The ancient Roman philosopher Seneca is supposed to have said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Mark Cleveland might be the best embodiment of this maxim as he shares his musical and artistic talents with friends, family and the many strangers he meets in his wide-ranging travels. Many Evanstonians are familiar with […]
Author Archives: Wendi Kromash
Posted inArt & Life
Levy Lecture with author and documentarian Ava Thompson Greenwell
During the past 15 months, Ava Thompson Greenwell completed the documentary she produced and directed, “Mandela in Chicago,” saw it premier on Chicago’s WTTW-Channel 11, completed and submitted for publication the manuscript for her first book, “Ladies Leading: The Black Women Who Control Television News,” and taught reporting classes at Northwestern University Medill School of […]
Posted inArt & Life
‘The Nazi’s Granddaughter’ Author Silvia Foti Bravely Confronts Truth
The Levy Lecture on June 29 featured author Silvia Foti discussing how a deathbed promise to her late mother led to uncovering a disturbing – and hidden –family history: her mother’s father, revered as a hero at home in the tight-knit Lithuanian community in Chicago and in his native Lithuania, was instead an active Nazi […]
Posted inCOVID19
Two Suburban School Districts Address the Social-Emotional Effects of the Pandemic
This piece is part of a collaboration that includes the Institute for Nonprofit News, The Beacon/KCUR; Bridge Michigan/Side Effects Public Media; Cicero Independiente/South Side Weekly; Detour Detroit/Planet Detroit/Tostada Magazine; Evanston RoundTable/Growing Community Media; Madison 365/Wausau Pilot & Review; and MinnPost/Sahan Journal. The project was made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation […]
Posted inArt & Life
Motown: The Music that Moved the World
Music aficionado Gary Wenstrup presented the Levy Lecture on June 22. He is a retired ad sales executive with a passion for music of all types. His presentation, “Motown: The Music that Moved the World,” had the virtual crowd of several hundred seniors reminiscing about and singing along to the music of their youth. Motown […]
Posted inArt & Life
50th Anniversary Celebration of Baby Toddler Nursery Honors State Senator Pacione-Zayas
At a 50th anniversary celebration on June 24, Executive Director Steve Vick of the Infant Welfare Society of Evanston singled out the work his devoted staff, dedicated teachers, the board as well as parents and child caregivers do every day, saying “they are uplifting families and educating children.” The Baby Toddler Nursery, caring for children […]
Posted inArt & Life
Mark Larson Discusses Ed Asner, Actor and Activist at Levy Lecture
Local author Mark Larson, author of “Ensemble: An Oral History of Chicago Theater,” spent the pandemic mostly working from home, interviewing friends, family, and colleagues of Ed Asner. At the Levy Lecture on June 15, Mr. Larson presented some of his research – photos and audio clips – and also shared memories with two special […]
Posted inArt & Life
Storyteller Donna Washington Shares the History of Juneteenth
The esteemed storyteller Donna Washington returned to the Levy Lecture Series on June 8 to explain the history of Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating freedom and marking the end of slavery. Over the past year, the cumulative effects of the Black Lives Matter movement, George Floyd’s murder by Derek Chauvin, and the pandemic have contributed to […]
Posted inArt & Life
Levy Lecture Crowd Enjoys an Armchair Tour of the Universe
Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing at The Adler Planetarium, has a special talent as a public speaker. She is an expert in her subject matter. She speaks with warmth, enthusiasm, and confidence. Listening to her talk about astronomy feels both intimate and understandable, as if she is talking only to the viewer. She makes […]
Posted inArt & Life
Amanda Seligman and the History of Chicago’s Block Clubs
The Levy Lecture topic on May 25 centered around Chicago’s block clubs, presented by a former Evanston resident Amanda Seligman, a historian and expert in the subject. Dr. Seligman earned a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University in 1999 and is currently a professor of history and urban studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She […]