Since she returned home after incarceration 22 years ago, Celia Colon has turned much of her energy to helping other women rebuild their post-prison lives through her nonprofit Giving Others Dreams. But she says having a record has hindered her forward progress.

The stories that can be told on a stage are limited only by the storyteller’s imagination. But just who gets to write those stories and bring them to life on Chicago’s stages is too often limited to a privileged few.

Challenges facing women post-incarceration. Talking with kids about sexual abuse. Highlighting Latino art. And a sweet treat as Hispanic Heritage month comes to a close.

Ask Isabel Olive, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs as Half Gringa, about her stage name and you’ll get an understanding of where her music comes from, too.

A quinceañera is all about the details. A family-run business in Little Village has been playing a part in the quinceañeras of area girls for years.

Slow and Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival, a celebration of lowrider culture, community and art is returning next weekend at Navy Pier. 

Applications are now open for a guaranteed income program in Cook County. The Low-rider Festival drives back to town. And trying on quinceañera dresses.

The guaranteed income pilot program, known as Cook County Promise, began accepting applications this week. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the program will pay 3,250 residents of Cook County $500 a month for two years.

Through the month of October, a series of events called “Journey Chicago” is taking place at cultural heritage centers across the city and suburbs. 

The push for affordable housing in Chicago. Plus, the impact of pharmacy deserts. The landscapes and people of Puerto Rico in a new exhibit. And libraries going beyond just offering books. 

Breaking down what’s behind the mass exodus from City Hall in a special Voices crossover. Local relief efforts for Puerto Rico. And meet a duo of singing sisters from the South Side.  

Hurricane Fiona swept through Puerto Rico last weekend leaving millions without power. Now, residents are left to recover and rebuild once again. In Chicago, local organizations and officials are coming together to support people on the island.

Being in a band together can be a strain on any relationship — even between siblings. But sisters Belinda and Maritza Cervantes, the frontwomen of The Luna Blues Machine, say they’ve managed to keep working together in perfect harmony.

At least 13 Chicago wards are set for new City Council leadership come next year due to an exodus of alderpeople. And while a few of those existing City Council members are leaving their seats to run for higher office, many are saying they’re opting out simply because it’s time to move on.

Ale Gabino and David Acevedo are both lifelong dancers. After meeting at a 2003 Polynesian dance competition in Hilo, Hawaii, they married in 2009. A year later, they opened Hōkūle’a Academy of Polynesian Arts, where together, they teach their other great love – Polynesian culture and dance.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1.3 million job openings in the accommodations and food industry, which makes up 11% of the total openings across all occupations nationwide. The shortage has caused a strain on current restaurant workers, shortened business hours, and even led to the closing of many restaurants.