Public Narrative

We are in full planning mode!

Our amazing planning team is hard at work getting every detail in place for our upcoming Friends of PN: Celebrate. Connect. Salute. 🎉

Join Public Narrative for an evening of community, connection, and celebration as we:
✨ Celebrate the work of Public Narrative
🤝 Connect with the people and stories that make Chicago’s media ecosystem thrive
🥂 Salute our outgoing Board Chair, Derrick M. Fleming, Jr., in recognition of four years of leadership and service

Your ticket includes refreshments, a drink, and a celebratory toast!

The Hubbard Inn
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
6:00–8:30 PM

We’re getting ready and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🎊

Get your tickets: bit.ly/FriendsOfPN

Celebrate. Connect. Salute!

Join Public Narrative for an evening of community, connection, and celebration as we celebrate the work of Public Narrative, connect with the people and stories that make Chicago’s media ecosystem thrive, and salute our outgoing Board Chair, Derrick M. Fleming, Jr., MS, in recognition of four years of leadership and service.

This fun and intimate fall fundraiser brings together old friends and new faces who believe in the power of local media to strengthen communities. And who share our goal of making Chicago more informed, connected, and equitable.

Your ticket includes refreshments, a drink, and a celebratory toast.
Wednesday, October 20, 2026
6:00–8:30 PM
Come raise a glass, share a story, meet new friends, and help us celebrate and invest in, the future of community-centered media in Chicago.

Join us: bit.ly/FriendsOfPN

Years after promising accommodations, Illinois prisons still leave people waiting - The Chicago Reporter This reporting was made possible through the ARCC/Public Narrative Health Science Reporting Fellowship and the Chicago Community, Media & Research Partnership People in Illinois prisons can identify what they need, request accommodations, and still wait months or years to receive them—if they rece...

What an honor it was to celebrate a journalist whose courage, determination, and unwavering commitment to truth paved the way for generations to follow.

Last month, the Bronzeville Community honored Ida B. Wells-Barnett, a pioneering investigative journalist, newspaper editor, and civil rights activist who fearlessly exposed the horrors of lynching in America. She challenged injustice at great personal risk, helped lay the foundation for investigative journalism as a tool for social change, and remains one of the most influential voices in the fight for racial and gender equality.

ICYMI: Public Narrative's Vice President of Journalism and Media Engagement, Sylvia Ewing, was featured in the Chicago Tribune's coverage of this year's Ida B. Wells Festival, co-hosted by CMA ‘22 Ripple Effect Awardee, Michelle Duster.

We are so proud to see Sylvia helping honor Wells-Barnett's legacy and the vital role journalism plays in informing, empowering, and strengthening communities.

📰 Read the Chicago Tribune story: https://bit.ly/4vkOuB1

Photo credit: Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune

Please join us as we celebrate our President & CEO, Jhmira Alexander! 🎉

For the past seven, almost eight years, Jhmira has guided Public Narrative with vision, grace, and a deep commitment to community. Her leadership is rooted in intentionality, always centering the greater good of Chicago’s journalism ecosystem and the people who make it thrive.

Jhmira has a unique ability to see both the big picture and the individuals within it. She leads with thoughtfulness, creates space for meaningful collaboration, and continually challenges us to imagine what is possible when journalism truly serves communities. Her work has shaped new initiatives, strengthened relationships, and has moved our mission forward in ways that will be felt for years to come.

Those who know Jhmira know that her leadership extends far beyond strategy and innovation. She brings care, integrity, and purpose into every room she enters, inspiring those around her to lead with the same courage and compassion.

We celebrate not only another year of life, but the impact she continues to have on Public Narrative, Chicago’s media landscape, and the countless people she has touched through her work.

Happy Birthday, Jhmira! Thank you for your leadership, your heart, and your unwavering belief in the power of community. We are grateful for you today and every day.

Congratulations to our own Jorge Mújica Murias who was honored for his immigrant worker social media education work!
From his acceptance speech:
"There are hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers in Chicagoland, eager to listen for some words of hope, instead of the regular message of “be afraid”, “they are coming for you”, “run and hide”, and the like.
We have done that. We offered resources, education, tools, and preparedness. With the spirit of Studs Turkel, we will keep doing that, offering hope by organizing, by resisting, by fighting back."
Public Narrative

Happy Birthday, Studs! 🎈

Today, we celebrate what would have been Studs Terkel’s 114th birthday. His unwavering commitment to listening deeply and amplifying everyday voices continues to guide our work at Public Narrative.

Just this past Thursday, we witnessed the power of Studs’ legacy come alive at our 31st Annual Community Media Awards at the Chicago Cultural Center. We celebrated incredible journalists, individuals, and civic organizations who embody his spirit and understand that the most compelling stories emerge when we truly listen to our communities.

Congratulations to all of our 2026 honorees who are carrying forward Studs’ tradition of authentic storytelling and community connection. And a heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for an inspiring evening of celebration, connection, and narrative change.

As we honor Studs’ birthday, we’re reminded that our work to diversify voices in journalism, build media literacy, and shift harmful narratives is more crucial than ever.

Today and every day, we’re committed to telling Chicago’s stories with the authenticity, equity, and deep listening as Studs championed.
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There is still time to get your tickets! 🥳 We are 2 days away from our celebration at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday, May 14, 2026 at the Chicago Cultural Center.

It is our honor to continue the tradition of celebrating storytellers and community! The 2026 honorees represent excellence in community-centered reporting and storytelling that drives real change.

Join us as we celebrate the best in Chicago journalism! 🎉 Visit bit.ly/CMA2026-Tickets to secure your seat for this momentous occasion.

The 31st annual Studs Terkel Community Media Awardees, chosen by a committee of past Terkel Award recipients, truly embody the spirit of the legendary Studs Terkel.

Their work exemplifies a deep commitment to community, demonstrating the transformative power of journalism that is for and by the people.

🎉 Please join us in congratulating these outstanding practitioners of the craft of journalism:
Ben Austen, Freelancer
Alma Campos, South Side Weekly
Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune
Laura Rodriguez Presa, Chicago Tribune
Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica Illinois

These honorees represent a profound commitment to authentic storytelling, a dedication to elevating community voices, and bodies of work that hold power accountable while illuminating the lives of our neighbors.

We will celebrate their achievements at the 31st Annual Community Media Awards on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center. 🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/CMA2026-Tickets