On the West Side, the spirit of community is alive.

“Stone Temple has become an anchor for those drifting in uncertainty. Today, under Pastor Reshorna’s leadership, the church continues to serve as a reminder that the solution to displacement includes small acts of care,” writes Genesis Falls.

Owner Kalkidan “Kalki” Tesfaye has created more than a coffee shop; she’s built a living room for the neighborhood, where world music drifts through conversation and coffee is brewed with intention.

One Google search led us to a coffee shop that feels like home.

In part one of our new series, #EatingOurWayHome, we visit #AddisCafe — a West Suburban café where Ethiopian tradition meets community turned family.

“Is there no possible way to finish this work faster?” said Amari M., a commuter who frequents the Austin Station.

Once construction concludes, the station would benefit all residents, regardless of mobility.

“Is there no possible way to finish this work faster?” said Amari M., a commuter who frequents the Austin Station.

Once construction concludes, the station would benefit all residents, regardless of mobility.

In the first of three parts, her photo essay #WeWereHere explores how Chicago’s West Side communities insist on presence and dignity in the face of displacement, revealing the persistence of life where others see only absence.

Displacement is often described only through the absence of housing, of resources, of security.

“But when I look through the viewfinder, I see something else: the persistence of life,” writes Genesis Falls.

Kicking off on Sept 13 is our FREE 3-week media training!

Learn to decode misinformation, engage critically with media, and publish your own stories on 15West.org.

Attend all 3 sessions to qualify for paid reporting on Chicago’s West Side.

Open to anyone interested in community journalism!

The restaurant has a wide range of customers, from teachers and students from the neighboring school (Little Village Lawndale High School), to warehouse workers, to retired neighbors.

www.15west.org/grandma-irma...

From selling homemade barbacoa from her kitchen to opening her own restaurant, Irma Ceballos has created a neighborhood pillar where family recipes meet unconditional hospitality.

Enough time has passed—let’s talk Summer Smash.

The energy and performances from Lyrical Lemonade’s festival still linger through Chicago’s hip-hop scene.

Head here to read our reflection: www.15west.org/summer-smash...

This data-driven tool was developed with Northwestern's Buffett Institute (buffett.northwestern.edu) and a variety of community partners.

Still, environmental community activists and residents question the city's ability to support those most vulnerable to the effects of a warmer climate.

✍🏽: @nabeelawashington.com

📸: Kenn Cook Jr.

The trust Memphis rapper Key Glock has earned from fans isn’t just about his music; it’s about his refusal to compromise his Memphis identity for mainstream acceptance.

Read our review of Glock’s Chicago tour stop: 15west.org/in-key-glock...

Get ready for #news for everyone.

Who are we? #15West is a new volunteer-supported newsroom and a fiscally sponsored project of @luckyjefferson.com dedicated to connecting people mile by mile, block by block, throughout neighborhoods west of Chicago.