Are books back? Ask Gen Z.
By Sylvie Kirsch Medill Reports “On weekend mornings, I get up, make coffee, sit on my couch and read a paper book 99% of the time. And that’s a routine that’s so peaceful and amazing.” This isn’t the sentiment of a retired octogenarian but of 23-year-old Hayley Sanders, owner of the BookTok account @hayleyreadsalot. She’s […]
Tokyo’s Jimbocho book district is ‘heaven on earth’
By Stephana Ocneanu Medill Reports TOKYO — It’s winter in Tokyo. After several days of snow and rain, locals soak up the sun with an afternoon stroll through Jimbocho. Bookstores line the streets, some exhibiting their collections with shelves and carts outside, others with glass doors welcoming a glimpse inside. Most owners take advantage of […]
For cosplayers, dress-up is not child’s play or just for Halloween
By Valenti Govantes Medill Reports At Fan Expo Chicago 2024 in August, roughly 75,000 attendees — from Spider-Men to Catwomen — flocked to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The unofficial cosplay center was the community zone, which became a headquarters for The Windy City Ghostbusters and its Ecto-1 car. It also served as a […]
DNC fashionistas pop in politically inspired personalized looks
By Sylvie Kirsch Medill Reports The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was both a political potluck and a fashion show. Keynote speakers like Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Ella Emhoff wowed viewers with chic, sleekly tailored looks that only added to the gravitas of their messaging. Democratic delegates also wore a mix of […]
Stylists, models and fashion enthusiasts share 9 tips for elevating a plus-size wardrobe
By Abigail Ali Medill Reports Finding and wearing clothes that accurately represent who you are as a plus-size woman can be intimidating. To make the process easier and more fun, consider taking the following steps: Create a mood board Mood boards, a collection of images and text, create a roadmap for where to go […]
Why aren’t major clothing brands extending sizes when more than two-thirds of U.S. women are considered overweight?
By Abigail Ali Medill Reports Tess Holliday struggled to find plus-size clothing growing up in Laurel, Mississippi. As a teen, she was surrounded by images of thin women on TV shows like “America’s Next Top Model,” in magazines like Vogue and in ads for Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. “The early 2000s were not for […]
Methodology – A new Chinatown: Demographics, business landscapes evolve in Chicago’s 11th Ward
By Grace Xue and Tianshu Hu Medill Reports The datasets used in this report were downloaded from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Chicago Data Portal. These datasets are all publicly available. Three different types of data were obtained from these official agencies and authorities. The U.S. Census […]
How Tanicha Lopez made improving cool again
Taking inspiration from composers on and off the island to keep in shape, Tanicha Lopez is reinventing her career By Layla Brown-Clark Medill Reports SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — It’s a beautiful day in Miramar, a neighborhood in the expansive city of San Juan. The weather is warm and humid, and inside Gustos Coffee, the […]
A new Chinatown: Demographics, business landscapes evolve in Chicago’s 11th Ward
By Grace Xue and Tianshu Hu Medill Reports In recent years, the food culture and cityscape of Chinatown have gradually changed with the influx of new immigrants, international students and tourists. Along Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue, people walk with boba tea, past long lines of locals waiting to dine at bustling hot pot restaurants. […]
WATCH: Raising the Bar
By Isabelle Senechal and Rose LaForest Medill Reports As a teenager, Marshan Allen was sentenced to die in prison. Today, he is an accomplished criminal justice advocate and law school student who is fighting for the rights of those still behind bars. TRANSCRIPT: MARSHAN ALLEN: I was incarcerated, and I was convicted of felony murder […]