Refreshed and revisited, the People Issue’s class of 2022 showcases folks from many walks of life and includes a self-described “little, queer, Indigenous child of God” who grew up to be a force in underground space-funk parties, a former Maxwell Street vendor who developed into a vintage wares and estate sale powerhouse, and a workplace stress educator by day/kink performer by night who has quickly become the rubber-clad darling of the local puppy play scene.
There’s a lot of great writing here in this, the return of The People Issue to the Chicago Reader after a break since the 2016 People Issue.
I did a lot of work on the online formatting and navigation for this one—with a lot of trial and error in a very short time. I think it came out well and properly showcases the writing, the photography, and the people featured:
The Movement Builder: Richard Wallace
The Diversity Advocate: Asafonie Obed
The Dance-Music Matriarch: Natalie Hill
The West-Sider: Denise Ferguson
The Punk Musician: Jill Lloyd Flanagan
The Cheesemonger: Alisha Norris Jones
The Protector: Tamar Manasseh
The goddess of WOW: Lynne Rousseau McDaniel
The Avant-Garde Cellist: Lia Kohl
The Touring Musician: Izzy Reidy
The Socialist: Vicko Alvarez
The Intergalactic Funk DJ: Zeetus Lapetus
The Comics Artist: Caroline Cash
The Voice: Mario Smith
The Moviegoer: Nick Obis
The Curator: Malia Haines-Stewart
The Tailor: Julia Needlman
The Auteur: Tony Trimm
The Champion: Karla Estela Rivera
The Kink Performer: Wildcat Shadow
The Icon: Remembering “Mama” Gloria Allen
Updated July 26, 2023: The People Issue was recognized with the first-place win for Special Section in the 2023 AAN Journalism Awards.
