• The Carr Report: Tariff Trouble…What it means for your pockets

    The Carr Report: Tariff Trouble…What it means for your pockets
    Let’s keep it a buck—tariffs ain’t just boring political talk for CNN and policy nerds. Nah, tariffs hit the streets, your shopping cart, and your stock portfolio like a freight train. Case in point: recent tariffs slapped on Vietnamese imports by former President Trump caused chaos in the markets, shook Nike to its core, and took a big bite out of Big Tech. If you didn’t feel it yet, hold tight—it’s trickling down fast.
    What is a Tariff?
    A tariff is basically
  • Legacy in Love: Dr. Mattie Jo Redefines Motherhood Through Faith, Leadership, and Unconditional Support

    Legacy in Love: Dr. Mattie Jo Redefines Motherhood Through Faith, Leadership, and Unconditional Support
    Dr. Mattie Jo, a mother of ten and South Side changemaker, blends structure, honesty, and unconditional love to raise empowered children—proving that parenting with purpose can shape legacy and community (Photo Provided).
     
    The Chicago Defender pays tribute to an exceptional mother during Mother’s Day.
     
    Dr. Mattie Jo directs Target Area Development as chief operating officer for a social justice organization based on Chicago’s South Side. The organization runs resear
  • Mother of a Movement: How Patricia Andrews-Keenan Is Building a Black Art Movement Rooted in Chicago

    Mother of a Movement: How Patricia Andrews-Keenan Is Building a Black Art Movement Rooted in Chicago
    Meet Patricia Andrews-Keenan, founder of Pigment International, leading a movement to elevate Black artists, build a sustainable art ecosystem, and make Chicago the North Star of Black fine art (Photo Provided).
    Her mentees call her “Auntie.”
    But it’s safe to say that Patricia Andrews-Keenan has helped mother a movement in Chicago—centering Black artists and building sustainable communities for them to thrive.
    As the founder of Pigment International, a Chicago-based platf
  • Ald. Emma Mitts Celebrates West Side Mothers at Annual Pre-Mother’s Day Event

    Ald. Emma Mitts hosted the 5th annual Magnificent Mother’s Extravaganza in Austin to honor West Side moms with gifts, community resources, and a message of empowerment. Here she is joined by 15th District CPD Commander Carlin Morse (Photo Credit: Tacuma Roeback).
    On the eve of Mother’s Day weekend, Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) hosted her fifth annual Magnificent Mother’s Extravaganza in Austin, an event born in the depths of the pandemic and still powered by a grandmother’s kin
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  • Tougaloo College Faces Threats After Jasmine Crockett’s Commencement Speech

    Photo: Getty Images
    Tougaloo College officials are investigating “concerning calls” to the school after Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D) delivered a commencement address during which she criticized President Donald Trump.
    In a letter sent to the school community on Monday (May 5), Tougaloo College President Donzell Lee addressed threats to campus following Crockett’s keynote address on Sunday (May 4), per WAPT.
    “Appropriate actions have been taken,” Lee said, noting school
  • Behind the Curtain: Claudia Jordan and Flex Alexander Bring Laughs, Love, and Real Talk to ‘Games Women Play’ in Chicago

    Behind the Curtain: Claudia Jordan and Flex Alexander Bring Laughs, Love, and Real Talk to ‘Games Women Play’ in Chicago
    Flex Alexander, Claudia Jordan and Carl Payne (Photo Provided).
    The Chicago Defender recently sat down for a behind-the-scenes chat with Flex Alexander (One on One) and Claudia Jordan (Real Housewives of Atlanta), cast members of the hilarious stage play Games Women Play, directed by TV icon Carl Payne (Martin, House of Payne). Other castmates include Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends), Demetria McKinney (House of Payne), Chico Bean (Wild ‘N Out), and Brian J. White (Stomp the Yard).
    The title
  • Pope Leo XIV’s Black, Creole Roots Revealed

    Pope Leo XIV’s Black, Creole Roots Revealed
    Photo: Getty Images
    The new pope reportedly has ties to Black and Creole communities in Louisiana.
    On Thursday (May 8), Robert Francis Prevost was named Pope Leo XIV and the new leader of the Catholic Church.
    Pope Leo XIV, who made history as the first American-born pope, was born in Chicago and identifies as white, but comes from a family with ties directly to the Black American South, according to genealogists per the New York Times.
    Jari C. Honora, a genealogist with the Historic New Orleans
  • Help Yvonne Huntley, Legendary Pianist and Educator, Find a Kidney Donor to Continue Her Legacy

    Help Yvonne Huntley, Legendary Pianist and Educator, Find a Kidney Donor to Continue Her Legacy
    Yvonne W. Huntley (Photo Provided)
    Government officials, medical professionals, civic and community leaders are gathering themselves to advocate for a woman of distinction, selflessness, and a music legend in a kickoff of a nationwide public relations campaign. Yvonne W. Huntley, considered by many as one of the nation’s top pianists, is now in the fight of her life as she seeks a kidney that will allow her to continue her remarkable life of providing beautiful music. Her current kidneys a
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  • Remembering Fred Anzevino and Shirley Mordine

    Remembering Fred Anzevino and Shirley Mordine
    Even in a timeline where loss feels overwhelming, the last couple of weeks have been tough for the theater and dance community, with the deaths of Fred Anzevino on April 28 and Shirley Mordine on May 2. (For those of us in journalism, the May 1 death of Michael Miner, former longtime editor and media […]
    The post Remembering Fred Anzevino and Shirley Mordine appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Robin Kelly Launches Senate Bid to Succeed Dick Durbin, Citing Experience and Grit

    Robin Kelly Launches Senate Bid to Succeed Dick Durbin, Citing Experience and Grit
    Experienced, battle-tested and worthy. It’s for those reasons that Rep. Robin Kelly has launched her bid for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat, joining Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in what’s expected to be a hotly-contested primary with more expected to jump into the fray.
    But Rep. Kelly is not new to this.
    From her early days in local government to a crowded congressional race that vaulted her to the U.S. House, she’s staked her career on persist
  • CHA and Daisie Foundation Celebrate 200 Moms With Makeovers, Inspiration, and Empowerment

    CHA and Daisie Foundation Celebrate 200 Moms With Makeovers, Inspiration, and Empowerment
    Daisie Foundation Leading Ladies panelists and employees smile at the Daisie Foundation/CHA Mother’s Day Makeover Experience at Venue West, May 6, 2025 (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Housing Authority).
    For one unforgettable afternoon, 200 mothers from the Chicago Housing Authority were honored with more than makeovers—they were celebrated for their resilience, uplifted through powerful stories, and reminded of their worth.
    In its fifth year, the Chicago Housing Authority teamed
  • Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin Wins Third Term in Matteson, Celebrates Economic Revival and Visionary Leadership

    Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin Wins Third Term in Matteson, Celebrates Economic Revival and Visionary Leadership
    Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin is sworn in for her third term in office (Photo Provided). 
    On April 1, Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin was re-elected to her third term with nearly 90% of the vote. In addition, the mayor’s entire slate enjoyed overwhelming victories as well. Village Clerk Yumeka Brown was re-elected after running unopposed. Incumbent Trustees Adam Shorter and Carolyn Palmer received tremendous support in their successful quest for re-election, as did businessman Stacy Leak,
  • Prison Guard Pleads Guilty In Beating Death Of Inmate Robert Brooks

    Prison Guard Pleads Guilty In Beating Death Of Inmate Robert Brooks
    Photo: Getty Images
    One of the six New York correctional officers who were indicted on murder charges in connection to the beating death of Robert Brooks has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
    During a court hearing on Monday (May 5), Christopher Walrath pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter as part of a plea deal that effectively nullifies his murder charge, per CNN. The deal includes 15 years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision, though a judge is set to issue his
  • Flirt4Free: The Art of Sophisticated Camming

    It seems like there are a million and one choices when it comes to finding the ideal cam site to suit your needs and preferences, but Flirt4Free sets itself apart, as a platform that blends sophistication and elegance with flirtation and fun. No matter if you’re new to cam sites or a regular consumer, Flirt4Free […]
    The post Flirt4Free: The Art of Sophisticated Camming appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Dear Me Care Circle’s Pre-Mother’s Day Brunch to Celebrate Caregivers in Chicago

    Dear Me Care Circle’s Pre-Mother’s Day Brunch to Celebrate Caregivers in Chicago
    Marseil ‘Action’ Jackson, Dorothy Leavell, Josephine Wade and Maudlyne Ihejirika are being honored at the Dear Me Care Circle’s Second Annual Pre-Mother’s Day Brunch (Photos Provided).
    Caregivers and community leaders will gather on Saturday, May 10, for the second annual Dear Me Care Circle Pre-Mother’s Day Brunch, a celebration aimed at honoring those who care for others while balancing careers, families, and community responsibilities.
    Held at the Hyatt Place Chi
  • How to navigate the Cook County court system after a shooting

    How to navigate the Cook County court system after a shooting
    This story was published by the Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here. When Estela Díaz entered the Cook County courthouse on 26th and California last November, she steadied herself with a reminder: Expect nothing. Díaz was attending the start of the court proceeding for the fatal […]
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  • It might get spawny when Logan Oyster Socials returns to the next Monday Night Foodball

    It might get spawny when Logan Oyster Socials returns to the next Monday Night Foodball
    Oysters are survivors. After all, they made it through the Permian–Triassic extinction event, aka the Great Dying, 251.9 million years ago when volcanic eruptions snuffed out 81 percent of all marine species. What the arousing bivalves can’t survive is the wanton over lemonizing and cocktail saucing of unthinking bipedal meatbags. They didn’t come all this […]
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  • Yalin Zhao turns insomnia into art

    Yalin Zhao turns insomnia into art
    In the project 60 wrd/min art critic, writer Lori Waxman explores how art writing can serve an expanded field of artists—including those incarcerated, trying to gain visas, working to establish themselves professionally, or just wanting feedback for a secret hobby. For this iteration, Waxman reviewed work made by Chicago artist Yalin Zhao. Yalin Zhao Most […]
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  • All I wanna do

    All I wanna do
    The Moviegoer is the diary of a local film buff, collecting the best of what Chicago’s independent and underground film scene has to offer. Most people think their generation produced the best of everything, but I’m pretty confident when I say that’s true of the teen movies of my youth, specifically those made between the […]
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  • Chef Hailee Catalano celebrates her debut cookbook with a midwest homecoming

    Chef Hailee Catalano celebrates her debut cookbook with a midwest homecoming
    Like many, I got to know Hailee Catalano through TikTok. The 31-year-old chef—always sporting a cute T-shirt and a tight bun with a middle part—gained a following for her recipe tutorials and warm persona, in addition to collaborative cooking videos with her partner, Charles “Chuck” Cruz. The pair is known on the app for constructing […]
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  • Review: The Surfer

    Review: The Surfer
    The Surfer in wide release in theaters
    The post Review: <i>The Surfer</i> appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Review: Magic Farm

    Review: Magic Farm
    Magic Farm in limited release in theaters
    The post Review: <i>Magic Farm</i> appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Review: Fight or Flight

    Review: Fight or Flight
    Fight or Flight in wide release in theaters
    The post Review: <i>Fight or Flight</i> appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Review: Another Simple Favor

    Review: Another Simple Favor
    Another Simple Favor streaming on Prime
    The post Review: <i>Another Simple Favor</i> appeared first on Chicago Reader.
  • Stress Positions stick to their guns

    Stress Positions stick to their guns
    Chicago hardcore group Stress Positions are sitting outside a watering hole in the Dutch city of Tilburg, but they’re not far enough from home that they don’t have fans around. A couple of Finnish guys approach the band and ask to take a picture with them. “We don’t usually have fanboy moments,” one of them […]
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  • Chicago Reentry Summit Highlights Healing, Funding, and New Support for Women Returning Home

    Chicago Reentry Summit Highlights Healing, Funding, and New Support for Women Returning Home
    Mayor Brandon Johnson participates in a panel discussion during the Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers – A Unified Path to Hope and Reentry Summit at Breakthrough FamilyPlex in East Garfield Park; April 2025 (Photos Courtesy of The City of Chicago).
    For many, exiting prison can be as tense as entering it, regardless of the circumstances.
    Returning citizens often face a variety of challenges, from trauma, finding stable employment and accessing mental health support. Not to mention wanting
  • Ex-Officers Found Not Guilty Of Murder In Tyre Nichols Beating Death

    Ex-Officers Found Not Guilty Of Murder In Tyre Nichols Beating Death
    Photo: Getty Images
    A verdict has been reached in the trial for three former Memphis police officers charged in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols.
    According to KARK, ex-officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were all found not guilty on all charges in their state trial for Nichols’ January 2023 beating death. The trio faced charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression.
    Nichols died on January 10
  • HeraHaven Review

    If you’re not an early adopter of generative AI or you’re not chronically online, you may be unaware of an evolving cultural phenomenon: AI girlfriends. These highly customizable companions have emerged, coded for connection, as a novel, if controversial, ‘solution’ to loneliness and the complexities of modern relationships. Promising affection without conflict, companionship without obligation, […]
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  • This Week In Black History May 7-14, 2025

    This Week In Black History May 7-14, 2025
    MAY 7
     
    1800—On this date the founder of the settlement which would grow to be­come the city of Chicago, Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable, sold his property and left the settlement. The Haitian-born frontier trader and businessman had a history of building significant wealth, losing it and building it again. He would die 18 years later in St. Charles, Mo.
     1878—Black inventor, Joseph R. Win­ters, receives a patent for his designing of the fire escape ladder.
    2010&mdash
  • Lake Shore Driven

    Lake Shore Driven
    By The Third
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