15 West

@15west.org

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We're a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to connecting people mile by mile in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods and suburbs. We’re getting news to people of all abilities. Read the latest: 15west.org

A black and white photo of a mother and son deeply embraced in a huge. The mother in this photo is Asia Bee hugging her son, Darrin.
Boarded up house and gated off property on Fulton st.
Angelise K. LaRue.
Two seated women smile near a round table at an awards ceremony.
Fire consumes multiple homes. Residents gather as crews work to contain the blaze.
A man of color with visible limb difference stands beside text that reads ‘Neighborhood conditions for adults with disabilities.’
A group of Berwyn residents pose in front of Berwyn Rec ahead of a community cleanup. Some kneel, others stand and smile
Orange Local News Day (April 9) celebratory graphic
A person is seen picking up trash throughout a neighborhood
An illustration of a red ballot box labeled "BALLOTS" in the foreground of an outdoor pool deck, surrounded by yes/no ballot papers flying through the air.
Piotrowski holding up her Art Institute quilt. | NaBeela Washington/15 West
The "Bienvenidos a Little Village" arch on 26th Street silhouetted against a colorful sunset sky.
Palestinian and Mexican flags at Ojala's Eid celebration. Provided by Jordan Esparza-Kelley
Several photographs clipped to a clothesline with wooden clothespins, showing various scenes including ocean views and people at a beach. Additional photos are visible in the background on what appears to be a desk or table surface.
Photograph suspended on a clothesline capture moments of everyday life and a coastal scene in Gaza
A family of four water a larger than life, split down the middle tomato. There’s a silhouette of a city in the background and swirling green vines atop brown dirt.
Woman looks down while holding a candle high in her left hand during a candlelight vigil and moment of silence to honor and remember the assassinations of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark on Dec 3.
Two athletes are seen hitting the field to earn their spot with the Chicago Winds for the 2026 season. A girl in bright pink shorts jumps up to catch a thrown football. A player behind her attempts to block it. | Zoë Takaki/15 West
A gathering of hundreds attend Whistlemania I throughout Chicago’s Northwest and West sides. Photo shows a rapid response training in motion; participants are seated. | Photo by Lauren Neher/15 West
A table of Volunteers assemble whistle kits at Pizzeria Martello's in the Hermosa neighborhood. Whistles, Know-Your-Rights zines and more are laid around the table.| Photo by Lauren Neher/15 West
Community members line up outside Stone Temple to receive fresh produce, pantry staples, and hot meals. | Genesis Falls/15 West.
An aerial close-up of a salted caramel latte with a heart latte art and a cortado on a deep brown tinted table inside a coffee shop called Addis Cafe.
Owner Kalkidan “Kalki” Tesfaye of Addis Cafe
From the bottom of the stairs leading to the top of the Green Line's Austin station platform, a man is seen walking up
Closed entrance of the green line’s Austin station in Chicago.
A man rests on a Chicago Transit Authority train car, late evening. | Genesis Falls/15 West
A young man smokes under a transit overpass. | Genesis Falls/15 West
Promotional flyer for “Media Literacy 101: From Resident to Journalist.” Features a person using media tools—microphone, camera, laptop—surrounded by colorful shapes. Text highlights free virtual trainings on Sept 13, 20, and 27, 11:00 AM–12:30 PM, for storytellers of all abilities. Logos for 15West.org, Cook County Government, and City Bureau appear at the bottom, along with a QR code for more info.
Irma, the owner prepares a plate.
A bowl of menudo or cow tripe
A drawn person floats in a body of water over the words “Summer Smash Brought the Heat”
Rachel Williams, a Black Chicago doula and activist, shares her experiences on heat and policing with the audience as a resident and panelist.
A street corner in Berwyn, Illinois, displaying numerous alderman campaign signs arranged on a grassy area near a sidewalk. Prominent is a sign that reads "BERWYN IS 669 MILLION IN DEBT"
In Key Glock We Trust graphic featuring man holding up arms strong amid swirl of graffiti like colors
15 West is a fiscally sponsored, volunteer-supported newsroom dedicated to connecting people mile by mile, block by block, throughout neighborhoods west of Chicago. Made possible by Cook County’s Digital Equity Impact Grant, we want to be one of the first news spaces to intentionally cater to readers of all needs, abilities, and competencies. We aim to increase understanding of the news and diminish the likelihood that someone is misinformed about the world around them. We’re neurodiverse first, getting news to people of all abilities.