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Good morning, Chicago. Start your Monday with these stories from WTTW News.
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Students at the University of Illinois Chicago, led by River Argyilan, left, and Ileanne Cecilio, middle, march on campus on Jan. 30, 2026, as part of a nationwide student walkout in solidarity with Minneapolis and to protest federal immigration enforcement policy. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
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The University of Illinois Chicago’s main courtyard quickly cleared out on a recent Friday afternoon as the passing period neared its end. What was left was a small, and slowly growing, contingent of students. One student held a megaphone in their hand.
“When they come, we don’t freeze! We organize, we take the streets!”
Student groups at universities across the city staged a walkout Jan. 30 as part of a nationwide day of action to demand federal immigration agents out of communities and to stand in solidarity with Minneapolis following the recent shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Recent student walkouts at universities and high schools in Chicago offer a glimpse into just one way young people — some of whom might not even be old enough to vote — are finding opportunities to become civically engaged. But barriers, such as not believing one person can make a difference, can hold young people back from getting involved in the issues that matter to them, a recent study found.
River Argyilan, co-chair for New Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, whose organization helped organize the student walkout, said while they often see “a lot of the same faces” at events, there are always new people interested in getting involved.
“There’s no better time,” Argyilan said. “The youth have always made an impact on history. We see that with the protests during Vietnam, the original SDS. The youth have a specific capability to really show up with a lot of energy and fight until we win.”
More context:
The motivation to be civically engaged can change with age, according to a Gen Z Civic Vibe Check study from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, measuring civic engagement among Gen Z. The study surveyed about 1,000 young people nationwide aged 14 to 22.
The study found younger teenagers tend to be motivated by what their peers are doing, getting into a good school or receiving scholarships. Young adults tend to be more motivated by injustice, economic struggles or leaders abusing power, according to the study.
Nine out of 10 young people care deeply for their communities, but many don’t know where to start or question if their efforts will make a difference, according to the recent study from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
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Sponsor Message
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The Poetry Foundation, the publisher of Poetry magazine, welcomes you to experience it for yourself with FREE public programs and resources! On March 12, Chicago Poet Laureate Mayda del Valle will perform alongside Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte. Later in the month, straight out of the pages of Poetry, Frank X Walker will read with Affrilachian poets Kelly Norman Ellis, Nikky Finney, and Parneshia Jones.
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(WTTW News)
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The number of excessive force allegations filed against Chicago Police Department officers rose 46% between 2022 and 2025, according to new data from the agency charged with investigating serious police misconduct.
The number of excessive force allegations against officers decreased by 9% from 2024 to 2025, after soaring between 2023 and 2024, according to data provided to WTTW News by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
CPD has been under federal court oversight for nearly seven years as part of an effort to stop CPD officers from routinely violating Black and Latino residents’ constitutional rights by overhauling the way the department trains, supervises and disciplines officers.
Both a coalition of police reform groups and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General told U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer this fall that the significant increase in the number of times CPD officers have used force against Chicagoans since 2022 threatens the reform effort, and calls in to question the city’s commitment to complying with the consent decree.
Between 2022 and 2024, the number of times Chicago police officers used any kind of force against members of the public increased 76%, as documented by the number of Tactical Response Reports filed by officers, according to CPD data.
CPD officers used the highest level of force against a member of the public — including a gunshot, chokehold or a baton strike to the head or neck — 84 times in 2024, more than double the number of times officers used the highest level of force in 2023, according to CPD data cited by the coalition.
CPD responds:
In a statement to WTTW News, a CPD spokesperson said it would be “inaccurate” to “characterize an increase in excessive force complaints as a definitive increase in use of force” by police officers, since those allegations have not been probed for accuracy.
“It’s imperative that these allegations are thoroughly investigated before conclusions are made at face value,” according to the statement. “Additionally, it is important to understand use of force incidents as not just a statistic, but very real situations that requires split-second decision making that prioritizes the safety of the public and all individuals involved in an incident.”
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A file photo of Ida B. Wells.
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Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week in 1926 — choosing the second week of February to coincide with Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays — as a way to honor the often overlooked contributions of African Americans to American society.
It has since expanded into Black History Month.
As this month marks the commemoration’s centennial, there are efforts from the federal government to reshape how history is taught and examined by institutions. Recent actions include dismantling an exhibit about slavery at Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, removing portions of the home monument for Civil Rights icon Medgar Evers, and taking down the infamous 19th century photograph “Scourged Back” from a national park site.
“You can’t fix anything that you’re not willing to acknowledge,” said Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, the brand ambassador and social media chief at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. “Any time we try to erase what happened to Black folks here in America, it pushes us backwards in our ability to rectify it and move forward.”
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: February 23, 2021 - Arlington Park Put Up For Sale
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Since 2000, Churchill Downs Inc. was the corporate owner of Arlington International Racecourse, but on this day five years ago, the company put up the 326-acre suburban property for sale. They cited Illinois' high gambling taxes and disputes with horse owners who compete at the track. The park had held horse races since 1927, ending a 93-year-run in September 2021 when it would be permanently closed. It’d be demolished in 2025. The site, long rumored as a potential relocation destination for the Bears, was purchased by the team for $197.2 million in February 2023. With the Bears now signaling a move to Hammond, Indiana, plans for a move to suburban Arlington Heights appear to be
in flux.
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This Week’s Civic Events and Meetings
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Every Monday, WTTW News highlights the best ways to get involved with local government.
WTTW
Join WTTW Wednesday evening for a screening of and conversation about Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History, a new four-part docuseries that explores the complex relationship between Black Americans and Jewish Americans — forged in shared struggle, tested by division, and representing a uniquely American experience.
Immediately following the screening, Brandis Friedman, the Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Anchor for “Chicago Tonight,” will moderate a conversation with Daniel Greene, adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University and subject matter expert at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; Cydney Wallace, board president of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) who co-founded Kol Or, JCUA's Jews of Color Caucus; and Pastor Julian DeShazier, senior pastor at University Church and Emmy Award-winning musician. The panel will
discuss forged civic and cultural bonds and the challenges and enduring promise of that alliance. RSVP here.
Board of Education
On Thursday at 10:30 a.m., the Chicago Board of Education will host a regular meeting. For members of the public who wish to speak, advance registration will be available beginning Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and closes at the same time Wednesday. You can also submit comments via the board’s website at www.cpsboe.org.
City Council’s Committee on Finance
On Friday at 10 a.m., the City Council’s Committee on Finance will hold a public hearing on the proposed formation of the Chicago Tourism Improvement District (CTID) and the levy of transaction charges on certain hotels with the CTID. Per the meeting’s agenda, “any hotel proposed to be subject to a transaction charge shall have the opportunity to be heard (at) the public hearing. Oral comments will be limited to no more than three minutes in length per speaker.”
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What's your favorite touristy thing to do in Chicago?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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