One piece of my multifaceted identity is that I’m a grown grieving child. My name is Megan Andriano and I’m a 39-year-old woman who is grateful to wear multiple hats, including that of art therapist and licensed professional grief counselor. When I was 13 years old and my brother was seven, our dad died. While […]
Chicago has long been one of the nation’s most philanthropic cities — residents give at rates nearly 50 percent higher than the U.S. average — and women have always been at the heart of that generosity. In a city where cultural giants, world-class hospitals, and top universities sit shoulder to shoulder, women’s boards have become […]
Ashland Avenue has been extended a second time — through Oct. 19! (Updated 10/1/25) When Jenna Fischer takes the stage in Ashland Avenue at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre (Sept. 6–Oct. 19), she’s doing more than debuting a new character. The Emmy-nominated actor — beloved as Pam Beesly on The Office and co-host of the Office Ladies […]
From Chile’s Atacama Desert to Japan’s floating solar farms and Texas wind corridors, photographer Jamey Stillings uses his Fujifilm GFX100 to capture the sweeping transformation of the world’s energy landscape. Through his multi-decade project, Changing Perspectives: Renewable Energy and the Shifting Human Landscape, Stillings shows how photography can be both a source of information and a […]
Escaping a trafficker is often seen as the finish line. In reality, it’s only the beginning. According to the 2023 Polaris National Survivor Study, 43 percent of survivors earn less than $25,000 annually, compared to 26 percent of the general U.S. population. Survivors emerge from exploitation with no income, limited education, no savings, and often […]
When most people hear the term “Tiffany lamp,” they picture a vibrant glass shade — a kaleidoscope of color suspended above a glowing base. But that iconic image represents just one facet of the lighting empire built by Louis C. Tiffany, one of the most influential American designers of the late 19th and early 20th […]
Arts education is not a luxury, but an essential part of a well-rounded education. Engaging in art is core to a child’s development, helping them build critical thinking skills, creativity, and confidence. Art also helps students connect to their identities, their peers, and the world around them. Yet, less than 47 percent of high school […]
Every young person deserves the chance to dream, plan, and have someone believe in them — yet those with foster care experience often enter adulthood without the safety nets many take for granted. Nationwide, less than half of kids who experience foster care graduate high school, and less than 10 percent earn a degree from […]
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, […]
