EVENT: The Op-Ed Project in Chicago - April 6th

One of the questions I get asked most frequently from students or aspiring writers (which I still consider myself) is what was my plan. The only plan I've ever had after undergrad was to work on feminist issues and find a way to get my voice heard. Yes, once back in the early days of the internet, when newspapers still flourished (or appeared to be) I dreamed of having a newspaper column. Nowadays I have this blog, a few others where I am welcomed, but also op-eds. Op-ed writing is a science and an art. Which of course means someone needs to teach you the tricks. Lucky for us Chicagoans, The Op-Ed Project has settled in Chicago for long term. The next training session is coming up and if your dream is to have someone hear your voice, then you must go. I plan on stopping by the end of the seminar and sticking around for the cocktail hour (For me that means a beer & snacks).  I hope to see you there!

DETAILS

DATE:: April 6, 2013 (Saturday)

TIME:: Seminar: 10 AM – 5 PM

Cocktail Hour: 5:30 – 7 PM


LOCATION
Medill School at Northwestern University
105 West Adams, Suite 200
Chicago, Illinois 60603


REGISTRATION FEES

Super Early Bird (ends March 6): $325

Early Bird (ends March 27): $375

Regular: $425

See their Pay in Words Scholarship option here.


REGISTER HERE!

Chicago Abortion Fund's Leadership Group in Ebony!

I am so honored to know Brittany and even more proud of all the work she has done in the reproductive justice movement. She's like a fish to water. Here she is telling her story in Ebony!

When 28-year-old Brittany Mostiller got an abortion in 2008, talking about it with her family was hard enough. She never expected she’d be telling her story in high schools or in the Chicago neighborhoods where she now passes out condoms and information on laws related to reproductive health.

But the organization that helped pay for her procedure, Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), invited her to join a group of women who meet regularly for peer support and to organize in their communities. Last year, CAF raised $60,000 to help 184 low-income women access second trimester abortions. Four out of five women who receive funds from CAF are of color, said its executive director, Gaylon Alcaraz.

The process of getting these women engaged takes time. After checking in to see what help they need post-abortion – from sexual health information to housing and employment referrals – the organization supports the women in building trust and friendships. That’s the necessary foundation to storytelling.

“I think that women of color want to tell their stories,” Alcaraz said. “There’s no platform. And let you be poor, or let you be fat, or let you be gay. The media is not friendly to that.”

To get around the gatekeepers, CAF creates its own media, including a monthly local TV show called “The A Word.” Mostiller, who is mother to four girls and attends college full-time, has been on the show. At the start, the host introduces herself by saying, “My name is ________, and I’ve had an abortion.”

It was difficult to speak those words on camera early on, Mostiller said. But that’s changed.

“It’s my story. It’s mine to tell,” she told me. “And it’s someone else’s truth also.”

Chicago Roe Anniversary Events

Three Events planned for the Fortieth Anniversary of Roe V. Wade !!!


Planned Parenthood Illinois is sponsoring a Fortieth Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday, January 23, at 6:30pm at Carnivale, 702 W. Fulton Market, in Chicago. Featuring David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Obama, and honoring Dawn Clark Netsch for her unrelenting commitment to promoting equality and justice. It’s a benefit. Tickets are $40 and no doubt the food will be delicious. More info at www.ppiaction.org.

The ACLU of Illinois is sponsoring a Fortieth Anniversary of Roe V Wade Lunch and Panel Discussion, on Friday, January 25, from noon to 1:30 at Sidley & Austin, One South Dearborn, in Chicago. Featuring Lorie A. Chaiten, director of the ACLU’s Reproductive Rights Project, and Sylvia M. Neil, lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School and founder of the Project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law at Brandeis University. It’s free but RSVP is required. More info at http://www.aclu-il.org/roe-v-wade-40th-anniversary-luncheon/

And the Illinois Choice Action Team is sponsoring a screening of the move Jane: An Abortion Service. It’s on Sunday, January 27, at 4pm, at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum, at 800 South Halsted, in Chicago. Discussion and refreshments will follow the screening, and admission is free. More info at www.ilchoiceactionteam.org.

A fascinating look at a little-known chapter in women’s history, the film tells the story of “Jane”, the Chicago-based women’s health group that performed nearly 12,000 safe abortions between 1969 and 1973. As Jane members describe finding feminism and clients describe finding Jane, archival footage and re-creations mingle to depict how the repression of the early sixties and social movements of the late sixties influenced this unique group.

Event information from the North and Northwest Suburban NOW chapter (www.nwsubnow.org ). Contact them at admin@nnwsubnow.org or contact@nwsubnow.org or 224-565-1500.

EDITED TO ADD:

• 2013 Law Students for Reproductive Justice Regional Conference
  Midwest
  Saturday, January 26
  at DePaul University College of the Law
  

Review: Yo Solo Theater Festival of Latino Solo Shows

I attended Program A of the Yo Solo Theater Festival of Latino Solo Shows at the Flat Iron Arts Building on Sunday (Media day). The festival will be:

Featuring six solo pieces by Latino writers from Chicago and around the U.S. Yo Solo is an event that will display the breadth of talent and the rich complexity of each individual performer as they bring their own personal experiences to the stage, collectively creating a beautiful collage about the Latino experience. In addition to six solo performance pieces, visual art installations and live music will add to Yo Solo’s festival vibe.

The first performance was "La Risa de Dios" written and performed by Febronio Zatarain:

La Risa de Dios captures the voices and stories of the Latino immigrant community of Chicago and how they see our city. Through monologue and song, Mr. Zatarain captures the joy, the heartache, and the challenges of living in the big city and the dreams that bring us here.

He certainly captured the heartache of living in Chicago and the dreams that often die as if they touched the third rail of the El. "La Risa de Dios" was moving and poignant as Zatarain conveyed the stories of multiple characters.

The second performance was "Guera" written and performed by Lisandra Tena:

In the interactive solo, Guera, the audience is treated as dinner guests in a restaurant, choosing "meals" from the menu. Each item on the menu is a 4-6 minute piece drawn from Ms. Tena's experiences with her father, mother, alter ego, and her identity

This piece was not only smart, but funny. Tena portrays a server in a diner and the audience is handed a menu before she begins. The menu has six items and she asks the audience what they want to "eat." If you go and see one piece you want to watch, speak up quickly! Tena is pictured portraying, I believe, her father in El Mexicano. It is mostly silent until a young girl, "Mija," enters the room. And you might need a tissue for this one.

I'm not a big theater goer, so I feel a bit constrained as to what I proper theater reviewer would say. What I can say is that Yo Solo looks like a great festival and I look forward to attending for years to come.

Each program runs about two hours and will be presented eight times over the course of the festival. Tickets are $15 per program; $10 for students, industry and anyone under 30. Festival Passes offering admission to all three programs are also available for $35; $20 for students, industry and under 30. For tickets and information, go to yosolofestival.com or call 312.226.9633.

Remaining shows:

Thursday, August 2, 8 pm (Program B)
Friday, August 3, 8 pm (Program B)
Saturday, August 4, 4:30 pm (Program B); 8 pm (Program C)
Sunday, August 5, 4:30 pm (Program C); 8 pm (Program A)
Monday, August 6, 7 pm (Program C)
Thursday, August 9, 8 pm (Program A)
Friday, August 10, 8 pm (Program A)
Saturday, August 11, 1 pm (Program A); 4:30 pm (Program C); 8 pm (Program B)
Sunday, August 12, 1 pm (Program A); 4:30 pm (Program B); 8 pm (Program C)

Key:
Program A = La Risa de Dios by Febronio Zatarain + Guera by Lisandra Tena
Program B = Highway 47 by KJ Sanchez + para Graciela by Sandra Delgado
Program C = Empanada for a Dream by Juan Villa + Antipoda by Rey Andujar

Disclaimer: I did attend the performance on media day and received a media pass, plus entry for my husband.

Review:: Pinocchio at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Thank you to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater for inviting me out to see their new production, Pinocchio. Last Saturday I took the kid (age almost-8) and one of her BFFs (age 8 1/2) to see the play. Quick review is that I liked it and the girls gave two thumbs up. They really did. I asked "How did you like it?" and they gave me two thumbs up. Don't be mad Ebert!

The performance was beautiful. The setting was beautiful, as were the puppets. The songs and music were lovely. The story moved fast, so there was little time for the kids to get bored. At least by the story. I think being 8 means being bored by the inability to move at one's choosing after 10 minutes. Thankfully I purchased some fruit snacks for the girls to keep them focused on something for awhile.

My only exposure to the tale of Pinocchio has been the Disney movie. This alternative, perhaps more authentic, telling of the story was far more bittersweet than I recalled. That made it more powerful too. It was also funnier due to the skills of the wonderful cast, especially Heidi Kettenring as Cat and Derek Hasenstab as Fox. On the way to drop off the kid's BFF, they were pretending to be Fox and Cat. The kid called Cat first. It's worth the price of admission for the few minutes Cat and Fox grace the stage. 

Melody Betts stole the show with her vocals and performance as the Blue Fairy. It's worth the price of admission to watch her try to teach Pinocchio what it means to be a human being. I wish I could say that the lessons will soak into our kids' brains, but we'll see.

Jump on over to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater's site to look up future dates and to purchase tickets.And you don't need to have kids to go see the show and have a great time.

Disclaimer: Just a reminder that I received comp tickets as I was invited out to view the performance by the CST.

FUNDRAISER: Support The Race for Space!

Chicago Women's Health Center (CWHC) seeks community support to match a $35,000 challenge grant from the Topfer Family Foundation by June 30 to move into a larger space by the end of the year.

CWHC was founded in 1975 to specifically and thoughtfully address the barriers to gynecological health care for women, with special attention to the experiences of those often marginalized by systems of power including the economically disadvantaged, LGBTQ communities and people of color.

With an increasing need for quality, affordable health care, the organization sees moving to a larger location as an opportunity to better respond to Chicago?s health care needs. The goal of transitioning to a larger space has been in place since late 2008 when the organization launched its $150,000 capital campaign. Considering the tough economic climate for non-profits, the matching grant comes at a fortuitous time for the grassroots organization.

CWHC is in the final phase of The Race for Space! 

CWHC must raise $35,000 by June 30th before Topfer Family Foundation matches them. Through this matching grant, your gift can go even further.

DONATE TODAY!

Equal Pay Day Rally

April 12th is Equal Pay Day, the day that marks how far into the new year a woman must work on average to earn as much as a man earned the previous year. To show support for equal pay, hundreds will gather in Daley Plaza at noon for an Equal Pay Day Rally, sponsored by Women Employed and fourteen other organizations and government agencies.

Despite many improvements in women's economic status over the past three decades, employment discrimination and unfairness in the workplace are still a fact of life for too many women. Regardless of education and experience, in nearly every occupation women are still paid less than men – only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. On average, a woman could lose up to $1.2 million in income over a lifetime due to the wage gap.

The Equal Pay Day Rally will bring together activists and concerned citizens to protest this inequality. Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon will speak, as well as prominent equal pay advocates Evelyn Murphy of The WAGE Project, and Doris Moy of the Illinois Department of Labor.

RSVP today! 

Download a PDF flyer and spread the word!

From Women Employed's press release

Three great events coming up soon!

(1) The hilarious, whip smart and BFF of Viva la Feminista, Jennifer Pozner will be at Women and Children First on Sunday at 4:30 pm. Come hear Jennifer talk about her book Reality Bites Back. Considering that $nooki gets paid $32,000 to give a talk, come hear Jennifer for bus fare!

(2) She'll also be at NEIU on Monday at 4:15 pm.

(3) Thursday, April 7th the Working Women's History Project will will pay homage to the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire with an in-depth panel discussion and an original production.


6-8:30 pm "The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire at 100 and the Fight for Worker Safety and Justice Now"
6:00 - 7:00 Registration and Light Refreshments
7:00 - Program

Roosevelt University, 430 S Michigan, Congress Lounge 2nd Floor
Tickets held at door advance $25, at door $30, students free with ID

The play: "The Ninth Floor Door: Blocked Justice of the Triangle Fire" by Mary Bonnett. Performed by Mary Bonnett, Brigid Duffy*, Paul Odell, Andreah Santos, Alma Washington*, Ken Morris on guitar (*member of Actors' Equity)

The panel:
Moderator: Maribeth Anderson, Regional VP of ASSE
Louise Carr: OSHA Compliance Officer
Jo Ann E. Argersinger: author The Triangle Fire: A Brief History with Documents
Susan Hurley: Executive Director: Jobs with Justice
Q&A to follow

Co-Sponsors: Roosevelt University, Center for New Deal Studies, Roosevelt University SPEED, Chicago CLUW and the American Society of Safety Engineers.

Information: jackie@wwhpchicago.org or 773-667-4690

Searching for a new Mayor: Part 3 - Endorsements

In the end, we, the people of Illinois, will get the political reform we deserve. If we sit back and fail to speak out, we'll get more of the same -- peanuts. And we'll have no one to blame but ourselves.

That quote is from an excellent editorial from the Chicago Sun-Times in 2009. A mere two years ago. One that if you read it you think that the Sun-Times is trying to champion citizens. Those of us who watch the political circuses that have made us in Chicago and Illinois a punchline. Those of us who watch politicians collect pensions like Beanie Babies while those of us way lower the ladder get legislated against.

So when I read the Sun-Times endorsement of Rahm Emanuel, I kinda threw up in my mouth. Did they really try to sell us on him based on the fact that his career hasn't been in the city?

He has built his career in places far removed from the city streets — in corporate boardrooms, the halls of Congress and the Oval Office. This is where he has learned about public life. This is where he continues to look for insight and campaign cash.

Oh, they sure did. Not Chico or Del Valle who have served this city with all their might, right here? No Emanuel who did serve his district which I once lived in, but did it from afar.But they said that too!

Our most serious reservation with respect to Emanuel, though we believe he has the makings of an excellent mayor, is that he may lack a feel for the real beating heart of the city. 

But we're supposed to trust him to continue to starve our public schools by using TIF funds for police officers and cater to charter schools where some  accounting books would reveal more people getting rich than children learning.

Ultimately I believe that the Sun-Times chose Emanuel because of this:

Emanuel stands apart from Chico, however, in his relative independence from city contractors and unions. Because Emanuel largely made his career in Washington, he simply owes fewer people here. 

Union-busting. City worker benefits. Teacher contracts. Privatizing as much as possible. That's what the Sun-Times and Tribune endorsements are all about. Daley let the city fall so far people want to give up on themselves.

I highly doubt Emanuel owes less people than Chico. OK, maybe they don't all live here, but are all our city contracts only with companies in Chicago? Not so much. And let's not forget all the tax breaks the city gives Hollywood for blowing up things on our streets. I'm not against that last one, just pointing out that Emanuel's buddies in Hollywood CAN come a calling about what he owes them. He is owed a lot of favors too for his outstanding fundraising abilities. Perhaps that's why he has some personal endorsements too. For me, those are totally earned too. If I raise you a ton of money, you better pay me back when I need it. See, I'm not a total idealist when it comes to politics.

Other than Chico being wishy-washy on some issues, the Sun-Times fails to show why Emanuel is truly a better candidate. Can he bring the power of DC here? Sure. Can he fund raise the hell out of his competition? Oh hell yeah. Does that mean he deserves to be the next Mayor? For me, no.

And while I wasn't planning on voting for Emanuel anyway, the fact that he admitted that it was his idea to throw women under the bus for health care reform sealed the deal for me. I don't care if he had permission from Our Bodies Ourselves, Gloria Steinem and the ghost of Margaret Sanger! He crafted a strategy that pushed feminist and women's health care organizations into a corner. He was also the person who crafted the strategy to seek out conservative Democrats who started the ignition on the bus. You would think he could use that muscle of his to keep them in line on abortion rights. The muscle that I keep hearing people say that the next mayor should have. He may have endorsements from pro-choice organizations in Chicago, but the fact is that Planned Parenthood Illinois and Personal PAC also endorsed Chico, Braun and del Valle. So since they all have the pro-choice seal of approval, I think it's a moot point to make one's decision on based solely on endorsements.

In the end, on Tuesday night I'll be watching the returns and praying for the 49% line to hold. The 50% line would be too much for me!

Citation: Since the Sun-Times has a poor archive system, I used LexisNexis. If you want to read the full editorial, here is the citation: April 29, 2009. "Time to stand up to end corruption" SECTION: EDITORIALS; Pg. 26

Searching for a new Mayor: Part 2 - Libraries

I know I'm totally slacking on this mayor thing here. I did add some informational links over on the sidebar (so click on over RSS readers) to help my fellow Chicagoans make their decision. I had planned to go a little crazy blogging over the semester break, but the lure of books won out.

And I know that in part one of this series, I touched on libraries, but Chico's comments to the Sun-Times Editorial Board are forcing me to revisit:

If he had to choose between giving every Chicago Public School a library or every public school student a lap-top computer, he would choose: “A laptop. It opens you to the library of the world. Instead of a teacher saying, ‘Open your books, we’re going to learn about India’, she could say, ‘Pull out your lap-tops. We’re going to Skype with your fifth-grade colleagues in Mumbai.’

The purpose of a library is not to simply have access to books, but to have access to a trained librarian who can teach and guide children as they learn to be researchers and consumers of media. A laptop does none of this.

Yes, I would love for every child in Chicago to have access to the internet. But I also want them to have access to a library and a trained librarian.

In academic circles Wikipedia is a double-edged sword. If you mentioned Wikipedia early on, eyes would roll. Now not so much. More and more academics are learning that like it or not students, like anyone on the internet, will type in a phrase or term into a search engine and find themselves at a Wikipedia page. So it's not a classic encyclopedia - that's the point. We need to teach children as early as possible that Wikipedia is a tool, not so much a source for gaining information. In other words, go there to start your search and use the references section, but do not simply quote JFK's Wikipedia page in your report.

Who is going to teach that? A classroom teacher? On top of the standardized test she is tasked to teach our kids? (That's a dig at the system, not teachers!) Why not a librarian who say went to library school and has been taught how to teach children the methods of research and analyzing sources? How else did we know that we can quote a book, but not the National Enquirer? Seriously, that is what our children are deciding when they go online to do research.

In the internet age we have to allow for students to quote websites, but are we teaching them how to figure out if the site they are quoting is a talking out of their ass or writing a well researched article? That's what librarians are doing on top of making sure our kids have access to books and magazines.

If you haven't guessed by now, I'm terribly disappointed in Gery Chico for falling into a this or that trap. Our children need both access to libraries and laptops. Plain and simple.

Searching for a new Mayor: Part 1 - Schools

While not as shocking as Daley's retirement, the timing of Ron Huberman's decision to quit on the Chicago Public Schools was a bit shocking. But it's one that many of us looking forward to a new Mayor and new head of CPS are moving past quickly. There are a lot of issues in CPS, some obvious and urgent, some not-so-obvious, but still in need of attention. I hope to write a little bit about those issues here and encourage Chicagoans to make it a priority to ask all Mayoral hopefuls not just about their dedication to public schools, but what plans they have to address certain needs such as:

• The scattering of CPS students: The recent decision to allow any and all siblings to go to the same magnet school is AWESOME. There are far too many parents who are shuttling all over this city to take 1 kid here and another one there. That said, why don't we go back to the idea that a school is a community center, that kids in the neighborhood go to a school down the street and then families know each other in the neighborhood? I know one family who live in Hyde Park and one kid goes to school on the near West Side and the other on the far South side. Thankfully there are two parents to shuttle these kids. Why shuttling? Because CPS doesn't bus kids who live farther than 4 miles away from the school. Um, aren't these the students who SHOULD be bused in? Instead they are shuttled by parents or take the CTA at a younger age than most parents plan. This issue is always raised when talking about gang fights but the current mayor says he won't let gangs draw school maps. Nice dodge. 
• The drop out rate: Why do we need hip hop stars to come in and tell kids they need to stay in school? I love the idea, don't get me wrong, but I think it signals that we aren't providing certain students with a good view of what their future holds....Or others in power are painting them a picture that they are rejecting and thus see no use in education. 
• RECESS: My daughter's school does not have recess as a regular part of their day. Sometimes they go out before school, but if it's before school, is it recess? There are far too many studies that say recess is key to academic success. Not to mention Michelle Obama wants out kids to be moving.
• Libraries for all: The Whittier Moms should not be forgotten. Not when we have 164 schools without libraries and some schools have sorry excuses for a library. I talked to one mom whose child goes to a school with a literature focus that does NOT have a library. 

I'll cover more in future posts. Cause I didn't even mention capital issues.

But as we move towards these changes, I would like to see one thing changed. The way we view schools on the CPS website. Take the Jane Addams Elementary School. We can click around and see when they were inspected for asbestos, how well they recycle and demographics. But you have no idea if you are applying to school without a library, that keeps their students inside for 6 hours without fresh air and how long they give kids to eat their lunch. But you know there is a dress code. Jane Addams was a bookworm. If there isn't a library at her namesake school, she's rolling in her grave. But you don't know these things unless you think to ask (why would anyone think otherwise until the Whittier moms brought the issue to light?) or you find out when your child comes home to report there is no library.

This is a critical time for public education, especially in Chicago. We have a new mayor coming in soon and eventually new leadership for CPS. In DC "No Child Left Untested, er, Behind" needs to be revamped so that the top schools can go back to being totally awesome. Honestly, is it a surprise that NCLB reform is now all the rage once the top schools start failing?

But I'm rested from Tuesday...Gotta be. Mayoral hopefuls are having fund raisers and signatures are being collected. We need to get a hopping!

What I learned from Whittier

Media reports say that the Whittier moms have come out victorious. That Whittier will soon get a library INSIDE the school and that La Casita will be renovated and leased to the Whittier parents for community use.

My daughter & I returned to Whittier a few weeks ago to drop off some supplies and a few Spanish-language books. It was day 27, as the photo to the left indicates, and Columbus Day (ironic, I know). The place was far quieter than I was expecting on a school holiday.

The plan was to drop off items and then return to our hectic day of errands. Instead my daughter took off for the playground. It was a nice day and me being the push over I am let her play. That's when I took the opportunity to snap a picture of the 27 Days banner. And that's when a girl playing took the opportunity to come say hi and ask if she could take some pictures too.

"Can I take a picture of you?" And obviously I let this little girl who looks like she could be mi familia. She then started to walk off with my smart phone snapping photos of everything on the playground. The pictures below are of Lucky, her new puppy.

 As the girls and Lucky ran around the playground, I sat and chatted with one of the girls' step-grandfather, J. Yes, as soon as we started chatting, I thought, "Shit. Why don't I have my digi-recorder with me?" Then again, perhaps it was best that we didn't have that between us.

J told me that he takes care of Girl 1 and her cousin Girl 2. He drops them off at school in the morning, then heads out on his seemingly-never-ending search for a new job. In the afternoon he picks up the girls and watches them. At one point one of the girls is clearly doing the potty dance. J tells the girl to ask the Whittier Moms if she can use the bathroom. The girl hesitates...J says that it's because she doesn't speak Spanish.

"Right now they are 5 & 6, they need to focus on learning English. They can pick up Spanish when they are older."

I told J the abbreviated version of my life and how for some of us *AHEM* it's actually quite hard to pick up another language later in life. I also told him that I understand where that decision is coming from.

Here I was at Whittier to show my solidarity in their fight for a library and yes, there are plenty of injustices in our public school system, but to come against this English-first feeling at Whittier wasn't expected. As a dual-language school, I assumed a lot. Too much in fact.

And I bet that same assuming way is what made CPS think they could say that La Casita could be torn down, land sold to a private school and turned into a soccer field. Instead the moms said, "Hell no!" They are still keeping vigil in La Casita until Tuesday's CPS Board of Education meeting where, dear Goddess hopefully, the deal will be finalized and in writing. Because if this deal falls apart a lot more than just La Casita will be lost - the children who saw their moms, tias and neighbors fight and then get shafted will be lost. Thankfully their fight has grabbed attention of local news, blogs and national media outlets. Hopefully this will buffer any ideas of backing out or screwing them over on details.

So what did I learn?

• That being cynical isn't productive.
• That change can happen, but you'll have to pull up your sleeves too.
• That moms are certainly a force to be reckoned with - soccer, security, or whatever label.
• That kids do want to learn. Talk all you want about electronics, online stuff but kids are naturally curious and want to learn. 
• That some people are so broken by the all the injustices in this world that they can't muster enough outrage when something like Whitter happens. I get that. Hopefully this will help revive them because...
• The system wants us to accept injustice because there is so much of it. How else can you explain why CPS would respond to the Whittier mom's demands with "there are 160 other schools without libraries." They want us to accept our place on their timetable. These moms, this community said, "No. You work for us." 

Congrats mujeres!

URGENT: Whittier Parents Need Your Support

I just received a call from La Casita that Whittier parents will be protesting outside of Chicago Public School main office:

WHAT:: Support Whittier Parents at protest outside of CPS Main Office
WHEN:: Monday, October 18, 2010
TIME:: 7 am - 10 am
WHERE: CPS Main Office, 125 S. Clark Street

If you cannot attend in person, Whittier parents are asking for you to call CPS CEO Ron Huberman and ask him to sign the letter given to him by Whittier parents in order to end the sit-in and start renovation of La Casita. His number is 773.553.1550

Keep up to date at Save Our Center.com 

I took the above photo almost a month ago when my daughter & I first visited Whittier.

When will Chicago get to say Madame Mayor again?

Originally posted at Chicagonista


Chicago has always been a fun electoral town, with our machine and “vote early and vote often” motto. But Chicagoans need to hold on to their hats as we prepare for the mother of elections – We’re getting a new mayor!

Once the news got out that Daley decided that he had his full of being mayor, it seemed like everyone who could threw their hat into the ring. Everyone but women at least.

To be the mayor of Chicago one needs to win not just a plurality of votes, but you need 50% + 1 of the votes cast. If not, there’s a run off between the top two candidates. As we saw in the 2008 Democratic primary for Rahm Emanuel’s Congressional seat, a crowded race means one could win with just 20% of the vote. Many believe that may be all that is needed to get into the mayoral run-off. So why haven’t more women jumped into the race?

Read the rest at Chicagonista

Who needs Superman, when you have these moms?

Just under a month ago, a group of full-time working outside the home, single, Latina moms began sleeping in a field house outside of their children's school, Whittier Elementary, on the southside of Chicago.

Why?

They believe that their children deserve a library. No, correct that, that all children deserve a library. Anne Elizabeth Moore on GritTV sums it up nicely:



A few weeks ago I took my daughter out there so we could sit in solidarity. My plan is to visit again tomorrow with some Spanish-language children's book and perhaps some treats for the kids.

Sadly, part of Chicago Public Schools response to this demand is "160 CPS schools are without a library." Really? That's their response? That's just sad.

We don't need Superman to come in and swoop up these kids. We need Wonder Women, like these moms, who are willing to save their school themselves.

I'll report back after our visit tomorrow.

A blizzard of elections

Yes, I'm already looking past the mid-term elections to Chicago municipal elections in early 2011. I've been slightly obsessed with who will for Mayor. Not my alderman has decided that he's not retiring, as many of us had hoped, but will run for office again. This of course means that I need to decide post-haste who to support among two challengers, that I know of! Because really he's got to go. 

Where to find me in the next 30 days....

Egads!

What is the Goddess trying to tell me by having my professional calendar explode just as I start my PhD program? Or is it a test? One that I'm failing? We'll see. While we wait, why don't you come on out and see me in action:

September 17
20x2 "Who Knew?" 
8 pm at Martyrs' Restaurant and Pub

20 people get to interpret one question, "Who Knew?" I'm pretty nervous about this one. 

September 23

Celebrate Chicago Abortion Fund's 25th Anniversary.
Honoring Heather Booth and the Abortion Seven, of the Jane movement.
6pm until 8pm

Macy's
111 N. State Street, Seventh Floor
Narcissus Room

Join us for an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and celebration of twenty five years of the important work of the Chicago Abortion Fund.

Tickets: $75 until September 15 or $100 after

I'm not speaking or anything, I just really want to see you there. :)

September 25
Facing Race
Media Plenary

Covering Race / Uncovering Racism: New Media Innovations for Revealing Realities.

While the mainstream media continues to ignore and dismiss the persistence of racism, the rapidly changing media landscape poses new challenges and opportunities for reshaping public awareness. How can we leverage the power of alternative media, social media and new media technologies to reveal not only the realities of racial inequality but also the routes to racial justice? Moderator: Latoya Peterson, Racialicious. Presenters: Kai Wright, Colorlines.com, Tracy Van Slyke, The Media Consortium, and ME!

Use my friends & family code 510 to save 50% on registration


September 28
Jeff Biggers is starting a monologue series, Talkin' Tuesdays, at the No Exit Cafe and he asked me to help launch it.We'll get started around 7:30 pm. Our theme is "Crime and Punishment: Alcatraz and Motherhood."

Upcoming Monologue Performers

• Kari Lydersen
• James Thindwa
• Michael James
• Brian Lee Knopp
• Mickey Mahaffey

October 9
Blogalicious Weekend - Miami, Florida

10:45 AM: General Session B with Kety Esquivel, Maura Hernandez, DeAnne Cuellar and Aurelia Flores


Oy...writing that all out makes me wonder how the hell I'm going to get all my work done. So if this blog gathers cobwebs, you know why!

EVENT: Women's Empowerment Summer Film Series

Sundays, August 15 and 22

at the Chicago Cultural Center

The Chicago Foundation for Women and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs are partnering to bring some amazing films to Chicago.  Each screening will be followed by a post screening panel discussion organized by local Chicago organizations engaged in the issues explored in the film. Admission is free, and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

 Films to be featured in the screening series include:

MADE IN L.A. (70 minutes) - showing Sunday, August 15, 12 p.m.
Co-Presented by Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI) and Korean American Resource and Cultural Center
Documenting the lives, struggle and personal transformation of three Latina garment factory workers over a tumultuous three year period, MADE IN L.A. artfully reveals the challenges facing immigrant workers and explores the dramatic and complex impact of globalization on the U.S. apparel industry and its largely immigrant workforce.
Website/trailer: http://www.itvs.org/films/made-in-la

TAKING THE HEAT (54 minutes) - showing Sunday, August 15, 2:30 p.m.
Co-Presented by Chicago Women in Trades and Women Employed
They faced death threats on the job--some from the men they worked alongside. With the story of Captain Brenda Berkman of the Fire Department of New York at its core, TAKING THE HEAT explores the history of women firefighters in America and the price they paid to serve their communities.
Website/Trailer: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat/

GOING ON 13 (73 minutes) - showing Sunday, August 22, 12 p.m.
Co-Presented by Alternatives, Inc., Girls in the Game and Women and Girls Collective Action Network
From Tweety Bird to Bow Wow, double dutch to chat rooms, Daddy's girls to first deceptions, watch as Ariana, Isha, Rosie and Esme let go of childhood and fumble--or sprint--toward an uncertain future. This is puberty and for each of these girls of color, it's a whirlwind of change and new choices. Without flinching, GOING ON 13 enters their world as they negotiate the precious, precarious moments between being a little girl and becoming a young woman. Website/trailer: http://www.itvs.org/films/going-on-13

TROOP 1500 (55 minutes) - showing Sunday, August 22, 2:30 p.m.
Co-Presented by Chicago Legal Advocates for Incarcerated Mothers (CLAIM) and Health & Medicine Policy Research Group
At the Gatesville Prison in Texas, a unique Girl Scout troop unites daughters with mothers who have been convicted of serious crimes. Facing steep sentences from the courts and tough questions from their children, the mothers in TROOP 1500 struggle to rebuild relationships with the daughters who endure a childhood without them.
Website: http://www.itvs.org/films/troop-1500
Trailer: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/troop1500/

Why don't Chicago museums love Chicago kids?

I'm pretty sure I've noticed this before, but it wasn't until a co-worker sent me a list of free days of Chicago museums that it dawned on me again. There are not many free days for Chicago Public School kids. The last day for CPS is not until this Friday, June 18th.

• The Adler Planetarium doesn't have one free day between June 21st and September 6th. In fact they have a free day on the FIRST DAY for CPS. There is a free week two weeks before CPS lets out for the summer.
• The Field Museum has three free days during the CPS summer break. It also has three free days in June before CPS kids are off for the summer.
• The Museum of Science and Industry has one free day during CPS summer break. There is a free week two weeks before CPS lets out for the summer.
• The Shedd Aquarium has ZERO free days during CPS summer break. There is a free week the last week CPS is in session (this week!).

I think that most of us would consider these four museums the four of the big five or major museums in Chicago. The fifth is the Art Institute which has free evenings every Thursday from 5 pm - 8 pm.

So why? Why would four of our biggest museums shut their doors to Chicago Public School kids? Their parents (myself included) pay taxes to support these institutions. Considering the budget cuts in CPS and the lack of field trips to these institutions, I would like to think that these museums would all be accessible to CPS kids during the summer time. In fact, I believe there should be CPS free days. Bring in your report card to prove you go to a CPS school and get in free.

That seems fair, right? 

Until that time, take a look at the list of museums for the smaller ones who remember that they belong to a community.