CHICAGO — Here's what we're reading on this muggy Thursday.
The Black Middle Class: Senior editor Andrew Herrmann is reading a new study that concludes that middle-class black families tend to live in lower-income neighborhoods, a situation that can deprive them the benefits of being financially successful, such as better schools. Three Stanford University researchers write that "if long-term exposure to neighborhood poverty negatively affects child development, educational success, mental health, and adult earnings (and a growing body of research suggests it does), then these large racial disparities in exposure to poverty may have long-term consequences."
David Leonhardt, writing in the New York Times of the study and other similar research, lumps Chicago in with areas where the problem occurs (thanks to the city's major segregation problem). The black middle class fare better in terms of living in higher quality neighborhoods (better education, lower crime, healthier lifestyle options) in places such as Riverside, Calif., Portland and Seattle. "In several respects, the West seems more comfortable with diversity," says Leonhardt.
Sometimes, the reason black middle-class people live in poorer neighborhoods is because they choose to do so, experts say. But it can also be because they tend to have less total household wealth than whites to afford down payments on better homes in better neighborhoods. Also, racism can discourage African Americans from moving into higher income, more racially diverse neighborhoods with better services, Leonhardt says.
Become a Weather App: Mental Floss has 15 ways to forecast the weather — without looking at your phone. You can do so by counting cricket chirps, memorizing old sailor adages or using your nose to "notice a scent of ozone in the air."
Chance the Concert Promoter: Chicago's own Chance the Rapper is a quickly ascending force in hip hop, but Wednesday night he teamed up with someone already at the top of the game: Kendrick Lamar. Lamar made a surprise appearance Wednesday at the inaugural city-sponsored Teens in the Park Festival at Northerly Island, reporter David Matthews is reading in Pitchfork. Chance, of Chatham, picked the headliners for the youth festival, which also featured Chance associate Donnie Trumpet. Not bad for a free show.
You Win Some, You Lose Some: Reporter Heather Cherone is reading the Reader's annual Best of Chicago list, which is a mixed bag for the Far Northwest Side. Ald. John Arena (45th) lost the title of best alderman to Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) in an online vote, who wasted no time in crowing about his victory on Twitter. In addition, the Portage Restaurant Chef Joey Beato lost the popular vote for for the Best Up and Coming Chef to Alfredo Nogueira of Analogue. But there was better news for Sauganash's own Alarmist Brewing, which was named the best new brewery to launch with only one beer.
Gary Gulley, of Alarmist Brewing, gets ready to make a delivery of it's very first beer. [Facebook/Alarmist Brewing]
