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Jussie Smollett outburst: Black LGBTQ community members explain why actor yelled ‘I am not suicidal’

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Jussie Smollett outburst: Black LGBTQ community members explain why actor yelled ‘I am not suicidal’
CHICAGO (WLS) — Some members of Chicago’s Black LGBTQ+ neighborhood mentioned they understood why Jussie Smollett’s repeatedly mentioned he was not suicidal Thursday earlier than heading to serve out his sentence.

WATCH | Jussie Smollett’s outburst in courtroom

Jae Rice, the communications director for Courageous House Alliance, mentioned Black queer folks aren’t protected in jail.

“He was making an attempt to say if something was to occur to him in jail, like what occurs to so many Black queer and trans people, he needed the remainder of the world to know that it wasn’t suicide,” Rice mentioned.

SEE ALSO | Jussie Smollett begins serving 150-day sentence in Prepare dinner County Jail in protecting custody

Courageous House Alliance is a Black and trans-led LGBTQ+ heart on the South Aspect.

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Rice believes Smollett’s 150-day sentence for mendacity to Chicago police about an anti-Black and anti-gay hate crime was extreme.

WATCH | Choose scolds Jussie Smollett at sentencing

“If we’re speaking a couple of supposed hoax right here, a supposed lie…150 days in jail, that may be a loss of life sentence for Black queer people,” he mentioned.

Shakur Silas, this system supervisor for the Chicago Black Homosexual Males’s Caucus, mentioned many within the Black and Brown LGBTQ+ neighborhood have been already distrustful of legislation enforcement and the felony justice system.

“Lots of people are in all probability watching this and experiencing some sort of trauma from experiences they’ve had with the authorized system,” he mentioned.

LGBTQ+ activists say irrespective of one’s opinion concerning the Smollett case, hate crimes do occur every single day.

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Haquann Chavours, this system assistant for the Chicago Black Homosexual Males’s Caucus, mentioned they’ve first-hand expertise.

“I even have been focused earlier than, a couple of occasions. I do not essentially have a worry of it as a result of it’s one thing we realized to dwell with,” Chavours mentioned.

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Chicago, IL

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say

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2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say
ByABC7 Chicago Digital Crew by way of

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 3:26AM

FILE photograph: View of the Chicago Hearth Division, the third largest municipal hearth division in america of America, within the Chinatown neighborhood on Sept. 24, 2014.

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago hearth officers mentioned two ladies have been discovered lifeless in an Englewood house after a home hearth.

The fireplace broke out Tuesday night at a home within the 7200-block of South Wolcott, Chicago hearth officers mentioned.

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The fireplace was struck out at about 9:10 p.m., CFD mentioned.

After the fireplace was out, firefighters discovered two grownup feminine victims lifeless within the wreckage.

It was not instantly clear if the ladies died within the hearth or earlier than the fireplace. No additional particulars have been launched.

The Chicago Hearth Division has not but commented on any potential causes for the fireplace or mentioned in the event that they consider it was suspicious.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Chicago, IL

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

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3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

HIGHLAND PARK, Ailing. (WLS) — Three ladies and their households had been good strangers up till the second tragedy introduced them collectively within the aftermath of Highland Park’s July 4th parade.

As Thanksgiving approaches, they’re united in goal and in gratitude for probably the most primary of all issues: life.

“I believed I used to be going to die,” Highland Park capturing survivor Liz Turnipseed mentioned. “That I used to be going to put there and I used to be going to bleed out and I used to be going to die.”

WATCH | Highland Park capturing survivor tells her story

“I used to be on the parade with my three grownup kids, my son-in-law and my 2-year-old grand child,” mentioned Debra Baum, with the Highland Park Gun Violence Mission. “Our complete household may have been worn out.”

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“July third I had 70 folks at my home and the following day our life bought flipped the other way up,” capturing survivor Lindsay Hartman mentioned. “So I simply know for me, I am attempting to take pleasure in it and never spend an excessive amount of time previously.”

SEE ALSO | Highland Park parade capturing short-term memorial opens subsequent to metropolis corridor

For Lindsay, not spending an excessive amount of time previously means internet hosting Thanksgiving for 30. Liz, who was one of many almost 50 folks injured that day, nonetheless wants a cane to get round, so she’ll be catering the meal and having her complete household fly in. Debra shall be coming along with the identical household she was with on July 4.

“There are numerous households in Highland Park that do not have folks with them this Thanksgiving due to what occurred,” Baum mentioned. “It is a very weighty realization.”

However there’s additionally gratitude for random issues and other people, like for the proper strangers who took in Liz’s 3-year-old daughter for a few hours after she was shot. And the neighbor she’d by no means met earlier than who lent her a step stool for her mattress.

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Turning ache into goal is what unites these ladies now as they foyer for an assault weapons ban in Congress. As a result of whereas life for them won’t ever be the identical, it does transfer on.

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Chicago, IL

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

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Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 8:52PM

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Biden administration is but once more extending the pause on federal scholar mortgage funds, a profit that started in March 2020 to assist individuals who have been struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a supply conversant in the plan mentioned.

The Division of Training will announce it’s extending the freeze one other six months with the primary funds due two months after June 30, the supply mentioned, until a Supreme Courtroom resolution on the president’s scholar mortgage aid program comes first.

The administration had beforehand mentioned the latest extension could be the final, and funds have been scheduled to restart in January.

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However the administration had additionally meant for its scholar mortgage forgiveness program to start canceling as much as $20,000 in debt for low- and middle-income debtors earlier than January. This system has but to be carried out because it faces a number of authorized challenges.

This story is breaking and can be up to date.

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