Nearly every Saturday, 11-year-old Brody wakes up early, not to scroll on his phone and watch YouTube videos, but rather to volunteer alongside his parents and siblings. Brody is one of many children in Chicagoland who steps up to address pressing challenges in our communities, such as poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness. According to Illinois […]
Across the United States, how long you live is determined by where you live. A person’s health is shaped by their environment, their ability to access nature, and the systems that support communities. In Lake County, IL, north of Chicago, often recognized for an abundance of nature, including Lake Michigan, forest preserves, parks, and grassroots-created […]
As a zillennial who appreciates good branding, I love going to health foods stores to see the unnecessary, overly-priced snacks for a splurge. During a recent excursion through the nibbles-and-concoctions aisle, the plethora of pretty packaging featuring the words “golden milk” struck me. This is a prime example of the exoticization and cultural appropriation of […]
I married a world-class father. In fact, Nick Noyes’ children from his first marriage — Henry, then 14, and Elizabeth, then 12 — played a huge role in our courtship. We laughed more and loved harder when Henry and/or Elizabeth were with us. So I knew he would be a good dad to our kids […]
In 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order revoking all federal government diversity, education, and inclusion (DEI) training. While several lawsuits followed that order, and President Joe Biden has since reversed the ban on DEI training, federal government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits that contract with the federal government already felt the impact from the […]
Four years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, news cycles continue to serve up potentially traumatic events that remind us resilience is fundamental to successfully navigating crises. At the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, we recently unpacked research conducted during the pandemic to gain a better understanding of how people were feeling. What we […]
The Chicago Philharmonic, now celebrating its 35th season, is asking a very important question: How do we make orchestra concerts for everyone? The orchestra, founded in 1989 by principal musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, has long occupied a unique space within the city’s performing arts ecosystem. The organization eschews the traditional audition/tenure system for […]
One out of every eight people live with a mental health disorder. Many of them cannot receive the care they need due to the shortage of mental health providers. In Illinois, there are only 13.8 behavioral health care providers for every 10,000 residents; this means 4.8 million Illinois residents live in a mental health shortage […]
La Llorona is a traditional Mexican myth about Maria who, in a fit of jealousy and rage, drowns her children in a river after being spurned by her husband. Overwhelmed with grief after realizing what she has done, Maria is condemned to wander the Earth, searching for her lost children while wailing mournfully. My abuelo […]
Research has shown that social connectedness can improve physical health and emotional well-being, and even increased life span. The Volunteer Center provides a path to making such connections and fostering positive emotion through volunteering. Here’s how. Volunteering enhances well being It is a scientifically accepted premise that contributing time and effort to a cause greater than oneself […]
