AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/author/shelby-hawkins/page/2/)
About 20 Austin youth have been working on a plan to help combat violence in the neighborhood. Starting June 29th, on every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., which are peak hours for violence, the community will have access to activities in arts and culture, fitness, dance, healing circles and sports, among other activities, in the safe zone.
About 30 people gathered at the start of Memorial Day weekend at the 29th Ward Veterans Peace Garden, 5413 W. Madison St., to celebrate the life of Robert Thomas and other veterans.
West Side elected officials, the city’s top cop and local residents met virtually this week with the goal of promoting a healthy relationship between police and the communities they serve.
Programs are available for victims of domestic violence through Catholic Charities, Sarah’s Inn, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and the Illinois Domestic Violence hotline.
ComEd’s CONSTRUCT Infrastructure Academy recently graduated 92 West Side residents, including 10 from Austin. Applications are now being accepted for the next round.
The PepsiCo Foundation is launching a $40 million scholarship program investing in 4,000 Black and Latinx students throughout the country, including 160 here in Chicago. One scholarship program targets students pursuing degrees in five high-demand areas, while the other scholarship provides support to community college graduates making the transition to a four-year institution.
The portrait and interview collection opens May 4th at the Oak Park Art League. The exhibit, which celebrates the work of West Side activists, ends May 26th. There will be a reception May 14th and an online panel discussion May 20th. There are plans for the exhibit to be featured in Austin this summer.
Austin teen Tyshaun Zollicoffer, who’s in the After School Matters art program, is inspiring others with his creativity. Zollicoffer, president of Senn High School’s Black Student Union, plans to attend college in New York City.
The West Side organization is working with the Chicago Botanic Garden on developing the urban farm and wellness hub in the 4900 block of West Thomas and Division streets. Mildred Wiley, a longtime community leader and advocate for Austin who worked at Bethel New Life, died two years ago.
Advocates continue to push for more civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department. Panlists discussed a proposed ordinance before the Chicago City Council that would take power from the mayor’s office and give it to a civilian-led commission.