This year's fundraiser was well attended. Mayor Daley made an appearance for the second year in a row. We honored 9th District Cmdr. Eugene Roy, who was very gracious and accepted the Arturo Velasquez award "on behalf of all the men and women who wear a star in the 9th district." Aldermen present included Willie Cochran, Pat Dowell and Rick Munoz. Cochran and Dowell bid on silent auction items and won.
This year we had remarks from local students, including scholarship winner Selene from the college students group. She just graduated from DePaul and is going on for her MSW at Loyola.
Oh, I especially enjoyed when Mayor Daley was talking about the scholarship recipients and saying, "They will go on to be elected officials." I happened to be standing next to Jesse Iniguez, who ran for the 12th Ward seat this February. He didn't win a lot of votes, but he's got many more years left to give it a go.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A Star Is Born
Dawn and some of her buddies took to the stage tonight at Big Picture's mentor appreciation dinner. They did a few short skits of student stories about Big Picture. Dawn played a friend of hers coming to school on her birthday. She was funny!! She projected!
The performance was directed by members of Teatro Vista,a company dedicated to sharing Latino culture with a broad Chicago audience and co-founded by Henry Godinez of the Goodman. In only 16 weeks of a pretty short after school program, the less than a dozen young people put together a short show that reminded me of the early plays done by the Albany Park Theater Project, one of Chicago's finest youth theater ensembles.
The dinner was cooked and served by Big Picture seniors who have studied at Washburne Culinary Institute. The chicken was amazing, actually, really tender and savory. Dawn's most recent mentor, of Washburne, came and was greeted with lots of applause from the many students he has taught. He was pleased to hear about Dawn's at-home Hollandaise sauce making.
Big Picture is putting together a proposal to become a Renaissance 2010 contract school and serve more students. As sophomore Arlette pointed out tonight, "It's really sad that Gage Park is overcrowded by 1000 students and we can't take in any freshmen next year."
The performance was directed by members of Teatro Vista,a company dedicated to sharing Latino culture with a broad Chicago audience and co-founded by Henry Godinez of the Goodman. In only 16 weeks of a pretty short after school program, the less than a dozen young people put together a short show that reminded me of the early plays done by the Albany Park Theater Project, one of Chicago's finest youth theater ensembles.
The dinner was cooked and served by Big Picture seniors who have studied at Washburne Culinary Institute. The chicken was amazing, actually, really tender and savory. Dawn's most recent mentor, of Washburne, came and was greeted with lots of applause from the many students he has taught. He was pleased to hear about Dawn's at-home Hollandaise sauce making.
Big Picture is putting together a proposal to become a Renaissance 2010 contract school and serve more students. As sophomore Arlette pointed out tonight, "It's really sad that Gage Park is overcrowded by 1000 students and we can't take in any freshmen next year."
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Flower Follow Up
On my way home from work today, I saw Joey and Mr. Chavez T-shirt (he wasn't wearing it today, of course) and their buddies on the street. Chavez T-shirt lobbed something from the street up to and through an open second-floor window. His mouth hung open in shock and the boys all laughed.
I laughed, too. "Good job--I saw that!" I yelled over from across the street.
Chavez T-shirt turned around and said, "My mom says thank you for the flowers."
I laughed, too. "Good job--I saw that!" I yelled over from across the street.
Chavez T-shirt turned around and said, "My mom says thank you for the flowers."
Monday, May 14, 2007
First Water Fight of 2007
It was mighty hot today in Chicago. All of 86 degrees--unheard of in May. I remember snow in late May in the middle 90s.
Evidence of global warming aside, I opened my back door about an hour ago and found Joey and five of his friends sitting on my back steps eating popcorn and drinking Hawaiian Punch. "We'll clean it up," promised the boy in the Chavez t-shirt, whose name I've already forgotten.
I wanted to plant the tomatoes from Seeds of Hope Farm. They got here yesterday. So I planted while the guys threw a football around. Chavez T-shirt was especially helpful. "I saw tomatoes somewhere else and they had more room," he observed, while I was putting them in less than a foot apart.
"You're right, they need more space," I replied, and went three to a box, in a row. Hope that's good enough.
"Do you have roses?" he asked. I don't. "My mom likes roses."
"Did she plant some?"
"She wants to grow some but she doesn't have money for flowers."
"Which is your house?" I asked him.
He pointed down the alley. They're renting in the big house on the corner, I think.
"Do you want to help me plant some flowers when I get the tomatoes done?" He looked shy. "You can just throw the football around if you'd rather."
Then I realized I needed to water my newly planted tomatoes. "Wait," I said. "Can you get the hose?"
Chavez T-shirt was delighted to get the hose. "Like this?" he said, but his finger was making the water jet too strongly.
"Make it like rain," I said, "like this." I took the hose, turned it up toward the sky and put my finger on the nozzle gently. Instant rain.
He tried it. It was still a little strong, but OK. Then Joey and the other boys wanted to get wet. I ran for my back stairs and watched them spray each other, cracking up.
"Your moms are going to kill me," I told them. They chased each other around, laughing. Joey took his shirt off, probably not in time.
The youngest boy, in Joey's yard next door, watched all this solemnly until the very last minute. I was going to the spigot when Chavez T-shirt yelled, "Wait--he wants to get wet!" I peeked around the corner and the little boy was sticking his head in the spray and shaking it like a Lab coming out of the lake.
When the last little boy was well and truly soaked, I turned off the hose and sent them home with some marigolds and zinnias as a peace offering to their mothers.
Evidence of global warming aside, I opened my back door about an hour ago and found Joey and five of his friends sitting on my back steps eating popcorn and drinking Hawaiian Punch. "We'll clean it up," promised the boy in the Chavez t-shirt, whose name I've already forgotten.
I wanted to plant the tomatoes from Seeds of Hope Farm. They got here yesterday. So I planted while the guys threw a football around. Chavez T-shirt was especially helpful. "I saw tomatoes somewhere else and they had more room," he observed, while I was putting them in less than a foot apart.
"You're right, they need more space," I replied, and went three to a box, in a row. Hope that's good enough.
"Do you have roses?" he asked. I don't. "My mom likes roses."
"Did she plant some?"
"She wants to grow some but she doesn't have money for flowers."
"Which is your house?" I asked him.
He pointed down the alley. They're renting in the big house on the corner, I think.
"Do you want to help me plant some flowers when I get the tomatoes done?" He looked shy. "You can just throw the football around if you'd rather."
Then I realized I needed to water my newly planted tomatoes. "Wait," I said. "Can you get the hose?"
Chavez T-shirt was delighted to get the hose. "Like this?" he said, but his finger was making the water jet too strongly.
"Make it like rain," I said, "like this." I took the hose, turned it up toward the sky and put my finger on the nozzle gently. Instant rain.
He tried it. It was still a little strong, but OK. Then Joey and the other boys wanted to get wet. I ran for my back stairs and watched them spray each other, cracking up.
"Your moms are going to kill me," I told them. They chased each other around, laughing. Joey took his shirt off, probably not in time.
The youngest boy, in Joey's yard next door, watched all this solemnly until the very last minute. I was going to the spigot when Chavez T-shirt yelled, "Wait--he wants to get wet!" I peeked around the corner and the little boy was sticking his head in the spray and shaking it like a Lab coming out of the lake.
When the last little boy was well and truly soaked, I turned off the hose and sent them home with some marigolds and zinnias as a peace offering to their mothers.
Mrs. Ribs Takes Over Chicago
My neighbor across the street, whom some of you know as Mrs. Ribs for her amazing barbecue, is also one of the unsung heroes of the recent aldermanic elections. She's a member of UNITE/HERE, who worked with SEIU on a number of aldermanic campaigns. Mrs. Ribs herself led a team of 12 people who knocked on doors all over the near west side in the Fioretti/Haithcock contest. She says she did some knocking for Joann Thompson, too, though I guess not on our block.
Apparently she was on Channel 2 and in the papers on runoff election night at the big party at Buddy Guy's. She goes by her maiden name for her political work, so if I saw her quoted I didn't realize it was her.
Apparently her whole ambition in this boils down to one thing--getting herself a dedicated parking space in front of her house. "I put in all that work for her, least she can do is do something for me," she said as we were walking down the street earlier today. (We were trying to go to the CAPS meeting, but nobody was there. What's up with that? Stay tuned.)
I didn't have the heart to explain that I don't think Joann Thompson can help her with that one, since nobody in her house is handicapped.
Apparently she was on Channel 2 and in the papers on runoff election night at the big party at Buddy Guy's. She goes by her maiden name for her political work, so if I saw her quoted I didn't realize it was her.
Apparently her whole ambition in this boils down to one thing--getting herself a dedicated parking space in front of her house. "I put in all that work for her, least she can do is do something for me," she said as we were walking down the street earlier today. (We were trying to go to the CAPS meeting, but nobody was there. What's up with that? Stay tuned.)
I didn't have the heart to explain that I don't think Joann Thompson can help her with that one, since nobody in her house is handicapped.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Street Cleaning
Well, the block looks nice now, since the street cleaners came yesterday and today. They did our side of the street yesterday. I picked up some trash this morning on this side in hopes that both sides would look equally nice for at least 30 seconds sometime today.
State Rep. Esther Golar keeps nagging me about the sorry state of my block. "Your block looks terrible," she's told me twice now. She's right.
Daphne just rang my bell. She's the lady who hangs with Yup-yup. Perhaps she's not going to hang with him so much any more. She just told me a story of letting him into the place she's currently staying. "He wanted five dollars and I said I didn't have it. He started acting the fool and stole 20,30 dollars. Now they're gonna jump me if I don't get that money back."
I gave her the five I had stashed for church on Sunday because I thought this info was worth it, among other things. "So, you're not gonna let him in any more, are you?"
"I'm not," she said. "You know, I'm telling you straight up he's using drugs."
"I know that."
Daphne must be staying in the same building where Mr. Dog Friendly lives. I saw him on Saturday and he said there was some new "riff-raff" in the building causing trouble.
There's been a lot of noise on the street. None of it has quite escalated to the point where I thought a police call was in order, but it's not good. Yesterday Yup-yup and Mr. Worrisome got into a shouting match in front of the guys from Peoples Gas. I'm not sure if it was a Yup-yup vs Worrisome WWF Shoutdown or if they were fighting on the same said against the new and rather challenging crew at the end of the block. I had to step out the door and look them all down, it got so loud. Fortunately it was ending by then.
As Daphne was walking away, I said, "So now that the street looks nice, would you try to help me keep it that way?"
"I'll try my best," she said.
State Rep. Esther Golar keeps nagging me about the sorry state of my block. "Your block looks terrible," she's told me twice now. She's right.
Daphne just rang my bell. She's the lady who hangs with Yup-yup. Perhaps she's not going to hang with him so much any more. She just told me a story of letting him into the place she's currently staying. "He wanted five dollars and I said I didn't have it. He started acting the fool and stole 20,30 dollars. Now they're gonna jump me if I don't get that money back."
I gave her the five I had stashed for church on Sunday because I thought this info was worth it, among other things. "So, you're not gonna let him in any more, are you?"
"I'm not," she said. "You know, I'm telling you straight up he's using drugs."
"I know that."
Daphne must be staying in the same building where Mr. Dog Friendly lives. I saw him on Saturday and he said there was some new "riff-raff" in the building causing trouble.
There's been a lot of noise on the street. None of it has quite escalated to the point where I thought a police call was in order, but it's not good. Yesterday Yup-yup and Mr. Worrisome got into a shouting match in front of the guys from Peoples Gas. I'm not sure if it was a Yup-yup vs Worrisome WWF Shoutdown or if they were fighting on the same said against the new and rather challenging crew at the end of the block. I had to step out the door and look them all down, it got so loud. Fortunately it was ending by then.
As Daphne was walking away, I said, "So now that the street looks nice, would you try to help me keep it that way?"
"I'll try my best," she said.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Dawn Bats .500, So Far
Great news--Dawn got accepted to the Road Less Traveled!! I think she's going on the Ridges and Rapids trip in late June. She told me while we were waiting for the bus this afternoon to go up north for a teen self defense class sponsored by Thousand Waves Martial Arts.
I asked her what her parents thought about it and she said, "It doesn't feel real yet." They are waiting to get their packet of info about the trip with all the details. (She and I looked at the viewbook while she was doing the application. I don't know how closely her parents have been paying attention.) The parent materials for the trip probably aren't in Spanish. Just getting her from here to Belmont with a permission slip for a two-hour class was a bit of a production. Well, hey, we'll figure it out. It will be so great when she goes.
The not-as-great news today was that the first event for the "Crossing Boundaries" Youth Innovation grant was kind of a bust in terms of bringing in students from other schools. Dawn told me they got a late start recruiting, and their efforts were rebuffed by some neighborhood schools, who had the attitude, "Why are you recruiting our kids when you're going to close?" Someone actually told them they couldn't pass out flyers on the sidewalk in front of a school.
Over the weekend hopefully Dawn and I can start to figure out this one, too. Just starting earlier and spreading the word among the right parents probably would go a long way toward solving some of those problems.
I asked her what her parents thought about it and she said, "It doesn't feel real yet." They are waiting to get their packet of info about the trip with all the details. (She and I looked at the viewbook while she was doing the application. I don't know how closely her parents have been paying attention.) The parent materials for the trip probably aren't in Spanish. Just getting her from here to Belmont with a permission slip for a two-hour class was a bit of a production. Well, hey, we'll figure it out. It will be so great when she goes.
The not-as-great news today was that the first event for the "Crossing Boundaries" Youth Innovation grant was kind of a bust in terms of bringing in students from other schools. Dawn told me they got a late start recruiting, and their efforts were rebuffed by some neighborhood schools, who had the attitude, "Why are you recruiting our kids when you're going to close?" Someone actually told them they couldn't pass out flyers on the sidewalk in front of a school.
Over the weekend hopefully Dawn and I can start to figure out this one, too. Just starting earlier and spreading the word among the right parents probably would go a long way toward solving some of those problems.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Second City No More, Not That You'd Know
Interesting that Chicago appears to have had the largest march in the country today, at about 150,000, which I think AP reported, but you wouldn't really know that from most of the coverage.
Los Angeles: 25,000. Everybody else: way smaller. Atlanta: zero, after 50,000 last year.
The national media are all saying the same thing: There have been more raids; people are running scared.
Why is Chicago different? We had a raid last week, and there were people today with signs saying, "I am not a criminal." There was also a guy in a foodservice outfit with a sign:
No More 'Illegals"
No More Fast Food
Think Again!
I have theories about why Chicago is different, but I'd like to hear other people's.
Los Angeles: 25,000. Everybody else: way smaller. Atlanta: zero, after 50,000 last year.
The national media are all saying the same thing: There have been more raids; people are running scared.
Why is Chicago different? We had a raid last week, and there were people today with signs saying, "I am not a criminal." There was also a guy in a foodservice outfit with a sign:
No More 'Illegals"
No More Fast Food
Think Again!
I have theories about why Chicago is different, but I'd like to hear other people's.
Farmers Market Sunday
I've been meaning to post about Seeds of Hope Farm, where lots of kids from Back of the Yards have been tending greenhouse vegetable seedlings.
There will be a farmers market Sunday in the Holy Cross parking lot where people can purchase vegetable and flower seedlings to plant in their home gardens. I ordered a boatload of tomatoes, flowers and herbs to kick-start my garden this weekend!
If you'd like to order, I'd suggest calling the rectory and asking them to fax you a form. I think there will be some for sale not pre-ordered on Sunday, but I didn't want to take the chance.
There will be a farmers market Sunday in the Holy Cross parking lot where people can purchase vegetable and flower seedlings to plant in their home gardens. I ordered a boatload of tomatoes, flowers and herbs to kick-start my garden this weekend!
If you'd like to order, I'd suggest calling the rectory and asking them to fax you a form. I think there will be some for sale not pre-ordered on Sunday, but I didn't want to take the chance.
La Marcha, Again
So this year's march was a lot like last year's. Maybe a little smaller, but still in the six figures. Lots more signs about stopping raids. I think lots more U.S. flags, actually--they were the large majority of flags out there. Although there was a point early on when a parade of international flags, plus the Olympic flag, went by. There's Chicago's bid for 2016 in action!
Perhaps the funniest part was when we passed a speaker system set up on the sidewalk for 950 AM, a local Spanish radio station. People who had been chanting started singing along to the pop tune instead. Then we passed the El Guero free water truck and everyone ran for their freebie agua.
"If they do this again next year, it's gonna get like St. Patrick's Day," I predicted. My friend and an eavesdropper laughed appreciatively at that. Don't tell the Corona folks, OK?
I picked up a couple of great t-shirts and gave them to friends at the march. You can check them out at No Manches, which Dawn translates as saying, "Are you for real?"
You'll see "Elemento Frijol" on the far right of the first line and "The United States of Mexico" at the far left on the second line. Elemento Frijol got some especially big laughs.
Perhaps the funniest part was when we passed a speaker system set up on the sidewalk for 950 AM, a local Spanish radio station. People who had been chanting started singing along to the pop tune instead. Then we passed the El Guero free water truck and everyone ran for their freebie agua.
"If they do this again next year, it's gonna get like St. Patrick's Day," I predicted. My friend and an eavesdropper laughed appreciatively at that. Don't tell the Corona folks, OK?
I picked up a couple of great t-shirts and gave them to friends at the march. You can check them out at No Manches, which Dawn translates as saying, "Are you for real?"
You'll see "Elemento Frijol" on the far right of the first line and "The United States of Mexico" at the far left on the second line. Elemento Frijol got some especially big laughs.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Ay, Julian!
After the clothes extravangaza, Dawn came over this evening. We've hung out and watched TV some this week, but we haven't talked much. "I missed you," I told her out on the back porch. "I was feeling kind of crabby this week because I didn't have anybody to talk to."
"Me, too," she said.
Dawn filled me in on the upsetting latest about her big brother. Julian hasn't stayed at home overnight since Friday. He wanted to go out, his dad told him no, he went anyway and Dad said, "If you go now, don't come back." He went. Apparently he stopped in yesterday while Dawn and her dad were out of town visiting relatives, but he hasn't been back since.
Adriana was trying to tell me some of this while we were checking out the clothes, but I wasn't getting everything. Since I'm not studying Spanish right now my capacity seems to be getting weaker. Sometimes I feel like Mr. Magoo, except it's my hearing and understanding, not my sight. I stumble around in conversations bumping into things because I can't "hear" well enough. It sucks.
Dawn said something that broke my heart--she told me her mom told her that since all the rest of them have messed up, she feels like Angel is her last chance to get one of them to be somebody. "Since I kind of messed up," was how Dawn put it about herself.
"You're getting back on track!" I insisted. Especially since she had just told me minutes earlier that she's getting into a book right now. When she started, she didn't understand it and thought it was kind of boring, but she kept going and now it's kind of like watching a novela on TV--she wants to know what happens next.
"That's more important than any grade," I told her. "I'm really excited that you feel that way about a book."
Adriana told me earlier she would like to talk to Oscar about what's up with Julian. I'll call him tomorrow. Meanwhile I have to get on with things for Joey. Last week Adriana said it would be OK if my friend worked with Joey to see if he's dyslexic. We need a clean copy of the San Miguel application for him, too. (Angel got at the first one we picked up.) Adriana says Joey failed all his classes third quarter and is likely to get held back in 5th grade. I talked to someone at San Miguel who thought it might be possible to strike a deal with Chavez that if San Miguel takes him, he wouldn't be held back. I really don't think he's going to make progress there. He needs more one-on-one attention to stay focused, I think. And we really do need to see if there's a hard-wiring problem with him about reading. He's so smart and curious and artistic; I would hate to see that go to waste because of an unidentified learning disability.
"Me, too," she said.
Dawn filled me in on the upsetting latest about her big brother. Julian hasn't stayed at home overnight since Friday. He wanted to go out, his dad told him no, he went anyway and Dad said, "If you go now, don't come back." He went. Apparently he stopped in yesterday while Dawn and her dad were out of town visiting relatives, but he hasn't been back since.
Adriana was trying to tell me some of this while we were checking out the clothes, but I wasn't getting everything. Since I'm not studying Spanish right now my capacity seems to be getting weaker. Sometimes I feel like Mr. Magoo, except it's my hearing and understanding, not my sight. I stumble around in conversations bumping into things because I can't "hear" well enough. It sucks.
Dawn said something that broke my heart--she told me her mom told her that since all the rest of them have messed up, she feels like Angel is her last chance to get one of them to be somebody. "Since I kind of messed up," was how Dawn put it about herself.
"You're getting back on track!" I insisted. Especially since she had just told me minutes earlier that she's getting into a book right now. When she started, she didn't understand it and thought it was kind of boring, but she kept going and now it's kind of like watching a novela on TV--she wants to know what happens next.
"That's more important than any grade," I told her. "I'm really excited that you feel that way about a book."
Adriana told me earlier she would like to talk to Oscar about what's up with Julian. I'll call him tomorrow. Meanwhile I have to get on with things for Joey. Last week Adriana said it would be OK if my friend worked with Joey to see if he's dyslexic. We need a clean copy of the San Miguel application for him, too. (Angel got at the first one we picked up.) Adriana says Joey failed all his classes third quarter and is likely to get held back in 5th grade. I talked to someone at San Miguel who thought it might be possible to strike a deal with Chavez that if San Miguel takes him, he wouldn't be held back. I really don't think he's going to make progress there. He needs more one-on-one attention to stay focused, I think. And we really do need to see if there's a hard-wiring problem with him about reading. He's so smart and curious and artistic; I would hate to see that go to waste because of an unidentified learning disability.
Baby Clothes Galore
Friends of mine in Hyde Park stopped by this afternoon with sackfuls of baby clothes and toys. They have two boys in elementary school and at last were ready to part with their baby clothes, etc. Their mom is a friend of mine from college and emailed last week asking if I knew of a good social service agency that could use them.
I suggested they avoid the middleman and go straight to my neighbors. She was agreeable. Apparently it was quite a challenge to make the whole load fit in the car. We put everything in the basement.
Later, Adriana was free and came by to take a look through all the goodies. She brought Angel along. He got a little sleepy and I carried him around trying to get him to go out. We almost got there but not quite. Joey popped in and out, playing with/annoying his little brother, much to the amusement of his mother and me.
Angel liked a couple of the toys right off. There was a house made out of fabric with a mirror for a window and cloth doors with a picture of a baby duck behind them. He was playing "gravity check"--dropping the house and getting happy when I would pick it up and give it back to him.
We joked around a lot while Adriana checked out the rest of the loot. Lots of Osh-Kosh. "Ropa para gueros," she said. (Clothes for white people.)
"Gueros ricos," I said. We started laughing about Angel dressing like a rich white boy. Adriana figured she got about two years' worth of clothes for him out of it. Then we were laughing about all the trips to Swap-O-Rama she could skip. I suggested she could sell the clothes at Swap-O-Rama when he's through with them and she smiled. I hope she does.
It reminded me of a time when I was about 14 years old and my favorite cousins came over with grocery bags full of their hand-me-downs. I remember being really excited about going through them to see what fit me. I was wearing some of their sweaters through my 20s.
Eventually Adriana decided she would take the whole business and split it up between herself, her niece (with a newborn) and some neighbors up the street who have two toddler-ish boys.
Joey and Adriana and I hauled the whole mess out of the basement into my back yard. Joey hopped the fence and we handed the bags and boxes over to him. They're stored on their back porch for now. I hope there were some socks in there--a few weeks ago poor Angel's socks were hanging off his toes, he'd outgrown them so much. There were a nice pair of sneakers and some sandals for later. Adriana really liked the sandals.
I suggested they avoid the middleman and go straight to my neighbors. She was agreeable. Apparently it was quite a challenge to make the whole load fit in the car. We put everything in the basement.
Later, Adriana was free and came by to take a look through all the goodies. She brought Angel along. He got a little sleepy and I carried him around trying to get him to go out. We almost got there but not quite. Joey popped in and out, playing with/annoying his little brother, much to the amusement of his mother and me.
Angel liked a couple of the toys right off. There was a house made out of fabric with a mirror for a window and cloth doors with a picture of a baby duck behind them. He was playing "gravity check"--dropping the house and getting happy when I would pick it up and give it back to him.
We joked around a lot while Adriana checked out the rest of the loot. Lots of Osh-Kosh. "Ropa para gueros," she said. (Clothes for white people.)
"Gueros ricos," I said. We started laughing about Angel dressing like a rich white boy. Adriana figured she got about two years' worth of clothes for him out of it. Then we were laughing about all the trips to Swap-O-Rama she could skip. I suggested she could sell the clothes at Swap-O-Rama when he's through with them and she smiled. I hope she does.
It reminded me of a time when I was about 14 years old and my favorite cousins came over with grocery bags full of their hand-me-downs. I remember being really excited about going through them to see what fit me. I was wearing some of their sweaters through my 20s.
Eventually Adriana decided she would take the whole business and split it up between herself, her niece (with a newborn) and some neighbors up the street who have two toddler-ish boys.
Joey and Adriana and I hauled the whole mess out of the basement into my back yard. Joey hopped the fence and we handed the bags and boxes over to him. They're stored on their back porch for now. I hope there were some socks in there--a few weeks ago poor Angel's socks were hanging off his toes, he'd outgrown them so much. There were a nice pair of sneakers and some sandals for later. Adriana really liked the sandals.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Richards Meeting at Holy Cross
About 30 people attended tonight's meeting with Dr. Smith, the principal of Richards High School. I'd say between five and 10 were parents. The rest were a mix of community residents, youth outreach workers and institutional reps from the Peace and Ed Coalition: San Miguel, Precious Blood Ministries, I think Instituto del Progreso Latino, Catholic Charities Street Intervention. A parent volunteer and the LSC community rep, Veronica Lopez, also came out.
The heaviest outside hitters present were 9th District Commander Eugene Roy and Phil Hampton, director of community relations for CPS. I didn't get the name of his assistant, who stayed for the entire meeting, but she expressed interest in attending future Peace and Education coalition meetings.
Dr. Smith committed to attending or sending a rep from Richards (her AP or dean) to future Peace and Education Coalition meetings, though she added it is difficult to send someone when her staff is small.
The meeting mixed pre-set questions with some time for dialogue between Smith and the audience. She was first asked to explain what Richards is doing about security. Like most schools, they have things in place on the inside: cameras, a short lunch period (23 minutes) to prevent fights/food fights, but the outside has been a harder struggle. Cmdr. Roy has increased police presence outside the school at dismissal, which she says has helped. The school keeps an eye on 50th and 51st, but it wasn't clear to me from what she said how far east or west they watch. I'm sure they don't cross Ashland; I doubt they go more than a block, but it wasn't clear.
Dr. Smith also talked about Richards' response to the shooting of a student about a month ago. I'm not sure exactly where it took place--I believe not on the grounds but nearby. She said she went to the hospital to talk with the young man and his mother directly, asked him what he wanted his classmates to know, and got on the PA the next day to let people know. A crisis team from CPS did visit the school.
Agency workers told her they would like to build continuing relationships with Richards to provide ongoing safe space where students could talk about their feelings about this and other violence they have experienced.
Later, when the community was asked to let Dr. Smith know what we are doing about security, a woman who lives in the school's beat said she is pressing to get a CPD camera installed outside the school.
Youth intervention workers present pointed out that the problem is not so much the immediate area around Richards, but north of the viaduct--the blocks between 47th and 49th. I realize east of Ashland is having a tougher time, but kids also cross a line at Marshfield, which they pointed out.
The gentleman I believe was from IPL (I could be wrong) seems to have been roped into helping organize a parent patrol to make safe passage in and out of Richards. Some parents present said they are dropping their children off in cars because it is unsafe to walk. Dr. Smith says they have had two CTA buses, one northbound, one south, come to the school at the end of the day for students only. Parents admitted convincing their kids to ride these buses is difficult, and some said they have heard reports of fights on those buses, too. I personally have tried to be around between 2:30 and 3:00 on Mondays and Fridays (the days my work schedule sometimes lets me), just to keep an eye out and call the police if necessary, but I can't always be here then.
Many next steps were floated, but I think the most important one was Dr. Smith's public commitment to attend meetings of the Peace and Education Coalition. Someone I know who has been connected to Richards for a long time said afterwards, "We've been pushing for a long time, and this is the first time she has moved. Let's see if she moves more."
The heaviest outside hitters present were 9th District Commander Eugene Roy and Phil Hampton, director of community relations for CPS. I didn't get the name of his assistant, who stayed for the entire meeting, but she expressed interest in attending future Peace and Education coalition meetings.
Dr. Smith committed to attending or sending a rep from Richards (her AP or dean) to future Peace and Education Coalition meetings, though she added it is difficult to send someone when her staff is small.
The meeting mixed pre-set questions with some time for dialogue between Smith and the audience. She was first asked to explain what Richards is doing about security. Like most schools, they have things in place on the inside: cameras, a short lunch period (23 minutes) to prevent fights/food fights, but the outside has been a harder struggle. Cmdr. Roy has increased police presence outside the school at dismissal, which she says has helped. The school keeps an eye on 50th and 51st, but it wasn't clear to me from what she said how far east or west they watch. I'm sure they don't cross Ashland; I doubt they go more than a block, but it wasn't clear.
Dr. Smith also talked about Richards' response to the shooting of a student about a month ago. I'm not sure exactly where it took place--I believe not on the grounds but nearby. She said she went to the hospital to talk with the young man and his mother directly, asked him what he wanted his classmates to know, and got on the PA the next day to let people know. A crisis team from CPS did visit the school.
Agency workers told her they would like to build continuing relationships with Richards to provide ongoing safe space where students could talk about their feelings about this and other violence they have experienced.
Later, when the community was asked to let Dr. Smith know what we are doing about security, a woman who lives in the school's beat said she is pressing to get a CPD camera installed outside the school.
Youth intervention workers present pointed out that the problem is not so much the immediate area around Richards, but north of the viaduct--the blocks between 47th and 49th. I realize east of Ashland is having a tougher time, but kids also cross a line at Marshfield, which they pointed out.
The gentleman I believe was from IPL (I could be wrong) seems to have been roped into helping organize a parent patrol to make safe passage in and out of Richards. Some parents present said they are dropping their children off in cars because it is unsafe to walk. Dr. Smith says they have had two CTA buses, one northbound, one south, come to the school at the end of the day for students only. Parents admitted convincing their kids to ride these buses is difficult, and some said they have heard reports of fights on those buses, too. I personally have tried to be around between 2:30 and 3:00 on Mondays and Fridays (the days my work schedule sometimes lets me), just to keep an eye out and call the police if necessary, but I can't always be here then.
Many next steps were floated, but I think the most important one was Dr. Smith's public commitment to attend meetings of the Peace and Education Coalition. Someone I know who has been connected to Richards for a long time said afterwards, "We've been pushing for a long time, and this is the first time she has moved. Let's see if she moves more."
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thanks to Rufus Williams
...and CPS for posting a letter on the front page of the district website about Chris Pineda and the search for his killers.
Here's the key stuff, since it won't be up there forever:
The tragedy of Chris’s death has shocked and angered people throughout the school system and the city. The future for this young man was bright. His death is a devastating shame.
In the name of justice, and in Chris’s name, if you have any information about this crime, please call the State Police at (847) 294-4605. The Board of Education and CPS — through its Children First Fund — is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers.
Sincerely,
Rufus Williams, President
Chicago Board of Education
Here's the key stuff, since it won't be up there forever:
The tragedy of Chris’s death has shocked and angered people throughout the school system and the city. The future for this young man was bright. His death is a devastating shame.
In the name of justice, and in Chris’s name, if you have any information about this crime, please call the State Police at (847) 294-4605. The Board of Education and CPS — through its Children First Fund — is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers.
Sincerely,
Rufus Williams, President
Chicago Board of Education
Announcements and Upcoming Events
A couple more items from last week's Peace and Education Coalition meeting.
Mobile C.A.R.E. is looking for office space. They need about 2500 square feet of free or cheap space. I'm forgetting the geographic boundaries in which they are looking, but I think south of Roosevelt and east of Kedzie were part of it. If anyone reading this is interested, try the web site link above for contact info.
Also, this Thursday at 6 p.m. at Holy Cross there will be a meeting about the discipline and security issues at Richards High School. I posted about this last November, in "Death to the Disciples!"
Getting this meeting organized and publicized seems like a giant step forward in school-community relations for Richards. They don't post their LSC meetings out front of the school. School Lady from the end of the block, whose daughter is a sophomore there, told me she's frustrated with the LSC but my Spanish wasn't strong enough to pick out exactly what problems she's observed thus far. She's not even sure exactly who's on it, and this is someone who has been very active and committed to Chavez Elementary. If she can't figure it out I don't know who can.
Mobile C.A.R.E. is looking for office space. They need about 2500 square feet of free or cheap space. I'm forgetting the geographic boundaries in which they are looking, but I think south of Roosevelt and east of Kedzie were part of it. If anyone reading this is interested, try the web site link above for contact info.
Also, this Thursday at 6 p.m. at Holy Cross there will be a meeting about the discipline and security issues at Richards High School. I posted about this last November, in "Death to the Disciples!"
Getting this meeting organized and publicized seems like a giant step forward in school-community relations for Richards. They don't post their LSC meetings out front of the school. School Lady from the end of the block, whose daughter is a sophomore there, told me she's frustrated with the LSC but my Spanish wasn't strong enough to pick out exactly what problems she's observed thus far. She's not even sure exactly who's on it, and this is someone who has been very active and committed to Chavez Elementary. If she can't figure it out I don't know who can.
Immigration Raid in La Villita
I got a call from a friend this afternoon saying Immigration and Customs Enforcement had raided the Discount Mall on 26th Street in Little Village. Tonight at 10 I went to watch the news next door and it was the top story on Univision. Dawn and I watched it together while we kept her littlest brother company.
"People will be afraid to go out of their houses now," Dawn predicted.
It was so creepy watching this on TV. I just biked down 26th Street right past there on Sunday. I couldn't help thinking this is how it started in Germany under the Nazis--police rounding up people and taking them away. I said this to Dawn, who read Elie Wiesel's Night last year for school.
"Yeah," she said. "I think about this sometimes. What if they came for my mom or dad? What if they came for me?"
"People will be afraid to go out of their houses now," Dawn predicted.
It was so creepy watching this on TV. I just biked down 26th Street right past there on Sunday. I couldn't help thinking this is how it started in Germany under the Nazis--police rounding up people and taking them away. I said this to Dawn, who read Elie Wiesel's Night last year for school.
"Yeah," she said. "I think about this sometimes. What if they came for my mom or dad? What if they came for me?"
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Home Depot Hiring
At Wednesday's Peace and Education Coalition meeting, someone from Instituto del Progreso Latino announced that Home Depot at 47th and Western is looking to increase its numbers of local employees. Right now their numbers aren't good--only 10 percent of the current staff are from the surrounding neighborhood.
Home Depot is partnering with IPL to find prospective employees. Nancy Munoz at 773-927-7712 is the contact person. or stop by the neighborhood IPL office at 4600 N. Wood.
Home Depot is partnering with IPL to find prospective employees. Nancy Munoz at 773-927-7712 is the contact person. or stop by the neighborhood IPL office at 4600 N. Wood.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Yup-Yup calls the cops
For real! I got home late this evening and heard some loud noise, including Yup-yup's voice. I considered calling the cops but it subsided quickly. Then my doorbell rang.
"Miss Maritza, before you yell at me, it's an emergency. I called the po-lice. They tried to jump me for my lawnmower," he told me. Sure enough, there was a lawnmower sitting on the sidewalk in front of Dawn's house.
"I'm 45 years old. I'm too old to be doing this," he added, raising his fist to indicate fighting. He says some young guys down the block tried to get him to sell drugs but he said no and then they wanted to jump him for his lawnmower. Given that he's unhurt and his lawnmower is still here and he looked like he might be high, I'm not sure this is all for real.
But sure enough sure enough, a cop car pulled up after he'd finished spilling his entire story to me in hyperactive detail. He went over and leaned in the window and started the spiel all over again. At that point I just went back in the house.
While we were talking, I asked him if he knew what was up with the street brawl Sunday night, but he clearly had no idea.
"Miss Maritza, before you yell at me, it's an emergency. I called the po-lice. They tried to jump me for my lawnmower," he told me. Sure enough, there was a lawnmower sitting on the sidewalk in front of Dawn's house.
"I'm 45 years old. I'm too old to be doing this," he added, raising his fist to indicate fighting. He says some young guys down the block tried to get him to sell drugs but he said no and then they wanted to jump him for his lawnmower. Given that he's unhurt and his lawnmower is still here and he looked like he might be high, I'm not sure this is all for real.
But sure enough sure enough, a cop car pulled up after he'd finished spilling his entire story to me in hyperactive detail. He went over and leaned in the window and started the spiel all over again. At that point I just went back in the house.
While we were talking, I asked him if he knew what was up with the street brawl Sunday night, but he clearly had no idea.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Coleman Concedes!
According to the Board of Elections, with only one precinct yet to report, Thompson leads Coleman by about 57 to 43. A friend texted me to say Coleman has conceded; I just found the 9:35 p.m. post on the Trib's Clout Street blog.
It's a new day here in the 16th; I sure hope it's a good one.
It's a new day here in the 16th; I sure hope it's a good one.
Monday, April 16, 2007
My Runoff Prediction
...Coleman gets my bet. I talked to someone with pretty good connections in Englewood today, who tells me that she's getting not just leftover Daley campaign cash, but some actual bodies to work the precincts and get out the vote.
There is too much robo- in SEIU's work, at least as I've seen it thus far, to beat out live bodies out there taking the old ladies over to the polls.
There is too much robo- in SEIU's work, at least as I've seen it thus far, to beat out live bodies out there taking the old ladies over to the polls.
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