Stories by Evan Garcia

A community garden and farmers market in Auburn Gresham is now the venue of an open mic hosted for young Chicago artists. We go for a look to learn more.

Ridership across CTA trains and buses, Metra commuter trains and Pace buses are down about 70% compared to this time last year. With that dramatic decline in ridership comes lower revenue and strains on operational funding.

During the day, Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald sees patients at her obstetric and gynecological practice in Chicago. But after work, she entertains and educates the public through song parodies.

Pastor T. L. Barrett wrote and recorded soul-infused gospel music in the 1970s with his youth choir. Forty years later, his music is reaching new generations — via some star-studded names.

The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities has made recent headlines, but racial disparities within health care have been studied and reported on for years.

The pandemic and economic shutdown have made it difficult for many people across the state to pay their rent, which is why Gov. J.B. Pritkzer extended a moratorium on evictions through the end of July. Is that enough time?

We discuss the alarming findings of a recent report by City Bureau and WBEZ that analyzed home lending data in Chicago from 2012 to 2018.

When Chicago tattoo parlors shut down in mid-March, the artists at Speakeasy Custom Tattoos were already booked up through June. How they — and their customers — are staying safe during the pandemic.

Controversy over historical figures like Christoper Columbus is playing out with acts of vandalism in cities across the country. But in Chicago, statues honoring Columbus are not the only ones sparking tension.

Chicago drag queen Milani Ninja is performing at the National Museum of Mexican Art for its 17th annual Queer Prom, but unlike the five other times she’s performed at the event, this year’s show is pre-recorded for a virtual prom on Friday.

Tens of thousands gathered in Chicago’s Union and Seward parks Saturday to protest the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. Here are sights and sounds from the day.

Peaceful protests through the North and South sides on Tuesday marked the fifth consecutive day of protests in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd.

Protests over the death of George Floyd resumed Sunday afternoon following a night of riots and looting downtown that prompted Mayor Lori Lightfoot to impose a citywide curfew and call on the Illinois National Guard for help.

Hundreds of protesters shut down streets Saturday afternoon in downtown Chicago, marking the second day of local demonstrations following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Chicago fishermen are adjusting to COVID-19 regulations keeping them off Chicago's lakefront, a popular fishing spot.

There’s a cowboy riding through Chicago’s South and West side neighborhoods, introducing residents young and old to what is likely an unfamiliar animal — at least on their residential streets: horses.

In the COVID-19 era, the process of cleaning and disinfecting shared spaces is more crucial than ever. A local cleaning company gives us a demonstration of the tools in its arsenal for killing the virus.

Dave Odd, a professional forager in Chicago, says the COVID-19 pandemic is shaking up how we obtain food and will perhaps force people to pick their own. We go for a look at edible plants in Gompers Park.

After shutting down for more than a month, golf is back in Illinois – at some courses, at least. We check out the scene at a couple of suburban spots.

The city is asking residents to donate handmade face masks for the city’s most vulnerable populations ahead of a statewide requirement for people to keep their faces covered in public.

Chicagoans across the city are preparing themselves for another month of staying indoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of America’s most iconic baseball parks is doubling as a food pantry as a growing number of Chicagoans struggle to provide for themselves and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nonprofit Urban Growers Collective operates community farms on Chicago’s South Side, providing fresh produce to underserved neighborhoods with few to no nutritional food options.

Cook County is bracing for a surge in coronavirus-related deaths. We check in with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is not sick but chose to self-isolate after a member of her security detail contracted the virus.

A Chicago community foundation is raising millions for dozens of local nonprofits on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. We speak with Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust.

Paolo Palazzi-Xirinachs was about four weeks into his post-retirement studies at the University of Florence when Italy went into full quarantine. Now he’s stuck in a country with the highest reported coronavirus death toll in the world.