Rev. Charles Straight and fellow activists stood before a cluster of microphones, reminding media members of the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing history of misconduct and the repercussions of pretrial incarceration.
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A typical Filipino greeting starts with “Kamusta?” (How are you?) followed by “Kumain ka na?” (Have you eaten?). It’s undeniable that food is at the center of almost every Filipino interaction and gathering. In most social events, the ever-present bilao (circular basket) of pancit (noodles) or tray of lumpia (spring rolls) is always on the table, but folks rarely talk about food beyond complimenting it or exchanging recipes.
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In the early hours of the morning, hundreds of teachers and thousands of families finally got word that today would not be just another Tuesday. Unionized educators from 15 Acero charter schools walked picket lines instead of hallways today, after calling the first-ever charter school strike in American history over true sanctuary schools and better teaching conditions.
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As hundreds of Bridgeport-area parishioners walked out of St. Barbara Parish, there was no choir singing and no priest standing by the exit to bless them goodbye. Many were upset after learning of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s plans to close and merge several churches and their respective schools in Bridgeport, Canaryville and Chinatown as part of an initiative to alleviate financial strains and priest shortages.
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Seven-year-old Kailyn McIntire twirled the brand new hair extensions that she tied into her braids. “I have pink hair!” She squealed. McIntire won the hair accessories just minutes before in one of the many raffles offered at the Safe and Peaceful Community Rally.
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Fiona Bradley didn’t know what to do when she saw a passenger sprawled out on the train’s floor at two in the morning.
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On Friday October 12th, Garfield Park Conservatory hosted their annual plant-based fashion show, FLEUROTICA. A visually stunning event, FLEUROTICA combined bio-degradable materials with the aesthetics of runway fashion. Here’s what the evening looked like.
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It’s not yet the holiday season but Damon Locks thought Chicago deserved a gift. On Nov. 15, Locks and the Black Monument Ensemble will present “Where Future Unfolds – Flowers for Chicago,” a sprawling 80-minute music-and-dance performance hosted at the Garfield Park Conservatory as part of the month-long Red Bull Music Festival.
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It’s 3 p.m. on the West Side, and Marie Henderson has managed to dodge the biggest news of the day: Mayor Rahm Emanuel isn’t running for re-election. Even the broadcasters themselves were shocked by Emanuel’s announcement.
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Despite similar marijuana usage across all racial groups, Chicago has seen incommensurately more arrests and tickets given in black and brown neighborhoods than in predominantly white ones, even since its possession was decriminalized in the city in 2012.
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Set for Oct. 5 in Pilsen, the Brown Skin Lady Show is all about embracing change as the city transitions toward the fall season.
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Destiny Harris emceed the night of the Report Release on Aug. 29 for No Cop Academy, an endeavor that is being led by black youth demanding that the proposed $95 million being allocated to build the Joint Public Safety Training Academy in West Garfield Park be redirected to Chicago Public Schools.
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Nearly four years after Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke killed 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, the Van Dyke trial began just this month. The prosecution rested its case last week. Now, the defense begins its attempt to prove Van Dyke was justified in shooting McDonald 16 times. As the trial nears its end, Chicago waits for the verdict with baited breath.
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Rising from her seat in the middle of William Penn Elementary School’s small library, a young mother looked over her shoulder, sighed, and pleaded, “Please stop taking my pencils out of my pencil box.”
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There currently exist many organizations aimed at helping Chicagoans navigate the city’s medical marijuana program, but most are sponsored by cannabis companies in Illinois and very few groups service the South and West Sides of the city. Black and brown folks stand to benefit just as much from access to cannabis as anyone else, but they are readily skipped over by many advocacy organizations.
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West Side residents looking to explore their inner farmer can attend the Garfield Park Conservatory between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 for the seventh annual Harvest Day. The recommended donation for attending the event is $5. Hosted by the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, the event will be a family-friendly celebration of urban agriculture in the city of Chicago.
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In theory, legal possession and use of pot in Illinois could bring balance to the way it's policing disproportionately affects black and brown folks. But those communities stand to suffer the same systemic barriers in a recreational system that they already face within the medical one. With the city possibly on the brink of ending its prohibition on cannabis, Chicagoans on the South and West Sides are working to ensure that black and brown communities aren’t left out.
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In a small, dimly lit art gallery in Pilsen, a projected video montage of prior concerts, fashion shows, and gallery parties plays in a loop on the main room’s western wall, while a rotating cast of DJs spin a high-octane blend of contemporary hip-hop. Partygoers comfortably trade laughs and dance moves in equal measure, soaking in their last night at the influential AMFM art gallery.
Carolyn Vessel grew up poor in the West Side of Chicago as the oldest of five children. She was raised by a single mother, who worked hard to make sure that they had a place to live and food on the table. More than that, Vessel received support from her mother, especially when it came to getting a solid education, and viewed her as a role model.
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