When Courtney Williams learned she was pregnant with her second child in early 2021, she felt like her life was firmly in place. She had built a successful career at a Fortune 100 company, bought a home for herself and her son, and felt proud of the stability she had created. But pregnancy soon brought […]
More than 520,000 people in the Chicago area live with a disability — roughly one in 10 residents. Across the United States, an estimated 8.38 million individuals have an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is on the rise. According to 2025 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, […]
In moments of crisis, healing often begins with something simple: a warm meal, a quiet space, the sense that someone sees you. For those navigating homelessness, trauma, or identity-based marginalization, even these basic comforts are often out of reach. But when they are made available — intentionally, consistently, and with care — they can be […]
When I first met Pierre Moise Louis in Jérémie, Haiti, 15 years ago, he had just finished university. Determined to help his family and his country, Louis had one goal: to build a business around breadfruit. He saw this humble, starchy fruit not just as a food staple, but as a solution to hunger, to […]
Chicago is in the midst of a silent crisis — one that affects thousands of its youngest residents every day. Families across the city are struggling to afford diapers, a basic but essential need for children. With diaper costs having soared by nearly 50 percent since the pandemic, and families facing cuts to Medicaid and […]
What does a domestic violence victim look like? They look like your neighbor, your co-worker, or even a close family member. They look like Elena. Elena, a mother of two young children and an undocumented immigrant, is a domestic violence victim. She has lived with David, the father of her children, for nine years. After […]
In the heart of West Garfield Park, where residents face one of Chicago’s starkest life expectancy gaps, a transformative vision is taking shape. The Sankofa Wellness Village represents more than just new construction — it embodies a community’s determination to rewrite its narrative and reclaim its future. Confronting the Statistics The numbers paint a sobering […]
As a child growing up in New York City, I could always find escape and comfort in books. I didn’t know it then, but those stories would become my compass, guiding me through adversity, identity, and inequality. Today, as the founder of Read It and Leave It, I work to offer that same compass to […]
Inclusion isn’t just being invited to the party — it’s being asked to dance. The metaphor is simple, but the message runs deep: real inclusion means making sure everyone feels seen, valued, and involved — not just present. And teaching that kind of inclusion starts early. Experts in child development, education, and disability advocacy agree: […]
When Mia became a first-time mom at 21, she didn’t feel ready. But with the help of a dedicated nurse through the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program, she found the support she needed to face life’s challenges — and the strength to build a future for herself and her son. That support would prove life-changing. Years […]
