Protesters come together at Trump Tower in downtown Chicago
By Cloee Cooper and Fariba Pajooh [See related story on the night’s protest] Helicopters buzzed overhead as thousands of angry and perplexed people gathered at the Trump Tower to protest the election of Donald Trump as president Wednesday evening. Shocked youth, minorities, pregnant mothers and middle-aged people joined together to repeat chants of “No Trump, […]
The 606 is pushing up real estate prices along its path
By David Jordan Nearly 16 months after opening, the 606 has come to define its surrounding neighborhoods, for better or for worse. The 2.7-mile-long trail was developed by the Trust for Public Land, a national organization whose mission in part is to create and protect parkland, especially in underserved communities. Before the conversion of the […]
The far South Side is one step closer to a Red Line extension
By David Jordan Jerry Brown is frustrated after years of broken promises. The West Pullman resident is one of many eager to hear the latest plans to bring Chicago Transit Authority train stations to the largely black communities on the city’s far South Side. The long-promised project has recently gotten a firmer timeline from the […]
A Trump presidency is sobering for ex-offenders
By June Leffler A week before the presidential election, Lacey Stolzke was released from jail after serving 225 days. “I was never into politics, because I was so caught up in my drug use.” At 27 years old, she’s in treatment and living at Grace House, a halfway house for female ex-offenders who are recovering […]
Hillary Clinton wins the unofficial election among people who can’t legally vote
By Pat Nabong On the days leading up to the election, ex-offenders, permanent residents, tourists, disenfranchised voters, Mexicans and immigrants who couldn’t legally vote were able to cast their ballots in unofficial voting stations. And on the night that Donald Trump became president-elect, Hillary Clinton won the unofficial election. Official Unofficial Voting Station: Voting for […]
Like they say: Chicago businesswoman shows black lingo is valuable, bankable
By Jordan Gaines For those in the know, sayings like “Can I live?” and “The Only Thing I Have 2 Do Is Stay Black and Die” sums up a lot about the black experience, one that is often overlooked in the words and images that describe the American lived experience. That’s why Chicago entrepreneur Dianna […]
One win for Illinois’ immigrant communities: mobilizing new citizens
By Alexa Mencia Immigrant advocates linked arms in solidarity Wednesday morning to “resist and lead” following the jarring Election Day results. Many tried to inspire a renewed call to action for those feeling defeated by Donald Trump’s victory. Although the election of a political figure notorious for anti-immigrant rhetoric may seem like a setback, immigrant […]
Become a Lego architect at Brick-by-Brick exhibition
By Catherine Chen The Brick-by-Brick exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry features more than a dozen giant, Lego-built engineering marvels and provides a stage for children to explore science and architecture. The Legos create a 60-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, the International Space Station, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Hoover Dam, the Colosseum […]
Chicago Humanities Festival brings you literary luminaries and a whole lot more
By Grant Rindner You could be forgiven for thinking that the Chicago Cubs’ World Series cliffhanger and subsequent Game 7 victory marked the city’s signature cultural event of the past few weeks. But in nooks of the city such as Francis W. Parker School in Lincoln Park or Northwestern University’s Cahn Auditorium, crowds of local […]
Play election phone banking Bingo
By Jingzhe (Kelly) Wang Medill reporter Kelly Wang knows first hand what the frustrations and triumphs are in volunteering for an election phone bank. Play phone banking Bingo with her. [vimeo 190894817 w=474]