Chicago boxing coach lifts female fighters to new heights, motivated by tragedy

By Chris Cadeau Medill Reports Israel Gonzalez is a decorated Chicago boxing coach. He fought “semi-professionally” until his career suddenly ended on Christmas day in 2003. Once Gonzalez got back on his feet, his journey as a coach began at Northeastern Illinois University, while pursuing an education. Today, Gonzalez is regarded as one of the […]

Coming Out of The Shadows: Students speak openly about being undocumented

By Shanshan Wang Audio by Ya Zhou For many years, Tamara Montes De Oca, a senior in communications at Northeastern Illinois University, never told others about her undocumented status. “I hid it because I never wanted to be treated differently. I wanted to be given the same challenges and opportunities as everyone,” Montes De Oca […]