Now that Chicagoans are in the winter, it’s an ideal time to discuss In the Summers (2024) — especially since the dramedy’s director Alessandra Lacorazza recently nabbed an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Feature. Janet Arvia: Both your directorial debut and your film were also honored at the Sundance Film Festival. How has winning […]
Posted inFeatured
Photos: Katie Gavin Concludes Her Solo Tour with a Chicago Homecoming
If you were lucky enough to see Muna at their party-starting set at Pitchfork earlier this year – or during their many other previous stops in Chicago and beyond – then you are already familiar with Katie Gavin’s many talents. As the band’s vocalist, Gavin brings an infectious energy that pulls fans into Muna’s life-affirming […]
Posted inHealth
To Close Racial Gap in Maternal Health, Some States Take Aim at Implicit Bias
Countless times, Kenda Sutton-El, a Virginia doula, has witnessed her Black pregnant clients being dismissed or ignored by clinicians. One woman was told by doctors that swelling, pain and warmth in her leg was normal, despite warning the clinicians that she had a history of blood clots. Sutton-El urged her to visit the emergency room. […]
Posted inOf Course I'm Not OK Podcast
2024’s Most-Loved Episodes: Of Course I’m Not OK Podcast
Helloooo listeners, readers and YouTube viewers! Feminists and friends Katie Morell and Karen Hawkins have been co-hosting Of Course I’m Not OK: The Podcast since July 27, 2020, and it’s been a wild and beautiful ride. Our episodes have been streamed more than 16,000 times and in at least eight countries. Here are the episodes […]
Posted inNews
Poet and Activist Nikki Giovanni Dies at 81
Originally published by The 19th Nikki Giovanni, one of the key figures of the Black Arts Movement, has died at 81. Giovanni was a poet, essayist, children’s book author, activist and professor. Her death in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Monday followed her third cancer diagnosis. The Knoxville, Tennessee, native was born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni Jr., on […]
Posted inFilm & TV
Review: Amy Adams is Top Dog in Marielle Heller’s ‘Nightbitch’
Motherhood is a bitch in Nightbitch (2024) — which is why Amy Adams is being rightfully recognized for taking on the demanding titular role. Her unflinching and unglamorous performance was honored at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and at the Mill Valley Film Festival. Last week, she nabbed an Indie Spirit nomination for Best Lead […]
Posted inFeatured
Q&A: Hattie Webb Shares Stories About Writing & Recording ‘Wild Medicine’
As 2024 comes to an end and you are putting together a playlist with all of the best music of the year, make sure to include Hattie Webb‘s new album, Wild Medicine, which was released on Oct. 24 via Hearts Connect Records. The album features personal storytelling – about self-discovery, trauma, heartbreak, and more – […]
Posted inInterview
Interview: Olivia Kuan Scores With Her Women’s Football League Doc
The Toledo Troopers, Tulsa Babes, Los Angeles Dandelions, California Mustangs, Dallas Bluebonnets, Pasadena Roses, Philadelphia Queen Bees, Oklahoma City Dolls, and Houston Herricanes may not be household names but these professional female footballers broke barriers in women’s sports — playing full-tackle football for the National Women’s Football League (NWFL) from 1974 to 1988. In the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
There’s Fa-La-La-Lots to do in Chicagoland this Holiday Season
Whether experiencing Christmastime in the city or traveling over the river and through the woods to the suburbs, Chicagoland’s transformation into a winter wonderland includes holiday shows, festive events and seasonal activities for all ages. The Driehaus Museum celebrates “Drie-cember” with several special programs including Yuletide-themed ghost stories (Dec. 12) by the Ghostlight Ensemble. “The […]
Posted inCentering Ourselves
The 92 Percent of Us Are Tired. The National Day of Rest for Black Women is a Start to Recharging.
Most of the 92 percent of Black women who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris — a smart, overqualified, more-than-ready Black and Asian woman who had a solid policy agenda on how to run the country — are bracing for the anticipated four-year continuation of divisiveness, insults and hostility from the 47th president. With the help […]