Top left: Radio Free Honduras plays in Little Village. (WTTW News) Top right: Felix Martinez was named residential sanitation driver of the year. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Bottom left: Artist Mia Lee. (WTTW News) Bottom right: Art Johnston and Pepe Peña in the documentary “Art and Pep.” (Provided)
Over the last year, WTTW News introduced you to a variety of Chicago-area residents — from the 100-year-old watercolorist who was named Artist Laureate of Illinois to the police officer who transformed his backyard into an award-winning oasis.
Some accomplished extraordinary feats, while others made a difference in their communities through small acts of everyday work. Their strength, passion and creativity capture what it means to live and work in the Chicago region.
Here are just some of the memorable people we profiled in 2023.
1. How a Chicago Police Officer Transformed His Backyard Into an Award-Winning Oasis
Deronis Cooper works in his garden in Garfield Park. (WTTW News)
In Garfield Park, Chicago police Officer Deronis Cooper uses his love of gardening as an outlet for his mental health. What started with four planters has grown into more than 50 plant species in his backyard — from 10-foot elephant ears to sweet potato vines.
“You can come home and shed your uniform. You can shed the duty belt, but you can’t shed your brain,” Cooper said. “I can’t put my brain on a shelf and come back and pick it up. So, all the experiences we have endured day in, and day out, stay with us.” Read more
2. At 100, Artist Kay Smith Documents American History in Watercolor Paintings
Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith paints in watercolor. (WTTW News)
Over the course of 100 years, you could watch the world change. Illinois Artist Laureate Kay Smith has been documenting those changes for the last 75 years, and her work is all rooted in her love of American history. At the age of 100, Smith spends at least one hour per day putting her watercolor wand to the test, doing what she does best.
“You don’t have to be fast,” Smith said. “I have a regular schedule. I have an hour in the morning that I can paint, my ‘relaxing hour,’ then the next hour it’s down again to rest. When you become this age, people become concerned about what you’re doing. So I try to keep them happy, and I can’t do it with anything but watercolor.” Read more
3. South Side Retiree Finds New Passion as Sign Language Teacher at Thurgood Marshall Library
Jerry Bowen. (WTTW News)
Every Tuesday afternoon at the Thurgood Marshall Branch of the Chicago Public Library, retiree Jerry Bowen signs “hello” to the sign language class he’s taught for three years. Bowen said he first became fascinated with sign language by seeing it on TV, but he didn’t expect to ever learn it. That changed when he saw a flyer for a class at the library.
“I still feel like I’m at basic level, but I know enough to teach somebody who’s at zero,” Bowen said. “I try to let the students help, you know, I don’t just talk to them. I try to get them to participate, help each other, make it interesting.” Read more
4. Meet the 17-Year-Old Chicagoan Who Just Earned Her Doctorate Degree
Dorothy Jean Tillman appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Dec. 13, 2023. (WTTW News)
Most 17-year-olds are excited about finishing high school and possibly thinking about college. But Bronzeville teen Dorothy Jean Tillman is in a class all by herself: She just earned her doctorate degree. Homeschooled by her mother, Tillman began her higher education journey at 10 when she enrolled as a college freshman.
“Having your own choice to go at whatever pace you would like definitely gave me a lot more control and definitely made me enjoy education a lot more,” Tillman said. Read more
5. Mt. Prospect Residents Say Award-Winning Trash Collector Felix Martinez is Community Treasure
Felix Martinez was named residential sanitation driver of the year. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
Most neighborhoods don’t eagerly anticipate the weekly arrival of their trash collector. But most neighborhoods don’t have a national award-winning sanitation engineer like Felix Martinez taking away their trash. In his 37 years as a driver, Martinez said he’s found all kinds of ways to connect with and help people on his route — and he said that’s why for him, taking a moment to make a new friend is never a waste of time.
“I’ll tell this elderly lady, ‘It seems like you’re moving too fast. You’re making me look slow!’” Martinez said. “So I’ll grab it from her and I’m like, ‘I can do it faster.’ So I’ll walk the can down, and they get a chuckle out of it. Or if they’re wearing a brace or using a walker, I’ll tell them, ‘I assume that’s for fashion.’ People don’t take the time to talk to people. … I just need a little minute out of your day to talk to you.” Read more
6. TikTok Creator Ernest Crim III Uses Black History to Affirm and Heal
Ernest Crim III teaching a group of students. (WTTW News)
In his 12 years as a history teacher, author Ernest Crim III used teaching Black history as a way not just to educate his students but also to affirm them. Now, Crim’s content on TikTok ranges from stories of historical figures to contextualizing current events. Judging by his more than 375,000 followers, his content is striking a chord.
“One of the most important things about my story is really just wanting people to understand that education is going to start with us first and foremost,” Crim said. “Implicitly, we understand that when we say ‘us’ or ‘American,’ we’re starting from a Eurocentric narrative and oftentimes because of that, our stories are added as a footnote as opposed to being taught in conjunction because we’ve been here before this country as a nation. What it’s like to not understand our history is to miss out on what America is today.” Read more
7. Chicago Musicians Rally Behind Honduran Singer-Songwriter
Radio Free Honduras plays in Little Village. (WTTW News)
In his native Honduras, singer-songwriter Carlos Barahona contributed to one of the biggest hits in Latin music. In his adopted hometown of Chicago, he keeps a modest profile — working as a custodian in churches and playing occasional gigs to support his family. A group of Chicago musicians has helped turn the spotlight once again on Barahona, who goes by the stage name Charlie Baran.
Barahona said he left Honduras after being harassed by local government officials. A circuitous route brought him to Chicago by way of Miami. Now, Barahona said he feels privileged and grateful to have played with musicians of different calibers that have been part of his bands over the years. Read more
8. Sam the Barber Creates Hope, Boosts Confidence With Free Haircuts Across Chicago
Samuel Brown gives a man a haircut. (WTTW News)
Public libraries can be a safe haven for those struggling with homelessness. That’s the story of a local barber who benefited from the library’s resources to turn his life around. From living in the streets to becoming a licensed barber, Samuel Brown is now on a mission to pay it forward: He started a nonprofit called Haircuts for Humane.
“People want someone to listen to them,” Brown said. “They want to express what they have been through because sometimes we all can be self-centered.” Read more
Art Johnston and Pepe Peña in the documentary “Art and Pep.” (Provided)
Art Johnston and Pepe Peña, LGBTQ+ rights leaders and owners of the iconic gay bar Sidetrack in Northalsted, are the subjects of a documentary now streaming on Peacock. The film “Art and Pep” follows Johnston and Peña’s love story — spanning 50 years — and the history of the Sidetrack bar amid their fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Chicago.
“In those days, the only place gay people had to meet each other were bars,” Johnston said. “They were the only safe space for gay folks who were harassed at work, who were subjects of common arrests.” Read more
Artist Mia Lee. (WTTW News)
The Gentleman, the Lady and the Demon. These are the three main characters of local visual artist Mia Lee, whose stories are meant to speak for themselves. While some of those stories may get dark, Lee said she uses bright colors to make the art, and the stories, more approachable.
“I paint through the lens of a Black woman from the South Side and Caribbean descent,” Lee said. “I have such an appreciation of the diaspora and how all Black people have such a diverse unique lived experience. But we have a lot of stories and things that intertwine us. It’s not always rooted through trauma. I explore the other side of things.” Read more
11. Brighton Park Family Showcases Local Talent with No Sé Discos Record Label
Artists associated with the No Sé Discos record label perform in Brighton Park. (WTTW News)
Breaking into the music industry is not an easy task, but a local family is working to help guide artists through the industry. Brighton Park residents Jorge Ledezma and Lupe Martinez created the record label No Sé Discos in 2021. While the label is relatively new, their band, Allá, has been making music for the past 20 years. They describe their music as sounds from the working class.
“I think art is the most important thing … art and music and we don’t stress about the money anymore like back in the day,” Martinez said. “… Maybe we will make it big! It’s not even important because it’s in our bloodline. We just have to keep creating to keep the balance of our life and story.” Read more
12. Musician Uses Social Media to Highlight Latino Music, Chicago Sights
Musician Daniel Flores, also known as Trumpet Papi, joined “Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices” on July 14, 2023. (WTTW News)
Peruvian musician Daniel Flores is on a mission to showcase Chicago’s beauty with help from a musical friend: his trumpet. On TikTok, Flores, also known as Trumpet Papi, performs songs that celebrate the Latino community. He features various Chicago backdrops in the popular posts.
“For me, it’s just really about the music and an ode to Chicago,” Flores said. “You know, there’s a lot of trumpet players on TikTok, but there’s only one city of Chicago. So just showcasing a lot of different places that don’t always get the shine that they deserve.” Read more
13. Beyond Noise: Audio-Visual Artist Finds Inspiration in Chicago’s Transit
Artist Rachel Steele will present “Soundpost: Remixing Transit” at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on March 30, 2023. (WTTW News)
When artist Rachel Steele first moved to Chicago, it opened up her world. “I have epilepsy, so I can’t get a driver’s license,” Steele said. “When I moved to Chicago, I was able to suddenly now get around and be super mobile.” The sounds of the city weren’t just noise to Steele — they told a story, snippets of conversation and pieces of music and the clatter of the train.
Steele first developed an audio journey around Chicago on CTA buses and trains, ranging from the Loop to Chinatown to Pilsen, mixing sounds she recorded live on public transit and out in neighborhoods with musical instruments reflective of the city’s different cultures. Read more
