Join the RCCSE as we host Rotarian Rev. Alfred SamForay as our Special Guest Speaker 3/16/2017

Come join

The Rotary Club of Chicago Southeast

as we welcome our Special Guest Speaker
Rotarian
Rev. Alfred SamForay
(Rotary Club of Bo, Sierra Leone)

He will presenting on his innovative work back home in Sierra Leone through his organization,
Villages Youth and Family Services
(https://www.villagefamilyservices.org/)
Take a look at this brief video (below) to see a glimpse of the work that's being done and come and hear how you can be a part of the future of a country!
Villages Youth & Family Services from Dustin McKibben on Vimeo.

Thursday, March 16th, 2017
6:15 pm

Urban Partnership Bank

7801 S. State Street

Chicago, IL 60619

EVENT IS FREE

(But space and *food* is limited)
To attend, REGISTER NOW,
by clicking the image below:

(Revised Dates) Genesis Housing "Events" for March 2017

March 2017

Genesis Housing Development Corporation Presents: “Homeowner Retention Solutions” Need a lower interest or help to keep your home? Come join us on Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Genesis Housing Development Corp. - 7735 South Vernon Ave, Chicago, IL 60619 Get Real Help, Real Answers, Right Now By Registering Today: Retention Solutions For You “Homebuyer Education Training” A HUD Approve Certificate Training – Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at PNC Bank - 7151 W. 159th St. 2nd Floor Tinley Park, IL 60477 Make Your Dreams A Reality By Registering Today: https://homebuyermarch2017.eventbrite.com “Resource & Networking Event” It's time to start assembling your "Homebuyer Team" Saturday, March 25, 2017 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Genesis Housing Development Corp. - 7735 South Vernon, Chicago, IL 60619 Your Home - Your Team Register Today: https://networkmarch2017.eventbrite.com “Foundations of Money Management” Learn how to break the cycle of "Not Having Enough" Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Genesis Housing Development Corp. - 7735 South Vernon, Chicago, IL 60619 Jump start your Finances By Registering Today: https://moneymarch2017.eventbrite.com Visit our new website: www.genesishdc.org

Cook 8th Grader Aces CPS Selective-Enrollment Test, Earns Maximum Score

Daysha Straight, of Auburn Gresham, "has made being smart cool at Cook,” the principal says. March 10, 2017 Auburn Gresham » Cook 8th Grader Aces CPS Selective-Enrollment Test, Earns Maximum Score Daysha Straight, of Auburn Gresham, "has made being smart cool at Cook,” the principal says. Read More...

Next Session - Tuesday March 14th 2017, 7715 S. Dobson, 6pm

Grand Crossing Park Neighborhood Network

"...What YOU can do for YOUR Neighborhood"

Dearest Neighbor and Stakeholder,
In 2017, as grassroots neighbors, the challenge to manage and respond to conditions leading to neighborhood violence is a very high priority. Across the city, in deed the country, this is a major concern. The need for neighborhood contribution to solutions count absolutely in the greater scheme of things, now more than ever!

This month we come together once again to continue the process of seeking, formulating and sustaining quality of life in our neighborhoods. In regards to the community leadership that we must help proliferate, we step forward calling in new advocates from off of social media - Facebook, Nextdoor and others. To anchor and formulate our efforts in time for the coming summer is an important point for us to complete here and now.

As always we need YOUR presence and support. YOU are vital, YOU make the difference being present, giving in-put where you can and listening to what is developing. This makes a BIG DIFFERENCE even though you may not think so. It's capacity building on a focus that does not happen otherwise. You are needed to help establish a very important rhythm that is the voice of the conscience of our neighborhoods. A turnaround of Chicago's violence is in OUR HANDS and no one else's. Just make sure YOU are there with us to HELP the turnaround become reality.

Date: Tuesday March 14th, 2017

Location : 7715 S. Dobson Ave (*Across from the park, park on the park side of the street.)

Time: 6-8pm

Please make your phone tree calls at this time!

Our agenda this month;

Latest updates & discussion on;

• The "Jewel-Osco Fiasco" Food security/public safety petition update.
• Greater Chatham Initiative progress.
• The new advocate core strategy
• The new "community partnerships" of 2017
• Setting the Millenial forum
• Event planning for mid-year and year-end celebrations. (Juneteenth & Kwanzaa)

Yours in deep community fellowship--

Brad O. Redrick,
Chairman

Chance's Gift Could Bring Recording Studio To Hirsch, Principal Says

Chance the Rapper is giving $10,000 donations to nine Chicago schools. In other news: Chance urged wealthy Chicagoans to join him in helping the city's schools. Also in the news today: MAP: How armed is your neighborhood? More than 200,000 people now are licensed to own a gun in Chicago. Also in the news today: A sleek condo in Hugh Hefner's former Gold Coast home just hit the market. Also in the news today: It's mating season for skunks, which continue to creep closer to Downtown and more neighborhoods.

March 10, 2017 Englewood, Auburn Gresham & Chatham Top Stories Chance's Gift Could Bring Recording Studio To Hirsch, Principal Says Chance the Rapper is giving $10,000 donations to nine Chicago schools. Read more... Chance The Rapper Gives $10K To These 9 Chicago Schools Chance urged wealthy Chicagoans to join him in helping the city's schools. Read more... Gun Permit Demand In City Jumps 63 Percent: 'People Worried About Crime' MAP: How armed is your neighborhood? More than 200,000 people now are licensed to own a gun in Chicago. Read more... Live In The Original Playboy Mansion For $3.4 Million (PHOTOS) A sleek condo in Hugh Hefner's former Gold Coast home just hit the market. Read more... Here's Why You'll Be Smelling Chicago's Skunks More This Month It's mating season for skunks, which continue to creep closer to Downtown and more neighborhoods. Read more... Follow your neighborhood reporter @andreavwatson12 Copyright © 2017 DNAinfo. All rights reserved.

Funeral services for Gladys Gill

Neighborhood Network

"...What YOU can do for YOUR Neighborhood"

Dearest Neighbor and Stakeholder,

Another true community pillar has passed. Gladys Gill, the internal backbone of True Light Church at 73rd & Maryland, has succumbed after a long battle with cancer.

She was an old fashioned pillar, reserved, but strongly dedicated to church and the surrounding community. She had strong community knowledge & connections and flexed herself, her schedule to accommodate NEIGHBORS. I know because she helped foster our block club and neighborhood organization into existence. Graceful and patient under fire and wise far beyond her humble appearance, she now joins the pantheon of the greats of community / church service volunteers in our humble African American history, having set one of the best examples for others who aspire to continue the tradition. Her worth to the community in one word - Priceless!

May she rest in peace...

Funeral services for Gladys Gill are as follows;

Viewing:
Friday 3/17/2017
10am-10pm
True Light Church Baptist
7300 South Maryland.

Funeral:
Sat 3/18/2017
Wake 9-10
Funeral 10-11
True Light Church Baptist
7300 South Maryland.

Yours in community fellowship--

Brad O. Redrick,
Chairman

Time to close ranks with a purpose

Neighborhood Network

"...What YOU can do for YOUR Neighborhood"

Dearest Neighbor and Stakeholder,

At last night's network meeting a disturbing fact became known to the group, which requires a special response from the totality of our combined forces and influence. Tazama Sun, one of our loyal associates, has become a physical victim and target of a horde of unruly youth. Some of these youth are his neighbors, whom have been out of control for some time now. Some of you may remember we became aware of them two summers ago when we held National Night out at Tazama’s house.

The "authorities" have done little because somehow this situation keeps falling through the cracks, administratively. Tazama has been to the Alderman’s office, CAPS meetings and has called the police on several occasions and nothing substantial has resulted. Now, last week, as he tried to stop a group from throwing rocks in front of his home, hitting parked cars and causing damage, an unk kid struck him in the head with a rock. There was a group and he could not say for sure which one was the attacker. This must now come to a halt!

There is almost zero support from the neighbors who are older and afraid. The household involved contains a young mother (35ish) who is not home (working) much of the day. There are older children close to18 or so with other younger 10-13 who are home during school hours and out late past curfew. The mother has no real control and doesn’t care to. Tazama has had people look into DCFS, Madison school, Chicago Police and Chicago Housing Authority options, all to no avail. This is unacceptable and the log jam of inaction must stop now before tragedy results.

The basis of our network is mutual support and action. Now we must come to the fore to support out ally, Tazama, who is stricken with gout and barley able to defend himself. I want everyone to ponder how it is we can bring a solid solution to fruition. We’re looking to use our numbers to force any action necessary. A flood of calls or letters to the above mentioned authorities, at city county state levels or whatever it takes - some larger action must happen now.

Let us begin.

Yours in community fellowship

Brad O. Redrick,
Chairman

Hot Copy: Bravo Mr. Chance, Rap On. . .

Bravo Mr. Chance. . . This year I attended Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH’s Wall Street Project in New York and sat in on a hip hop workshop. Th Web Version Preferences Forward Bravo Mr. Chance. . . Chance has assumed a leadership role in Chicago's Black community. Click to see the video. This year I attended Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH’s Wall Street Project in New York and sat in on a hip hop workshop. The panel talked about how hip hop was a lifestyle and a culture. They said in your marketing you should be disruptive. I liked that. Although I didn’t leave knowing the hip hop culture, I did learn. I left convinced that it was not my culture, but there are aspects of hip hop that I admire and much that I don’t really understand or agree with. I am a jazz person, in culture and lifestyle. All that to say, my admiration grows for Chicago’s own Chance The Rapper. I have not had the pleasure of meeting him. I have heard him once as he paid tribute to the late Muhammad Ali at the ESPY Awards. I was impressed with his message and his voice and the overall presentation. It was a wow factor for me and caught my attention. Advertisement Like Father, Like Son. . . The Bennett men at the White House. I know Chance the Rapper as Ken Bennett’s son. I know Ken, his father, well. He is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Ken was a young guy around Operation PUSH. He worked in Rev. Willie Barrow’s office. He was so polite, so willing to help and so thorough. He always did what he was asked and reported back for more work. He was a volunteer for Barack Obama when volunteers for the young politician were few and far between. In fact, some days he was one of one. Ken worked the campaign that Barack lost, the congressional campaign against Bobby Rush. He knocked on doors and he caught Barack’s political attention because he was so dedicated. Some days, literally it was just Ken and Barack canvasing. Ken stayed with Barack as he ascended the political ladder. He worked with him in the United States Senate office in civic engagement. Ken was wonderful to work with. He was a great representative. We worked with Ken a lot when I was President of ABLE, the Black business organization to which many of Obama’s friends belonged. We were a small tight group behind then-Senator Obama. Again, Ken was always thoughtful, sensitive and carried the work of the Senator forward. He was a wonderful liaison. Ken went to the White House with the President for a short while. But he was a very concerned father, sensitive to the needs of his two boys, and thought it was best for him to come home to be with them daily. He told me about Chance, but I didn’t get the rap music and the unorthodox things he was doing with getting his music out to the public. But I admired his thinking; out-of-the box marketing is always impressive. And I just like Ken; he is so engaging and always delightful. I admired his dedication to Barack. Ken eventually joined the staff of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. I was impressed that Emanuel had brought Ken on his team, so much so, that I texted him to say, he was one of his best appointments, to date. I predicted that Ken would be a tremendous asset to the Mayor, if allowed. advertisement. click here for tickets. Barack and Chicago's Black Media. When Barack was running for Senate, members of the Black press asked where did this young guy come from. He hadn’t paid his civil rights dues. How Black was he, was a main question constantly asked, where did he come from? My buddy, Melody Spann Cooper of WVON, had enough and called a Black press meeting at a West Side restaurant one early morning about Barack. The conversation was hostile and mean spirited. Barack was such an out-of -the box guy with his politics and he was held in question. Who sent him? Where did he come from? Who is he really? We got into an altercation. I kept saying he is seeing the political world differently than others, he is crossing over, let him fly. He might be just different enough. Let him go. What was amazing is that the Black press was more against him than for him. Melody was took the position that we just don’t have to tear him down. It was an ugly meeting. advertisement. click here for tickets. Crabs in a Barrel Syndrome. . . I mention that meeting because here we are again, with Chance. He made Grammy history, with his unorthodox way of distributing his music. Bravo Chance. Governor Rauner applauded him with a Tweet and proposed a meeting with him. Chance took the meeting. Bravo Chance. They did meet and Chance asked the Governor about financial support for the Chicago Public Schools, of which Chance is a product. The Governor did not respond as Chance had wanted, so in the next few days, Chance went deep into his pocket and gave CPS a million dollars. He challenged others to do the same. Bravo Chance. We all know that the schools require a government funding solution. But Chance did his part; he rose to the occasion and smartly provided funds directly to schools on the South Side of Chicago. Bravo Chance. And then something strange happened. The Chicago Sun-Times carried a front-page story that was critical of Chance. Columnist Mary Mitchell went negative on Chance. She reported that he is in court settling child support monthly payments. Mary brought up baby mama drama. And as you read the story you wondered, what the hell is this all about? Young Black men are under attack by the media, no matter what they do. If Chance can be so generous with the school children of Chicago, surely, absolutely he will take care of his child. I know he will, because I know his parents. He is wise beyond his 23 years. He is brilliant, his future is bright, and I am sure Chance’s immediate family will be well provided for. But the question, lingers, why do we have to tear each other up? Especially when we are so doing the right thing. Bravo Chance. Keep it moving. Rap on. advertisement. click here for tickets. NDIGO.COM