Hawthorne Strategy Group

In honor of what would have been Emmett Till's 85th birthday on Saturday, July 25, our client, The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, will be hosting four performances of Anne & Emmett this weekend. The one-act play imagines a moving conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till—two young people whose lives were cut short by injustice.

In recognition of Till's enduring legacy, a special performance and reception will be held on July, 25 with additional performances on July 24 and 26.

Tickets are on sale now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anne-and-emmett-a-one-act-play-by-janet-langhart-cohen-tickets-1993034272159?aff=oddtdtcreator

While the Illinois Department of Early Childhood is working to make childcare options accessible to families, supporting childcare providers is the other side of the coin.

In a recently published Chicago Sun-Times letter, the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) Childcare Business team—Managing Director Aisha Ahrens and Director Yvonne Villalpando—break down how supporting the small-business owners can help close the gaps in childcare across Illinois.

Congratulations to our client, the WBDC, on a great feature and for continuing to champion issues that directly impact their clients.

Read the letter here:

New state agency should make childcare deserts a top priority The Illinois Department of Early Childhood has the potential to benefit families and providers. Also, funding Chicago Public Schools and a response to an op-ed about "techno-peasants."

We're honored our clients trust us with furthering their mission and goals — and we were proud to take home FOUR incredible awards from Bulldog Reporter recognizing the work we've produced for them. These awards celebrate the best and brightest in public relations, marking excellence in communications campaigns from beginning to end. Our team's accomplishments showcase Hawthorne's stand-out capabilities among global organizations at the highest level.

We received recognition in the following categories:
- Best Green/Environmental/Sustainability Campaign with Solar Powers Illinois
- Best Local/Hyperlocal Campaign with Organogenesis
- Best Integration of Traditional and New Media with Chicago Dental Society
- Best Public Affairs Campaign with Solar Powers Illinois

Today we followed up a job well done with a meal well done!

As we head into the holiday weekend, the Hawthorne team took some time to celebrate our recent awards from Bulldog Reporter. We're incredibly proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continuing to deliver unrivaled campaigns for our clients.

Introducing Hawthorne's newest intern, Jade Walker! We're incredibly happy to have her on board now with summertime in full swing.

Learn more about Jade on our website: https://www.hawthornestrategy.com/jade-walker

Today is the last day of Pollinator Awareness Month, which recognizes an essential piece of global agricultural practices. Our friends at Solar Powers Illinois shared their insight into how solar energy is tied to pollinators through agrivoltaics - a process that allows land to host both crops and energy production.

Summit Ridge Energy's pollinator habitat is a wonderful example, showcasing responsible development that can improve the wellbeing of humans and wildlife alike.

Solar Spotlight: Morgan County Solar Where Frogs, Butterflies, and Locally Generated Energy Share the Same Backyard in Rural Illinois  Morgan Solar 1 and Morgan Solar 1B are a pair of community solar arrays near the village of Meredosia in Morgan County, Illinois. Developed by Pivot Energy and operated by Summit Ridge Energy....

A conversation about the future of the events industry? This calls for a toast.

Recently, McCormick Place Beverage Director Donna Mackey connected with Trade Show Executive's Senior Digital Editor Andrew Warrick to discuss how more show organizers are embracing non-alcoholic beverage options.

We're proud to have helped facilitate such an engaging conversation. Read more here:

Exploring Non-Alcoholic Beverages with McCormick Place’s Donna Mackey Non-alcoholic beverages are all the rage. Trade Show Executive investigated this trend with a leader at McCormick Place.

“Entrepreneurship thrives on resilience, innovation, and community”

Recently, Erica T. Kuhlmann, President and CEO of Women's Business Development Center, was featured in the Spring issue of Enterprising Women Magazine, reflecting on the WBDC’s inspirational 40-year legacy of impact. Erica also offered a look at the promising future ahead.

Check out the full story along with the rest of the issue here:

Enterpising Women Magazine Spring 2026 Our annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Commemorative issue is my favorite issue of the year because it gives us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on our award honorees, inductees to our Hall of Fame, Business Icon Award Winner, and more.

Say hello to Hawthorne's newest intern, Griffin! We're excited to welcome him to the team and can't wait to see what lies ahead this summer.

Learn more about Griffin on our website: https://www.hawthornestrategy.com/griffin-owens

When eighth grade students outperform the stock market, it's news.

We're proud to have secured coverage on WGN TV and WBBM Newsradio for Big Shoulders Fund's stock market program to highlight the success of these bright students. Over the last school year, eighth grade students across Chicago managed a $3,000 stock portfolio. They picked stocks, conducted research, and created presentations to justify their decisions. The winning portfolio from St. Mary Catholic Community School grew 50.2%! Everyone worked hard and deserved a shoutout, so we're happy to have helped make that happen on two major Chicago news stations!

Congrats to the students and mentors involved!