My #METOO Story - Chicago Street Journal for Wednesday, November 1, 2017
#MeToo addresses the sexually abuse of men, women and children around the world. You are invited to submit your editorials on this and any timely matter to ChicagoStJournal@gmail.com.
#MeToo addresses the sexually abuse of men, women and children around the world. You are invited to submit your editorials on this and any timely matter to ChicagoStJournal@gmail.com.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
February <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
1<br />
<strong>November</strong> 1, <strong>2017</strong><br />
Volume 23, No. 5<br />
Long be<strong>for</strong>e the #MeToo hashtag or<br />
references to “pussy grabbing” there were<br />
screams and tears from women across all<br />
civilizations, that went unanswered. And,<br />
let’s not <strong>for</strong>get the slave woman, mother<br />
and child, Maya Angelou or The Color<br />
Purple. But, unlike ever be<strong>for</strong>e and thank<br />
goodness in our time, Alyssa Milano<br />
shared her experiences and now the world<br />
responds -- FINALLY!<br />
The #MeToo hashtag has lent a<br />
voice and opened the doors <strong>for</strong> the victims<br />
of sexual harassment and abuse to tell their<br />
stories and release the pain and secrets of a<br />
lifetime. May this door never close and enable<br />
all who wish to do so, to walk through<br />
with a new meaning and understanding of<br />
what is actually taking place around the<br />
world in this sick cycle of the abuse of<br />
boys and girls and women and men.<br />
In France, Twitter users are using<br />
#balancetonporc or "expose the pig" to encourage<br />
women to name and shame their<br />
attackers, while #WomenWhoRoar is also<br />
being used to encourage victims of sexual<br />
#MeToo<br />
abuse to speak up.<br />
Let’s wave our own flags and shout<br />
out #MeToo from sea-to-shining-sea.<br />
<strong>My</strong> #MeToo <strong>Story</strong>.<br />
Excerpt from “Black America – Asking<br />
Ourselves The Tough Questions” by<br />
Sonja Cassandra Perdue.<br />
I was very young. 12 years<br />
old. Kenneth Johnson was younger. He<br />
was 5 years old. We lived on the first floor<br />
of a small two-flat and Kenneth and his<br />
family lived upstairs. The Johnsons were<br />
in their late 20s and had four children;<br />
whenever the young couple wanted to go<br />
out, I was the children’s playmate/<br />
babysitter.<br />
It would be a grand time — every<br />
time. We’d play games, play school, but<br />
most importantly there was no screaming,<br />
no beatings, or arguing. Although I was<br />
young, they knew that they were safe with<br />
me because I loved being in charge and I<br />
just loved small children.<br />
The elderly couple who had previously<br />
lived in that apartment had been the<br />
owners of the building. They had four foster<br />
children and Kenneth’s mother was<br />
their granddaughter. When the mother<br />
died, all of the children, except Robert,<br />
were returned to their parents or to the<br />
state. Maybe there was no place <strong>for</strong> him to<br />
go. He moved in with the elderly gentleman<br />
and his new wife in their home, two<br />
doors down.<br />
Robert and I had been at war since I<br />
was small enough to crawl under a<br />
bed. That’s my earliest memory of him<br />
chasing me and grabbing me in a sexual<br />
manner. I would come to play with the<br />
other kids and he’d begin grabbing me and<br />
touching me and I would run and slide under<br />
his mother’s bed. He was trying to get<br />
me from under there, but he was too big to<br />
crawl under there and reach me. I knew<br />
even then that he was afraid of getting<br />
caught, so he coached me out with smoothing<br />
words that he was not going to bother<br />
me.<br />
Continued on Page 4<br />
Call 773-998-1925 to be in the NEXT issue.<br />
Get a FREE ad in the Classified Section of CSJ.<br />
(First time advertisers only.) Send your ad by the 25th<br />
of the month and we’ll publish it in the next issue of <strong>Chicago</strong><br />
<strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>. 200 characters maximum.<br />
Send your ad to <strong>Chicago</strong>St<strong>Journal</strong>@gmail.com<br />
———————————————————————<br />
Cut the Cable! CALL DIRECTV. Bundle & Save! Over<br />
145 Channels PLUS Genie HD-DVR. $50/month <strong>for</strong> 2<br />
Years (with AT&T Wireless.) Call <strong>for</strong> Other Great Offers!<br />
1- 855-407-7111<br />
NEW AT&T INTERNET OFFER. $20 and $30/mo<br />
plans available when you bundle. Offer ends soon.<br />
HURRY CALL NOW 1-844-290-5675<br />
Meet singles right now! No paid operators, just real people<br />
like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and<br />
connect live. Try it free. Call now: 855-823-4108
2 <strong>November</strong> February <strong>2017</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
10 AM<br />
TO<br />
3 PM<br />
Click the images to learn more about our sponsors!
February <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
3<br />
INSIDE CSJ<br />
Interview with Jeaneane<br />
Brown CEO of 365 Virtual<br />
Solutions.<br />
Page 6<br />
NEW AT&T INTERNET OFFER.<br />
$20 and $30/mo plans available when<br />
you bundle. Offer ends soon. HURRY<br />
CALL NOW 1-844-290-5675<br />
Moving Out of State? We Will Match<br />
or Beat Any Price Guaranteed! Prices<br />
Start at Only $799. Quality Moving<br />
Companies Only. CALL Long Distance<br />
Movers <strong>for</strong> FREE Quote 1-855-<br />
652-7073<br />
SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind<br />
paying your MORTGAGE? Denied<br />
a Loan Modification? Is the bank<br />
threatening <strong>for</strong>eclosure? CALL<br />
Homeowner's Relief Line now <strong>for</strong><br />
Help. 844-359-1024<br />
Meet singles right now! No paid operators,<br />
just real people like you.<br />
Browse greetings, exchange messages<br />
and connect live. Try it free. Call<br />
now: 855-823-4108<br />
———————————————-<br />
Get a FREE ad in the Classified<br />
Section of CSJ.<br />
(First time advertisers only.) Send<br />
your ad by the 25th of the month and<br />
we’ll publish it in the next issue of<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>. 200 characters<br />
maximum. Send your ad to<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong>St<strong>Journal</strong>@gmail.com<br />
Another<br />
Black Great<br />
Migration.<br />
Page 8<br />
122 East 35th <strong>Street</strong><br />
312-326-5555<br />
312-719-6478<br />
Spiritual Health<br />
PAGE 9<br />
Poetry by<br />
Hussein Hill<br />
Page 10<br />
Call 773-998-1925 to be in<br />
the NEXT issue of CSJ.<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
Advertising Sales Rep<br />
This is an outstanding opportunity,<br />
selling advertising (print, online):<br />
• Initiate sales and marketing calls to prospective or current clients<br />
and documents sales ef<strong>for</strong>ts •<br />
Our ideal candidate must be a self-motivated overachiever with a<br />
strong desire to succeed.<br />
• Prior sales experience, developing both new accounts and servicing<br />
existing accounts is preferred.<br />
• Highly disciplined, independent, entrepreneurial, confident,<br />
well organized self-starter<br />
• Compensation, Base Salary Negotiable.<br />
Call 773 595 5229<br />
Publisher and Editor: Ron Carter<br />
Associate Publisher: Sonja Cassandra Perdue<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
8036 S. Cottage Grove, <strong>Chicago</strong>, IL 60619. E-mail:<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong>St<strong>Journal</strong>@gmail.com<br />
773.595.5229<br />
For delivery direct to your inbox.<br />
http://www.issuu.com/<strong>Chicago</strong><strong>Street</strong><strong>Journal</strong><br />
Columbia University South <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> archive:<br />
http://southside.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/<br />
Archived by Columbia University’s Urban Research<br />
Workshop (URW), back issues from 1993 to 2006 of<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>’s predecessor, the South <strong>Street</strong><br />
<strong>Journal</strong>, were donated to provide material <strong>for</strong> URW<br />
students to collaboratively research themes such as<br />
gentrification, racism, political affairs, and youth development.<br />
CSJ is free, except special request drop offs and street<br />
sales where a $1 donation is requested.<br />
Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. CSJ assumes no<br />
responsibility to return unsolicited editorial or<br />
graphic material. All rights in letters and unsolicited<br />
editorial or graphic<br />
material will be treated<br />
as unconditionally assigned<br />
<strong>for</strong> publication<br />
and copyright purposes.<br />
Material may be printed<br />
without written permission,<br />
upon credit given<br />
to CSJ.<br />
Ron Carter, Publisher and Editor
February <strong>2017</strong><br />
4 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
Continued from Page 1<br />
#MeToo<br />
This game (attack) of cat and mouse<br />
went on and on. I was just as intense and determined<br />
and he could not get a grip on me. I had<br />
always sent the signal that I was ready <strong>for</strong> a<br />
fight. The first few times, I could crawl under<br />
the bed, but after a while I was too big and I had<br />
to stand and fight or take flight.<br />
As Robert got older and bigger and<br />
stronger, he became more aggressive. It became<br />
harder and harder to fight him off, but he came<br />
knowing that there would be a battle. I don’t<br />
believe that he was yet old enough to be that<br />
sure of himself.<br />
Fast <strong>for</strong>ward to my being 12 and Robert<br />
being 17 years of age. Somehow he had gotten<br />
wind of the fact that I was upstairs with the children.<br />
We were sitting on the sofa watching TV<br />
when the door opened. All of us turned and<br />
looked; as he spoke, he moved from the door<br />
over to me. “I’m going to get you today. I’m<br />
going to get me some today.”<br />
I was thinking, how did he know that I<br />
was up here?<br />
Fear rose up in me and as I prepared<br />
myself <strong>for</strong> a fight. I felt fear. When he moved<br />
in <strong>for</strong> the attack, I was still sitting on the sofa<br />
because it all seemed like one motion from the<br />
door to me. There was no time <strong>for</strong> anything<br />
else.<br />
As we struggled, he was on my right side<br />
sitting on the sofa and trying to push me down<br />
into a lying position. He was trying to get a grip<br />
on my hands and arms and could not because I<br />
was swinging them all of the time. If he could<br />
have stopped me from hitting him, he could<br />
have mounted me. I kept fighting to keep control<br />
or to keep him from gaining control.<br />
For some reason, I didn’t want to start<br />
screaming because I didn’t want to scare the<br />
children. Too late. I looked to my left and the<br />
three smaller children were huddled against the<br />
wall watching us. They had a bewildered, wildeyed,<br />
and confused look on their faces (one of<br />
those “deer-caught-in-the-headlights” expressions).<br />
Kenneth was standing in front of Robert,<br />
a little off to his right about a foot or two away<br />
from him. I can’t say what he was thinking, but<br />
in retrospect, he was gauging the situation.<br />
Maybe at first, he didn’t perceive that I<br />
was in danger. There was no fear in his face<br />
and I don’t recall seeing any sense of panic in<br />
his eyes. This little boy was just standing there<br />
watching us do battle.<br />
Then, things changed. It seemed fast and<br />
in slow-motion at the same time. Now I was the<br />
observer. I will never be sure, but maybe this<br />
little boy sensed, after giving the situation some<br />
thought, that I just might lose that battle. Quite<br />
unexpectedly. Quite, quite wondrously, this 5-<br />
year-old boy leaped on this 17-year-old and began<br />
to beat him so viciously that he couldn’t<br />
maintain his grip on me <strong>for</strong> having to defend<br />
himself against this child’s blows. Kenneth was<br />
beating him and screaming and screaming and<br />
screaming. “Take your hands off of her. You<br />
stop it. You stop it. You leave her alone.” It<br />
was happening so fast. He was moving so fast<br />
that I could not keep up with what was happening.<br />
Those little arms were moving and swinging<br />
and clawing. It was like something flashing<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e my eyes. Watching it would make you<br />
say, “What the hell?”<br />
Robert was not trying to hurt or injure<br />
him, but just trying to stop Kenneth from hitting<br />
him. Robert was laughing at him, at<br />
first. He thought that it was funny. He tried to<br />
grab his arms. Tried to calm him down. Tried<br />
to hang on to me. It didn’t work out like he expected.<br />
He had to let go of me.<br />
I was looking directly into Robert’s face<br />
when that child wiped that smile off of his<br />
mug. He was taking a good look at that child<br />
attacking him. I watched the change taking<br />
place. I heard the change in his tone, his words,<br />
his whole being as he tried to assure Kenneth<br />
that he would not touch me again. He was trying<br />
to hold Kenneth down and tell him that he<br />
was going to stop and that he was not going to<br />
touch me. “Calm down, man. Calm down.” He<br />
kept saying, “OK man. OK man.” He repeated<br />
these words to him over and over again.<br />
I was frozen. I didn’t know how to<br />
move. I only knew how to watch as a participant<br />
in a movie with a surprise ending that was<br />
never even written into the script.<br />
Robert was finally able to calm Kenneth<br />
down and we both sat there staring at this little<br />
boy, who was sobbing and taking these huge<br />
loud breaths. The attack itself was a shock, but<br />
the hollering and crying took it over the edge. It<br />
seemed that that child had gotten so wound up<br />
that he couldn’t come down immediately. He<br />
finally calmed and he told him one more time,<br />
“You leave her alone! Don’t you bother her<br />
again!”<br />
I was taken aback, as I sat there that day,<br />
but Robert was taken further. Robert told him<br />
that he would not touch me again. And he never<br />
did.<br />
Without regard to the size or might of<br />
the enemy, this little boy moved into position,<br />
executed an attack, and was victorious. He left<br />
the enemy/potential rapist empty and impotent.<br />
Robert stood up from the sofa as we all<br />
watched him straighten his clothes. He told me<br />
that he was sorry and that he would never, ever<br />
touch me again. He told me that I had nothing<br />
to worry about. I can only think that if shame<br />
had a smell, it would smell just like Robert<br />
Johnson.<br />
Here and now, I wonder if Robert remembers<br />
the day that a 5-year-old boy became<br />
more man then he would ever be.<br />
Sonja Cassandra Perdue is the author of “Black America<br />
– Asking Ourselves The Tough Questions” now available<br />
on Amazon.com, Founder of <strong>Chicago</strong>’s Black Business<br />
Network and Associate Publisher <strong>for</strong> <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong>’s<br />
Digital Division. She has completed close to 300 podcasts<br />
available on <strong>Chicago</strong>’s Black Business Radio Network.<br />
Follow <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> @ issuu.com/<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong><strong>Street</strong><strong>Journal</strong> and have every issue delivered<br />
right to your mailbox.<br />
All Things Basement! Basement Systems Inc. Call<br />
us <strong>for</strong> all of your basement needs! Waterproofing,<br />
Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold<br />
Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1-855-611-1266<br />
NEW AT&T INTERNET OFFER. $20 and $30/mo<br />
plans available when you bundle. Offer ends soon.<br />
HURRY CALL NOW 1-844-290-5675<br />
Moving Out of State? We Will Match or Beat Any<br />
Price Guaranteed! Prices Start at Only $799. Quality<br />
Moving Companies Only. CALL Long Distance<br />
Movers <strong>for</strong> FREE Quote 1-855-652-7073<br />
SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your<br />
MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the<br />
bank threatening <strong>for</strong>eclosure? CALL Homeowner's<br />
Relief Line now <strong>for</strong> Help. 844-359-1024<br />
Meet singles right now! No paid operators, just real<br />
people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages<br />
and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 855-<br />
823-4108
February <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
5<br />
CHICAGO POLITICS – Keep an<br />
eye on <strong>Chicago</strong> City Council Meetings<br />
from the com<strong>for</strong>t of your home by<br />
viewing live streaming or archives of<br />
past meetings. For each City Council<br />
meeting, the Office of the City Clerk<br />
provides live streaming video, including<br />
captions, on their Council News<br />
Central page. To watch live click<br />
HERE. For more in<strong>for</strong>mation on attending<br />
a <strong>Chicago</strong> City Council meeting,<br />
please contact the <strong>Chicago</strong> City<br />
Council Sergeant-at-Arms at 312-744-6800 or via email.<br />
(CityCouncilSeating@cityofchicago.org)<br />
EDUCATION - Is 5 years of age too young to start learning about stocks and<br />
bonds? John Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments, doesn’t think so and is currently<br />
involved in creating future financial professionals at the Ariel Community Academy<br />
located on the south side of <strong>Chicago</strong>. In a recent interview with Black Enterprises,<br />
Mr. Rogers stated that, “First, we wanted our students to be really<br />
com<strong>for</strong>table with the stock market.” He also indicated that, “...it’s critical <strong>for</strong><br />
young people to start out with a sound financial footing.”<br />
CRIME – The trial <strong>for</strong> alleged <strong>Chicago</strong> west side street gang leaders Cornel<br />
Dawson and Terry Odum will be the first test in Cook County of Illinois’ racketeering<br />
law. The new law was passed in 2012 and permits prosecutors to hold<br />
crime bosses accountable <strong>for</strong> the actions of the entire gang. More than 20 purported<br />
Black Soul members were arrested in 2013 under this statute.<br />
SPORTS – Love Basketball? Sherman Park will be hosting a Basketball Skills<br />
Camp <strong>for</strong> ages 9 – 18 every Friday from 3:30 pm – 6 pm at 1301 W. 52 nd <strong>Street</strong>.<br />
According to Dr. Health Benefits.com, being involved with sports helps youth<br />
control weight, build endurance, improves mental development, helps develop<br />
socialization skills and it’s just plain fun.<br />
BOOKS – Author Matt Taibbi’s book “I Can’t Breathe” was just released.<br />
Those words launched a nation outcry and prompted protest by the “Black Lives<br />
Matter” movement in response to the death of Eric Gardner at the hands of New<br />
York police officers in July of 2014.<br />
SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS TO CSJ<br />
– #FREE insertion in the next edition.<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> (CSJ) will be launching an event page in its next issue.<br />
And, you are invited!<br />
Submit your event with title and 100 words or less description <strong>for</strong> a free insert.<br />
This is a limited time offer, so get on board and let our <strong>Chicago</strong> readership know<br />
where you’ll be hosting your next networking, tech or nonprofit get-together.<br />
(Only one free insertion every six months.) Click HERE to submit.<br />
Click the images to order your personalized mug today!
6 <strong>November</strong> February <strong>2017</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
What is the role of a Virtual Assistant?<br />
Most business owners are overwhelmed<br />
and still don’t understand<br />
the importance of utilizing<br />
a virtual assistant. Can you explain<br />
to our readers the role of a<br />
virtual assistant?<br />
The role of a virtual assistant is to<br />
assist small and medium sized business<br />
owners with day-to-day tasks.<br />
Virtual Assistants consists of individuals,<br />
as well as companies, who<br />
work remotely from home as independent<br />
professionals, providing a<br />
wide range of products and services<br />
both to businesses as well as consumers.<br />
365 Virtual Solutions specializes<br />
in being a virtual call center <strong>for</strong><br />
small to mid-sized business owners.<br />
How does that work?<br />
We address the needs of these businesses<br />
with quality, round-the-clock<br />
answering services and virtual call<br />
center communications. Which<br />
when not addressed properly and<br />
promptly, could mean lost opportunities<br />
<strong>for</strong> the company. We provide<br />
a virtual number <strong>for</strong> the business so<br />
that they can <strong>for</strong>ward their calls to<br />
us. Then, we answered their calls in<br />
their company name. We also provide<br />
real-time messaging.<br />
What is one of the biggest challenges<br />
that businesses face handling<br />
their own incoming calls<br />
and following up with their clients?<br />
The biggest challenge <strong>for</strong> most<br />
small companies is losing new and<br />
<strong>for</strong>mer clients to voicemail. Studies<br />
have shown that callers are unlikely<br />
to leave a voicemail or reach out a<br />
second time, if their initial contact<br />
is left unanswered. That’s where<br />
365 Virtual Solutions can help. Customers<br />
love to hear a live person answered<br />
the phone.<br />
What is your experience in this<br />
industry and what inspired you to<br />
start 365 Virtual Solutions? How<br />
long have you been in business?<br />
I’d worked many years in the call<br />
center industry be<strong>for</strong>e starting my<br />
own call center company in 2013. I<br />
used that experience to help create a<br />
professional service <strong>for</strong> my clients.<br />
Would you share with us what<br />
type of companies you work with<br />
and what industries you’ve been<br />
involved with?<br />
A few of our clients are JT Virtual<br />
Communications, Shelton Overhead<br />
Doors, and Scotland County Youth<br />
Center. We provide services to all<br />
types of businesses including medical<br />
and commercial.<br />
How can a company get started<br />
with 365 Virtual Solutions?<br />
To contact us you can email us at<br />
info@365virtualsolutions.com you<br />
can checkout our website at<br />
www.365virtualsolutions.com or<br />
can also give us a call at 1-800-262-<br />
0374. If you want a solid business,<br />
you need a call center to help you<br />
hold things together. You need 365<br />
Virtual Solutions We Answer the<br />
Phone.<br />
Jeaneane Brown is Chief Executive<br />
Officer <strong>for</strong> 365 Virtual Solutions.
SEND YOUR EDITORIALS TO<br />
<strong>Chicago</strong>St<strong>Journal</strong>@gmail.com<br />
February <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
DISH TV. 190 channels. $49.99/mo. <strong>for</strong> 24 mos.<br />
Ask About Exclusive Dish Features like Sling®<br />
and the Hopper®. PLUS High Speed Internet,<br />
$14.95/mo. (Availability and Restrictions apply.)<br />
TV <strong>for</strong> Less, Not Less TV! 1-877-869-5106<br />
SAVE on internet and TV bundles! Order the<br />
best exclusive cable and satellite deals in your<br />
area! If eligible, get up to $300 in Visa Gift<br />
Cards. CALL NOW! 1-855-993-3826<br />
7<br />
Get delivery right to your inbox.<br />
Signup at Issuu.com/<strong>Chicago</strong><strong>Street</strong><strong>Journal</strong>
<strong>November</strong><br />
February <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>2017</strong><br />
8 <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
screens. This was by design....it may not have been a joint ef<strong>for</strong>t by the hidden<br />
hands of power and the media, but whatever it was, it has worked!<br />
Black people, afraid <strong>for</strong> their sad lives, left the city. They either moved to the<br />
burbs or exited the entire state <strong>for</strong> what they thought was better and safer<br />
surroundings. They may be accurate in some cases, but in most cases, urban<br />
removal is being planned in many big states, especially if there is prime realestate<br />
to gobble-up, and <strong>Chicago</strong>'s Southside is open <strong>for</strong> an A 1 land grab.<br />
Mayor Emanuel and Governor Rauner have decided that it's politically correct<br />
or in their best interest, politically, to declare the state of Illinois and the<br />
city of <strong>Chicago</strong> as 'sanctuary' landing location <strong>for</strong> anyone non-black to stakeout<br />
their territory. I strongly recommend instead of blacks selling their property<br />
and moving out of the city, they declare their current dwelling grounds<br />
as 'sanctuary communities,' <strong>for</strong> their many relatives who wanna relocate to<br />
the CHI.<br />
Black people, call your kinfolk in every southern state or send smoke signals<br />
to your lost and deprived cousins and cast away family members, instruct<br />
them to redirect their journey and head to <strong>Chicago</strong>. Make this their sanctuary<br />
city and state. Give them housing and help them either get jobs or create employment<br />
opportunities to ensure that they can have a simple quality of life.<br />
Better yet, since the mayor just announced that his administration would provide<br />
Section 8 vouchers <strong>for</strong> immigrants or U.S. citizens displaced by ravaging<br />
tragedies, there is no better excuse, than now to make <strong>Chicago</strong> the new<br />
black migrant's 'sanctuary' home.<br />
CARL WEST<br />
Another Black Great Migration<br />
As the world faces many, many troubling catastrophes, such as raging<br />
brush fires on the West Coast, massive terrorist shootings in major cities or<br />
states including Nevada, as well as deadly hurricanes in Houston, Texas and<br />
Puerto Rico--there are horrible trans<strong>for</strong>mations occurring in places like <strong>Chicago</strong>.<br />
Make this movement to <strong>Chicago</strong> another Great Black Migration. Come and<br />
take advantage of all the privileges that the mayor and governor have decided<br />
to give to anyone who comes to <strong>Chicago</strong> or Illinois to start anew. So<br />
get on the phone and find your peeps and send them a life-line. Let us use<br />
social media, community newspapers, and talk radio to make the call-toaction<br />
like the <strong>Chicago</strong> Defender did over 60 years ago. This historic newspaper<br />
was responsible <strong>for</strong> instructing Negroes in the south to come to the<br />
north and find refuge from bigotry and racism.<br />
And the people who ran from the city to the suburbs, pack your Gucci bags<br />
and move hastily back to Beverly, Chatham, South Shore, Lincoln Park,<br />
Avalon Park.....just bring your black behinds back to CHI! Until the next<br />
edition.....Peace and One Love.<br />
I Write To Differ<br />
All these concerns listed above are life-altering experiences, and we as<br />
Americans should feel their pain. But what's happening in my state and city<br />
hurts even greater. I'm witnessing the demise or destruction or demotion or<br />
deduction--whatever you wanna label it--of black people from the concrete<br />
jungles of the Windy City.<br />
The hidden hands of power have taken steps to ensure that black people remove<br />
(themselves) from <strong>Chicago</strong>. They're using tactics like profiling violence<br />
and other quality of life issues to drive people out of the city limits.<br />
This was initiated with the blowing up of Cabrini Green, which was the first<br />
step in removing unwanted black bodies from <strong>Chicago</strong>'s census count.<br />
Now as black folks move out and others move in at record numbers, it hurts<br />
to see what I predicted is coming full <strong>for</strong>ce. I told you naïve people who<br />
played the blame game and denounced your own community and children<br />
with the help of local media as they presented horrific violence on the<br />
nightly news, that this was not priority number one.<br />
It was all propaganda. They used images of black boys and men committing<br />
crimes against their neighbors to mentally kill the spirit of weak people who<br />
feared <strong>for</strong> their lives as they continued to see crime flash across their TV<br />
FREE Classified Ads in NEXT edition of CSJ.<br />
Send your ad by 25th of month to <strong>Chicago</strong>St<strong>Journal</strong>@gmail.com.
February <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
9
February <strong>2017</strong><br />
10 <strong>November</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Street</strong> <strong>Journal</strong><br />
Sorrow Beyond Syntax*…<br />
Hussein Ali Hill-Johnson<br />
Our Moral Decay…<br />
Hussein Ali-Hill Johnson<br />
In America things are now absurd<br />
and “Alt-Truth” has become the key word<br />
Innocence citizens were beaten and one murdered by terrorist<br />
and our President took 3 days to denounce this<br />
All I feel is pain<br />
and lack the words to fully show my disdain<br />
This morning’s sunlight exposed all of the above as sad facts<br />
and all I am left with is a sorrow beyond syntax<br />
*Inspired by the murder of Heather Heyer<br />
and brutal beating of Deandre Harris<br />
Change just <strong>for</strong> change sake<br />
is a major mistake<br />
If you follow leaders that are lost<br />
guess who pays the cost<br />
If you have a square and you cut off four corners you have a circle<br />
that reminds me of the common sense wisdom of Studs Terkel<br />
When it comes to self-respect and respecting others<br />
we are going backwards my Sisters and Brothers<br />
In a car reverse is the strongest gear<br />
but, you can’t win Indy guiding you car with its rear<br />
The answer is not as simple is turning back the clock<br />
in order to rebuild our society GOD must be our bedrock<br />
Because Devil is saying a big hooray<br />
at the state of our moral decay<br />
Hussein Ali Hill-Johnson has been a Poet and Activist since his Freshman year in High School back in the<br />
1973. The addition of the -Johnson is to his name is to honor is Mother (R.I.P.). She was a Short <strong>Story</strong> Writer,<br />
who taught him 90% of what he knows about writing and 100% of what it is to be a person of faith. In the past<br />
30 months, he has written 200 poems, 98 of which are currently published on-line. He can be contacted via<br />
Twitter and via e-mail at husseinhill@yahoo.com<br />
Call 773-998-1925 to be in the NEXT issue.