■ Telling your own West Side story PAGE 6
FREE Vol. 37 No. 18
May 3, 2023 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
@AustinWeeklyNews
@austinweeklynews
@AustinWeeklyChi
Market k lleader, d page 2
Growing roster of notable West Siders seeks 1st District seat
Acree, Hatch, Jr., Smith-Members seek Johnson’s county seat By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ and IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporters
Rev. Ira J. Acree, co-chair of the Leaders Network, a West Side social justice and faith-based group, and pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church, is seeking to replace Brandon Johnson on the Cook County Board of Commissioners once Johnson is sworn as mayor of Chicago. And he is not alone. Marshall Hatch, Jr., Zerlina Smith-Members and Claiborne Wade have all acknowledged they are pursuing the soon-to-be vacant seat. In an interview April 26 with Austin Weekly News, Acree said, “I’ve already sent a letter of interest to (Cook County Clerk) Karen Yarbrough and I’ve already spoken to the president of the Senate Don Harmon.” Harmon (39th) serves as the Oak Park Township committeeperson, while Yarbrough serves as the Proviso Township committeeperson. They are both part of the Democratic party committee that will appoint Johnson’s replacement. In a weighted vote, the two suburban committeepersons control a narrow majority of the votes needed to make the appointment. In Chicago, Acree has secured the support of Ald. See 1ST DISTRICT on page 4
Poetry in motion with avery r. young SARA JANZ
avery r. young, Chicago Poet Laureate during performance at the Logan Center for the Arts. illuminated the back of ate, avery r. young, a native of Austin First-ever Chicago poet theRedstagelights of the Reva and David Logan cheered in the audience. for the Arts at the University Young’s voice soon resonated in the laureate and Austin native Center of Chicago, where an audience of high performance hall, accompanied by jazz school students from all over the city notes that transformed each of his posaid his goal is to ‘use sat on April 27. Many of the young stu- ems into a vibrant and soulful musical dents had taken the stage minutes be- and lyrical performance. Young’s work poetry beyond the page’ fore to recite their own poems or read in performance, visual text, and sound
By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
some of their favorite poems as part of the Word is Rhythm Poetry Festival. The first-ever Chicago poet laure-
WS ! NEF H S A L
design has been featured in exhibitions See avery r. young on page 8
You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box. Sign up for FREE at AustinWeeklyNews.com