Alden Loury

Chicago

Data Projects Editor at WBEZ-FM (Chicago, IL)

Data Projects Editor

Articles

Homeowner headaches reveal how the American dream is out of reach for most Black people

5 days ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Alden Loury

I still remember walking through my first home — my only home — back in 2005. It had hardwood floors, a garage with a covered deck, a backyard, an enclosed back porch that could be used as an additional room and a finished attic featuring a master bedroom and a family room. In the partially finished basement, there was a laundry room and enough open space for my three young daughters to run laps, play hide-and-seek and perform other feats of mischief.
Breaking down the Bears' draft record under Ryan Poles using playing time stats

3 weeks ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Patrick Finley |Alden Loury

Bears general manager Ryan Poles is predicting a “wild” Day 1 of the NFL draft on Thursday. With the number of elite players in the single digits but as many as 75 potential starters on the board, he sees fewer impediments than ever for teams to be aggressive. Perhaps even the Bears. “I feel really confident where we’re at,” Poles said Tuesday. The last three years, though, that’s yielded nothing more than league average production.
There's more to Black men's stories than bleak statistics.

1 month ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Alden Loury

“Black men are in trouble. Serious trouble.”Those were the words I led with for my first cover story with The Chicago Reporter, a nonprofit news organization covering issues of race, poverty and inequality. Published this month 25 years ago, the story was a first-person account about the challenges confronting Black men in Chicago and across the country. I cited statistics about how often Black men are arrested and imprisoned.
No more editorials at the Sun-Times, but letters, op-eds and columns will continue

1 month ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Tracy Brown |Rummana Hussain |Alden Loury

For more than 75 years, the Sun-Times Editorial Board has been an important voice in Chicago, advocating for the well-being of our city, holding the powerful to account and helping readers understand and navigate the complexities of the news.
Chicago's rising rents aren't just a problem for those living in poverty

2 months ago | wbez.org | Alden Loury

For many lower-income households in Chicago, making ends meet can seem like an eternal struggle. Imagine paying for housing, utilities, groceries, transportation and other essential costs for your family each year on just $32,150. That’s the poverty threshold for a family of four, according to the federal government’s latest poverty guidelines. It’s hard to save or get ahead when every cent that comes in the door ends up going right back out to cover the rent, pay bills and buy food.
Chicago's rising rents aren't just a problem for those living in poverty - Chicago Sun-Times

2 months ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Alden Loury

A low-income family of four in 1950 could still afford rent and utilities for nearly half of Chicago apartments. It's a far different picture today.
Searching for reasons behind opioid deaths of Black men born 1951-70

Feb 9, 2025 | wbez.org | Alden Loury |Lee Bey

The Chicago Sun-Times has long been known for its headlines. They’re often clever, catchy and bold. But the one I read for a story published in December grabbed my attention for other reasons. “Opioids have been killing the same generation of Black men in Chicago for decades,” it read. I was deeply intrigued, so I read on. “Black men born 1951-1970 always have had the greatest risk of dying of overdoses, even in their 20s, 30s and 40s,” the story continued. Immediately, I stopped reading. I was frozen.
Searching for reasons behind opioid deaths of Black men born 1951-70

Feb 8, 2025 | chicago.suntimes.com | Alden Loury

The Chicago Sun-Times has long been known for its headlines. They’re often clever, catchy and bold. But the one I read for a story published in December grabbed my attention for other reasons. “Opioids have been killing the same generation of Black men in Chicago for decades,” it read. I was deeply intrigued, so I read on. “Black men born 1951-1970 always have had the greatest risk of dying of overdoses, even in their 20s, 30s and 40s,” the story continued. Immediately, I stopped reading. I was frozen.
Derrick Rose shows our city the resilience of Englewood

Jan 11, 2025 | chicago.suntimes.com | Alden Loury

Thanks to the generosity of a good friend, I scored a ticket to a sold-out United Center earlier this month for Derrick Rose night. The scene was electric.
What it means when movie theaters in Black neigborhoods close

Dec 8, 2024 | wbez.org | Alden Loury |Lee Bey |Natalie Y. Moore

A decade ago, when my oldest daughter was preparing for the road test to get her driver’s license, I took her to the parking lot of an abandoned movie theater at 62nd Street and Western Avenue. It was a familiar scene for her. When she was a small child, we’d go to see movies there until it closed in 2007. My middle daughter hopes to get her driver’s license soon.