Joan Esposito and Edwin Eisendrath will talk with journalists Greg Pratt, Jon Seidel, and Colin Boyle about reporting during the ICE / CPB surge in Chicago.
Chicago’s journalists were firsthand witnesses to the terror campaign often becoming targets themselves. They documented the violence, the heartbreak, the resistance, and the legal challenges, with terrific reporting, dramatic photos and videos, and solid investigative work.
Joan Esposito: Joan hosts WCPT’s afternoon political talk show ‘Live, Local & Progressive’. She spent 20 years as a Chicago TV
news anchor and reporter.
Edwin Eisendrath: Edwin’s “It’s the democracy, stupid,’ is a weekly talk show on WCPT, a weekly video cast on Lincoln Square Media, and a substack newsletter. In his past, he was both an alderman and the CEO of the Sun Times (not at the same time!).
Raised in Little Village, Gregory Royal Pratt is an investigative reporter with the Chicago Tribune. He is the author of “The City is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis.”
Colin Boyle is the Director of Photography at Block Club Chicago. A lifelong resident of the North Side, Colin has worked with Block Club since 2020 — earning awards for his images along the way. His work focuses on visual storytelling, breaking news, investigative, Spanish, community and social justice reporting. In 2025, Boyle was promoted from Photographer and Reporter to his current position, where he now oversees freelance photojournalism assignments and visual coverage at Block Club, while continuing to document news in the city.
Jon Seidel writes about federal courts and legal affairs for the Chicago Sun-Times. He has covered the trials of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, ex-Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke, R&B superstar R. Kelly, ex-Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, onetime Bolingbrook Police Sgt. Drew Peterson and
convicted killer Christopher Vaughn. He also covered the prosecutions of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Heather Mack. He is the author of Second City Sinners.
10 ADV/ $10 DOS plus fees
· 21+
· Door staff will check ID.
