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AUSTIN WEEKLY news ■
Vol. 31 No. 36
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An upcoming conference spotlights black men and boys,
September 6, 2017
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austinweeklynews.com
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Also serving Garfield Park
@AustinWeeklyChi
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Meet E M Eric i SStrickland, i kl d page 3
A Private school for all
Founders of The Field School say it’s the Chicago area’s most racially, economically diverse By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor
While he was working in Chicago Public Schools for Teach For America, the nonprofit teacher recruitment organization, Jeremy Mann observed a reality that he’s been grappling with ever since. “I noticed that there were a lot of families looking for other options and many schools were very homogenous,” Mann said during a recent interview. “They were either mostly black or mostly white; mostly poor or mostly high-income.” Mann, who lives in Austin with his wife, Erin, and their two young children, said that he also grew increasingly agitated at a pattern among public school educators and administrators — they often don’t send their own children to the schools they’re responsible for running. Mann’s solution to these stubborn societal challenges is The Field School, which Mann — who serves as the institution’s head of school — describes as a classical Christian school with a simple educational philosophy and that’s See FIELD SCHOOL on page 8
Keeping him alive
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Sharita Galloway, left, of Oak Park, and state representative for the 78th District Camille Lilly, admire a cross for Galloway’s son, Elijah Sims, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, during a remembrance celebration and barbecue for him at the corner of Lotus Avenue and Quincy Street in Austin.More photos on page 4-5.
Austin families march for peace
Many participants were related to loved ones who lost their lives to violence By XUEER ZHANG AustinTalks
About 50 people met on the night of Aug. 26 at the corner of Central Avenue and Lake Street to show their support for families who’ve lost loved ones to gun violence on the West Side. Community leaders and elected officials
led a prayer of peace for the victims’ families, who gathered outside the Green Line station to remember their lost children while calling for justice. Most of their cases remain unsolved. “On June 1st, 2017, my 16-year-old son, Davion Toney, was lost to senseless street violence,” said lifelong Austin resident Michael Douglas, 46.
“It’s just devastated my family and the whole community,” Douglas said. “We have to wake up every morning and not see our child.” The case is still not solved, he said. “We are just waiting and trying to find out what happened,” Douglas said. “I’m re-
Austin Chamber of Commerce on the move... 773.854.5848 • www.austinchicagochamber.com
See MARCH on page 4