A Look at the Future: Students Visit the International Manufacturing Technology Show

For 74 students from John Marshall Metropolitan High School on Chicago’s West Side, the world of manufacturing opened up their eyes in new ways in September. Students attended the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), which was held by the Association for Manufacturing Technology in Chicago between September 12 and September 17. Staff from Manufacturing Renaissance […]
Damron: West Side Company Keeps Eye on Equity, Jobs and Community

For more than 35 years, Damron Corporation on Chicago’s west side has manufactured and distributed tea products, sourced from the most famous tea-growing areas in the world. Companies that Damron supplies its products to include McDonald’s. In fact, Damron was the first African-American owned company to become a national supplier to McDonald’s. Recently, the company […]
Success Story: Marla “…learns something everyday…”

Shipping, receiving, operating machines, working in a company’s quality department. In nearly a decade of working in the manufacturing field, Marla Sanders has had many responsibilities over the years. Sanders participated in the Manufacturing Renaissance training program at the Austin Polytechnical Academy, graduating from the program in 2012 in its second graduating class. Sanders grew […]
Success Story: Isaiah, Future Fabricator

Photo of Mieka Matthews, MC Coordinator and Isaiah McMullen, MC Participant at his high school graduation. It started with an opportunity. When Isaiah McMullen was a student at the Academy of Scholastic Achievement, a nonprofit public alternative school on Chicago’s west side, he was interested in welding and manufacturing. A school counselor referred him to […]
Success Story: Brandi’s Road to Success

Brandi S., participated in the Manufacturing Connect (MC) program as a high school student to get work experience and learn professionalism skills, graduating in 2013 from Austin Polytechnical Academy with career goals of being a medical assistant. In the Fall of 2013, Brandi registered for school at a local college with a major of medical […]
COVID-19 Vaccines Available in Austin

Over the past several weeks, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has supported recent planning by the city and several healthcare institutions to increase access to COVID-19 vaccination for Austin residents. These efforts have resulted in the launch of two temporary vaccination clinics being stood up by The Loretto Hospital in partnership with Rush University Medical Center […]