Righteous Fighters: how boxing can save lives in Chicago’s Southside (Video)
By Iacopo Luzi 40-year-old Ramon Zavaleta is a 4th District police officer with the Chicago Police Department. He is not just a cop. Every day, when his shift is over, he goes to the Community Christian Church and he becomes a boxing coach. Four years ago, he took an empty room in an East Side […]
With your hand in my hand: Formerly incarcerated move forward
By Kate Morrissey This article also appeared in The Chicago Defender. When Sharon Lacy’s brother approached her excitedly to tell her that he had gotten a drivers’ license, he was 32. She laughed at him. Then she paused. “It was normal to me, but it wasn’t normal to him,” she realized.
Racial bias in policing not just a Ferguson problem
By Kate Morrissey Page May said that when her family came to visit her in Chicago, they were all standing on a street corner in Logan Square as a police officer pulled up slowly beside them and signaled to her that he was watching. She said he then drew his hand across his throat and […]
From Chinatown to Bloomingdale’s: Chicago celebrates Chinese New Year
By Kate Morrissey Despite the snow that rattled rush-hour drivers Wednesday evening, the Phoenix Restaurant hosted a who’s who of Chinatown’s business and political leaders for one of the many celebrations of Chinese New Year happening across Chicago. Chinese New Year, more accurately referred to as Lunar New Year, began Thursday, and, according to Raymond […]
Peculiar Polling Places
By Mallory Hughes As Chicagoans went out to the polls on Election Day, common voting locations included nearby schools or churches, maybe an apartment building or a library. Some voters had a little bit more of an adventure.
Chicago election turn out hits recent low
By Laura Furr and Emily Hoerner Updated at 11 p.m. Chicago voter turnout for the 2015 municipal election was the lowest it has been in recent history, beating out the 2007 low of 33.1 percent. According to the Chicago Board of Election’s unofficial summary 32.7 percent of the city’s 1.42 million registered voters showed up […]
Free Street youth debate on stage: All lives matter or no lives matter
By Kate Morrissey One year ago Tuesday, Deonta Mackey was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer in the Pullman neighborhood when he tried to rob the officer at gunpoint at a gas station. “Track 13,” a play created by a youth ensemble composed of members from the Young Fugitives ensemble and members from […]
Black history told in 30 minutes for history month celebration
By Kate Morrissey In just 30 minutes, a cast of readers provided a timeline of African-American history beginning with life in Africa, moving through slave trade and emancipation and culminating in the progress made by people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. The Illinois Department of Human Rights hosted readings Wednesday from a […]
Women on Illinois corporate boards: one is the loneliest number
By Kate Morrissey When Victoria Medvec heard a recent Catalyst report about the small percentage of women on corporate boards, she had one question, “Who are they?” She wanted to call the two companies in Illinois that had no women. Medvec, the executive director for the Kellogg Center for Executive Women at Northwestern University, said […]
Video: Police Torture Reparations Gain Momentum in City Council
By Kate Morrissey Alderman Howard Brookins Jr. (21st) asked City Council Wednesday for a hearing on the ordinance that would give reparations to those tortured by police under the command of Jon Burge. Members of Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, Project NIA and Amnesty International showed their support through demonstrations during the council meeting.
