Pitches May 2021

[jackie.serrato]

Hello good people,

At South Side Weekly we are very proud of the team effort behind our 2020 coverage that recently won 3 Lisagor awards. Needless to say, awards are not how we measure our success, but they're a nice acknowledgement that our hard work is being seen far and wide. I invite you, writers and journalists, to help us continue our excellent coverage for the rest of 2021.

If you are interested in contributing to our newspaper again, you can claim one of the story pitches below or submit one of your own. (Instructions at the bottom.)

MERCY HOSPITAL NEW OWNERS

As community organizers and regulators seek to weigh in on the next chapter of a hospital with an important place in the South Side health landscape, who is the nonprofit/company that will hold most of the cards in making those decisions? Profile the company and the current pressures on it with an eye to what light Insight Chicago's past and present shed on what it plans to do / might choose to do with Mercy Hospital.

REOPENING SOUTH SIDE THEATERS

Chicago's gradual reopening brings new possibilities closer—like the return of plays and musicals to indoor stages. Even before the new guidance, Broadway shows had planned to reopen in September. What about South Side theaters and theater companies, which have fewer resources (especially after the drain of the pandemic) and more connection to neighborhoods and patrons with less access to vaccination? Are they working on reopening plans anytime soon? Are their plans largely in accord with what downtown and North Side theaters are doing, or do they differ?

SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE

Tens of thousands have marched downtown in support of Palestine and to protest the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa masjid and Gaza. There has been a robust Palestinian support/resistance movement in Chicago for decades; story could use current events as a news peg to explore the history of that movement; state repression of pro-Palestinian organizing. Look at Palestinian presence in Chicago suburbs.

REDISTRICTING

New redistricting maps could come out very soon and Illinois is losing a Congressional seat. The writer could start preparing a piece that compares the old maps to the new ones by writing about how districts were drawn in 2010 and how or where political powers shifted as a result.

DECLASSIFY COINTELPRO

On May 4, Bobby Rush introduced a bill that would force the FBI to disclose its records on COINTELPRO. Using that as a news peg, the story would be a history of the program and how it was used against Fred Hampton and the Panthers and other activists in Chicago specifically. What documents might Rush uncover related to Hampton's assassination by CPD? Story would require a detailed breakdown instead of an overview.

VACCINES IN LGBTQ COMMUNITY

Many organizations, hospitals and clinics that work with the LGBTQ community shifted gears during the pandemic to provide testing and vaccination to their patients. Howard Brown Health, one of the nation's largest LGBTQ organizations and health provider, comes to mind as having done a solid job reaching this demographic. Find data, if available, about vaccine distribution to queer communities, interview experts, and profile some local outreach efforts, especially as they pertain to Black and brown LGBTQ South Siders.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CAUCUS

On May Day, five council members, including South Siders Ald. Jeanette B. Taylor (20th Ward) and Ald. Byron Sigcho López (25th Ward), announced the formal creation of the Democratic Socialist Caucus of the City Council. Interview members about their short and long-term legislative agenda, how they will work with other caucuses, and whether their initiatives have community support. 

BLACK CAUCUS ENDORSES ECPS

The City Council Black Caucus is the latest caucus to endorse the Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance, after the Progressive, the Latino, and the Democratic Socialist caucuses. What could explain the relative delay among Black aldermen to support this proposal for police accountability? Talk to individual members of this caucus to get their input on the ordinance.

AMAZON GRAVEYARD SHIFT

Amazon has implemented a new and prolonged schedule for their employees across warehouses and distribution facilities, and many Chicago workers were also transferred to other locations in 2021. Interview Amazon workers who have been affected by the recent changes and explore if their union organizing has been hurt as a result.

NO COP ACADEMY UPDATE

More than 2 years ago Black youth led a campaign to stop the construction of a $95 million cop academy, reinforcing the local movement to defund the police. This month the group is having a virtual event, where they will release an informational toolkit and the trailer of a documentary. Find out what these youth are up to now and their next steps for the movement post-George Floyd.

A LENS ON INVEST SOUTH/WEST PROGRAM

Evaluate the scope of the Invest South/West city initiative, from funding sources, to outreach and community engagement, to the selection process, and assess whether approved projects meet the initial and ultimate desires of the community.

PRIVATE CONCERTS IN PUBLIC PARKS

There's a debate about music festivals that are hosted in public parks and who really benefits from them. The pandemic brought a sigh of relief to local residents who for years have found festivals in their local parks to be a nuisance and not entirely accessible to the community. Riot Fest and Spring Awakening are two examples of paid events in public parks that attract a wave of tourists with arguably few perks to neighbors. Talk to people living near these parks, research the political donations that festival organizers make to public officials, weigh the impact of the events on the local quality of life/use of green space.

VIEW FULL LIST OF PITCHES:

1) Find our "Pitch Doc" in the Resource Hub

2) If prompted, type in the password: weeklypitch

3) Click any entry from the list to expand the pitch details

4) To claim one, fill out the Pitch Claim Form

5) To send your own story idea, click on Submit a Pitch

6) Check back for updates

You can also schedule a time to meet with me.

I'm looking forward to your stories!

Jackie Serrato

Editor-in-chief