MLK Day +Miss Chicago Competition Winners + Chicago Restaurant Week

Happy 2023,

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This weekend we are celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

January 15, 2023 marks the 94th birthday of the famed Civil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of MLK. This year, Chicagoans will celebrate the life and legacy of the civil rights leader on Monday, January 16.

Check out our latest articles below. If you want to support the publication so that we can continue providing free content, send us an email at [email protected]. All supporters will be recognized during the year.

• Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in Chicago on MLK Day 2023

• 5 Things to Do to Celebrate MLK in Chicago on Monday

Here's what we have in store for today's newsletter.

• Beauty: LIVE from the Miss Chicago Pageant. Meet the Winners!

• Business: Chicago Selling 2,000 Vacant Lots. Deadline to Apply -- February 2023.

• Brunch: Chicago Restaurant Week will take place from January 20 - February 5, 2023.

Now, let's dive into all things Beauty, Business, and Brunch for the week.

Beauty

This month, Chicago Southsider served as a media sponsor for the Miss Chicago pageant.

Four young women were crowned in the Miss division at the 2023 Miss Chicago pageant held on January 7, 2023. They will compete in the Miss Illinois competition in June for a chance to represent the state at the Miss America pageant.

Former Miss Chicago Monica Nia Jones competed in the 2023 Miss America pageant in Connecticut. She won America's Choice Voting and landed a spot as a Top 11 finalist. Check out Monica's journey to Miss America here.

Meet the Winners:

• Elise O'Connell Crowned Miss Chicago 2023 

• Madelyn Steurer Crowned Miss Cook County 2023

• Imani Muse Crowned Miss Windy City 2023 

• Annie Kamps Wins Miss Gold Coast 2023

Three teens were crowned at the 2023 Miss Chicago pageant held on January 7, 2023. They will compete in the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen competition in June.

Meet the Winners:

• Sharron Kagan Crowned Miss Chicago's Outstanding Teen 2023 

• Young Ballerina Alyssia Duda Wins Miss Windy City's Outstanding Teen

• Lily Troyan Crowned Miss Gold Coast Outstanding Teen

Miss Illinois USA pageant. The 2023 Miss Illinois and Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant will take place from May 26-28, 2023 at the Braden Auditorium of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

Miss Illinois State Competion. The 2023 Miss Illinois competition will take place at the Marion Civic Center from June 6-10, 2023.

Business

Chicago Selling Vacant Lots. On November 17, 2022, Mayor Lightfoot announced that private buyers can purchase and redevelop 2,000 vacant Chicago lots. These lots are part of a larger pool of approximately 10,000 city-owned lots acquired through demolition liens and foreclosures over the last 70 years. Here's a list of lots available on Chicago's South Side. Read more to find out if you can apply to purchase vacant lots.

Over 250 Vacant Lots in Englewood. Englewood, one of Chicago's 77 community areas, has 252 city-owned lots for sale. The community is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative, which is designed to funnel more city funding and resources into 10 blighted Chicago neighborhoods. The mayor hopes that initiatives like INVEST South/West and ChiBlockBuilder can help reverse decades of disinvestment on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Although ChiBlockBuilder may sound like a good idea, some residents are skeptical about the long-term impact of the program. Read more.

Pass the Real Estate Exam in 30 Days. If you want to start 2023 off with a new certification, consider becoming a licensed real estate agent in your state. It's not as hard as it sounds if you know how to study and what you need to know. It can take a year to pass your exam or you can pass it within 30 days. I took the real estate exam in Illinois a few years ago to learn what it takes. I enrolled in a course at the beginning of October and passed the exam by November 1. Learn how you can pass your exam in less than 30 days. Tune in to the Real Estate Latte podcast and get new episodes in 2023. Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Create Your Reading List. Learning about the history of the South Side of Chicago will change your life. I started off diving into the history of Mary T. Washington-Wylie, the first Black woman CPA in the nation, and the insights transformed my career. I'm so excited to share all the research, books, and documentaries I've been watching. Check out our list of must-read books, as chosen by our readers.

Scholarships. Check out our list of scholarships you can apply for in January. Don't forget to grab your copy of "Debt-Free Before Graduation" available on Amazon. I received a dual degree in Accounting & Finance from a private university, stayed on campus all 4 years, and traveled around the world while graduating debt-free. My book, Debt-Free Before Graduation, shows how a girl from the South Side of Chicago used scholarships, internships, and fellowships to graduate debt-free and gain access to unlimited career opportunities.

Brunch 

More than 300 restaurants in Chicago will participate in Chicago Restaurant Week from January 20th through February 5th.

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