The 2010 MLB Draft included Chris Sale, Christian Yelich, Jacob deGrom and Bryce Harper. Which teams select these stars in a redraft of the first round?
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
In the past week, I have seen so many (reactive) posts saying how men need to ‘Protect Black Women’. Yet, I was conflicted and I had to take it with a grain of salt because some of those posts came from people I have actually seen disrespect Black women regularly. I don’t know who needs to be told this, but that phrase is supposed to encompass protecting ALL black women. Yet I’ve observed that for many of our men, it only seems to apply to the black women in their immediate circle. Like their mother, daughter, sister, friend or the black women they find attractive and ‘worth’ protecting. But what about the rest of the Black women? The ones who have no equity in your life. It’s almost as if those same men don’t even acknowledge that there are other black women outside of their circle that not only need protection, but they need it from those men as well.
I have stopped engaging in these types of online conversations because it always turns into Black women being attacked for speaking collective and shared truths. We are instantly labeled the “bitter, hateful, black women always trying to tear a brotha down” by most men when we share painful and traumatic instances that got us to the point of not feeling safe or protected by our men. We are also smothered into silence by the Pick Me’s who jump right in all too eager to invalidate another woman’s experience with their cries of ‘not the men I know’. So I no longer even respond under posts about “iF tHe BLaCK wOmAN fEeLs sAFe” because I refuse to be incessantly be triggered and go back and forth with purveyors of misogynoir over my very real lived experiences. Experiences that support why myself and countless other Black women do not feel safe or protected. Period. I see the men who share and laugh at violent acts towards us. I see who agrees with the disrespectful derogatory banter about us. I notice who shares things that disenfranchises and degrades us. I see it all and I may not say anything, but it is a constant and blatant reminder of how many of our men feel about us. An elder once told me you can tell a person’s true character by how they treat someone who they don’t stand to gain a thing from. And based off this, I see so many of you who simply don’t give a fuck about Black women.
When I walk past men I don’t know, I am always on high alert because I don’t know how I will be greeted or treated EVER. I can only hope to properly read the room and appeal to their higher selves for the sake of my own protection. Because the truth is, I know that if one decides to put his hands on me there is a greater chance of another brother recording it, laughing, and jumping in than there is someone saying ‘Stop. Don’t Do That. Leave Her Alone’ and to proceed to protect me. And you know it’s true. We even saw something like this play out last year where a black woman was harassed outside of her car by what looked like over 50+ black men outside of her car, even groped and smacked her on the behind and NOT ONE helped her or stopped the others. There are too many instances to recall that have gone viral of black women being disrespected, beaten, most recently—hit with a skateboard, and more by a brotha. We see and experience these aggressions in our real lives and online in what seems to feel like perpetuity. And people still fix their mouths to question us when we say we don’t feel safe or protected. Then gaslight us about it when we speak out and pressure us not to add to our male counterparts ‘load’ as if we are not doing the heaviest of lifting.
I still remember the young sista on the Red Line in Chicago who was stabbed on the train by a brotha she didn’t even know because he couldn’t deal with being told no. He had been harassing her for a while before it escalated to him stabbing her and once again, not one brotha helped her. This struck a deep nerve with me because I can recall on numerous occasions men I did not know in public settings becoming volatile with me for simply declining their advances. And again, no one intervenes, no one helps. I’ve spoken to so many women with a different version of this same scenario and what’s scarier is the assumption many men have where if a man is being violent with you, y’all must be ‘together’ and not to get involved because ‘you ain’t gon leave anyway’. Meanwhile, a stranger is harming you in public (and once again), no one steps in to help. Yet y’all want us to pontificate and claim how ‘safe’ and ‘protected’ we are? Yeah. Okay *insert eyeroll*. The truth is, in my life, the only black men who have intervened in situations where I was unsafe and by myself were queer and trans folk, not cis-het black men.
As much as I would like to think I would be helped by the majority of black men present (if I was alone and was being bothered or felt unsafe), the truth is, I know I’m on my own. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I know I better have my own protection and be prepared to have to save my own life, even in a space full of men. Most Black women know this, but we don’t vocalize it because it has been drummed into us to protect our men at all costs, even at the expense of ourselves. And it hurts. And just like how black folk are all TIRED AF of racism, Black women are TIRED AF of being quiet about having to deal with and accept mistreatment and disrespect for the sake of ‘protecting’ our men. And I KNOW this isn’t all black men. However, If you’re triggered by this instead of taking a reflective moment to simply listen to better understand, then yes, I’m probably talking about you. You, who laugh and share videos of black women being violated. You, who is the first under a post to strike up the ‘not all men’ chorus. You, who become combative and dismissive the moment a woman shares an experience of feeling unsafe, despite thousands of other women agreeing to that shared collective experience. You who ask ‘well what did she do’ before asking ‘is she alright’. You, who insist that us speaking painful truths ‘ tear the black community down’ (without admonishing those at the root of the violation). You, who hang out with men you know are abusive to their partners, but that’s ’none of your business’. You, who knows your 35 year old homeboy has a 17 year old ‘girlfriend’. You, who hangs out with men you know don’t care for their children. You, who TO THIS DAY * in Deontay Wilder voice* who still defend R. Kelly and men in our community like him.
You who allow, encourage, dismiss, and ignore these things and so much more, yet expect us to believe you when you hop on the ‘protect black women’ bandwagon. It’s hard to believe those words when we are inundated with watching actions that say otherwise. The saddest part is that even after I sit and type all this, I already know how it’s going to play out. Maybe a handful of our men will listen and reflect on an uncomfortable truth for many black women. Some of you will ask ‘how can we do better’ or ‘make black women feel safe’? And to that I say by simply being better men, holding the men around you (and those you may come in contact with) accountable to being better and operating at a higher frequency and standard. Uplift and teach young boys (biological and otherwise) to operate differently. Find healthier ways to deal with pain and anger and understand that we, black women, do not exist for the sake of being rehabilitation centers for damaged men. That is where you can start if you sincerely give a fuck. However, what I know is that most will take this as an attack, you know, because hit dogs holler, then become defensive as they go put on their ‘not all black men’ capes. Either way, none of that changes the fact that many of us do not feel safe or protected by the community of our men. I hope to one day, but until then, I know I have to have my own back because we still live in a world where more of our men will assume we ’must have had it coming’ versus simply telling another man to stop violating us.
This article is dedicated to Oluwatoyin Salau, a 19 year old BLM Activist who was recently sexually violated and murdered by one of our men. I am so sorry your light was extinguished in this manner. You deserved protection. You deserved to feel safe.
(And y’all can spare me the emails, DMs, and comments filled with anger and vitriol cause 1) I’m not reading that shit 2) I said what I said and 3) I call out women too, it’s just your turn today)
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Before women could be seen-or even allowed-on the racing track, Vicki Wood was “the fastest woman in racing.” Known as a “Lady Speedster,” Wood began racing stock cars for ‘kicks,’ while raising a family in Detroit. If you were a woman racing at all back then, it was most often in the powder-puff events. The major races and speed trials were open only to men. Fortunately, Vicki never saw it that way and was eager to race against the boys!
Often beating them, Ms. Wood became one of the first women to compete in NASCAR events in 1953. Retiring 10 years later, she was then in her mid-40s and had won 48 racing trophies and set the record for the fastest run across the sand in Daytona Beach, FL, at 150.376 mph in 1960. At first, she couldn’t imagine driving on the beach. Finishing third in the speed trial championships, she navigated the sand just fine. She went on to receive special permission from NASCAR founder Bill France to try for a speed record in 1959. Almost prohibited to drive, France stood up for her saying “Vicki Wood is not a woman…She’s a driver, and she’s allowed in the pits.” She topped 130 mph in a Pontiac and the following year at Daytona, set a women’s record with the fastest one-way run on the sand in history.
“I just love speed,” Wood said, “and the racetrack is the safest place for it.”
Ms. Wood was 101 when she died on June 5 in Troy, MI of a heart-related illness. She often remarked how she ‘got bounced around a little bit,’ but never hurt badly. She often told the story of flipping over another car at Flat Rock Speedway in Michigan. She went sailing over the wall into the track’s retaining screen. Taken to the hospital, Wood was kept under watch for two days before she returned to the cockpit the following week!
Standing just 5-foot-3, Ms. Wood was a striking figure on the racetrack, wearing colorful scarves and at times walking through the pit in a skirt and high heels. When it came to racing, though, she was all business, drawing on her knowledge of automobiles that she gained as a child. Having six brothers didn’t hurt, she’d joke. She either joined in tinkering with cars, or be left out, she noted.
Vicki Wood was born Victoria Rose Raczak, one of seven children, who grew up in Detroit. In fact, she began to race when her husband challenged her after his own racing career was cut short due to injuries. The first woman to race with the men, Ms. Wood was invited to Daytona Beach for NASCAR’s 1955 Speed Week, where she was given the keys to a Chrysler
Wood later shared with Autoweek that those ‘women in the race were so bad; all over the track, running into the wall….” She told her husband if she couldn’t drive better than that, she wouldn’t bother. Challenging her, he led her to the track and a 1937 Dodge coupe. Without any training experience, she finished ninth. The following night she won a powder-puff race at Mount Clemens. A week later she won the asphalt at Flat Rock.
A few years later, Wood was confronted by a male driver warning her if she continued to race, the men would go on strike! Seems a few of the male drivers couldn’t handle the possibility of being beaten by a women driver! She told Autoweek later that she decided to retire. She had “had enough.” Although she didn’t race into old age, she did continue to drive, almost to the very end. At age 98, Wood’s Florida license was revoked. For someone who loved to drive, it was the worst thing they could have done to her, she said.
When racing at Daytona and Atlanta International Raceway, Ms. Wood completed short-track races, following in the heels of such women as Sara Christian, Ethel Mobley and Louise Smith. She competed in NASCAR shortly after the association held its first sanctioned race in 1948.The sight of women racing in later years was more common. Many enthusiasts remember Lyn St. James, Janet Guthrie, Shirley Muldowney and Danica Patrick, among others.
Ms.Wood raced sporadically, and only locally, so did not have the global impact that a female racer might today. She not only raced, she drove in research demonstrations to determine hoe much wear and tear a car could take. At one time she worked in sales at Jordan Marsh in Florida. Driving against men was easier than driving against women, she remarked. “Female drivers were too unpredictable. They were rough drivers. They would get mad, especially if they lost, team up and ram you,”she said.
Although competitive on the track, Ms. Wood only had one speeding ticket in 80 years of driving. And contrary to some beliefs about women race drivers, she wasn’t coarse, nor did she chew tobacco. Just a gal who loved racing cars!
Building esteem for women (and men) through passion for the sports car. Brought to you by a certifiable car nut by night and weekends, who happens to be a veteran psychotherapist by day.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
“We say black lives matter, but we’re here to say black baby lives matter more.”
Three-year-old Mikhi James was one of 13 people shot to death over the weekend in Chicago, but where are the thousands of black lives matter marchers?
More than 100 people were shot during the same weekend, enough to squeeze COVID-19 patients out of neighborhood emergency rooms.
It was too much for Rev. Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church. He lamented:
A line was crossed. This is a horrific Father’s Day. This 3-year-old baby lost his life. … I could not pastor this community and not say something.
We say black lives matter, but we’re here to say black baby lives matter more.
Do you think we could get tens of thousands of people to march on the South and West sides, demanding an end to violence–the kind that is inflicted on the black community by vicious black gangsters? Where are all the self-righteous white people who denounce the police for their brutal treatment of black men?
The police did not shoot Baby Mikhi. Nor did they shoot any of the 100 shooting victims. They were doing their best, working double 12-hour shifts to try to protect those very neighborhoods they are being accused of victimizing.
Defund the police? Ask the people in the neighborhoods that are getting shot up? They might have a different view.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Premise: Four Vietnam vets (Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Norm Peters) return to the country to recover the remains of their respected captain Stormin’ Norman (Chadwick Boseman), along with the treasure of gold bars they buried long ago. Their past catches up with their present when an armed local militia sets its sights on the gold.
Behind-the-Scenes: Spike Lee shopped the film to multiple studios, all of which rejected, before Netflix picked up the $50 million tab. The script was originally written for four white actors. Lee and his co-writer, Kevin Willmott, flipped it. The names of each of the main characters (Paul, Melvin, Otis, Eddie and David) are the same names as the five members of the musical group, The Temptations. Lindo, Whitlock, and Peters have all worked with Lee before.
The Good: Da 5 Bloods is a singular film, one that covers several genres over its 2.5 hour runtime with turn-on-a-dime tonal shifts. It can get weird and a little clumsy. Some of its symbolism is anything but subtle, and its use of the medium is wholly theatrical featuring direct monologues to the camera, cutaways to photographs of historical figures when referenced on screen, and alternating aspect ratios that signal flashbacks. But throughout it all, the movie is 100% a Spike Lee Joint. And it’s a pretty remarkable one too. Lee directs the heck out of it – the action scenes are exciting, with grace notes of humor, some well-crafted tension, and a ton of loving homages to flicks like Apocalypse Now and Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The cast is great across the board, but it’s Delroy Lindo who stands out the most and makes a strong case for an Oscar nomination. Lindo has been good in so much for so long that it’s easy to take him for granted. His performance here makes that all but impossible to do now.
The Bad: Like other Lee movies, his passion sometimes overwhelms the proceedings. He’s having such a good time stirring the pot and thinking outside the box that some script basics, like character consistencies or established motivations, are thrown out the window in favor of whatever point Lee wants to make in a given scene. All of the actors play themselves in the Vietnam flashback scenes, which may have a thematic purpose but still took me out of the movie and proved distracting.
Should You See It?: Yes. Da 5 Bloods is the (very) early front runner for Best Picture in this weird movie year, and one of the best original Netflix films made to date.
Star Rating: **** out of 5 stars
Better Than: The Irishman
Worse Than:BlackKklansman
* * *
For more movie/TV commentary and other mischief, follow me on Twitter: @Hammervision and on Letterboxd: @Hammervision
Hammervision is movies. Hammervision is TV. Hammervision is the creative byproduct of a marriage built on a mutual love of all things popular culture. John and Julie Hammerle have been watching movies together since Face/Off was in the theaters. John is an attorney at a Chicago law firm. Julie is not. They have two kids and a dog named Indiana.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Cosmo LOVES greenies treats and has no qualms hopping onto his fosterer’s lap in pursuit (but doesn’t want to linger once he figures out that the treats are gone!). And he’s also a fan of the wand toy and kick toys; he uses his scratching post lots, too. So he is an up and down scratcher! He loves windowsills. He’s very cute, black with startling green eyes. And he comes to sit primly and stare his fosterer down whenever she’s in the kitchen around mealtime. Cosmo has tested positive for FiV but can live a long and healthy life and can live safely with other cats so long as they are also spayed or neutered. To meet him, write to us at [email protected] !
Hyde Park Cats is a local, all-volunteer group dedicated to helping stray and homeless cats in and around Chicago’s Hyde Park. We received our 501(c)(3) status in 2014 and have had over 1,200 adoptions since our founding in 2008. See all our adoptable kitties on our webpage: http://hydeparkcats.org/adopt/
All of our cats are in loving foster homes, which means the cat you adopt will be familiar with the sounds, smells, and movements of life in a home and accustomed to living with humans. He or she has been interacting on a daily basis with people who know this particular cat intimately, and the foster mom or dad can tell you all about the cat’s individual personality, habits, preferences. You can’t judge a cat by its cover! And while we can’t predict the future or know everything about a cat, we can help you choose the cat who is right for you. We have an adoption application and an adoption fee, $125 for the adoption of one cat, or $250 for a pair. This fee goes towards covering their vet costs. All cats adopted out by us are neutered/spayed, micro-chipped, tested for FIV/FeLV, and treated with Revolution.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Once you get to know Cleo, she proves to be a sweet and serene companion!
She has an intense, hypnotizing stare and could easily be a cat model. She is a regal senior, at 13 years young.
Cleo spends most of her time lounging on the couch and floor, but she also enjoys batting fishing-style cat toys around, and she loves all kinds of pets (including belly rubs).
She is very soft and large and she grows friendlier each day.
Cleo’s 4 paws were declawed before she joined this rescue.
Hyde Park Cats is a local, all-volunteer group dedicated to helping stray and homeless cats in and around Chicago’s Hyde Park. We received our 501(c)(3) status in 2014 and have had over 1,200 adoptions since our founding in 2008. See all our adoptable kitties on our webpage: http://hydeparkcats.org/adopt/
All of our cats are in loving foster homes, which means the cat you adopt will be familiar with the sounds, smells, and movements of life in a home and accustomed to living with humans. He or she has been interacting on a daily basis with people who know this particular cat intimately, and the foster mom or dad can tell you all about the cat’s individual personality, habits, preferences. You can’t judge a cat by its cover! And while we can’t predict the future or know everything about a cat, we can help you choose the cat who is right for you. We have an adoption application and an adoption fee, $125 for the adoption of one cat, or $250 for a pair. This fee goes towards covering their vet costs. All cats adopted out by us are neutered/spayed, micro-chipped, tested for FIV/FeLV, and treated with Revolution.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
This 2-year-old guy is very nice and lovable. He loves to be held and cuddled.
Babble is a lanky, happy fellow. He loves toys, pets and exploring. He purrs like crazy when it’s petting time and will bat a toy around when he wants you to play with him.
He’s really independent and incredibly relaxed – he lets his fosterer cut his nails without any fuss at all.
He’s been introduced to the resident cats and while none of them are quite friends yet (he’s only been out of quarantine for a couple of days) he doesn’t seem like he’s going to start any trouble with them.
Babble had a broken hip but it has healed quite nicely He occasionally has a small limp and doesn’t seem to have any interest in jumping on anything higher than the bed/sofa, but that could just be that he’s still acclimating.
Hyde Park Cats is a local, all-volunteer group dedicated to helping stray and homeless cats in and around Chicago’s Hyde Park. We received our 501(c)(3) status in 2014 and have had over 1,200 adoptions since our founding in 2008. See all our adoptable kitties on our webpage: http://hydeparkcats.org/adopt/
All of our cats are in loving foster homes, which means the cat you adopt will be familiar with the sounds, smells, and movements of life in a home and accustomed to living with humans. He or she has been interacting on a daily basis with people who know this particular cat intimately, and the foster mom or dad can tell you all about the cat’s individual personality, habits, preferences. You can’t judge a cat by its cover! And while we can’t predict the future or know everything about a cat, we can help you choose the cat who is right for you. We have an adoption application and an adoption fee, $125 for the adoption of one cat, or $250 for a pair. This fee goes towards covering their vet costs. All cats adopted out by us are neutered/spayed, micro-chipped, tested for FIV/FeLV, and treated with Revolution.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Slater takes a refreshing dip. Photo: Lincoln Park Zoo
This may just be the reopening that I am most excited about
Lincoln Park Zoo is something I have always taken for granted ever sine I was a tyke. I loved going year round. Watching the wonderful antics of the inhabitants.
The regal beauty of the Big Cats. Watching the Polar Bears diving under water and playing ball.
Photo: Courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo
The strutting penguins always dressed for a formal event.
The sweet new arrivals.These beautiful animals have always brought a smile to my face.
And never again, will I take them for granted.
Chris, a tree frog, at home in his tree. Photo: Lincoln Park Zoo
Reopening Dates
In a little over a week, June 29, Chicago’s treasured Lincoln Park Zoo will reopen to the general public.
Members, deservedly so, can start returning June 26.
Of course, as with everything else in our brave new world, there are guidelines:
There will be limited capacity for human visitors.
Reservations will be required. tarting today, reservations can be made using EventBrite or via telephone at 312-742-2000.
In addition:
Reservations can be made every hour, on the hour from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Guests are requested to keep their zoo visit to approximately two hours so as not to exceed capacity.
Guests who are medically able will be required to wear a face covering.
Additional safety measures include signage promoting social distancing, restricted access at high touchpoints, and increased handwashing stations and sanitation.
The East Gate and West Gate entrances will be open to the public but all other gates will be closed to help with traffic flow.
Guests will be directed through the zoo via one-way paths to facilitate social distancing. Outdoor exhibits will be visible but indoor habitats will closed until further notice.
Food and gifts will be available via outdoor, minimum or no-contact transactions.
Donations accepted
For the first time in 152 years, Lincoln Park Zoo was closed for an extended period of time due to the pandemic. Lincoln Park Zoo has always been free admission and remains so. However, if you can afford to do so, LPZ could use your financial support either with a membership or a donation.To donate visit lpzoo.org/donate. For more information, visit lpzoo.org.
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Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
(Special thanks to Karlyn Meyer for her time and insights)
In its first year of existence, the Lighthouse Foundation has driven several successful initiatives ranging from assertive advocacy to developing a mutual aid fund to benefit the black LGTBQ+ community. Recently, I spoke with Board President Karlyn Meyer (my old colleague from the Chicago Nerd Social Club) about the Foundation’s origins, its philosophy, and this Friday’s Raks Inferno (a project of Raks Geek) online fundraiser on Facebook.
Can you provide some background on the Lighthouse Foundation?
Lighthouse Foundation (LF) grew out of a community need observed by members of a church. The organizers who have gone on to form the Foundation met through Lighthouse Church UCC, which is a predominately Black, predominately queer and LGBTQIA-affirming faith community led by LF’s Executive Director, Jamie Frazier. So one year ago, there were a number of racist incidents involving Boystown businesses, and they all came to light in relatively quick succession. This hit some major intersections for us as a church, so we did some organizing in response; but at the same time, we did a lot of listening. In the process, we learned two things. One was the sheer depth of macro- and microaggressions, threats to safety, and deep unwelcome experienced by Black queer Chicagoans in Boystown (and beyond). The other was how many people outside the church community supported our work and wanted to join us in this movement. So we launched a nonsectarian nonprofit to move our social-justice work forward.
What motivated you to get involved with the Lighthouse Foundation? What keeps you going?
I’d been a member of Lighthouse Church for almost as long as it’s been around; I love its unapologetic focus on justice and celebration of diversity. So the formation of the Lighthouse Foundation has been a clear and logical application of the values that brought us all together in the first place.
Can you provide some insight into the inner workings of the Foundation – how does it interface with the community? (Both the Lakeview/Boys Town neighborhood as well as specifically the Black LGTBQ+ community)
Lighthouse Foundation has a bifurcated structure. Part one is our caucuses: groups that represent a cross-section of identities within the Chicagoland Black LGBTQ+ community. For example, we have a trans caucus and a 50+ caucus, each led and facilitated by a member of that group. The caucuses raise issues to our leadership–they let us know what they need and what they’re interested in, and provide programming as well. The second part is our direct-action organizing arm, CARE: the Coalition of Allies for Racial Equity. CARE is open to both individuals and organizations–anyone committed to the pursuit of justice for Black LGBTQ+ people. The caucuses are more behind the scenes, with CARE doing the public work.
Our leadership consists of a nine-member strategy team that is primarily Black and queer and includes white “accomplices” (a more active term used in favor of “allies”). Our team includes organizers, clergy, and professionals of many kinds, all sharing a passion for Black queer justice, with Jamie as our Executive Director.
The Foundation has taken a very active stance in advocating for the Black LGTBQ community in Chicago, from security issues at Center on Halsted to creating a Black Queer Mutual Aid Fund in the wake of COVID-19. What are the key issues that Black LGTBQ individuals in Chicago, and what are the challenges in organizing around those issues?
With Black Chicagoans disproportionately affected by COVID-19, disproportionately serving as frontline workers, and many out of work and facing housing insecurity, an immediate need in the pandemic was for financial assistance. With our roots in the Black queer community and our familiarity with the high barrier and inaccessibility of many aid programs, we decided to create the Black Queer Mutual Aid Fund of Chicagoland. Our initial plan was to distribute $100 microgrants, but support of the fund has allowed us to increase this amount. This is completely digital, which is especially helpful because a major challenge in organizing during the pandemic is our inability to gather. We’re thankful that we’ve been able to launch this and other initiatives since going virtual, and that we’ve been able to extend our reach and participation in CARE.
Recently, the Foundation released a guide for white individuals and institutions to assertively help the Foundation. What can we do on a day-to-day basis that moves beyond simply posting hashtags and graphics? How can we make an impact on a smaller scale?
One of the items in that email is a live webinar we just hosted, called Antiracism for White Folks. You’ll find the recording on our Facebook page, and I encourage anyone who is asking this question to watch it. This webinar was run by white members of our strategy team–and I think that’s significant, for two reasons. One is that it’s important for white folks to talk to each other when it comes to the work of antiracism; that education is labor that’s often requested of people of color. But on the flip side, it’s incredibly important to defer to people of color and follow their lead when it comes to working with them for their liberation. I love that Lighthouse Foundation addresses both of these things: It provides spaces where non-Black/non-queer folks can receive that education, clarity, and instruction; and it does so under the direction and agency of Black queer people.
Another very concrete thing people can do is financially support our organization, so we can continue providing trainings like it, mutual aid, programming, and organizing wins. You can donate through the website of our fiscal sponsor, PHIMC, at https://www.phimc.org/donate.
Raks Geek is holding a June 26th online fundraiser to benefit the Lighthouse Foundation. Can you describe some of your other partnerships/collaborations with community organizations?
We’re excited about Raks Geek and grateful that they are providing entertainment that can be experienced at home during the pandemic. Our other partnerships and collaborations have been rich and varied. For example, we’ve worked with public health organizations like Howard Brown for our campaigns; and we’re partnering with the Census for part of our upcoming Black Queer Pride (online) celebration over the 4th of July weekend. But another thing our partnerships look like is our organizational members within CARE. One thing I appreciate about LF is that it’s both nonsectarian and, due to its origins, works with a number of faith communities. Churches have a great deal of power that we’ve all seen used to actively harm LGBTQIA people and maintain racist structures. As progressive churches seek to redress these harms, Lighthouse Foundation serves as a partner to help them take aim at those structures where they continue to be erected; and it provides tools for individuals and nonprofits to deepen their commitment to dismantling them as well.
Finally, do you have anything to tell us that we didn’t think to ask?
We had to adjust our 2020 strategy pretty profoundly in light of the pandemic, and we’re now going strong on digital organizing, programming, and education. If you’d like to be involved with Lighthouse Foundation, your involvement can happen from your laptop, wherever you are. You can join as an individual, on behalf of your faith community, or as the representative of a nonprofit. And if that’s not for you, but you’ve still read this far, we appreciate your time and welcome your support through phimc.org/donate.
Thanks for the chat, Gordon!
We would like to thank Karlyn Meyer for her time and insight, and invite you to leave your comments below or join us via Facebook page. And as always, thanks for reading!
As a professional, I’ve worked with – and admire – nonprofits, social enterprise, and other mission-driven community organizations. I enjoy learning about how many organizations are using technology and social networks to drive their mission. I also enjoy writing about them, and sharing that information with others. For more about me, please visit http://www.gordondymowski.com
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Watching the Polar 
These beautiful animals have always brought a smile to my face.
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