Asian Giving Circle Awards $100,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
Asian Giving Circle, an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, is a grassroots philanthropic initiative uniting donor to make a greater collective impact…
Stories
Spotlights on community issues, the people, and the organizations who contribute to effective philanthropy as well as a stronger Chicago region and world.
Recent Stories
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African American Legacy Awards $615,000 in its 2025 Grantmaking Cycle
African American Legacy (AAL), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, unites donors committed to supporting the Black community in the Chicago region.…
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Strengthening Chicago’s Shared Ownership Ecosystem
For generations, Chicago’s neighborhoods have been shaped by the people who call them home. Historically, many communities like Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Little Village,…
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How Microaggressions Keep Hurting—and How to Interrupt
At the end of September, colleagues and I attended the YWCA Madison Racial Justice Summit—an annual event designed to provide expertise and facilitate discussions about…
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The Five Leadership Languages
On August 31, Becky Brasfield was a featured speaker at a BMO Harris executive roundtable luncheon on diversity, equity and inclusion. As a Leadership Fellow…
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Six $1,000 Ideas to Counter Violence in Chicago
When violence touches our communities, Chicago residents summon up our determination and creativity to respond. Supporting survivors, engaging youth to help them find a more…
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My High School: Challenging, Eye-Opening, Empowering
My eighth grade year was all about preparing to go to high school. My mind was set to go to Whitney M. Young Magnet High…
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Much More Than Conversation: Three Years of On the Table
The first time one tries something, it is about figuring out how to get it done. The second try is often about making adjustments to…
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A Real Estate Firm Unites to Fight Homelessness
It’s no surprise that a real estate company with a history of fighting racially discriminatory home sale laws during the Civil Rights era would embrace…
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Expanding Horizons for Chicago's Young Leaders
Matthew Brewer grew up in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago. And for most of his childhood, he didn’t have much reason to leave…
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Seizing a Health Care Opportunity: County Jail
Debra, 32, hadn’t had medical insurance for a while when she was detained at Cook County Jail in 2014 after her arrest for retail theft.…
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Creating a Local Culture of Inclusion
All the world’s a stage, Shakespeare wrote. But what are theaters, concert halls and other cultural institutions doing to make sure that everyone can see…
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Mapping the Next Agricultural Revolution
Farming in Illinois is big business—and not just for the farms that are big. Accounting for nearly 10 percent of the state’s total economic output,…
