Poised for the prowl: Black Panther’s box office attack continues
By DeForest Mapp Medill Reports Superhero King T’Challa led the multitudes to “Black Panther” for two consecutive weekends. The blockbuster topped attendance at any other movie with a domestic gross of $400 million and shattered previous earnings records for a film that showcased a majority African American cast. “Black Panther” made gold for a Marvel gamble that debuted on […]
Nairobi Girls Chorale from Kenya visit Chicago to support their dreams using music as a tool
By Hannah Gebresilassie “I call it the trip of God,” says David A. Isindu, founder and director of Nairobi Girls Chorale. A group of 17 girls from Nairobi, Kenya visit Chicago to challenge stereotypes, gain exposure and raise tuition money. Isindu founded the Nairobi Girls Chorale in 2008 to empower young women in Africa. “I […]
Chicago Ethiopian leaders question world’s silence over devastating drought in homeland
By Hannah Gebresilassie Ten million people in Ethiopia are struggling to survive, let alone find a decent meal to eat. The country is facing its worst drought since the eighties, while political tension continues to erupt as ethnic groups clash. It’s been just ten days since South Sudanese gunmen were blamed for killing 200 people […]
Bouncing back: “I know what it is to have your dreams ripped out of your womb and your identity taken for a spin”
By Hannah Gebresilassie Vunzai Yeazel, founder of Gorgeous Within and Live Bold Consulting, took a leap from corporate America after a decade when she was among about 100 employees laid off from Allstate. In the last few years, Yeazel, 35, bounced back from a failed marriage, two consecutive miscarriages, lost friendships and a surgery to remove five fibroids.
Ethiopians find a home — and sometimes a hand — away from home in South Africa
By Hannah Gebresilassie “Sami, Sami!” two Ethiopian beggars shouted with their hands held out on a misty afternoon in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg. Sami Shiferaw stopped, pulled about 50 rand ($3) from his pocket and handed it to the men: “They’re our friends,” Shiferaw said. “I have to.” […]
Prominent Chicago resident runs for President of Sierra Leone and is charged with bigamy
By Bian Elkhatib and Meggie Morris Almost 5,000 miles away from his home in Chicago, Sierra Leonean Alie Kabba awaits trial in Freetown. He is charged with bigamy, but his supporters say the contrived charge is because he is running for President of his homeland. Since arriving in the U.S. from Sierra Leone in 1991, Kabba […]
