Investigative Project on Race and Equity

“The court ruled the government could take what it was owed and no more, but Illinois keeps taking,” said Kileen Lindgren, a legal policy manager for Pacific Legal Foundation. “They’re clinging to a system that just isn’t protecting people.” Read our latest investigation with Injustice Watch: https://lnkd.in/gg-RhPgQ ____ This project was produced with the support of the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

A small network of investors makes millions by buying tax debt in bulk and charging homeowners interest. If homeowners fail to pay up in time, state law empowers the investors to foreclose on their homes and flip properties for huge profits. Read our full investigation, in collaboration with Injustice Watch: https://lnkd.in/gsVuyaDU ✏️ Reporting by Emeline Posner (Investigative Project on Race and Equity) and @Carlos Ballesteros (Injustice Watch) 📷 Image source: Google Maps ____ This project was produced with the support of the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

Seniors aged 65+ are particularly vulnerable to tax foreclosure. Our latest investigation with Injustice Watch found a historic number of Cook County seniors are now at risk of losing their homes. Velma Lewis fell behind on her property taxes when she chose to spend money on home repairs. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gsVuyaDU ✏️ Reporting by Emeline Posner (Investigative Project on Race and Equity) and Carlos Ballesteros (Injustice Watch) 📷 Photo by Abel Uribe ____ This project was produced with the support of the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

Housing is no longer just a big-city issue — it’s a national crisis. From rising rents to record evictions, the affordability crisis is reshaping our health, education and futures. Join us for a free, one-hour virtual training led by Juan Pablo Garnham of Eviction Lab to explore: • How housing instability touches every community • Housing challenges under the current administration • Data tools + story ideas you can use in your newsroom now Don’t miss it. June 4 @ 9 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. CT / noon ET Co-hosted by Investigative Project on Race and Equity + Eviction Lab REGISTER NOW: https://lnkd.in/gGcaxma9

NEW: Illinois’ property tax foreclosure process strips generational wealth from Cook County residents — disproportionately impacting Black senior homeowners. Read our latest investigation with Injustice Watch. https://lnkd.in/gg-RhPgQ ____ This project was produced with the support of the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

Yesterday, our executive director, Angela Caputo, moderated a panel about the unique challenges that Black senior homeowners face. The conversation was centered around board member Tonika Johnson’s latest initiative, #UnblockedEnglewood, and featured Amber S. Hendley of the Chicago Bungalow Association and Matt Shomo of The Chicago Community Trust. 

🌟 We had a big night at the Chicago Headline Club (SPJ Chicago Chapter)'s Peter Lisagor Awards on Friday. We were nominated for four awards, and we would have had a clean sweep, but we were up against ourselves in one category, and there could only be one winner! 🎉 A big congratulations to investigative reporters Emeline Posner and Tatiana Walk-Morris, apprentices Khadija Ahmed and Maia McDonald, and our reporting partners at Block Club Chicago, MindSite News and WBEZ Chicago. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the award-winning collaborations: 🏆BEST REPORTING ON CRIME AND JUSTICE (small print/online) ➡ https://lnkd.in/gVZZDVCD 🏆BEST REPORTING ON RACE AND DIVERSITY (small print/online) 🏆BEST BUSINESS REPORTING (small print/online) ➡ https://lnkd.in/gFf4h7sd

At the Investigative Project on Race and Equity we’re looking for a creative, analytical and community-minded Audience Engagement Specialist to expand the reach and impact of our reporting. You’ll be the bridge between our newsroom and the communities we serve — crafting strategies to grow our audience, deepen engagement and build trust across digital platforms. This role combines digital savvy with a deep understanding of racial equity and the power of journalism to shift narratives and policies. If you're brimming with ideas on how we can level up our newsroom’s website, newsletter, social media accounts and more, this opportunity might just be for you. https://lnkd.in/gE53mh4a

Congratulations to all of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists! 🥇 This year’s awards underscore the vital role of nonprofit newsrooms in holding power to account and telling stories that matter: ▶ ProPublica secured the Public Service medal for its urgent reporting on maternal deaths linked to abortion law-related delays in medical care. ▶ The Baltimore Banner, a nonprofit newsroom, in collaboration with The New York Times, won for Local Reporting, shedding light on Baltimore’s fentanyl crisis and its disproportionate impact on older Black men. ▶ WNYC Radio and its blog, Gothamist, were finalists in Audio Reporting for exposing decades of sexual abuse of female inmates on Rikers Island, centered on one corrections officer’s unchecked misconduct.
 At a time when press freedom is under mounting pressure — from efforts to sideline independent voices to threats defund public media — nonprofit newsrooms are standing strong and showing just how vital independent journalism really is. Check out the full list of winners: https://lnkd.in/e25c6Mdq #PulitzerPrize #InvestigativeJournalism #nonprofitnews #localjournalism #FreePress