Failing healthcare on the island of Vieques
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports Thousands of concrete blocks are lined up, side by side, on the edges of Luis Muñoz Rivera Plaza in Vieques, a tiny island in Puerto Rico. Some of the blocks are dyed with color, and most have names scribbled on them. At first glance, the colorful blocks, red ribbons and […]
Q&A: “Stop listening to haters,” says the youngest Muslim to be elected
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports Bushra Amiwala, the daughter of two Pakistani immigrants, became the youngest Muslim elected official in the country at the age of 21 in 2019. She was a DePaul University freshman when she ran for a seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2017. She lost in the Democratic […]
Muslims in Chicago say that Trump’s statements have painted a target on their backs
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports As Dilara Sayeed, a 51-year old Muslim in Chicago, entered an office building for a meeting, she had an experience which she had thought almost unthinkable a few years ago. Besides her office attire, Sayeed was also wearing a colorful hijab, a symbol of her faith. Sayeed is a social […]
Puerto Rican communities take matters into their own hands
By Joel Jacobs Medill Reports As Puerto Rico struggles with crushing public debt, an economic recession and natural disasters, many residents disillusioned with the local and federal government have taken matters into their own hands. For many of the approximately 3.1 million Puerto Ricans on the island, the strategy going forward is oriented around self-reliance. […]
Reflections from Puerto Rico: Rebuilding, Resilience and Resistance
By the Medill Explores Puerto Rico Team Medill Reports In February 2020, Medill MSJ students reported across Puerto Rico about the impacts of the island’s colonial status and debt crisis; recent earthquakes and 2017 hurricanes Maria and Irma; environmental injustice; and the island’s imperiled infrastructure and electrical grid. Throughout the reporting, the resilience and resourcefulness […]
New mural at Bronzeville Mariano’s helps community reclaim history
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports A new mural in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side is inspiring the black community to come together to reclaim their history and re-establish their connections with the neighborhood. The mural, located at the Mariano’s store in Bronzeville, is the brainchild of Chicago-born muralist Dorian Sylvain.
Mayor Lightfoot’s anti-violence budget sparks debate between non-profits and critics
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports As he leaves his house every morning to go to his job, Kenneth Watkins’ mother wishes him a good day with a smile. “She used to look so worried whenever I left the house,” Watkins said. “The only thing she used to say to me was ‘Stay safe.’ But she […]
