Associated Press

An outpour of outrage tore through the net today when an image surfaced of a young black model wearing a hoody with the term “coolest monkey in the jungle” splashed across the front. Many have rightfully condemned the company for (at best) racial insensitivity and (at worst) outright racism. For, it’s mass understanding the plight […]

I hear their voices one and all ,so many years have passed. Proud voices of who we are, as water canons hosed them down. Proudly they stood their ground, to fight to die for you and I. And here I stand because of them who gave so much for us. I watch as children wander […]

Too often we are given a face of hate, a face that has always been one of evil or of sinister intent. My first thought on the reality of who we are as a people is not the one projected by the media or projected by the church. I see us as the children of […]

“7th grader, Samuel Love, takes on role of ‘Sam’ta Claus’ Collects Gift Cards for DCFS students at Thompson Center kicking off 2016 toy drive to collect 10K toys for kids in weather-ravished areas.” By Kai EL’ Zabar Fortunately for the city of Chicago’s less fortunate youth  by day, Samuel Love is a 13-year-old, 7th grader […]

All Stars Project held a grassroots conversation Thursday to unite Chicago’s community organizations in afterschool program development. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle welcomed 170 community leaders from 94 organizations along with officials and youth from Chicago’s underserved communities to the All Stars Project of Chicago’s third annual Afterschool Development Conference. “Young people need to have […]

Chicago-based organization OneGoal is planning to increase the percentage of students from low-income communities who complete college after receiving a $1.5 million contribution from AT&T. The organization, which focuses on college access and success, started as an afterschool program serving 32 students. Originally called OneGoal Fellows, it has grown to a larger organization that equips teachers […]

Global food, facilities management, and uniforms company Aramark presented a $10,000 check to By The Hand Club For Kids. The Chicago Public Schools partner is a new corporate sponsor for By The Hand Club and presented a check to the organization for wellness and education programming. By The Hand Club For Kids is a non-profit […]

The Chicago Defender Charities brought Bud Billiken Parade finalists together for a special awards ceremony. Finalists in the categories of dance team, drill team, band, cheer, and military unit gathered at Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies on Thursday, Sept. 22 to celebrate their performances in this year’s parade. Kari Steele, commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation […]

Now in its 11th year, the Stay in School initiative has helped thousands of Chicago Public School students excel. Exelon, ComEd and the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago created the initiative to fight the city’s dropout and truancy rates in various Chicago Public Schools. Since its inception, Stay in School and its six community partners […]

Chevrolet wrapped up its first journalism fellowship created to support the next generation of African-American journalists and storytellers. Its “Discover the Unexpected” program connected journalism students from Howard University’s School of Communications gained real journalism experience by working at newspapers across the country. Eight fellows gained real journalism experience by working at the National Newspaper Publishers Association […]