Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and blessed Labor Day.

Nicole Mitchell

Ok, I’m a little late sharing this one.  But it’s not too late for you to partake of the festivities this weekend.  The 32nd Annual Jazz Fest will be here through Sunday, September 5, 2010.

• Friday, Sept. 3 @ Chicago Cultural Center: 12 – 3 pm
• Friday, Sept. 3 @ Millennium Park, Jay Pritzker Pavilion: 4 – 9:30 pm
• Saturday, Sept. 4 & Sunday, Sept. 5 @ Grant Park: 11 am – 9:30 pm

Visit Explore Chicago for more details.  Enjoy!

* Photo Borrowed from Explore Chicago

I have heard different opinions about the SNAP benefits from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). I’ve also read or heard a few personal experiences from people who stood hours in line and were approved, turned away, or denied benefits.

Did you stand in line for hours to receive SNAP benefits from FEMA? What was your experience in the line and once inside the IDHS office?

If you were eligible and did not take advantage of the benefits, why not?

What could have been done differently to make the process more effective.

Share your thoughts?

Friday, September 3rd, 2-6pm
Capoeira! Featuring, renowned performer and teacher Emily Conrath with her partner Eric Johnson

(Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance. It was created in Brazil by slaves brought from Africa, especially from present day Angola, sometime after the sixteenth century.)

Saturday, September 4th, 2-6pm
Zumba! Ms. Kelly Alexander, offers Zuumba with a special Belly dancing interlude led by the exotic Khalidah. (Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away.)

Sunday, September 5th, 2-6pm
Gospel Aerobics with Cecilia Brantley of BodyParts Fitness and her co-instructor, inspires you to fitness with Gospel music and reminds you that you can craft a weight training regime with household items.

Monday, September 6th, 2-6pm
Steppin! with Dancer, and Instructor LC Henderson “the technician” demonstrates some of his award winning smooth moves and provides onsite lessons to beginners and technical points for urban steppers.

*Come to our tent’s information table and pick up health-related information you can use! Free handouts on the South Side Healthcare Collaborative, a network of 25+ health centers and clinics that provide quality care in a community setting, in affiliation with the University of Chicago Medical Center’s Urban Health Initiative (UHI). For more information on the Urban Health Initiative visit www.uhi.uchospitals.edu

For tickets and more information about The African Festival of the Arts, including seminars, performances, vendors from around the globe. For more information  visit www.africanfestivalchicago.com/pavillions/health-and-wellness-village

Chicago Public Schools have many different types of schools with many different return-to-school dates.  Generally speaking, the first day of many schools is Tuesday, September 7, 2010.  Be sure to have your children there, on time and ready for a great school year.

Ok, please tell me when we got to the point where parents need to be reminded to take their children to school?  And how much money is spent on advertising these reminders??

Any thoughts?

I had the pleasure of experiencing Tall Ship Chicago 2010 this past weekend, and I was impressed.  Twenty tall ships from the USA, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands wowed Chicagoans and visitors from August 24 – 29th.  Some ships were for boarding and tours and others were for sailaways.  This was the only year all ships were were located at Navy Pier only. Previously, they were docked throughout the city.

The intricate details of the ships’ designs were amazing.  Whomever tied the knots in the rope had much patience and skills.  Each ship had a personality all its own which added to the beauty of it.

Guests had passports that described the different ships, and were able to get them stamped whether they toured the vessels or not.   That was fun and engaging.

Another lesson: to be called a sailor is not a compliment.  Apparently, they were the lowest of the low in some social circles. They also ate from their elbows which is probably why it is ill-mannered to have elbows on the table while eating.  Lots of class-ism on water.

Overall, it was a good time.  I’m looking forward to the next Chicago adventure.

Did you go to Tall Ships Chicago 2010?  How was your experience?

Urban Health Initiative & South Side Health Care Collaborative

The Urban Health Initiative (UHI) of University of Chicago and the South Side Health Care Collaborative are committed to better health on the South Side.

UHI is a partnership between the University of Chicago Medical Center, public leaders, community groups and health care professionals.  All of these individuals are committed to improving the quality of health for South Side residents.  They also attempt to give them access to quality care regardless of income.

The South Side Healthcare Collaborative encourages preventative care by connecting individuals to primary care physicians at community centers.  Providers also provide referrals to specialists.  The services of SSHC not only helps build a doctor-patient relationship, it also helps to reduce major long-term illnesses and medical expenses for patients which creates financial worries.  Nothing beats a peace of mind.

Click on the respective links to learn more about Urban Health Initiative and South Side Healthcare Collaborative and to schedule your appointment today!

Have you had any experiences with either UHI or SSHC? Let us know about them.

House Music (House) first graced the airwaves in the late 70s.  It is over 25 years later, and this unique sound is still massaging the eardrums of Generation Xers and late Baby Boomers. A culture of “househeads”, diversity and individualism was created from the music styles of Farley “Jackmaster” Funk, Frankie Knuckles, the original members of Hot Mix 5, Terry Hunter, and Steve “Silk” Hurley.

House is more than just music.  It is a feeling.  The passion of the creators and DJs can be felt through the mixes they create that reverberate through the huge speakers that rock the “house”.

In fact, House was somewhat of a miracle. These beats and mixes shattered barriers of race and sexual preference at a time when political and social efforts to achieve these goals were not very successful.  Additionally, fashion styles and dance crazes emerged as a result of this awesome musical style.

House Music Will Never Die.  How do I know?  Check out the following figures.

• Over 20,000 people attended the 20th Annual Chosen Few Picnic in Jackson Park in Chicago
• Over 18,000 like the Old School House Heads page on Facebook
• Nearly 49,000 like Old School House Music

What are your feelings on house music?  How has it impacted your life?