Arts & Culture Archives – Borderless Magazine NFP

Arts & Culture Top Stories

Palestinian American Playwright Examines Family Dynamics in ‘The Cave’

In her debut play, Sadieh Rifai draws on her family's move from Nevada to Ohio with her Palestinian-American family as they deal with grief, mental illness and global turmoil.

Tara MobasherMarch 13, 2025

hundreds fill the streets with confetti in the air and a several people with dragon costumes in the foreground

Photo courtesy of Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation

Arts & Culture Things to do

Where to Celebrate Lunar New Year in Chicago

From Chinatown to Asia on Argyle, Borderless compiled a list of celebrations and events for the widely celebrated holiday.

Miguel TsangJanuary 28, 2025

Oscar Gomez/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Visuals

Migrant Children Celebrate Three Kings Day at Museum of Contemporary Art: ‘You’re Always Welcome Here’

More than 30 children gathered at the museum to celebrate the breaking of the Rosca de Reyes.

Tara MobasherJanuary 10, 2025

Saleha Soadat for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Broken-Winged Birds: Afghans in Exile Environment Español Health Immigration Policy Investigation Labor Staff pick Visuals

Borderless Magazine’s Favorite Stories of 2024

An Afghan refugee seeking his pilot license, backlog and attorney shortages in immigration court, Latino residents pushing for more green space on the Southwest Side and more stories Borderless reported on Chicago’s immigrant communities.

Mauricio PeñaDecember 23, 2024

Oscar Gomez/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Visuals

‘Good Morning, Manila’ Livestream Raises Money for Filipino Community Center

During the two-hour livestream, Sarahlynn Pablo and her co-hosts discussed Filipino identity, mental health and representation as part of a fundraiser for the Rizal Center.

Katrina PhamDecember 5, 2024

Max Herman/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Things to do

Borderless’ 2024 Holiday Gift Guide: Immigrant, Minority-Owned Shops

From handcrafted items to wine, we compiled a list of local Chicago businesses to consider when shopping this holiday season.

Borderless Magazine StaffDecember 4, 2024

Max Herman/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Education Immigration Policy Visuals

Chicago Parks Offer a Glimpse of Migrant Trails with ‘A Welcoming Place’

After two years of traveling alongside asylum seekers, two photographers share their work to expand conversations on immigration.

Max HermanNovember 15, 2024

Francia Garcia Hernandez/Block Club Chicago

Arts & Culture

Pilsen Woman’s Beloved 16-Foot Ofrenda Returns For Dia De Los Muertos

Isabel Hernandez’s elaborate ofrenda is a tradition going back years. It honors dozens of Pilsen neighbors’ family members and pets who have died.

Francia Garcia Hernandez, Block Club ChicagoNovember 1, 2024

Arts & Culture As Told To

Palestinian American Poet Teaches Cross-stitching to Unite Her Community: ‘Tatreez Is My Culture’

Bayan Fares learned Palestinian cross-stitching when she was 10. Now, she teaches others the traditional form of Palestinian embroidery to preserve this art form amid an ongoing war in her homeland.

Tara MobasherOctober 15, 2024

Max Herman/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture As Told To

From the Garage to the Drive-in: Preserving Lowrider Culture in Chicago

Pedro Cisneros didn’t expect to start a lowrider club when he left Texas. That changed when Chicago became his home.

Max HermanOctober 3, 2024

Max Herman/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Labor Visuals

The Faces of Immigrant-Owned Small Businesses in Chicago

Jonathan Castillo’s photography breaks stereotypes and honors immigrant-owned businesses in Chicago and nearby suburbs.

Max HermanAugust 13, 2024

Mustafa Hussain for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Education Immigration Policy

ICYMI: Borderless Magazine’s feature stories all in one place [May 2024]

Navigating immigration court alone, a refugee’s escape from Afghanistan and more immigrant stories from Chicago.

Borderless Magazine StaffMay 31, 2024

Jamilla Yipp Photography

Arts & Culture Staff pick

This Chicago Author Wants You to Know that Immigrant Voices Matter

Borderless’ new book club features Chicago author Mia P. Manansala and her cozy mystery book series that centers on the Filipino community.

Sarah LuyengiMay 22, 2024

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy

We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century

Journalist Ray Suarez examines immigration policies in the United States while chronicling the lives of new immigrants across the country in his latest book.

Borderless Magazine Staff and Ray SuarezMay 6, 2024

Photo by Chris Popio

Arts & Culture

Trap Door Theatre brings European plays to the heart of Chicago

The avant-garde theatre has spent 30 years showcasing international productions that otherwise might not be seen in the U.S. Founder Beata Pilch tells Borderless why.

Chelsea VerstegenOctober 24, 2023

Efrain Soriano/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture

How Chicago’s All-Women Mariachi Group Is Embracing Their Roots — And Bucking Tradition

Despite lukewarm feelings about the genre as a child, Mariachi Sirenas cofounder Ibet Herrera helped form Chicago’s first all-women mariachi band. The group has fostered a sisterhood of talented musicians while honoring their roots.

Maia McDonaldAugust 22, 2023

ten people stand outside o the sidewalk in various types of shirts and hoodies

Photo by William “The KiD” Guerrero

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy

A Chicago Mural Project Becomes a Nationwide Movement

The Mural Movement started as a beautification project but has grown to provide solace and support for community members — generational or recently arrived.

Martha ContrerasFebruary 9, 2023

"Irma es lesbiana" written on a beige wall in black

Arts & Culture

How Two Queer Latinx Artists Are Bridging Generations Through Archives

Amanda Cervantes and Jose Luis Benavides look at how far the queer Latinx community has come in their work with Chicago’s Gerber/Hart archives.

Ariel MejiaMarch 16, 2022

Photo courtesy of Gerber/Hart Library and Archives

Arts & Culture As Told To

How Chicago’s Amigas Latinas Made It OK to Be Out in the ’90s

The monthly discussion group Amigas Latinas provided a safe space in Chicago for Latina lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women.

Ariel MejiaMarch 9, 2022

Immigrant rights march on 18th Street showing a large banner that says "alto a las deportaciones" "esta es mi tierra!" and "esta es mi lucha"

Photo by Martin Sorrondeguy

Arts & Culture Organizing

The Making and Unmaking of Mexican Chicago

Historian Mike Amezcua examines the origins and anti-gentrification struggles of Latinx Chicago neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village.

Borderless Magazine Staff and Mike AmezcuaMarch 1, 2022

Arts & Culture As Told To

Iraqi Artist Bassim Al-Shaker Paints His Own Revolution

The Chicago-based artist on growing up in Iraq during the war and how his paintings endangered his life — and led to international acclaim.

Diane Bou KhalilFebruary 2, 2022

immigration, journalism, book, borders, Muslim ban

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy

Remembering the Muslim Travel Ban 5 Years On

A new book by Reece Jones chronicles the aftermath of Trump’s ban on nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Borderless Magazine StaffJanuary 25, 2022

Carlos Barberena

Arts & Culture As Told To Labor Organizing

Carlos Barberena’s Prints Are Humanizing Testaments of Immigrant Stories

Ahead of his new exhibition in Milwaukee, the Chicago-based artist talks about his work and the radical democracy of printmaking.

Kerry CardozaDecember 8, 2021

Chicago Park District students watch birds at the Big Marsh Park in Chicago as part of "small is all," a program that brings together art and the environment

Photo by Irina Zadov

Arts & Culture Education Environment

Art and Environment Meet in New Curriculum

The Chicago artists and educators behind the “small is all" program talk about what grounds them in the city.

Nissa RheeDecember 1, 2021

Photo by Claudia Hernández for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Investigation

At Last in the US, a Transgender Asylum Seeker Finds Her Footing

After crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum, Susana Coreas is navigating life in New York City and building community along the way.

Claudia HernándezOctober 21, 2021

doors, loterÍa, Pilsen, murals, community

by Benjamin Giska. Jason Marck / WBEZ

Arts & Culture

The Lotería doors in Pilsen speak to the neighborhood’s past and present

Different artists have painted a series of murals on doors along 18th Street, inspired by the classic Lotería game.

Maggie SivitOctober 19, 2021

Photo courtesy of Dr. Siham Ibrahim

Arts & Culture As Told To Education

Lebanese Cultural Center Builds Community in Illinois and Beyond

Amid multiple crises in her native Lebanon, Siham Ibrahim is preserving Lebanese heritage in Chicago and helping people back home.

Diane Bou KhalilOctober 7, 2021

Arts & Culture As Told To Labor

Meet the Owner of Kim’s Corner Food, a Chicago Grocery Stocked with Collages

North Korea-born Thomas Kong immigrated to the U.S. for opportunity. Now, he has a distinct profession: convenience store owner and artist.

Claire VoonSeptember 29, 2021

housing, eviction, immigrants, Little Village, developers, La Casa del Inmigrante, St. Anthony

Photo by Samantha Cabrera Friend for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Health Immigration Policy Investigation

Immigrant Artists Lose Their Home After Contentious Eviction

The developer who ordered the eviction will demolish the Little Village building that housed the community space La Casa del Inmigrante.

Alexandra ArriagaSeptember 16, 2021

African, food, restaurant, Yassa, Chicago

Photo courtesy of Yassa African Restaurant

Arts & Culture Resources

The Ultimate Guide to African Food in Chicago

Craving Ethiopian, Egyptian, Ghanaian or Somali food? We’ve got you covered with our exhaustive list of Chicago’s must-try African restaurants.

Diane Bou KhalilAugust 18, 2021

Zulema, theatre, music, Chicago, parks, to do, events, immigrant

Photo courtesy of Goodman Theatre

Arts & Culture

Three Things To Do in Chicago, August 12-19

Music in the park, a seafood boil, public art and more ideas of things to do in Chicago

Borderless Magazine StaffAugust 12, 2021

refugee, high school, Sullivan, Chicago, immigrant, teen, book event, to do

Arts & Culture

Three Things To Do in Chicago, August 5-12

Live Latinx music, a book release and more ideas of things to do in Chicago

Borderless Magazine StaffAugust 5, 2021

refugee, high school, Sullivan, Chicago, immigrant, teen

Photo courtesy of Alyssa Schukar

Arts & Culture

Refugee High: Coming of Age in America

Writer Elly Fishman spent a year chronicling the lives of young refugees and immigrants at a Chicago public school in Rogers Park for her new book, Refugee High: Coming of Age in America.

Borderless Magazine Staff and Elly FishmanAugust 3, 2021

singer, songwriter, Gabacho, Chicago, Mexican, rock, music

Foto por Janneth Diaz

Arts & Culture

For Singer-Songwriter Gabacho, Feeling Foreign Comes with Nostalgia

On the heels of a new series of music videos, Mexican-American artist Gabacho reflects on his creative path.

Alexandra ArriagaApril 15, 2021

refugee, crisis, Lesvos, volunteer, Syrian, human, rights

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Tarzikhan

Arts & Culture

Using Instagram to Humanize the Refugee Crisis

After volunteering at refugee camps in Greece, human rights lawyer Alexandra Tarzikhan created a virtual community to amplify the individual stories of refugees.

Diane Bou KhalilMarch 24, 2021

Iran, revolution, Chicago, author, hijab

Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Saper

Arts & Culture

Chicagoan Remembers Revolutionary Iran

Local author Jacqueline Saper was a young woman during the 1979 Iranian revolution and sought asylum in the United States.

Diane Bou KhalilMarch 3, 2021

housing, tenants, residents, rights, eviction, pandemic

April Alonso for Borderless Magazine/ CatchLight Local Chicago

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy Labor

In Little Village, An Immigrant-Led Artists’ Commune Resists as Developer Seeks Eviction

In the midst of a housing crisis that has left immigrant renters among the most vulnerable, a group of immigrant punk rock musicians are fighting to stay at a commercial building they’ve called home for years.

Alexandra ArriagaFebruary 24, 2021

header, art, Chicago, Cuba, son, artist, alvarez

Image courtesy of DePaul Art Museum

Arts & Culture

New Contemporary Art Exhibit Uplifts Latinx Experiences

At the DePaul Art Museum, a major intergenerational art show celebrates the contributions of Latinx artists with ties to Chicago.

Claire VoonFebruary 18, 2021

sitcom, Chicago, immigrant, Indian, South Asian

Arts & Culture Visuals

Behind the Story with the Code-Switched Cast

Watch the director and cast of Code-Switched discuss their hit indie show about five South Asian friends in an exclusive event.

Diane Bou KhalilFebruary 16, 2021

Max Herman / CatchLight Local Chicago

Arts & Culture Labor Resources

The South Side Mutual Aid Group Fighting Food Insecurity with Meals that Feed the Soul

Farm, Food, Familias partners with diverse chefs to bring dishes with cultural specificity to Black and Latinx communities in need.

Chelsea VerstegenFebruary 10, 2021

Photo by Diane Bou Khalil/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture

Our Most-read Stories of 2020

Borderless Magazine's most popular stories of 2020 include immigration stories about labor, racism, and the COVID-19 pandemic in the Midwest.

Borderless Magazine StaffDecember 29, 2020

mixed status, COVID, support, fiscal, Chicago, immigrant, mutual aid, Latina

Photo by Amaris E. Rodriguez for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Health Labor Organizing

Chicago Latina Moms Provides Mutual Aid Support to Immigrant Families

The local mom’s group gave out over $50,000 in mutual aid assistance to Chicago families who were unable to get the COVID-19 federal stimulus check.

Amaris E. RodriguezDecember 10, 2020

Mexican, American, reverse, assimilation, heritage, roots, fashion

Photo by Andres Navarro

Arts & Culture

‘Reverse Assimilation’ Podcast Unpacks What it Means to be Mexican-American

More people have moved from the U.S. to Mexico in recent years than the other way around, further blending cultures and communities in the neighboring countries.

Ellen FreemanNovember 19, 2020

Arts & Culture

‘Code-Switched’ Director Karan Sunil on His New South Asian Sitcom

The new sitcom follows five South Asian friends juggling love, work and family in Chicago.

Diane Bou KhalilNovember 13, 2020

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture As Told To

Omani? Indian? American? How to Navigate a Triple Identity

This year’s census and election pushed Kartik Ramkumar to rethink how he describes his heritage and homeland.

Kartik RamkumarOctober 27, 2020

Diane Bou Khalil/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture

Lebanese-Mexican Restaurant Evette’s Opens Today

Chicago chefs Rafael Esparza and Mitchell AbouJamra drew on family recipes to create Evette’s, a new restaurant that highlights Lebanese immigrants’ contributions to Mexican cuisine.

Diane Bou KhalilOctober 15, 2020

Arts & Culture Labor Visuals

Chasing the American Dream in the Gig Economy

Guatemalan immigrant storyteller Nestor Gomez shares his experiences as an Uber and Lyft driver in his new book, “Your Driver Has Arrived.”

Diane Bou KhalilOctober 5, 2020

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Environment Labor

Urban farm provides sense of community for refugees during COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic and pricey new water permits have challenged the eight-year-old Global Garden Refugee Training Farm on Chicago’s North Side.

Chelsea VerstegenSeptember 3, 2020

Photo courtesy of Demera

Arts & Culture Labor

Saigon Sisters and Demera Foster a Cross-cultural Bond During COVID

The restaurants are offering “World Food Tour” meal packages showcasing Vietnamese and Ethiopian cuisine.

Cassidy JacksonSeptember 1, 2020

immigration, Julio Salgado, art, undocumented, queer

Arts & Culture

Julio Salgado on Telling Community Stories as an Undocumented and Queer Artist

The 37-year-old artist explains the power of art in the migrant movement and why he’s always laughing.

Francisco VelazquezAugust 19, 2020

Francisco Velazquez/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Labor

From the coffee farms of El Salvador to the dairy lands of Wisconsin

Madison’s Finca Coffee celebrates its first anniversary with authentic pupusas and coffee beans bought directly from farmers in El Salvador.

Francisco VelazquezJuly 16, 2020

Vietnamese sisters, cafe, Chicago, immigrant, business

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Labor

Vietnamese sisters behind First Sip cafe “breaking the rules” of coffee and business

After closing for over two months during the COVID-19 pandemic, an Uptown cafe that blends Vietnamese and Western tastes reopens its doors.

Michelle KanaarJune 24, 2020

Michelle Kanaar/Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture

Nonprofit motorcycle club raises money to help Assyrian elderly community

The Assyrian Knights have delivered care packages to 187 Assyrian families in the Chicago area since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Ata YounanMay 28, 2020

Fernando Moreno for Borderless Magazine

Arts & Culture Health

Dispatches from COVID-19: Finding Hope in Wicker Park’s Mexican Community

Coronavirus has devastated Latino communities in Illinois. But in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, one family is working and hoping for a better tomorrow.

Fernando MorenoMay 20, 2020

Arts & Culture Health Immigration Policy

Why 16.7 million people were left out of the COVID-19 stimulus plan

Author Daniel Denvir on the “bipartisan war on immigrants” and how it’s falling apart.

Nissa RheeApril 8, 2020

Arts & Culture

Local Palestinian-American entrepreneurs spread peace and awareness through fashion line

Wear the Peace combines heritage, activism, and giving back to support those in need in the Middle East and beyond.

Diane Bou KhalilApril 1, 2020

Arts & Culture

Chicago show brings immigrant stories, journeys to centerstage

Nestor Gomez’s storytelling showcase 80 Minutes Around the World focuses on the personal in a time of competing narratives about immigration.

Nissa RheeJanuary 22, 2020

Photo by Michelle Kanaar

Arts & Culture Labor

Serbian home style cooking brought to life on Chicago’s North Side

After coming to the United States, the Jeftenic family faced layoffs, illness, and homelessness before opening the Astoria Bakery and Cafe.

Michelle KanaarJanuary 15, 2020

Arts & Culture

Four ways to experience Iranian culture during the conflict

With the United States and Iran trading attacks, Chicagoans should take this as an opportunity to learn more about Iranian history and art, says Narimon Safavi.

Sarah ConwayJanuary 8, 2020

Arts & Culture

Borderless Magazine’s best stories of 2019

Executive director Nissa Rhee shares some of her favorite stories of the year.

Nissa RheeDecember 31, 2019

Arts & Culture Labor

Indian and Mexican flavors meet in Pilsen

Casa Indigo’s owner combines the cuisine of his two families

Michelle KanaarDecember 4, 2019

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy

How the US built the world’s largest immigrant detention system

A special excerpt from César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández's forthcoming book "Migrating to Prison: America’s Obsession with Locking Up Immigrants"

César Cuauhtémoc García HernándezNovember 27, 2019

Photo by Michelle Kanaar

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy

Funding cuts under Trump are forcing clinics and organizations that serve refugees to close

After fleeing war, many refugees who come to Chicago face new traumas in a city that had nearly 3,000 shooting victims last year. But the health services that once existed to support them are now being gutted.

Nissa RheeNovember 20, 2019

Arts & Culture

US’s first refugee-owned sewing group launches

A new kind of fashion company is coming to Chicago.

Sehar SufiJanuary 25, 2019

Arts & Culture Organizing Visuals

The Chicago Dyke March in pictures

Now it it’s 22nd year, the march is a celebration of dyke, queer, bisexual, transgender, and lesbian resilience.

Dan RowellJune 26, 2018

Arts & Culture Visuals

A taste of Mexico

Families from across Illinois gathered in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood this weekend for the fourth annual Taste of Mexico festival.

Sarah Conway and Michelle KanaarJune 5, 2018

Arts & Culture

A night of immigration stories

Forty people braved a snowstorm on Monday, February 5, to attend Borderless’ night of immigrant stories at the Oak Park Public Library.

Nissa RheeMarch 1, 2018

Arts & Culture

Abdulghany and Mufaddal Hamadeh

Just 11 months apart in age, brothers Mufaddal and Abdulghany Hamadeh have shared almost everything in their lives — including their love of the two countries they call home.

Nissa RheeOctober 25, 2017

Arts & Culture

Omar El Akkad on journalism and the War on Terror

Omar El Akkad’s debut novel, “American War,” is a haunting post-apocalyptic universe where readers watch the impact of civil war through the unraveling of one American family.

Sarah ConwayOctober 17, 2017

Arts & Culture As Told To

We crossed a bridge and it trembled: Voices from Syria

A year after the Syrian uprising began, Northwestern University professor Wendy Pearlman headed to Jordan to collect the stories of Syrian refugees who were pouring out of their war-torn country.

Sarah ConwayOctober 5, 2017

Arts & Culture Visuals

Syrian photographer Omar Imam’s work examines dreams, nightmares

Eleven black-and-white, surrealist photographs exploring the mental state of Syrian refugees in Lebanon debuted in Chicago this month.

Sarah Conway and Alex V. HernandezJuly 20, 2017

Arts & Culture

Finding a piece of Palestine in Orland Park

Watan Studio is Chicagoland’s only distinctively Palestinian art and design studio.

Sarah ConwayJune 13, 2017

Arts & Culture

Osama Alomar: The whole world is fighting

The novelist on Syria, censorship, and the safety — and power — of metaphor.

Nissa RheeJune 13, 2017

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy Organizing

#WomenForSyria shows solidarity with displaced Syrians

Women’s March Illinois organizers hosted a candlelight vigil in downtown Chicago on April 13 to show solidarity with Syrians who have been displaced or suffered because of the civil war in that country.

Alex V. HernandezApril 18, 2017

Arts & Culture Labor

The Jebran family and the taste of home

In a complex time for both of their lands, the Jebran family caters Syrian food to feel more at home in Chicago.

Hannah Tate and Maya MillerMarch 28, 2017

Arts & Culture Immigration Policy Visuals

Chicagoans tell us: What is the role of immigrants in America?

Borderless teamed up with The Point magazine on March 14 for a special panel discussion about immigration.

Sarah ConwayMarch 21, 2017

Arts & Culture Visuals

Little Village ‘Montooneros’: The political power of cartoons

Nearly 40 political cartoonists from Mexico and the United States expressed their views on President Trump’s immigration policy for a new exhibition that opened this week in Chicago.

Alex V. Hernandez and Michelle KanaarMarch 16, 2017

Arts & Culture

Two friends set out to translate Chicago into Arabic

Chicago was love at first sight for Malek Abdulsamad.

Sarah ConwayMarch 12, 2017

Arts & Culture

Activists and musicians gather for the ‘Refugee Remix Rally’

The protest was organized by the Inner-City Muslim Action Network as a place to hear the “voices, stories and creative brilliance” of communities most at-risk under the Trump administration.

Leo HerreraMarch 8, 2017

Arts & Culture

Mahdia Lynn on creating a feminist and LGBTQ-affirming mosque

Masjid al-Rabia mosque held its first service less than a month after the election of President Trump and has found itself the target of both anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT groups.

Nissa RheeMarch 2, 2017

Arts & Culture Education Immigration Policy

Finding a home in the Rohingya Culture Center

Nasir Bin Zakaria was just 14 years old when he was abducted by the Myanmar military. It was the last time he saw his parents.

Sarah ConwayFebruary 28, 2017