Posts in News Article
After setback in Springfield, organizers say rent control is “past due”

Holding banners that read “lift the ban” and “rent control now,” protesters chanted, “J.B. keep your word!” and asked Pritzker to honor his campaign promise to support the repeal of the state's rent control ban. They were accompanied by aldermanic candidate Rossanna Rodriguez-Sanchez and Alderman Carlos Rosa-Ramirez, who shared stories of the housing squeeze from the 35th ward.

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Chicago transplant raising funds for coworking art studio in North Lawndale

After years of creative advertising work, Jessica Willis started her own blog “Swaggerless” and began highlighting artists’ work from around the world. She soon felt unfulfilled, not seeing tangible results from her work, and decided to organize a pop-up art show in Los Angeles that quickly outgrew her expectations.

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Through interactive event, Westside organization puts people in the shoes of re-entering individuals

Imagine exiting the realities of being incarcerated — an experience that has been proven to be traumatic for a lot of people — and facing the stress of re-entering society; to wake up, go about life and not be considered a citizen despite already paying one’s debt to society. There are many people who inquire about the effects of mass incarceration; how are people affected by it and what can be done to dismantle this system?

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City committee approves $20 million tax incentive for shipping center despite resistance from Little Village Residents

The Chicago City Council Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development voted on Friday, March 1 to approve a tax break for a controversial shipping center in Little Village. The Class 6(b) tax incentive for the site of the former Crawford Generating Station will now move to city council for a full vote, despite protests from residents that the project will be harmful to their health.

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West Side music center thrives in the heart of Garfield Park

The Chicago West Community Music Center began in a North Lawndale kitchen. It was 1999, CPS had cut music and art funding from public schools, and Howard and Darlene Sandifer were frustrated with the lack of opportunities that young people in their home of North Lawndale had to pursue an affordable, accessible arts education. So, they took matters into their own hands.

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Revolutionizing recess: nature playgrounds benefit children in McKinley Park

Jessica Fong still remembers the hours she spent playing outside and making mud pies as a kid growing up in Humboldt Park. Now the pre-K Chicago Public Schools teacher worries her students won’t have those memories. Up against a national trend of children spending hours staring at their phones, laptops, tablets and TV screens every day, Fong is employing a new kind of playground to help inspire a love of nature in her students.


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Filipinx artists explore authenticity, identity, filipino food during community dinner in Pilsen

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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Chicago teachers stage nation's first-ever charter school strike for sanctuary schools, better teaching conditions

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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Parishioners of closing churches in the Bridgeport area are angered, skeptical about impending changes

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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Building beauty from darkness: Black Monument Ensemble to bring hope in upcoming showcase

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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