Lexi Drexelius
When I entered Cultura, an arts and community space on the corner of 19th and Carpenter in Pilsen, it was a quiet Friday afternoon. Just a block from Pilsen’s busy 18th Street, the snowy intersection was mostly devoid of cars and pedestrians. Inside, Cultura’s main room was also calm. The black stage against the front window was empty, and the white walls of the room were dotted with only a few works of art. Continue reading
In June 2012, as students across Illinois received their report cards in the mail, the state itself received a report card, and didn’t exactly make the honor roll.
Though Jane Byrne can claim the title of Chicago’s first and only female mayor, she might be remembered most for defeating the well-oiled Democratic machine in the primary of 1979, something that seemed unthinkable until a blizzard offered her a hand in putting together a coalition dissatisfied with the status quo. Continue reading
Elaine Hegwood Bowen will never forget the race riots that she witnessed almost every day as she made her way to Gage Park High School near 59th and Maplewood. It was 1969. Continue reading