GRAINGER ACADEMY OF THE JOFFREY BALLET LAUNCHES NATIONAL CALL FOR FIVE EMERGING ARTISTS FOR WINNING WORKS CHOREOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet is seeking emerging artists to submit applications for the Grainger Academy's Sixteenth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. A mission-driven, access-oriented initiative, Winning Works upholds The Joffrey Ballet's core values of Joffrey for All, providing opportunities for everyone, regardless of background, to experience, support, and participate in dance. The goal of the award is to recognize talented, emerging choreographers whose unique perspectives will inspire creativity in the form of original works of dance. Through Winning Works, the Joffrey aims to broaden access for artists who have been historically excluded from the art form and empower those who embody its values to shape the future of dance. The application deadline is July 31, 2025.
Bronzeville Summer Nights Series Returns: Experience the Heart and Pride of Chicago’s South Side July 11, August 8, and September 12, 2025
The vibrant spirit of Bronzeville will be on full display this summer as the Bronzeville Summer Nights Series returns for three unforgettable evenings: July 11, August 8, and September 12. Powered by the Quad Communities Development Corporation (QCDC), this celebrated series invites Chicagoans and visitors alike to explore the thriving local businesses, ongoing residential and commercial development, and rich cultural heritage that define one of the city’s most historic and storied neighborhoods.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES JUNETEENTH TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the appointment of members to the Chicago Reparations Task Force. The 40-member Task Force includes 25 individuals nominated by the Mayor’s Office and the Aldermanic Black Caucus, and 15 selected through a public application process. The Task Force is composed of community leaders, individuals with lived experience, and representatives of organizations that serve, represent, or advocate for Black communities.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES UPDATES TO LABOR LAWS TO STRENGTHEN WORKER PROTECTIONS
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the scheduled annual increase in Chicago’s minimum wage, additional enforcement provisions of the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance, and a scheduled enhancement of the Fair Workweek Ordinance requirements. These changes will go into effect on July 1, 2025, and are part of Mayor Johnson’s ongoing commitment to promote fairness and dignity for working people. To view informational flyers, Frequently Asked Questions, and public notices on Chicago’s labor laws, visit Chicago.gov/Labor Standards.
Treasurer Frerichs Eclipses $5 Billion In Investment Earnings for State Portfolio
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced that he has made more than $5 billion in investment earnings from the state portfolio during his time in office.
10 Companies Invoke the Spirit of Community, Togetherness, and Shared Humanity in Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions
The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project—an initiative of The Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago—and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance proudly present Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions at the Harris Theater at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 23. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at HarrisTheaterChicago.org.
Chicago Fire FC Announces Chance the Rapper as Second Artist for the Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo
Chicago Fire FC today announced superstar hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper as the second performer as part of the Club’s 2025 Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo. Chance the Rapper will hit the stage following the Sat., July 26 match-up against Eastern Conference foe New York Red Bulls. Two weeks earlier, after the Club’s first-ever match against expansion side San Diego FC on Sat., July 12, rising regional Mexican music artist DannyLux will kick-off the Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo.
New Groundswell Coffee Roasters cafe opens in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building this August
Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building and Groundswell Coffee Roasters are excited to announce the opening of a new Groundswell Coffee cafe at the Fine Arts Building in August 2025, located in the storefront at 410 S. Michigan Avenue adjacent to the former Artists Cafe space. The new Groundswell Coffee location will be open Monday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, serving the thousands of artists and visitors who frequent the Fine Arts Building each week, including Studebaker Theater audiences and the surrounding downtown community.
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Actress Wants Audience to Leave with a Smile
Cameron Monroe Thomas knew she wanted to be on stage as a theatre actress when she saw a production of “The Lion King” in the West End in seventh grade while on a family vacation in London. She wanted to be in “The Lion King” and play the role of Nala.
Doctors Provide Information About Resources For Women Experiencing Menopause
Dr. Cordia Clark-White and Dr. Toni Scott-Terry have set out to redefine the conversation around menopause. As gynecologists, women’s health is at the forefront of what they do as physicians.
Former Journalist’s Fragrance Company Promotes Self Care
Brianna Arps believes a person’s sense of smell is their strongest sense and that it connects directly to neuro passageways in the brain and parts of the brain that process memories, emotions and feelings. With that in mind, Arps created Moodeaux in 2021, a fragrance company that uses advance scent science to create products that are meant to accessorize a person’s mood.
Actress Draws From Life Experiences For Music And Acting Preparation
Rosita Young always knew that she should be on television. She can remember telling her mother when she was four years old that she wanted to be on television. Born in Jackson, Miss., and raised in Los Angeles, Young, who goes by Rosita, was right in the heart of the entertainment industry. Her mother did what she could to help jumpstart her daughter’s acting career.
Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter Strengthens Commitment to Health Equity Through Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
In an ambitious effort to tackle longstanding health disparities, the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter has reaffirmed its commitment to health equity by expanding mission-driven activities that reflect the needs of underserved and underrepresented communities.
ISBE and Lurie Children’s Launch Free, Data-Informed Resilience-Supportive Schools Illinois Initiative to Strengthen Student Mental Health and Resilience in All Schools
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Center for Childhood Resilience at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago today announced the statewide rollout of Resilience-Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI) — a free, data-informed initiative that provides schools with tools to strengthen student and educator mental health and resilience. RSSI builds on the Resilience Education to Advance Community Healing (REACH) Initiative, which has led to reduced chronic absenteeism, improved teacher retention, and decreased the use of suspensions, and improved schools’ capacity for trauma-responsiveness for participating schools.
Glodean Champion Launches "The Process to LOVE™"
Workplace miscommunication costs businesses an estimated $1.2 trillion annually and social division is at an all-time high. The solution? Author, communication expert, and TEDx speaker Glodean Champion introduces The Process to LOVE™—a communication framework designed to bridge gaps, build trust, and create cultures rooted in respect, empathy, and connection.
