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.
Blues Fest, Day 4
The 2025 Chicago Blues Festival went out with a bang tonight at the Pritzker Pavilion. Unfortunately, C.J. Chenier was scratched from the lineup due to an hour-long rain delay, but Lurrie Bell, Avery R. Young, and Mavis Staples did take the stage. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day’s performances.
Blues Fest, Day 3
Saturday brought an exciting days of Blues to Chicago’s Millennium Park as the 2025 Chicago Blues Festival kept churning out exciting music for the thousands who flooded the park today. Here are my thoughts about and images from the day’s festivities.
Blues Fest, Day 2
The 2025 Chicago Bluesfest opened its run in Chicago’s Millennium Park today. For me, the big name of the day was Christone “Kingfish” ingram who played during the B.B. Ing Centennial Tribute on the main stage at the Pritzker Pavilion. Tomorrow Kingfish is the headliner. Here are my thoughts about Kingfish’s and all the other often incendiary performances, together with my images.
Blues Fest, Day 1
The 2025 Chicago Bluesfest kicked off this evening at the Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport. The bill included 91-year-old living legend Bobby Rush, as well as Billy Branch and the Sons of the Blues. Here are my thoughts about electrifying performances, together with my images from the evening.
Maxwell
My friend Maxwell died today. Here are a few thoughts about him and our bond, together with sketches and photographs from Evelyn, who was madly in love him.
Resilience
On Sunday, June 1, 2025, I headed to Montrose Harbor to watch members of Chicago’s Ukrainian Community assemble for a car caravan through the streets of Chicago. Here are my thoughts about and images from initial stages of the car caravan
River North Escapades
Yesterday, I took a walk through Chicago’s River North neighborhood and along the Chicago River. Here are my thoughts about and the images from my stroll.
Vets on Memorial Day
On Monday, May 26, 2025, I attended a Memorial Day ceremony at Chicago’s Vietnam War Memorial located along the Chicago Riverwalk. Here are my thoughts about and images from what turned into a powerful anti-Trump demonstration.
George Floyd
On Sunday, May 24, 2025, 100 demonstrators gathered in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to honor George Floyd on the fifth anniversary of his murder. Here are my thoughts about and images from the rally and subsequent march to Trump Tower.
5 Demos, 1 Day
On Saturday, May 24, 2025, I headed down to the Loop, hoping to photograph Chicago’s architecture. Before getting to the Loop, I was sidetracked. Over the course of the next several hours, I photographed five demonstrations. Here are my thoughts about and images from a very weird afternoon.
Sunday Sermon
On Sunday, May 18, 2025, I covered a Chicago Ukrainian Community demonstration commemorating the second anniversary of the end of the siege of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, Ukraine. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Cathartic
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, 75 people held a demonstration outside the ICE’s Chicago field offices to protest the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador by the Trump Administration. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Free Tibet
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, I attended a demonstration organized by members of Chicago’s Tibetan Community demanding that the Chinese government recognize Tibet as an autonomous nation. The demonstrators also demanded the release of the Panchen Lama, who was kidnapped by the Chinese government 30 years ago, when he was just a 6-year-old boy. Here are my thoughts about and images from what was a colorful demonstration.
Ditch the Students
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, Chicago’s Palestinian community held the fourth annual raising of the Palestinian flag in Daley Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the ceremony.
Empty the Tanks
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, I attended a small demonstration at the Shedd Aquarium. The demonstrators demanded that the Shedd “empty the tanks,” freeing the dolphins and whales held in captivity. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.
Raising the Flag
Today, members of Chicago’s Jewish community gathered in Daley Plaza for the annual Israeli flag raising ceremony. Here are my thoughts about and images from the event.
Maligning CPD
On Saturday, May 3, 2025, members of Chicago’s far Left held a rally in Union Park followed by a march as part of an ongoing effort to stop the Trump Agenda. Here are my thoughts about and images from day’s events.
Divide and Conquer
As usual, Chicago’s labor unions and Progressive forces staged the annual May Day rally in Union Park, followed by a lengthy march to Grant Park. This year, Trump and immigrant rights were major themes. Here are my thoughts about and images from the today’s events
Highlighting Murder
Late Wednesday afternoon, I attended a highly theatrical demonstration in Chicago’s Federal Plaza. Here are my thoughts about and images from the demonstration.