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City Cast Chicago

, don’t forget about the city’s independent Black-owned bookstores. Here are some spots to support across the city.

One of the city’s newest bookstores, Honey & Hue opened in December. The Black woman-owned shop focuses on sharing stories about the experiences of Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color.

Semicolon Books' physical shop is currently closed for renovations, but you can still order online. It’s set to reopen sometime this year. The nonprofit bookstore was founded by Danielle Moore in 2019 with the mission to amplify minority voices and provide a welcoming space for all readers. It's since provided thousands of free books to Chicago Public Schools students.  

, journalist trina reynolds-tyler, and organizer Andrea Faye Hart co-opened Build Coffee and Books. The shop sells books and zines about social justice and local politics — and 

Underground Bookstore is dedicated to historical literature. By offering a curated selection of books focused on Black heritage and history, they provide resources that can help educate and inspire.

Located in Hyde Park, this Black woman-owned bookstore showcases works by authors of color for readers of all ages. In addition to their curated selection, they host 

Since opening in 2007, this bookstore has developed a large collection of books for kids. It also hosts regular events. 

, Sadeqa Johnson and L. Michelle Smith both have signings and on Saturday, there’s a book brunch for kids.

Jurema Gorham owns this nonprofit bookstore, committed to bringing culturally relevant literature to Chicago’s youth. In addition to providing books to CPS, they also have a variety of events including a book club and a spelling bee.

Where do you get your books in Chicago? 📚

Here are five Black-owned bookstores you can support in the city.

Black-Owned Bookstores in Chicago

Check Out These Black-Owned Bookstores in Chicago

Find the best of everything that Chicago has to offer.

Chicago’s Best

Chicago's Best

Chicago’s new school board will be inaugurated Wednesday as CPS CEO Pedro Martinez is on the way out and as contract negotiations continue with the Chicago Teachers Union.

The 21-person board will consist of 10 members Chicagoans voted for in the fall and 11 members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Those appointees live in opposite subdistricts of the elected members.

The hybrid body will be in place until the board is fully elected in 2027.

hiring and firing the CPS CEO and approving the district budget

Despite being backed by CTU, the former educator has 

 and opposed a short-term loan to cover CPS’ operating costs.

The Dunning resident has served on the Dever Elementary School Local School Council and 

The CTU-backed community organizer and Rogers Park resident won the 

city’s most expensive school board race

The retired teacher and former CTU staffer will remain on the board after Johnson first appointed her in the fall after the 

 amid tension between the mayor and CPS CEO and over budget concerns.

the Humboldt Park native supports school choice

. Rivas has also been assisting new arrivals in his job at the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and as a foster parent.

Johnson tapped the artist, CPS parent, and activist to represent the district.

The CPS employee beat out five other candidates to represent the 

. Rosenfeld had been endorsed by a mix of Democrats and pro–charter school groups.

The retired teacher backed by CTU was the runner-up in the November race. 

, who is also an activist and former Local Schools Council member.

 to represent the district stretching from West Loop to Austin. Brown also participated in the 2015 hunger strike to reopen Dyett High School in Bronzeville.

Blaise dropped out of the school board race in September only to be appointed to Johnson’s interim board in October. The political consultant will stay on the hybrid board. 

The former Burke Elementary School principal clinched the win for the seat that spans from Streeterville to Englewood 

Johnson appointed the CTU-backed policy advocate after she finished second in the fall election.

A graduate of Benito Juárez Community Academy in Pilsen, the executive assistant at the Illinois Secretary of State’s office was also 

Johnson appointed the Pilsen pastor and bilingual education advocate to the school board, but it was unclear if Lozano would serve in District 7 or 8. As of Monday afternoon, 

Johnson has not announced his final appointment

 to elect the nonprofit consultant to represent the district covering Bridgeport to West Lawn. Gutierrez was outspent by his CTU-backed opponent.

, is no stranger to elections: Boyle ran against 

Thomas was appointed to serve on the interim board in the fall after previously working as a 

21st Ward Streets and Sanitation superintendent

 and serving on the Dunne Elementary Local School Council.

The rapper and songwriter may have been the biggest name in the race for Chicago’s first elected school board, but the four-way race was still competitive. Smith urged the interim school board 

Bautista is another interim board appointee sticking around to stay on the hybrid board. The Southeast Side environmental activist was on a mayoral transition team in 2023 and 

Johnson first appointed the South Side native to his 

 after Rev. Mitchell Johnson was asked to leave following controversial social media posts. Harden is staying on to lead the hybrid board.

In addition to finding a new CEO, this board will have to face financial problems so steep that at least one watchdog group is floating the idea of a 

Chicago’s new 21-person school board will be inaugurated Wednesday.

Meet the Members Of Chicago's New Partly Elected School Board

Chicago Gets a New School Board (Again)

What's being decided in Chicago City Hall and why it matters. We monitor local elections, political news, and Chicago City Council. 

Chicago Election and City Hall News

Local Civics

How closely were you following Chicago news this week? Test yourself in our news quiz.

Can you get 5/5 on this Chicago news quiz?

Take the Chicago Weekly News Quiz!

Prove Your Chicago News Knowledge

What Chicagoans have been wondering. We break down why things in Chicago are the way they are and how they work.

Chicago, Explained

A lot of eyes are on the presidential race, but City Cast Chicago is here to remind you about the other races on your ballot.

 this fall. One person will be elected from each of the 10 districts. Some of the races have gotten crowded — and expensive.

A rapper, education consultant, pastor, and public servant are all vying to represent 

, which spans from South Loop to the Indiana border.

 has six candidates in the running, one of whom has been accused of being too much of an insider while another has said he is in favor of school closings.

Something else to note: Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint another 11 members. The city will vote for a fully elected school board in 2026.

14 of our 17 representatives are Democrats

. But there are a couple of races to watch — especially as Republicans try to hold on to their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Retired Rockford judge and GOP challenger Joe McGraw wants to take the 

from first-term incumbent Rep. Eric Sorensen. It’s possible — races have been tight in the northern Illinois district.

Down in Springfield, freshman incumbent Nikki Budzinski is facing off against Republican challenger and veteran Joshua Loyd. Will the 

 in the spring, voters will decide who will replace 

 as the county’s next top prosecutor. Former state appellate justice Eileen O’Neill Burke is running on the Democratic ticket, though some progressives think she is too right-leaning. Ex-Ald. Bob Fioretti, the GOP candidate and a former Democrat, is 

. Andrew Kopinski is running as a Libertarian.

Illinois voters will all see three advisory questions on ballots. These are non-binding, 

. Voters will be asked if high earners should be taxed more for property tax relief, if insurance plans should cover IVF, and if candidates should face penalties for interfering with election workers.

Chicago voters might see some referendum questions, too. Depending on where you live in the city, you might also be asked to weigh in on a binding referendum about a free mental health program on the South Side or a 

the South Shore community benefits agreement

Correction: The North Side liquor ban is a binding referendum. Hey Chicago regrets the error. 

Illinois Races We’re Watching

Chicagoans are already casting ballots in the city’s first-ever 

. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Election Day.

The city is split into 10 districts this election

, and one person will be elected from each district. Mayor Brandon Johnson will then appoint another 11 people to round out this 21-person hybrid school board.

All the seats will be up for election in 2026.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation in 2021

 creating Chicago’s elected school board. But organizers had spent more than a decade calling for change after

 years of mayoral control left some residents feeling left out of decisions affecting schools

The school board helps set district policy. 

Approving the district budget (Remember these first two — they’ll come up later.)

Weighing in on employee disciplinary questions

“Whenever there’s chaos and fighting at the top, people don’t want that to trickle down to the school level, but inevitably it can,” Chalkbeat Chicago editor Becky Vevea told the City Cast Chicago podcast.

To learn more about the candidates in your district, check out the 

 from Chalkbeat Chicago, Sun-Times and WBEZ. And listen to our full conversation with Vevea to 

learn more about the money and politics at play

💰 Donors have dropped how much??

Wait, what about the current school board drama?!

The entire school board resigned en masse earlier this month

, and Johnson appointed seven new members. The mayor and district have been at odds over the CPS budget, with the mayor reportedly calling for the resignation of CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. (Told you it would come up again.)

It’s possible some of Johnson’s new appointees could stay on the hybrid school board, but it depends on where they and the election winners live in their respective districts.

Chicagoans are already casting ballots in the city’s first-ever school board elections.

What to Know About Chicago's School Board Elections

The state has until Monday to transfer most of Stateville Correctional Center's population to different prisons after a federal judge found the Crest Hill facility uninhabitable.

The maximum security men’s prison has long been under scrutiny for a litany of problems. Here's how we got here.

Gov. JB Pritzker announced in the spring a plan to 

 due to infrastructure needs. It would be demolished and rebuilt along with the Logan Correctional Center, a women’s prison in Lincoln.

 and take up to five years to replace the 99-year-old prison with a new facility. The women's prison could be rebuilt on the new Stateville campus, 

Falling concrete. Bird feces. Undrinkable water.

Those are the conditions that prompted U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood to order most of the incarcerated men be moved to other facilities. 

Last month's order is part of an 11-year legal battle over the conditions at Stateville and came after 

51-year-old Michael Broadway died at the facility during a heat wave in June

What About Stateville’s Education Programs?

Programs like Northwestern University’s Prison Education Program allowed incarcerated people to earn degrees and Prison+Neighborhood Arts/Education Project lets people take classes for their own enrichment.

future of Stateville’s robust educational and cultural programming

 is up in the air as men have been transferred out abruptly, WBEZ reported.

The Illinois Department of Corrections said Stateville staffers won’t lose their jobs during construction, and there will be 

opportunities for work in the department in the interim

, according to CBS News. But workers are worried about layoffs and long commutes to other facilities.

The state has six more days to finish evacuating the prison as lawmakers await details about plans to replace the facility.

The maximum security men’s prison has long been under scrutiny for a litany of problems.

Why Illinois is Moving Stateville Prisoners

If Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are the stars of this week’s Democratic National Convention, Project 2025 is definitely making a cameo.

Democrats projected “Project 2025 HQ” on Trump Tower, and a Michigan state senator brought a copy of the 922-page book on stage. Here’s what to know about the plan.

 to expand presidential power if former President Donald Trump wins in November.

It’s not new for the conservative think tank: The group has been publishing these “Mandates for Leadership” for conservative presidents 

Project 2025 is different though — it’s not only longer but more extreme. The wishlist includes:

Rejecting federal probes into police abuse

Reclassifying civil servants as political appointees, so they can be more easily fired.

Gov. JB Pritzker has repeatedly committed to making Illinois a safe haven for reproductive rights in the wake of the 

But could that change if Project 2025 is adopted? The plan calls for the FDA to revoke its approval of abortion pills and to crack down on “abortion tourism,” when pregnant people travel across state lines for abortions. A spokesperson for the Cook County GOP told WTTW 

The former president has distanced himself from Project 2025, saying he “

it shouldn’t be associated with the campaign

at least 140 former Trump administration staffers being involved

 and ProPublica revealing dozens of people featured in 

Project 2025 training videos have previously worked for Trump

Regardless, More Project 2025 Talk Ahead …

Project 2025 has become a talking point in Harris’ stump speeches, and the VP is set to take the stage Thursday to accept the nomination. And then about 75 more days until the general election 🫠

Why Project 2025 is on Trump Tower

Don’t let August slip away into a moment in time — enjoy the last of summer and prep for the new school year.

Hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers will be at Grant Park to see big acts like SZA, Chappell Roan, and the Killers this weekend. If you’re going, take care of yourself and others. That could mean 

learning to administer an overdose reversal drug

Prepare yourself for traffic and protests: The 

 is taking over the United Center, McCormick Place, and surrounding areas leading up to and during the event Aug. 19–22.

That’s also when your favorite restaurants near the venues are 

 — consider supporting them more this month.

Lisa Beasley’s “Unpolitical Women” show

Cue the sad music: Some Summertime Chi programming is coming to an end 🎻 

 in Millennium Park are wrapping up this month. The 

Museum of Contemporary Art’s Tuesdays on the Terrace

Amid teacher contract negotiations and a controversial budget

What can families do to prepare? Get school supplies — check out 

 for your vegan student. Ride the CTA on the first day of school — it’s free!

We didn’t forget about educators: The Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange in Auburn Gresham has a 

? The DNC? Just before the school year starts? Stay tuned for an upcoming City Cast Chicago episode with with 

 who recommends spots to eat in places like Milwaukee and Cleveland.

Your Guide to August in Chicago

What would you say if you were speaking at a graduation ceremony? Former Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich would tell young people to “wear sunscreen,” words she first inscribed in her 

The advice took on a life of its own after rumors swirled that author Kurt Vonnegut spoke the words at MIT’s commencement, and after 

filmmaker Baz Luhrmann turned the column into a song

. Schmich shares why her advice continues to resonate with people today.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

“It got this big bump because Kurt Vonnegut's name was attached, a legendary writer. And then when it turned out it was a mistake, that gave it an even bigger bump. When Baz took it and translated it into a song, he changed the medium in which the words were being transmitted. … There's kind of a ghost in the material, something that existed between the lines for me when I was writing it. I was going through a hard time in my life and coming out of the tunnel, and people sense that.”

In your column, you write, “Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.” Why should graduates give Chicago a try?

“Chicago is a complete city. It gives you the rough and tumble, the full sweep of what it is to be alive. Everybody lives there. But it also gives some of the amenities that many of us would like: a beautiful skyline, a beautiful lakefront, nice parks, good restaurants. But you can't really insulate yourself. … Chicago is not paradise. We know it. And for many of us, that's part of the appeal. It's the hard and the soft.”

The class of 2024 is facing a different world than the class of 1997. What advice would you give today’s graduates?

“Get off your screens. Not entirely, but go outside. Walk in the woods. I would like to say something about taking care of something beyond yourself and your immediate circle of people. Speak out in a meaningful way about some cause.”

Former Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich first gave the advice to young people in her 1997 column.

Why Chicago Graduates Should Still 'Wear Sunscreen'

What Chicago celebrities, public figures and key citizens have to say about living here.

3 Questions With Chicago Public Figures

3 Questions With

As Chicago high schoolers celebrate turning their tassels, the high costs of college might be raining on their parade. But there is help available. Here are some scholarships for prospective, incoming, and current college students in Chicagoland.

As Chicago high schoolers celebrate turning their tassels, the high costs of college might be raining on their parade.

education

Check Out These Black-Owned Bookstores in Chicago

Chicago Gets a New School Board (Again)

Prove Your Chicago News Knowledge

Latest articles

Check Out These Black-Owned Bookstores in Chicago

Chicago Gets a New School Board (Again)

Prove Your Chicago News Knowledge

Illinois Races We’re Watching

What to Know About Chicago's School Board Elections

Why Illinois is Moving Stateville Prisoners

Why Project 2025 is on Trump Tower

Latest articles

Illinois Races We’re Watching

What to Know About Chicago's School Board Elections

Why Illinois is Moving Stateville Prisoners

Why Project 2025 is on Trump Tower

Your Guide to August in Chicago

Why Chicago Graduates Should Still 'Wear Sunscreen'

Where Chicago Students Can Find Scholarships