Sewing new lives for refugee women in Chicago
By Maryam Saleh A long, dark skirt with a blue floral pattern, perfect for an evening out. A white tunic with sheer sleeves, wrapped to the elbow in gold embellishment. A long-sleeve, black-and-white dress with an open front, matched perfectly with black leggings and a pair of pumps. These are just some of the items made […]
Chicago Bahá’ís seek support for Iranians
By Duke Omara In 1984, 19-yearold Tooraj Talebi made a mad dash across the Iranian desert towards Pakistan, enduring sleepless nights, numerous police check points and human traffickers. He didn’t have a final destination in mind. But he knew he had to get out of Iran, find a place where he could practice his religion […]
Close to Thanksgiving, hundreds of O’Hare workers set to strike
By June Leffler [Update: On Mon., Nov. 21, SEIU Local 1 announced that the strike has been delayed until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and is now set for Tues., Nov. 29] Baggage handlers, custodians, security officers and wheelchair attendants have voted to strike in the next few days, potentially through Thanksgiving weekend. Workers are […]
No quitting their agenda for Cook County Democrats with an eye on 2018 elections
By Hannah Moulthrop Last week’s presidential election left Cook County Democrats shocked at Hillary Clinton’s loss, but ready to fight for their agenda in Congress and at home. And new volunteers are signing up “by the minute” to ready the party for the 2018 midterm elections, a party leader said. And party winners are calling […]
Can’t vote? Next step: become a citizen
By Katanga Johnson [An earlier version of this story ran election night on Medill Reports.] As more than one hundred million Americans cast their ballots on Nov. 8, thousands of hopefuls prepared themselves for the next election. But first they need to become American citizens. Rodrigo Vences, employee at the Honorary Consulate of Mexico in […]
Immigrant community finds way forward after election
By Alex Ortiz “I couldn’t tell them that things were going to be OK,” Jose Muñoz recalls as he and undocumented students watched election night returns Nov. 8 in Pilsen. “All I could tell them was that we are there to support them.” Students gathered at Resurrection Project that night hoping for an altogether different result than […]
IUDs poised for quick, strong renaissance before Trump takes office
By Anna Foley Nina Berman is a longtime fan of IUDs, otherwise known as intrauterine birth control devices (the T-shaped ones). But after the election of Donald Trump last week, Berman noticed she wasn’t the only one. She saw more and more of her friends announcing on social media plans to get the long-term use IUDs. […]
Healthy foods and more for the South Side
By Karys Belger Rich, green cucumbers; vibrant, yellow squash and red tomatoes create a brilliant display. This is the first sight that greets you when you enter the Whole Foods at 832 W. 63rd St. It’s a sight that seems foreign for Lisa Marsh, who spent most of her life in Englewood. “I’m hoping this […]
Amid political unease, Muslims seek comfort in faith
By Maryam Saleh Standing in front of an American flag that hangs on the wall of the gymnasium at the Islamic Center of Naperville, sunlight spilling through the large windows behind him, Imam Rizwan Ali spoke of hope. “As Allah took care of his prophets, he will take care of us, and we need to […]
What is solar energy’s future under Trump?
By Yu-Ning Aileen Chuang A few hours after Donald Trump delivered his victory speech, hundreds of solar industry practitioners, environmentalists and policy experts gathered in Chicago to consider what lies ahead under the president-elect. “Clearly, there is an elephant in the room,” said Tom Kimbis, the interim president at the Washington-based Solar Energy Industries Association, […]