Arionne Nettles Honors Black Chicago With New Book, ‘We Are The Culture’

Born and raised in the Englewood community on the South Side of Chicago, Arionne Nettles shares an unbreakable bond with the city she calls home. A multifaceted individual, she is a journalist, writer, lecturer, professor, poet, and a passionate admirer of all things Chicago. The Chicago Nettles knows today is a testament to her grandparents’ journey during the Great Migration. Her grandmother, once a cotton picker in the South, wanted a better life outside those treacherous fields.& Her determination led her to Chicago, where she settled on the South Side. Meanwhile,& Nettles’ grandfather, a respected war hero, learned the value of respect through his military service and refused to settle for anything less. Settling on the South Side of Chicago, Nettles’ grandparents later became property owners and established a blues club. Reflecting on her grandmother’s resilience, Nettles asks, “How do you go from picking cotton to owning a blues club?” Driven by the belief that everyone deserves education and the opportunity to learn, Nettles entered the sphere of education, inspired by the values instilled by her family. This same philosophy motivated her to write her book, “We Are The Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence On Everything.” Nettles’ book delves into the...