ABC7 Chicago premieres ''Heart and Soul''

December 2009 (WLS) -- ABC 7 presents Heart & Soul, a fresh, fast-paced series of specials designed to empower, educate and entertain. Heart & Soul taps into the energy and essence of what makes the African American culture in Chicago so uniquely vibrant.

ABC 7's Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders, Jim Rose, Karen Jordan, Charles Thomas, Leah Hope and Evelyn Holmes will serve as alternating hosts and contributors during this half-hour, quarterly series.

Heart & Soul will debut with hosts Cheryl Burton and Hosea Sanders, Saturday, December 19 at 6:00 PM. An encore presentation will air Sunday, December 20th at Noon. Each program will feature a special "Heart To Heart" segment offering a close-up look at Chicagoans who strive to empower others.

In the premiere edition of Heart & Soul, viewers will meet a Chicago violinist whose soulful music is nothing short of enchanting. Honing his talent on the violin since he was 6 years old, Lee England Jr., has performed with some of the best in the music industry, including the legendary Stevie Wonder. He is currently on tour with R&B recording artist K'Jon.

In 2004, advertising executives Sherman Wright and Ahmad Islam took a deep breath and big risk when they left their successful careers to start their own marketing firm, Common Ground Marketing. After only five short years, their firm is not only being lauded by Crain's Chicago Business, but has projected $11 million in revenue this year. Heart & Soul finds out how they did it and what makes this pair tick.

Next, Heart & Soul looks at how the organization "Counterpoint" is helping to transform attitudes and lifestyles of students at North Chicago High School. Their mission is to offset the negative societal and cultural influences on the urban teen experience with a positive approach to life through guidance, leadership, education and the application of learning.

Heart & Soul takes viewers on a tour of "Black Wall Street Chicago" the name given to the business district on 75th Street that has attracted a variety of interesting businesses. The Woodshop Art Gallery, home to one of the Midwest's largest collections of African artifacts and paintings and the popular Trinidad Cafe, the only restaurant in the city serving food from that region, will be stops on the tour.

Finally, the "Heart to Heart" segment will turn the spotlight on Connie Lindsey, Executive Vice President and head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Northern Trust to get an inside look at her world and how she empowers those through her work and volunteerism.

Rubye Wilson is the producer of Heart & Soul.

Heart & Soul will be available on demand at abc7chicago.com shortly after its initial airing.

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