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NaBeela Washington

NaBeela is a Greater Chicago-based photographer and journalist writing about what's possible. She's a fierce advocate of the arts and brings people together around social change and accessible education. Read more: nabeelawashington.com

Youth

What Happens When We Invest in Young Entrepreneurs Before They Succeed?

From Chicago to Oakland and Washington, D.C., organizations are testing ways to get funding and business support to young entrepreneurs. Their results show what early investment can make possible, and where gaps remain.

By NaBeela Washington • 7 min read

School Funding

Chicago voters will weigh in on taxing millionaires for schools. How the money is divided matters too.

Two advisory questions on Chicago ballots ask voters whether Illinois should tax millionaires to support public education. Advocates and policy experts say raising more money is only part of the solution. Where that money goes could determine whether it closes existing school funding gaps.

By NaBeela Washington • 9 min read

Chicago Board of Education

Brown or Williams? What to Know About the District 5A School Board Race

Two candidates seeking to represent Chicago's West Side faced questions about school funding, closures and student success at an October 1 forum. Here's what they said, what the Board can actually change and how to vote.

By Mina Gregory • 10 min read

Music

At Villapalooza, Little Village Takes Center Stage

With three stages, vendors, and neighborhood artists filling La Villita Park, Villapalooza shows how a festival can grow without losing the community that made it.

By NaBeela Washington • 5 min read

Workforce Development

On the West Side, the Farm Is the Classroom

Two West Side agriculture programs show how paid work, responsibility and belief in young people can widen the futures they imagine

By NaBeela Washington • 7 min read

Animal Welfare

Brookfield Zoo turns its East Mall into a concert venue. Here’s how it works.

Roaring Nights brings sold out concerts to Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s East Mall, where organizers must balance visitor access, live entertainment and animal welfare.

By NaBeela Washington • 4 min read

Berwyn

‘Where Are Kids Supposed to Go?’

David Avila asked the question while opening Berwyn's newest athletic field. Just steps away, a pile of dirt marks a flood relief project that remains on hold.

By NaBeela Washington • 7 min read

Music

Summer Smash Fans Praise Performances While Raising Concerns About Organization and Accessibility

From will-call delays to unforgettable performances, fans described a weekend marked by frustration, community, and lingering questions about the future of one of Chicago's biggest hip-hop festivals.

By Alexa Bermudez • 7 min read

Music

Cymande Reemerges with Fresh Momentum and Deep Roots

Ahead of a June 25 stop at Fitzgerald's, bassist Steve Scipio reflects on the band's Caribbean roots, its resurgence through hip-hop sampling, and plans for new music.

By NaBeela Washington • 3 min read

PRIDE

Jem Junkies Is Making Space for Softness

At the Black- and queer-owned grillz and tooth gem studio, comfort and conversation are treated as part of the experience.

By NaBeela Washington • 5 min read

Art

Cody Norman Imagines a Future for Plastic

At Garfield Park Conservatory, artist Cody Norman uses coral-like sculptures and plastic to explore how communities might adapt to a material that isn’t going away.

By NaBeela Washington • 6 min read

Accessibility

One Austin Mom Couldn't Find Support for Her Autistic Son. So She's Building It.

Asia Bee spent years navigating a system that offered Black families like hers little more than a diagnosis. Now she's creating the community she never had through Darrin’s Voice, one Saturday at a time.

By NaBeela Washington • 5 min read