Leslie Goddard Interprets 10 Famous Illinoisans

Leslie Goddard

The Levy Lecture Series held its final lecture of the spring season on June 11, when Leslie Goddard spoke to the crowd at the Levy Senior Center about “Ten People from Illinois Who Changed History.”

Dr. Goddard prefaced her talk by stating Abraham Lincoln was such an obvious candidate that she would examine people from history in addition to our country’s 16th president.

The trailblazers she discussed were all leaders and innovators in their chosen fields, but their areas of expertise shared little in common. What piqued her interest was exploring how living in Illinois influenced these visionaries.

First were inventors who changed how people spend their leisure time, work, eat and shop.

Walt Disney, born in Chicago in 1901, invented Mickey Mouse and the concept of theme parks, and forever redefined family entertainment.

John Deere, a blacksmith who moved to Grand Detour in his 30s, manufactured innovative, ready-made farm equipment and transformed the business of farming around the world.

Ray Kroc, the genius behind McDonald’s, grew up in Oak Park. He brought the idea of consistent predictability to food and the dining experience.

Charles Walgreen, born in Knoxville, embraced innovation and fast delivery with his drug stores. One of those innovations was selling malted milkshakes in his stores, which became so popular that lines formed outside each one.

Another group included politicians and social reformers who influenced political consciences.

Jane Addams, peace activist and America’s first social worker, catered to her clients at Chicago’s Hull House Settlement.

Barack Obama, the nation’s 44th president, who campaigned on the promise of hope and change, worked in Chicago as a community organizer, taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School and represented Illinois in the Senate.

Ronald Reagan, movie actor and 40th president of the United States, known for his sunny optimism and called “the great communicator,” was born in Dixon.

Betty Friedan, born in Peoria, graduated from Smith College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and wrote “The Feminine Mystique,” a book that sparked second-wave feminism and changed the course of human history.

The two final luminaries Dr. Goddard discussed were George Halas and Oprah Winfrey.

Mr.  Halas, a lifelong Illinoisan, was one of the founding members of the American Professional Football Association, which later became the National Football League, and the owner and coach of the multi-championship-winning Chicago Bears.

Ms. Winfrey hosted and produced The Oprah Winfrey Show for 25 years in Chicago while winning 18 Daytime Emmy Awards, and in the process redefined what made for good television.

Ms. Winfrey’s shows were compelling to watch, Dr. Goddard said: She was honest, empathetic, transparent and authentic, and audiences loved her. She embraced her vulnerability and shared with all of us her continual quest for self-improvement.

Dr. Goddard returned to her original question, “How did Illinois influence these people?” Despite their differences, she said, “their early experiences living in Illinois and other places in the Midwest contributed to their success.

“Illinois shaped who they were. They did not see themselves as sophisticated; they saw themselves as grounded, honest, down-to-earth.

“All these values came from the towns they grew up in and the people they met here before they achieved worldwide fame and success.”

Dr. Goddard shared a list of 50 other Illinoisans who could just as easily been included in this group of influencers. The list can be found on the Levy Senior Center Foundation website, levyseniorcenterfoundation.org.

Dr. Goddard’s lecture was the fourth this spring with a focus on Illinois. The three preceding lectures examined African American communities on the North Shore (Dino Robinson), a portrayal of Jane Addams (Annette Baldwin) and an overview of Walter Burt Adams’ paintings (Eden Juron Pearlman).

All lectures are free and sponsored by the Levy Senior Center Foundation.

Sexual Health Expert’s Advise: Communicate

[This is a reprint of the article I wrote, published in the Evanston RoundTable, 5/3/17.  I cannot rave enough about how wonderful Dr. Albaugh is as a speaker.]

The Linden Room of the Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave was filled as Dr. Jeffrey Albaugh, Director of Sexual Health at NorthShore University Health System, began his presentation on “Sexual Health and Natural Changes as We Age.” The presentation was the second featured Levy Lecture, a new program sponsored by the Levy Senior Center Foundation, a non-profit organization established to provide enrichment programs and activities for the benefit of seniors 55+ who frequent the Center.

Dr. Albaugh is a board certified Advanced Practice Urology Clinical Nurse Specialist and an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of sexual health and sexual dysfunction. Currently he runs the NorthShore University HealthSystem William D. and Pamela Hutul Ross Clinic for Sexual Health. He treats both men and women and has won numerous awards for excellent patient care. Dr. Albaugh’s research in sexual health has been funded by many sources including the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Albaugh is an expert at explaining complex health information in a way that non-medical professionals can understand. He is also a skilled communicator and comfortable discussing sensitive subjects – like sexuality, intimacy, and sexual problems – that might make others squirm. His open, upbeat personality and use of humor immediately put the audience at ease. Men and women alike sat rapt as he talked with compassion and understanding about one of the most basic drives human beings have, the need for touch and connectedness.

Communication between partners was one of the main themes of Dr. Albaugh’s presentation. He clarified some of the differences between sexuality and intimacy: sexuality is the sense of being male or female, whereas intimacy is the process when two people move toward “complete communication” and connectedness on all levels.

Dr. Albaugh explained how human beings need the feeling of being connected in order to thrive, but those same feelings make us vulnerable. Allowing oneself to feel vulnerable with another person can be very scary, but it is the only path toward love and creativity, according to Dr. Albaugh. Part of that vulnerability is learning how to communicate openly and honestly with your partner about sexual pleasure, which does not come naturally for most people. Practice helps!

Another theme of the presentation was understanding how men and women change as they age and the effects those changes may have on their bodies. It is essential to maintain good health overall as it affects one’s sexual health. Dr. Albaugh emphasized the importance of watching one’s diet, weight control, exercise (at least three hours of cardiovascular exercise per week), and managing medical problems.

Much of Dr. Albaugh’s work with his clinic and private patients focuses on issues of sexual impairment due to hormonal or physical changes to the body, sometimes due to disease or trauma as well as aging. Fortunately, there are many therapies available to address those issues, including counseling and behavioral therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, hormonal therapy, vacuum devices, prescription medications, surgery, and herbs. Sexual and intimacy issues can be successfully resolved with patience and expert medical care.

As Dr. Albaugh wrapped up his lecture, he was inundated with questions
from the audience, which he patiently answered until he had to leave for his next patient appointment. The overriding message [Dr. Albaugh] communicated was that it is possible to enjoy sex and intimacy throughout one’s entire life. And if there is a “bump” in the road, don’t be shy: expert help is available.

Social Disconnect

I first heard about J.D. Vance’s book, Hillbilly Elegy, from my Aunt Sue, who had read it as part of the syllabus for a college course she audited last fall. It was November, shortly after the election, and I was still in a fog of disbelief about the results. She recommended it as essential reading and promised it would explain a lot.

A few weeks later I was browsing for a gift in a small book store and asked the owner if she had noticed any differences in her customers’ purchasing habits since the election. She acknowledged that, indeed there were changes. In the days immediately after the election, there was hardly any store traffic. No one was in the mood to shop; people were hunkering down. But after a few days, things got back to normal — whatever that is — and she had two types of requests: non-fiction (explain the election, how did this happen?) or fiction (get me out of here, this can’t be happening).  In the former category, two books were in hot demand, White Trash: The 400-Year Old Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg and Hillbilly Elegy. 

In Isenberg’s White Trash, “the poor are always with us,” and labeling the underclass of poor whites implies “an imposed inheritance” that almost invariably prevents them from escape and encourages demonization if not blame. For them, the American dream of upward mobility is largely “unobtainable.”

First known as “waste people,” and later “white trash,” marginalized Americans were stigmatized for their inability to be productive, to own property, or to produce healthy and upwardly mobile children–the sense of uplift on which the American dream is predicated. The American solution to poverty and social backwardness was not what we might expect. Well into the twentieth century, expulsion and sterilization sounded rational to those who wished to reduce the burden of “loser” people on the larger economy. (p. xv, White Trash)

The book is long, dense, and at times, tedious. Isenberg weaves the history of how the poor in this country have been treated and viewed as expendable fodder as far back as the 1500s when the land was a colonial outpost of Great Britain and a dumping ground for undesirables. There are three main themes: the importance of our country’s rural past; the pervasive role class hierarchy plays in the United States; and how land ownership and class are connected, in that “the worst classes were seen as extrusions of the worst land: scrubby, barren, and swampy wasteland.” By the time these themes reach the likes of Honey Boo Boo and the current economic struggles of the lower rungs of the 99%, I was pretty discouraged although much better informed.

Hillbilly Elegy is a memoir of an unusual childhood. J.D. Vance grew up in the Rust Belt of Ohio with deep family ties in the hills of eastern Kentucky. He was raised by his grandparents; his mother had substance abuse problems throughout his early years and he nearly failed out of high school…except he didn’t, because of the love and support of a few people and a fair amount of luck. He graduated high school, joined the Marines, served in Iraq, graduated from Ohio State in two years, and graduated from Yale Law School. He made it out and he made it big.

The majesty of  Vance’s story is learning why, amidst such a chaotic start, he did not give up on himself and why he did not give in to the despair, pessimism, and cynicism all around him. He describes growing up in deep poverty with familial violence as a norm. Years later he learns that the yelling, fighting, and abuse he and his sister experienced had a name–“adverse childhood experiences”–and that children with multiple ACEs are statistically more likely to experience adverse health and behavioral issues. He is unabashedly loyal to his family and loves them unconditionally, but he is clear about the bad choices his family and neighbors have made and the impact those choices have had on their lives and on the lives of the children in their care.

Vance despairs about the rampant drug addictions tearing through his hometown, and how unprepared its residernts are to confront a knowledge-based economy. He assigns both fault and credit to certain aspects of government programs, family decisions, and cultural norms. Vance doesn’t pretend to speak for all of his kin or neighbors, but he does present a portrait unfamiliar to many Americans and one that is helpful to understand. He writes with objective emotion and sensitivity; he is not bitter or vengeful, and surprisingly forgiving, accepting, and understanding of his mother. He recognizes he is lucky to have had loving grandparents who instilled him with good values and self-confidence and good mentors who believed in him and taught him about things he was never exposed to at home.

Neither White Trash nor Hillbilly Elegy are the definitive answer about how and why our country elected this president, but they are important parts of the conversation. I recommend them.

 

 

 

 

 

Pick Your Tree Carefully

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren is a beautifully written memoir about work, love, friendship, illness, and the tenacity female scientists need to succeed. This is a brave book; it is raw and honest and overall inspiring. I recommend it enthusiastically.

 

After reading Lab Girl, it is impossible to look at any tree or even a leaf without begrudging respect for everything it took for that respective piece of vegetation to venture into the world and live.

A seed knows how to wait. Most seeds wait for at least a year before starting to grow; a cherry seed can wait for a hundred years with no problem. What exactly each seed is waiting for is only known to that seed. Some unique trigger-combination of temperature-moisture-light and many other things is required to convince a seed to jump off the deep end and take its chance–to take its one and only chance to grow.

Jahren tells of growing up in a family that rarely talked and barely emoted. (“The vast emotional distances between the individual members of a Scandinavian family are forged early and reinforced daily.”) Her relationship with her mother was strained, but she drew comfort and strength from her scientist father whom she idolized.

I grew up in my father’s laboratory and played beneath the chemical benches until I was tall enough to play on them. My father taught forty-two years’ worth of introductory physics and earth science in that laboratory, nestled within a community college deep in rural Minnesota; he loved his lab, and it was a place that my brothers and I loved also.

Jahren is passionate about science and driven to succeed. She describes the obstacles female scientists often encounter — narrow-mindedness, failure to be taken seriously and be included, prejudice, sexual harassment — and how she barreled through and worked harder than anyone else to prove she belonged. Belong she does, and she has succeeded magnificently: three Fulbright Awards, one of only four scientists (and the only woman, natch) to have been awarded both of the Young Investigator Medals given in the earth sciences, tenured professor, and kick-ass writer.

There is a special skill to writing about science. It’s a secret language to those of us on the outside and one has to be especially adept to explain what’s taking place without losing the reader in complex jargon. Jahren is gifted with luminous prose when describing scientific experiments, the rhythms of efficient soil sampling, and proper laboratory procedures. I fell in love with her as she struggled and persevered, and cheered her professional and personal milestones. The passages in which she meets and falls in love with her husband, and regales us with tales of work adventures and friendship with her lab partner, Bill, testify to the depth of her feelings and the fullness of her heart.

She also wrestles mightily with manic depressive illness. Her raw candor about its effects on her life are mesmerizing and heartbreaking. I was awestruck by her strength, grit, and bravery, especially in the section where she describes the impact stopping her medication for 26 weeks (she was pregnant) had on her life. Thankfully what she had to endure worked successfully and her son was born completely healthy. She is fortunate: she has a true partner in her husband, who cared for her and advocated for the medical care she needed; she has access to the best medical care in the world; she has financial resources. That Jahren is aware of and appreciates these gifts make her triumph all the sweeter.

The Jahren Lab is in Norway now but you can keep up with her on her blog and be on the lookout for random op-ed pieces in The New York Times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options for College Success: Helping Special Needs Students Realize Their Dreams

Initially printed in the Evanston RoundTable on 10/5/2016

Shoshana Axler (left) and Christine Anderson Most students start school in the fall with some confidence that they will have opportunities and choices when they finish. But the options available to special needs students and their families when they age out of public school are not so obvious. That is where Options for College Success (OCS) plays a vibrant and possibly unique role. Options for College Success, 820 Davis St., is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that has been addressing this issue since 2008. OCS is a post-secondary educational program geared specifically for young adults, ages 18 to 30, who have some sort of learning challenge. The program’s ultimate goal is to help each student achieve independence and full potential through education and meaningful employment. The offices, reception area, and individual rooms where studying, tutoring, and counseling take place are utilitarian. The brightest spot in the office is the Hall of Fame, painted sunshine yellow and lined top to bottom with certificates of completion and awards given to many of its past and current students. These walls provide tangible proof of the effectiveness of OCS. Some of the challenges students deal with include autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, traumatic brain injury, executive function disorder, social and maturation issues, ADHD, processing and non-verbal learning disorders. The program’s brochure lists more than 20 conditions or disorders, some more widely known than others, but each presenting specific and personal challenges to the affected students and their families. OCS distinguishes itself because each student receives a customized program. The staff of Options for College Success works closely with the student, the student’s family, and the appropriate professionals at the student’s school or work to develop a weekly schedule designed to maximize that student’s success. Students sign contracts that outline their specific goals for the year. They also spend time learning and practicing independent living, social, and financial management skills as well as education and career development. The program includes membership in the McGaw YMCA, and students are encouraged to exercise regularly. Everything is done to encourage and support good and healthy habits for daily living. Christine Anderson, Options’ Executive Director, and Shoshana Axler, the Director of Admissions and Development, advocate for the students and serve almost as surrogate parents, especially for students who come from beyond the Chicagoland area. The schools the students attend are diverse, ranging from community and junior colleges to four-year universities throughout the area. By law, each college or university must have a staff member on site as a resource for students with disabilities. Ms. Anderson and Ms. Axler have no hesitation reaching out to on-campus resources to advocate for fair accommodations for their students. These accommodations are to “level the playing field” for the student and to compensate for a particular disorder; the goal is not to make work any less rigorous or standards for accomplishment any less steep. Ms. Anderson and Ms. Axler have an extensive network of contacts within the learning disability and disorder community. Resources they will involve as needed include the Department of Health and Human Services, job coaches, physical and occupational therapists, and the people at the Evanston-based Institute for Therapy Through the Arts. New tutors and therapists are constantly being added, depending on what students need at any particular time. In addition to working with the students, Ms. Anderson works extensively with the parents and is in regular communication with them. The parents go through an adjustment period as much as the students do, she explained; it is very important that parents feel they have someone to talk to who will listen to them. The parents of most of the students have been advocating for them their entire lives. It is difficult for these parents to give up control, and Ms. Anderson understands that fear and hesitation. Over time, she says, parents learn to trust her judgment. “The amazing thing is,” Ms. Anderson says, “as the students are treated with more respect and as adults, they start to become more independent.” Ms. Axler adds, “The students all look out for one another. They know we help their dreams become realities.” Those who do not commute locally live in individual apartments in an apartment building in Evanston. A married couple, one of whom has a background in social work, lives in the same building as the students, and they serve as Resident Advisors (RAs). The RAs facilitate the social activities and serve as resources outside the normal work and school day. Although the program does not offer 24-hour supervision, someone from Options for College Success is always available and on call – a boon to students and parents alike. Evanston is an ideal location for this program. The office and apartment building are within walking distance of the CTA and Metra Davis Street stops, and the train station is a hub for most North Shore bus routes. Most of the students do not have cars; they learn how to navigate using public transportation and how to manage their time based on train or bus schedules. The staff meets with students regularly and is available for support and counsel. Twelve months of Options for College Success costs $41,400 plus tuition, room, and board. Families may apply at any time. The application process includes a detailed application form; interviews with the staff; reviews of all transcripts; references; and a neuropsychological report on each student. Once a student’s file is complete, the family is notified within 30 days. Enrollment is limited to about 20-25 students at any one time to ensure each student receives individualized attention. Families tend to find out about Options for College Success through word of mouth, referrals by the counselors and professionals in their lives, or finding the program online. As far as Ms. Anderson and Ms. Axler know, Options for College Success is unique in the United States because of the individualized and intensive one-on-one management students receive. Despite the cost, families speak highly of the program. Janet Hoffman, an Evanston resident, talked with pride about her daughter Julia, a participant in the program. Ms. Hoffman said, “We had hoped, but didn’t really believe, that at this point in her life Julia would be leading such an independent life, handling day-to-day challenges, living on her own, graduating from community college, and more. With help from Options for College Success, she has exceeded all of our dreams for her. Julia is happy. She has worked so hard to achieve all of these accomplishments, and we are very proud of her.”

 

Life Itself

I love good movies as much as I love good books, and Life Itself is both.  I watched the movie last night through On Demand TV, and while it isn’t the same experience as seeing a movie in the theater as part of a crowd, it is excellent nonetheless.

Roger Ebert loved movies. His enthusiasm for movies, culture, food, drink, women and good conversation come through in glorious detail. He was a raconteur, a bon vivant and a cineaste. His range was impressive: thousands of movie reviews, hundreds of blog posts, more than 30 books. He wrote the screenplay for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls in 1970 and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 for his movie criticism.

The movie is funny, smart, sad and at times, difficult to watch as Ebert’s health deteriorates. The movie celebrates this wonderful and brilliant man, the friends he had, his love for the loving and lovely Chaz, and the enthusiasm he had for everything. Aptly titled, Life Itself is worthy of your time.

Temple Grandin Speaking at Northwestern

I am a fan of Temple Grandin. Her book Thinking in Pictures is one of my favorites and remains an amazing testimony about parental support, learning styles and empathy.  She is speaking in Evanston tomorrow, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Welsh-Ryan Arena on Northwestern University’s campus, 2705 Ashland Avenue. The event is free and open to the public. If you care about someone on the autistic spectrum with learning issues, I recommend attending. You can also register for the event here.

Look Better Naked

Last week I stumbled upon one of Evanston’s best kept fitness secrets: Akemi Fitness Method. Jocelyn Davis, Akemi’s owner and founder, leads an array of efficient, enthusiastic and effective exercise classes. If you’ve ever wanted tighter abs, sculpted arms and a firm behind, I urge you to take a class. I did and I am hooked.

Jocelyn has a hard-core group of devotees, but her bubbly nature makes every newbie comfortable. Jocelyn has taught and danced for nearly 20 years. Akemi is her first solo enterprise, which she opened almost five years ago. If the depth and breadth of her experience doesn’t convince you, a skeptic needs no better proof than observing Jocelyn’s toned physique.

Attendees must pre-register, which you can do right on the website. The studio offers one class at a time; it’s not a gym where people go to ‘hang out’ and not work. My classmates arrived a few minutes before class started and were already wearing their workout gear. They were all friendly and chatty, but once the class started all eyes were on Jocelyn. She started the class on time and did not let up for an hour. The music was hip and upbeat and Jocelyn offers suggestions and corrections if needed as she leads the class. Of course we took water breaks and stretched out in child’s pose often, but I felt the intensity immediately. I also felt it the next day, but it’s a good kind of muscle pain that proves my body was actually working…and more out of shape than I realized. With a variety of classes offered each morning and most evenings, there are several instructors. Each one has been personally trained by Jocelyn.

The studio resides on the South side of Davis Street between Hinman and Chicago, tucked into the alley to the left of the dry cleaner as you are facing the street. (The exact address is 518 1/2 Davis Street.)