What happens to a dream deferred? Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep student Kayla Eubanks doesn’t know, because although her dream will take longer to achieve, she isn’t giving up. The Englewood native has dreams of opening a medical center on the South Side, and with a 4.27 grade point average and 28 ACT score, it’s very possible. Eubanks has been accepted…
Month: May 2016
From Supportive Housing to Government Affairs: #ProofPointDay
Ann Valencia went from living in supporting housing, to being director of the Office of Legislative Counsel and Government Affairs for Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “When I came in, he said, ‘You have my respect and you will have their [aldermen’s] respect. That meant a lot for the mayor to . . . have my back in that way. He gives…
Drugs, Money and College: A First Generation Story #ProofPointDay
When I walked onto the campus of DePaul University in the fall of 2003, I was scared. I felt prepared academically. Socially, I could hold my own. But, culturally I had no idea what I was getting into. I was what they call “first generation”, the first in my family line to attend a four-year university. I thought that nothing…
From “The Great Migration” to “First Generation” : My Story #ProofPointDay
My grandparents hailed from Mississippi to Chicago during The Great Migration. My grandfather, Robert Thompson, was a hard worker who took a job at a meat factory and also drove a pickup truck collecting odd objects he would sell along the way. My grandmother stayed at home, tending to their four boys. My father graduated from what was known as…
Hansberry College Prep Students Celebrates “Hansberry Day” in Chicago
Chicago writer, Lorraine Hansberry, would have turned 86 years old on May 19, 2016. To celebrate her legacy, Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed May 19 “Lorraine Hansberry Day” in Chicago. Students from Hansberry College Prep were in attendance to read the proclamation.
#Budget4IL Twitter Chat: Recap
On May 17, 2016 a group of concerned citizens discussed the Illinois budget (or lack thereof) under the #Budget4IL hashtag on Twitter. To view the entire thread, follow us at @ChicagoUnheard. [View the story “#Budget4IL Twitter Chat: Recap” on Storify]
Low-income school districts caught in a statistical crossfire
As the wait for an Illinois budget continues, schools across the state are searching for alternative ways to secure funding. Low-income schools are stuck in the middle. “When the Republicans talk about how much Chicago spends per pupil, they always inflate the number by counting the money CPS puts into its pension fund,” Manar said. “Then they compare that to…
The One Thing Bill O’Reilly Forgot to Mention in His Chicago Rant
Bill O’Reilly forgot to mention one thing in his now viral rant about broken neighborhoods in Chicago. He forgot to talk about the schools. Violence in Chicago is out of control. And I 100% agree with O’Reilly that if this reality were playing out in the streets of richer, whiter communitties the problem would have already been solved. But, make…