The 2025 Chicago Jazz Festival opened its four-day run with a superb lineup. Here are my thoughts about and images from the the first day of the festival.
All in Performance
Ukrainian K-Pop All Stars
On Sunday, August 24, 2025, I attended the Chicago Ukrainian Community’s annual Independence Day celebration, which included speeches from Congressman Mike Quigley and Congresswoman Robin Kelly. Most importantly, I had another opportunity to see the Ukrainian K-Pop All Stars perform. Here are my thoughts about and images from exhilarating event.
Flag Raising
On Thursday, August 22, 2025, I attended the Ukrainian flag raising ceremony in in Chicago’s Daley Plaza. Here are my thought about and images from the celebration.
Christian Nationalism
Late Saturday afternoon, Sean Feucht brought his rock and roll ministry to Chicago’s Daley Plaza. Often characterized as a Christian nationalist, the charismatic Feucht led 100 of his adherents in prolonged prayer, which included music, chants, and spoken words. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
Death in a Tent
On Saturday, August 20, 2025, members of the Chicago’s Palestinian Community held a demonstration at the intersection of Upper Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue. Here are my observations about and images from the demonstration.
Texas Hold 'Em
On Saturday, August 14, 2025, I attended “Stand with Texas: Fight the Trump Takeover” in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Sponsored by Indivisible Chicago, the demonstrators included many of the Texas legislators who fled to Illinois in order to prevent the Texas Legislature from converting five Democratic congressional seats to Republican ones through redistricting/gerrymandering. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event
Posse Comitatus
Late Thursday afternoon, August 14, 2025, several groups held a protest in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to object to Donald J. Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Baked Alaska
Tomorrow, Donald J. Trump heads to Alaska for an ill-advised summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tonight, 30 Russian emigrés demonstrated outside of Chicago’s Wrigley Building, calling on Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Trans Rights
This past Sunday afternoon, 75 demonstrations gathered in Federal Plaza for a rally on behalf of transgender rights. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Arbaeen Procession
On Saturday morning, August 9, Chicago’s Iranian Shia Community held a Arbaeen Shia Procession, which started in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the three-hour long event.
Father Pfleger
Father Michael Pfleger took to the streets today on behalf of the Palestinians living in Gaze. The event had a much stronger religious tone than other pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
GazaPalooza
Today, I attended another pro-Palestinian demonstration; this one at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Upper Wacker Drive. The heritage Palestinians apparently chose this location because it provided maximum visibility to those headed to Lollapalooza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration and the march that followed.
AIPAC
On Thursday, July 10th, I covered a rally sponsored by Justice in Palestine outside the Chicago offices of AIPAC—the American Israel Public Affair Committee. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Āshūrā
On Sunday, July 6, 2025, Chicago’s Shia Muslim Community observed Āshūrā (عَاشُورَاء) in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali, the prophet Muhammad’s grandson.
Greatest Hits
The demonstrators came out today, starting in Chicago’s Federal Plaza with a rally, and then marching to the ICE Chicago Field offices and Trump Tower. Here are my thoughts about and monochromatic images from today’s Independence Day rally.
Gone Mainstream
Chicago’s 54th Annual Gay Pride Parade rolled through Lakeview’s streets today. Here are my thoughts about and images from the parade.
Wash and Repeat
Late Monday afternoon, protesters gathered in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to demonstrate against the U.S. strike against Iranian nuclear facilities and Israel’s continued aggression in Gaza and its attacks on Iran. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally and march.
Too Hot
Last Saturday afternoon, a small group of Chicago’s Ukrainian Community gathered on Michigan Avenue to draw attention to the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
A Twofer
This past Saturday, I attended my first anti-war demonstration in Chicago pertaining to the Israeli-Iranian War. Because of the heat, the organizers joined forces with the Palestinians, which made sense because the extreme heat kept turnout down. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally.
World Refugee Day
Last Tuesday—June 17, 2025—I attended the annual World Refugee Day ceremony in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.