Stories by evan garcia

Tyrell Jerry, a student at the Chicago High School for the Arts, performs at the first open mic held at a South Side community garden on Aug. 5, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Chicago Youth Organize Open Mic in South Side Garden

A community garden and farmers market in Auburn Gresham is now the venue of an open mic hosted for young Chicago artists. We go for a look to learn more.

A passenger wearing a face mask boards a CTA bus in Chicago. (WTTW News)

Chicago-Area Transit Agency Bosses on COVID-19’s Impact on Transportation

Ridership across CTA trains and buses, Metra commuter trains and Pace buses are down about 70% compared to this time last year. With that dramatic decline in ridership comes lower revenue and strains on operational funding.

Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald works in her downtown Chicago medical office on July 27, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Chicago Portrait: Dr. Everywoman

During the day, Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald sees patients at her obstetric and gynecological practice in Chicago. But after work, she entertains and educates the public through song parodies.

Pastor T. L Barrett sings as Dwayne Barrett, the drummer of his choir, adjusts his microphone at the pastor’s South Side Pentecostal church on Sunday, July 12, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Meet the Chicago South Side Pastor Sampled by Kanye West

Pastor T. L. Barrett wrote and recorded soul-infused gospel music in the 1970s with his youth choir. Forty years later, his music is reaching new generations — via some star-studded names.

(Photo by Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash)

Racism in Health Care: Providers Address a Public Health Crisis

The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities has made recent headlines, but racial disparities within health care have been studied and reported on for years.

(Samuel A. Love / Flickr)

How Long Should Illinois Extend its Eviction Moratorium?

The pandemic and economic shutdown have made it difficult for many people across the state to pay their rent, which is why Gov. J.B. Pritkzer extended a moratorium on evictions through the end of July. Is that enough time?

A residential street in Wicker Park in Chicago. (WTTW News)

Report Sheds Light on Home Lending Disparities Across Chicago

We discuss the alarming findings of a recent report by City Bureau and WBEZ that analyzed home lending data in Chicago from 2012 to 2018.

Marta Slobodyanyuk is tattooed by artist Gady Mercado at Speakeasy Custom Tattoos in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood on June 22, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Inked During COVID-19: Chicago’s Tattoo Parlors Reopen

When Chicago tattoo parlors shut down in mid-March, the artists at Speakeasy Custom Tattoos were already booked up through June. How they — and their customers — are staying safe during the pandemic.

Courtney Johnson, a South Side resident, stands in front of a vandalized statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park on Saturday, June 15, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Controversial Statues Honoring Christopher Columbus Vandalized in Chicago

Controversy over historical figures like Christoper Columbus is playing out with acts of vandalism in cities across the country. But in Chicago, statues honoring Columbus are not the only ones sparking tension.

Milani Ninja, a 32-year-old drag queen from Humboldt Park, performs Beyoncé’s 2013 Super Bowl halftime show for the National Museum of Mexican Art’s 17th annual Queer Prom on May 31. Her performance was pre-recorded for the event, which will be held virtually via Zoom due to the COVID-19 virus. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Chicago Portrait: Milani Ninja

Chicago drag queen Milani Ninja is performing at the National Museum of Mexican Art for its 17th annual Queer Prom, but unlike the five other times she’s performed at the event, this year’s show is pre-recorded for a virtual prom on Friday.

Standing before a painting of George Floyd, a speaker addresses the crowd in Seward Park on Saturday, June 6, 2020. (@EvanRGarcia / Twitter)

Photos and Video: Death of George Floyd Draws Thousands to Chicago’s Union Park for Rally, March

Tens of thousands gathered in Chicago’s Union and Seward parks Saturday to protest the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. Here are sights and sounds from the day.

A woman holds a sign reading “Enough Is Enough” during a protest on June 2, 2020 in Old Town. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Photos: Peaceful George Floyd Protests Through Chicago’s North and South Sides

Peaceful protests through the North and South sides on Tuesday marked the fifth consecutive day of protests in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd.

A protester holds a Black Lives Matter sign during protests in Chicago on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Photos: Protesters March for Third Day in Chicago, Clash with Police

Protests over the death of George Floyd resumed Sunday afternoon following a night of riots and looting downtown that prompted Mayor Lori Lightfoot to impose a citywide curfew and call on the Illinois National Guard for help.

Protesters march along Dearborn Street while holding a sign honoring George Floyd on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Eric Russell, right, an activist with the Tree of Life Justice League, joins them. He also spoke at the protest. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Photos: Tensions Flare in Chicago for Day 2 of Protests Over George Floyd Killing

Hundreds of protesters shut down streets Saturday afternoon in downtown Chicago, marking the second day of local demonstrations following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Fishermen Wayne Hankins (right) and Stephen Williams (left) fish off a bridge in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side on May 23. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Fishermen Cast Away from Chicago’s Lakefront Find New Spots During COVID-19

Chicago fishermen are adjusting to COVID-19 regulations keeping them off Chicago's lakefront, a popular fishing spot.

A young woman takes a photo with Adam Hollingsworth, also known as the Dreadhead Cowboy, and his 13-year-old horse Prince in the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side on Saturday, May 16. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Chicago Portrait: The Dreadhead Cowboy

There’s a cowboy riding through Chicago’s South and West side neighborhoods, introducing residents young and old to what is likely an unfamiliar animal — at least on their residential streets: horses.

Rozalado Services managing partner Tony Pedroza, left, and director of operations Dominic Amoroso test out the cleaning company’s disinfectant equipment outside its office. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News) 

How Professional Cleaners Disinfect Coronavirus-Contaminated Sites

In the COVID-19 era, the process of cleaning and disinfecting shared spaces is more crucial than ever. A local cleaning company gives us a demonstration of the tools in its arsenal for killing the virus.

Professional forager Dave Odd tastes the flower of an eastern redbud tree in Chicago’s Gompers Park on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Food Forager Thinks COVID-19 Will Teach People to ‘Provide for Themselves’

Dave Odd, a professional forager in Chicago, says the COVID-19 pandemic is shaking up how we obtain food and will perhaps force people to pick their own. We go for a look at edible plants in Gompers Park.

Golfer Danny Steinberg follows through on a shot at the Glen Club, an 18-hole semi-private golf course in Glenview. The suburban club was one of several courses in Illinois that reopened May 1 under specific social distancing guidelines. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Golf Courses Across Illinois Reopen with New COVID-19 Rules

After shutting down for more than a month, golf is back in Illinois – at some courses, at least. We check out the scene at a couple of suburban spots.

Supplies to fight the spread of COVID-19 are donated at United Center on Saturday, April 25, 2020 in Chicago. The city started a face mask drive before a statewide order requiring face coverings in public takes effect May 1. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Chicagoans ‘Do Their Part,’ Donate Handmade Face Masks to Those in Need

The city is asking residents to donate handmade face masks for the city’s most vulnerable populations ahead of a statewide requirement for people to keep their faces covered in public.

Kenwood resident Willie Horton lost his job due to Chicago's COVID-19 shutdown. “People are dropping like flies and the young folks really don’t realize it,” Horton said. "They’re the ones giving the older folks the virus. So I can understand, it’s best to be safe.”

‘People Dropping Like Flies’: Chicago’s South, West and North Siders on COVID-19

Chicagoans across the city are preparing themselves for another month of staying indoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wiley Alexander, of Chicago, speaks to Lakeview Food Pantry volunteers at Wrigley Field’s temporary food pantry site on April 18, 2020. Alexander says he was laid off amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Wrigley Field Turns Into Food Pantry for Hungry Chicagoans

One of America’s most iconic baseball parks is doubling as a food pantry as a growing number of Chicagoans struggle to provide for themselves and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Urban Growers Collective co-founder Erika Allen, right, and staff sort through seeds inside the geodesic dome at the nonprofit’s South Chicago farm. (Evan Garcia / WTTW News)

Urban Farmers on Chicago’s South Side Feed Communities During Health Crisis

The nonprofit Urban Growers Collective operates community farms on Chicago’s South Side, providing fresh produce to underserved neighborhoods with few to no nutritional food options.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks with “Chicago Tonight” on Thursday from her Hyde Park home. (WTTW News)

Toni Preckwinkle Gives COVID-19 Update from Hyde Park Home

Cook County is bracing for a surge in coronavirus-related deaths. We check in with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who is not sick but chose to self-isolate after a member of her security detail contracted the virus.

Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust. (WTTW News)

Chicago Community Trust Raises $20 Million for COVID-19 Efforts

A Chicago community foundation is raising millions for dozens of local nonprofits on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. We speak with Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust.

Florence, Italy (Paolo Palazzi-Xirinachs / Facebook photo)

Chicagoan in Italy Discusses Everyday Life Under Quarantine

Paolo Palazzi-Xirinachs was about four weeks into his post-retirement studies at the University of Florence when Italy went into full quarantine. Now he’s stuck in a country with the highest reported coronavirus death toll in the world.