Stories by Abena Bediako

The report from the University of Illinois Chicago showed a number of structural issues contributing to this disparity — a lack of affordable housing and sufficient income chief among them.

For many, a new year often means new beginnings. But keeping up with resolutions is not always easy.

Ronnie Carrasquillo served nearly 47 years in prison before being released. A new documentary, “In Their Hands,” highlights his journey while raising questions about mass incarceration, the parole system and the meaning of getting a second chance.

Charitable giving dropped more than 2% in 2023, according to a Giving USA report. But local organizations are making efforts to reach their donation goals just in time for the new year. 

Chicago’s South Side residents have a 30-year life expectancy gap compared to their North Side counterparts. Advocate Health Care is working to address that disparity with a new $1 billion investment plan that includes replacing Advocate Trinity Hospital with a new facility.

Last month, Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward) announced the proposal to remove all tents from the area before the holidays as part of the Humboldt Park Encampment Housing Initiative. The city plans to start removal Friday morning, but advocates want officials to reconsider and explore other options.

The plan is to transform the former U.S. Steel South Works site into the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. Officials are calling the campus “history-altering,” but some neighbors want the process to slow down and are raising environmental and displacement concerns.

Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Native American populations in the United States. More than 65,000 Native Americans live in the greater metropolitan area, representing about 175 different tribes.

With more than 600 episodes and 2 million weekly viewers, “America’s Test Kitchen” has become a household staple. The show has been on public television since 2001 with the aim of putting home cooks at ease by focusing on their needs.

President-elect Donald Trump said he’ll carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history — and has even promised to use the military to help that effort.

Six years, two high schoolers, one game. That was the winning combination for the groundbreaking documentary “Hoop Dreams” — which just turned 30 years old. The story follows two Chicago teens with dreams of making it in the NBA in the early ‘90s.

The Chicago Board of Education is in the midst of massive change. Residents just voted in 10 members of the city’s first elected school board.

Local organizations are pushing back on Chicago’s plan to merge its migrant shelter operations with its homeless shelter network. The city is set to launch the plan known as the One System Initiative on Jan. 1 with a total of 6,800 shelter beds.

Gun owners argue the ban infringes on their constitutional right to bear arms. Gun control advocates argue the ban is common sense and a way to protect Illinois residents from guns that are designed to be extra lethal.

According to an exit poll conducted by NBC, 46% of Latinos voted for Trump in 10 key states, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. Historically, Trump surpassed former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, which in turn resulted in the worst showing among Latinos for a Democratic presidential candidate in 20 years.

The decisive defeat leaves Democrats to pick up the pieces and figure out a path forward for their party after notching across the board defeats in the expected swing states. Both Republicans and Democrats in Chicago on Wednesday analyzed the results of the election and what it might say about the future of the country. 

A study by the American Psychology Association reports that 77% of U.S. adults say the nation’s future is a significant source of stress in their lives. This category of mental health is known as socio-political stress and it seems more prevalent to people who are politically active compared to those not engaged in politics. 

At issue is the Sims Metal Management company in Pilsen, which was cited by state and federal officials for violating environmental laws. The company agreed to build new equipment to contain emissions from at the site.

The Black male vote has turned into a crucial bloc this election, with both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump making appeals to get their votes. 

This month marks 10 years since the police murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. Advocates say efforts to hold the Chicago Police Department more accountable and to change the way officers interact with residents have not shown much progress.

Residents on the city’s Northwest Side may be losing access to programs provided by a local community organization. The nonprofit Hermosa Neighborhood Association says it’s set to lose state funding in June. As the grant end date approaches, community organizers are working to figure out what comes next.

In 1966, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chicago’s West Side to protest against discriminatory housing practices. The neighborhood went into an uproar following his assassination in 1968, resulting in numerous riots and looting. “When the West Side Burned” outlines the destruction and struggle to recover.

Last week, the Acero charter network announced it would close seven campuses by the end of the school year — impacting more than 2,000 students and 270 teachers. The charter school network cites declining enrollment, rising personnel and facility costs, and a $40 million deficit. But parents and teachers are fighting back, calling for Chicago Public Schools to absorb the closing schools. 

The Harlem Globetrotters may have a New York name, but they’re a Chicago team.  The players and founder Abe Saperstein disrupted the game of basketball and gave it a whole new look when they were founded in the 1920s.  A new book reveals the history and legacy of the storied team. 

The Young Lords of Lincoln Park went from a street gang to revolutionaries focused on supporting their community. A new documentary chronicles that journey. 

Chicago will no longer have members of the police and fire departments on its mental health emergency response teams. The Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program is moving to a new staffing model — with all public health workers.