What's Going On... Now #CHICAGO

“Hollow” - a film by Shaondell Black and students of YOUmedia for the What’s Going On Now Project.

(Source: youtu.be)

Sam Carroll delivers his poem for the What’s Going On Now Project.

(Source: youtu.be)

Vanity does spoken word for the What’s Going On Now Project.

(Source: youtu.be)

Thaddeus Tukes Performs “What’s Going On?” for the What’s Going On Project via Kennedy Center

Anubis and L.A. perform their song “Rainbows N Arizona”  for the What’s Going On Project with the Kennedy Center.  This is an ode to Trayvon Martin.

(Source: youtu.be)

“Illinois state representatives have filed a much-anticipated marriage equality bill in the Illinois General Assembly, local LGBT groups announced Feb. 8.

“Reps. Greg Harris, Deb Mell and Kelly Cassidy have introduced the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, which would allow same-sex couples to marry in Illinois.”

-Kate Sosin via Windy City Media Group. 2/8/2012

Video Source: Setyoufreenews.com

Surveillance Drones are coming to Chicago for the NATO protests in May.

“The bottom line is: domestic drones are potentially extremely powerful surveillance tools, and that power — like all government power — needs to be subject to checks and balances. We hope that Congress will carefully consider the privacy implications that this technology can lead to.” -Jay Stanley via ACLU Blog of Rights. 2/6/2012

“WE ARE THE 1%” - Chicago Traders

“Here’s a look at the windows of the Chicago Board of Trade, in which a daring band of the nation’s money people have fought back against the Occupy Chicago protest onslaught by declaring, “We are the 1%,” with some signs in the windows.” 10/5/2011

-Jim Newell via Gawker.com

“This young man won a contest to design a new sticker for the city of Chicago. Then someone in the department noticed that there may be gang signs hidden in the design. The award was taken away.” 2/13/2012

- Danny Gold via Gawker.com

The Interrupters

Internationally acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) joins Amanda Palmer and the FPS audience for a Q&A on his searing new documentary The Interrupters, about preventing gang violence on the streets of Chicago.

Embedding himself in a violence prevention movement called Ceasefire, Steve takes his camera to the volatile neighbourhoods where a wrong word or a provocation can get you killed. The self-described Interrupters, armed only with their street smarts and negotiating skills, try to defuse confrontations before the bullets start to fly.

The Interrupters have all had first-hand experience of Chicago street culture. Eddie is a former member of a notorious gang, Cobe has served prison time for drug trafficking, and Muslim convert Ameena is the daughter of one of the city’s most famous gangsters.

The crux of the film is that violence can be seen as an infectious disease that engulfs communities if left unchecked. With an epidemic of gang violence affecting not only Chicago, but cities all around the world, The Interruptersprovides a timely exploration of the causes of violence, and the ways it can be tackled.

Source:

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/fps/2011/09/2011988517267291.html

An excerpt from the recently released DVD of some of Marvin’s greatest live performances on TV and film, “Real Thing: In Performance 1964-1981,” This live performance comes from the long out-of-circulation 1973 film, “Save The Children” with James Jamerson on bass.