Labubu dolls take over Chicagoland, fuel Pop Mart’s expansion ambitions
By Layna Hong Medill Reports One thing Monica Ruano can’t leave the house without is her Labubu. The fuzzy doll hangs from her bag, with rabbit ears, wide piercing eyes and a smile that stretches across its plastic face and shows off its serrated teeth. “I wear them wherever I go — restaurants, family parties, […]
WATCH: Medill Newsmakers
By Toussaint Fancher, Sarah Barber, Peggy Helman, Alexis Ross, Ty Williamson, Abby Feldman and Catie Lacovara Medill Reports Chicago Newsmakers presents the stories of Chicagoans making a real difference in their community. From West Town to North Lawndale, we traveled all over Chicago to find people making a difference in our communities Transcript: Barber: […]
LISTEN: Activist discusses Northern Ireland experience running for public office
By Tom O’Connor Medill Reports Campaigner, journalist and peace activist Emma DeSouza spoke with Medill Reports in Chicago while touring the U.S. to deliver a series of talks on the importance of civic society and peacebuilding. In this wide-ranging conversation, DeSouza reflects on running for office, balancing journalism with activism and the challenges women face […]
Vienna’s green revolution: Inside the city’s sustainability boom
By Jessie Nguyen Medill Reports VIENNA — In the midst of the Vienna winter, city life is as vibrant as ever. Commuters biked along the Ringstrasse as riders patiently lined up for a tram at one of Innere Stadt’s more bustling stops. When it comes to sustainability, no city does it like Vienna. Only 1 in […]
From Baton Rouge to the Bears: Major Burns’ name was always destined for the spotlight
By Simone Roberts Medill Reports Major Burns was born with a name built for big moments — even before he was born, his mom knew he needed a name fit for greatness. “My spirit was telling me, this child is going to need a name that’s going to come through the loudspeakers, ” Choretta Burns […]
A fashion ‘Shangri-La’: Vintage hunter sells — and squirrels away — decades worth of treasures in Roscoe Village shop
By Paulina Kwik Medill Reports On a snowy February morning, Debbie Gallo sat behind the counter of her small but colorful vintage store, scrubbing the forehead of a flat, palm-sized decoration shaped like a cat. She was wearing a white and purple sweater, also adorned with kitties, and her gray curls brushed over her shoulders. […]
Environmental coalitions work to block invasive carp from Great Lakes
By Christiana Freitag Medill Reports When loud barges pass along the Mississippi River, a flurry of oversized silver carp can be seen leaping into the air. These noise-sensitive invasive fish escaped from aquaponic ponds on the lower Mississippi in the 1990s, and continue to pose an ongoing ecological threat to the Great Lakes. As filter […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Season 5, Episode 10
Medill Reports This week in Chicago: Our team takes a deep dive into ways new federal pressures affect Chicago’s systems and institutions, from universities to hospitals, police departments, immigration offices and more. “Chicago This Week” is a half-hour show that features news, sports, business and entertainment stories from around Chicago. All the producing, reporting, […]
LISTEN: Illinois could be first state to protect right to mask up
By Layna Hong Medill Reports Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-mask legislation is sweeping across the country. With growing pro-Palestinian activism, many lawmakers argue that protesters are using masks to hide their identities. But in Illinois, a bill proposed in February would protect the right to wear a medical mask in […]
Summer season or tariff-surge, what’s making thrifting appealing?
By Janani Janarthanan Medill Reports Have you recently noticed the price of clothes on online shopping sites go up? Are you considering thrifting to get better deals on your summer wardrobe or salve a sudden shopping itch? Industry experts and executives of Goodwill and ThredUp, an online consignment and thrifting marketplace, have been expecting it. […]