Donna Vickroy – Page 25

Vickroy: When her biracial 5-year-old tried to wash the ‘black’ off her skin, mom knew more than words were needed

November 12, 2021 at 10:53 a.m.

On the evening her daughter tried to scrub her biracial skin white, Becky Cortesi-Caruso realized a teachable moment was at hand. Uniqueness can be a double-edged sword, particularly for children....

Vickroy: A grandma by any other name — nonna, yiayia, glam-ma, even Anna — is still as sweet to these ears

November 5, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

You can call me Donna. You can call me Nonna. Or, you can call me "Anna ... not the one from 'Frozen.'" That's the title my 5-year-old granddaughter has blessed...

After 38 years as a community journalist in Chicago's south suburbs, Donna Vickroy is calling it quits.

Column: It’s been a fabulous journey, never a job. Thank you for coming along.

February 6, 2020 at 1:38 p.m.

I knew from the start that journalism would be a crazy ride. I knew the pay was "challenging" and that the days could be long and spill into weekends. I...

Author Nnedi Okorafor, of Flossmoor, is now collaborating with Emmy-nominated Stacy Osei-Kuffour on the screenplay for Okorafor's novella "Binti," which will soon be a HULU series. Both women are graduates of Homewood Flossmoor High School. (Zbigniew Bzdak/baiduhai)

Award-winning author of ‘Binti’ is co-writing Hulu pilot from her home in Flossmoor with help of fellow Homewood-Flossmoor High School grad

February 5, 2020 at 5:46 p.m.

If creativity were visible to the naked eye, the village of Flossmoor would be glowing right now. In that quiet town, nestled among country clubs, forest preserves and a high...

Andrew High School students Huda Abededal, left, and Anthony Pappas work together as they learn about immigration through a traveling exhibit from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Andrew High School students study their own immigration roots. ‘This is everyone’s story.’

March 11, 2024 at 2:06 p.m.

Just about everyone has one. Unless you're of Native American descent, you have an immigration story. And likely it is rich in courage, hardship and determination. Janelle Rulla's dad was...

Tinley Park mom chosen for Heart Association’s 2020 Go Red campaign explains how she reversed cardiovascular disease

January 29, 2020 at 4:53 p.m.

Pregnancy put Michelle Bradley Emebo on a trajectory toward cardiovascular disease. "During my third trimester, out of nowhere, my blood pressure got really high. I gained a large amount of...

Gianna Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, were tragically killed in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles.

Column: When a celebrity dies, our grief may be public but our fears are personal

January 31, 2020 at 4:44 p.m.

You don't have to be an NBA fan to feel moved by the tragic deaths of retired L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. You don't even...

Susan Friedericks laughs as she talks about the many things she has done in her life. Friedericks, 73, head chef for Matteson School District 162, is retiring after 33 years on the job. Friedericks talked about her career on Jan. 23, 2020.

Retiring food service director who helped grow Matteson school lunch program talks about nutrition, learning and The Three Stooges

January 27, 2020 at 8:39 a.m.

For some people, there is no "magic" number for retirement. Just ask Susan Friedericks. The 73-year-old director of food service for Matteson School District 162 is at last ready to...

Sandburg grad represents Illinois in TLC’s ‘Say Yes to the Dress America’

January 20, 2020 at 3:30 a.m.

Not only did Kristina Burke say "yes to the dress," she gave her approval while representing Illinois in a new reality TV show set at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York...

Richard Nowicki (left), who recently turned 89, and John Whittall, 90, are longtime volunteers with Operation Blessing in Alsip.

These 90-year-olds say helping others keeps them forever young

January 19, 2020 at 2:14 a.m.

Can volunteerism be a life extender? Over the past month I chatted with several people in their 90s who are not only cognitively sharp and physically active, they are overflowing...

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