South Shore business owners SSA#49 wants to give you $5000 !!!!

South Shore biz owners- SSA 49 wants to give you $5,000!
Message:"If you or someone you know owns a business in SSA 49, please let us know! We are giving $5000 grants to 8 business owners who want to beautify or fix their storefronts. Applications due June 30th!"
Download applications at: http://www.ssa49.org/

Not sure if you live in SSA49?
SSA #49 as indicated in dark blue on the map:
+ Exchange Ave. from 71st to 79th Streets
+ 75th from Paxton to South Shore drive
+ 79th from Paxton to South Shore Drive

For more direct questions and inquiries please email:
Allyson Scrutchens: Allyson@farsouthcdc.org.

‪#‎blackmarketchi‬
‪#‎blackbizchicago‬

Sib's Breakfast Club Creator talks about Black Men Stand Up and her support of the Afroprenuers and Culturevators of Chicago.#4questions

4Questions

1.Why Black Men Stand Up and how does it fit in with the mission of Sib's Breakfast Club?

-I feel that one of the MAIN reasons for the lack of…..everything in the black community is the way that our black men have been mistreated. I do not have this event to say I do not focus on women in business. I want our black men to know that we need them, we understand what you are going through and we are here for you. Black men are physically the stronger being. We as black women need them as husbands, fathers, uncles, brothers, friends, etc… If we can let the media know that we support our men, I feel that they will no longer try to break our men down. This is event is simply a thank you to the Men that helped me become a strong women and the men that help me now. This fits in my mission because I support black business. Our black men need us as strong help mates. That is what I bring to the table.

2. Any such events planned for the glorious Black woman of Chicago?

-I am connected to so many brilliant women that are making so many powerful moves. Every month, I work with several women. I consistently assist with women movements and events so right now that is not my focus. I want to make more of an effort to continue to assist other women their respective events and movements. 

3. How can we improve the business climate for afroprenuers in Chicago?

One thing I want to say first is that Chicago does support. 
How can we improve?
I feel that we should stop focusing on what we don’t do and put the spotlight on what we do have going on as “afroprenuers”. I have found that I am still here because I really truly love what I do. I love helping my people.. Stay true to your grind and everything will fall into place. I feel that the afroprenuers have to realize that they are open for business because others made an effort to support them. With that being said, treat your customers right and they will treat you right. They own you nothing. You owe them! One more thing….stop thinking that someone owes you something in business. If it’s your business…OWN IT!

4. What’s next for Sib's Breakfast Club?

After my June 20th 4th Annual Black Men Stand Up event I will be on break until September. September will be my 7 year anniversary celebration. I am very excited about that! I will take the time this summer to prepare for that event. My main focus is to work with my SIB’S Breakfast Club members. I have several new members that are having grand openings, businesses anniversaries and some that just need help to get more exposure. That is my TOP priority.

Check out Sib's Breakfast Club with a click

Simply Social: An Issue of Blood

Join Friends, Followers and Fans of Soleil's To-Dos and Tofu Chitlin' Circuit at 2pm on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at Victory Gardens Theater for a special three-course Simply Social! Tickets are only $25 with Discount Code Soleil.


Buy tickets here: http://bit.ly/1y9R4N2
Enter our ticket giveaway here: http://bit.ly/1NfyHgh
Event details here: http://on.fb.me/1CowKml
Or on our website here: http://bit.ly/1FBJytR
Info on The Tofu Chitlin' Circuit here: http://bit.ly/1Gj2Abx

Here's the plan:

First Course: Pre-Performance Reception, 2pm 
Join us in the lobby for a complimentary cocktail and snacks! Meet and greet other Friends/Fans/Followers and find out more about Tofu CHitlin' Circuit and its programming!

Second Course: An Issue of Blood, 3pm
It’s 1676 in Virginia – a time when class, not color, defined an American’s destiny. Historic figure and wealthy landowner Negro Mary believes a vile curse has been cast upon her family and land. But her plans to break the curse are thwarted by a secret wedding, an interracial love triangle, and a crime of passion. Can Mary cheat fate and change the course of history? Or will their lives end in division and destruction? In An Issue of Blood, Victory Gardens Ensemble playwright Marcus Gardley and Artistic Director Chay Yew (The Gospel of Lovingkindness) look to a pivotal moment in our collective past to understand how we arrived in our tumultuous present.

Third Course:
Black Lives Matter: Past, Present, And Future
Town Hall
Cries of “I can’t breathe” and #BlackLivesMatter have shed harsh light on our country’s struggle with race, discrimination, and police brutality. Systems of oppression and racial inequity date as far back as colonial America – before Ferguson, before Selma, even before slavery. What do we do with a system we’ve inherited? Join us for a performance of Marcus Gardley’s historical drama, then stick around for this crucial town hall conversation as we unearth our roots and discover new ways of moving forward.

About The Tofu Chitlin' Circuit
The Tofu Chitlin' Circuit is a theater conservatory located on the South side of Chicago. Our mission is to strengthen the connection between the artist and audience through monthly dialogues, actor training, interviews with theater practitioners and innovative performances.

About Victory Gardens Theater
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew and Managing Director Christopher Mannelli, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals. With Victory Gardens’ first new Artistic Director in 34 years, the company remains committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, continuing the vision set forth by Dennis Zacek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theatre work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens’ core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city’s and nation’s culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city’s active student population.

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Zacek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

In 2012, Victory Gardens appointed new Ensemble Playwrights Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Samuel D. Hunter and Tanya Saracho, for seven-year residencies. The Playwrights Ensemble Alumni includes Claudia Allen, Lonnie Carter, Steve Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, Dean Corrin, Nilo Cruz, Joel Drake Johnson, John Logan, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, James Sherman, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet and Kristine Thatcher.

For more information about Victory Gardens, www.victorygardens.org.Follow Victory Gardens on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardensand Twitter @VictoryGardens.

POSTS

Dr. West and Yeezy Rap: video of Kanye West and his mother parlaying over some dope lyrics

An old video showing Kanye West chilling and rapping with his Mum has unearthed.Check it out and see what the old Kanye was like.CC: Yeezer
Posted by Link Up TV on Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Mindsets that Stunt Business Growth: #1-Education Resistance.

Snippet from Business Consultant Ava St Clair: http://www.avastclaire.com/

“I own a business so I don’t need any more education”.

This is more of an internal script, but I hear it loud and clear, often. Owning a business is the last Zion. It isn’t. Getting your incorporation papers and opening the shop doors is a great success, but not the last one. Just because you own a business does not mean you know what you’re doing. You still have a lot to learn. If you own one business, you could probably run it better. If you own two or more, you could learn how to franchise. And if you have franchisees, you could certainly learn how to manage them better. Becoming more educated about your craft or the hard numbers side of your business is imperative. Taking business accounting at the community college doesn’t make you look dumb, it just means that you don’t know something and you are learning how to do it. Take pride in becoming more educated and share the information with others. 

William Alexander Leidesdorff was the first African American millionaire. He continued learning throughout his trade from his father and mentors.

Free Educational Courses

Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/

https://www.edx.org/

Free College Classes: http://www.freecollegeclasses.org/

City business development centers
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bacp/sbc/small_business_developmentcenters.html

CITY TO OFFER SMART MONEY MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR CHILDREN, ADULTS

City Treasurer Kurt Summers offers tips for financial literacy in Chicago as National Financial Capability Month begins. In March, Treasurer Summers launched Chicago's first ever Financial Education Plan with Arne Duncan, Mayor Emanuel, Barbara Byrd Mennett and John Rogers of the President's Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans. Though Chicago has more than 130 financial education providers throughout the city, an inventory showed they are not coordinated and haven't worked toward the same goal. Summers' initiative brings together these providers, the Mayor, City Treasurer's Office, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Public Library, Department of Family and Support Services and Chicago City Colleges to develop a plan to provide access to quality financial education programs and supports.

#ImWithRahm Women's Luncheon

"A Who's Who of Chicago's women business and political leaders gathered yesterday for the #ImWithRahm Women's Luncheon to show continued faith in his plans for the city. #powermoves #FiveDaystoElection