I want my Chicago Public Schools students to understand how racism manifests itself in systems of every day life.  If we don’t teach our students to see race, we’re not teaching them 21st century literacy skills.

These days, report after report shares one truth: black and brown communities are being hit harder by Covid-19.  Most of this, reports say, can be attributed to poor underlying health conditions in low-income communities of color.  People from the Latinx community have 17% chance of developing type 2 diabetes, for example, than non-Hispanic whites who have an 8% chance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some of these cause may be attributed to individual or cultural circumstances.  However, we cannot ignore the systems that perpetuate and exacerbate inequalities.

In New York, “the five  ZIP codes with the highest rates of positive tests for the coronavirus have an average per capita income of $26,708, while residents in the five with the lowest rates had an average income of $118,166,” according to analysis by the Intercept.  “The death rate from Covid-19 for black and Latino New Yorkers,” the article highlights, “is roughly twice that of white New Yorkers.”

On April 7, in a White House news conference, Dr. Fauci, the country’s leading immunologist, commented on the racial health disparity: “I couldn’t help sitting there reflecting on how sometimes when you’re in the middle of a crisis, like we are now with the coronavirus, it really does have, ultimately, shine a very bright light on some of the real weaknesses and foibles in our society.”

In addition to the Intercept article linked above, here are a few sources students can engage with to gain insights into how race and racism contribute to health inequalities in our country:

From MSNBC: “How Systemic Inequality Leads to More People of Color Dying from Coronavirus”–a video interview with a doctor who discusses the reasons behind the disproportionate COVID-19 deaths happening among people of color in America.

From the New York Times: “College Made Them Feel Equal. The Virus Exposed How Unequal Their Lives Are”–a profile of low-income college students struggling to balance school and family.

From ProPublica Illinois: “’Essential’ Factory Workers Are Afraid to Go to Work and Can’t Afford to Stay Home”–an article about employees who face unsafe working conditions.

From the 1619 Project: “How the Bad Blood Started”–a podcast about how Black Americans were denied access to doctors and hospitals for decades and how they pushed to create the nation’s first federal health care programs.

From Latino USA: “The Clinic”–a podcast about CommunityHealth, the largest free health clinic in the country, serving only people without insurance, many of whom are undocumented.  Latino USA followed up with the clinic’s director in a recent episode. 

From the Pew Research Center: “Hispanics more likely than Americans overall to see coronavirus as a major threat to health and finances”–and article full of data images explaining harmful effects on this community.

From the New York Times: “Why Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Flourish. And Why It Matters”–an opinion piece to help students understand why people accept and distribute faulty information.

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The Look Chicago to Launch its Digital Shopping platform entitled “Shop Lookpreneur” 

The Look Chicago is a premier Management and Advertising firm that specializes in featuring entrepreneurs and businesses in the media. There current outlets include television, radio, and digital print publications. 

Recently the organization’s CEO announced the launch of its new digital series called “ Shop Lookpreneur” a shopping platform that will feature local businesses and the products and services they offer. The site will provide a description of business offerings and link consumers directly to the business website and or social media platform to shop, ask questions, read reviews, and more. What’s even better is, consumers can also score exclusive deals on a variety of amazing products and services with new deals releasing each week! Additionally, the list will be inclusive of all industries with category breakdowns as follows:

• Retail

• Beauty

• Business Development

• Special Services

•  Virtual Events

This news comes in perfect timing due to the current pandemic of (Covid-19) where many small businesses have suffered losses in their income.  “Shop Lookprenur” will launch Monday April 13th and will give business owners a fresh way to advertise their offerings and reach thousands of consumers each week. “Shop Lookpreneur” will also be sent to media outlets and offer the potential for businesses listed to be featured on television, radio, and additional digital print publications!

To learn more about this topic or to become a featured business email [email protected]

A hobby is defined as an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure, so what are you doing during this social isolation for fun? I have off work until Tuesday, so I know I will spend time on social media, reading, and watching TV, but I also want to feel good, have fun and find ways to not lose hope. I will continue walking, looking for the good, and meditating every day, but I am also spending this time reigniting my hobbies. There are two questions you can ask: What are my favorite hobbies and then what hobbies can I still do now? I enjoy art, crocheting, writing and reading which are all hobbies that I can still do during this time, luckily. I wrote a Facebook post today, asking others what their hobbies are, and I know some are not as lucky. Some hobbies listed were cooking, painting, sewing, drawing and sailing. It would be difficult to go sailing, but maybe she could spend time learning more about sailing or finding some virtual sailing opportunities. Also, I do like to paint and draw freehand; however, coloring in a coloring book feels like a little less pressure, which I need right now, so be kind to yourself. I chose a picture out of the “adult book” today; however, I do have children’s coloring books with puppies and one with Frozen pictures. Memories of coloring with my daughters when they were young came flooding back to me as I spent time doing it again today. I loved feeling that joy and happiness from time long ago!

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And read more positive thoughts Looking For The Good

All through my day, no matter where I go, or what I do, I am always looking for the good in people, in the world, in my life or even just in my day.

With most sports around the world on pause, revisit iconic sports moments from the past to help fill that void.

On Dec. 30, 1997, Michael Jordan scored in double figures in his 787th-straight game, setting an NBA record.

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• Feature Friday: Track pads and touch controllers

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If you ever read car reviews, you’ve probably come across some cranky journalist (including myself) who’s complained about being forced to use a rotary dial or touch-pad thingy instead of being able to touch the display screen on the center stack.

The most recent examples of pads and controllers we’ve encountered have been in the Lexus NX, Acura RDX and Mazda CX-30. And I’ve dealt with their substitutes for a touch screen with varying degrees of frustration.

The Acura “True Touch” pad makes sense in theory because the pad mirrors the screen, and while the four corners are always easy to hit accurately, the middle bits caused some confusion. I usually missed my mark when I was aiming for something that wasn’t a corner, would end up on the wrong menu screen and have to back track. I didn’t have time to get used to this system, but I have social media followers who said their parents have. So, I guess it’s possible.

The Mazda system uses a rotary dial and a couple of menu buttons, and while I was initially frustrated by the system, it didn’t bother me as much once I programmed my favorites and knew which buttons you had to hit to get the menu item you wanted. I have a friend who has a CX-5 with this system and he confirms it was confusing at first, but after a few weeks he liked it better than the touch screen and he could operate it without looking down.

The Lexus system, however, is nothing but frustration. It’s kind of like a track pad on a computer, but it doesn’t work as well. I’d slide the cursor and over-shoot my desired menu option, so I’d have to swipe back the other way and try again. The entire time the system was making a ping-ping-ping sound as it passed over — and missed — various menu items. Lexus’ old systems used a joystick, mouse-like thing that was infinitely better than its current track pad.

Most manufacturers who move to something like this say it helps limit driver distraction once you learn the system. Ironically, Audi, which was (in)famous for its rotary-dial-controlled screens, is going to a touch screen with its new Multi-Media Interface system.

While I like the touch screen, some (like Volvo’s and Subaru’s) get a bit involved as they have you tap through screen after screen to get what you want.

So, which is the best way forward? <insert shrug emoji> But if you are in the market for a new vehicle, I strongly recommend that you spend some quality time with the infotainment system — as well as the vehicle itself — before you buy. People are often more concerned with the handling portion of the test drive, but if you get the vehicle home and you hate the infotainment system, it’ll be like nails on a chalkboard every time you change the radio station.

Other items in the Feature Friday series:

• Winter Tires
• Rear Camera Mirror
• Lane Keep Assist
• Passive Entry
• Automatic Reverse Braking
• Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (aka Smaht Pahk)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Around-View Backup Cameras
• Mazda’s Infotainment System
• Hyundai’s Blind View Monitor