Block Club Chicago
Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant, and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.
Block Club believes all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way, by amplifying positive stories, showing up to development and local school council meetings and serving as watchdogs in neighborhoods that are often ignored by traditional news media.
Block Club’s reporters don’t parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. They believe this ground level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.
Not only do Block Club reporters cover their neighborhoods, they’re actually part of them. Most of their reporters live in the neighborhoods they cover and make themselves accessible and accountable to the community they serve.
Some have internalized the national media’s narrative of a broken Chicago. Block Club aims to change that by celebrating its neighborhoods, their resilience and highlighting the people who fight every day to make the city a better place for all.
Local news isn’t dying, it’s evolving. The support from Chicagoans for our ultra-local newsroom has been overwhelming, proving that newsrooms don’t need to abandon the boots-on-the-ground basics — they just need to be responsive to the communities they cover.
Jen Sabella, Co-Founder and Executive Editor
Leaders
Shamus Toomey
Shamus is the publisher of Block Club Chicago. He formerly served as…
Jen Sabella
Jen is the Executive Editor of Block Club Chicago. Jen was Deputy Editor…
Stephanie Lulay
Stephanie is the Executive Editor of Block Club Chicago. She previously…