I spent Mother’s Day with members of Chicago’s Ukrainian community, who were commemorating the Azov Steel Plant fighters. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Navalny
Earlier today, I attended a rally on Michigan Avenue in support of imprisoned dissident Alexei Navalny, imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and other political prisoners. Here are my thought about and images from this inspiring demonstration.
Bongbong Marcos
Following the May Day celebration in Union Park, I headed to the Office of the Consulate General of the Philippines where a demonstration was scheduled to protest the upcoming meeting between President Biden and President Bongbong Marcos of the Philippines. The demonstration placed a hot spotlight on some important foreign policy issues. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
May Day
On Saturday, i attended a early May Day celebration in Chicago’s Union Park on the near Westside. It rained early on, but the demonstrators were still spirited. Here are my thoughts on and images from the rally and march.
The Dalai Lama
I recently attended a demonstration by Chicago’s Tibetan protesting the portrayal of the Dalai Lama following a recent incident involving a young boy who the Dalai Lama kissed on the lips. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Mifepristone
Today I attended an abortion-rights march organized by Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Linda May Han Oh
Bassist Linda May Han Oh performed this past Saturday night at the Reva and David Logan Center for the arts with a group of top-flight jazz musicians. Here are my thoughts about and images about the evening.
Standing with Nashville
Indivisible Chicago organized a demonstration at Federal Plaza today in support of Tennessee Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pierson, as well as to draw attention to gun violence. Here are my images from and thoughts about the demonstration.
Charlie Kirk
Tonight I headed to the UIC Campus for a student demonstration opposing Far Right Firebrand Charlie Kirk’s and his right to speak. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
365 Days of War
I attended a Ukrainian rally and march commemorating the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The event was centered on 365 signs illustrating the the war’s cost. Here are my thoughts on and images from the event.
Protesting Anna Karenina
By my estimate 25 or so members of Chicago’s Ukrainian community gathered outside the Civic Opera House tonight to protest the Joffrey Ballet’s performance of a ballet based on Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. While the imagery was great, the message—a condemnation of all things Russian, including Leo Tolstoy—was less than pitch-perfect. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Aldana
Saxophonist Melissa Aldama looked to the stars for inspiration during her performance tonight, keeping evil Clotho at bay. Here are my thoughts about and images from the performance.
Tyre Nichols
Somewhere around 200 Chicagoans turned on a chilly Chicago evening to honor Tyre Nichols and other who have died at the hands of the police.
Slava Ukraini
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was the keynote speaker at the 2023 Ukraine Unity Day commemoration, which was held at Chicago’s Ukrainian Cultural Center.
Holodomor
Tonight, Chicago’s Ukrainian community gathered in front of the Old Water Tower to commemorate Holodomor—the 1932-33 famine that killed between three and ten million Ukrainian. Nature did not cause the famine. It was man-made, the author being Joseph Stalin, who used genocide to suppress an Ukrainian independence movement. The Ukrainian community draws the obvious parallels between Stalin and Putin, so this commemoration was really a protest against the ongoing war in Ukraine. Here are my thoughts about the demonstration, together with my images from the event.
Cavernous
I had the opportunity to visit the meadow that now flourishes on the Old Main Post Office’s rooftop earlier this week. Here are my thoughts about and images from my visit. Just click on the image.
Joel Ross
Vibraphonist Joel Ross put on a spectacular performance this evening at the University of Chicago. Here are my thought about and images from the evening.
Columbus Day
I stop to photograph this year’s Columbus Day Parade on my way to my annual physical. The parade is a shadow of the one staged for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; although the film did not identify the parade as the Columbus Day Parade. I ended up racing around so much that the doctor had to wait 20 minutes before taking my blood pressure because I was dripping with sweat when I arrived in his office—112/78.
Here are my thoughts about what I saw and the images I captured.
Counterproductive
Saturday’s abortion rights demonstration in Chicago’s Federal Plaza proved more interesting than I expected. A large group of Iranians participated, hoping to shine a light on the rights of Iranian women in light of the death of Masha Amini while in custody. I also was physically attacked (not by the Iranians). Here are thoughts on the experience, as well as my images.
Tigray Demonstration
Today, I stumbled onto a demonstration and march held to draw attention to the plight of Ethiopia’s Tigrayan civilians, who face famine, rape, and genocide. The marchers were particularly agitated about drone sales to the Ethiopian Government by the Turks and the Chinese. Here are my thoughts about and images from what proved to be a dynamic and color demonstration.