Zareen Syed

Bryan Johnson, executive director of Midway Center, from left, Carrie Pullie, executive director of Calumet Center, Laurie Sedio and JoVonna Jackson talk inside the Midway Center's new conference space on West 63rd Street in Chicago on July 26, 2023.

Midway Center expands West Lawn facility, boosting programs, including early childhood education

July 28, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Metropolitan Family Services on Wednesday unveiled an expansion to its West Lawn-based human services center that can now serve 20,000 people with bolstered programs in domestic violence prevention, mental health,...

Nizhoni Ward, who is Navajo and Choctaw and was born on a Navajo reservation in Arizona, recently graduated from high school in Homewood. Ward, seen July 19, 2023, said she's hopeful a bill sitting on Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk will help students across Illinois understand the Native American community while righting history's wrongs.

Native American students, educators have high hopes for bill mandating their history be taught in Illinois schools

March 12, 2024 at 11:59 a.m.

As someone who identifies as Navajo and Choctaw, Nizhoni Ward said her own experiences with what's taught in Illinois public schools about her ancestry included the classic story of "Columbus...

EPIC Academy College Prep in South Chicago has plans to transform the former St. Michael's school building at 8231 S. South Shore Drive into a $22 million state-of-the-art school and community asset expected to be completed by the 2025-2026 school year.

South Chicago’s EPIC Academy hopes plans for multimillion-dollar school facility will reinvigorate community

July 25, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

The Chicago City Council recently approved EPIC Academy College Prep's plans for a $22 million addition and renovation, pegged as a "community impact institution," at 8231 S. South Shore Drive,...

Northwestern University merchandise for sale at a shop across the street from Ryan Field on July 10, 2023, in Evanston.

‘Infuriating.’ Northwestern students, former players and Illinois leaders react to football program hazing reports.

July 11, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.

As a child, Ramon Diaz dreamed of studying at Northwestern University and playing football for the Big Ten school. Yet he said the experience left him traumatized because of hazing,...

Students chant, clap and sing during morning community assembly at the Urban Prep School in Englewood on May 9, 2023.

Urban Prep closure put on hold in ‘much needed win’ as the once-esteemed all-boys charter school fights to stay open

July 7, 2023 at 4:51 p.m.

An Illinois appellate court decided June 23 that Urban Prep Academies would be allowed to remain open while a lawsuit challenging the charter school's closure is pending in Cook County...

Manifestantes a favor y en contra de la acción afirmativa discuten frente a la Corte Suprema de EE. UU. en Washington, el 29 de junio de 2023. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

Cuando la Corte Suprema anula la acción afirmativa, Chicago e Illinois reaccionan: ‘Esta decisión solo nos hace retroceder’

April 15, 2024 at 3:45 p.m.

La estudiante de la Academia Kenwood, Scarlett Rose Smith, de 14 años, ya ha estado planeando el día en que postula a las universidades, con la escuela de arte en...

Protesters for and against affirmative action argue outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, June 29, 2023.

Beecher School District 200U failed to investigate Black student’s reports of racial harassment, says US Department of Education

June 19, 2023 at 3:25 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced Monday that Beecher Community Unit School District 200U failed to take reasonable steps to prevent a Black student from being...

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