Capitol Briefs: Pritzker touts manufacturing training funding, announces cultural districts
Proposed budget includes another $24 million for manufacturing training academies.
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Dr. Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum to showcase a journey into slave dungeons and African ancestry in “Walking with My Ancestors”
Dr. Ama Oforiwaa Aduonum, a professor at Illinois State University, an award-winning playwright, and a Queen Mother in Ghana, spent months in African slave dungeons to get a better understanding of her ancestors’ experiences. Her time there helped inspire her performance piece Walking with My Ancestors: Cape Coast Castle coming to the Spurlock Museum in…
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Over one-third of Illinois fourth graders don’t have basic reading skills. The state has a plan to change that
Senate Bill 2243 required the Illinois State Board of Education to create a literacy plan. The law emphasizes the plan should help school districts adopt evidence-based teaching strategies, including phonics.
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Victoria Vincent gets serious about her comedy
Victoria Vincent is a rising star in the Chicago comedy scene and is performing at the Illini Union this Friday, February 9th at 7pm. Vincent, who started her career as a healthcare worker and still holds her medical license, was named one of the Just for Laughs New Faces in 2022 and is a regular…
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A Dialogue with Chancellor Jones, Shamar Betts, NPR’s Ayesha Roscoe, and Decatur ISD Board Member Alana Banks
“Dialogue” is the weekly news magazine airing Saturdays at 11am and Tuesdays at 7pm on Illinois Soul FM 101.1 and FM 90.9 HD2.
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New exhibit examines Midwestern Black lesbian experience
CHAMPAIGN — Archival photos are the centerpiece of a new display at the Krannert Art Museum focusing on the Black lesbian experience in the Midwest. The new solo exhibition by Jen Everett, “Could You Dim the Lights?” opens February 1 and runs through October 2024. Powell noted the universal appeal of Everett’s work, saying, “She’s…
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Illinois Public Media launches Black focused music and news audio service: Illinois Soul FM 101.1
Illinois Soul began airing February 1, 2024 on WILL-FM 101.1 and 90.9 HD2. It streams on illinoissoul.org.
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One in 10 students skips or reduces meals to save money. Some Illinois lawmakers want to help
One in 10 college students are food insecure, according to a 2020 University of Illinois study of U.S. Census data. Some Illinois lawmakers want to change this.
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New state task force aims to promote state’s Underground Railroad history
First meeting took place Tuesday.
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Illinois Public Media launches Illinois Soul: a new platform amplifying Black voices and music
On February 1, 2024, Illinois Soul will launch on FM 101.1 here in Champaign-Urbana. And outside of the twin cities, you can tune it in on a high definition radio at FM 90.9. HD 2.
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City leaders announce migrants bound for Chicago land at Rockford Airport
ROCKFORD – The city of Rockford is fielding questions after announcing that a plane filled with hundreds of migrants landed early Sunday morning at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. City leaders say they had been informed with short notice that a plane carrying migrants from Texas was scheduled to land in Rockford. The city says there…
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Do you want your child to go to an English-Spanish or other dual language school? The state wants to help
Illinois state representative Abdelnasser Rashid sponsored HB3822 this year to help school districts expand their dual language programs.
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CU group works for ‘radical’ inclusion in the arts
URBANA — A group of artists who identify as people of color is having its first meeting on Wednesday, December 13th. The newly formed CU BIPOC Artist Collective aims to help non-white artists connect with each other, network, and find emotional support. The collective is a partnership between the City of Urbana’s Arts and Culture…
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Racial covenants limited housing options for Black residents in Champaign; a local group aims to repair that harm
Racial covenants restricted almost 800 pieces of land in Champaign County from being owned by anyone who wasn’t white. The Champaign-Urbana Reparations Coalition is starting to advocate for reparations for this for African Americans in the area.
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The Black Church: An in-depth look on its impact on Black culture in Black America
The series The Black Church: This is Our Story, this is Our Song explores how the Black church has served as a nurturing ground for the major institutions that help define Black America for centuries. On December 15, Illinois Public Media will host an episode of the series at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. …
