Archives for April 2020

By Nawal Dairi

The long-shuttered Michael Reese hospital site will undergo about 15 years of development, eventually featuring a community center, data center, life sciences campus, and 31st St. Metra station along with retail and housing (both affordable and market-based), according to the developers and City officials.

Project leaders estimate redevelopment agreements will conclude by the end of the year, and Alderman Sophia King predicts construction will begin in approximately three years and continue through four or five phases. 

The project represents a collaborative effort of a global, research, innovation, and tourism team (GRIT) created by lead developers at Farpoint Development. The acronym also stands for, “get ready, it’s time,” in reference to economic growth on the South Side. 

The GRIT team consists of Farpoint Development, Loop Capital, Draper & Kramer, McLaurin Development, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, and the Bronzeville Community Development Partnership. While not part of GRIT, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, serves as the project’s consulting architect agency.

“The GRIT team was chosen with thoughtfulness to collaborate with people from different backgrounds and insights,” Eric Helfand, partner at Farpoint Development, said. “All of which will be helpful for the future development of the site. We constructed our team for everyone to have a voice at the table for decision making. This represents the overall process of how the site is being built. Alderman Sophia King has created a committee as well.”

Community input

King developed the Michael Reese Community Advisory Committee, which consists of 22 members from various backgrounds such as architecture, development, investment banking, and the community. Using specific criteria, such as experience in development and proximity to the site, she accepted members from a pool of more than 150 applicants. 

“Any huge development should have a community leading the charge,” King said. “The committee has been helpful to the GRIT team in visualizing the development for the community.”  

The committee currently meets every two weeks with City officials and GRIT to voice members’ opinions. Recently, the committee developed subcommittees based on expertise, enabling members to assist with architecture, infrastructure, and transportation concepts.

The development site counts 100 acres, with 48.6 acres consisting of the Michael Reese hospital site owned by the City, 40 acres owned by the Metropolitan Pier Exhibition Authority, and 11 acres owned by private businesses such as McDonald’s and Advocate. 

“This is not a site where we had to demolish something and displace people,” Paula Robinson, president of the Bronzeville Community Development Partnership, said. “This is at the head of the Bronzeville south lakefront, where we can reignite the area with renewable energy and infrastructure. We are reinvigorating an area of innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Bronzeville presents an opportunity zone for Chicago under the Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017. Both Farpoint and King feel redeveloping this area may help alleviate concerns about Chicago talent moving to the east and west coasts. 

Jobs and opportunities

King elaborated on the development’s potential to build talent in Chicago. “Life sciences is a practical approach to harnessing the talent leaving the city to stay here by building a health campus,” she said. “In doing so, we can also celebrate the history of the former Michael Reese site. This is an important piece of bringing jobs and an array of opportunities for the community to take advantage of.” 

Plans for the development’s community center integrates efforts toward historic preservation. Along with creating a functional hub for community members, the center will incorporate historical visuals and celebrate Bronzeville’s history. 

“We have a responsibility to maintain the culture of Bronze-ville,” said Regina Stilp, partner at Farpoint Development. “This is a development for the local and global community as well as a continuation of the skyline of Chicago.” 

The development also will address five core ideas through the acronym WRELM: work, relate, eat, learn, and move. WRELM seeks to develop what Scott Goodman, partner at Farpoint Development, referred to as “the healthy community of tomorrow.”

Naomi Davis, president and CEO of Blacks in Green, noted the need for walkable villages in the region. “We want the City to endorse and adopt our sustainable square mile where African American families can walk to work, walk to shop, walk to learn, and walk to play,” Davis said. “I believe that the City has an outright duty to use one of its most precious assets, City owned land, in whatever construct of equity agenda. I know this is what Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants to do, and I know it’s difficult, but if we can send a man into deep space and return him safely, we can do this.”

Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative seeks to gather corporations and community organizations to invest in opportunities for ten southern and western Chicago neighborhoods, one of which is Bronzeville. 

“Our intention was to invest in the South Side,” said Elle Ramel, partner at Farpoint Development. “For us, it’s a nice alignment because when Mayor Lightfoot issued INVEST South/West we had already started. This development is consistent with the administration’s vision of investing in the South and West Sides and the City’s move toward economic growth.”  

Anchor tenant

The group planning the project has obtained an anchor tenant in a medical innovation center to be founded by an Israeli hospital, Sheba Medical Center, located outside Tel Aviv. The ARC Innovation Center would anchor a health-science cluster that would create new biomedical technologies.

ARC stands for Accelerate, Redesign, Collaboration. It would be located in part of an existing building at the corner of 31st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue.

The project will not include a casino, King said. “The community is adamantly against a casino at the former Michael Reese site,” she noted. “Casinos are known to have deleterious impacts on existing communities, especially communities of color.”

Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM) is the architectural and engineering firm working on the plans.

Farpoint Development’s website is https://www.farpointdev.com/, and the phone number is (312) 971-2525. For the Bronzeville Community Development Partnership, log on to https://bronzevillepartners.com/, or call (773) 532-9850. Blacks in Green’s website is https://www.blacksingreen.org/ Alderman King’s website is http://www.aldsophiaking.com/, and her phone number is (773) 536-8103. SOM’s website is www.som.com, and the phone number is (312) 554-9090.

By Claire Cowley

A film screened in late February at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Minstrel Vs. Puppet, showcases societal challenges diverse women of color face.

Hannah Bonecutter, a first-year master of public health graduate student at the UIC School of Public Health and creator of the film, hosted an open screening and discussion in collaboration with the UIC Black Graduate Student Association, the UIC African-American Cultural Center, the UIC Urban Health Program, and the School of Public Health’s Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health.

The film illustrates issues regarding racism, physical superficiality versus natural beauty, wealth disparity, higher education, and objectification through Bonecutter’s educational and artistic expression.

“The issues in the film are what’s key,” Bonecutter said. “Many of them aren’t being talked about how they should, and people aren’t aware of the historical background.”  

The minstrel character’s idea of success, for example, overlaps with general American definitions such as ample monetary resources. She tends to aim for public acclaim as her ticket to success and has low regard for traditional pathways to other forms of achievement, such as higher education.

“The minstrel is a beauty obsessed woman of color who is fixated on her physical outward appearance, luxurious items, and superficial fame to advance herself,” Bonecutter said. 

On the other hand, the puppet is a conservative woman of color who is working toward higher education achievement.

“She looks down on superficiality and doesn’t rely on beauty to get where she wants to go,” Bonecutter said. “She’s a natural beauty, interested in intelligence, and has no desire to be noticed.”

Bonecutter said like many humans, the puppet character wants to be affirmed for who she is and is aware of her Black and Latino history.

Historical objectification

“One thing that’s important to highlight is the historical objectification of women of color…particularly slaves,” Bonecutter said. “This set a deeply rooted foundation for the societal barriers allowing these characters to be here.” 

Bonecutter mentions Sarah Baartman, who was taken from South Africa and exhibited as a freak across Britain, to emphasize a pivotal moment of focus on the physicality of the black woman. 

Baartman “was stretched to represent women of color, being something to stare at and to gawk at, simply because of outward shape,” Bonecutter said. 

Bonecutter said communities of color glorify strippers, solely predicated on women’s physicality, which can be mentally detrimental to society.

A woman of color’s outward physicality may encompass her total value as a human being, even though people bring much more to the table, Bonecutter said. 

“Black women attend colleges and universities 66% more than black men,” she said. “For most it’s proven beneficial for their futures and career goals.”

Bonecutter said the educational background, knowledge, and professionalism the puppet has give her power.

“Her power of breaking the pattern of being remembered for how you look allows a new mindset to be formed around her value,” Bonecutter said. 

Bonecutter does argue the way the minstrel looks can be a power of influence on a mass scale. 

“The minstrel is extremely alluring, attractive, and easy on eyes in a sexual way,” Bonecutter said. “Perhaps a mysterious, confident, kind of cocky way.”

Context is key in knowing when to pull from a minstrel quality or puppet quality, Bonecutter said. 

“You’re not diminishing yourself, but rather utilizing a part of yourself and naturally allowing it to come out in the appropriate context,” Bonecutter said. “We are very adaptable creatures, and the more adaptable you are to different settings, the better you will fare.”

Bonecutter said she learned where her value truly is, how her value should be represented to others, and what her value means regarding racism, discrimination, and prejudice through balancing positive attributes. 

Stereotypical portrayals

“I understand the stereotypical portrayals of women of color in society, and that doesn’t mean [women of color] have to conform,” she noted. 

Alexis Grant, a second-year doctoral student in community health sciences and president of the BGSA, said Bonecutter allows representation of herself on different levels as an actress, executive producer, writer, educator, poet, and business owner. 

“I think a lot of the time, with different identities, it’s hard to bring it all together,” Grant said. “This event was a way to recognize we can be all of these things.”

Grant said women can be graduate students, artists, and proud black women in a space created for those conversations where multiple identities are not reduced to a single thing.

“I think people might meet people they’re different from, but not necessarily have the space to have those conversations,” she stated. “They might be concerned about being politically correct.”

Grant believes allowing people who are or are not from the same community to understand people of color can celebrate diversity and value it rather than solely recognizing it exists. 

“I think having these conversations in black communities is really important, as is the diversity of blackness,” Grant said. “It’s not one narrative of what it means to be black.” 

She added she thinks these kinds of conversations need to come to the academic sphere across the board as part of recognizing black history is a part of American history.

Krystle Everett, an adult and higher education graduate student and guest at the event, said the American dream, which argues hard work and education grant success, often does not take structural racism into account. 

“The film addresses racism by bringing awareness of the term ‘minstrel’ from a historical perspective and challenging the myth of mediocrity,” Everett said. “I researched the term minstrel and learned Jim Crow originated from a minstrel character.”

Everett said the film reflects reality for women of color because society has yet to see them as full, complex human beings.

“This event brought people from different walks of life together from different religious and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and professions,” Everett said.  

Everett added she believes the film has potential to start a large social justice movement.

Bonecutter wrote and starred in the movie, playing both the minstrel and the puppet. Besides being a UIC student, she also has been active in the community with Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for Elderly, 1419 W. Carroll Ave.

The film has earned kudos including screenings at several film festivals, an award of merit at the Best Shorts Competition, and winning the Chicago section of the Gentleman Jack Real to Reel Competition (sponsored by the makers of Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack whiskey).

For more about Bonecutter, see www.boneclutter.com/meethannahbonecutter. For the UIC School of Public Health, see publichealth.uic.edu or call (312) 996-6620.

By Igor Studenkov

Short term health insurance, also called temporary or term health insurance, originally was meant to tide over people who are between jobs or waiting for other coverage or Medicare to begin until they can obtain longterm coverage.

Under the Trump administration, those plans’ limit increased from six months to 12 months. Several states, including Illinois, have limited them to six months again. 

Proponents argue they provide an affordable alternative to many plans on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) markets. Other experts, including at least one health insurance company, argued such plans fall far short in terms of benefits and can become more expensive quickly if one needs procedures and services such as chemotherapy or mental health care. In addition, they assert other affordable options, including group insurance pools and tax credits, can help lower the cost of ACA-compliant policies. 

When the ACA became law, Illinois was one of the states that expanded Medicaid to cover more lower income individuals than before. Since 2014, those who made $1,366 or less a month ($1,845 for a couple filing taxes jointly) can apply. Those earning more than that can buy health insurance thought the State’s health insurance marketplace.

Illinois Department of Insurance spokesperson Carol Brookens indicated those who have trouble finding affordable plans can get help.

“When consumers shop the marketplace, advanced premium tax credits may be available to help with the cost of premiums,” she stated. “Eligibility is determined based on information consumers provide, including family size and income. In 2018, more than 216,000 people received some level of credits to reduce the cost of their insurance.” The 2019 figures are not yet available.

Do not provide full coverage

Short term health insurance plans are cheaper, but the trade-off is they do not have to provide the kind of coverage longterm plans do under the ACA. Notably, they do not have to cover maternity care, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and prescription drug purchases. For these reasons, Brookens’s department generally advises against them.

“The department is committed to ensuring Illinoisans have quality and affordable health care and all of the information they need to choose the right plan for them,” she stated. “Since short term, limited duration health insurance policies are not covered by the protections of the Affordable Care Act and often do not offer essential health benefits or coverage for preexisting conditions, we recommend that Illinois consumers shop for health insurance plans on the official marketplace through Get Covered Illinois.”

Sarah Lueck is a senior policy analyst for the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a research and policy institute that advocates for “federal and state policies designed both to reduce poverty and inequality and to restore fiscal responsibility in equitable and effective ways.” She specializes in health issues and said the problem with short term plans being allowed to last for a year is the illusion that they are good alternatives to longer term policies. 

“Sometimes, people think that it’s better than nothing, especially if they’re middle income and are not eligible for premium tax credits,” Lueck said. “That may not always be true. They can cost a significant amount of premiums. For the benefits that you’re getting from it, it could be a significant amount and not that much protection.”

She pointed to a recent Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) study, which found that people diagnosed with lymphoma pay an average of $23,100 to $45,800 in out-of-pocket expenses, including premiums and cost sharing for medical expenses, if they are on a short term plan during the course of six months following the diagnosis. By comparison, it found that people diagnosed with lymphoma while enrolled in an ACA-compliant plan could pay $6,300, on average, in out-of-pocket expenses over the same time period.

Patients vulnerable

The findings “confirm what we long suspected—that the design of these plans leaves patients vulnerable to expensive bills,” said Gwen Nichols, MD, LLS’s chief medical officer. “Short term plans don’t offer typical health insurance benefits and provide very little protection when a patient faces a serious, unexpected diagnosis. LLS is working at the state and federal levels to protect patients from these dangerous plans. We urge cancer patients and their caregivers to ask questions about whether their treatments are covered by these plans, given their serious shortfalls.” 

Lueck argued many people may not realize they may have other, more comprehensive and equally affordable alternatives.

“People talk about robocalls, urging people to buy [short term] plans,” she said. “I worry that the marketing and their push is going to confuse people and distract them, and they will not find out about more comprehensive coverage, more affordable and that would cover you if anything catastrophic would happen.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a major health insurance provider that used to provide short term health insurance plans, no longer does so. Spokesperson Colleen Miller said, “Short term health insurance plans aren’t just shorter in duration. They can also be short on the types of benefits many people need. Short term plans may exclude people with preexisting conditions, can include waiting periods for coverage, and may not cover essential health benefits offered by more comprehensive ACA plans. They also may not meet the needs of those who have multiple or chronic health conditions and require longer term care.”

“I agree that short term medical plans are not the ‘idea’” health insurance, but they do serve a benefit to folks that are healthy without any pre-existing conditions,” said Carmen P. Valentino, licensed health insurance agent from the Healthcare Solutions Team. “I encourage folks who are considering purchasing a short term medical plan to bundle them with minimal essential coverage, accidental and critical illness policies for more comprehensive coverage.”

Open enrollment for an ACA insurance plan on the Illinois exchange for 2020 has ended, although due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), some elected officials are talking about opening it up again, but they have not done so as Gazette Chicago went to press. The next open enrollment period is scheduled to begin Sunday, Nov. 1.

Log on to www.bcbsil or call (312) 653-6000 for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. For the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, log on to www.dbpp.org or call (202) 408-1080. Get Covered Illinois, the State’s official health coverage marketplace, is at getcovered.illinois.gov/en or call (800) 318-2596. For the Illinois Department of Insurance, call (217) 782-4515 or log on to insurance.illinois.gov. Log on to www.lls.org for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or call (800) 955-4572. For Valentino, call (312) 259-0333 or email cvalentino@myhst.com.