsuit, Wild Fork Foods violated federal law when a Hispanic female employee in its Miami corporate office was subjected to a hostile work environment based on her national origin and race and subjected to retaliation for complaining and ultimately forced out of her job.

In addition to paying $130,000 in monetary relief, Wild Fork Foods will

provide specialized training on national origin and race discrimination and harassment to human resources personnel, managers and employees to ensure that employees are aware of their rights and complaint procedures, and that management and human resources personnel are aware of their obligations to prevent workplace discrimination and how to address complaints.

The decree also requires Wild Fork to provide EEOC with reports of any complaints of national origin and race discrimination and describe its actions taken in response to the complaint.

In Los Angeles, the EEOC said it has collected over $4.8 million on a Judgment in Labor Trafficking case against Maui Pineapple for 54 Thai farmworkers.

According to the judgment, some of the Thai workers were subjected to physical violence such as being slapped on the head, thrown against the wall, grabbed and punched in the face. The Thai workers were also subjected to constant threats of deportation and arrests. They were forced to live in substandard housing infested with rats, scorpions and bugs.

Some were provided insufficient or malfunctioning toilet facilities. The Thai workers regularly received inadequate food, and some fainted in the fields. Working conditions were so oppressive that some Thai workers felt that they were treated more like prisoners and slaves.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

3

BLACK WALL STREET THREATENED WHITE SUPERIORITY

Many of us have noted how easy it is for people to kill insects; people think nothing about killing bugs. Some people even think that dogs and cats deserve less than considerate care. This is true of some people who do not own pets, for the most part.

When considering the foregoing, it becomes apparent that, in order for human beings to commit atrocious acts of violence against other life forms without guilt, they must hold the thought in their minds that those life forms don’t have the same value as their own lives. In other words, they must separate themselves from victims and assume the superior position.

In that regard, it is all right to kill lesser beings. This is why most people don’t think twice about killing ants or other small critters that happen to cross their paths.

We must keep this idea in mind when observing the violence that Black people have endured at the hands of white Americans. It is clear that Black people are not considered to be the same kind of human beings as their white counterparts in America.

It is clear that situations like the 1921 Tulsa Massacre could not have happened if the whites who destroyed the entire Greenwood District, known as the “Black Wall Street,” thought that the Blacks who lost their homes and lives were equal to themselves.

It is also clear that the kind of slavery that Black people endured in America could not have occurred if the whites who enslaved them thought they were really mistreating beings on the same level as they thought themselves to be.

Other evidence of the “othering” of Black people by white people can be seen by the fact that Black people were actually put in zoos for the entertainment of white people.

For example, Sarah Baartman, a South African Khoikhoi woman, also known as the “Hottentot Venus,” was considered a freak attraction in 19th century Europe and was actually put on display. After her death, her remains were placed on display at the Parisian Musee de l’Homme until 1974!

A similar situation happened to Ota Benga, a Congolese Pygmy who became Exhibit A in the monkey house at the Bronx Zoo. There are also stories about human zoos (called “ethnological expositions” or “Negro Villages”) where groups of Blacks were displayed as communities.

The irony is that so-called white supremacists have acted in a very inferior manner, akin to animals, in the way that they have mistreated Black people and others.

In Tulsa, there was a conscious, systematic destruction of 40 square blocks; up to $4 million went up in flames, and scores of Blacks were buried in unmarked mass graves. Blacks were rounded up and placed in internment centers by deputized white people. The community was actually bombed by airplanes.

Afterwards, the city of Tulsa took land for itself that had belonged to African Americans. This was arguably the worst example of white attacks on Black people in America outside of the institution of slavery.

Now, the question that may be asked is this: if white people consider Black people inferior to themselves, why would they deliberately destroy what has been called the most successful Black community in America, Tulsa’s Greenwood?

The answer probably lies in the following notions: 1. Black success dispels the notion of their inferiority and hence derails the idea of white supremacy; 2. White supremacists actually believe that Black people are inferior and, as such, they are justified in being treated like animals, and 3.

Jealousy.

Black people should not exist based on treatment they have received, and yet they have achieved successes in every level of society. The more success the community demonstrates, the greater the attempts to oppress them.

One lesson that we should learn from Black Wall Street is that the Greenwood Community thrived because Black people relied on each other.

With this said, we must keep in mind that the really rabid white supremacists see us as inferior animals, and they really believe that they are a superior human species. They are also concerned that they face annihilation due to their dwindling numbers and the growing number of minorities in America.

Because of this, we must stick together in order to fight what has become a threat to Black survival. A Luta Continua.

Dear Editor:

4

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR It’s time for a reality check Only the most unenlightened among us would dispute that in the history of the United States Black people have been the constant target of atrocities at the hands of white people. With the availability of the internet and ongoing research, more and more of these heinous actions against Black folk are discovered on a regular basis. Yet, we have found a multitude of ways to survive—some even thrived in this environment.

That is why I was so dismayed a week, maybe two weeks, ago when I received an email discussing how the Black vote, particularly on the West Side, was being “diluted.” I had to read it three times to make sure I was seeing it correctly.

The reason the author was saying the Black vote was diluted was because the legislative redistricting altered some districts so that they were no longer majority Black.

Anyone who knows anything about government knows these legislative districts are redrawn every 10 years immediately following the latest population survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. Anyone who knows anything about politics knows that the party in power redraws the lines to their benefit. The purpose of that is a move to stay in power.

Those who understand politics also

know that low voter turnout makes an area insignificant to people running for office except those at the city level. The city’s West Side voting history is so bad it is below low, it is abysmal.

While some districts have 35 percent and higher turnout, it is rare for the West Side to get more than 25 percent of its voters to show up.

So, when it comes to redistricting no one is fighting to make sure they continue to represent those Black wards and districts. That is why it is time to face the reality that Black folks, not the redistricting system, are diluting the Black vote. If the West Side Black vote were consistently coming in at 30 percent or more in local elections, the process would leave those districts intact.

Conversely, pols are scrambling to get Latino districts and wards into the politicians’ folds because that community is seeing a steady increase in their voting numbers. Although the totals have slowed, we see more Latinos moving into the Chicago area when Black residents are moving to the southern and western parts of the country.

The people who want to see the Black vote carry more influence need to start with the basics of ensuring as many eligible voters as possible participate in the city council, mayoral and gubernatorial elections.

They would also serve themselves and the community well by engaging political decision-makers years before the re-map is about to get started. The current charge to participate in the most recent redistricting hearings came at the last minute, which was

much, much too late. It is paramount that in order to be influential and effective, Black people must be active, not reactive. And we must stop playing the role of victim.

Rennie Brown (Continued on page 17)

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Pandemic sparks surprise boom in business, exposure at Gallery Guichard

By Erick Johnson When the coronavirus pandemic forced Frances and Andre Guichard to close their Gallery Guichard firm in Bronzeville last year, the future of their lifelong dream of gallery ownership grew uncertain. Without customers frequenting their multicultural gallery at 436 E. 47th St., the Guichards did not know whether their business would survive during the pandemic.

Today the Guichards are enjoying a fresh rebirth of their gallery that has them dreaming of bigger possibilities.

Last week, on May 28, a handful of breathtaking pieces from their Bronzeville gallery were unveiled at the busy Sterling Bay’s One Two Pru office building at 130 E. Randolph St. across from Millennium Park. They were part of the real estate investment firm building’s new exhibit, “African Diaspora.” The exhibit tells the story of the

NIGERIAN ARTIST STEPHEN ‘SAYO’ OLALEKAN, who worked for two months to create his artwork “Rhythmic Sculptures,” before it was displayed inside Sterling Bay’s office building across from Millennium Park. (Photo by Erick Johnson) piece, with few resources. nois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a 4,500 people.

Today, a growing pool of larger re- stay-at-home order on March 21, the The uncertainty of the pandemic sources and exposure have given the Guichards, like many business owners, and the governor’s stay-at-home order Guichards bigger dreams, as they ex- were forced to close their business. For initially seemed to doom Gallery Guipand their art clientele that includes the Guichards, the closure was especial- chard. “We really started out nervous, white customers who are appreciating ly challenging as that meant fewer op- ok now we’re closing down,” said African Art more than ever with the portunities to attract customers.

Frances Guichard. changing racial climate amid the fallBefore the pandemic, the gallery The pandemic forced the Guichards out from the death of George Floyd, would host exhibition openings to en- to operate their business by appointkilled by a Minneapolis police officer a tice Chicago residents and art lovers, ment only, but it wasn’t enough to year ago. some of whom live outside the maintain the business’ revenues that It all started when the coronavirus Bronzeville community. Andre Guic- they achieved before the health crisis. struck Chicago last March. After Illi- hard said attendance would average (Continued on page 8)

ANDRE AND FRANCES GUICHARD stand in front of their gallery’s artwork now on display inside Sterling Bay’s One Two Pru building across from Millennium Park. (Photo by Erick Johnson) They were in for a real surprise.

After putting their works online with special software they created, things changed. Interest surged and the sales started rolling in from customers around the country. Soon, the world-renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York came calling.

The pandemic, which had claimed many businesses in Chicago and across the nation, has been a blessing to the Guichards. In the last year, the pandemic has provided opportunities that gave them national exposure and a booming business that has left them awestruck while the doors of their business remained closed. Call it the miracle on 43rd Street. www.chicagocrusader.com

city through thought-provoking, mixed media art, from its long history of jazz and blues to the recent isolation and introspection because of the pandemic.

Several of the pieces were created by the Guichards themselves, which they created after a trip to South Africa many years ago. Thousands of employees who work in the building are now getting a glimpse of the gallery’s art as they come and go from their offices in one of the most high-profile areas in Chicago.

It’s the latest achievement that provides more exposure and opportunities for the couple, who for years worked hard to grow their gallery into a masterBlacks Must control their own coMMunity

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

5

America is divided into racist, antiracist and racially ambiguous mindsets

By Vernon A. Williams Often in the name of academia or intellectualism, people dissect the most simplistic truths to the point of blurring clear understanding and making commonly shared beliefs a virtual impossibility. A spokesperson for the former administration in Washington, D.C., coined the dubious phrase “alternative facts.”

At the end of the day, people will believe what they choose to believe.

A staggering number of Republicans continue to assert that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the United States and that, even if he was, his religion is Muslim. Similarly, a comparable number refute the COVID threat and/or the vaccine remedy.

An astonishing three of four GOP polled continue to claim there was substantial fraud involved in the 2020 election even though the notion has been factually rejected by more than 100 court cases, most

presided over by judges appointed by 45. Even GOP election officials call the last general election perhaps the cleanest in history.

How many of us can remember, or still interact with, that grandparent, parent, relative or neighbor who had limited formal education, if any at all, and yet always seemed to cut through the fog of debate to offer the most common-sense analysis to any discussion.

Too many people are overly concerned about being considered the smartest person in the room and are unwilling to compromise perspectives or opinion, usually deeply steeped in their personal experience, frame of knowledge or exposure.

The unwillingness to stretch beyond comfort zones creates an impenetrable barrier to broadening thought.

Dogma has become more important than democracy. That’s scary.

The concept of one-man-one-vote eludes those trying to restrict the

6

tude says, “I’ve made up my mind.

Don’t confuse me with the facts.”

Somehow there is the concept that if you are white and don’t endorse the most offensive or oppressive language or point of view, you are somewhat elevated against those overtly radical in their stance.

But if you are white in America today, you are either racist, racially ambiguous or anti-racial. No other options, no matter how you cut it.

And only the latter is useful in the fight for diversity, equity and justice for every American.

When 17-year-old Dick Rowland was arrested in Tulsa in 1921 and falsely accused of assaulting a white female elevator operator, there were only three ways it could have gone, trial and conviction (racially ambiguous); recantation or exoneration (antiracist); or lynching, compounded by rioting resulting in the death of 300 (racist).

Here is a more contemporary example: Antiracists insist that the January (Continued on page 17)

There have been three incidents of Americans suffering aerial bombardment on American soil. The most well-known is the Japanese attack on

Pearl Harbor in 1941, resulting in loyal Japanese Americans being unjustly interned in concentration (Continued on page 15)

Vernon A.Williams

BOMBING AMERICA

By Oscar H. Blayton Centennials are usually celebratory affairs. Marking the passing of 100 years since a significant event, by its nature, can occur only once. For this reason, it is no surprise that people take these opportunities to conduct parades, give speeches and enjoy a hearty, self-administered pat on the back.

But when the significant event 100 years in the past is one of mass murder and a glaring manifestation of the race hatred that has been endemic in America since its founding, centennials take on a different significance.

Revisiting a horrific event such as the 1921 race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on its 100th anniversary brings with it a need for reflection that does not generate self-congratulation.

Rather, it requires a measurement and evaluation of the quality of progress – or lack of progress – in improving race relations and ensuring equal justice for all people that is promised in the Constitution.

For months, in anticipation of the Tulsa race massacre centennial, accounts of that slaughter have been viewed through different lenses.

While African Americans have called for closer scrutiny and a more indepth examination of the wildly racist bloodbath that was nothing less than a mass lynching, they were met with resolute denials of proven facts by powerful conservatives in state and local government.

This is not surprising to Blacks, Asians, Native Americans and other people of color in America, who have witnessed attempts to obliterate the

rights of people of color to make their voices heard. White extremists, conservatives, moderates and even liberals are giving credence to theories that they know in their heart to be ridiculous and unfounded.

Their common denominator is the will to prevent the “browning of America.”

Immigration, police brutality, voter oppression and imbalances in the penal system are all among the myriad tactics being employed to keep America white. Some boldly claim it, others try to couch their bias in finely spoken platitudes confusing to even the best educated.

Here in the middle of 2021, there is a chasm that has folk embracing the “we and they” mentality like nothing in recent decades. And while the foundation of our nation erodes, too many opt to hear no evil, see no evil and say no evil. The idiom that best captures that atti-

Oscar H. Blayton memories of the absolute inhumanity demonstrated by the colonializing and enslaving class of invading Europeans. For people of color, these efforts to wipe out the truth of history create an existential crisis, a crisis that has existed for more than 400 years.

One of the aspects of the Tulsa race massacre that has been shrouded with denial is the fact that the Greenwood community in Tulsa suffered aerial bombardment. Recent accounts of the massacre acknowledge that multiple airplanes flew over Greenwood, dropping explosives onto the Black victims below. But this fact was denied for years by members of Tulsa’s white community.

However, the recent discovery of a 10-page, typewritten eyewitness ac-

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

count by Buck Colbert Franklin, a lawyer and the father of famed historian John Hope Franklin, stated that a dozen or more airplanes dropped explosive devices on the Greenwood community. B.C. Franklin’s account is now housed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Those defenders of the myth of a just America long argued that it was a moral impossibility that a city government would participate in the aerial bombing of Americans in an American city. But facts are stubborn things and they do not abide the corruption of history.

Almost to the day, 64 years after the Tulsa race massacre, a municipal government dropped another bomb on Americans in another American city.

On May 13, 1985, the Police Department of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, bombed a residential home occupied by members of a Black politically active group known as MOVE. This incident, known as the MOVE bombing, was sanctioned by the Philadelphia city government and resulted in the murder of six adults and five children. In addition to the destruction of the targeted home, 61 neighboring houses in the Black neighborhood were destroyed by the ensuing fire and more than 250 people were left homeless. It is reported that the city’s firefighters were held back from using their high-powered water cannons until the fire had raged for an hour and a half.

Ramona Africa, one of the two survivors of the attack, reported that police fired at MOVE members trying to escape their burning house.

What Naomi Osaka taught women, especially Black women Many Black women can relate to the challenges facing professional Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka and the backlash she experienced after withdrawing from the French Open to prioritize her mental health, says Northwestern Medicine psychologist Inger Burnett-Ziegler.

“Naomi Osaka's complaint of being asked repetitive questions that lead to self-doubt is one many Black women can relate to,” said BurnettZiegler, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “It is not unusual for a Black woman to be in a work situation in which she feels under the microscope and harshly criticized in a way that is disproportionate to her peers “Much of the backlash Osaka has received falls in line with the unspoken belief that women should just do what they have to do and put up with things that are harmful to them in order to pacify others, be agreeable and keep their ‘good jobs,’“ said Burnett-Ziegler, who researches Black women’s mental health.

“Osaka made a bold and brave move by stating her intentions to not do any press in order to protect her mental health and going on to pull out of the French Open.”

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

Naomi Osaka Here’s what all women can learn from her actions, Burnett-Ziegler said: “Osaka took some really important steps that are important to recognize: 1) she identified aspects of her work environment contributing to her depression; 2) she did what was in her control to set a clear and firm boundary in order to take care of herself; 3) she prioritized her needs over the opinions and agendas of others.

“To be sure, not everyone has the same degree of privilege and leverage that she does, but there is a lesson in here for all of us.”

www.chicagocrusader.com

By Ima Gontellit EDITOR’S NOTE: This column is published as political satire, street gossip and humor, and therefore should not be considered as fact.

None of the items herein are collected by the news gathering staff of the Crusader Newspaper Group. Items forwarded to The Chatterbox are kept confidential unless otherwise requested by the author, in writing.

For submissions please forward to: news@chicagocrusader.com. Original photography and artwork are permitted. Thank you for reading!

might be?

-ImaHAITIANS TICKED OFF The Caribbean people from the Island of San Domingo are said to be ticked off at Mayor Lightfoot for halting their plans to name Lake Shore Drive after the Haitian explor-

TIME IS TICKING

Ald. Brian Hopkins

Soon and very soon someone is going to see the king. And we ain’t talkin’ bout King Jesus. We’re talking about the ruler in the federal realm. The COM-Ed thing suddenly grew more legs and arms and therefore some names are being dropped—-or so it’s been told. Someone is liquidating assets as we speak, just in case they find themselves needing moolah to defend themselves against the king’s dominion.

around the dark parts of his ward telling people some interesting things.

Hopkins went on a radio show once and called all them brown children who were protesting George Floyd akin to “lawless gangs” and “violent criminals.” He was not talking about the police. This ugly headed alderman’s name came up in a meeting called to “get rid of Lightfoot.” A person said out loud that there are a handful of her “henchmen” who also need to go—-and Hopkins name was on the list along with a Mexican alderman, two Black aldermen on the South Side and one old one on the West Side. With all the talk about who needs to stay and who needs to go reminds us of the Daley years

-ImaPOLICY NUMBERS Found this paper from 1947 in the dresser draw. It had an old insurance policy with these lucky numbers: 341-422-849-098-000-164-8765679-4539-127.

-ImaDAMN SHAME

Mayor Lori Lightfoot er who created Chicago. They are also mad that Little Larry made friends with Bobby Rush, the congressman they decided to hate—even though he has ties to a East Coast Haitian.

One of their leaders is supposedly “organizing against her” as we “speak because we are sick of this woman acting like Papa Doc and her police are the Tonton Macoute.” This group of Negroes, are joining the African Negroes up North who have decided to blame Little Larry for the fall of their restaurants and hair braiding shops. It sounds like somebody is running up and down some city blocks finding

when nobody came or went without come these fools ain’t demanding no white folks or Black gangsters’ ap- money from Pritzker since he’s in the giving mood? They getting policy, proval. but no paper. It’s like expecting people to barbecue with no fire. He gets -Imaaway with this because he’s fat and he looks harmless. He’s still a billionSNAKE BITE aire. The liberals in Springfield are A community loudmouth was being faked out by a fake power play. switching down da street when it come across a big, yellow-bellied snake. The snake was hurt and needed a helping hand. Well this loudmouth picked up the snake, fed it, cleaned it up, celebrated it, defended it, gave it money and made it wealthy and healthy. One day as the community person was minding his own business, that big old yellow snake up and bit him in the ass.

Why did you do that? I found you.

I made you what you is! I saved you,” the loudmouth screamed.

The snake said, “And, you also knew I was a serpent when you picked me up. And, by the way, my bite got poison and a slow death awaits you.” Beware of yellow, bellied snakes and white folks coming Gov. JB Pritzker under the banner of Black Lives Matter.

If they ain’t putting no money in (nwords) pockets then this ain’t noth-Imaing but bulls@#!, which can be erased or amended. Everybody focused on the crumbs in the city, but ALL PAPER, NO MONEY they missing the whole pie in the This comment was sent to someone state. These Democrats are running who sent it to the Chatterbox: “How big game. Game recognize game.

We heard a very powerful “former” elected official who is Black and very good looking was seen spending $5 in a South Side coffee shop. Everybody was skinning and grinning and acting like they hit the lottery. It wasn’t lost on one old man who said, “You see how dumb people is. When this man was in office he could have put millions of dollars on the South Side. He didn’t help us get a dime.

But he spends $2 on some coffee and people acting like Jesus just turned water into wine. I don’t get this at all.”

-ImaTHE FRUIT IT BEARS A church in Woodlawn is fixin’ to celebrate itself. Maybe it’s congratulating itself on being one of the reasons why the University of Chicago was able to “take over” parts of the Negro South Side. This house of heavenly repute is full of “government workers” as a sign of its loyal patronage to city hall. Wonder who that

www.chicagocrusader.com

Cong. Bobby Rush people from across the Atlantic to take a more active role in politics.

-Ima2ND WARD FIGHT Someone doesn’t like Ald. Brian Hopkins and that somebody is going

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

7

—

Pandemic sparks surprise boom in business, exposure at Gallery Guichard

(Continued from page 5) They began thinking of ways to keep in their homes on Zoom with their interest and sales flowing at the gallery. clients. She said the gallery’s artThe couple began calling art galleries works became a coveted item and and art exhibitions organizers around sparked competition among some the country, including the world- executives.

The exposure kept the Guichards renowned Art Basel on Miami Beach.

They found that many were using slide busy with new sales orders during show technology online, which they the pandemic. With Stephen Mitsaid made it difficult to sell their art be- chell as their business partner and cause it didn’t connect with enthusiasts. co-owner, the three spent many days The Guichards looked at a 3D tech- carefully packing artwork in crates nology application used in real estate. to ship to customers across the couThey combined it with slide-show ntry.

Andre Guichard said before the technology that other galleries use to showcase their works. The result was a pandemic, the gallery sold 75 pieces unique online application that gave art of art in 2019. He said during the lovers an experience that made them pandemic, the gallery sold about feel like they were physically inside 100 pieces. But the exposure to new the Gallery Guichard while in their fans would prove even more valuable. own home.

One of the new fans is New York That led the Guichards to create a Virtual Exhibition Catalog, which City’s world-renowned Metropolishowcases the firm’s numerous tan Museum of Art, known to milpieces with the click of a button on lions as simply “The Met.” The muthe keyboard. “It has been so suc- seum, which has one of the world’s cessful that it changed our business largest art archival collections, called model completely,” said Andre Gui- the Guichards, seeking to add them to their records. chard.

Andre Guichard “During pre-COVID, after you had an opening, 30 days later you couldn’t see these works of art in the same way forever. Now in our Virtual Exhibition Catalog, those stay exhibit perfect. You can ‘walk’ into the gallery and walk around, go to the artwork.”

Frances Guichard said during Zoom meetings, people would be impressed by the gallery’s artwork and would buy paintings to furnish their homes that became their offices during the pandemic. She said art was important for them to establish a more professional environment as they held business meetings 8

The move is considered the first step in The Met showcasing the Guichard’s pieces among The Met’s two million works of art. For officials at The Met, the inclusion will be an achievement in an ongoing effort to include Black art, which historically has been viewed as “primitive” as Black artists were shut out of the museum’s exhibitions.

Curators and museum officials say the George Floyd murder and subsequent protests have sparked an interest in African American art in exhibitions designed by museum curators across the country.

The Guichards said they cataloged

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

NIGERIAN ARTIST STEPHEN ‘SAYO’ OLALEKAN, who worked for two months to create his artwork “Rhythmic Sculptures,” before it was displayed inside Sterling Bay’s office building across from Millennium Park. (Photo by Erick Johnson) each of their artworks into a book to diversity and inclusion, Sterling Guichard’s art on several separate that was sent to The Met. They said Bay in 2019 hired Barrett, who was floors of the building, including the they also gave The Met the direct the national press secretary for the lobby. The 21 pieces of art include colorful canvasses and ethnic sculplinks to their website so they could Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Andre Guichard said he was “very tures. Andre Guichard, a self-taught visit each one of those.

“We also sent them a format they surprised” by the phone call. For artist who has painted over 2,500 can see and use for their digital cata- over six months, the Guichards and artworks during a 25-year career, allog,” Frances Guichard said. “So the Sterling Bay executives combed so has works in the exhibition.

“What I love about this exhibit is pandemic really has been an amaz- through thousands of art pieces in that it proves that our work is not the gallery’s collection. ing opportunity for us.”

They chose 21 pieces that would monolithic, meaning that the work “The Met was a big deal for us,” she said. “Here we were during be first in an ongoing African Dias- has thought in their landscapes, abCOVID and not having any way of pora exhibition that will include ro- stracts and still life.”

The gallery features works from getting out our information. Here tating pieces of artwork. The Guiwe are with our virtual exhibitions chards also toured several of Sterling Frances and Andre Guichard, StepBay’s office properties before they hen ‘Sayo’ Olalekan, and Adam Guicand people loving the exhibitions.

“We had people from all over the chose the firm’s One Two Pru build- hard. Frances’ art is inspired by her and her husband’s third trip to world coming to our Zoom meet- ing.

“We are excited to partner with South Africa in 2010. ings and seeing all the works.

It’s a painted canvas with images of People would see our intro videos, Gallery Guichard and to transform see us ‘drop down’ into the gallery One Two Pru’s lobby into an engag- landscapes and mountains that were and then see artists talking about ing cultural experience for tenants owned by the African people before their works and being able to actual- and visitors as we all begin to emerge they were owned by the Apartheid from the pandemic,” said Andy government. ly visually see the artists.”

One stunning piece of art in the The Guichards said they will con- Gloor, CEO of Sterling Bay. “Sterling Bay is a proud supporter exhibition is from Nigerian artist tinue to host virtual exhibitions as they prepare to reopen their gallery. of the arts and incorporates works Olalekan. He worked for two months They also plan art exhibitions inside from local and global artists in a cre- to complete the work for the gallery.

Sterling Bay’s other properties to ative and meaningful manner across Called “Rhythmic Sculptures,” his work features six sculptures inside continue expanding their clientele our commercial spaces.

Through our collaboration with frames. Olalekan said his work is remiand exposing artistic compositions Gallery Guichard, we are hoping to niscent of the human body but deto a new crop of art lovers.

The Guichard’s latest exhibition at expand representation and exposure picted in a more free-flowing light. “[It’s] just the complexity of huSterling Bay’s One Two Pru office for Black artists and celebrate the dibuilding came about in 2020 after verse, dynamic cultures that define man minds and body, and then how they function together. they were contacted by Keiana Bar- our city.”

So just finding a way to simplify On May 19, the Crusader was rett, director of diversity and strategic development for Sterling Bay. given a special preview of the exhibi- them through my heart, that’s what I Seeking to expand its commitment tion, which includes the Gallery did.”

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

www.chicagocrusader.com

Got questions about the vaccine’s safety?

We’ve got answers.

We know many of you are worried about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine. To ensure that the vaccines were safe and effective, thousands of people from diverse backgrounds volunteered to test the vaccine for safety.

People with diabetes, HIV, heart and lung disease and many other conditions joined the study to test the vaccine’s safety among various races and people with other health concerns. The vaccines have been found to be safe and effective at protecting people from COVID-19. Getting vaccinated will help prevent you from getting sick and potentially spreading COVID-19 to family members, especially ones who are at higher risk.

Get informed. Get more facts at rush.edu/vaccinefacts

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Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

9

After you fire

What you need to say, do and

By J. Coyden Palmer It’s the thing you never wanted to happen, but it has. The palms of your hands are sweaty. Your heart feels like it is beating out of your chest. Your body is shaking. You may urinate or defecate on yourself, as the human body evacuates all things from it not needed to win a life-or-death fight.

You have fired your weapon in selfdefense, and someone has been shot.

But whether you realize it or not, the fight isn’t over. You may have come out victorious, surviving physically, but the legal fight has just begun.

In what experts call “fight or flight” the human body goes into survival mode and clear thinking might not be possible. But having a plan in mind of what steps to take if this situation happens is one of the most important things you can do as a legal gun owner. Because the actions you take in the moments right after the shooting could be the difference between you being sent to prison or going home to your loved ones in one piece.

To assist readers in making what could be a life-changing decision immediately following a defensive shooting incident, the Crusader gathered information from a variety of legal experts on citizen- and police-involved shootings for this report.

All encouraged legal gun owners, in addition to maintaining regular firearms training, to have a good insurance company that specifically deals with gun owners’ rights, and to have a retainer for a lawyer on standby.

Attorney Terry Johnson, from Firearms Legal Protection, is a criminal defense attorney who for years has been helping people involved in selfdefense shootings. Based out of Farmington, Michigan, Johnson says too many people make mistakes after they’ve been involved in a shooting that have cost them time in prison, money and even their own lives when they were mistaken as the offender.

“The first thing you want to do when the police arrive on the scene is make sure you don’t have anything in your hands,” Johnson said. “There have been incidents of people being shot by the first officer responding to the scene because they couldn’t tell who was the threat and who wasn’t.

“The officer is responding to a call of shots fired. You standing there holding a gun is not a good start.”

Just as law enforcement officers have to explain their actions with every use of lethal force, so will you.

But you will not have the benefit of unqualified immunity. You will not have a union or city attorney working on your behalf. So, you had better know what you are doing.

10

least two sleep cycles before they have to come in and make a statement and when they make that statement, they do so along with their attorney or union rep,” Johnson said. “So why wouldn’t you do the same thing? It’s your legal right to do it, so do it.”

Johnson said police may press you for a statement. However, this is not the time for you to start talking. He added you can’t remember every single incident that led up to the shooting. That is what the investigation is for.

“We always believe we can talk our way or explain our way out of things,” Johnson said. “If you just shot someone, the odds of you not going to jail temporarily, even when

Coming in second or third place is not bad if you are running in a cross-

you were in the right, are slim.”

Johnson said spending a few hours or even a night in jail initially should be expected as the police conduct the investigation. He said too many people get caught up in the “but I was right” argument.

It is why Johnson said knowing your legal rights, how the legal process goes, and having a plan that you have rehearsed over and over again is something every legal gun owner must know.

“Think about a police officer who shoots someone in the line of duty.

They get to have 48 hours, that’s at

country event. But if you’ve just shot someone, you better be the first to call 911 if you want to be seen by the responding officers as the victim.

“While it may seem counterintuitive for the good guy to think the bad guy will call the police after they just tried to kill you, you must realize the bad guy may understand the law better than you,” says Massad Ayoob, considered the foremost expert in the country on civilian and police use of force.

“Whoever calls in first gets to be the complainant. That’s how the system is geared. Whoever is complained

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

Be the First to Call 911

about is seen as the suspect. So, it is critical for you to be the one to call 911 and state whatever the attacker(s) did to you.”

When calling 911, experts say be brief. State the location and tell them someone has been shot and to send police and paramedics and then hang up the phone. Never say, “I just shot someone,” because then the police will come looking for you.

“Many people don’t know that

when you dial 911 in the United States, as soon as it starts ringing it is also recording,” Johnson says. “I can’t tell you how many times people have been busted because they are talking as the phone call to 911 is ringing and recording, and they say things they shouldn’t be saying.”

The second call you make should be to your attorney, Johnson said.

Say Only What Needs to Be Said The 5th Amendment protects you from incriminating yourself. But time and time again, citizens get

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

themselves in hot water from mundane things like traffic tickets to more serious situations like shootings because they talk to the police, thinking they are in the right to have done what they did.

Nothing could be further from the truth says John Correia from Active Self Protection, whose YouTube channel is one of the most popular and best online sources for information about defensive shootings. The Active Self Protection YouTube channel has loads of different scenarios in which Correia gives explanations on what went right and what went wrong in a situation.

“The police are going to investigate anyway, so let them do their job,” Correia says. “There is no need for you to start yapping. We see on the channel all the time people taking actions or saying things in anger after the deadly threat was over that cross the line and get them into trouble.”

Attorney Johnson agrees. He says nothing good can come from you talking to the police at a time when you are emotional and not thinking clearly. He added that talking to police without an attorney is an even worse idea.

Ayoob’s expertise in the area of civilian and police use of force requires him to travel the country speaking on the topic, and he has testified in dozens of criminal and civil cases on the subject. He has a bit of a different take than Johnson but agrees that saying less is more.

Speaking with Marty Hayes of the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network in November of last year, Ayoob laid out what a person can say when they are first contacted by police. Back in the 1980s, Ayoob came up with a five-point checklist of things that need to be established.

“The first thing you have to do is establish the active dynamic. Tell the police or 911, ‘this person attacked my wife or this person was trying to kill me’,” Ayoob began. “Second, tell the police you will testify against the person who attacked you. It reinforces the first point that you were the (Continued on page 11) www.chicagocrusader.com

the last shot

not do in a defensive shooting (Continued from page 1) intended victim and you were defending yourself or others.

“Next you want to point out the evidence. Preservation of life takes precedence over preservation of evidence, so shell casings, where a weapon is found, or video evidence can all be accidentally moved by police and paramedics responding to the scene. Point them in the right direction.

Ayoob adds, using that same thought process, “you want to point out any eyewitness who might be able to help you. Usually someone or a lot of people saw what happened but are afraid to speak up. You can even ask people before the cops get there, ‘did you see that?’ That puts some people at ease and they may come forward on your behalf.

“Finally, it is at that point that I would go with telling the officer you will answer no further questions until you have spoken with your attorney.”

Ayoob believes being respectful when telling the officer you do not intend to answer any further questions is important to determining how they label you. Many times, the media reports a person as “not cooperating with investigators,” when often times it is just people exercising their legal right to counsel, according to Attorney Johnson. Keeping the focus that you are the victim should be your primary goal.

Ayoob added this may include requesting an ambulance for yourself if you were injured. Other experts suggest always requesting an ambulance because you can go into shock, suffer a panic or heart attack after going through such an emotional ordeal.

No Posting on Social Media It is no secret that we live in a digital media world and people are quick to post every aspect of their lives on social media platforms. However, posting pictures of your grandmother’s 100th birthday party won’t get you thrown in prison. Talking about how you shot someone can. Do not talk about the incident, even if you were cleared.

Attorney Mark Victor is not only against people saying anything to police if involved in a shooting, but he says you shouldn’t be saying anything to anyone, including family and friends.

“All of those people are people who can be called into court to testify about what you said to them about the incident, with the exception of a spouse,” Victor said. “Posting your thoughts on social media is like literally telling the entire world, and your posts can be used as evidence against you.” www.chicagocrusader.com

Keep Your Attorney’s Information on Your Person When you need an attorney, you won’t have time to look up one in a phone book. In the heat of the moment, you will not be thinking clearly so experts recommend having your attorney’s phone number locked into your contact list. As an additional

backup, having a physical copy of your attorney’s card in a purse or wallet is also a good idea in case the phone is lost or damaged during the encounter. This may also allow you to have a friend or family member make the call for you if they are on the scene.

Johnson and Victor agree that the fight for your exoneration is going to

be just as difficult as the life-or-death situation you just survived. They offer this final advice.

“Remember, the Miranda Rights says it all: ‘anything you say, can and WILL be used against you in a court of law.’ So, the most important thing you can say is nothing at all,” Johnson said.

“I see no downside to saying, ‘hey I

want my lawyer, I got nothing to say’,” Victor told Correia on an Active Self Protection Extra episode.

“That’s what the police get advised to do when they are involved in a shooting. That’s what the police advise their kids to do. So, if it is good enough for the police and their kids to do it, it should be good enough for you as well.”

Do You Need a Second Gun? The question asked by some of the public is why do legal gun owners need more than one gun? The answer to that question varies, but it starts with how you view a gun. If a gun is viewed merely as a tool, just like various hammers or screwdrivers have different purposes, then perhaps more people can understand why. But if you need a more practical example, take a look at the case of Marcus Weldon.

Weldon was featured in Part II of the Crusader’s Carrying While Black series. He was acquitted of six felonies levied against him when he shot two people in self-defense in Detroit in 2014. Though he was found not guilty of all charges by a jury, prosecutors in the case have refused to return Weldon his gun, even though he is legally allowed to have one.

“I think they are just sore losers,” said Weldon with a laugh, who has since purchased another firearm.

Legal gun owners should know that if they are involved in a situation where they use or present their weapon in a self-defense encounter, they may not get that weapon back as the investigation gets going or even after it concludes, says Attorney Terry Johnson, who helped Weldon get his license to carry back after his acquittal in Michigan.

“Just consider that weapon gone and buy you a new one,” he advises. “I have a buddy who was a cop that was involved in a justified shooting nearly 20 years ago. He has since retired and they still never gave him his weapon back, so go figure.”

Another practical reason to own a second weapon could be that your primary gun is in need of repair. Guns, like cars, have moving parts that often need to be replaced. Giving your gun to Attorney Terry Johnson a gunsmith for maintenance could take a few days or a few weeks. Doing so could mean an undetermined amount of time to be without protection, according to journalist Eve Flanigan, who writes for the US Concealed Carry Association’s Concealed Carry Magazine.

Since guns are tools, different guns have different uses. Many people prefer carrying a sub-compact handgun for self-defense when they are in public. The smaller-sized firearm is lighter and easier to conceal. However, a full-sized handgun is the preferred choice for home defense. Full-sized carry arms tend to have a longer barrel for more firepower and generally hold more rounds, up to 19.

Another argument for owning a second gun is that if the gun is used as both a home defense weapon and as a concealed carry weapon, the gun cannot be in two places at once. This might be fine for a person who lives alone, but in a family situation, if one person takes the gun with them on a trip to the grocery store, those left in the house will have no means to defend themselves Marcus Weldon if there is an attack at the residence.

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BOOKWORM SEZ “I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons”

Dave Chappelle brings social justice, comedy to this year’s Tribeca fest

By Kevin Hart c.2017, 37 Ink $26.99 / $34.99 Canada 400 pages

By Elaine Hegwood Bowen, M.S.J.

Ohio during the early days of the experimental socially-distanced live You can pretend all you want.

New York City’s iconic Radio pandemic, the emotions erupting comedy show in a neighbor's cornHide your head in the sand and say it ain’t so. Cover your ears and yell City Music Hall re-opens across the nation following the Black field grew into an unforgettable sum“LaLaLaLaLa” until everyone thinks you’re five years old. You can deny, defor the first time since the Lives Matter movement, and the re- mer with his neighbors, friends and ny, deny, but listen up: some things are factual, so read “I Can’t Make This pandemic to host the event markable leadership of the town’s fellow comedians. Ultimately, ChapUp: Life Lessons” by Kevin Hart, and you may learn something.

When Kevin Hart was born, his parents might’ve said “oops.”

The 2021 Tribeca Festival™, pre- youth who started weekly marches pelle’s cornfield concerts would serve as a model of courage not just for his Neither parent ever denied that Hart’s birth was the result of his father’s sented by AT&T, announced the and rallies. broken promise. Hart knew he was “a mistake,” and that nobody was happy. Still, his parents stayed together awhile – long enough for him to note his father’s unusual parenting style and his mother’s strength in raising two sons, mostly alone.

The oldest boy eventually sold crack and went into the military to avoid jail.

The younger son, well, he wrote this book.

Throughout his life, Hart paid attention to the lessons he got from keen observations; Number One was that things change. Number Two was that shrugging one’s shoulders and moving on is the best way to deal with Number One. COMEDIAN DAVE CHAPPELLE sits with his neighbors and co-producers of his yet untitled documenThere was no shoul- tary, which will close the 20th Tribeca Film Fest on June 19. This promises to be a big night for Tribeca. der-shrugging, though, “Premiering our film at Tribeca and community, but for the entire live when Hart got a post- World Premiere of its Closing Night film at New York City’s iconic Radio closing out the festival at Radio City entertainment industry. high-school job selling City Music Hall on Saturday, June Music Hall is a big honor,” said Chap“This extraordinary documentary athletic shoes. He set a 19, as part of Tribeca’s 12-day celepelle.

“Our film is about courage and is the most fitting to close this hisgoal of being the store’s best salesman, and found a mentor who encouraged bration to re-open New York and resilience, something New Yorkers toric night at Radio City Music Hall him and a group of people who showed him what being a grown-up was bring live entertainment back to the can relate to.” and our 20th Festival,” said Jane like. He worked long hours and made the job fun – so fun, that his co-workers encouraged him to try an open mic night for amateur comedians in the Philadelphia area.

And people laughed.

Hearing their laughter was like being on fire. Hart created a fake-stage name for himself and begged for as many gigs as he could get; the first ones were performed for free, then he started making enough to pay the bills and quit his day-job. He met someone who taught him the fundamentals of being a comedian, and he became a husband and father on his way up the fame ladder. On his (temporary) way down, he never lost sight of his career or his strongest lesson: Always be your best. Somebody might be watching.

While, obviously, as evidenced from comedy performances and TV shows, author Kevin Hart is a talented writer, “I Can’t Make This Up” is a little clunky at the outset. It takes a few pages to settle in and get comfortable – and you will.

You might expect to LOL while you’re reading – and, again, you will – but remember, this isn’t a comedy club. There are chuckles here, but you probably won’t find doubled-over belly-laughs. Instead, taking advice that he was given all those years ago, Hart tells his own personal story with humor, just the right touch of embellishment, and a full dose of the flip-side of funny without forcing anything. That’s good comedy, as he says... and it makes for a wonderful memoir.

Pay close attention to the chapter titles here. Read the introduction (it’s “mandatory”). Look for the “lessons” and laugh. “I Can’t Make This Up” is a AUDIENCE MEMBERS ENJOY the unique comedy of Dave Chappelle at a cornfield in Ohio. treat, for real. city.

Fueled by the murder of George Rosenthal, Tribeca Enterprises and The untitled ‘Pilot Boy Production’ Floyd, shut-in by the closures of busi- Tribeca Festival Co-Founder and documentary is produced by Dave nesses and unable to perform around CEO. “We're huge fans of Dave’s Chappelle and produced and directed the country, the movie follows Chap- ability to make us laugh and this

by Oscar and Emmy-winning film- pelle as he provides the community he poignant story provides us with anmakers Julia Reichert and Steven calls home with two things desperate- other look at his unique talent to Bognar. The film takes a glimpse into ly needed in difficult times – econom- bring people together and the grand

By Raymond Ward will return next week. the challenges facing a rural village in ic and comic relief. What began as an (Continued on page 18) 12

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i h C e m i t r e m m Su

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SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

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Virtual Opportunities BLACK WOMEN AND ROMANCE: On Monday, June 7, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT, join in a conversation entitled Black Women & Romance headlined by a dynamic panel of authors featuring Alyssa Cole, Kwana Jackson, Vanessa Riley, and Beverly Jenkins. This event is presented in partnership with The Ripped Bodice.

Moderated by The AntiRacist Table, this panel will consist of a discussion of each author's latest book, the evolution of romance as literature, and the intersection of the romance genre and antiracism.

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance. Her contemporary rom-com A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018, and her latest book, How to Find a Princess, is the second installment in the Runaway Royals series.

Kwana Jackson, aka K.M. Jackson, always knew she wanted to be either (a) a fashion designer or (b) a writer. Now a USA Today bestseller, her self-published novel, Bounce won the Golden Leaf for best novel with strong romance elements from the New Jersey chapter of Romance Writers of America. Her forthcoming novel, How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days, is a hilarious road-trip rom-com.

Beverly Jenkins is the nation’s premier writer of African-American historical romance fiction and specializes in 19th century African American life.

She’s the 2018 Michigan Library Association Author of the Year, a USA Today bestselling author, an NAACP Image Award nominee, and the 2017 recipient of Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. Her most recent book, Wild Rain, follows a female rancher who forges her own path in the wake of the Civil War. Vanessa Riley writes Historical Fiction and Historical Romance (Georgian, Regency, & Victorian) featuring hidden histories, dazzling multi-culture communities, and strong sisterhoods. She promises to pull heart strings, offer a few laughs, and share tidbits of tantalizing history. Her next book, Island Queen, will be published in November 2021. Register at [www.eventbrite.com].

VIRTUAL BLACK ABOLITIONIST TOUR OF LONDON: On Tuesday, June 8, 11:30 a.m. to 14

1:00 p.m. CDT, welcome to a VIRTUAL tour of London conducted by Dr. Hannah-Rose Murray, University of Edinburgh! Every month, Dr. Murray leads a walking tour of London, highlighting six sites where African American activists had a major impact on the British landscape. Because of COVID-19, these tours have obviously been postponed - most likely until late summer but possibly longer, depending on safety and public health! Until then, the tours will be done virtually.

You’ll be taken to the same sites, and we can journey together through the streets of London - and possibly further afield - to learn how African American activists travelled to the British Isles during the 19th century to educate audiences about the brutalities of slavery, to write and publish their narratives, raise money to legally purchase themselves or family members, or to settle and work here. Keep an eye on your email half an hour before the tour starts, you'll be sent a Zoom link and password. Depending on numbers, it will be best to mute yourself while on the call, and after every "virtual stop" if someone wants to ask a question, raise your hand / ask it through the comment box. Any questions? Contact hannahrose.murray 78@gmail.com, and if you want to learn more about this topic, visit [www.frederickdouglassinbritain.com] and also [https://blackabolitionistwalkingtours.wordpress.com].

IN-PERSON VISITS City residents can expect many exciting summer events and cultural activities across Chicagoland — including Open Parks and Open Streets events.

New Millennium Park and other DCASE programming will include: Old Town Art Fair on June 12 and June 13; Chicago Latino Theater Alliance – Sola en la pandemia está cañón at Joe's on Weed Street on June 19; Pride in the Park on June 26 and June 27; and much, much more. For these and other upcoming events, including

CHICAGO REAL ESTATE development firm, Sterling Bay, is taking the celebration of Pride Month to new heights this year as it raises the city’s largest Progress Pride Flag at 1100 W Grand, site of The Grand Flag, the company’s widely recognized 200-foot flagpole located in Fulton Market. The Progress Pride flag began flying Tuesday, June 1st to celebrate and commemorate Pride Month. Visible from the I-90 Interstate and throughout the city’s River West, West Loop and Fulton Market neighborhoods, the Progress Pride Flag serves as a salute to the city’s advancements toward social equality and its celebration of individuality.

CENTER: Planting and MaintainAlso incorporated, in addition to this ing a Perennial Garden: Shrouds by new fabric work, is his ongoing series Faheem Majeed is an ambitious new Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden, which reuses one set of cedar wood panels over many spaces. For this installation, the wooden planks, repurposed from the SSCAC’s Burroughs Gallery, will take the form of a platform that will both raise the massive building-sized fabric rubbing on a pedestal, and be host to a performance by the installation and exhibition at the Hyde Seldoms.

In this exhibition, Majeed will debut Park Art Center that furthers his investigation of culturally specific institu- his first video work on the Jackman tions by focusing on the history and Goldwasser Catwalk Facade featuring memory of the historic South Side dancer Damon Green in movement Community Art Center (SSCAC). with the shroud choreographed by The exhibit is ONGOING through Carrie Hanson in the SSCAC’s woodpaneled art gallery. The exhibit is curatJuly 17.

The centerpiece of the exhibition will ed by Allison Peters Quinn, Art Cenbe a monumental charcoal rubbing of ter Director of Exhibition & Residency the SSCAC’s building facade at 3831 Program.

For more information on the exhibiS. Michigan Ave. that Majeed has tions and related public programs, visit been working on since August 2020.

[hydeparkart.org]. Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden IV: Shrouds

by Faheem Majeed is generously supported by The Joyce Foundation, The Terra Foundation for American Art, and The Illinois Arts Council.

THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT ANNOUNCES “SUMMER OF POSSIBILITIES.” The Chicago Park District started online registration for 2021 Summer Day Camp and Summer Park Programs on May 10.

Summer Day Camp will run for six weeks, from June 28 to August 6, and park programs will run from June 21 to August 28. This year, the Chicago Park District’s camp theme ‘Summer of Possibilities’ will enhance the summer day camp experience by engaging campers in activities that encourage them to think creatively and set and reach goals through play.

(Continued on page 15)

many more to be added throughout the spring and summer, visit [ChooseChicago.com/events] and [Chicago.gov/DCASE] for DCASE summer programming details including its artist lineups and ticketing (free advance registration).

PLANTING AND MAINTAINING A PERENNIAL GARDEN/ SHROUDS BY FAHEEM MAJEED AT THE HYDE PARK ART

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Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

www.chicagocrusader.com

The roar and excitement of cars racing around the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was alluring to many.

But Blacks were barred from participating. After being told no by the American Automobile Association the sport’s governing body - multiple times, Black Americans created their own auto racing event.

It was called the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes and it was held annually by the Colored Speedway Association on the dirt oval track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

It was an event that drew Black elites from throughout the country. From 1924 to 1936, as many as 15,000 spectators attended the race each summer.

The 100-mile race included a grand prize of $2,500, and drew dozens of Black drivers to compete. But only 20 would participate in each race.

Indianapolis native Charlie Wiggins became the star of the race. He earned the nickname "Speed King" for winning the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes four times, driving a car he built from junk parts. The car ran on a special

(Continued from page 14) Summer Day Camps are tailored by age group and designed to teach participants that anything is possible. The six weeks of Summer Day Camp fun will include sports, arts, fitness, and outdoor camp play activities that will focus on civic engagement, environmental awareness, inclusion, collaboration, and reflection.

Summer day camps for children, ages 6 to 12 years old, are available at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Play Camps for ages 3 to 5 years old and Teen Camps for ages 13 to 17 years old ing the opening of Marvel: Universe are available for younger and older au- of Super Heroes, presented by BMO diences.

Harris Bank. This expansive exhibiFees for camps vary depending on lo- tion is spread across two galleries, feacation, offerings and hours. They turing more than 300 artifacts includmaintain a commitment to put chil- ing some of Marvel’s most iconic dren first and not turn away anyone for costumes, props and original art. inability to pay. Financial assistance is Guests will follow the story of Marvel available. COVID-19 related guide- and its influence on visual culture, lines for Summer Day Camp are imple- while uncovering the narratives of mented. For more information and Sum- characters and gaining insight into mer online registration visit [www. how Marvel has impacted and drawn ChicagoParkDistrict.com]. inspiration from the ever-changing tides of popular culture. Marvel: UniMUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND verse of Super Heroes is an exhibition INDUSTRY SPECIAL EXHIBI- by SC Exhibitions. It will be at MSI TION MARVEL: UNIVERSE OF ONGOING through October 24, SUPER HEROES: The Museum of 2021. MSI is located at 5700 S. Lake Science and Industry (MSI) is celebrat- Shore Drive. www.chicagocrusader.com

in the loss of his right leg and eye. Despite his injuries and constant pain, he continued to mentor promising young drivers, including some 500Mile Race winners, and campaigned against segregation in the auto racing industry.

The Colored Speedway Association ceased to exist in 1936 with its biggest star gone as a result of the crippling accident and the onset of the Great Depression.

Charlie Wiggins fuel of airplane fuel and castor oil.

Wiggins became known as The Negro Speed King”— more than six decades before Willie T. Ribbs would become the first Black driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1991.

Wiggins lived to see one of his protégés, Sumner "Red" Oliver, become the first African-American official mechanic in Indy 500 history as a member of the 1973 Patrick Racing Team.

Wiggins’ racing career ended in 1936 after a 13-car crash that resulted

Black History Moments are brief historical articles and videos presented by Freetown Village, a living history museum with the mission to educate the public about African American lives, arts, and culture in Indiana through living history, exhibits, allied programs, and the collection and preservation of artifacts. The Gary Crusader Newspaper will be featuring stories researched by local award-winning historians once a month in print and online. To read more Freetown stories visit freetown.org or a link can be found with this story on the Crusader’s website.

UNIVERSITY PARK OF Illinois newly elected officials were sworn in at the University Park Golf Club, on May 24th before an audience of friends, family and other elected officials. Pictured l-r: James Ellis, Treasurer; Elizabeth Williams, Former Trustee; Sonia Jenkins-Bell, Trustee; Curtis McMullen II, Former Trustee; Karen Lewis, Trustee; Janelle McFadden, Trustee; Mayor Joseph Roudez; Dee Jones, Clerk; Donzell Franklin, Trustee; Theaplise “Theo” Brooks, Trustee; and Shirley Bolding, Trustee.

PICTURED WITH THE newly elected mayor of University Park, IL from l-r: Roosevelt Martin, Police and Fire Commissioner; Officer Christian Slinkard; Mayor Joseph Roudez, University Park; Antonio Towns, Planning Commissioner; and Officer Kendall Walker. (Photo by Nai Neva Jenkins)

BOMBING AMERICA

(Continued from page 6) camps and stripped of their property.

The other two instances are the 1921 Tulsa race massacre and the 1985 MOVE bombing, neither of which resulted in any arrests or negative consequences for the perpetrators.

Walter White, an African American NAACP undercover investigator who could pass for white, traveled to Tulsa after the massacre to survey the car-

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

nage and damage to property and wrote a scathing report. He concluded: “What is America going to do after such a horrible carnage—one that for sheer brutality and murderous anarchy cannot be surpassed by any of the crimes now being charged to the Bolsheviki in Russia? How much longer will America allow these pogroms to continue unchecked? … Perhaps

America is waiting for a nationwide Tulsa to wake her. Who knows?”

We cannot assume that this type of atrocity could never happen again because, in America, there is no such thing as a moral impossibility.

Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

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Jasper Craven VHPI Interim Executive Director The Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute (VHPI) joined Dr. Damon Arnold on America’s Heroes Group to discuss the future of the VA’s infrastructure footprint.

President Joe Biden campaigned on a bold platform to modernize and “refresh” the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics across the country to “serve our veterans better” and ensure the VA “continues to lead in providing 21st century care.”

At the end of March, he followed through on that pledge with a proposal, the American Jobs Plan that includes $18 billion to improve VA hospitals, two-thirds of which are over 50 years old.

Biden’s plan calls for $3 billion to be used to immediately rectify unsafe or inefficient conditions inside VA health care facilities, upgrade buildings to support the growing number of women veterans, and enhance campuses so that aging veterans can better access high-quality health care more quickly.

The plan also includes $15 billion to totally replace 10 to 15 of the most neglected medical centers with new state-of-the-art facilities.

These upgrades are long overdue and must be expedited.

Most importantly, this work must not be jeopardized by the launch of the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) commission, a nine-member body that Biden appointed in May. This commission, inserted into the controversial MISSION Act and largely insulated from congressional input, will decide which VA facilities to close or improve.

It has been heavily pushed by officials tied to the Koch-backed Concerned Veterans for America. They have long been hell bent on obscuring the many benefits of the VA and want to shutter struggling VA facilities that could easily be renovated, better maintained or even expanded to help those who have served.

Those in Congress committed to privatizing the VA, not improving its services, will surely argue that decisions about VA infrastructure should await the commission’s final report, due in 2023. This, despite the fact that the MISSION Act itself in Section 208(b) specifies that the AIR commission’s deliberations should not interrupt the planning and imple-

mentation of VA projects.

Any delay in infrastructure improvements will jeopardize the health and well-being of millions of veterans as well as the workers who have dedicated their careers to caring for veterans.

Indeed, infrastructure improvements have been made even more critical because so many veterans have lost their jobs, and thus their health insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are now seeking VA care.

Although the VA delivers high quality health care that equals or outperforms the private sector on almost every measure, its mission to serve veterans is hampered by the fact that congressional allocations for VA repair and construction projects have long lagged.

As a result, many indispensable im-

provements for decades-old facilities have been placed on hold indefinitely.

This puts VA employees at risk if they work in hazardous buildings, like the one in West Haven, Connecticut, where two workers were killed in 2020 when a steam pipe exploded.

Disregarding seismic deficiencies could lead to additional catastrophes.

Furthermore, the VA can’t hire the needed tens of thousands of new employees while waiting to repair old infrastructure and construct new exam rooms and office space, creating unnecessary delays in care.

Critics of allocating more money to VA construction claim it’s too extravagant. But investing in crucial projects will offset costs that increase over time with older buildings, and save money by delivering care in-house rather

than outsourcing it to the more costly private sector. This work will also create jobs in communities across the country.

The Biden administration’s goals and figures parallel those recently identified by officials inside the “Big Six” Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), the Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Their collective Independent Budget advocates for immediate missioncritical repair and maintenance needs, urgent seismic corrections and new health care technology advances.

VSOs maintain that delaying maintenance and upgrades would be more costly in the long run.

The Biden plan has wisely identified that the old age and disparate conditions of VA facilities are not in line with the bedrock American principle of caring for our nation’s veterans. It also acknowledges that health care workers who serve veterans deserve a safe workplace.

Legislators who promise to improve the lives of veterans should unite behind the plan and push for further funding in the future.

be an entrepreneur, equipment repair specialist, soil scientist, and land steward all rolled into one.”

Until Republicans and Democrats expand rural health care, incentivize

rural living, and demonstrate they’re willing to stand against corporate consolidation, rural communities and the veterans who live there will continue to disappear.

Will veterans and their family farms disappear from rural America?

By Brett W. Copeland The 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture counted 371,000 U.S. military veterans who, altogether, farmed 129 million acres of land. These numbers will likely have dropped dramatically when the next census is conducted in 2022.

Years of corporate consolidation, trade wars, and a global pandemic have made family farms unsustainable and unprofitable, and harder for veterans to break ground as new farmers.

Veterans have always been an essential part of thriving rural communities.

In 1992, 6.6 million veterans were living in rural (non-metro) areas. That number fell to 3.3 million in 2018 after three decades of financial crises, a corporate takeover of agriculture, and the unwillingness of politicians to address the needs of rural communities.

Rural Americans, like many veterans, struggle to find adequate health care and mental health services, affordable housing, and good-paying jobs.

Iowa is an example of how a corporate takeover of agriculture negatively impacts rural communities. Largescale industrial hog confinements dominate the state’s landscape.

Austin Frerick and Charlie Mitchell write at Vox.com that “since the corporate takeover in Iowa, the state’s pig population has increased more than 50 percent, while the number of farms raising hogs has declined over 80 percent.”

“In the last 30 years, 26,000 Iowa 16

Brett Copeland farms quit the long-standing tradition of raising pigs. As confinements replaced them, rural communities have continued to hollow out.”

The veteran family farmer can’t compete with giant hog operations, especially with smaller passels and shrinking markets. In 2019, farm debt was $416 billion, while farm bankruptcies were the highest since 2011. Even with the Trump administration’s multiple bailout programs, relief only went to large ag operators and bypassed many family farms.

The jobs available in these hog confinements are underpaid. Frerick and Mitchell write, “One former Iowa Se-

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

lect driver told the Guardian in 2019 that he earned $23,000 a year for 12hour days with no overtime pay.”

The work is also dangerous, particularly for veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange or toxic burn pits. In Iowa, cancer rates in rural areas far outpaced those in urban settings in 2015. Hog confinements, despite releasing dangerous amounts of ammonia and other waste, can often be found within 1,300 feet of businesses, schools, and homes.

The federal government advertises ag life as a bucolic way of living for America’s veterans. USDA writes that veterans will find “the opportunity to Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

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America is divided into racist, antiracist and racially . . .

(Continued from page 6) 6 insurrection at the Capitol be investigated and perpetrators held accountable. The racially ambiguous debate the merits of such investigations and/or the reliability of even bipartisan findings.

The racist prefers the political rhetoric, denying the brutal assault on the government ever took place or refusing to clearly identify perpetrators and conspirators.

On the matter of stimulus checks and unemployment benefits, antiracists support government assistance for those hardest hit by the pandemic. The racially ambiguous propose severely limited assistance

with myriad conditions for qualification. Racists inject the Reagan era “welfare queen” propaganda, denouncing relief and targeting the

ings of the minds on any topic of substance, particularly involving race.

Whether the hesitancy for dialogue of substance and search for progressive strategies are rooted in fear, apathy, complacency or the belief that whatever is broken will fix itself, the fact is doing nothing only makes matters worse.

America is on fire. Racists are the arsonists, setting, fanning, and relishing flames of hatred and destruction that they kindle. Antiracists struggle desperately to douse blaze disenfranchised.

In conclusion, these are difficult after blaze, only to see new ones igtimes for our nation. Too few seem nited.

And the racially ambiguous, arwilling to convene or attend meet-

guably the most complicit group, nonchalantly sit in the middle of the burning edifice, satisfied that they chose neither to ignite or extinguish the fires, even as the structure collapses around them.

CIRCLE CITY CONNECTION by Vernon A. Williams is a series of essays on myriad topics that include social issues, human interest, entertainment and profiles of difference-makers who are forging change in a constantly evolving society. Williams is a 40-year veteran journalist based in Indianapolis, IN – commonly referred to as The Circle City. Send comments or questions to: vernonawilliams@yahoo.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Continued from page 4)

Alderman Ervin is correct Dear Editor: West Side Alderman Jason Ervin noted not long ago that the mayor’s proposal to put a permanent 10 p.m. curfew on package liquor sales is off base. Ervin correctly pointed out the same curfew imposed earlier this (last) year didn’t result in a drop in violence in Chicago. Supposedly, that was the whole point of the curfew, to make the city safer.

Ervin is absolutely correct. The rash of violence Chicago has experienced the last couple of years shows no correlation to liquor sales. The move to curb the time of sales makes even less sense when one looks at the fact that taverns

and bars can continue to sell long after 10 p.m.

I would argue that the overwhelming majority of shoppers at package liquor stores are buying and taking their purchases home to enjoy—not hanging out on street corners, which the mayor seems to think is the case.

The violence we are experiencing here has a lot more to do with the lack of mental health services, job opportunities, and disinvestment in many neighborhoods much more so than a 24-pack of beer.

The connection between violence and liquor sales is baseless.

The mayor has stated she wants to reduce the number of people hanging out on corners at or near the liquor stores. That is surprising coming from a lawyer. The municipal code shows that people 21 and older can be on the streets whenever they choose.

Given the recent revelation that the mayor and the police superintendent knew that the rationale they were pitching about the reason for gun violence was not true, I am not sure why we should take the mayor’s word on the benefits of a 10 p.m. packaged liquor curfew.

Add to this the fact that she has presented no supporting data and this all looks like some form of vengeance against those she feels have wronged her.

Her motive also is suspect because she had no discussions with the

liquor stores’ association before announcing her intent regarding the curfew. It seems that if this were a genuine issue, she would have consulted with those most impacted by it. Apparently, she didn’t even give City Council members a heads up.

It looks like she has yet to learn the mayor’s office is not a monarchy, but part of a three-tier structure; that is something grade school kids know.

The curfew during the height of the pandemic made a lot of sense as there was a need to keep as many

people as possible home and away from others. Today, our COVID19 numbers are at their lowest point so there is no need to attempt to cloister Chicagoans.

Another key point is that by limiting the time these stores are open, the mayor in effect is reducing revenue. Patrons of the stores pay a hefty city tax. With Chicago deep in financial trouble, why would any mayor look at cutting the inflow of cash over an unproven theory?

Jesse Hopper

After concerns, North Lawndale . . .

(Continued on page 1) as Lincoln Park. They were also concerned that Cermak Road would be designated as a dividing line and the Black residents who lived south of Cermak Road would be part of a newly created majority Latino 23rd Representative District.

Those revised House and Senate maps are similar to a draft set of maps released late last week and were the subject of joint committee hearings Tuesday and Wednesday. During the May 25 hearing, the maps drew wide criticism from racial, ethnic and religious communities, particularly in the Chicago area, that complained they broke up communities of interest and diluted minority voting power.

The revised maps also reconfigure some Republican districts to reduce the number of districts that would have multiple GOP incumbents.

But those changes did not appear to satisfy many of the concerns that were raised about the earlier proposal, including one that called for a district made up largely of Middle Eastern www.chicagocrusader.com

and Arab American residents.

“I think our question now is, what else can we do?” Dilara Sayeed, of the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, asked during Friday’s (May 28) House committee hearing. “What else can we do to ensure that our voices have not just been audio heard, but our voices have been respected and listened to?”

Republicans also were harshly critical of how the latest redistricting proposal was released and the short notice members of the public had to offer public comment at the hearings.

Senator Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said the process by which the proposed maps were developed demonstrated the need for handing over the redistricting process to an independent commission.

The bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote of 41-18. A few hours later it came up in the House where the debate became even more partisan and acrimonious before it passed 7145 on partisan lines just before 10 p.m.

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Houston Texans Lonnie Johnson, Jr., toShorthost June 12 football camp in Gary within the fun of the game and – Free Agent/Carolina nity before all slots are filled."

By Joseph Phillips Sports Editor

Registration required for annual "Protect the Youth Football Camp" Houston Texans defensive back Lonnie Johnson, Jr., will host his annual "Protect the Youth Football Camp" on Saturday, June 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 8-18.

The event will take place at the West Side Leadership Academy, located on 9th Avenue, Gerry Street in Gary, Indiana, and will feature a number of other football professionals.

"Aspiring football greats ages 8 to18 will have an opportunity on Saturday, June 12, to practice with the pros while honing their fundamental skills," said a spokesperson for

Panthers, Jon’Vea Johnson, Antonio Pipkin – Toronto Argonauts, Ryan Neal – Seattle Seahawks and others.

The group has also established partnerships with the Element Sports Group, USA Football, the NFL Foundation, West Side Leadership Academy, Big Daddy’s Barbeque, Popcorn World, Heaven Sent Gourmet Cookies & Bakery and Sprayground.

"This one-day camp will run from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Eastern," said Camp organizers.

"Campers aged 8 to 12 years old will participate from 8 a.m.

HOUSTON TEXANS DEFENSIVE back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to 11 a.m. Campers aged 13 to to host his Annual "Protect The Youth Football Camp" on 18 years old will participate from Saturday, June 12, in Gary, (Photo credit HoustonTexans. com) 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration the Annual Protect the Youth will be joined by his current opens at 7:30 a.m. and has limitFootball Camp.

NFL and professional football ed spots available, so be sure to During the camp, Johnson friends, including Kawann sign up online for this opportu-

According to the Camp, each camper will be provided with a Camp t-shirt, as well as lunch following their individual camp session.

The event will follow all CDC, state, and local guidelines as it relates to the health and safety of participants.

Media outlets are welcome to attend. Johnson and other instructors will be available for interviews following the clinic.

For more information on the Annual Protect the Youth Football Camp, visit the online registration site at [www.protecttheyouthfootballcamp.com].

USA Football (www.usafootball.com) evolves and grows the sport through innovative standards and best practices to advance coach and player development, participation and safety

its inherent values.

As the sport’s national governing body and member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.

The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football, from players at all levels to communities across the country.

The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health and running back of athletes, youth football and the communities that support our game.

NFLopportunity andto compete."

Reese’s Senior Bowl to host HBCU Combine

The NFL, in collaboration with the Reese's Senior Bowl, will host the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Combine in Mobile, Alabama. Times have yet to be announced.

"Throughout NFL history, HBCU athletes have exemplified a standard of excellence both on and off the field," says Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations.

"The HBCU Combine is part of honoring that legacy and making every effort to accelerate exposure of HBCU draft prospects to all NFL clubs. The game is better when all have the

Held at the University of South Alabama, the event will feature select players from the four HBCU conferences, which includes the CIAA, the MEAC, the SIAC and the SWAC conference.

According to the NFL, other HBCU institutions will also be invited to participate in the event.

Taking their cues from the NFL Combine, the HBCU Combine will also include the gathering of comprehensive medical information, interviews, and on-field evaluations of football skills and acumen. Last year's event, announced in February 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Photo credit Mobile.org) "The Reese's Senior Bowl is honored to be collaborating with the National Football League to host the inaugural HBCU Combine in Mobile, Alabama," said Reese's Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy.

"Over the years, the Senior Bowl has served as a showcase for some of the top Black college

football players in America, including seven of our game's 56 future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this event will help many more HBCU players secure further attention and exposure from all 32 teams."

An HBCU Scouting Committee, comprised of current

Dave Chappelle brings social justice . . . dio City with his 2017 residen- 866-858-0008). Prices range (Continued from page 12)

re-opening of a fully-vaccinated Radio City after 18 months.”

The documentarians are excited, as well. “Dave is our neighbor. We see him in the grocery store, and on the street.

When Dave came to us with the idea, we were immediately struck by the challenge to tell the story of our part of the world during the pandemic and the national reckoning on racial injustice,” said Reichert.

“Dave and his friends entrusted our team of amazing young filmmakers from Ohio with intimate moments which enabled us to create a moving portrait of artists, as they navigated a time of fear and isolation,” said Bognar.

Radio City Music Hall will open its doors for the first time in over a year to celebrate the one-night special event. “We are thrilled to get back to doing what we love and [pleased] that 18

Dave Chappelle our first show is with our great partners at Tribeca and the incomparable Dave Chappelle – who already made history at Ra-

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

cy,” said James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment.

I have covered this festival a few times in the past, traveling to New York and participating in all the great screenings and post-screening events. It’s nothing like being in New York and also taking out time to visit Harlem, but this year I will cover the fest virtually on behalf of the Crusader and post reviews in upcoming columns. Also check our online entertainment section for additional updates and film reviews.

All guests will need to be fully vaccinated for the “Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary” and abide by certain stipulations, with appropriate exceptions. For more information, visit [radiocity.com/faqs].

Tickets for the June 19 event are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster Charge by Phone (1-

and former league executives, will evaluate and select this year's participants. The Senior Bowl will provide medical and football personnel to capture important pre-Draft information and deliver a world-class experience for HBCU pros pects.

The 73rd Annual Reese's Senior Bowl will kick off on Sat-

from $65.00 to $105.00. All tickets are digital and can be accessed and displayed via the Ticketmaster App. All guests should download the Ticketmaster App in advance to facilitate contactless entry.

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Tribeca ushers in the return of live entertainment as the first major North American film festival to be held in person. Dates: June 9 - June 20, 2021.

“The Tribeca Film Festival was borne out of our mission to bring people together in the aftermath of 9/11. We’re still doing it,” said Robert De Niro, Co-Founder of Tribeca Festival.

The 12-day multi-screen, outdoor festival will span all boroughs from Battery Park to the Bronx; the East Side to the West Side; downtown to uptown and from Brooklyn to Staten Island.

For more updates on the complete list of programming, visit [tribecafilm.com/festival].

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

urday, February 5, 2022. Game time is 1:30 p.m. CT at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

AUCTION NOTICES This letter is to notify that on June 25, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. an auction will be held at 83rd & Halsted Self Storage, Inc., located at 8316 S. Birkhoff Ave, Chicago, IL 60620, to sell the following articles held within said storage units to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the state of Illinois.

1. 181 Barth Bennett

This letter is to notify that on June 25, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. an auction will be held at Hyde Park Self Storage, Inc., located at 5155 S. Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60615, to sell the following articles held within said storage units to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the state of Illinois.

1. 10176 Dorine Crowder 2. 10153 James A. Lott 3. 486 Kendell K. Johnson

LEGAL NOTICES

This letter is to notify that on June 25, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. an auction will be held at Aaron Bros. Self-Storage, Inc., located at 4034 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60653, to sell the following articles held within said storage units to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the state of Illinois.

1. 304 Dianna Murray 2. 238 Bernice Gathewood

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GAGDC’s CEO Carlos Nelson helps revive community through Bears partnerships

Joseph G. Phillips The Chicago Bears 2021 NFL Draft featured Carlos Nelson, CEO of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation as he announced the Bears draft pick. This year, the Bears held the 20th pick of the NFL Draft. And to Nelson and most Bears fans’ surprise, Chicago traded up for the 11th pick of the draft and selected franchise quarterback Justin Fields.

After word got to Nelson via an NFL executive that the Bears traded up, Nelson would become a huge part of Chicago sports history with his announcement.

"With the 11th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the…" here Nelson paused to change his word to my…

"My Chicago Bears select Justin Fields, quarterback, Ohio State."

Nelson, after making his amazing announcement on NFL Draft night, will be embedded in the minds of Chicago sports fans all across the world for many years to come.

In addition to Nelson's fame garnered during his huge announcement, he is also recognized as a successful executive and is currently the CEO of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC).

The group was recently awarded $611,000 by the Chicago Bears and Bears Care on May 19.

The Bears will help Nelson and the GAGDC build a state-of-the-art training center and teaching kitchen in the new Healthy Lifestyle Hub currently under development in the Greater Auburn Gresham community.

According to the Chicago Bears, the critical project will help increase access www.chicagocrusader.com

to health- and wealth-building opportunities for residents of the South Side neighborhood.

"With this investment in the Healthy Lifestyle Hub," said the Chicago Bears organization, "The Bears and Bears Care have provided more than $1.92 million to COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts."

The group said the GAGDC will convert a long-vacant building at 839 W. 79th St. into a multi-purpose space including a Federally Qualified Health Center, pharmacy, bank, restaurants and more.

are investing too, it’s simply a dream come true. We are so grateful for the support we’ve received from everyone involved and look forward to the Healthy Lifestyle Hub opening next spring.”

Nelson was one of four community advocates representing an NFL team and announcing their first-round pick on stage with Commissioner Roger Goodell at the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland. The Bears nominated Nelson for the opportunity, due to his impactful work with the GAGDC. Nelson said in an interview with the Crusader that he is looking forward to hanging up autographed jerseys from rookie QB Justin Fields, safety Eddie Jackson and many other Chicago Bears players from past and present in the new Hub.

NELSON'S GRASSROOTS WORK IN THE GREATER AUBURN GRESHAM CEO CARLOS NELSON on stage at the 2021 NFL Draft held COMMUNITY: in Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday, April 29, on ESPN. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development ness, fitness/movement, financial liter- able blessings," said Nelson. acy and many other topics created and "With funding from the Pritzker Corporation (GAGDC), Nelson has imdesigned in line with Auburn Gre- Traubert Foundation’s Chicago Prize pacted the organization since joining in sham’s "Lifelong Learner" motto and and the city of Chicago’s INVEST 2003. He is a mechanical engineer and GAGDC’s focus on advancing resi- South/West initiative, our vision for the certified project manager focusing on dents’ health and wealth.

Healthy Lifestyle Hub was able to construction and real estate development.

Nelson has been a long-time stakeholder in the Auburn Gresham community, a community he has been a part of all his life, a place where his grandparents have resided since 1963.

While working in Chicago's Loop as an engineer and living near 79th & Racine during the 1980s and 90s, Nelson had a strong desire to help people in need. He tutored in the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program, and in April 2002 became more involved in his own community.

Nelson, a life-long Bears fan because of his father, began volunteering for the newly formed not-for-profit organization, whose executive director left in December 2002 to relocate to Michigan.

Nelson accepted the position of executive director in January 2003, leaving corporate America behind. Nelson often says that he “has not worked a day CEO CARLOS NELSON (blue shirt) and the GAGDC team celebrating the Chicago Prize since 2003, as working to rebuild his (Photo credit Chicago Prize) people and community is not working The teaching kitchen will offer classes come to life.

“Carlos Nelson and the Greater at all.” He joyfully asserts, "not many Auburn Gresham Development Cor- for people of all ages and include a mix “And now, as a lifelong Bears fan, to be people are blessed to do what God put poration team have done such an in- of industrial-grade equipment and able to say once again ‘MY Chicago Bears’ them on earth to do. credible job of gathering input from the tools found in a typical home kitchen. community to understand their needs Video technology will allow live and vision for the area's future, so in- streaming of classes led by the vesting in the Healthy Lifestyle Hub GAGDC, the University of Illinois’ was an easy decision for us," said Bears Office of Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health PartnerPresident and CEO Ted Phillips.

"We are excited to play a small role in ships programming, and others.

The GAGDC continues to fundthis project and help bring a renewed sense of hope to the Auburn Gresham raise for a green roof suitable for programs and events. To donate and learn neighborhood.”

The Healthy Lifestyle Hub’s training more, visit [gagdc.org/donate.-html].

The GAGDC was also the recipient of center will serve as a multi-purpose instruction space and conference room, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation’s inauwhich will be equipped with free wi-fi, gural $10 million Chicago Prize and rebroadband technology services for ceived funding from the City of Chicago’s videoconferencing and dynamic interi- INVEST South/West program.

“This past year brought challenges or design elements to ensure versatility unlike anything we’ve ever seen, but it CEO CARLOS NELSON on stage at the 2021 NFL Draft held in usage and comfort.

Classes will focus on health and well- also surprised us with some unbeliev- in Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday, April 29, on ESPN. Blacks Must control their own coMMunity SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021 19

20

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021

Blacks Must control their own coMMunity

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