Being a cat person, this was the perfect first assignment for me. The Catcade is a newly-opened 80s inspired cat hang out space in Chicago's Lakeview neighbourhood. Chris Gutierrez, one of the founders of The Catcade, holds Edith, who he described as a "princess". Article
Tupperware held a Cultivating Confidence panel at the Chicago History Museum. Women CEOs discussed the challenges of being a woman in the corporate world and how women need to break stereotypes and be role models for other women. Article
Part of my job on a rotating basis was to photograph for a segment in our Arts & Culture section called From the Front Row, where we had to photograph artists during concerts. Pictured above is Philadelphia based electropop duo Marian Hill. This was my first time doing concert photography and I had so much fun doing it.
Inuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, in collaboration with the Poetry Foundation, hosted a workshop where poets discussed using imagery, such as illustration, in their poetry. Workshop participants walked around the gallery and wrote down words from artwork and descriptions that jumped out at them to use in their poetry. Article
I've photographed many political figures in my photojournalism career, but Lin-Manuel Miranda was the first celebrity I photographed! Miranda was in town for the Obama Foundation Summit, but first made a stop at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in Chicago's Humbolt Park neighbourhood, where he spoke about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Article
My personal favorite photo from the press conference.
Columbia College's Part time faculty (Pfac) union, OurColumbia, held a two day strike, protesting for fair contract negotiations and against unfair labor practices. All of Columbia's body, including students and full time faculty, were encouraged to come out in support of OurColumbia. Article
Galen Rupp of Portland, OR, rounds the corner of Michigan & Roosevelt near the end of the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon course. Rupp was the first American in 15 years to win the race that year. Gallery
I had been on the cover of the paper prior to this issue, but this is the cover I'm the most proud of. Refuse Fascism Chicago held a one year anniversary of Trump's election. More than 100 people marched from Federal Plaza, down State Street to Trump Tower in opposition to the Trump presidency. Article Gallery
The photo team decided to do a feature on Chicago's relief efforts towards Hurricane Maria. A member of Arawak'Opia, the bomba dance group at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, performs at the Emergency Relief Fund for Hurricane Maria. The fundraiser was held by local Puerto Rican organizations, such as the Puerto Rican Agenda. Gallery
Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel during his 2018 budget address to the city counsel at Chicago City Hall. Article
The Obama Foundation held a public meeting about the architecture and construction of the Presidential Center. The panel consisted of the architects, directors and coordinators of the Presidential Center. About halfway through the panel, the moderator said that we have a surprise guest. People were looking at each other, wondering who it was. Seemingly out of nowhere, Barack Obama himself came up on the screens, live via Skype. The crowd went wild, including myself and the reporter I was with. Obama answered community member's questions and concerns about the Presidential Center. This is probably the most memorable assignment I had at The Chronicle. Article
A protest put on by the Uptown Tent City Organization took place outside of the 46th Ward Alderman James Cappleman's office to protest the increase of evictions on the city's homeless community. Shot for the paper's Instagram
Families gathered in Welles Park in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood to march against a string of sexual assaults that had occured in the neighborhood. One woman was walking with her six month old son when she was assaulted. Article