New planning resources help Americans decide when to claim benefits and  

prepare for retirement

Washington, DC – AARP announced the launch of its Social Security Benefits Calculator, a unique interactive tool designed to help people make the complex but critical decision of what is the best age to claim Social Security benefits to meet their financial goals. The calculator is part of AARP’s new “Ready for Retirement?” effort, a ten-step approach to envisioning and planning for a secure retirement, which includes creating a budget and preparing for the unexpected.

“Our research shows that many Boomers are worried about retirement because they don’t feel prepared,” said Jean Setzfand, Vice President of Financial Security at AARP. “With our new easy-to-use calculator and our ‘Ready for Retirement?’ resources, we want to help older Americans understand retirement as a life transition, visualize their goals, and take the steps needed to build retirement security.”

Often, one of the most important retirement-related decisions is when to claim Social Security benefits. The only guaranteed, lifelong source of retirement income for most Americans, Social Security is the principal source of family income for nearly half of older Americans.

More than half of those claiming retired worker benefits in 2009 elected to receive benefits as soon as they became eligible at age 62. But that decision comes at a cost of lower monthly benefits, potentially decreasing one’s lifetime retirement income by a significant amount – as much as 8 percent lower for every year that someone claims before reaching full eligibility age.

“Choosing to claim benefits early – or late – is a highly personal decision made all the more difficult by the weak economy,” said Setzfand. “With health, employment, lifestyle and savings among the many variables to consider, no one age is right for everyone. However, the later you decide to claim, the greater the potential benefits may be for you and for your family. Our calculator helps people weigh the variables and make an informed decision for their individual circumstances.”

The AARP Social Security Benefits Calculator walks users through a simple, question-and-answer format and provides estimates for both monthly and lifetime benefits across a range of ages. It also allows users to customize their experience by calculating spousal benefits and taking into account the impact of continuing to work while collecting benefits. It gives users the opportunity to compare estimated monthly benefits to expected expenses in retirement, and to print a personalized summary report.

To try out the new AARP Social Security Benefits Calculator, visit www.aarp.org/socialsecuritybenefits.

In addition to the calculator, the “Ready for Retirement?” ten-step guidelines incorporate evaluating your health, building your social network, and finding new ways to cut expenses.

“Too many people avoid planning for retirement because they think it’s just a numbers game, or they simply don’t know where to start,” concluded Setzfand. “More and more in today’s environment, though, individuals really have to take responsibility for ensuring their own retirement security. With these tips and tools, AARP is here to help.”

See all ten “Ready for Retirement?” steps at www.aarp.org/readyforretirement.

Editor’s Note: Below is a joint letter from State Board Chairman Gery Chico and State Superintendent of Education Chris Koch. The letter pertains to Illinois’ decision to seek a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act 

November 2011 

In Illinois, we believe that strong standards can and do help our schools achieve. However, we need a system that also recognizes and encourages growth. This year, the rigid benchmarks of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) have deemed that only eight Illinois high schools made “adequate progress”, while 656 failed. While no one questions the need for educational improvement in Illinois and the nation as a whole, this stark statistic does not paint a true picture of Illinois’ schools, nor the progress many of our schools have made toward closing achievement gaps. In fact, aspects of the law have put ‘success’ so far out of reach so as to be counterproductive – actually deterring our administrators, teachers and children from making realistic advances in student learning.

Earlier this fall President Obama announced his plans to allow states to apply for waivers from NCLB, also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Increasing student achievement is Illinois’ number one educational priority, and, as such, our state intends to pursue a waiver from NCLB, allowing us to create our own accountability system. In the coming months, the State Board of Education will work with Governor Quinn and his administration on Illinois’ proposal, with plans to submit early next year. We intend to enlist a diverse group of citizens to help us shape our request and develop the system that puts Illinois children first.

The best long-term economic development tool a state can have is a solid education system. Successful graduates attract business and jobs. The State Board of Education is committed to making Illinois’ Pre-K to 12 system the strongest in the nation. Developing our own stringent accountability system will allow our state to pursue objectives and accountability standards that will ensure our schools’ progress, while also recognizing and encouraging advances in student learning. 

In Illinois we have already embarked on the following initiatives to substantially strengthen our education system:

• The implementation of the Common Core State Standards, which are new, more rigorous learning standards to challenge students and educators alike to increase our global competitiveness;
• The development of new assessments based on these higher learning standards, which will be more rigorous, including using multiple measures and providing better data to teachers to drive instruction;
• The promotion and utilization of technology to drive student achievement;
• The development of a kindergarten survey to ensure our youngest learners are on track in the earliest grades;
• The coordination of a statewide inter-agency partnership that will provide better coordinated early childhood services and performance ratings;
• New, higher standards for teacher and principal recruitment and preparation, aimed at improving classroom instruction and educational leadership;
• The development of a new principal and teacher performance evaluation system that takes into account  student academic growth; and,
• A targeted, intensive effort to turnaround our state’s lowest achieving schools, which involves the provision of additional resources and oversight, while expecting significant gains for students and better possibilities for their future.  

It is within this context of positive change that we must design a new accountability program for our education system. Under NCLB, 65 percent of our schools and 80 percent of our districts are deemed failures, with little hope of climbing out from under the program’s unrealistic performance targets. Is there room for improvement in our schools? Of course – it is what our Board and schools across the state work toward every day. At the same time, we do not believe that a constant message of failure breeds the creative thinking and enthusiasm that creates success; it’s not how you help children learn, so it stands to reason that it is not the best tool for a school’s success either. Illinois’ accountability system needs to be balanced between encouragement and consequences, and opting out of NCLB will allow us to implement such a system.

The accountability system we envision will still expect continuous improvement and success from our students, schools and districts, but the goals we set will be both high and attainable. We need to create smart, nuanced tools to accurately measure the progress our schools make and also identify areas in which achievement gaps exist so that they can be addressed. School districts and schools will have the ability to demonstrate improvement and success in differentiated, appropriate and measurable ways, so that progress is based upon growth and lasting achievements. 

Our waiver request will be based upon the goals of the Governor and the State Board of Education to better prepare every Illinois student for college and career success. There is no question that our schools can and must improve. As part of opting out of NCLB, our state will build an accountability system to raise the bar for all students and focus on closing achievement gaps. To truly help our children grow and prepare for the future, Illinois needs a common sense accountability system, supported by our recent reforms, that not only tracks success and high academic performance, but also inspires it.

Sincerely,

Gery J. Chico                                                 Christopher A. Koch, Ed.D.

Chairman                                                        State Superintendent of Education

By Rick Rowsey

Victory Unlimited Show

Nationwide (November 28, 2011) — How has a tough economy changed the way that men and women meet each other when they’re looking for love? With dating becoming more and more expensive, people have also become more creative in how they meet. Gone are the days when single people looking for love were more than willing to pay high prices to go to nightclubs, parties, and Holiday Gala events just to meet new people. According to Victory Unlimited Objectives LLC (www.victoryunlimitedshow.com), the latest trend is for people to meet their next great love, or simply their next great date this Holiday Season while shopping at malls, grocery stores, or large department stores like Wal-Mart.

Originating as a backlash against the rising prices that singles are charged at their local Meet Markets, this new movement jokingly referred to as “Occupy Wal-Mart” by the show’s host describes people’s growing preference to meet someone new this season while out “shopping” as opposed to out “clubbing”. Based on feedback from the Victory Unlimited Show’s fan base, the most recent broadcast entitled “Occupy Wal-Mart” – The New Dating Movement” has reported that many men have taken up the practice of combining shopping for gifts with shopping for dates.

“When you think about it, it makes perfect sense,” says Victory Unlimited, the host of the self-titled, self-help program that’s aimed at helping men become “better” men in all areas of their lives. “The Holiday Season is here. Many single men and women are just as interested in conserving their finances as they are in starting new romances.”

According to the show, five good reasons to try to meet someone new while out shopping this Holiday Season are:

1. When you meet people out doing “everyday things” like shopping, they’re more likely to be themselves. You have a better chance of meeting the real person, as opposed to who they may represent themselves to be while at parties or nightclubs.

2. When you meet people in safe public places like department stores or grocery stores, they tend to be less defensive and more open to casual conversation from people who respectfully approach them.

3. When you meet people at places like Wal-Mart or other similar locations, they’re usually not there with a huge entourage. With the peer pressure factor being a non-issue, the chances of that person accepting or rejecting your approach based solely on their own, honest level of attraction to you increases.

4. When you meet someone while they’re shopping in stores, you’ll have a lot less competition for their attention than you’d have if you met them at a nightclub, a party, or any other social gathering.

5. It’s the Holiday Season! Single people who want to mingle are much more willing to meet someone new now than almost any other time of the year. So why can’t that person be you?
The Victory Unlimited Show is a “tongue-in-cheek”, self-help show for men that’s reminiscent of programs from the Golden Age of Radio. During each broadcast, the host codenamed “Victory Unlimited”, answers dating, relationship, and general life questions by addressing them with a motivational, military-like zeal. “MWS (”Meeting While Shopping”) is a great way for singles to get together without any upfront expenses or high cover charges,” says the host. “In this economy, it appears that this is an idea whose time has come.” For more details, visit www.victoryunlimitedshow.com.

The Active Transportation Alliance applauds the reopening of crosswalk between Buckingham Fountain and lakefront

In a move that demonstrates City of Chicago’s commitment to making Chicago a safer and easier place for people to walk, the Chicago Department of Transportation is restoring the crosswalk that connects to two iconic public spaces: Buckingham Fountain and the Queen’s Landing.

November 24, Thanksgiving Day, marked the reopening of the crosswalk.

In 2005, the city ripped out the crosswalk connecting these two places with the intention of speeding up traffic on Lakeshore Drive.

Instead of crossing Lakeshore Drive at Buckingham Fountain, people had to walk a quarter mile to either Balboa Avenue or Jackson Avenue to cross the multi-lane thoroughfare.

“The natural place for people to walk once they reach Buckingham Fountain is to the lakefront,” said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “Reopening the crosswalk shows that Mayor Emanuel and Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Klein take pedestrian safety very seriously.”

Over the past summer, two young men attending Lollapalooza sustained serious-to-critical injuries when they were struck by motorists while attempting to cross Lakeshore Drive at Buckingham Fountain.

Given that Chicago sees, on average, about 3,000 pedestrian crashes a year, much work must be done to improve safety for people who walk in Chicago, said Burke. 

“We need to ensure our streets are comfortable and safe for everyone,” said Burke.
“A pedestrian-friendly environment livens our streets and neighborhoods, strengthens local businesses, creates safer neighborhoods, provides access to jobs and leads to healthier Chicagoans.”

Burke said the city’s commitment to making Chicago more pedestrian friendly is also demonstrated by the creation of the Chicago Pedestrian Plan, expected to be released in the spring.

The reopened crosswalk will be ADA-compliant, with curb ramps and lowered pedestrian buttons. The site will also include pedestrian countdowns, to help pedestrians make informed decisions before attempting to cross without being temporarily stopped at the median.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by nearly 7,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 40 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

Tuscaloosa, AL (BlackNews.com) — Scott Robinson Designs helped local victims of the deadly tornado that hit Tuscaloosa, AL on April 27, 2011, by donating original artwork to charity art shows. “Though it has been months since the tornado hit our city, many people still need help rebuilding their lives” says LaShonda Scott Robinson, Artist and President of Scott Robinson Designs.

Local art galleries and individual artists donate original works of art to silent charity auctions. The proceeds go to local families, schools, and individuals affected by the tornado.

“I was my duty to help,” says LaShonda. “I started Scott Robinson designs as a venue to uplift others through the soul fine art. So, to have my art work help others in my community really makes me feel good. This is exactly why I started Scott Robinson designs.”

LaShonda has donated art to many charity auctions. “Giving back is very important to me” she states. LaShonda was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2002. Art was therapeutic in helping her heal. “I am trying to help others through art because art is what helped me”. Scott Robinson designs has donated art to Easter Seals of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa Arts in Education, Jack and Jill of America Foundation, and United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama.

Scott Robinson Designs, Inc. is an online art gallery that specializes in Fine African American Art. For more information on charity art donations or to view LaShonda’s artwork, please visit www.scottrdesigns.com.

Photo Caption: Watercolor Painting entitled “I Wish”

Springfield, IL – The Legislative Audit Commission announced that it is accepting applications from persons interested in appointment as Auditor General of the State of Illinois.

“We encourage anyone who is qualified for this important position to apply,” stated Commission Co-Chairs Senator Chris Lauzen and Representative Frank Maulino. “We intend to conduct a thorough search for the best person or persons to recommend for appointment.”

State law declares that the Auditor General must be “qualified under the Constitution and determined by the General Assembly to be experienced and competent in governmental auditing, financial management, or government operation and knowledgeable in the subject of state government.”

At the completion of the search, the Commission will name several finalists who will be interviewed by the Commission. At least one candidate will then be recommended to the General Assembly for appointment. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members of each House is required for appointment. The General Assembly is not required to appoint a candidate recommended by the Commission, although it has always relied on the Commission’s recommendations.

The Auditor General is a constitutional officer charged with the audit of public funds of the State. Currently, the Auditor General oversees a staff of 92 and administers a $26.8 million budget. State law requires that each State agency be audited at least biennially. In addition, the Auditor General performs investigations, and efficiency, management of program audits at the direction of the Legislature or the Audit Commission. The current salary is $149,004. State law permits, and the incumbent is seeking, reappointment.

Persons interested in being considered for the appointment should submit resumes to the Legislative Audit Commission, Room 622, Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706, or via e-mail at AuditCommission@ilga.gov and postmarked no later than January 31, 2012,

 HBCUConnect.com has an up-to-date listing of tons of financial assistance opportunities on their web site

Columbus, OH (BlackNews.com) – Continuing to expand and grow, the popular HBCUConnect.com Scholarships and Grants Directory provides students and their families a one-stop clearinghouse for finding money to fund higher education. The site is both compiled and edited by HBCUConnect.com staff, but also utilizes crowdsourcing to allow the greater community to contribute and share scholarship information that may be discovered outside of cyberspace.

“One thing that should be noted is that we actually spent time and money researching all of the scholarship opportunities actually offered by each historically black college and university so make sure you have a look if you are in need of scholarship money or if you know someone that is,” said Will Moss, CEO and founder of HBCUConnect.com

The HBCU Scholarships and Grants Directory contains over 1000 scholarships and grants including those targeting minority and disadvantaged students as well as those for anyone wishing to attend a historically black college or university (HBCU). The directory is a free resource for registered members of HBCUConnect.com and registering for membership is instant and free for everyone.

Students, parents, and other interested individuals may easily access the HBCU Scholarships and Grants Directory at www.hbcuconnect.com/scholarships – where one may also register for HBCUConnect.com if not yet signed up. Organizations, educational institutions, foundations and other entities that have scholarships and grants to offer may list their opportunities for free.

ABOUT HBCUCONNECT.COM

Founded in 1999, HBCUConnect.com is the first and largest media outlet targeted towards the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) community. Boasting over 1.5 million registered members and encompassing a complete web portal, magazine, recruiting engine, social networking site, forums, blogs, news feeds and shopping, HBCUConnect.com serves the needs of HBCU aspirants, students, alumni, faculty and staff by providing a single destination and launching point for the entire diaspora.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Black Bloggers Connect is partnering with iHustleNation to present the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise 2012. Bloggers, vloggers, webpreneurs, mompreneurs, social media experts, tech gurus & business owners are all invited to join the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise to Ocho Rios, Jamaica & the Cayman Islands on June 2nd- June 7th 2012. Attendees will have the opportunity to: network with members of the Black online community, participate in break out discussions, be eligible for prize give-aways, and experience Ocho Rios, Jamaica & the Cayman Islands.

BlackBloggersConnect.com is one of the largest online collectives of Black bloggers worldwide. It is also the #1 resource for Black bloggers to network online. BBC members are from over 20 countries, across the world including: U.S.A, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Ghana, Thailand and the U.K.

“We are really excited about the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise 2012. We wanted the Black online world to connect in an exciting way. iHustlenation has hosted this cruise for 3 years with last year having hundreds of attendees from all over the country. This year, our partnership hopes to unite networking with relaxation and fun, ” says Jessica Ann Mitchell, the founder of Black Bloggers Connect.

Attendees that signup for the cruise on or before December 30th will have their blog, website or business featured on the homepage of BlackBloggersConnect.com and NationalBlackPages.com. Attendees are able to signup and receive additional information at BBCCruise.com.

Other cruise partners include: Naturals With Attitude, Next Level Entertainment Group, Time 2 Play, and Youtube sensations TxCutie and iHustleNation. Visit www.BBCCruise.com to get more information and register. For sponsorship information, contact info@blackbloggersconnect.com

Parents must face empty table chairs

By Chinta Strausberg

Flanked by more than two dozen supporters, Father Michael L. Pfleger said before you begin to eat your traditional holiday dinner Thursday remember the children who have lost their lives to gun violence for they represent the empty chairs, “unable to attend, victim of gun violence,” parents must face as the nation celebrates yet another Thanksgiving.

At a press conference held at Saint Sabina Church, 1210 W. 78^th Place, Pfleger was joined by a number of parents and anti-violence groups including Colleen Daley, executive director, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence (ICHV), Annette Nance-Holt, mother of slain Blair Holt, Ron Holt with the CAPS program, UCAN, a representative from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the Chicago Crime Commission, Sandy Lewis representing Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, Tony Land representing Cook County Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown, and many parents who lost children to gun violence like Pam Bosley a member of Purpose Over Pain who lost her son, Terrell.

Nance-Holt lost her son on May 10, 2007. He was shot while aboard a CTA bus. A gang member shot into the bus and Holt shielded a girl from the bullets and was slain.  With tears rolling down her face, Nance-Holt said, “It doesn’t get any easier” as the years go by. “I wish I could bring their children back as well as my own so we wouldn’t have to deal with this but that wouldn’t be.

“Families in Chicago, across the United States will have empty chairs sitting at the table,” she said breaking down in tears. “Our children just did not” die from natural causes or terminal or brief illnesses. “They were murdered,” she said. “They were children and deserved to live a full life.” Instead, parents of murdered children will have to stare at empty chairs this Thanksgiving.

Bosley spoke of the number of unsolved cases “because people are not snitching. They are not telling what is going on.” Her son was shot in 2006 while coming out of church.  “My son stumbled back in church and nobody said anything,” she said. His case is still unsolved.

According to Bosley, in 2006, there were 385 young people shot in Chicago. Their ages ranged from 16-26. In 2007, there were 345 people shot. In 2008 when 16-year-old Derrion Albert was beaten to death, Bosley said 393 people were shot. In 2009 when Deontae Smith, 19, was killed, there were 350 killed. In 2010, she said there were 345 killed, and in 2011 as of September, 350 were shot. She blames people for not telling, people who honor the “Code of Silence” that allows murders to get away with their crimes.

“It’s time for us to take a stand,” Bosley said referring to years ago when she said, “we had nosey neighbors. We need that to come back. We have to tell” when they see a crime committed.

Pfleger also displayed a red cloth covered table of four that included a black and purple bunting cloth draped over one of the chairs. It symbolized the death of hundreds of children who have died due to gun violence in the Chicago area.

“We want to remember all of the children who have been slain due to gun violence over the years particularly this last year, and all those unsolved cases where children who were killed but no one prosecuted,” said Pfleger.  “I don’t care how many officers we have around our schools, until we stop the easy access to guns, until we stop the proliferation of guns, we’re never going to stop this violence.”

Pleger said 30,000 people a year are killed in America by gun violence. “That should be a shame and a scandal to our country.” Referring to the 48^th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Pfleger said “over a week ago, a man with an assault weapon shot into the White House of the United States of America. A bullet lodged in one of the windows of the White House. There has been very little conversation about this assault weapon that shot against eight football fields…and reached the balcony.

“Why are assault weapons not banned in America? Why are assault weapons still allowed in this country? We can’t stop talking about guns? We must stop easy access to guns in America and we must ban assault weapons in America….”

Daley spoke of the proposed conceal and carry bill being pushed by some lawmakers. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act with a vote of 272-154. It requires states to recognize the right to carry licenses from other states similar to driver’s licenses. However, an amendment that would have extended this to Illinois was not included in the final passage. H.R. 822 is now in the Senate.

Daley said, “We must come together and make sure this legislation does not pass out of the Senate.” “We urged everybody to reach out to Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk and ask them to vote ‘no.’” Daley said she has since learned that the bill will be attached to a defense-spending bill.

Asked how he felt about the conceal carry bill reportedly being appended to a defense bill in the senate, Pfleger said, “That seems like the only thing they care about in America is defense. We don’t care about violence. We don’t care about poor people…. We don’t care about people sleeping under bridges, but boy you talk about defense and everybody rallies around it. “Well, we’re talking about defense about our children,” Pfleger told reporters. “

“I don’t hear anybody talking about guns not from the White House all the way down to the City Council,” Pfleger said earlier mentioning he has not heard of this topic since former Mayor Richard M. Daley left office. “We need police. We hear about more security cameras and that’s great. We need more security cameras, but if you have a gun, you’re going to use it.”

Pfleger wants everyone to speak about against guns including the President all the way down to city government. “Our children are dying in our streets. We should be speaking about guns and I’m wondering why the silence. Are we so damn afraid of the NRA in America? To hell with the NRA,” he said.

When he met last week with a group of high school students, he asked them how many could get a gun today. “Every single one of them said they could get them today. Some kids can’t get a textbook in their classroom, but they can get a gun on the street. We can put all of the police we want to on the streets, but as long as guns are a part of our wardrobe in America, as Dr. King says, “When you are in a moment of rage, you will use a weapon no matter how much you say you won’t.”

Pfleger said he understands the Second Amendment. “The NRA won’t touch guns because they work for gun manufacturers and the number one consumer of guns are criminals. So you stop criminals from getting guns? It’s bottom line money.  It’s all about business. The gun manufacturers and the NRA would rather let our children die than to lose their salaries. I say it’s time for the gun industry to have a recession.”

Referring to an Indiana gun event, Pfleger added, “It shows you the sickness of where our country is at. They are giving away guns as door prizes on Black Friday. The first 800 people will get certificates many will get free guns. We are going to give out bullets. We won’t give out food for hungry people, but we’ll give out guns because the NRA has bumped our heads so much to think we need a gun to be safe in America. The more guns the more unsafe we are,” Pfleger said.

His eyes passing over the red-cloth table, Pfleger said, “This table is just a visual of what all of these parents are realizing this Thanksgiving…these empty chairs, and I ask everybody sitting down at their Thanksgiving tables throughout this city this Thanksgiving to remember these parents.

“Remember parents are going to sit down and realize at their Thanksgiving table” their children are gone forever. “Pray for them. Pray for their strength. Pray for their healing, but after you get finished praying for them, after you get up from your Thanksgiving table, do something to stop this violence,” said Pfleger.

A number of parents who lost their children to gun violence gave their testimonies including Father Pfleger who also lost a son to gun warfare.

Pfleger adopted a son, Lamar, 8, in 1981 and a second son, Beronti, in 1992. In 1997, Pfleger became the foster father to Jarvis Franklin, 17, who on May 30, 1998 was caught in the crossfire of a gang fight and died. Pfleger told reporters his son’s killer has never been caught. Last year the Chicago Police Department’s Cold Case unit confirmed they would reopen the case.

Alice Norris’s daughter,  Rolanda LaKeisa Marshall, 14, was killed in 1993 in a drive-by shooting on the West Side. Her mother said Marshall had just graduated from grade school and was looking forward to her freshman year. “She was sitting in a restaurant. They shot up the restaurant and she was killed.”

Since her daughter’s death, Norris said she has been working with Father Pfleger and his anti-violence campaigns, the Illinois Handgun Against Violence, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and others “because it was very devastating to my family,” the mother said. “She is truly missed.”

Marshall was a “very gifted student. She was a straight ‘A’ student during grammar school. She had perfect attendance. She had been to the University of Illinois in their scholar’s program and the Northeastern in their gifted program.  She also attended the DuSable Museum’s gifted program. She was truly talented. She was a dancer, a singer, a cook, a teacher, a poet and a writer,” her mother recalled.

When asked what Thanksgiving means to her without her daughter, Norris said, “Usually, I can get through the holidays, but it’s usually the day after because I still have to be strong for my family.” She has two other children and is a grandmother. “I’m pretty strong on Thanksgiving, but it’s the day after Thanksgiving and after Christmas” that bother’s her.

“I have now lost a child. My husband and my mother have passed away so none of the holidays mean what they used to mean to us, but some how we get through them. My family is very supportive of me. It means that we have an empty chair at our table and some how some of the life leaves out because we all know there is an empty space not only my daughter” but for the others she lost.

“This gun violence and kids killing kids, I don’t understand it and never will in a million years. It seems like in our country these kids are expendable,” said Norris. She is opposed to the gun conceal bill. “We have stood toe-to-toe with the NRA and with the legislators we asks not to pass this bill.”

Tonya Burch testified about the murder of her son, Deontae Smith, 19. He was killed on August 1, 2009 at 61^st and Green Streets.

Gloria Padron said her son, Anthony Padron, 15, was killed seven-years ago. “The case is still unsolved,” she said. “Please help us solve this case,” she said with tears flowing down her face.

Thomas Lee, the father of Thomas Lee II, 20, was shot on August 13, 2008. He died an hour later. His son was at a Harvey store. “He never had a confrontation with anyone. He never spoke to anyone. The police believed it was a car jacking. A man pulled a gun on my son. My son grabbed the gun. There was a tussle and my son got shot in the stomach. “He said the killer has never been caught.

Also attendance was another mother, Catherine Wriddley, who lost her nephew Leon Hammond was killed last year on the West Side, also lost two brothers who were gunned down in 1989 and 1992 also on the West Side. “Gun violence has been in our family for years,” she said.

To raise a child, Wriddley said, “it takes a village and the village is gone. We have to bring back the village mothers and the village aunties where we care about one another.”  “We have to learn to be givers as God has commissioned us to do. If we can’t give, we can’t receive….

“When we give love, then we can receive it, but love is what is missing in our equation today.  We want it. We think love is something you buy at the store, a pair of gym shoes…but we don’t see kids as being kids and loving them with an embrace and a hug. It’s trying times and we have to put some love where all the hate is and that is the only thing that” will bring peace to a society seemingly numb with the level of violence.

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.