Deep Dive Inside the Money and Petition Challenges Shaping West Side School Board Races Campaign finance records and electoral board proceedings reveal recurring political committees, donors, and attorneys across several West Side school board races, offering a closer look at the relationships surrounding this year’s petition challenges. By Nel Afenya • 8 min read
Chicago Public Schools Board of Education May 2013. | Photo by Josh Kalov/CC BY 2.0 Education Your Principal, Your School’s Budget, Your Classroom: Who Actually Makes the Decisions? Chicagoans will elect the city’s entire school board for the first time this November. Here’s what the board controls, what it doesn’t, and who families should turn to when they need answers. By Georgia Rau • 5 min read
Provided by CCRx. Creative Reuse What If It Isn’t Trash Yet? Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange (CCRx) redirects surplus materials to teachers, artists, and community groups while bringing hands-on reuse programs to neighborhoods across Chicago. By Iris Jing • 6 min read
"Dee JayQuality" during his set. | NaBeela Washington/15 West 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
A participant speaks during a public education meeting. Photo by U.S. Department of Education / CC BY 2.0 Education The biggest misconception about Local School Councils? They don't do anything. Local School Councils remain the most direct way West Side residents can influence decisions at their neighborhood schools. But participation remains a challenge. By Nel Afenya • 5 min read
Janura Park dirt pile as of July 12, 2026. | NaBeela Washington/15 West 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
5th Ward Alderman Rob Pabon at Janura Park. | NaBeela Washington/15 West Berwyn Who runs Berwyn's Democratic Party? Meet the new committeeperson. A committeeperson is a party role most Berwyn residents have never heard of. Rob Pabon just won one, and he wants to change that. By Georgia Rau • 5 min read
Illustration by Lydia Smithey. Civic Engagement Beyond Campaign Promises: What State Representatives Actually Do on the West Side From school funding to constituent services, state representatives shape policies that directly affect West Side residents, but many people remain unclear about what those officials actually control. By Nel Afenya • 5 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
The Black British Funk band, Cymande. | Courtesy of Cymande. 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
Grillz-making workshop attendee inspecting her mold. | NaBeela Washington/15West 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
