Category Archives: Section

What is the Radical Black Church?

How Do We Define the “Black” Church? In some sense, the Black Church can be readily defined by its music, style of preaching and sounds. Yet these are only surface definitions—it is so much more. The Black Church was born … Continue reading

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Posted in Africa, African American history, African Americans, African Americans, civil rights, Justice, Religious radicalism, Section, Voices, Voices of Color | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What is the Radical Black Church?

Criminology Mixology

Criminalization, abolition, and prison reform have long been third-rail issues in America. The only benefit to this impasse of ideologies is the mountain of research that has been collected in the interim. Those of us in camp reality, camp humanity, … Continue reading

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The Prison Economy from the Inside

Nineteen-year-old Shamar Betts of Urbana had no previous criminal record when he was arrested for “inciting a riot” via a Facebook post he wrote after witnessing the video of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. He was sentenced to three years … Continue reading

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Black History: Is This Really 2024?

I am a mother of three sons and a grandmother of 83 years of age. This incident happened on Wednesday, January 31, in the middle of the afternoon. I was going to visit a friend and on the way, I … Continue reading

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Posted in African American, African American history, African American women, African Americans, Section, Voices, Voices of Color, Women | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Black History: Is This Really 2024?

Champaign Hired Police Chief Timothy Tyler Despite Disciplinary Past and Allegations of Misconduct—Print Version

A version of this article originally appeared on IPM Newsroom on January 9, 2024. It has been edited for space and style. See the full version on the Public i website. This story is part of a partnership between the … Continue reading

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Champaign Hired Police Chief Timothy Tyler Despite Disciplinary Past and Allegations of Misconduct—Original (Long) Version

A version of this article originally appeared on IPM Newsroom on January 9, 2024. It has been edited for style. See the shorter, print version here. This story is part of a partnership, focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County, … Continue reading

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The Age of Disconnect: US Policy and the War Beyond Gaza

The hypocrisy gap between US diplomatic pronouncements and US actions is no surprise to world audiences, but the disconnect on display since October 7 has put the nail in the coffin of the American Century. American officials have been invoking … Continue reading

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Posted in Foreign Policy, Imperialism, International, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, Section, War | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Age of Disconnect: US Policy and the War Beyond Gaza

Ukrainian Refugees and National(ist) Politics in Eastern Europe

In an article in our last issue (November-December Public i), I used the case of Hungary—its positive reception of Ukrainian refugees, alongside its negative role in hindering EU political and material support of Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression—to … Continue reading

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Posted in Eastern Europe, Immigrants, International, International, Poland, Politics, Refugees, Section, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Ukrainian Refugees and National(ist) Politics in Eastern Europe

As Police Budget Swells, Safety Forum Articulates a Different Vision

Crime is going down in Urbana, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at Urbana’s police budget. After a $2.25 million increase in the police budget in the last two years—largely for salary increases and bonuses—Urbana leadership is pushing to … Continue reading

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Posted in Community, Crime, Justice, Police, police accountability, Policing, Section, Violence, Youth Services | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on As Police Budget Swells, Safety Forum Articulates a Different Vision

Third Act Comes to C-U and is Creating “Good Trouble”

It’s March 21,, 2023, a cool, just barely spring day, and the sidewalks surrounding JPMorgan Chase Bank’s downtown Chicago headquarters are filled with hundreds of chanting, white-haired elders. The cops flanking the bank’s entrance seem more bemused than wary as … Continue reading

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Posted in Climate Activism, Climate crisis, Environment, IL, Section, seniors | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Third Act Comes to C-U and is Creating “Good Trouble”

Who is Un-American?

This article, commissioned for the Public i, appeared first in a longer version in Monthly Review on November 29, 2023, under the title “Gender, Labor, Democracy, and Americanism: U.S. History in the (Un)Making”; reprinted with permission. In the early hours of Monday, May 15, … Continue reading

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Posted in Feminism, labor, Labor militancy, Labor/Economics, Section, Voices, Women, Women, wonen's rights | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Who is Un-American?

She’s Everything and Everywhere: Riffs on Barbie and the Barbie Movie

Barbie deserved her own biopic. More than one billion Barbie dolls have been shipped and sold around the world since her premier in 1959, and factories in Asia are still spewing her out. From her hair down to the pink … Continue reading

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Posted in Arts, Feminism, film, Girls, Section, Voices, Women, Women | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on She’s Everything and Everywhere: Riffs on Barbie and the Barbie Movie

At the Feds

Shamar Betts had no previous criminal record but was sentenced to three years in federal prison for “inciting a riot” through a Facebook post he wrote after witnessing the video of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. He was also made … Continue reading

 401 total views,  1 views today

Posted in African American, African Americans, Arts, BLM, incarceration, Prison Arts, Section, Voices, Voices of Color | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on At the Feds

Champaign Police Investigate “Agency Culture” of Not Following Domestic Violence Reporting Laws — Print Version

A longer version of this article originally appeared on IPM Newsroom on October 9, 2023. It has been edited for space and style. See the full version here. This story is part of a partnership between the Invisible Institute’s Champaign-Urbana … Continue reading

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Champaign Police Investigate “Agency Culture” of Not Following Domestic Violence Reporting Laws — Original (Long) Version

This story was originally published by IPM Newsroom on October 9, 2023. It has been edited for style. See the shorter, print version here. This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the … Continue reading

 380 total views

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There Is Only Old People Here. All the Children Are Gone

There’s no hope for a better tomorrow. There’s no vision or dream for a better reason. The paths are darkened by fear and evil forces that dwells in the darkness that roams the corners of the street. There is only … Continue reading

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Posted in African Americans, African Americans, Arts, children, Poetry, Section, Violence, Voices | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on There Is Only Old People Here. All the Children Are Gone

Ukraine, Hungarian Refugee Politics, and the Future of Migrants in the EU

The February 24, 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine unleashed, in addition to death, destruction, and hardship on the Ukrainian people as a whole, a wave of refugees not seen in Europe since World War II. Over six million Ukrainians were … Continue reading

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Posted in Eastern Europe, International, International, Politics, Refugees, Section, Ukraine | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Ukraine, Hungarian Refugee Politics, and the Future of Migrants in the EU

The Danville Abortion Clinic Troubles

Mary Catherine Roberson, chair of the Danville chapter of Personal Pac, warns, “do not take it for granted that because you live in Illinois, you are safe. If the anti-abortion forces start organizing in your town, reach out to Personal … Continue reading

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Posted in abortion rights, health care, Healthcare, Reproductive Justice, Section, Voices, Women, Women, wonen's rights | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Danville Abortion Clinic Troubles

FirstFollowers: Using Participatory Action Research to Make Change in Our Community

FirstFollowers has a tradition of doing participatory action research at Champaign-Urbana Days, the premier outdoor summer event aimed primarily at the Black community. Participatory Action Research (often called PAR) aims to gather data and information, not just for publication but … Continue reading

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A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability (Shortened Print Version)

This article originally appeared at WILL/Illinois Public Media on July 5, 2023. Reprinted with permission. It has been edited for space and style. See the full version here. “I had a big goose egg on my forehead,” Tianna Morrow recalled, … Continue reading

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Posted in African American Women in Champaign-Urbana, African Americans, BLM, Justice, Police, police accountability, Police Brutality, Police brutality, Policing, Racism, Section, Violence | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability (Shortened Print Version)