Looking for Work? If You Can’t Link, You Can’t Report in 2013
From the beginning of the web, whether you date that from Ted Nelson‘s early theorizing or the work of CERN’s Tim Berners-Lee, or even go back to Vannevar Bush‘s seminal “As We May Think” article in Atlantic magazine in 1945, modern thoughts on the subject, including Jeff Jarvis’ 2007 “New rule: Cover what you do […]
Latino Fashion Week: Kick-Off Event
Latino Fashion Week was celebrated with the sounds of salsa and cumbia at Block 37 on State Street. The theme of the night was, “Made by Latinos for everyone.” A unique display of local and international designers showed off their unique, contemporary and traditional designs that reflect Latino culture. The array of talent was refreshing […]
Opinion: LIONizing My Media Empire
Well, I did it…I’m back on Twitter. Prior to the LION conference, I had recently been quite active in reviving my long-assumed dead account, and I feel lukewarm. My Facebook presence was solid, I felt. I would occasionally pen poetry, journalism and fiction on my WordPress to the occasional acclaim. I am connected. I have […]
Opinion: Fruitvale Station and Black Males
After I saw the film Fruitvale Station, which was based on the life of Oscar Grant leading up to the events of his death by a BART police officer, I began to wonder, “What will it take to end the stigma associated with black males? What can be done to help address the issue of violence […]
Opinion: How to Turn a Moment into a Movement
After hearing the constant coverage from various media outlets about the Trayvon Martin case, I asked myself “How long will this keep happening? What will it take to make change happen?” I realized that if the black community wanted to see actual change it would take more than just marching. It would take a movement […]
Opinion: Has Corporate America Rushed to Judgment About Paula Deen
What is Lisa T. Jackson’s real motivation for accusing Paula Deen of racial discrimination and Deen’s brother Bobby Hiers, of sexual harassment? Lisa T. Jackson, who happens to be white and claims she is part black, said she sued on her behalf and other black employees who were being mistreated by Ms. Deen and her […]
Opinion:Was the Judicial System lenient with the Jacksons’ because Jesse Jackson Jr. manned up?
Pleading guilty, Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife took responsibility for misusing campaign funds and federal tax fraud. They will be sentenced on July 3, 2013. Jesse Jackson Jr. will receive 4 years and Sandi will receive 18 months. Was the Judicial System lenient in sentencing them? Some people don’t think the judicial system was […]
Opinion: Portrayals of Black Men in Sports Don’t Tell Real Story
No matter the year or the reception, the depiction of black men in sports movies is far from accurate. Favorites like Remember the Titans, Glory Road and The Blind Side all tell the story of the black man’s struggle to find success in the sports world. But how accurate are these movies? How does football accurately show […]
Opinion: Who do they think they are?
Do our Representatives in Congress represent “the people” or the NRA? Ever since the 1999 Columbine Massacre in Littleton, Colorado, gun violence has escalated universally. Therefore, we should have Universal Background Checks on gun sales that are consistent with gun violence. “We the people” re-elected President Obama and sent him to Washington with a clear agenda […]
Editorial: Is corruption still alive in Illinois?
Chicago developed a reputation for corruption, cronyism, and nepotism during the “roaring twenties.” Is that reputation still alive in the state and city? During the Al Capone area, corruption and machine politics ruled. Chicago can’t seem to shake that reputation. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The classic example of this cliché is Rita […]
Opinion : Mr. and Mrs. Guilty Jackson
This piece was written by C. Dwayne West and appeared in tbtnewsservice.com (click to subscribe.) This hurt me to write. This really hurt me to even create the copy title above. I was extremely sad when the news program I was watching broke in with an exclusive news item. Then after seeing the civil rights leaders’ first son […]
Nike’s New Campout Policy & Chicago Sneaker Culture
For sneaker collectors, camping out for their pair of shoes is a tradition that’s been going on for years. But with all the violence happening during sneaker releases, that tradition is slowly coming to an end. “Camping out is a staple in the sneaker game for me”, said Southern Illinois student Sean Poshka. “Now that […]
African Americans Voting For Obama: Skin Color or Credentials?
On election night, five African Americans shared their views on whether it is fair to vote for President Barack Obama because of his race. “[African Americans] feel that it’s about time for a black president, so they say ‘Hey let’s vote for him,’” said Armoni Wilson, 21, a student at Columbia College Chicago. In 2008, […]
Game of Food Trucks Takes Mobile Vendor Issue Online
Wow this one has more than 50.000 views in four days. Where do you weigh in on the Food Truck/mobile vendor legislation in Chicago? Chicagotalks takes no position at this time, except to notice this innovative way for an advocacy group to frame its issues. About Institute for Justice – Freedom Flix Founded in 1991, […]
OPINION: Voter Apathy And The Erosion Of Political Power
“I will decide what is appropriate for you. I am the expert, and I know what is best for you. Trust me.” These were words uttered to me by experts and others throughout my life. For me, not having a choice or even the freedom to choose was the most influential and at times the […]
Solo in the Second City
There is a soft rumble of conversations that fills the restaurant bar and the soft clinking of glasses that interrupts the sounds. Tuesday evenings do not ward people away from Blue Line Lounge and Grill in Wicker Park. People come to unwind from their day or start their night of bartending. In a U-shaped booth off […]
More than Obama Need to Lead on Great Lakes Carp Strategy
Great Lakes environmentalists welcomed the White House’s recent acceleration of a plan to permanently protect the Great Lakes. But many are less than impressed because it doesn’t come with a commitment to physically separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds at the Chicago Waterways System. If they want that to happen, they’ll need […]
Teacher Talk: Service Learning, Collaboration Produces “The Blues Truth”
Linda’s Place: The Blues Truth is a short video produced by two classes — Television’s “Culture, Race and Media” and English’s “Blues as Literature” at Columbia College Chicago. The collaborative project is an example of service learning, and it features Linda’s Place, a Back of the Yards blues club on the embattled, oft-bloodied Englewood border. While […]
