I’m stoked for this weekends lineup of entertainment. I’ll be here and hope to see you all too!
Friday Night
Supernatural Chicago at the Excalibur is twice the show. You get the brilliance of Neil Tobin, Necromancer (yes I have seen his show twice already and cannot wait to see it again) AND you get the folks behind the movie Paranormal Activity who will be in the house giving out stuff and talking about their new movie, Chernobyl Diaries. *terrified just thinking about it*
Here’s the deal, this is always an intimate show so there are not a ton of tickets…Buy now so you don’t cry later.
Saturday Night
There is NO comedy group funnier than Schadenfreude. Saturday they have a new show titled “NATO loves you” at the Gallery Cabaret. Here’s the details.
In Fall 2009 a remarkable space opened in Logan Square called the Logan Square Kitchen. I should know, I produced the grand opening. It was a magical little spot that was both an event space and a shared commercial kitchen aimed at supporting micro-food enterprises in the city. Some 20 small businesses call this kitchen home right now.
The city didn’t know what to do with LSK because it was a UNIQUE venue. The likes of which Chicago had never seen and while that should have been celebrated it meant that people had to THINK and ADAPT rules and policies to this new type of business. The city didn’t like that much and hence began the process of trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.
Well, the bullying has become too much and LSK is closing its doors at the end of June. Not because they are financially struggling but because THE CITY has made it impossible for them to do business. WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.
The official Press Release:
LSK is a shared commercial kitchen that small food businesses rent by the hour. Currently, about 20 active businesses use LSK as their production facility. All of them will need to find new kitchens in order to keep their businesses open. All clients will be able to continue to produce until June 28, 2012. We’ll be working to support our clients during this transition, and welcome any information about available Kitchens.
It’s a sad time when our government kills the very things that can heal our City. Logan Square Kitchen was designed to heal the local economy, environment and food system all at once. It was an innovative, bold idea that never had its chance. The Dept of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) began hammering nails in its coffin before we even opened our doors in 2009 and hasn’t stopped. Unfortunately, we see no end to regulatory burdens, which will continue to block our ability to grow a healthy business.
Over and over we heard, “you did everything right.” See the Alderman before building purchase. All City Depts approve us through Green Building Permit Program. Go to BACP in advance of applying for license, completely disclosing the business model. Spend 3 months talking about what licenses we needed. Apply as directed. Told we ‘misrepresented’ our business. Told we can’t have license caused we’ve failed our “furniture inspection.” Correct that, and get licenses contingent on conditions we can’t meet. Then the Zoning folks try to shut us down. 20 health inspections. 18 months wrapped in red tape. Enduring intimidation and harassment, the resources we set aside to ramp up the business were instead used to pay lawyers and our mortgage while we were denied the right to operate.
While our licensing difficulties are over, they are just beginning for our clients. Before the “helpful” Shared Kitchen Ordinance that took effect Sept 1, 2011, we got clients licensed in a week or two. Now it takes 1-3 months and multiple trips to City Hall. Unfortunately, Mayor Emanuel’s new ‘streamlining’ of business license ordinance that passed last week does not offer any streamlining for shared kitchens.
It should come as no surprise that we must close. LSK is collateral damage from choices that City employees make each day—people that have lost the ability to connect their actions with the consequences they cause. In all the many, many meetings I’ve had in City Hall in the past three years, there’s a question no one ever asks. “Is it good for our City?”
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Logan Square Kitchen opened its doors September 1, 2009
“Bag It” explores the phenomenon of plastic, particularly bags, in our country and examines the impact and alternatives.
In an effort to move Chicago towards a more sustainable future Alderman Joe Moreno and his colleaques have spearheaded an effort to ban oil based bags in our city. GreenChoice Bank and The Plastic Bag Solution are proud to support the efforts of these progressive alderman and look forward to making Chicago a beacon of socially responsible business.”
A few weeks ago over 60 volunteers got together and transformed one Humbolt Park Families Life.
The Singleton’s home was in a state of disrepair beyond belief. When Reason To Give caught wind of it they spent 8 months setting up the infrastructure and team to offer up a Chicago style Extreme Home Makeover.
This weekend is the first ever One Earth Film Festival in Oak Park and River Forest locations.
The Green Carpet Gala that kicks off the fest is Friday, April 27th from 7:30-9:00pm, at the Oak Park Conservatory; tickets for the Gala must be purchased in advance. Due to limited seating, registration is required. With a few exceptions, most films are FREE to the public with a suggested donation of only $5.
GOALS OF THE FILM FESTIVAL
Create thought-provoking, transformative opportunities for understanding climate change, sustainability, and the power of human involvement.
Pack an intensive “education & awareness punch” in rich stories-on-film.
“Expand the movement” by reaching out to – but also beyond – those passionately committed to green, and inviting in those who are even casually interested.
Help move Oak Park / River Forest forward as a sustainable community and as a green community leader in the Chicago area.
Did you know: Women comprise over half the U.S. population, hold 51% of U.S. wealth and have 83% of purchasing power but only comprise 3% of leadership positions in media, 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs and women’s representation in politics is abysmal (we’re 90th in the world). Worldwide, women do 66% of the world’s work and earn only 10% of the world’s income.
If this annoys you (or makes you angry), you’re not alone.
I decided to channel that feeling towards hosting a screening of Miss Representation, a film about the roots of this problem. I saw this film several months ago and its impact stuck. As women in business, I believe all of us – and most men out there – need to see this film and I’m excited to show it Chicago, one of my favorite cities.
Miss Representation is a documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, exposing how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. As women, throughout childhood we’re told that girls play with Barbie dolls, and later that images of women sell cars and vodka and other products.
Where Miss Representation goes further is to measure the magnitude of that phenomenon, including the way objectification is internalized over time, keeping girls and women from realizing their full potential. Beyond simply raising awareness, we need to take it further, into real actionable steps that women – and men – can take to drive change from the top. The film causes us to ask ourselves and society: how can women at the top start driving change now?
The event will raise funds and awareness forStartOut’s new Lesbian Entrepreneurship Mentoring Program.StartOut is an organization dedicated to fostering and developing LGBT entrepreneurship. I joined the board of StartOut because I believe that empowering LGBT entrepreneurs is critical in our fight towards acceptance and equality, and that we have a responsibility as women to speak up for other marginalized groups in business. If you’re interested in the mentoring program or getting more involved with StartOut, please email me at Leanne@startout.org.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 6pm – 8pm
The Music Box Theater
Chicago, Illinois
This thing is probably going to sell out so I’d purchase tickets now by clicking here.Invite your friends via Facebook here.
If you’re in Washington DC or know someone who is, join me Monday, May 14, 2012 at 6pm at the GALA Hispanic Theater for this event: Screening of Miss Representation.
Leanne Pittsford is the Founder and CEO of StartSomewhere - Communications for World Changing Companies. She is also a Board Member ofStartOut. Leanne is an investor and advisor to Solar Network Solutions, a woman-owned solar tech startup. Prior to founding Start Somewhere, Leanne was a Director at Equality California, the largest statewide LGBT organization in the country. Find her on Twitter at @lepitts.
Typeforce is out of control! I have never seen this many people in Bridgeport ever. Get down here. You don’t want to miss this art opening.
I just learned of this VERY exciting symposium taking place in May. If you are a woman (or someone who likes women) in Science or Engineering you should definitely check this out!
AND they just joined twitter + facebook so give ‘em a follow/like!
TIP: EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS MONDAY
Details:
Women in Science 2012: Big Ideas Big Impact, builds on the successful 2010 Women in Science: Building an Identity, during which more than 200 women scientists attended an exciting day of plenary talks, panel discussions and breakout sessions.
Specifically the Women in Science Symposium 2012 will focus on:
Highlighting innovative, game-changing women in diverse science and engineering fields
Discussing modern approaches to research practice, work-life balance, entrepreneurship and administration
Providing meaningful opportunities for discourse and networking
Who should attend? This event will convene women scientists and engineers interested in sharing ideas and learning from leading women in – academia, industry, government, business and the nonprofit sectors – to share ideas and experiences critical for the 21st century.
Friday, May 11, 2012
School of the Art Institute of Chicago; 112 S. Michigan Avenue – 1st Floor Ballroom
5:30PM – 7:30PM Reception & Registration 7:00pm – Key Note Speaker – Alice Huang Senior Faculty Associate in Biology at the California Institute of Technology, and Past President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
This legislation means that a business that qualifies as a true triple bottom line business can classify as a Benefit Corporation instead of an LLC, S Corp or C Corp as a testament to their commitment to people, planet, profit.
Certified B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
B Lab, a nonprofit organization, certifies B Corporations, the same way TransFair certifies Fair Trade coffee or USGBC certifies LEED buildings.
B Corps, unlike traditional businesses:
Meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards;
Meet higher legal accountability standards;
Build business constituency for public policies that support sustainable business.
There are over 450 Certified B Corporations across 60 different industries. From food and apparel for you and your family to attorneys and office supplies for your business, B Corporations are a diverse community with one unifying goal: to redefine success in business.
Through a company’s public B Impact Report, anyone can access performance data about the social and environmental practices that stand behind their products.
