Blog Talk

1,200 Urban Preppies, special guests at "Red Tails" movie opening

Wearing their signature red ties, 1,200 students from Chicago’s Urban Prep High School’s three campuses attended a special opening-day screening Jan. 20 at Showplace Icon Theatre on West Roosevelt Road to see Red Tails, the new film about the famed Tuskegee Airmen. All of this thanks to the benevolence and generosity of two Urban Prep supporters, Byron Trott, founder, chair and CEO of BDT Capital Partners, and E. Robbie Robin-son, the firm’s principal.

Red Tails, ex-ecutive produced by moviemaking mogul, George Lucas, tells the story of the all-African American fighter pilot squadron and their impact on the events of World War II. Directed by Anthony Heming-way, the film stars a cast of all Black actors, including Cuba Gooding Jr. , Terrence Ho-ward, Nate Par-ker and several others..

“I was inspired by the legendary Tuskegee Airmen since first learning of their exploits over 23 years ago,” said Lucas. “These are true American heroes whose story has been largely overlooked in history. I strongly believe that all people, especially young people at schools like Urban Prep, will be inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen’s tenacity and come to the realization that nothing is im-possible no matter how difficult it may seem.”

Urban Prep Academy was founded in 2002 by Tim King and a group of African- American education, business and civic leaders who wanted to improve the educational opportunities available to urban boys. In 2006, this non-profit organization opened the country’s first public charter high school for boys: Urban Prep Charter Acad-emy for Young Men/Englewood Campus.

Urban Prep has been recognized internationally for its success in improving the academic, social and emotional development of urban young men. Currently, it operates three schools in high need in Chicago communities. One hundred of Urban Prep’s graduates have been admitted to college.

Fashion Faves — The Society of Manne-quins – they’re the Chicago-area “fashionistas” who each year select from among their friends and other prominent style leaders 10 sister “fashionistas” whom they consider equal stand-outs in the style arena and are therefore named to the prestigious “best dressed” roster of African American Women for the current year and presented at the Annual Honors Luncheon.

Also at the yearly presentation, SOM salutes a Woman of the Year for her outstanding professional and personal accomplishments. Tickets to this year’s Luncheon on Sunday, March 18 at Dinolfo’s Banquets in south suburban Mokena are $70 and proceeds will be used for student scholarships at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Dress Design Dept. Additionally, in an effort to increase scholarship funds, SOM is producinging a commemorative ad book to celebrate the occasion.

Women chosen for the prestigious “best dressed” honor for three consecutive years are

named to the Trophy Board and are no longer eligible to compete. They are automatically elevated to the Trophy Board and hold the title “for life.” A pre-reception for all the honorees will be held on Sunday afternoon in the Orland Park home of Dr. Blondean Dav-is. Lee Brown is SOM’s president.

Newsy Names – Happy b’day wishes to Rev. Ramah E. Wright, Judge Lewis Nix-on, Jacquelynne Marshall, Madeline Mur-phy Rabb, Sharon Morgan, Laurel Strad-ford, Steve Braxton, Josephine Wright, Nelson McLemore Sr., LaVonne Serrano, William Kennedy, Vivian Durham, Walrea Flennoy, Cathy Carroll, D’Anne Burley, Pearlie Taylor, Donald Linder, Antoinette Wright, David Smallwood, Devyn Cullers and Anton Seals Jr. ... Happy 14th anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Steven Jones (Dayna) ... Fashionable Carrie Davis, retired school marm, has one gorgeous formal photo of her and her handsome son, Steve, taken in the Obama White House at a Holiday Party hosted by the Presi-dent and his “First Lady.” Steve, on President Obama’s Finance Committee is one of his major fundraisers.

Soul Scene – A trio of popular singers, Keith Sweat, Eric Benet and Fantasia, perform a “Valentine’s Concert” on Feb. 14 at Arie Crown Theatre in McCormick Place ... And two nights later, check out “An Evening of Soul,” celebrating Chicago’s world-fam-ous soul scene and Black History Month (that’s Febru-ary, you know!) during an unforgettable evening in the Crystal Garden of Navy Pier. There will be live music by jazz vocalist Joan Colasso, Avain High-tower & Full Circle, plus line dancing and cocktails. Special flat-rate parking ($10) after 5 p.m. Co-presented by Priceless Presentat-ions. Free admission!

Movin’ On Up – Hats off to Latonia Par-tee, former senior broadcast negotiator at Group M, working with a wide array of cli-ents from the auto, communications and banking industries, has been named ac-count executive for sales and marketing at ABC 7 Chic-ago, so an-nounces Vin-cent Solle-cito, sales/marketing vice pre-sident.

The Columbia College grad was des-cribed by Sollecito as “a talented, savvy ne-gotiator who engages her clients in new o-pportunities across all mediums. With extensive experience in television, cable and radio, Partee has earned an outstanding reputation for excellence in the market. Naturally, we are thrilled to have someone of her calibre as part of the team at the Number #1 station in Chicago.”

She previously worked as a national television negotiator for Burrell Communications and senior broadcast negotiator for Zenith Media Services Inc. For 17 years, Partee, her husband and two children have lived in the western suburbs.

To Good Health – A busy Dr. Terry Ma-son, chief medical officer of the Cook Coun-ty Health & Hospital System and past commissioner of the Chicago Dept. of Publc Health, moderates a forum presented by the Union League Club’s Public Affairs Commit-tee (PAC) and its subcommittee on Race this Wed-nesday, 4 p.m., at ULC. Also on the panel: Dr. Antho-ny Lo Sasso, dir-ector of Doctoral Studies, School of Public Health at the University of Illinois. And on Saturday, Doc Mason, who is past commissioner of the Chicago Dept. of Public Health, partners with Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s International Trade Bureau for a Health Awareness Day Breakfast. It’s all taking place at PUSH headquarters, 930 E. 50th St.

World Premiere – Bring a group of 10 or more of your kin, friends and co-workers to take in the world premiere performance at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis. It’s an adaptation pf Ralph Ellison’s masterpiece with savings in your pocket. In this world premiere production a landmark American novel comes to life, Ellison’s classic stotry of a young African Amrican’s search for his identity blazes with luminous theatricality and truth. Get 30 percent off on group rate tickets. Adapted for the stage by Oren Jacoby and directed by Christopher McElroen, the play is runs through Feb. 19. For tickets, call Kate Vangeloff, (773) 753-4472.

Copyright 2012 Chicago Defender