CHICAGO (WLS) — In the race for Illinois’ 7th congressional district, longtime incumbent Danny Davis has been endorsed by President Joe Biden in what could be a tough race, especially from Kina Collins, who is one of two Democratic challengers.

The 7th Congressional District covers parts of Cook County, including areas of Bellwood, Chicago, Forest Park, Oak Park, Maywood, and Westchester.

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With 40,000 door knocks and a quarter of a million campaign calls, Kina Collins says she is the first serious challenger to Congressman Danny Davis since the 80-year-old won his first congressional seat in 1996.

“I’ve lived in this district all my life and Congressman Davis has been my representative since he was 5 years old,” Collins said. “It’s time for generational change in the district.”

The 31-year-old progressive Democrat hopes to unseat the longtime congressman from West Side in Illinois’ 7th District. As Collins runs on “it’s time to pass the torch,” Davis says he remains physically and mentally fit to do the job — similar to the president who just endorsed him and others at times. leadership positions in Washington.

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“It’s hard for me to understand why it’s time for someone to quit,” Davis said.

Davis is also challenged by another younger candidate, Denarvis Mendehall. But it was Collins who grabbed the national attention and the money.

“I raised money for him 2-to-1,” Collins said, “and I didn’t take any company money or real estate money to do it.”

Collins has raised enough to be Davis’ first main challenger to air television commercials. Davis said her threat against him was embellished and he questions her credentials as a former gun violence activist.
“A lot of what I heard from my opponent is really in his imagination,” Davis said.

Davis is counting on voters who want a familiar face and stable leadership, while Collins is looking for voters who want change.

“We raised dollars, we knocked on doors,” Collins said. “We are ready for June 28.”

“I have a relationship with the community that I represent that no, no running contestant has,” Davis said.

While the 7th Ward expands into the suburbs, the heart remains on Chicago’s West Side, the lifetime homes of Davis and Collins.

The 7th District is the most Democratic in the state, so whoever wins the primary is a shoe to win the November election.

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The Archdiocese of Chicago announced an update on the Lakeview-Lincoln Park, St. Mary of the Woods/Queen of All Saints Basilica, Downtown (Chicago), West Burlington and Vernon-Liberty Renew My Church clusters, which include 16 parishes, 10 schools, an oratory and a sanctuary.

Over the past few months, the Renew My Church cluster feedback and discernment teams, made up of representatives from all parishes, have come together to review and discern their future parish and church structures. Based on their meetings and discussions with larger parish communities, they submitted their comments to the Archdiocesan Standards and Recommendations Commission, which includes representatives from across the archdiocese. The commission reviewed the comments and other documents and information, including demographics, financial summaries, and parish and group trends.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese and presbyteral council discussed the commission’s recommendations. Based on these discussions and prayerful reflection, the following decisions were made:

Lakeview-Lincoln Park Consolidation

The Lakeview-Lincoln Park Renew My Church Consortium includes the following parishes in Chicago:

• St. Alphonse (Wellington Street)
• Saint Clement
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Belmont Avenue)
• Saint-Bonaventure Oratory
• The National Shrine of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini

The new structure will be:

• The parishes of Saint-Alphonse, Saint-Clément and Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel will retain their current structure.
• The three parochial schools, St. Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts, St. Clement School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, will retain their current structure.
• The Cabrini sanctuary will retain its current structure.
• A small group of community members will continue to discern the best future for St. Bonaventure’s Oratory and submit a proposal to the Archdiocese by Labor Day, with a decision expected in early October.
• Soon, the western part of the Saint-Bonaventure property, which houses the offices of Vicariate II and the former Cardinal Bernardin school, will be put up for sale.

The Basilica of Sainte-Marie-des-Bois/Queen-of-All-Saints group

This grouping of St. Mary of the Woods / Queen of All Saints Basilica includes the following parishes in Chicago:

• Saint Mary of the Woods
• Basilica of the Queen of All Saints

The new structure will be:

• The two parishes will remain in their current structure.
• St. Mary of the Woods School and Queen of All Saint’s School will continue in their current structure.

The Downtown Group (Chicago)

The Centre-ville group includes the following parishes:

• Cathedral of the Holy Name
• Assumption (Illinois Street)
• Old St. Mary’s
• Old St. Patrick’s Day
• Saint-Pierre in the Loop
• Scallops on Wabash

The new structure will be:

• The six parishes of the Centre-ville group will remain in their current structure.
• The former St. Mary’s School will retain its current structure.

West Burlington Cluster

The West Burlington cluster includes the following parishes:

• Saint-Clet (LaGrange)
• Saint Francis Xavier (LaGrange)
• St. John of the Cross (Western Springs)

The new structure will be:

• The three parishes of the West Burlington consolidation will retain their current structure.
• St. Cletus School, St. Francis Xavier School and St. John of the Cross Parish School will retain their current structure.

Vernon-Liberty Renew My Church

The Vernon-Liberty group includes the following parishes:

• St. Joseph (Libertyville)
• St. Mary of Vernon (Indian Creek)

The new structure will be:

• The two parishes will remain in their current structure.
• St. Joseph’s Catholic School will retain its current structure.

About Renew My Church

Renew My Church is the Archdiocese of Chicago’s response to Christ’s call and our invitation to renewal. The Renew My Church process will transform the Archdiocese over the next few years by working with groups of parishes to determine how they will achieve the goal of having vibrant and life-giving communities of faith accessible to all Catholics. To learn more about Renew My Church, visit refreshmychurch.org.

Class of 2022 graduates: 448

Time, date and location of the graduation ceremony: Wednesday, May 18, Northern Illinois University Convocation Center

Graduates with highest distinction: Paloma Aguado, Jaden Aldaco, Rebecca Alison, Gerardo Avila, James Bloss, Daniel Bowen, Jaclyn Camp, Leslie Correa, Shantal Correa, Jack Dang, Alyssa Danner, Mason Dupasquier, Daniel Eaton, Dominic Errera, Levi Fisher, Alexander Garcia, Swapna George, Eleanor Gerster, Gianna Gianforte, Annie Gillespie, Ariel Gonzalez, Gloria Gonzalez, Margaret Hancock, Mikail Herrera, Jairo Ibarra, Sophia Johnson, Hadi Khamsi, Allyson Krause, Vincent Lamantia, Natalia Larson, Lyniah Lee, Grace Leonard, Mariana Lopez, Marie Lowell, Grace Miller, Dillon Moesch, Nicole Mruk, Joselyn Munoz, Nikhil Myers, Jack O’Donoghue, Jane Osielski, Melissa Pani, Brianna Pechman, Gabriela Perez, Sarah Plumlee, Sydney Radke, Eliana Reyes, Brianna Roskilly, Rydel Salazar, Jahaira Salinas, Jennifer Sanchez, Cecilia Santiago, Jason Sartore, Sofia Schumann, Sean Slattery Lilabeth Sokolewicz, Brendan Symon Sulit, Sydney Unger, Kyle Upham, Dylan Walsh, Robert Washington, Jr, Nicholas White, Shannon White, Natalie Wilderman, Jazmin Wilkins and Meadow Zomparelli.

Graduate speakers: Darianna Avila — Farewell keynote speaker; Nicole Osborne – Teacher start address

Class Officers: Sofia Schumann, President; Meadow Zomparelli, Vice President

Academic Achievements:

• Nikhil Myers – Letter of Recommendation for the National Merit Scholarship

• Robert Washington, Jr. — College Board National Recognition Program Scholar

Department scholarships:

• Prize for scholarship in the human sciences: Margaret Hancock and Itzel Martinez

• Excellence in Art Awards: Daniel Boyce, Alexa Garcia, Olivia Wesling, Sydney Unger

• Social Studies Prize: Charles Baumbartner, Shantal Correa, Gianna Gianforte, Gloria Gonzalez, Jimena Guerrero, Rory Guerrero, Antonia Loiacono, Mariana Lopez, Marie Lowell, Itzel Martinez, Vianney Moreno, Jack O’Donoghue, Brianna Pechman, Gabriela Perez , Jahaira Salinas, Jason Sartore, Lilabeth Sokolewicz, Joanna Trejo, Kyle Upham and Jazmin Wilkins.

• Business Students of the Year: Daniel Canda and Ramiro Garcia

• Student of the Year in Family and Consumer Sciences: Sydney Ostapa

• Student of the Year in Technology Education: Levi Fischer

• Outstanding Seniors in English: Jairo Ibarra and Lilabeth Sokolewicz

• Outstanding Graduate Students in Mathematics: Leslie Correa

• Outstanding Seniors in Science Awards: Ramiro Alanis, James Bloss, Victoria Brzozowski, Swapna George, Maya Gomez, Jessica Guerrero, Vincent Lamantia, Marie Lowell, Nikhil Myers, Ryan Pencek, Rydel Salazar, Jason Sartore, Sofia Schumann, Kyle Upham, Shannon White and Meadow Zomparelli.

• Distinguished Learners of English: Issa Oumar and Alberto Vazquez

• Best Achievement in French: Rebecca Alison

• Best Achievement in German: Sarah Plumlee

• Highest achievement in Spanish: Santiago Villa

Extracurricular achievements:

• IHSA State Drama Finals: 1st place for technical performance; 1st place for short film – Philip Calabrese and Mikail Herrera; All-State Cast Members – Maggie Hancock, Mikail Herrera, Jaz Wilkins; All-State Production of “Cabaret” — Director, Elizabeth Ryan; Orchestra, Vincent Lamantia; “Kit Kat Woman” Actor, Jazmin Wilkins; Actor “Cliff”, Mikail Herrera.

• Business Professionals of America: 1st place in ethics and professionalism, Daniel Canda; 1st place in the economic presentation, Swapna George.

• Family, Professional, and Community Leaders of America: Gold Medal in Presentation of Children’s Literature, Nicole Mruk

• Upstate Eight Conference Speech Tournament: 1st Place Impromptu Speech, Daniel Canda

• Musicians from all ILMEA States: Mikail Herrera and Sydney Radke

• John Philip Sousa Group Prize: Emily Heath

• Louis Armstrong Prize: Nikhil Myers

• National School Orchestra Prize: Brendan Symon Sulit

• National School Choir Award: Margaret Hancock

Sports achievements:

• Female Athlete of the Year: Brianna Pechman

• Male Athlete of the Year: Pierre Baldwin

Theatrical productions:

• “Harvey”

• “The squirrel girl goes to college”

• “Clue on stage”

• “Little Shop of Horrors”

What’s new in 2021-22: Activities for New Students: Robotics Club, Book Club, Music Honor Society, Photo Club; Student Activities held a food truck festival for seniors on their last day of school

What challenges did the Class of 2022 face when they returned to school full-time in person, and how did they overcome them:

This class has faced more headwinds in its high school career than perhaps any in our history. They persevered through multiple learning models, a massive school building project, and countless individual obstacles. Through it all, they kept their composure, focus and drive while maintaining a sense of unity.

Principal’s thoughts on the Class of 2022:

This class is special because they are the ones who brought us back to “normal”. Three of their four years of high school were massively interrupted but they were the ones who guided us as we returned to face-to-face learning. They were the class that led as we relearned so many lessons about being together and they are the class that we will remember for their incredible perseverance.

— Principal Will Dwyer

DEWEY LAKE – The small free library and historic sign on Dewey Lake are more than just landmarks that intersect the past, present and future of the Dowagiac region. They are also part of the figurative spine that helps bind the pages of the Sebastian family book.

Through his love of history and heightened affection for the Sister Lakes area, Chicago resident Justin Sebastian has partnered with two local carpenters to preserve a slice of the area’s history and strengthen the bond of his family with their part-time home on Dewey Lake.

Ashland’s Race

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Chicago resident Justin Sebastian was forced to work from home. He describes his job, which involves using computers to perform high-intensity stock trading, as an extremely competitive and stressful environment where he’s stuck in an office without going out all day.

Rather than stay in Chicago to endure this, Sebastian and his family decided to move to their part-time residence in Silver Creek Township on Lake Dewey.

“Dowagiac and our house couldn’t be more opposite,” he said, “it’s exactly what we were looking for and what we needed.”

The home – which includes 133ft of sandy lakefront on Garrett Road and a converted barn recreation lounge called “Junto” – is named Ashland’s Run, after a stray dog ​​who became Sebastian’s family after the found on Ashland Avenue in Chicago. Ashland lived for over 16 years before dying in 2016.

“A ‘run’ when defined as a noun related to animals is a place where they can run free,” said Sebastian, who bought the house in 2018. “I like to think of Ashland’s Run as a place where my family and I can be free from our normal hectic lives.

The house also sits on land once owned by Henry Dewey, who is considered one of the first non-native settlers in the Dowagiac area.

Sebastian has documents from 1835, when the US government sold the land to Amos Dow, who then sold the property to a Jonathan “Duey” on May 13, 1836. On the same day, Jonathan Duey transferred the deed to Henry . Duey, whose name was replaced with the correct “Dewey” on later deed transfer documents. Jonathan was Henry’s son, according to “The Cass County History” of 1882.

As a self-proclaimed American history buff, Sebastian was thrilled by these facts and instinctively wanted to learn more about his property and the surrounding area.

“I was brought up in a house of science where knowledge was valued above all else,” he said. “Knowing and understanding our history and others allows us to learn from the mistakes and successes of others as well as to understand multiple viewpoints and cultures.”

The Beaver Gang

While working at Ashland’s Run in 2020, Sebastian and his wife, Nicole – a librarian before becoming a full-time mum – decided to bring a small part of their home neighborhood to Ashland’s Run by setting up a small library free – a neighborhood book exchange that is part of a non-profit organization in the public library system of the same name. More than 90,000 public book exchanges are registered with the organization.

Due to the uncertainty of COVID transmission at the time, Sebastian’s library was first used for a daily trivia game, placed in the library window by the family. Before too long, community members began putting books there, and it gradually became part of the Sister Lakes community.

From there, Sebastian wondered what else he could do to engage passers-by. He initially wanted to put up a statue or a telescope, but eventually decided to erect a sign with facts about the history of the area, with the help of a local woodworking duo and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. .

Tom Holt and Dan Ely, co-owners of Beaver Gang Woodcrafters, are both 1970s graduates of Dowagiac High School. They had previously helped Sebastian create a sign for his Junto room as a tribute to Benjamin Franklin’s 1770s club for the betterment of its members and their community.

“It was about bringing the community together,” Sebastian said of the Junto, adding that’s what he hoped the library and historic sign could be.

When Sebastian told the Beaver Gang about his sign idea and expressed his interest in the Potawatomi, Holt mentioned that he was close to Judy Winchester, who was a classmate of his and is now President of the Council of Elders. from Pokagon.

“It was so exciting,” Sebastian said. “It’s not even just about learning about the Pokagon Tribe of Potawatomi, but all about how they exist in the community here.”

Winchester put Holt in touch with Tribal Historical Preservation Officer Matthew Bussler, who helped the Beaver Gang and Sebastian provide facts about the tribe for one side of the panel.

“We never thought of doing it ourselves,” Ely said of including the facts about Pokagon. “We immediately knew we had to go through the tribe and ask them to pitch us what they would like to see on the sign.”

The completed panel reads like two pages of a book – the left side with facts about Lake Dewey and the Dowagiac region, and the right side with tribe-approved facts about Pokagon. The sides are bound with thick binding to signify the close ties between the Pokagon gang and Dowagiac, as well as the connection to the nearby library theme.

“It’s insane once you start hearing the details of how this country shouldn’t have gotten away with it, and it did, largely dependent on Native Americans,” said Sebastian, the face lit up with excitement as he remembered the stories of Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea. , as well as Daniel Boone’s involvement in the Civil War. “Looking back at American history and Native Americans and how they’ve been treated, I think any recognition we can give, we should. And they’re really part of the community here, which is so great. I just keep learning little by little.

“My Literally Happy Place”

When Sebastian discovered the Pokagon Band through this project, he used his passion and the opportunity to educate his children, ages 5 and 8, about the tribe.

“One day we were out and saw a tribal police car, and I pulled over to show the kids to try to explain to them what it was,” Sebastian said. “Most kids, especially city kids, would have no idea something like this existed. They don’t understand that they have their own sovereign police force, their own sovereign territory.

Sebastian’s enthusiasm for American history, combined with his wife’s work as a librarian, these two Dewey Lake projects are a fortuitous combination of passions they can pass on to their children at Ashland’s Run.

“This place is designed not just for my kids, but for kids in general,” Sebastian said. “It’s a fun place to come and have fun and learn. We live in the city, so it’s nice to learn things here. My two children love to read too.

Sebastian said now that he even learned some things from his daughter. She loves to read Ranger Rick and Highlights for Children, and taught him that sprinkling olive oil on a carved pumpkin will help keep it dehydrated and last a few weeks longer around Halloween time.

“It was in one of those magazines that she was reading,” Sebastian said. “These little things that you learn, it really comes full circle like that.”

Regarding the historical sign and the legacy he wants to leave, Sebastian said he just wanted to contribute to the dissemination of knowledge.

“Dowagiac is literally my happy place – I stop at exit 30 and my blood pressure just drops,” he said. “The entire property will be my heirloom when I leave for my children and their children, but it’s really about preserving the history of the Pokagon and the Dowagiac.”

The wealth gap between black and white Chicagoans is widening, and “big programs” are needed to close it.

It’s parting advice from someone in a unique position to know what Chicago needs to solve one of its thorniest challenges.

For five years as CEO of the Chicago Community Trust, Helene Gayle focused on equal opportunity for the city’s haves and have-nots.

During Gayle’s tenure, one of Chicago’s oldest and best-resourced philanthropies unveiled a 10-year strategy to increase household wealth, close the life expectancy gap between black and white Chicagoans, and catalyzing development in southern and western neighborhoods with a history of divestment.

Now Gayle is leaving Chicago to become the 11 ^e president of Spelman College, the historic college for black women.

But she is not leaving quietly: she encourages the movers and shakers of her adopted city to think big.

“We are not closing the wealth gap. The wealth gap is widening. It is increasing because people who have wealth — it is getting worse. People who lack economic wealth – that is also compounded in a negative way,” Gayle, 66, told The Sun-Times on Friday.

“What will it take for people who have been excluded from economic opportunities to get the start they need? What are the possible options that could… break this cycle and give people the opportunity to start gaining an economic footing? »

Gayle acknowledged that “the word ‘reparations’ scared people away.”

But she argued that it shouldn’t. This means “creating programs that target those who are most financially unstable so that we can, in effect, break the cycle of the growing wealth gap.”

“It is not necessary for every person of African descent to receive a check. There are many ways to combat financial instability and provide people with a better financial future,” she said.

This could take the form of so-called “baby ties”. An account would be created for each black newborn who grows over time for later use to buy a home, pay school fees, or start a business.

It could be done at the federal, state or municipal level — or all three — and perhaps be funded, in part, by “luxury taxes,” Gayle said.

Another possibility would be a guaranteed basic income – a monthly check to cover basic necessities.

The Chicago Community Trust has signed on to help Chicago evaluate a year-long, $31.5 million pilot program that calls for giving $500 a month to 5,000 families in need, with no strings attached. Cook County is launching its own $35 million version of the program.

Once these assessments are complete, Gayle would like to see another Guaranteed Basic Income program targeting residents of communities where the gap in wealth and life expectancy is the greatest.

“Let’s start by talking about big programs that could really have an impact at the population level, because we so often think of individual-level interventions, which can make a huge difference for individuals. But it doesn’t change systems at the end of the day,” Gayle said.

The “one-two punch” of a pandemic that has had a disparate impact on communities of color and the civil unrest following the death of George Floyd have created an unsustainable “sense of urgency”, a Gayle said.

But the trust has still managed to convince more than 25 companies to commit to specific actions to put their money where they were two years ago.

Proposed actions include increasing annual spending on black and Latino businesses, hiring people with criminal records, or investing in a $25 million “EPIC fund.”

The trust’s website describes the EPIC Fund as a “new vehicle for providing equity capital to catalytic real estate projects in underinvested communities.”

“I am incredibly encouraged by what I see. The big banks here in Chicago…put huge amounts of money in the junkyards. Organizations coming together and working in partnership in ways never before possible. I think there’s something going on here,” Gayle said.

There is a time when we can have real positive change here in the Chicago area. The expression, the best way to predict the future is to create it. It’s in our hands. We have the ability to make things happen. »

As for the move to Spelman, Gayle called it a “continuation” of the work she’s done here to close the racial and ethnic wealth gap.

“What better way to make sure people have what they need than to make sure they have an education that gives them the skills to have a career where they can contribute to society? she says.

“It was about a passion. It spoke of who I am as a person.

GLADSTONE PARK – A popular fried chicken and barbecue sauce company is giving away sliders to celebrate its second anniversary.

North Branch Fried Chicken, which opened its Gladstone Park restaurant in June 2020 at 5481 N. Northwest Highway, specializes in Chicago-style barbecue sauces, rubs, savory jams, compotes and casual chicken dishes.

The casual eatery will host a Father’s Day pop-up market with other local vendors in partnership with the Jefferson Park Farmers Market from 4-8 p.m. Thursday.

The market event will serve as a birthday party with free pulled pork sliders with the restaurant’s signature North Branch Windy City barbecue sauce, as well as fried chicken sandwiches. The goal is to “bring people together in our community,” said owner and chef John Badal, of Edison Park.

Since opening, North Branch Fried Chicken has held micro markets to support other entrepreneurs, donated meals to local law enforcement, and hosted events that have raised over $6,000 for schools and communities. local parishes, Badal said.

“We have great food at great value for the community – it’s the community that has helped and rooted for us all the time,” Badal said.

The restaurant is set to lead the kitchen of Lake Effect Brewing Company’s future firehouse brewery in Jefferson Park. The owners of the brewery had hoped it would open this summer, but plans for the project have been delayed.

Badal, who runs the business with his wife, said it has been difficult to operate during the pandemic, but he is grateful for loyal customers and hopes to partner with more business owners.

North Branch Fried Chicken doesn’t serve alcohol because applying for a liquor license costs money the company doesn’t have, though Badal hopes that will happen one day. For now, he’s not letting that slow his sales, he said.

“Every day I walk into this store feels like the first day. … You learn on your feet, you keep running with it – you remember what good food is,” he said.

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After dozens of neo-Nazis were arrested with riot gear near an Idaho Pride event this weekend, Chicago Police Superintendent. David Brown announced on Monday that officials had “enhanced” intelligence-gathering efforts ahead of planned festivities in the city, as he “warned those who might be planning something.”

Thirty-one members of the Patriot Front, a neo-Nazi group that rallied in Chicago, were arrested Saturday in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after being found in a U-Haul truck containing riot gear , shields, shin guards and a smoke grenade. Among those arrested was Garret Joseph Garland, 23, of Freeburg, a small town in southwestern Illinois near St. Louis.

Brown said officers from a joint terrorism task force were working with the FBI and other federal agencies to gather intelligence and monitor people on watch lists ahead of the June 26 Pride parade, the main celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in the city .

“We want our officers to not only focus on the intelligence they’re hearing about what’s going on in Chicago, [but] all potential threats so that we can deal with them so that we can quickly deal with anyone who might harm anyone there,” he told reporters at a press conference.

Brown added that resources deployed for upcoming special events should be tied directly to any new information, which he said should not be “siloed” within this working group.

He said he had a message for anyone considering disrupting the parade: “We’re going to be vigilant to make sure this event, and others, go ahead safely,” he said. “And we will hold you accountable if you plan [and] if you do anything that compromises the safety of others.

Over the past two years, large groups of Patriot Front members have staged flash mobs and showed up at anti-abortion events in Chicago. More recently, dozens of members of the far-right group were heckled in January when they gathered at the March for Life in the Loop rally. As in Idaho, they showed up wearing the band’s uniform, which includes white face-masking balaclavas.

Patriot Front also recently broadcast propaganda in Tinley Park, Naperville and other parts of Illinois, according to the group’s Telegram channel. And in April, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Garland was among four Patriot Front members who allegedly vandalized a mural of famous black Americans at Washington University in St. Louis.

He has been charged with criminal conspiracy in connection with the incident this weekend in Idaho, according to Kootenai County Jail records. He was no longer listed as an inmate on Monday.

David Goldenberg, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest office, said the Patriot Front aims to “reclaim the United States as a white nation” and generally tries to “co-opt” conservative events. Still, the targeting of the Pride event in Idaho appears to be a first, said Goldenberg, who noted that those on the far right make baseless attempts to associate the LGBTQ+ community with pedophilia.

“This is fueling a recent spike in anti-Pride events and propaganda that we’ve seen,” he said. “It’s driven by hate, it’s driven by malice, it’s driven by misinformation and lies. It is therefore important to be aware of what is happening on the ground.

This playbook was on full display Saturday in San Lorenzo, Calif., where members of the neofascist Proud Boys reportedly shouted “tranny” and “pedophile” during a Drag Queen Story Hour at a library. No arrests have been made, but authorities are investigating the disturbance as a possible hate crime and harassment of children, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The Proud Boys, some of whom face serious criminal charges for their alleged roles in the Capitol Riot, have a growing contingent in and around Chicago. In November, members of the group joined an ultimately failed effort to ban “Gender Queer” – a graphic novel by a non-binary author – from the libraries of two Downers Grove high schools.

Goldenberg said recent events show the group seemingly increasing its anti-LGBTQ push.

“We need to be aware of that and law enforcement needs to understand that,” he said. “They need to watch it, they need to follow it, and frankly, anyone trying to do what happened in Idaho needs to be stopped, just like they were.”

Contributor: Associated Press

CHICAGO (SCS) — A peace movement through Chicago on Saturday included a run against gun violence that took place in part of Grant Park. And it is no coincidence that the race was there. Not only is it a central location, but it’s also within walking distance of Millennium Park, where 16-year-old Seandell Holliday was killed nearly a month ago – on a Saturday around the same time. when the race started.

“Our boys and young men of color have goals, dreams and aspirations. They don’t want to die from a gunshot,” said Vondale Singleton, Founder and CEO of CHAMPS.

Singleton was Seandell’s mentor before he was killed on May 14.

Seandell was killed near “The Bean” before reaching his goal of turning 21.

“For me, that shouldn’t be a goal,” Singleton said. “We shouldn’t be getting ready for the funeral. We should be doing the prom send-offs and graduations.”

The Race Against Gun Violence has raised funds to support organizations like CHAMPS – the groups that provide space for young people fighting gun violence.

“I think it’s always important to talk about gun violence in Chicago, but today we celebrate the organizations that are making a difference,” said Maggie Baczkowski, founder of Strides for Peace.

“Violence is more common among men of color, so for us to reverse that narrative is for us to take the power and the platform and use it to make things active in events like this. here,” said Orlandus Thomas of Change for the Better. .

Abpit 1,000 runner has raised funds for around 75 different organizations with a similar goal.

“Our goal is to work across the city with organizations like I Am a Gentleman and Urban Male Network and other organizations that reach young people and point them in the right direction,” Singleton said.

The young people came out this Saturday evening in force, fighting for the future.

“I want the people of Chicago to know that people have a lot to live for and it’s not cool to take someone’s life when they’re so young,” Joshua, 13, said.

The event was organized by Strides for Peace.

From art fairs and music festivals to races and sporting events, Chicagoans will have no shortage of things to do this weekend across the city.

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications warned people traveling to the city Friday through Sunday to beware of additional crowds, resulting in different traffic patterns and likely delays.

OEMC also warned Chicgaoans to be aware of the surroundings and to immediately report any suspicious activity to 9-1-1. Sign up for emergency alerts here.

Here’s more information on the events taking place this weekend:

Chicago Blues Music Festival at Millennium Park + venues throughout the city

Thursday – Sunday , hours vary

The Chicago Blues Festival will be held in Millennium Park June 9-12 from noon-9 p.m. and venues across the city including the Chicago Riverwalk June 9-10, Austin June 11 and Bronzeville June 12.

At Millennium Park, all guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and may be asked to show valid identification.

Outside alcohol is not permitted at the festival, although drinks are available inside the venue.

JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge at Grant Park

Thursday, 6:50 p.m.

The 3.5-mile race returns to Grant Park on Thursday with a 6:50 p.m. start time. There will be a hospitality area after the race.

Street closures and times include:

• 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.: Balbo between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
• 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.: Balbo between Columbus and Michigan
• 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.: Columbus between Roosevelt and Ida B. Wells Drive.
• 6:30-8:30 p.m.: There will be phased closures in the area of ​​Grant Park, affecting Ida B. Wells Drive, Jackson, Monroe, Randolph, Wacker and streets west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
• NOTE: DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Illinois, Michigan, Roosevelt and Grand will remain open
• 8-9 p.m.: Balbo between Columbus and Michigan
• 9 p.m. to 12 p.m.: Balbo between Columbus and DuSable Lake Shore Drive
• 9 p.m.-12 p.m.: Christopher Columbus between Balbo and Roosevelt

Puerto Rican Festival – Humboldt Park

Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. ; Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 10 p.m.

The Fiestas Patronales Puertorriqueñas will be held in Humboldt Park at 2800 W. Division and 1400 N. Humboldt Dr.

The event is located in what is now known as “Puerto Rico Town” on Division Street where the annual Puerto Rican People’s Parade will also take place on Saturday, June 11.

Old Town Art Fair

Saturday, 10am-7pm and Sunday, 10am-6pm

The Old Town Art Fair is located in the historic Old Town Triangle area. The event features over 200 performers, a garden walk, live music and food.

The main entrance is located at Lincoln Ave. and Wisconsin. Additional entry points are at North Park and Eugenie, Sedgwick in Menomonee, Sedgwick in Wisconsin, and Wells St. in Menomonee.

Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field

The Sox face the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday at 7:10 p.m. for Polish Heritage Night, and again Friday at 7:10 p.m., accompanied by fireworks.

On Saturday, the team faces the Texas Rangers for Hawaiian Shirt Day at 1:10 p.m., and again on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. for Family Day.

Fiesta Back of the Yards 2022, 47 ^e Street

Friday to Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.

The Fiesta community event will take place at 47 ^e A street between Ashland Avenue and Damen Avenue, attracting residents and visitors of all ages and “highlights the diversity and rich cultural past of the Back of the Yards neighborhood”.

Vegan Festival – Grant Park

Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The Chicago Vegan Festival in Grant Park returns this summer to showcase the city’s signature plant-based food options, along with live music, art and vegan vendors.

Andersonville Midsommarfest

Friday, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 10 p.m.

The 56 ^e Andersonville Midsommarfest is located on Clark Street, from Foster to Catalpa, with five stages for music, food and more.

Taste of Chicago in Austin, 5720 W. Chicago

Saturday, noon to 8 p.m.

Taste of Chicago will come to Austin this weekend with local food vendors and live blues music, plus Caribbean bites, savory soul food, tacos and gumbo, among other dishes.

Puerto Rican Day Parade

Saturday, 2 p.m.; assembly begins at 11 a.m.

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center will celebrate the 44th Parade of the Puerto Rican People on Saturday in conjunction with the Puerto Rican Festival. The Puerto Rican Day Parade will depart at 2 p.m., heading west on the Western Split in Sacramento through the community of Humboldt Park.

Wells Street Art Fair

Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to dusk

Located on Wells Street between North Ave and Division. The Chicago tradition showcases the art and local favorites of the Old Town neighborhood.

Hyde Park Summer Festival – Midway Plaisance, 59 ^e and Ellis Avenue

Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 10 p.m.

Originally named Hyde Park Brew Fest, the celebration began at 53rd & Harper Court, according to a statement, featuring house music, DJs, Chicago cuisine and local brews.

The entrance to the festival is at 59 ^e Ellis Street and Avenue.

Navy Pier Fireworks

Saturday, 10 p.m.

Navy Pier features a fireworks display every Wednesday and Saturday through Labor Day weekend during the summer. The Saturday show will start at 10 p.m.