On a Saturday evening in May, Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, an elected member of the South African National Assembly and the grandson of Nelson Mandela, stood on stage at the Chicago Teachers Union and recited a chant from a South African tradition that echoed across the rooms of the hall. Mandela, invited to Chicago by organizers […]
Category: News & Politics
Posted inNews & Politics
Trans elders are revolutionaries
The following five profiles feature trans and genderqueer elders in Chicago as they reflect on identity and joy this Pride Month.
Posted inNews & Politics
Filters are not just for Instagram
Chicagoans inspired to reduce possible contamination in their home drinking water can find NSF-certified filters at chain stores like Home Depot, Target, Lowes, or Amazon, as well as local home goods and hardware stores. Consumers may find it easiest to use faucet mounts and pitchers, which are listed below. Other options, such as under-sink water […]
Posted inNews & Politics
Is there lead in there?
Chicago has long been known to have an issue with lead contamination, though many residents may be unaware. In 2011 and 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Illinois conducted a study on field sampling protocols for lead in drinking water. The agency concluded that existing sampling protocols underestimated lead corrosion and levels in drinking […]
Posted inNews & Politics
How the FBI used ‘Cop City’ protests to snoop on activists in Chicago
This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.This article was produced in partnership with the nonprofit newsroom Type Investigations, where Adam Federman is a reporting fellow. Subscribe to their newsletters here. Last summer, a “Chicago Against Cop City” Twitter account was created and began sharing information about a campaign unfolding some 700 […]
Posted inNews & Politics
Worth the risk?
Fallout from a queer erotica screening at Sleeping Village exhibits how far cultural institutions still have to go to support the entire LGBTQ+ community.
Posted inNews & Politics
’People of all generations healing together’
Being a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Chicago means that you are allowed to open a private practice and bill insurance for your clients’ sessions. It also means that you have attained your master’s degree in social work, completed 3,000 hours of clinical work under a licensed supervisor (including unpaid but graded hours of […]
Posted inNews & Politics
’Inmates are extremely manipulative‘
Content note: This story contains descriptions of deaths in prisons, including suicide. On July 16, 2010, at 11 PM, Jeremy started sweating. He walked to the health-care unit inside the Lawrence Correctional Center, a medium-security men’s prison in southeast Illinois, where he was serving a 14-year sentence. The facility sits about 90 minutes from Terre […]
Posted inCannabis
Locked up for cannabis, locked out of work
Craig Cesal was sentenced to life in prison for a cannabis offense before former President Donald Trump granted him a pardon. Today he finds himself in a different position: director of advocacy and senior clemency case manager at his nonprofit, the Second Chance Foundation. Last year, the Oakbrook Terrace resident teamed up with attorney Huma […]
Posted inNews & Politics
‘Why you talking to a bum?’
For a while now, I’ve no longer understood what we’re talking about when we talk about public safety on the CTA. By “we” I mean housed Chicagoans who ride the trains, but also media and local politicians.
Posted inBest of Chicago
2022 Sports & Recreation poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: professional women’s sports team, professional men’s sports team, sports facility, athlete, sports TV or radio announcer, lake swimming spot, canoe or kayak rentals, neighborhood park, dog park, and more
Posted inBest of Chicago
2022 Cannabis poll winners
The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: “adult use” dispensary, “adult use” (rec) budtender, medical cannabis dispensary, medical budtender or patient care rep, clinic to get certified for a medical card, infused chocolate, infused gummies, infused beverage (drink, drop, syrup, tea), consumable, other (mint, tablet, snack food, etc.), product for increased libido, strain or consumable product for pain relief (include producer), strain or product for relief of anxiety (include producer), strain or product for sleep (include producer), topical, vape concentrate (strain & brand/producer), non-vape concentrate (strain & brand/producer), cannabis accessory selection in a dispensary, cannabis accessory boutique (non-dispensary), cannabis supper club, home chef, or caterer, local CBD source (local non-dispensary shop or brand), pet CBD product, cannabis advocacy or restorative justice organization, grow support resource, home grow supply shop, and more
Posted inFeature
Brandon Johnson speaks with Black LGBTQ+ leaders
The day mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson descended upon Lighthouse Church of Chicago UCC was reminiscent of any other political season meet and greet between a hopeful candidate and an inquisitive community of faith. Except it wasn’t the same because Lighthouse is the only predominantly African American and LGBTQ+ -inclusive congregation in the city. The church, […]
Posted inNews & Politics
Queer Chicago union workers celebrate Trans Day of Visibility with solidarity
Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) is an annual celebration of the lives and contributions of trans people, created in 2010 to draw attention to the community’s successes and also draw attention to the discrimination, violence, and other systemic challenges that trans communities face. This year, local unions with engaged and active trans members are throwing […]
Posted inNews & Politics
Organizing the night workers
About 15 workers from Berlin Nightclub stood outside the 40-year-old Lakeview venue on March 11. They were a few dozen feet from the Belmont Red Line station, in a gaggle, below a steady downpour of flurrying snow that wouldn’t stick. Because of the weather, the streets and buildings all had a thin, wet film. The […]