Lisa Kurian Philip
@lkpwrites.bsky.social
Covering racial inequity in higher education for WBEZ Chicago and Open Campus Media. I love making radio. Like, LOVE it.
Young people in #Chicago age 18-29 can apply to be part of a Civic Matchmaking program run by Chicago Votes and The Civic Success Project. More info here:
November 11, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Young people in #Chicago age 18-29 can apply to be part of a Civic Matchmaking program run by Chicago Votes and The Civic Success Project. More info here:
Stop what you're doing and read this piece by @vanessalop.bsky.social:
"I carry the weight of his sacrifice while navigating the gaping hole left by his departure. I am the daughter who made it, who did better while knowing that “better” came with a cost."
chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...
"I carry the weight of his sacrifice while navigating the gaping hole left by his departure. I am the daughter who made it, who did better while knowing that “better” came with a cost."
chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...
He worked hard to give me a home. ICE took his: How I lost my father to deportation
Deportation has taken away the father I once knew and given me back a person I no longer recognize.
chicago.suntimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Stop what you're doing and read this piece by @vanessalop.bsky.social:
"I carry the weight of his sacrifice while navigating the gaping hole left by his departure. I am the daughter who made it, who did better while knowing that “better” came with a cost."
chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...
"I carry the weight of his sacrifice while navigating the gaping hole left by his departure. I am the daughter who made it, who did better while knowing that “better” came with a cost."
chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
Our review of 700+ videos of the Portland protests shows a wide gap between the reality on the ground and the characterizations by Trump, Fox News and DHS, which said its office in the city was under “coordinated assault by violent groups.”
By @robwdavis.bsky.social and Steve Suo
By @robwdavis.bsky.social and Steve Suo
What Really Happened in Portland Before Trump Deployed the National Guard
In the two months before Trump’s decision, criminal charges were announced against only three people. On nights when physical conflict did erupt, it often came from police firing on, shoving, pepper-s...
www.propublica.org
November 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Our review of 700+ videos of the Portland protests shows a wide gap between the reality on the ground and the characterizations by Trump, Fox News and DHS, which said its office in the city was under “coordinated assault by violent groups.”
By @robwdavis.bsky.social and Steve Suo
By @robwdavis.bsky.social and Steve Suo
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
NEW: U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis is allowing the deposition of Border Patrol boss Greg Bovino to expand to FIVE hours (she'd limited it to 2), and she wants to hear about use of force by CBP in Little Village on Wednesday and Thursday.
Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."
Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."
October 23, 2025 at 8:11 PM
NEW: U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis is allowing the deposition of Border Patrol boss Greg Bovino to expand to FIVE hours (she'd limited it to 2), and she wants to hear about use of force by CBP in Little Village on Wednesday and Thursday.
Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."
Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
NEW: I found 17 sheriffs in Illinois that have contracts to detain people for ICE through U.S. Marshals Service contracts. IL law explicitly prohibits these types of intergovernmental service agreements. news.wttw.com/2025/10/22/d...
Despite Illinois Sanctuary Laws, At Least 17 County Sheriffs Have Contracts to Hold People in ICE Custody
To ascertain if county jails are complying with the state’s TRUST Act, WTTW News sent Freedom of Information Act requests to each of the 90 county jails in Illinois to obtain copies of intergovernment...
news.wttw.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:15 PM
NEW: I found 17 sheriffs in Illinois that have contracts to detain people for ICE through U.S. Marshals Service contracts. IL law explicitly prohibits these types of intergovernmental service agreements. news.wttw.com/2025/10/22/d...
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
Haunting photo posted by the 40th Ward Instagram. The caption says that the photo represents the remnants of two workers who were taken by ICE today. Chilling.
October 22, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Haunting photo posted by the 40th Ward Instagram. The caption says that the photo represents the remnants of two workers who were taken by ICE today. Chilling.
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
FULL STORY: A Border Patrol agent pointed a gun at state Rep. Hoan Huynh while he warned North Side residents that immigration agents were conducting enforcement operations, said Huynh, a Vietnam refugee who is running to represent Illinois' 9th District in Congress. @wttw.bsky.social
Illinois State Rep. Says Border Patrol Agent Pointed a Gun as He Was Warning Residents About Immigration Raids
State Rep. Hoan Huynh, a candidate to represent Illinois’ 9th District in Congress, said he was in Albany Park when he was confronted by six Border Patrol agents.
news.wttw.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:19 PM
FULL STORY: A Border Patrol agent pointed a gun at state Rep. Hoan Huynh while he warned North Side residents that immigration agents were conducting enforcement operations, said Huynh, a Vietnam refugee who is running to represent Illinois' 9th District in Congress. @wttw.bsky.social
A federal judge on Monday declined to block Northwestern from disciplining students who refused to complete an online anti-bias training the graduate student plaintiffs say characterizes criticism of Israel as antisemitic, Casey He reports.
#chicago #highered
chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
#chicago #highered
chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
Judge declines to block Northwestern from disciplining students over antisemitism training
Lawyers for students suing the university say the online module discriminated against them based on national origin. Northwestern argues it’s meant to foster civility on campus.
chicago.suntimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A federal judge on Monday declined to block Northwestern from disciplining students who refused to complete an online anti-bias training the graduate student plaintiffs say characterizes criticism of Israel as antisemitic, Casey He reports.
#chicago #highered
chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
#chicago #highered
chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
In an email shared with @wbez.org, University of Illinois Chicago leaders said race, gender and other factors will no longer be considered in financial aid and faculty tenure decisions.
@opencampus.org #chicago #highered #college
www.wbez.org/education/20...
@opencampus.org #chicago #highered #college
www.wbez.org/education/20...
University of Illinois Chicago drops race, gender as factors in financial aid and faculty hiring
Some faculty see the changes as “voluntary capitulation” to the Trump administration. UIC leaders say they align with “current legal standards” and new University of Illinois System policy.
www.wbez.org
October 20, 2025 at 9:31 PM
In an email shared with @wbez.org, University of Illinois Chicago leaders said race, gender and other factors will no longer be considered in financial aid and faculty tenure decisions.
@opencampus.org #chicago #highered #college
www.wbez.org/education/20...
@opencampus.org #chicago #highered #college
www.wbez.org/education/20...
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
The DHS Twitter has been tagging and calling out a local journalist writing on immigration in Chicago. Local journalists covering what’s happening need continual support especially as they write these important stories.
October 17, 2025 at 11:36 PM
The DHS Twitter has been tagging and calling out a local journalist writing on immigration in Chicago. Local journalists covering what’s happening need continual support especially as they write these important stories.
Going on @wbez.org's Say More with Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber at 10am CT today to talk about his book "Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right." Please call in with questions and comments!!!
#chicago #highered #campus #freespeech
#chicago #highered #campus #freespeech
October 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Going on @wbez.org's Say More with Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber at 10am CT today to talk about his book "Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right." Please call in with questions and comments!!!
#chicago #highered #campus #freespeech
#chicago #highered #campus #freespeech
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
The deployment of tear gas throughout the Chicago area is a growing health concern. ICE is deploying tear gas in residential neighborhoods, near children, playgrounds, stores, etc. What are the health implications on our communities?
October 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
The deployment of tear gas throughout the Chicago area is a growing health concern. ICE is deploying tear gas in residential neighborhoods, near children, playgrounds, stores, etc. What are the health implications on our communities?
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
NEW investigation from @lkpwrites.bsky.social:
IL colleges are contracting w/ for-profit businesses called online program managers which are paid as much as 50% tuition revenue for each student they enroll.
www.wbez.org/education/20...
IL colleges are contracting w/ for-profit businesses called online program managers which are paid as much as 50% tuition revenue for each student they enroll.
www.wbez.org/education/20...
Students for profit? University of Illinois campuses pay company per online student
Consumer protection advocates say the practice incentivizes the company to enroll as many students as possible, regardless of whether they'll benefit. University leaders says their standards aren't co...
www.wbez.org
October 10, 2025 at 2:56 PM
NEW investigation from @lkpwrites.bsky.social:
IL colleges are contracting w/ for-profit businesses called online program managers which are paid as much as 50% tuition revenue for each student they enroll.
www.wbez.org/education/20...
IL colleges are contracting w/ for-profit businesses called online program managers which are paid as much as 50% tuition revenue for each student they enroll.
www.wbez.org/education/20...
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
University of Illinois campuses pays a for-profit company to recruit students for online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities themselves, a WBEZ investigation found.
Students for profit? University of Illinois campuses pay company per online student
Consumer protection advocates say the practice incentivizes the company to enroll as many students as possible, regardless of whether they'll benefit. The university says their standards aren't compromised.
trib.al
October 9, 2025 at 1:12 PM
University of Illinois campuses pays a for-profit company to recruit students for online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities themselves, a WBEZ investigation found.
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
“I don’t want to be here anymore… What am I supposed to do?”
Trump wants them to self deport. They want to self deport. But many Venezuelans cannot leave … like this woman who told me she now plans to try to turn herself into ICE to get out of USA.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump wants them to self deport. They want to self deport. But many Venezuelans cannot leave … like this woman who told me she now plans to try to turn herself into ICE to get out of USA.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
“I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore”: They Tried to Self-Deport, Then Got Stranded in Trump’s America
Venezuelan immigrants signed up for a Trump-promoted app called CBP Home, which promised a safe and easy way to leave the country, and prepared to leave on their given departure dates. Those dates hav...
www.propublica.org
October 10, 2025 at 11:39 AM
“I don’t want to be here anymore… What am I supposed to do?”
Trump wants them to self deport. They want to self deport. But many Venezuelans cannot leave … like this woman who told me she now plans to try to turn herself into ICE to get out of USA.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump wants them to self deport. They want to self deport. But many Venezuelans cannot leave … like this woman who told me she now plans to try to turn herself into ICE to get out of USA.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
At the University of Illinois Chicago where dozens are protesting ICE's presence in their city. Multiple students say #ICE detained two women unaffiliated with UIC near the campus Student Services Building yesterday (Weds)
October 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
At the University of Illinois Chicago where dozens are protesting ICE's presence in their city. Multiple students say #ICE detained two women unaffiliated with UIC near the campus Student Services Building yesterday (Weds)
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
October 8, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
23-year-old journalist Plestia Alaqad, like many Gazans, lost her home in the first days after October 7. unable to reenter her homeland, stuck watching the horror continue, she’s publishing her diaries from reporting on the ground.
full interview @teenvogue.com www.teenvogue.com/story/plesti...
full interview @teenvogue.com www.teenvogue.com/story/plesti...
![Pic of Plestia Alaqad overlaid with text from interview: Plestia Alaqad: I can't believe that it's almost — [she pauses] no, it's not almost, it's actually two years. Okay, I can't believe that it's been two years of this ongoing genocide. When I was reporting in Gaza for 45 days, these 45 days felt like 45 years. And now it's 200 days feeling like 200 years for the people who are actually still on the ground facing bombing, displacement and starvation, which is being used as a method by Israel. Israel is literally ethnically cleansing people in Gaza, and we're watching a genocide unfold live on TV.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:tabiejtbwtcxuc2vxmk63uwj/bafkreian45imfkhayprgbdoexwoykj7gy7kwy3a4cy3e3o7mnabwz4fy6e@jpeg)
October 7, 2025 at 1:24 PM
23-year-old journalist Plestia Alaqad, like many Gazans, lost her home in the first days after October 7. unable to reenter her homeland, stuck watching the horror continue, she’s publishing her diaries from reporting on the ground.
full interview @teenvogue.com www.teenvogue.com/story/plesti...
full interview @teenvogue.com www.teenvogue.com/story/plesti...
For 2 years, Palestinian-American students in #Chicago have had to go to class while witnessing extreme violence against their community in #Gaza: “You feel the guilt of, ‘How am I letting my people go through that?’”
@wbez.org @opencampus.org
bit.ly/3VTFGCU
@wbez.org @opencampus.org
bit.ly/3VTFGCU
This Palestinian college student and Chicagoan is feeling exhausted but empowered
A student activist at DePaul University says college helped her find her voice — and fully embrace her Palestinian identity.
www.wbez.org
October 7, 2025 at 4:30 PM
For 2 years, Palestinian-American students in #Chicago have had to go to class while witnessing extreme violence against their community in #Gaza: “You feel the guilt of, ‘How am I letting my people go through that?’”
@wbez.org @opencampus.org
bit.ly/3VTFGCU
@wbez.org @opencampus.org
bit.ly/3VTFGCU
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
A new initiative announced by City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository aims to better address food insecurity among students attending community colleges in the city.
Partnership Aims to Better Address Food Insecurity Among City Colleges Students
This fall, free take-home meals at Malcolm X College, Kennedy-King College and Olive-Harvey College will be available for students and their family members.
news.wttw.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:04 PM
A new initiative announced by City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository aims to better address food insecurity among students attending community colleges in the city.
In a few moments tune into @wbez.org 91.5 FM to hear Palestinian college student and #Chicagoan Henna Ayesh's story. The past two years have left her tired to the bone - but empowered.
#college #Palestine #activism
#college #Palestine #activism
September 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
In a few moments tune into @wbez.org 91.5 FM to hear Palestinian college student and #Chicagoan Henna Ayesh's story. The past two years have left her tired to the bone - but empowered.
#college #Palestine #activism
#college #Palestine #activism
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
Several of us went to Broadview tonight to scope out the situation for ourselves. What we witnessed was a completely peaceful—even uneventful—protest/gathering, until the exact moment ICE unleashed a totally unprovoked and unwarranted tear-gas attack.
September 28, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Several of us went to Broadview tonight to scope out the situation for ourselves. What we witnessed was a completely peaceful—even uneventful—protest/gathering, until the exact moment ICE unleashed a totally unprovoked and unwarranted tear-gas attack.
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
I feel like news publications should put more energy into asking autistic people how they feel about all this because…
September 23, 2025 at 8:02 PM
I feel like news publications should put more energy into asking autistic people how they feel about all this because…
Reposted by Lisa Kurian Philip
This is an absolutely terrific piece from @texastribune.org and reinforces my belief that the best coverage of right-wing cancelations occur at the local level, after years of the national media focusing on threats from the left.
www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...
How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M
Officials have struggled to detail the exact reasons for the A&M professor’s termination, citing a technical issue with her course description. Faculty say the move was politically motivated.
www.texastribune.org
September 23, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This is an absolutely terrific piece from @texastribune.org and reinforces my belief that the best coverage of right-wing cancelations occur at the local level, after years of the national media focusing on threats from the left.
www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...