Elyjah Williams: Broken foot, unbroken spirit
By Julia Cardi Elyjah Williams pushes himself up from his perch in a wheeled office chair on the court sideline and limps to the basketball net a few yards off, away from his teammates running drills on the opposite end of the floor. He starts shooting free throws and lay-ups. The boot on his right […]
An art piece is worth “34,000 Pillows”
By Vishakha Darbha Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera watched over the makeshift sewing studio at Soul Asylum, an art exhibition focusing on immigrant stories of struggle. Perera is one half of an artist duo, with Cara Megan Lewis. Together, they call themselves Diaz Lewis. At Soul Asylum, their interactive artwork is titled “34,000 Pillows,” inspired by the […]
Unmasked: A platform for cultural expressions for Muslim youth (Video)
By Nikita Mandhani Amarah Alghaban clutched the mic as she recited a verse from one of her favorite poems by Naomi Shihab Nye, about the plight of Palestinians. “And these are not two equal sides: occupier and occupied. And a hundred dead, two hundred dead, and a thousand dead. And between that, war crime and […]
New $650 Air Jordan shoes will launch Jan. 30
By Ya Zhou Michael Jordan’s latest sneaker won’t go on sale till the weekend, but eager buyers were already lined up downtown by mid-week. Approximately 100 lawn chairs were set up in a line outside Nike’s Jordan Brand retail shop on South State Street, with a handful of eager buyers waiting for the release of […]
Survivors of Human Trafficking Heal Through Art
By Carlos D. Williamson An art gallery on Chicago’s Northwest Side that typically showcases the work of survivors of sexual abuse and rape is helping support a new cause. The Awakenings Foundation Center and Gallery is featuring an exhibit that shows the artwork of survivors of human trafficking. While most survivors of trafficking have been […]
Literacy program helps immigrants overcome language barriers
By Shanshan Wang Zubeda Begum, who came to the United States from Pakistan 15 years ago, believes that practice makes perfect. That is why the 67-year-old has just passed examinations and graduated from the ESL (English as a Second Language) program at the Indo-American Center in West Rogers Park. “I learn so many things,” Begum […]
Chicago: A City Divided on Dental Care
By Danielle Prieur and Neil Murthy T his is a tale of two clinics. At first glance, it may seem that Drs. Robert Krueger and Susana Torres share much in common. Both are dentists in the Chicago area who have practiced for many years. Both have a passion for their profession and share a special […]
Chinatown reflects on its 100-year history through public art
By Sophie Zhang Red and yellow pigment splashes above glittering glass mosaic on two Chinatown murals, connects dozens of photos featuring residents to the body of a huge dragon sculpture. Under the Metra railroad bridge on Archer Avenue, these murals commemorate the 100th year of Chinatown. To integrate the ancient and the modern, artists applied […]
Affordable Care Act Deadline Looms for Uninsured
By Ruojing Liu As the deadline for applying for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act open enrollment draws near, punishment for the uninsured is also getting real. At a press conference Tuesday at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital, officials from the federal to the city level urged local uninsured residents to get a health […]
Suburbs Grapple with Heroin Epidemic
By Jack Adams PJ Newberg’s daughter, Paula Nixon, tried to refuse the heroin her boyfriend offered her, but eventually she gave in, becoming a heroin addict at 16. (Heroin) is just a f***ing nightmare, that’s what it is. It steals your soul,” Newberg said. “I don’t recognize my kid.” Nixon has been in and out […]