A Voice to Be Reckoned With

A Voice to Be Reckoned With
By Eve Brownstone

My mom has always had a voice to be reckoned with. As a kid she only had to say my name ”Eve!” and give me a look and I changed my tune.

One early memory of mom involved her going up to my elementary school, Shoesmith, in Hyde Park to try to get an abusive teacher fired with other parents. The parents gathered together with picket signs, marched and let their concerns be known. Those parents got that teacher fired.

In the 1980s, when Reagan was running for a second term, mom and I stood out in the rain attempting to register voters. The pausing drivers many were African Americans on their way to work said, “ It doesn’t matter who we vote for, its not going to change anything.” Mom tried to convince these hard-working and weary Americans that their votes did matter. Reagan got re-elected.

When my little sister was in at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, mom served on the very first Local School Council with Dr. Brazelle and David Orr. Mom felt honored to serve and was an active member. I know I learned from her the importance of getting involved and serving your community.

In January 2009 mom and I traveled together to Washington to see Barack Obama sworn in as our 44th President. We got inspired, tired and cold, but we were together with millions other Americans crying and hoping for change. This experience capped off two years of mom volunteering every week, three times a week answering phones for the Obama Campaign headquarters in Chicago. She also criss-crossed the country knocking on doors and stood in the masses with Obama in Denver as he received the Democratic Nomination. Mom was in her late sixties.

Today at sixty-nine, mom’s voice has been quieted but not silenced by ALS. She uses an Ipad to communicate. Her spirit is all there and her heart speaks through her fingers on the Ipad, or a smile, a gentle touch. Mom can still give me one of her “Eve!” looks though. It still packs a punch. I have to reconsider my actions because my mom still has a voice to be reckoned with.

Dear Rogers Park BizArters

Dear Rogers Park BizArters, I want to thank you for the past seven years of community and networking fun. It has been a pleasure to coordinate the Rogers Park BizArts every month with Sandi Price and Mike Glasser. Due to family and other obligations, I am giving up my role as a coordinator. September 29 will be my last RP BizArts for a while. I may be back in the spring of 2011 as a participant. Please Sandi, Mike and all, please keep the arts in BizArts. I want to thank Mike Glasser for founding the Rogers Park BizArts and asking me to join in the fun. It has been an interesting seven years. Some of my favorite events include: the Aldermanic Forum at the No Exit in the last election, and the first Rogers Park BizArts Art Show last March. I am grateful to Michael James, Katy Hogan of the Heartland, Neil Lifton and Mary Bao of Duke’s Bar for your long time commitment and generosity to our group. I want to thank our core group of wonderful people who show up every time: CJ, Karen, Laurene, Sharon, Richard, Mark and Emily. Keep referring to each other. To all you new comers and folks who want to check out the group keep coming. The Rogers Park BizArts is a great group of people. I’m going to miss you guys. All the best and lots of love, Eve Brownstone