Good morning, Chicago. It’s one week until Paczki Day and we’re already hungry.
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A Chicago police car is pictured in a file photo. (Roberto Galan / iStock)
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When a shooting rattles a neighborhood in Chicago, community violence specialists concentrate on making sure the next conflict in the area doesn’t escalate, thanks to careful intervention work that researchers say is showing measurable, if nuanced, signs of success.
Chicago is the focus of commentators across the country who draw attention to violent crime that touches all corners of the city. The burden disproportionately affects communities of color. There are root causes to gun violence identified by researchers, and experts say addressing those issues will take time. But many neighborhoods need help today. This is the world in which community-based violence intervention exists. Seeking to mediate conflict and reduce violence, these programs connect victims and potential victims with services including mental health, education and employment.
Some facts:
More than 70% of Chicago homicide victims in 2024 were Black, according to data from the city violence portal. In some predominantly Black areas like West Garfield Park, the homicide rate is almost 20 times more than in other police districts, according to a recent report about the People’s Plan for Community Safety, the framework for Chicago’s plan to reduce crime.
Do the programs work?
Researchers are confident, both in the statistical and personal sense, that these programs decrease violence. Leaders tout the success of this work. But not everybody can see the progress out their window.
Future challenges:
Studies of violence programs do not have randomly assigned participants like in medical research. But the stakes of getting it right deeply affect communities with high levels of crime where researchers want to make a difference. It’s important for researchers and public servants to use facts to create and assess policies. They should build a solid base of support because politics can change, and evidence can help protect programs from future attacks.
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Students at Luv City. (WTTW News)
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On a recent weeknight, a group of students sat working on a script. They’re part of Luv City, a film production operation focused on youth violence prevention on Chicago’s West Side. Students delve into the world of digital media — learning about film production, editing, photography and acting.
“Our most important mission is to be inspirational,” said Andre Rodriguez, founder and CEO of Luv City. “A lot of the violence comes from hopelessness. There’s nothing to live for, so now you’re not scared of nothing. If I’m feeling pain, you’re gonna feel pain. So we need to start healing some of that pain.”
What's Luv City?
Rodriguez said the organization stemmed from his desire to connect with his son after spending 10 years in prison. After his release at age 39, Rodriguez became a mentor for a violence prevention program in Pilsen. There, he noticed how smartphones played a role in connecting with young people.
“Long story short, I taught myself how to shoot and edit music videos,” Rodriguez said. “Once we started putting those music videos out, now I had young people from different neighborhoods reaching out and trying to work with me. So that’s when I knew I had something.”
What started as an experiment grew into Luv City. In 2022, Rodriguez received a state grant and moved the program to its own space in Garfield Park. Students can tell their own stories via short films, music videos and a podcast.
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Federal Plaza in Chicago is pictured in a file photo. (rarrarorro / iStock)
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As the federal workforce is undergoing layoffs, buyouts and changing policies, WTTW News is looking to hear directly from those impacted. If you have a story to share, or you just want to pass along your contact information, we are eager to hear from you. Click on the story above and fill out as many of the fields as you wish.
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Back in the Day: February 25, 1975 - Nation of Islam Leader Elijah Muhammad Dies in Chicago
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On this day 50 years ago, the longtime Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad died from congestive heart failure at the then-Mercy Hospital and Medical Center (now called Insight Hospital and Medical Center). He was 77. Born Elijah Robert Poole in 1897 in Sandersville, Georgia, he immersed himself in Black nationalist politics and converted to Islam after his family moved to Hamtramck, Michigan. There, he met Nation of Islam founder Wallace Fard Muhammad and eventually took over his ministry after his disappearance. He led the NOI from 1933 until his death, and mentored Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan and Muhammad Ali.
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The Week's Staff Recommendations: Paczki Day
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers recommend the things they love in Chicago
Nicole Cardos, digital video producer for WTTW News: Paczki Day is around the corner. Paczki (or paczek for one) are fried Polish donuts traditionally filled with jam. Residents across Chicago and the Midwest celebrate the donut every year on Fat Tuesday.
Growing up in a Polish household, I’ve had my fair share of paczki. Here are some of my recommendations to explore on March 4.
La Blondina’s Traditional Polish Paczki
I first met home baker Agnes Hortado through her paczki and immediately knew they were the real deal. After closing her bakery La Blondina in 2013, she started baking for friends and family and eventually grew her business out of her Villa Park, Illinois, home. WTTW News captured her process and recipe in 2024. If you’re interested in trying her rose- or plum-filled paczki (she only makes two flavors), then hurry! Feb. 25 is the last day she’s accepting orders for Fat Tuesday. Customers can place orders on La Blondina Bakery’s Facebook page. $3/paczek.
The Polish Paczki Cafe
My mom, who emigrated from Poland in 1989, had been recommending this aptly named restaurant for its paczki for years, and rightfully so. Co-owner Anna Niziolek and her staff whip up fresh paczki every day in their cozy eight-table restaurant in Chicago’s Oriole Park neighborhood. Niziolek said Polish Paczki Cafe offers one flavor that combines three traditional paczki fillings: rose, plum and raspberry. Customers can buy day-of or pre-order for orders of 100 or more paczki. $3.25/paczek.
Sweet Generation’s Decadent Paczki
If you’re looking for a bakery that serves paczki filled with cream-based rather than jam-based fillings, then check out Sweet Generation in suburban Wood Dale, Illinois. The small bakery will offer a number of flavors on Fat Tuesday, from velvety coffee- or pistachio-flavored cream, to paczki inspired by European candies Kinder Bueno or Raffaello. And don’t forget to try the bakery's unique Dubai chocolate-filled paczki that are packed with nutty flavor and crunch. $2.99-$5.99/paczek.
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The Oscars are on Sunday. What was the best movie you've seen recently?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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