You pick up your phone to check one thing — perhaps the weather, a text message, or the score of a game. A few minutes later, you have read three election headlines, watched a clip from a debate, skimmed dozens of comments, and somehow learned that democracy, the economy, your health care, and the future […]
Writers Theatre (WT), a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner, brought together more than 15 faith, cultural, and educational organizations through The Stoppard Series, an initiative inspired by its largest production to date: Tom Stoppard’s award-winning drama, Leopoldstadt, directed by Carey Perloff. The production centers on Jewish identity, family history, and belonging, themes […]
A first-year math teacher stands in her classroom, walls covered in anchor charts that promise mistakes are welcome. She spent her summer building rich, open-ended tasks — the kind she loved in graduate school. On the first day, she learns every student’s name. She is ready. Then she hands out the math task. Every hand […]
David Byrne has worn some memorable suits onstage, most famously the oversized gray suit in Talking Heads’ concert film Stop Making Sense. But at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture on Oct. 15, there was no giant suit, no band, and no choreography. In a simple blue suit and turtleneck, speaking to a packed house […]
Growing up as an Irish dancer in Denver, Chelsea Hoy was attracted to the form’s rhythms and movement. From a young age, Hoy found an unparalleled power and safety in the precision and control that the art of Irish dance requires. When Hoy was nine years old, her aunt drove her and her sister up […]
In a year with falling job openings and sluggish hiring, economic and political instability, and an increasingly volatile job market, finding ways to connect job seekers with employers has become urgent. Many job seekers are becoming more disheartened, lacking options in a shrinking job market and in need of professional development. With federal safeguards failing, […]
On a chilly afternoon in Roswell, New Mexico, volunteers unfolded a few tables in a downtown plaza, poured coffee, served homemade meals, and talked with anyone who stopped. Some visitors came because they were hungry. Others came because they were lonely. Many stayed because someone finally knew their name. Then the meals stopped. City officials […]
Imagine being a parent who does not believe they have the capacity to help their kindergartener learn to read. Or a second-grade teacher who wishes she could motivate a family to surface from chronic absenteeism. Or the librarian of a local library stocked with new resources for emerging readers, but whose community is unaware of […]
At six months pregnant, Courtney Williams of Palm Beach County, Florida, was in a dark place. Pregnancy complications forced her to stop working at the job she loved. At home, her partner abused her. “I felt like I was dying inside,” Williams recalls. She suffered from depression and PTSD, which also threatened the well-being of […]
What does it take to save a species? A veterinarian with a state-of-the-art CT scanner. A keeper who notices an aardvark skipped dinner. A nutritionist who knows exactly what belongs on a gorilla’s menu. Scientists tracking animals thousands of miles away. Women checking camera traps in the Himalayas. A photographer who can make a mouse […]
The 62nd Chicago International Film Festival returns Oct. 14–25 with more than 150 films from around the world, including four world premieres, 15 North American premieres, and 21 U.S. premieres. Some of the biggest draws come with the chance to hear directly from the artists behind them. Director and star Jordan Firstman will open the […]
Many people struggle with deciding what to do next, especially when the stakes are high. Someone may be recommended for a promotion they don’t feel qualified to take, or question their connection with a spouse after decades of marriage. The circumstances vary, but the question is often the same: What is the best option, and […]
When preparing young people for the future, we often focus on academic success, career readiness, and character development. While those areas are essential, some of the most important life lessons begin with something much more fundamental: knowing how to care for oneself and one’s family. At Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC), cooking programs […]
