They’ll be covering elections, economic development, police reform and public transportation over the next 10 weeks.

By City Bureau

Another season change, another round of Civic Reporting Programs from your friends at City Bureau. We welcomed a new crew of 12 reporters into our Woodlawn newsroom this week. They are eager to tackle a new set of information needs on the South and West Sides from now until December; they’ll also be working with our partners at Yollocalli to mentor high schoolers on researching and interviewing for their upcoming radio programs.

Take a look at our topics below — and please reach out if you have any tips or suggestions on how to tackle them!


Team Leader: Sarah Conway; Reporters: Alma Campos, Ayinde Jean-Baptiste (Photos by Davon Clark)

Team Leader: Sarah Conway; Reporters: Alma Campos, Ayinde Jean-Baptiste (Photos by Davon Clark)

Sarah, Alma and Ayinde are tackling the issue of economic development and gentrification in East Garfield Park. Who gets the political and financial support to develop a neighborhood, and who benefits from new developments?


Team Leader: Michael Romain; Reporters: Annie Nguyen, Aaron Allen

Team Leader: Michael Romain; Reporters: Annie Nguyen, Aaron Allen

Mike, Annie and Aaron will be working in the neighborhood of Austin, looking at upcoming municipal elections in February 2019. What do Austin residents want and need when it comes to elections, and how do we ensure people are getting the information they need to vote?


Team Leader: Nissa Rhee; Reporters: Yazmin Emilia Dominguez, Maggie Sivit

Team Leader: Nissa Rhee; Reporters: Yazmin Emilia Dominguez, Maggie Sivit

Nissa, Yazmin and Maggie are looking at the Chicago Police Department—specifically the proposed consent decree that contains reforms that will be overseen by an independent monitor. What do communities most affected by police misconduct think about proposed reforms?


Team Leader: Danielle Scruggs: Reporters: Mari Cohen, Davon Clark

Team Leader: Danielle Scruggs: Reporters: Mari Cohen, Davon Clark

Danielle, Mari and Davon will be looking into Metra infrastructure and its ongoing budget troubles. What would it take to ensure Metra runs efficiently and effectively for populations that are not served by other transportation options? Who is most affected by the budget woes?

As always, we’d love to hear from you about your ideas and suggestions in these topic areas. Please reach out to info@citybureau.org and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter (below) to get updates on all new stories and projects.


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