Elected officials, community members and partners gathered Monday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony for Sankofa Wellness Center, at the corner of West Madison Street and South Kildare Avenue.

With inflation on the rise, and federal pandemic assistance expiring, food pantries and distributors say food insecurity across the city is spiking. 

The Chicago Urban League released its 2023 “State of Black Chicago” report, which measures outcomes in health, education, income,and housing for Black Chicagoans as compared to other racial groups. 

A coalition of community-led groups just received $10 million from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation to help fund a wide-ranging project. It’ll bring together a range of services and opportunities — from health and wellness, to arts and culture and beyond.

For the first time in decades, life expectancy for Black Chicagoans fell below 70 years old. In 2020, the gap in life expectancy between Black and White residents was 10 years, an increase from 8.8 years in 2017. Overall, life expectancy in Chicago dropped almost two years from 2019 to 2020.

A new study from Verywell Health has found that Black patients often have a different medical experience than White patients due to discrimination and inequities in health care settings.  

After decades of disinvestment, two new grocery stores are being built on Chicago’s West Side — something residents have long awaited as other grocery store chains closed up shop. We spoke with two local owners about their investment in the community and what lies ahead on the road to development.