Stories by Kristen Thometz

“I hope that when black people look at it they see how powerful and beautiful we are despite everything that’s happened to us,” said artist Ervin A. Johnson.

Most kids form bonds over shared interests. Kids living in violent, high-poverty Chicago neighborhoods are more strategic about whom they befriend in order to manage the threat of violence, a new study finds.

Throughout the month of April, nearly two dozen Chicago-area restaurants will offer special menu items to raise awareness and funds for child abuse prevention programs.

Several South and Southwest Side communities lag behind national health and wellness benchmarks, according to a new community health survey.

For the third consecutive year, Jesseca Rhymes is asking for feminine hygiene products for her birthday. Not for herself but for women experiencing homelessness.

A coalition of Chicago companies has teamed up to provide free grief and trauma counseling services to people who have lost family members to gun violence.

Colorectal cancer is increasing among younger adults despite an overall decrease in the disease in the U.S., according to a new study.  A local doctor talks about the disease and the importance of screening.

Deep sleep is vital to memory and decreases with age. Playing pink noise – described as a waterfall-like sound – in sync with a person’s brain waves was found to enhance deep sleep and sleep-dependent memory retention in older adults, according to a new Northwestern study.

Chicagoan Shaifali Sandhya knows what it’s like to be a foreigner. Now a U.S. citizen, she wants to discover refugees’ stories and address their “silent traumas” in the hope of making their resettlement easier. 

Researchers from the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Chicago are part of a team developing a visual prosthesis that aims to restore partial vision in people who have become blind.

Northwestern scientists have discovered a new cell in the retina which may cause nearsightedness, or myopia, when disrupted.

The Windy City is the gold standard for health and well-being, according to an assessment of city policies aimed at improving residents’ health.

Women perform better than men on memory tests used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study. But could this mental advantage be masking early markers of the disease in women?

While Presidents Day serves to honor America’s presidents, thousands in Chicago are expected to mark the Feb. 20 holiday with protests against the current administration. “It’s a protest of policy,” said one organizer.

The West Chatham native’s historic performance at the Grammy Awards, winning three awards without a record label, was both “incredible” and “unfathomable,” say longtime family friends.

Meet Dr. Victoria Brander, who has been performing hip and knee replacements in countries around the world for more than a decade. 

Hoping to capitalize on the violence prevention research already being conducted locally, the group hopes to spur new research initiatives and facilitate ongoing community-based violence prevention efforts.

The landmark designation process started Thursday for the 110,000-square-foot S. Michigan Avenue building designed by black architect John Warren Moutoussamy.

The Chicago Department of Public Health recently hired a behavioral health medical director to better address substance use disorders and mental health issues in the city. Meet Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar and learn more about her role.

Thousands have expressed interest in a march urging Donald Trump to release his tax returns. “We want to see your taxes, Mr. President,” said organizer Taran Brar.

Wednesday morning officials from the Chicago Department of Public Health and UIC signed an agreement to strengthen and formalize their yearslong partnership. 

Thousands of people moved out of the city and state over the past three years. Two former Illinois residents weigh in on their decisions, while another wrestles with the idea of packing his bags for good.

For some cancer patients who have run out of treatment options, a nationwide study may be a beacon of hope by providing them with more access to targeted anti-cancer drugs.

Hours before the inauguration of Donald Trump, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama released a video outlining their plans for the future Obama Presidential Center.

UPDATE: Chicago Police via Twitter announce Saturday that the 11:30 a.m. march to Federal Plaza is canceled due to the large number of rally participants, estimated by some to be 150,000. The rally will go on.

Can an app reduce a person’s depression or anxiety? Or predict when someone might have a manic episode? Researchers from two local universities say yes.