Aviva Bechky

Amy Landolt wants to make acupuncture more accessible. Landolt, the founder of Northshore Acupuncture Center, offers community acupuncture, which is generally cheaper, at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. She sometimes works at an Evanston fitness studio under a pay-what-you-can model. She’s …

Community members delivered updates to Evanston Township High School District 202’s Board of Education about districtwide efforts to improve student literacy and AP class enrollment on Monday night. Kiwana Brown, the director of academic supports at ETHS, noted the reading level gap among students i…

Content warning: This article contains mentions of anti-Asian violence. On Jan. 31, one of Minky Kim’s clients returned to Han Training for the first time since getting top surgery. They celebrated in a room full of trans people with similar experiences. To Kim, moments like that are emblematic of t…

As the book industry shifts, more and more bookstores are starting to center books by and for queer people, people of color and disabled people. Defining Safe took a look at some Evanston and Chicago bookstores’ and literacy organizations’ efforts to offer books with more diverse representation.…

Some acupuncturists are pushing to get their services insured. Others are working on sliding-scale models. In this episode, Defining Safe takes a look at the history of acupuncture, the changes acupuncturists would like to see and the ways racism impacts the industry. AVIVA BECHKY: Before we beg…

When Evanston lifted its vaccination and indoor mask requirements Feb. 28, early childhood center Little Green Tree House decided to wait to see COVID-19 numbers before removing its own mask mandate. “We just wanted to make sure that there wasn’t immediate backlash of a spike in COVID positive cases…

Almost every day, Lily Sadataki observed the art lining the walls of the school across the street from the Philz Coffee where they work on Davis Street. As store lead, Sadataki wanted to work on community outreach. So they reached out to Heather Kipper, a Philz regular and the art school’s director,…

Evanston Township High School District 202’s Board of Education heard updates on support systems for students with intellectual and learning disabilities Monday night, including a system allowing case managers to form longer-term bonds with students and their families. A team of the district’s funct…

Last Sunday, Rabbi Amy Memis-Foler stood outside a grocery store in Skokie handing out flyers advertising a food drive. Among the items she wanted were gefilte fish and macaroons — both Passover staples — as well as kosher-for-Passover oil and jelly. “It was really exciting to watch the shopping car…

Evanston’s Equity and Empowerment Commission released a community survey Tuesday to gather input on racial equity issues in the city. The survey seeks to assess perspectives from Evanston residents, workers and students on issues like city services, neighborhood quality, housing affordability, the…

Evanston Township High School senior Sajeda Yagoub said she doesn’t often feel represented in her history classes. “When you hear about U.S. history, it’s usually like, ‘Oh, this white guy did this,’ and it’s usually about Christians,” Yagoub, who is Muslim, said. “But you never hear about the peopl…

With attendees gathered outside, white booths lined the grass. At one, visitors made art out of shells and stones. At another, they swapped out seeds and picked up new ones. Next to the booths, another group embarked on a short nature walk to explore surrounding trees. The Evanston Ecology Center ho…

Far from the lightspeed space travel of science fiction, real-life astrobiologists apply disciplines ranging from computer programming to molecular analysis in order to study alien life. The Daily spoke with three scientists to ask: How are we looking for life beyond Earth? SHANE LARSON: Of all…

Deputy superintendent LaTarsha Green offered updates on the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 new strategic plan draft at Monday’s Curriculum and Policy Committee meeting. Green said the strategic plan focuses on five main goals: implementing equity practices, providing access to high-quality and c…

Every week, Northwestern and Evanston Township High School students sit and study side by side during School of Education and Social Policy 251: Community Based Research Methods. The class, which switches location this spring between NU and ETHS, is co-taught by staff from both schools. “It’s really…

Content warning: This article discusses anti-Black hate crimes and murders. Standing in front of a crowd of about 200, Rev. Kalif Crutcher of New Hope Evanston called for police reform, school environments safe from racism and the passage of further voting rights. “We must demand justice. We must de…

Content warning: This video contains mentions of anti-Asian violence. At the Umbrella Arts Festival on Saturday, people painted paper lanterns, shopped for food and watched dance performances — all in celebration of Evanston’s Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American community. Organizer Meliss…

Evidence suggests students learn to read the best through a method focused on phonics. This approach teaches students to associate letters with sounds, so they’re able to figure out unfamiliar words. But for decades, schools have used a different approach. Now, advocates, educators and parents a…

After temporarily closing for the majority of 2022, Edzo’s Burger Shop reopened in September. Sales slowly picked up, owner Eddie Lakin said, especially close to the end of the year. But during the week of Christmas, the business’s exhaust fan stopped working. Without it, Lakin couldn’t effectively serve customers inside the store. He opened up...

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