The dynamic and always colorful Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago will present its fall concert series “New Dimensions,” an amazing show of skill, expertise, culture, versatility and power featuring the world premiere work by Iddrisu Alhassan Abdulai entitled "AGBEKOR" – a story of the Ewe people of Ghana. Abdulai has been sharing West African culture around the world and is originally from Ghana, having spent eight years with the Ghana Dance Ensemble. He also served as artistic director of Afrique Dance Ensemble and the residents dance ensemble of the W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Center in Ghana. Currently, he resides in Bloomingdale, IL, and has been with Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago for nearly three years. The event is Saturday, November 17, at the Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside Ave., Chicago. Reception at 6:00PM, concert at 7:00PM. To read more on the Muntu Dance Theatre Fall Concert visit us at: www.thechicagocitizen.com | Hundreds of students offered more than 1.5 million dollars in scholarships during the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Empower Me Tour / Photo Courtesy: UNCF Tim Caver | Hundreds of Chicago high school graduating seniors filled the University of Illinois at Chicago Forum today during the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Empower Me Tour (EMT) for a chance to win thousands in scholarships. EMT is a free, traveling college-and-career-readiness roadshow that provides a platform for high school students to earn on-site scholarships and admission to the nation’s top historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Six students were surprised on the spot with a $2,500 scholarship each. Serena Echols and Benjamin Todd of Morgan Park Academy; Reginelle Sanders of Collins Academy; Amber Anderson of Kenwood Academy; Sheniya Jenkins of Roberto Clemente Community Academy and Lawrence Pope of Hyde Park Academy. “Earning this scholarship starts my financial future on the right path,” says Lawrence Pope who ranks number seven in his senior class. “I come from a low-income family. My mother works at Cook County jail and barely earns a living wage. I try my hardest in school to help my mom. I want her to worry less,” adds the 17-year-old. UNCF is the largest scholarship provider to students of color, awarding $100 million annually in scholarships to more than 10,000 students across the country. “Earning this scholarship allows to continue giving back to my community,” says Amber Anderson, founder of ‘Black is Gold,’ a peer mentoring group to support and develop young teenage girls. “Creating this organization allows me to serve my community. Receiving this scholarship today changes the game for me and young women who look just like me,” she adds. To Read more on UNCF visit us at: www.thechicagocitizen.com |  Sheila O | | The first syndicated Afrobeats radio show in the United States is giving a lucky listener (and guest) a round trip; 5 Days and 3 Nights stay in Lagos, Nigeria to attend the Flytime Rhythm Unplugged Festival V.V.I.P Concert with RBRM (Bobby Brown and Bel Biv De Voe) with city tour December 19th – December 23rd. AfroZons is a ‘groundbreaking’ two-hour weekly radio show that fuses today’s hip hop with Afrobeats’ and highlights the latest in global urban trends. After enjoying ratings success in 2017 airing weekends on Power 92.3 in Chicago the show debuted April 2018 in Washington, DC, Houston, Miami, and SiriusXM HURVoices Channel 141. A leader in the movement to bring the African culture to American audiences featuring an array of African artists, DJs, designers, activists and entrepreneurs the show features the ‘hottest’ new musical genre Afrobeats. That provides a ‘niche’ for hip hop stations to fuse the growing trend of African artist such as Black Coffee, Wiz Kid, Yemi Alade and Davido in their mix.
To read more on AfroZons visit us at www.thechicagocitizen.com |  More than 300 members of the Pullman and Roseland community celebrated the grand opening of the new $20 million Pullman Community Center at 10355 S. Woodlawn Ave. Photo Credit: Provided by the Pullman Community Center | | A grand opening ceremony was recently held for the new Pullman Community Center located on 10355 S. Woodlawn Ave. The 135,000 square-foot complex features three indoor turf playing fields for baseball, soccer, football and lacrosse, three hardwood courts for volleyball and basketball, batting cages, and classrooms where free tutoring will be offered for student-athletes. “I am forever grateful to everyone for their part in making this a reality in my community. You are looking at a $20 million facility that right now has only a $2.5 million mortgage. That means that we have raised
$17 million for this project and what that will do for us is make sure that the community can use this facility without digging into their pockets,” said Anthony Beale, 9th Ward Alderman. Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) residents will have the first priority for 10% of all programming and team roster slots and will have all associated fees waived. The Pullman Community Center will also provide transportation to and from the Altgeld/ Murray, Trumbull and Lowden Homes at no cost to its residents. On the Far South Side, there are about 6,600 young people between the ages of 5 and 17 who are living in CHA
housing that will now have access to the Community Center, according to a press release announcing the grand opening. To read more on the Center Opening visit us at: www.thechicagocitizen.com |  Demetrius Nash (pictured) recently founded Replace Guns With Hammers, a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce violence in Chicago by giving young men an opportunity to work on a building renovation. Photo Credit: Provided by Demetrius Nash | | A local activist, Demetrius Nash, recently founded the nonprofit organization Replace Guns With Hammers as a way to reduce violence in Chicago’s most underserved communities. The goal of the organization is to give young men an opportunity to work on a building renovation as an alternative to committing violence. “Replace Guns With Hammers came out of my grassroots knowledge of
once being part of the problem and now I’m one of the faces of the solution,” said Nash. “I was at a community meeting and heard a lot of people saying that we needed to get the guns out of these kids hands and I literally stood up and said that I was not going to ask these young men to put down their guns and then have nothing to replace them with.” From this seemingly small community conversation, the idea for Replace
Guns With Hammers was born. “It’s literally replacing a gun with a construction hammer in these young
men’s hands. Regardless of what anyone says, in our community these guns represents protection, food, shelter, money, and clothing. Guns represent a lot of things to these young men and until we raise the quality of life in these communities they are not going to put down their guns,” said Nash. Read more on Replacing Guns With Hammers by visiting us at: www.thechicagocitizen.com | |
