Barack Obama

CHICAGO – One the brightest comedies set in Chicago is “South Side,” created by Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle. The series began on Comedy Central and moved to HBO Max, and Season Three began streaming on December 8th, 2022, with the same free-wheeling and hilarious misadventures of Simon and Kareme.

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Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya for ‘No Ordinary Campaign.’

CHICAGO – One of the most passionate documentaries at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) was “No Ordinary Campaign.” The story of Brian Wallach and wife Sandra Abrevaya, who decided to use their political acumen to make change when Brian was diagnosed with ALS, was to bring the fight to Washington.

CHICAGO – When Sandra Abrevaya met her future husband Brian Wallach while on the staff of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, their future seemed exceedingly bright. But then Brian was was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and his prognosis was dim. It was time for the couple to use their knowledge to make change.

CHICAGO – One the brightest comedies set in Chicago is “South Side,” created by Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle. The pair moved the show from Comedy Central to HBO Max, and Season Two dropped for streaming on November 11th, 2021, with the same free-wheeling and hilarious misadventures of Simon and Kareme.

CHICAGO – Asian American musician, model, actress, influencer, producer and entrepreneur Jennifer Zhang, based in Chicago, is making waves in the U.S. and global music scene with the premiere of her latest single and video, “Flying High.” The song is East meets West, with Chinese instruments and sounds blending with an energetic contemporary beat.

CHICAGO – The City of Chicago has its campaigns for Mayor heating up, and one of the frontrunners is Amara Enyia, who recently made news by getting endorsements from both Chance the Rapper and Kanye West. Chance will put that endorsement to use by hosting Enyia at a campaign fundraiser on November 14th, 2018, at Chicago’s legendary Chop House. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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Chance the Rapper portrays Dax in ‘Slice.’

CHICAGO – One of Chicago’s biggest celebrities and greatest ambassadors was a high school student in 2011. Chancelor Jonathan Bennett, better known as Chance the Rapper, has had a meteoric rise from that Chi-town high school to become one of music’s brightest stars. And besides the fame, he has made it his mission to help others, both with his time, donations and charitable events. And he has just made his debut in a movie, the appropriately titled “Slice.”

CHICAGO – In 1925, the Franz Kafka novel “The Trial” was published, launching the term “Kafka-esque” to describe people who get trapped by the judicial system. One such victim is Shawn Dunn, a financial planner who discovered a way (in 1994) to take “corporate inversion” – a tax abatement system initially developed by multinational corporations to substantially reduce their tax bill – and apply that same system to his small business and retirement fund clients for their use. Despite the continued legality (for corporations) of the accounting technique, the FBI raided Dunn’s offices, and arrested him for providing the same legal means for his clients to minimize their tax bills. He lost his trial in 2008, and despite many appeals, is currently serving an 18 year sentence.

CHICAGO – Her latest book is “What Happened,” and much of the U.S. shares that sentiment. Hillary Rodham Clinton promoted that book in Chicago on Oct. 30, 2017. As a former First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State and the first woman to be a major party candidate in history, Ms. Clinton has served this country.

CHICAGO – The historic 2014 street killing by law enforcement of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. – and the subsequent deflection by the police – continues to resonate. “Whose Streets?” is a new documentary about the incident and aftermath, and it marks the debut of co-directors Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis.