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NaBeela Washington on Muck Rack

NaBeela Washington

(She/Her)
Chicago
As seen in: LinkedIn, Eater, Chicago Reader, Next City, Poets & Writers Magazine, Senior Planet, South Side Weekly, Newcity Art, Prism, Scalawag and
Covers:  The Digital Divide, Food, Arts, Music, Education
Doesn't Cover: COVID-19, Politics
Poet. Chicago Journalist. Wanderer. Budding Art Collector. Founding Editor-in-Chief @_luckyjefferson. I tweet about everything (especially my favorite shows)..

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NaBeela Washington’s Biography

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NaBeela Washington is a Black writer and photographer holding a Master’s in Creative Writing and English and a Bachelor’s in Visual Advertising. She has been published in Eater, The Cincinnati Review, and others. She is the Founder of Lucky Jefferson and Editor at 15 West. Learn more at nabeelawashington.com.

NaBeela Washington’s Journalist Portfolio

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Garfield Park and Englewood residents dream of safe futures * The TRiiBE

Garfield Park and Englewood residents dream of safe futures * The TRiiBE

Discover the hopes and visions of Garfield Park and Englewood residents in 'Reframing Crime Narratives,' a re…

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Food apartheid: the erasure of Black health in Englewood - Chicago Reader

Food apartheid: the erasure of Black health in Englewood - Chicago Reader

Residents, community organizations, and new legislation are making profound steps toward achieving food sover…

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Brewing change: Afro Joe's Coffee & Tea and Black maternal health on Chicago's South Side * The T...

Brewing change: Afro Joe's Coffee & Tea and Black maternal health on Chicago's South Side * The T...

Afro Joe's Coffee & Tea Shop provides Black maternal health options to those who need services and informatio…

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Outdoor Afro: Connecting Black Seniors with Nature - Senior Planet from AARP

Outdoor Afro: Connecting Black Seniors with Nature - Senior Planet from AARP

Some 60,000 Black older adults nationwide connect with nature and with other seniors through Outdoor Afro's o…

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Narrowing the Digital Divide on Chicago's South and West Sides - South Side Weekly

Narrowing the Digital Divide on Chicago's South and West Sides - South Side Weekly

Some neighborhoods continue to lack internet infrastructure while others struggle with affordability as more …

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The Almost-Sacred Dance of Making Southern Mac and Cheese

The Almost-Sacred Dance of Making Southern Mac and Cheese

"Southern macaroni and cheese" as it appears on menus outside the South looks nothing like what I had growing…

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Articles

A Generational Love Letter to Western Hills Mall

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By NaBeela Washington
| Scalawag Verified
The buckets were the first thing I noticed. Three of them were scattered near the main entrance of Western Hills Mall, catching water from a ceiling that was supposed to have been fixed three years ago. It was January 31, 2026, and the cold that hit me walking through those doors wasn't winter. It was absence. Bright caution tape marked off sections of the faded multicolored linoleum. The LED lights that the new owners installed were dim.
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Berwyn is quietly becoming an art town

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By NaBeela Washington
| Chicago Reader Verified
Lavergne’s Cranios World Just west of Chicago, Berwyn makes for an easy, low-cost afternoon built around public art, neighborhood eats, and historic bungalows. Depot District Sign Starting at the Berwyn Metra station, yellow banners hanging from light poles and lining nearby streets will signal your arrival in the Depot District, Berwyn’s historic downtown corridor. Established in the 1890s, the Depot District served as Berwyn’s original downtown and commercial center.
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Training the Young Workers Chicago’s Schools Are Leaving Behind

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By NaBeela Washington
| Next City Verified
This is your first of three free stories this month. Become a free or sustaining member to read unlimited articles, webinars and ebooks. Become A Member When Torres Hughes took the microphone, he hadn’t planned a long speech. But standing in front of 10 Manufacturing Connect graduates at a ceremony on Chicago’s West Side, the 31-year-old couldn’t help himself.
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See all 66 licensed articles (68 Total)

Interview

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What does it mean to be a journalist?

Sharing the complexities and realities of our world to inspire change and shifts that might make our communities better, stronger.

How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?

I love connecting with people on a personal level. Find something you know I love (or am passionate about) from past stories and use that.

Who do you wish followed you?

Probably Ravyn Lenae, Ayo Edebiri, or Quinta Brunson