A Toast to Studs Terkel, from CNT

CNT joins people all around the world to mourn the loss of Studs Terkel. CNT has fond memories of Studs, most especially at an event we hosted in honor of him back in 1991, “A Toast to Studs Terkel”. The event, held at the Bismarck Hotel (now the Cadillac Theatre) hosted an array of admirers—Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, and CNT Staff sat around checkerboard-adorned tables (in honor of Studs’ favorite shirt pattern) and listened to Studs talk about his life of making interesting stories out of everyday lives. Among the hundreds of attendees, a German exchange student that CNT was hosting was most thrilled to learn about and meet Studs and left that night a fan. It was a lovely affair that many current CNT staff still remember fondly. We still hang the big red, checkered banner from the event proudly in our office.

Congratulations to President-Elect and Former Board Member, Senator Barack Obama

On Tuesday night, history was made in electing the nation’s first African-American President, Barack Obama. CNT is especially proud to note that President-Elect Obama spent part of his time in Chicago as a CNT Board member.

President-Elect Obama won the election, in large part, by inspiring new individuals to mobilize and vote. His well-run campaign was attributed to the skills he developed as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago. When he served on CNT’s board from 1993-1994, he was part of a group of dedicated individuals who used their skills to creatively inspire and empower people to reinvest in Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods. He participated in developing and adopting strategies that positioned CNT at the intersection of environment and community development. This experience in building coalitions will bring a unique perspective to the Presidency of the United States-perhaps the most insightful of any other President-to the urban issues of America’s cities. CNT is proud to be an ally in promoting the assets of urban areas-people, networks and resources-as solutions to eminent issues like climate change, housing foreclosures and unaffordable gas prices.