Chicago Defender

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade ending 50 years of a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. In their majority opinion, the majority conservative court said, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

On Thursday night, with a face full of joy, Dalen Terry was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 18th overall pick. With over 100 friends and family in Phoenix for his draft party, the excitement was evident for the 6’6 sophomore guard out of Arizona. While this is not a pick many Chicago Bulls fans were expecting, this is a valid pickup for General Manager Marc Eversley. Eversley said the rookie’s “infectious energy” was a key reason in selecting Terry.

ABC7 celebrates the 51st Annual Chicago Pride Parade with a two-hour, live parade broadcast, Sunday, June 26, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Tanja Babich, Hosea Sanders and Jason Knowles host the Chicago Pride Parade broadcast with Knowles capturing all of the action live from the street. LGBTQ+ community advocates join the festivities, including Cody LaGrow (Emmy® Award-winning journalist), Kim Hunt (LGBT Hall of Fame and Senior Director of AIDS Initiative Chicago), and Joel Hall (LGBT Hall of Fame and Chicago dance legend).

This month, Chicago’s South Side Epic Academy College Prep, a public, open-enrollment charter high school, hosted its 2022 Dare to Imagine fundraising benefit themed “Investing in Tomorrow’s Legends” at the Palmer House Hilton. Nearly 200 guests attended the event for an evening filled with fun and inspiration. With the support of generous sponsors, attendees, volunteers and in-kind and monetary donations, EPIC raised more than $110,000. Corporate sponsors included; KRD, Ltd., Apogem Capital, JGMA and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Funds raised will help further EPIC’s mission for students to pursue excellence and high expectations for postsecondary success, working towards college and career readiness through a variety of pathways.

Photo: Neighborhood Network Alliance CEO Val Free announcing expansion of the Micro Market Recovery Program in South Shore. The expansion of the Micro-Market Recovery Program, a Chicago Department of Housing initiative was held on Wednesday, June 16, 2022, at South Shore International High School in the café. The event was sponsored by the city’s Department of Housing and the Micro-Market Recovery Program (MMRP). This announcement for the program represents an expansion from ten areas to eleven with the Neighborhood Network Alliance (NNA) as lead agency in the South Shore area. In South Shore, the O’Keefe area between 67th Street to 71st and S. Jeffery Blvd is the first rollout of the program in the area.

Photo: Attorney General Raoul discusses the work his office has done to protect a woman’s right to make reproductive health decisions in Illinois. Photo credit: Lawrence Jackson, Director of Photography, Office of the Vice President. Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as Nevada Attorney...

President Joe Biden has tapped former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to join the White House as a top advisor as upcoming November midterm elections loom over the administration. On Wednesday (June 15), Biden announced Bottoms’ appointment as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, per the Washington...

Major League Soccer announced a series of initiatives to celebrate Juneteenth, the historic date commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans in the U.S. All programs are a close collaboration between MLS, the league’s 28 clubs, and Black Players for Change (BPC), an independent organization of Black MLS players, coaches, and staff working to bridge the racial equality gap in soccer and society– and are a continuation of MLS’ work to bring awareness to the significant contributions of Black Americans and to foster more inclusive and equitable communities.

1863—The War Department establishes the Bureau of Colored Troops and began to aggressively recruit Blacks for the Civil War. The Black troops would play a major role in turning the tide of battle against the rebellious Southern slave states. 1959—Benjamin O. Davis Jr. becomes the first African American general...

“Jonathan Jackson needs to reject the support of his Congressional campaign by Crypto Billionaire Samuel Bankman-Fried. We are all disappointed to read in today’s Chicago Sun-Times story by Lynn Sweet that Bankman-Fried is trying to buy the election with a $500,000 tv ad purchase supporting Jackson. Even before the votes have been counted, Jackson has already put up a “For Sale” sign,” said Ald. Pat Dowell, candidate for Congress in the 1st District.

With the Roe v. Wade decision expected to come down this week, activists warn of the detrimental impact that overturning abortion protections will have on Black women, per ABC News. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women are seeking abortions at a substantially higher rate...

In recognition of LGBT Pride Month, The Conversation reached out to Jonathan Alexander – an English professor with a scholarly interest in the interplay between sexuality and literature – for recommendations of young adult fiction books that feature LGBT characters. What follows is a list that Alexander – who serves as the children’s and young adult fiction section editor for the Los Angeles Review of Books – considers as “must-reads” for this summer.

After more than 60 years, the nation’s first independent museum of Black history today unveiled a new name and new visual identity: The DuSable Museum of African American History is entering a new era as The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. The new name reaffirms the historic organization’s commitment to educating all people about Black history, culture and experience, and to recognize the global connections and cultures of Black people across the diaspora.

IHeartMedia Chicago’s 107.5 WGCI, Chicago’s #1 for Hip-Hop R&B; V103, Today’s R&B and Throwbacks; Inspiration 1390, Music of Power & Praise; 93.9 LITE FM, Relaxing Favorites, ROCK 95 FIVE Chicago’s Rock Station; and 103.5 KISS FM, Chicago’s #1 Hit Music Station, announced today the “Brilliantly Black Business Awards” in partnership with the Chicago Urban League in commemoration of Juneteenth.

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced that Monique Scott, a lifelong Chicagoan raised in North Lawndale, will serve as the new alderman representing Chicago’s 24thward. “Monique Scott has been a dedicated and active member of the North Lawndale community for her entire life,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “There is no one better suited to lead the residents of the 24th ward at this critical time for recovery and development. Furthermore, Monique has the resourcefulness and community connectedness to work across sectors to get things done. I look forward to working with her as she takes on this new role.”

This year, Walmart is celebrating the Juneteenth holiday by honoring Black Excellence through the recognition of leaders in the Chicagoland area who work to bring inclusion and opportunity to the Black community. For the inaugural recipients, Walmart is recognizing four outstanding African Americans for excellence in their respective fields and contributions to their communities. This year’s recipients are Jason Coleman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Project SYNCERE, Patrice Gibson, Director of the Walmart Community Academy, Chicago, Roderick Hawkins, Associate Dean of External Affairs at Northwestern University, and Dara Munson, President, and CEO of Family Focus. Walmart proudly honors their dedication because living better begins with supporting equity and opportunity in the communities where we work and live.

Summer Break has arrived! Picnics, vacations, outdoor activities, and family fun are on the horizon. School is out for scholars around the world and many need to remain stimulated. If you’re looking for upcoming programs or summer events for your scholars, take a look at the list below. Summer...

In the voting booth, after marking their choices for governor, president, senators, and state reps, Cook County voters face the longest part of the ballot: circuit court judges. Voter participation on this part of the ballot drops off steeply, with about one-quarter of voters not making judicial picks. Though the...

The Democratic Women of the Southland Region (“DWSR”) held its first High Tea at the Double Tree by Hilton Chicago/Alsip on June 12, 2022. The theme was the Harlem Renaissance, focusing on the powerful impact individuals have made. Through the concept of Founder and Chapter President Vivian E. Covington, guests were entertained with a delightful afternoon of food, fashion, raffles, music, and vendor showcases. Guest included elected officials and candidates running for office in the June 28, 2022, Gubernatorial Primary Election.

Elected Alderman of the 3rd Ward in 2007, Pat Dowell has an extensive background in politics and public service. She also serves as chair of the City Council Budget Committee. As Alderman, she has worked to increase the number and strength of small businesses and develop economic opportunities for all. She passed the Vacant Land Ordinance, which became a model for national legislation; helped the nonprofit Black Fire Brigade secure a lease for $1 to build the next generation of black Chicago first responders, and was one of the primary architects of the Restoring Bronzeville Plan – which won the Burnham Award.