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A History of Hope:
Highlighting the Work of Mariame Kaba
By Jess Kozik
 It's important to look to history for people who inspire us, who encourage us to push forward and remind us that real change can happen. In the guidebook Lifting as They Climbed: Mapping a History of Black Women on Chicago's South Side, co-writer Mariame Kaba explores sites that represent the work of Black female activists from Chicago's South Side, such as abolitionist Mary Jane Richardson Jones and journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett. These women fought to make the city a better place for themselves, their loved ones, and generations to come. Kaba, clearly inspired by the brave women that came before her, spent over twenty years in Chicago working as an educator and organizer before returning to her hometown of New York City.
Kaba has led and continues to lead a life that will certainly be a part of the books one day. Her work centers largely around the prison-industrial complex, as well as violence against Black women and children. Kaba shares stories, not only of activists in history, but of women in general and the violence committed against them. One particular story
in which Kaba invested herself was that of Bresha "Breezy" Meadows, who was taken into custody after killing her abusive father in 2016.
The legal system can be predatory towards domestic violence survivors like Meadows in cases like this. Luckily, with the support of her lawyer and the public, Meadows was sentenced to only a year in juvenile detention, with credit for time served. Other cases leave victims with even worse sentences, forever changing the course of their young lives. Kaba hopes to end youth incarceration and change the way people think about crime and violence. She founded Project NIA, a grassroots organization which aims to do just that. It incorporates the principles of restorative justice,
focusing on the needs of the victims and the community. One of the key principles is strengthening community, and by strengthening community the needs of our neighbors may be better understood in a way that can help reduce and resolve crime.
Project NIA is only one of numerous organizations Kaba has been involved in. Others include the Rogers Park Young Women's Action Team, the Chicago Freedom School, and We Charge Genocide. She also serves as an inspiration for other activists that have launched organizations such as Assata's Daughters and Black Youth Project 100. Many look to her as a beacon of hope, something that she nurtures within herself. declaring,
"You've got to wake up in the morning and choose to be hopeful, which is not the same thing as saying that you're an optimist. Being hopeful is the belief that when we put our effort together, that it's possible for us to change the trajectory of things that are unjust. It's just putting in that notion." Change can happen when one manages to be both a realist and an idealist, marrying the understanding of the reality of today with the hope of a better tomorrow.
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A Win for YMCA Child Care Workers
By Gwen Vaughn
Chicago YMCA Child Care workers GO on Strike! This is the same metropolitan YMCA who states in their mission that they will build strong children, families and communities. Well, this is only somewhat true! We do know that they have selected high quality staff for their early centers in which some of the facilities include gymnasiums. These workers, who are educators along with their surrounding staff, bring their best to work each day to make sure that every child receives quality care and education. There's been a variety of events and conversations around the country that brings awareness of how child care workers are underpaid.
The YMCA has 10 child care centers across the Chicago metropolitan who organized and won their first contract in 2014. Currently the Y staffs 130 workers. Devon Richardson who is a preschool master teacher at the South Side YMCA said that as far as she could remember, she always wanted to be a teacher. Devon has been a teacher for 10 years and she's been on staff with the YMCA for 7 years. She is the proud mother of two daughters, ages10 and 1.
When asked if being a teacher was rewarding, with no hesitation, she quickly responded with a yes! Devon said that she truly loves inspiring children. She teaches to learn and to develop the children in her classroom. She said, "It makes me feel good when I see children interacting and with education through play and developing social emotional skills, development, and knowing that I'm a part of part of it."
Just like thousands of workers across the country, Devon struggles with making ends meet. She provides quality care for others; however, she can't afford to pay for child care for her one-year old daughter. Devon depends on her family to assist her with child care and wishes that her daughter could be with other toddlers.
The workers at the YMCA had been in negotiations for better wages and solutions for the YMCA's short-staffing issues. On March 1st the workers took a stand, and participated in an unfair labor practice strike across the 10 Chicago centers. They were joined by multiple elected officials and candidates as well as several community organizations. They ratified their contract on April 13th, and the workers won raises on an average of 11%, along with time and a half pay on holidays. They've also improved their working conditions by placing in effect prep time into their regular scheduled work hours. This contract illustrates the issue of low wages that the child care industry faces. This was a huge victory for child care workers, and as they move forward they will continue to stand up for the work that they do daily, and make demands to build a sustainable system for all.
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Carolyn J. Jacobson: CLUW Activist
By Helen Ramirez-Odell
 Carolyn J. Jacobson was a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Her lifelong work was to challenge entrenched sexism within the ranks of labor and to secure recognition of women's issues and women's leadership within the AFL-CIO.
When she worked for the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) she was the union's representative to national CLUW.
After she retired from BCTGM she served for 15 years as a project consultant and special assistant to the CLUW President. Women's health issues were very important to her.
In 2001 she created and directed CLUW's Contraceptive Equity Project to urge unions to demand contraceptive coverage in their health plans if the plan covered other preventive drugs and devices.
When CLUW learned that cervical cancer was caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) she directed CLUW's Cervical Cancer Prevention Works project to promote cervical cancer screening, including testing for HPV. Carolyn came to Chicago and worked with Katie Jordan, President of the Chicago CLUW Chapter, to promote the Yellow Umbrella Tour which informed both women and men that HPV caused cervical cancer and that it could be prevented through regular testing and a new vaccine.
In 2015 CLUW adopted the Spread the Word Campaign to raise awareness on coronary artery disease which is the #1 killer of women in the United States. Carolyn worked closely with Helen Ramirez-Odell RN, co-chair of national CLUW's Women's Health and Wellness Committee, on these health projects.
Carolyn also served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Berger Marks Foundation to help young women advance in leadership. She helped CLUW get grants to fund projects that helped mentor young women activists and trade unionists. Carolyn came to Chicago to plan mentoring circle training with Katie Jordan for young women in CLUW. She also provided materials for the program.
Carolyn Jacobson passed away on March 23, 2018 at age 67.
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