ayanacontreras
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Cassius and Sonji Clay: Love and Boxing
Sonji Clay and Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay), circa 1965. Awwwwww. Note his puppy dog gaze… Here in Chicago (back in the mid-60s), Cassius was flirting with the Black Muslims, superstardom and love (with a local singer named Sonji)…. According to Ali’s one-time doctor, Ferdie Pacheco, “[Ali’s first Wife,] Sonji was a pert, very pretty…
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WBEZ Creates Tee Envy
This weekend, there’s an interesting experiment in media consumption going on. Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ 91.5FM) is checking for their listeners who don’t touch their dials at all…but, rather, click their mouse. From the good Folks at Chicago Public Radio: Do you listen to public radio podcasts and streaming more than you listen on the…
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Portraits of Black Chicago: The Fruit of Islam
The Fruit of Islam,’ a special group of bodyguards for Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad, sits at the bottom of the platform while he delivers his annual Savior’s Day message in Chicago. March 1974. “….The city is headquarters for the Black Muslims. Their $75 million dollar empire includes a mosque, newspaper, university, restaurants, real estate, bank,…
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The History of Gangs in Chicago
A Communiversity Course beginning next week… This course examines the history of gangs in Chicago through the lens of racism and social movements. Rather than explain Chicago’s history of gangs as a one-sided story of criminality, the course looks at how gangs have played political roles in Chicago and have changed in response to local…
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Matériel Magazine and Pr Launch Party in Bridgeport
from the local folks who bring us the mags Lumpen and Proximity……. Matériel Magazine and Pr Launch Party and fundraiser for Version Festival “Please come and help us raise funds to pay for Version>09 Immodest Proposals. We will be giving to everyone who attends a complementary copy of our new publishing projects, Matériel and the…
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Stop Smiling Magazine Issue Release Party
STOP SMILING (a magazine covering Film, Music, & Books that’s based dually in Chicago and New York) will celebrate the release of its new issue TONITE at the DESIGN WITHIN REACH North Ave storefront with DJs Ben Fasman and Logan Bay and free drinks. Come schmooze among fancy digs and take home a complimentary copy of the new…
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Vocalo.org: Live Radio Broadcast in North Lawndale
Vocalo.org (89.5FM), the community-based radio station/website, will be broadcasting live this Friday, March 20th (tomorrow) at Carter’s Barbershop in the North Lawndale community of Chicago. Their current tagline is: “Real Talk. Local Music. No Commercials. “, and they play a blend of user-generated audio (interviews, opinions) and music (with a heavy emphasis on local groups…
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of pigeons, pidgins, and pop
Above is a photo of pigeons originally posted on local photographer scaleagency’s blog entitled “Assignment Photography”. Very interesting. It reminded me of a shot I took in Pilsen some time ago (see below). On both, I wonder what the birds must be thinking, and what they would utter at that moment, if given the chance. My…
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Bust out your Piggy Banks…
Time to start saving up…. the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is coming back to Chicago (at the gorgeous Auditorium Theatre). highlights of this year’s program include: Night Creature – One of Ailey’s most classically choreographed ballets juxtaposed within Ellington’s jazz idiom – the dance capitvates with Ailey’s sexy nocturnal rituals that propel the movement…
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The Other Chicago
I had a recent conversation with a friend in which I said I’m sorry that tourists miss out on the Other Chicago, the part I can’t live without: Driving down Lake Street. Waiting in line FOREVER for a Rainbow Cone. The Garfield Park Fieldhouse presenting as a tiny gold speck on the horizon westbound down…
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