The Common Cup and COVID19

As the impact of Covid19 ricochets around the world, workers and businesses everywhere struggle to adjust. Globally, stories of tragedy and triumph dishearten us and lift us all. Locally, Chicago residents shelter-in-place and all but essential workers stay home–some adapting to working remotely and others adapting to not being able to work at all. Amid this quieter-than-usual city sits a small coffee shop in the Rogers Park Neighborhood–the Common Cup.

Under the leadership of Café Manager, John Pendleton, the Common Cup remained open for the past three weeks (though at reduced hours), for pick-up and delivery orders only–because we all know coffee is essential! The few staff who were not dependent on their pay (such as college students who had to return home), voluntarily gave up their hours to staff with greater needs. Work that was planned to be outsourced at a later date became immediate staff projects according to available skillsets. A barista skilled with a paintbrush? The whole shop has been repainted. A barista who does web design? The shop finally has a website! A barista with some electrical skills who loves a good sound system? The shop had new speakers installed. A Café Manager with woodworking skills? The bar’s been redesigned, sanded and finished for a new look. AND the entire shop got a deep clean from corner to corner, including the chairs getting scrubbed an entire shade lighter.

The on and off-site projects (performed with appropriate social distancing practices), reduced pick-up hours, and new delivery services, enabled the staff to maintain their average work hours and paychecks for the past three weeks of state mandated shelter-in-place, making a huge difference for each of them. For this week and next, expected to be the peak of the virus spread in Chicago, the shop will be closed completely. However, the entire team has been enrolled in Barista Hustle and will still be able to maintain their average hours, as well as gain valuable training and certifications by taking online courses.

We are grateful for our coffee professionals, Director, Kari Pendleton, and Café Manager, John Pendleton, who lead and care for our coffee team so well, as well as provide excellent product/service for the community. We are also grateful for the extended Entrenuity family, friends and investors, who have positioned Entrenuity in such a way that we can continue to serve, offering much needed solutions to entrepreneurs and small businesses during these unprecedented times, as well as provide for our own employees. To God be the Glory.

thecommoncupchi.com

 

 

 

Kimberly Bryant: Black Girls Code

Changing the Face of Technology

Kimberly Bryant is the Founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit organization dedicated to “changing the face of technology” by introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts.

"When I was first introduced to computer programming, as a freshman in Electrical Engineering, Fortran and Pascal were the popular languages for newbies in computing and the Apple Macintosh was the new kid on the block. I remember being excited by the prospects, and looked forward to embarking on a rich and rewarding career after college.

But I also recall, as I pursued my studies, feeling culturally isolated: few of my classmates looked like me. While we shared similar aspirations and many good times, there’s much to be said for making any challenging journey with people of the same cultural background.

Much has changed since my college days, but there’s still a dearth of African-American women in science, technology, engineering and math professions, an absence that cannot be explained by, say, a lack of interest in these fields. Lack of access and lack of exposure to STEM topics are the likelier culprits.

By launching Black Girls Code, I hope to provide young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up.

That, really, is the Black Girls Code mission: to introduce programming and technology to a new generation of coders, coders who will become builders of technological innovation and of their own futures.

Imagine the impact that these curious, creative minds could have on the world with the guidance and encouragement others take for granted.

I have, and I can’t wait!"

Black Girls CODE has set out to prove to the world that girls of every color have the skills to become the programmers of tomorrow. By promoting classes and programs Black Girls Code hopes to grow the number of women of color working in technology and give underprivileged girls a chance to become the masters of their technological worlds.

Kimberly has been nationally recognized as a thought leader for her work to increase opportunities for women and girls in the technology industry and has received numerous awards for her work with Black Girls CODE.

 

article credit: blackgirlscode.com, linkedin.com

 

 

Beth Santos and Wanderful

Helping All Women Travel the World

Women make 80% of travel decisions. 2 out of every 3 travelers are female. 11% of the entire travel market is occupied by the solo female traveler. And yet, women’s travel is consistently considered a niche in the travel industry, which fails to consider real concerns women face when traveling, especially alone: cultural nuances and gender norms, safety, the female body.

But what if women could guide each other, in real time, wherever they are around the world? That’s the premise of Wanderful, an international sisterhood of women of diverse ages and background who meet online and in person to help one another travel the world.

Wanderful Founder, Beth Santos, started a personal blog in 2009 when she couldn’t find substantial resources for women who were traveling alone. That blog grew into a global community of women travelers dedicated to helping each other. In 2015, Beth rebranded as Wanderful–which has exploded into a global lifestyle brand with the active participation of over 40,000 women and nonbinary people whose mission is to make travel easier for women by connecting them to their greatest asset: each other.

Wanderful's mission is accomplished through: 

• A thriving membership community where women can find travel buddies around the world
• In-person chapters in 50+ cities
• Global gatherings and trips like the Women in Travel Summit and Wanderfest
• A woman-to-woman homesharing network
• A powerful database of women-owned trips
• And more!

Beth isn’t just making travel easier for women. She’s changing the way the entire travel industry operates!

 

For more stories about women who broke travel barriers and made history:   CLICK HERE

 

Article contributions from bethsantos.com, sheswanderful.com and Forbes.

 

GUMBO MEDIA

Expanding the Black Narrative

Gumbo Media , founded in September 2016 by Courtney Phillips and Matthew Manning, curates content, experience, and opportunity that expand the narrative of Black life.

Gumbo is committed to an inclusive, equitable representation of Black life–the vast majority of everyday Black voices–rather than the common narratives of celebrity entertainment and monolithic stereotypes that exist in most media representation.

Part of that vision includes the release of their latest project–Gumbo Magazine –available now at gumbomedia.com/magazine .

Gumbo Magazine is a biannual print publication with 150+ pages of poetry, essays, short stories, art, comics, and photos from 75 of the world’s most talented emerging Black creatives. It is a tactile exploration and archive of the expansiveness of Black life.⁣⁣

“Issue 001: Black” is described as “a love letter to Black life.” The issue will celebrate the many corners and intersections of the Black experience, explore the questions that shape Black identity, and highlight the histories and discourses left unspoken.⁣⁣

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

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Graphic Design for Issue 001 is by Tahiti Morgann (@0514design)

Full cover credits:⁣⁣

• Photographer: ‪Bobby Rogers‬⁣⁣
• Model: Moliesha Onyongo (@moliesha95)⁣⁣
• Photography Assistant: Desaré Cox (@chipotlayyye)⁣⁣
• MUA: Brynna Heiser (@brynna.rijoyce)⁣⁣
• Stylist: Eb Umana and Golden Pearl Vintage (@thegoldenpearlvintage)⁣

 

 

Black Engineers Today

Braxton Jenkins

Braxton Jenkins is a junior studying mechanical engineering at Valporaiso University in Indiana. He is specifically interested in the study of energy and desires to innovate solar panels, installing them in underserved communities in Chicago. He is a member of Valpo’s Christ College Honor’s Program.

Braxton’s dad enrolled him in an engineering program when he was in middle school. The experience challenged him and got him thinking about a future in the engineering field. Braxton was further challenged in high school to consider his role in the care of the environment, as well as socio-economic and race issues and the disparities both had wrought in his community. He entered college with the desire to study engineering and make a difference in underserved communities of color.

Braxton had the privilege of serving in several different countries throughout his college career with an organization called WAVES, including Haiti, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The purpose of his summer internship in 2019 was to evaluate dysfunctional residential solar panel systems in a rural, indigenous community in El Cacao, Nicaragua. He researched how components of solar systems work and what causes their failures, preparing a presentation that will be used to explain why the systems are failing and viable options to install more sustainable solar systems.

Braxton is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and is the Treasurer for the NSBE Chapter at Valpo.

Braxton’s first piece of advice to students of color is to go into a field of study with a plan or goal in mind. During his time studying engineering, Braxton says, “I’ve been kicked down, then kicked down again. I’ve learned that if you want to achieve something, you have to see yourself in a position of success and then work to achieve it.” Braxton’s second piece of advice is to surround yourself with people who will encourage you to keep going, not just mentally but also logistically. People who will ask, “How are you going to keep going?” One practical way Braxton does this is by meeting weekly with his academic professor from Freshman year.

Read about Braxton's summer internship experience HERE.

Braxton grew up in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and is a graduate of George Westinghouse College Prep , a Chicago Public Schools Selective Enrollment School. While at Westinghouse, Braxton participated in the  The Northwestern Medicine Scholars program, which is designed to provide outstanding Westinghouse students enriching experiences to explore and be better prepared for careers in medicine and biomedical sciences. Students have the opportunity to learn from the country's leading physicians at a premier academic medical center.

Now Westinghouse also offers the FH Paschen Engineering Scholars program where students get a behind-the-scenes look at civil engineering and construction in Chicago. This highly-selective three-year program provides students summer internships, course work at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and construction site visits throughout the year.

 

 

Imagery by Chi

Yolanda Richards-Albert

Yolanda Richards-Albert, founder of Imagery by Chi and Entrenuity's photographer of choice, has been working as a professional photographer since 2015, focusing mainly on event photography and headshots/portraits. 

Yolanda loves capturing life's meaningful and precious moments. She specializes in creating a relaxed vibe to ensure her clients feel comfortable when she's capturing their image. She's found that most people don't like having their picture taken. However, she takes joy in creating spaces that make others feel at ease, making the process one that they can enjoy instead of just tolerate.

Yolanda is especially excited about her recent photo series capturing portraits of POAD--People of African Descent. She dreamed about the project for over a year and believes it's important because "Black is Beautiful. Black is bold in portrait form. Black representation matters ... and although images of Black people in media have significantly grown, they're still just scratching the surface."

 >>>CLICK HERE  to see her digital photo series.