There’s no hashtag to call out the experiences of society’s youngest victims of sexual abuse. The Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center receives some 2,000 reports of child sexual abuse annually—a small …
My lady chromosomes are the furthest things from my mind when I bike, which I do more days than not. So when a friend asked me recently what biking was like “as a woman,” I drew a blank. I told her ho…
You know my motto: Ride there for the exercise, stay for the deep fried mac and cheese. True Midwestern cyclists recognize that when bike paths are finally clear of the cold-averse, bike season—at …
I’ll never forget that morning I sailed onto the lakefront bike path in my finest wind-breaking gear, against the advice of every newscaster in the greater Chicagoland area. The air smelled more water…
I waited on a remote Spanish country road with about 20 spandex-clad strangers ranging broadly in age. Our shorts were equipped with built-in padding, a style that is attractive on approximately no on…
The day after the election, the state of Illinois on the electoral map looked like a blue island floating in a sea of red. My immediate thought was to focus my sights more locally on life here at home…
Overshadowed by brawls over immigration and emails, early childhood education might be the least controversial proposal from Hillary Clinton. The vast majority of voters support increased federal fund…
I stood in front of a full-length mirror at a dress shop under the El tracks, attempting to fashion a bow from weirdly long strips of shiny fabric. Multiple women assured me I’d wear my new olive-gree…
Chicago has bike share programs, bike valets and a vast network of bike lanes leading to some pretty cool destinations. If you cycle for the workout, we’ve even got some things resembling hills on the…
Everyone should have a happy place—ideally, a few. These days, mine is a broad stretch of concrete on the lakefront just north of Division Street beach. For most of the year, it’s little more than …
