Milan Polk –

Signage at the ticket booth at The Second City, photographed Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Chicago.

Chicago arts organizations are pushing inclusion efforts — but do audiences see them as effective?

September 24, 2020 at 6:04 p.m.

In the midst of a summer of racial reckoning, Lyric Opera asked its audience: How do we combat racism? And they answered: Bring diversity to the main stage, foster a...

Participants perform a full moon ritual at Malliway Bros. Spells, Charms & Potions in Chicago in 2019. Blake Malliway, co-owner of Malliway Bros., said reading books and exploring witchcraft outside of the app is important, and to verify information and see what forms of witchcraft are out there.

As TikTok faces ban, the WitchTok community reflects on the possible loss of a valuable resource

September 18, 2020 at 5:40 p.m.

TikTok's impending download ban could impact more than teens who wish to share funny videos and dance moves. One of the most popular communities on the site that may lose...

One expert says devices that are not being used for learning should be put away — "out of sight and out of mind" — to avoid distractions.

Here’s how to help your kids pay attention to online school

September 16, 2020 at 3:32 p.m.

School is back in session for students across Chicago. This year, since the pandemic has moved classes online, parents believe it'll be harder than ever to manage children and keep...

Patricia Gonzalez, owner of Athena Board Game Cafe, waits for customers at her Rogers Park business on Sept. 10, 2020.

Chicago board game cafes miss their community

September 11, 2020 at 3:49 p.m.

When Patricia Gonzalez imagined opening Athena Board Game Cafe, she wanted a gathering space for the community, but the pandemic stopped those plans. Now open with limited capacity, Gonzalez said...

Six months into the pandemic, dating and marriage haven't gotten any easier.

Marriage and dating 6 months into a pandemic: more pressure, less sex

September 11, 2020 at 11:34 a.m.

Divorce is hard. Add a global pandemic and it may cause you to rethink some things. That was the reality for three couples whom attorney Susan Myres counseled on divorce....

In 2019, Tamar Manasseh, founder of Mothers Against Senseless Killings, or MASK, in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, paints trailers to prepare them for makeshift classrooms for local kids, as fellow MASK member Kendra Snow helps.

As CPS begins virtual learning, back-to-school events provide school supplies, even amid burglary setback

September 4, 2020 at 4:47 p.m.

On Saturday, Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings in the Englewood area (MASK) and Hyde Park-based Brown Books and Paintbrushes are holding back-to-school events in Chicago. Katie Miller , a volunteer with...

Participants gather and shout "All Power to the People" at the One Million Man March rally at Daley Plaza in Chicago on June 19, 2020.

What you need to know about Black Lives Matter in 10 questions

September 3, 2020 at 4:15 p.m.

You've seen it on protester signs and in your neighbor's yard, or maybe it's painted in block letters on your street — but what is Black Lives Matter? What's the...

Rhett Hildebrandt, the owner of the Quandary Escape Rooms in Chicago, disinfects and cleans the "Escape the 90s" escape room Aug. 28, 2020.

Chicago escape rooms are once again open for business

September 4, 2020 at 10:34 a.m.

At The Quandary in Lakeview, the business is quieter than before the pandemic. With a reduced staff and limited customer interaction, owner Rhett Hildebrandt said it often feels like a...

Lily Miteva of Sip and Paint Chicago is preparing for customers and packing art kits for online classes, Friday, Aug, 28, 2020.

‘It’s a shared process’: Chicago art classes adapting for virtual learning

September 2, 2020 at 10:51 a.m.

Within hours of closing for the pandemic, the staff at Hyde Park Art Center switched their focus to creating online content. When the pandemic closed community spaces in March, art...

Back to school: Here’s what some kids are saying

August 31, 2020 at 1:51 p.m.

By Abel Uribe, Lauren Leazenby and Milan Polk baiduhai August 20, 2020, 9:45 a.m. Lorenzo Grippe is not excited to start 4th grade online, but he understands the impact...

All Stories