Pietras on last night of DNC protest 08-22-24
Covering the protests in Union Park, Chicago and near the United Center on the last night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention
KPFA 94.1 FM First Night March on DNC2024
Covering the protests in Union Park Chicago on the first day of the 2024 Democratic National Convention
River Recreation
News feature on how recreation in and around the Chicago River is changing.
The Cicadian Rhythm
A documentary about the emergence of 17-year cicadas in the spring of 2024 and one person's love for the hermetic insect.
Argentina Food Sovereignty
A look into how one community is dealing with the rapid inflation that occurs in Argentina.
From the mountains to Lake Michigan: A search for ‘peace’ –
Ryland Pietras speaks with Erwin Lopez Rada, a Venezuelan immigrant, who was forced to leave his country and make a new home in Chicago. Lopez Rada left Venezuela after threats of persecution because of his political activism. He now enjoys the opportunity to live and speak freely in Chicago – but at times he wonders if he will ever see the mountains of Caracas again.
WZRD Interview w/iO Theater's Adonis Holmes and Kim Whitfield
A discussion with the Co-Artistic Director and Managing Producer of iO Theater about their current show "Satirical Race Theory" and the theater's post-Coivd resurgence.
WZRD Interview with Parole IL
A conversation with Kevin "Swack" Blumenberg and Joe Dole of Parole IL -- an organization fighting to pass legislation that would restore parole to Illinois and support services for individuals returning to useful citizenship.
City Builds Support for Asylum Seekers – South Side Weekly
A piece about Chicago's handling of the ongoing migrant situation. A new proposed subcommittee and additional funding a good start, but far more will be needed to address the growing humanitarian crisis .
Final Mayoral Forums Tackle Environmental Racism and Police – South Side Weekly
In a final effort for voters and mayoral candidates to engage each other directly, two public forums were held on the South Side last week that focused on environmental racism and addressed police and campaign finances.
Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, who are facing off in the April 4 runoff election, spoke at a Pilsen event titled “The People’s Dialogue on the Environment” on March 27 and then debated at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics on March 30.
Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, who are facing off in the April 4 runoff election, spoke at a Pilsen event titled “The People’s Dialogue on the Environment” on March 27 and then debated at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics on March 30.
Building Bridges in Selma
Normally, students use spring break as a time to recharge and regroup for the remainder of the semester. During the week of March 13-20, three groups of students went to three different cities for NEIU’s alternative spring break.
The difference being that an alternative spring break focuses on volunteer work in the places they travel to.
Each group consisted of ten students and two leaders who traveled by plane or car to either Miami, New Orleans or Selma, AL. Here we will focus on the group t
The difference being that an alternative spring break focuses on volunteer work in the places they travel to.
Each group consisted of ten students and two leaders who traveled by plane or car to either Miami, New Orleans or Selma, AL. Here we will focus on the group t
Prairie Burn on Campus
On the morning of Dec. 9, a group of volunteers, made up of faculty, staff and students of NEIU conducted a prescribed burn on the swamp white oak savannah areas near NEIU’s physical education complex.
An oak savannah is a lightly forested grassland wherein fire plays an important role. Before the settlement of Europeans in the region, fires set by lightning or Native Americans would ensure that the prairies to the west of the Mississippi wouldn’t turn into forests, like in the east.
Due to we
An oak savannah is a lightly forested grassland wherein fire plays an important role. Before the settlement of Europeans in the region, fires set by lightning or Native Americans would ensure that the prairies to the west of the Mississippi wouldn’t turn into forests, like in the east.
Due to we
Is It Safe to Drink the Water Coming from Your Tap?
Water, like the sun and air, is crucial to our existence. By some accounts it is recommended that we drink half of our body weight in ounces per day. We are all fortunate to live in a city that has some of the cleanest drinking water in the country.
But just because the water that comes from the Jardine—the giant purification plant at the edge of Lake Michigan— is safe to drink, it does not mean that it will still be that way by the time it reaches our taps.
The Jardine, which opened in 1968,
But just because the water that comes from the Jardine—the giant purification plant at the edge of Lake Michigan— is safe to drink, it does not mean that it will still be that way by the time it reaches our taps.
The Jardine, which opened in 1968,
Houseboat Livin'
A conversation about my dad's memories of living on a houseboat.
Thinking Bohemian, Learning Stupid Chaos, Maybe.
A short documentary made with seven-year-old footage from a backpacking trip throughout Europe in 2013. The originally intended topic of the documentary was about individualism. This somewhat lives up to that idea.
Along Came a Virus
Interviews with a comic book artist and restaurant owner from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Interdisciplinary Climate Change Stories
Spring not only brings life back to all of those who have laid dormant over the winter, but it also brings revitalization back to the NEIU campus and its community. It is only fitting then that Earth Week occurs right in the middle of it.
This year, NEIU held six Earth Week related events throughout the week that began on April 19. The Independent was only able to cover one of the events—the Interdisciplinary Climate Change Stories held that same evening.
Students presented different cases for
This year, NEIU held six Earth Week related events throughout the week that began on April 19. The Independent was only able to cover one of the events—the Interdisciplinary Climate Change Stories held that same evening.
Students presented different cases for
van Dyke Release Protest
Ryland Pietras is a journalism student at Northeastern Illinois University. He is a patron of the arts and small businesses, he roasts his own coffee and...