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Gaylon Alcaraz went from a reluctant exerciser , cursing between labored breaths , to a three-marathon running phenom , thanks to the camaraderie of Black Girls Run and some serious inner strength . She directs that same strength toward her advocacy work , which includes fighting for reproductive rights , affordable housing and more . “ When you ’ re an activist , in some ways you ’ re always outraged about the world around you . Running helps me feel calm and , honestly , more grateful ,” Alcaraz told me . “ There are people in this world who are running for their lives . Their houses are being bombed , or they ’ re trying to escape from war . I ’ m running because I want to . When I think about that in terms of my work — even with all the things I feel outraged about , I am grateful .”
Lily Alter , 15 , turned a high school English assignment ( write a mock grant proposal ) into a GoFundMe campaign to purchase feminine care products for homeless girls and women . She ’ s raised a little more than $ 10,000 so far , and she partners with Breakthrough Urban Ministries in East Garfield Park and Maywood-based Housing Forward , which runs a shelter in Alter ’ s Oak Park church , to distribute the products . “ I read once about how it ’ s really hard to be on your period when you ’ re homeless ,” Alter told me . And with that , an idea — and a solution — were born .
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Ruth Evermann is a kindergarten teacher-turned-art therapist at Jose de Diego Elementary Community Academy in Wicker Park . “ Their families are working at survival level ,” Evermann told me . “ Our kids carry an anger with them that takes your breath away .” She teaches them to channel that anger into art , and together she and the students have transformed their building into a stunning , colourful mosaic of art that greets and embraces them each school day .
Anita Hollander performed three different roles in the Goodman Theatre ’ s spring production of “ The Matchmaker ” — her versatility is thanks , in part , to the fact that she lost a leg to cancer in her 20s . She has performed at Carnegie Hall , the Kennedy Center and the New York Shakespeare Festival . She ’ s acted in “ Cats ,” “ Ragtime ,” “ Oklahoma ” and more . Along the way , she advocates for greater visibility and inclusion for actors with disabilities . “ We ’ re 20 percent of this population ,” Hollander said , “ and we don ’ t see ourselves .” She ’ s working to change that .
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Georgy Ann Peluchiwski is co-founder of the City Chapter of Impact 100 Chicago , an all-volunteer , all-women grantmaking organization that awards $ 100,000 grants to local nonprofits making a difference in one of five areas — education , family , health , culture and sustainability . “ Our intention is to help small to midsize nonprofits in the city with really high-quality ideas to create a big impact in the community they serve ,” Peluchiwski said . The “ American Idol ” - style event where the grants are auditioned for and rewarded was one of my favourite events of the year and made me believe better days may truly be ahead for this city I live in and love www . society . qa 21