While the city continues to celebrate Pride, June also marks a milestone in Chicago history — it’s been six months since Mayor Brandon Johnson named the first-ever director of LGBTQ+ affairs: Antonio King.

The prevalence of mass youth gatherings, known as teen takeovers, often increases with the temperature as the trend becomes more popular in summer months. So far this year, at least four major events have taken place in Chicago.

New evidence shows that kids need pauses between concentrated bouts of learning so the brain can hold and store the information. Researchers also say recess gives kids a chance to navigate relationships and build confidence, which is just as important for older kids as younger ones.

Last week Chicago saw its first so-called teen takeover of the year. Hundreds of young people gathered in the Loop on packed sidewalks and streets, resulting in eight arrests and 24 curfew violations.

The current Kratom Control Act in Illinois from 2014 only prohibits its sale to minors under the age of 18, but it does not require any labeling, testing standards, licensing or additional taxation.

The shift comes as President Donald Trump’s administration pressures health care providers to limit or stop gender-affirming care for transgender people, particularly children.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal includes a controversial head tax he hopes will generate $100 million to fund violence prevention and youth employment programs in the city.

The city’s One Summer Chicago program put 30,000 young people to work this year, providing jobs in transportation, health care, business and more.

The bill requires all school districts to offer mental health screenings to students enrolled in grades 3-12, at least once a year, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

It’s the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons.

Some Chicago hospitals that have been on the forefront of providing gender-affirming care to patients under the age of 19 have pulled back on those services.

After writing his first novel at the age of 16, Aiden Branss started his own publishing company focused on young authors.

In Illinois, the 988 hotline’s LGBTQ+ youth specialized services program supports more than 1,600 calls and 600 chats or texts per month, according to a news release.

The Chicago City Council on Wednesday passed the "snap curfew" ordinance by a vote of 27-22. Mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged to veto it.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Patient and Provider Protection Act into law in 2023, after lawmakers passed it following the overturning of Roe v. Wade; it solidified access to abortion and gender-affirming care in Illinois and protects physicians who treat out-of-state youth.

For many Black people, getting their hair done can be a costly ordeal. But Jessica Thurmond, a student in North Lawndale, is trying to alleviate that. She’s styling her classmates’ hair for free in her school’s bathroom stalls just in time for class.