Unfortunately my phone died so I didn't get as much video as I had hoped but here is Michelle, Persia's mother, speaking:

The only thing that @ellery.bsky.social and @vimiller.bsky.social have in common is being iconic baddies who I happen to be friends with fwiw lmao. So don't go on confusing the two of them lol.

A very important personal message for you all today: No, @vimiller.bsky.social and I are NOT the same person. And the fact that y'all keep confusing us says something about Society™️ in case you need more clarification: chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/2026...

“We shouldn’t have to sacrifice our identity to be included,” said organizer Keinan Carpenter, 25. “If I can’t play professionally, how can I make a space that’s professional athletics for queer and trans people? That’s the goal. There’s no limit, there’s no ‘I can’t’ — let me just make the space.”

See what @blockclubchi.bsky.social reporters have captured while covering the city’s neighborhoods lately. This Week In Photos: Jesse Jackson Laid To Rest, Hundreds March For Women’s Day And More blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/13/t...

very disappointed to see @thetriibe.com fired one of its staffers after they went public with their union campaign and has still not voluntarily recognized the union. solidarity with @onetriibeunited.bsky.social ✊

Corli Jay, The TRiiBE’s community investment reporter was terminated by TRiiBE leadership on March 9 alleging that she had broken nonexistent company ethics rules.

it's baseball season baby

the Epstein files are really devastating because they remind me of how many girls and women miss out on professional opportunities, mentorship and careers because of how many powerful, rich and influential men only view girls and women — and interactions with them — through the lens of sex

Washington Post laid off many of their staff photographers, too. Which seems missing from a lot of coverage I’ve read.

journalists are workers who deserve to be paid fairly for our labor and I think that far too few consumers of media recognize or even care about this fact

Hundreds protested in the Loop tonight in the snow and frigid cold as part of a nationwide shutdown in response to federal immigration raids, and fatal shootings by federal agents, in Minneapolis. Read the full story soon @ blockclubchicago.org 📍 Chicago #OnAssignment for @blockclubchi.bsky.social

The reason journalists are so particular about what’s off the record and about granting anonymity is that many of us take that very seriously. If I promise to protect your identity, I’m not just saying I won’t print your name. I’m saying I will go to jail for refusing a court order to name you.

Worth noting that one reason you’re benefitting so fully from the Star-Tribune’s timely, extensive coverage of unfolding events is that it’s a metro newspaper that hasn’t been systematically starved to further enrich shareholders and executives.

Reminder: DHS has lied after every single shooting, in big and obvious ways. After Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum shot Marimar Martinez five times they claimed she was "armed with a semi-automatic weapon." In reality, they later found a handgun in her purse.

When people believed that Jade Helm was going to send surges of masked troops into American cities, we were told American patriots would arm themselves in defense. Today, ICE killed a man and used his concealed carry as justification.

The frigid temperatures aren’t chilling the news here in Chicago. See what @blockclubchi.bsky.social reporters captured while covering the city’s neighborhoods this week. This Week In Photos: Chicagoans Brace For Dangerous Cold, Bears Season Ends And Much More blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/23/t...

take a wild guess as to who not only passed and supported, but helped introduce the most recent trans bathroom bill in chicago…. if you guessed Rahm Emanuel, you were right! he did in 2016. focus on the classroom is *quite* the statement coming from the guy who closed 50 schools though.

bringing this one back because Rahm Emanuel is being loudly transphobic again

The energy in the city was unparalleled Saturday night when the Bears came from behind and beat their rivals in the fourth quarter. And from there, it was a chilly and wintery week with plenty of news. See photos by @blockclubchi.bsky.social 's team this week! blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/16/t...

Broadview is restricting the items people will be allowed to bring inside it’s designated protest area near the ICE facility — under threat of removal or arrest — ahead of a protest tomorrow, which the village said it expects to bring 2-5k people to Lexington and Beach Street.

Jesus. www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...

My 2025 Photos of the year. - My full thoughts on this year are over on my instagram (@taliaspraguephoto), but TLDR: Working in media this year has been so weird, especially as a trans woman who's been impacted by some of the very policies that we're trying to do stories on.

Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:

"Before I was a creator, I was a Bulls fan." Kenny Beecham is staying true to his roots as his career soars with a new NBC partnership. Really enjoyed chatting with Kenny about his Chicago roots, his outlook on the NBA and the future of sports content.

NBA content creator Kenny Beecham found a new platform with an NBC partnership. But at his heart, he's still the same kid from Chicago who fell in love with the Bulls two decades ago. 📝 @juliapoe.bsky.social

Sorry guys universe is splitting open starting today

the cook county public defender's office not mincing words in its response to a plan to allow all chicago cops to directly file felony weapons possession charges. "This policy abandons prosectors’ duty to review felony charges and simply hands that responsibilities over to police."

A federal judge has blocked the IRS from sharing information to help ICE with deportations. https://cnn.it/4o6OssL

Being paid enough to support my friends, family and myself is all we ask for y'all.

In Illinois, 29 trans teens have died by suicide this year, per Trans Up Front, a trans youth advocacy group. Last year we lost four; six in 2023. “This administration is targeting our children, they’re trying to take the next generation… [But] we’re gonna be here forever. We’ve always been here.”

Just adding on to Gwen's thoughts here asking to give the trans people in your lives some grace, we're having to face our literal existence being slowly eroded away and that is exhausting to constantly hear about so please don't ask for our perspectives, instead ask about our happiness and joy.

Frames from High School Football coverage today.

you should go out of your way to use your trans friends' names when you talk to them they chose their names and they feel it in their chests when they hear or see it we waited our whole lives to hear our real names and it doesn't get old

I've moved to biking for exercise bc after running cross country and track in high school, I've done enough running for several lifetimes.

I don’t care if this offends you : Transwomen are real women ! 🏳️‍⚧️

that the left wing talks "only about identity" (he means trans people) is a right wing propaganda and demonization effort he and Newsom are actively choosing to validate and elevate because a six-figure consultant told them to it would be so easy to instead go on offense and focus on corruption

I hear myself say "ugh, straight people." at least once a day lately.

After @mandophotos.bsky.social photographed federal agents pointing rifles at 26th/Lawndale yesterday, I inquired with DHS about what threat had prompted them to pull weapons on a busy commercial strip (pictured). This is the response I got from a representative of the United States government.

Another week of being so grateful for the hard visual work from the @blockclubchi.bsky.social team and freelancers. Check out our photos here: This Week In Photos: 50 Years Of The Rink, A Father Returns From Federal Custody And More blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/07/t...

being trans in america is dangerous no matter where you go

someone went up to sarah mcbride in front of the u.s. congress, hurled her deadname at her loudly and called her a pedophile repeatedly, posted video of the exchange to x, and it is now going wildly viral i will not share the video but if you’re not speaking up about this, you’re hurting yourself

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the first ever to pitch the First and Final inning of an MLB season (I think). ⚾

so many runners left in scoring position that i'm shocked the astros aren't involved in this game

This game is gonna give me heart palpitations omfg.

The unauthorized use is “particularly egregious” because the “false implication that CSTM gave permission for its intellectual property to be used in connection with [DHS]’s publicity campaign damages CSTM’s credibility and interferes with its ability to report.” DHS has yet to respond.

Another week of being so proud of the great work by the @blockclubchi.bsky.social team: This Week In Photos: Bovino's Day In Court, Feds Continue To Tear Gas Neighbors blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/31/t...

The players are gonna need walkers for game four at this rate lmfao

this game is going to cause a measurable decrease in economic activity in Toronto tomorrow