Chicago Defender Reporter Lee Edwards with Tiffany Allen, a financial professional with Prudential, and Joyce Douglas, a real estate appraiser for Douglas Valuation & Review. Listen to the Podcast Audio Player 00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. It’s common for people to want to make “smart” decisions with their hard earned money, and yet with the number of complex options, confusing jargon, and potential for catastrophic mistakes, it’s no wonder so many opt to stay on the outside and look in. Fortunately, the Chicago Defender convened a discussion between a real estate appraiser and financial professional in an attempt to dispel some money myths and provide keen insight into the most burning questions. The Chicago Defender spoke with Tiffany Allen, a financial professional with Prudential, and Joyce Douglas, a real estate appraiser for Douglas Valuation & Review, to gain a better understanding as to how people can both manage and maximize their money.

The Chicago Defender’s editorial staff convened a roundtable discussion of educators to address a multitude of issues and unspoken questions students and families face throughout their academic journey. Representatives from Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), Governors State University (GSU), Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and a leader in STEM offered their viewpoints on diversity in instructional positions, creating avenues to entrepreneurship, managing student discipline and more.

Much has been said about the lack of diversity in tech, particularly when it comes to Blacks and women. Black Cirls Code launched in April 2011 with a mission to change that narrative through workshops and after school-programs across the country for girls. Now active in 13 cities across the United States and even in Johannesburg, South Africa, they hope to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of girls. We sat down with three of the Chicago chapter leaders to talk about being a Black woman in tech, what they are doing here in Chicago, and how they hope to groom future leaders.

The conversation over equitable education in Illinois rages on with a favorable outcome in sight for the state’s students, teachers, educators, and communities, according to advocates. And yet, as the state’s elected officials mull over the details of legislation that would secure an equitable funding model, the conversation as to what the needs of the African American community in terms of education, education funding, is still being had. Fortunately, The Chicago Defender sat down with three dynamic African American women community organizers to discuss equitable education funding for the latest installment of our education podcast. During the nearly hour long conversation, the ladies spoke openly about the state’s plummeting credit, individualized education plans for students, privilege, a savior complex in the classroom, and much more.