Beautifully Vivid Creations

04/11/2026

02/21/2026

The woman who made GPS possible has taken her final journey.

Dr. Gladys West died Saturday at 95. She was the mathematician who built the model of Earth that makes GPS work.

She was born on a Virginia farm in 1930, the daughter of sharecroppers. She picked to***co as a child and walked miles to a one-room school. She made herself valedictorian, earned a full scholarship, and stacked degrees in math until the Navy hired her in 1956.

At the Naval Proving Ground, she programmed computers the size of rooms using punch cards and flow charts. She calculated the shape of Earth, the real shape, lumpy and irregular, precise enough that satellites could use it to tell you exactly where you are at any moment. That work became GPS.

She retired after 42 years. Then she had a stroke at 70, recovered, and earned a PhD from Virginia Tech.

For most of her life, no one knew her name. Her work was classified. She didn't even tell her kids. Then a friend asked for a bio in 2017 and the story came out. Hidden figure, finally seen.

She never used GPS herself. Preferred paper maps. "If I can see the road and see where it turns," she said, "I am more sure."

She spent her whole life making sure the rest of us never had to wonder.

Rest in peace, Dr. West.

02/18/2026

✊🏽 Five Black surgeons are now leading the trauma surgery unit at Johns Hopkins, one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world. It’s a historic milestone for medicine and a powerful example of leadership, excellence, and representation at the highest level.

02/04/2026

Lonnie Johnson made history not just as an inventor, but also as a symbol of perseverance and justice in the world of innovation. In 2013, after filing a lawsuit claiming unpaid royalties, Johnson was awarded $73 million for his creation of the Super Soaker water gun, which he invented in 1982 and became a global sensation when released in 1990. Initially underpaid under a licensing agreement with Hasbro, Johnson fought for over two decades to be fairly compensated for the success of his invention, which has earned billions in revenue. His victory not only celebrated the importance of his contribution to toy history but also highlighted the broader issue of fair compensation for inventors whose groundbreaking work can shape entire industries. Today, Johnson’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the need for equity and recognition in the world of invention and entrepreneurship.

02/02/2026

Black History Month!! Spread the news! 💪🏽🙏🏽

01/29/2026

Let’s spread the word! This is Amazing!!

01/28/2026

Save the dates!

From the return of beloved staples like the Chicago Blues Festival, Taste of Chicago, and the Chicago Air and Water Show, to citywide programs including Chicago SummerDance, Farmers Markets and free outdoor concerts and films in Millennium Park, Chicago’s cultural calendar is once again set to energize our residents and global visitors. 🤩

The 2026 festival and events season kicks off in May, so stay tuned for full event lineups and additional announcements at chicago.gov/DCASE.

09/16/2025

A 42-year-old educator, Keishia Thorpe, has won the prestigious Global Teacher Prize in the United States, receiving a $1 million cash award. Born in Jamaica and now teaching in Maryland, she was selected from more than 8,000 nominations across 121 countries for her outstanding work with immigrant and refugee students. Thorpe redesigned the 12th-grade English curriculum to better reflect her students’ lives, leading to a 40% increase in reading achievement, and has helped her seniors secure over $6.7 million in scholarships. Drawing from her own journey as an immigrant on a track scholarship, she understands the challenges her students face and is committed to using her platform and prize money to expand access to higher education for underprivileged youth.

08/22/2025

Diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay as a child, Jason Arday did not speak until he was 11 and only learned to read and write at 18. Defying these early challenges, he pursued higher education with determination and excelled as a sociologist. His perseverance led him to make history as Cambridge University's youngest Black professor.

08/20/2025

Congratulations to the laptop and tablet raffle winners from our annual Job Fair! We were excited to present them with their new devices during Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. We know they will put them to good use! The Merrillville Job Fair opened the community to hundreds of job opportunities in Northwest Indiana, and we’re already looking forward to hosting it again next summer!