Nearly 100,000 refugees live in Kenya and are forced to live daily with rape, abuse, forced marriage, and HIV. These victims often have nothing to turn to and little hope for a future. Chicago-based organization Heshima Kenya made it’s mission to to make a change and provide refugee minors with shelter, medical care, counseling, and emotional support. A division of Heshima Kenya is the Maisha (in Swahili means “Life”) Collective – an income-generating project of Heshima Kenya that empowers refugee girls to mange a business collective that designs and produces a lines of hand-dyed scarves.

When I picked up the Chicago Reader "Best of Chicago" Edition, I was shocked & honored that I won “Best Person to Follow on Twitter!” I truly appreciate all of you for showing interest in what I do behind the scenes in the entertainment & hospitality biz, giving me feedback & advice, and coming out to enjoy the fun!

For the first time ever Chicago is celebrating what's called "Social Media Week" as area businesses and some of the top social media names in Chicago will get together for a week long series of events revolving around every facet of social media. Included in the board of advisors for Social Media week is Adam Brown, currently at Dell computers, who was at one point one of the masterminds behind one of the most popular brands on Facebook, Coca-cola.

At a young age, Ally discovered her love of music and performing when she saw street musicians performing in Chicago and immediately started to sing with them. From that point forward, her passion for music continued to grow & she knew she wanted to become a performer.

Hello Billy Dec blog readers! My name is Jenny McCarthy (no, not THAT Jenny McCarthy) and I am so excited to let you in on a growing musical movement around the world. On any given night of the week, you can find great music in Chicago. If you’re a dedicated fan, you know the downside: groupies talking over your favorite song, beer bottles clanking, fair-weather fans blocking your view. For music lovers and performers, the intense, sometimes frustrating experience of attending shows is underestimated. So why doesn’t the Chicago music scene offer something different and innovative?

Ryan Dempster is a starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and has over thirteen years of MLB experience. He has been with the Cubs for the past eight years! His daughter, Riley, was born in 2009 with the genetic disorder 22q, which prompted him and his wife to start the Dempster Family foundation. The disease is a chromosomal abnormality that causes a very wide range of health issues. Not only does the disease cause developmental issues, but it also is the source of heart defects, autism, and immune system problems. Currently, a cure does not exist and children suffering from the disease require significant medical attention.

The Fourth of July has just passed but let’s not let the celebration and support for our troops simmer down. There is a new movie out called Lt. Dan Band: For The Common Good that has a way of helping us...

Hey aChicagoThing.com readers...Caitlin Presberg here, Summer Intern for Rockit Ranch Productions. Walking down the streets of Chicago everyday can become a bit of a routine, when you travel down there...

After I filmed my weekly segment on Thursdays at 9am on ABC TV's "Windy City Live" today (click here to see it!), I had a ton of people asking me about my Katy Perry story that I told on air, saying she...

Hi readers! This is Stephanie Castagnier, I'm a friend of Billy's, but you probably know me from NBC's The Apprentice, the 2010 season.  I wanted to share an event with you that I hold near and dear to my...