Firsthand

FIRSTHAND: Democracy

The historical marker of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence arrives at a moment of strain for American democracy, as political polarization deepens and public trust shifts. Through firsthand accounts, WTTW’s FIRSTHAND: DEMOCRACY shares the stories of five Chicagoans – at a moment when many Americans have lost faith in government – who are tapping into the power of community-driven work to get back to the basics of democratic action and improve their communities.

FIRSTHAND: Peacekeepers

As crime and public safety are top of mind across Chicago’s communities, there are people who are working to prevent conflict before it happens and stop it from escalating when it does. From a judge presiding over a restorative justice court in North Lawndale, to a community leader offering safe spaces for teens in Roseland, to community violence intervention workers in Roseland, East Garfield Park, and Humboldt Park, these peacekeepers draw on both ancient wisdom and modern research to heal their communities in WTTW’s Firsthand: Peacekeepers.

FIRSTHAND: Homeless - The Migrant Experience

As asylum-seekers arrived in Chicago from Latin America over the past year, a public conversation about the mobilization of city services and marshaling of private sector resources began. In Firsthand: Homeless – The Migrant Experience, WTTW explores the complicated migrant experience through the eyes of five individuals who reveal why they left their home countries, their perilous journeys across continents, and the political forces that have shaped their new lives in Chicago as they search for housing, jobs, and education.

FIRSTHAND: Homeless

In a series of documentaries, Firsthand: Homeless will go beyond the stereotypes society often assigns to unhoused individuals through the firsthand perspectives of real people who are navigating its complexities and hardships. And through expert talks, news reporting, and conversations with thought leaders and community members, the project will explore possible solutions.

FIRSTHAND: Life After Prison

They walk through prison gates with little more than a bus ticket and $20. After spending months or years counting down their sentences, they have days or hours to find food, housing, education, healthcare and a job. WTTW’s Firsthand: Life After Prison offers an intimate look at the challenges and opportunities facing people returning to society after spending time in prison, as they seek to restart their lives while carrying the stigma of a criminal record.

FIRSTHAND: Segregation

Chicago is one of the most segregated big cities in America, and it comes at a cost. The Metropolitan Planning Council found that segregation costs the region $4.4 billion in lost income, 83,000 fewer bachelor’s degrees, and about 200 lives cut short by homicides every year. In FIRSTHAND: Segregation, WTTW explores the impact racial divisions have on individuals, the city, and our region with a documentary series, reported stories, expert talks, and community discussions. FIRSTHAND: Segregation is part of the award-winning FIRSTHAND multiplatform, multi-year initiative focusing on the firsthand perspectives of people facing critical issues in Chicago.

FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty

Poverty seen through the eyes of Chicagoans with firsthand experience

FIRSTHAND: Coronavirus

Explore the personal, firsthand perspectives of people whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus in Chicago.

Firsthand: Gun Violence

Gun violence seen through the eyes of Chicagoans with firsthand experience