Every summer, the skies over North America witness the remarkable journey of the monarch butterfly’s migration. These delicate creatures travel thousands of miles, from Mexico through the U.S. and into Canada, uniting nations through shared ecology and culture.
Every year, the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz invites residents across the continent to participate in protecting this iconic species.
This is a coordinated effort across North America to gather data on monarch butterflies and milkweed plants. By documenting our shared observations of monarch butterflies, community members get a chance to contribute to an international dataset that informs conservation efforts.
For me, as a commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, this initiative is a reminder of how environmental stewardship begins at the local level.
At MWRD, we champion green infrastructure efforts such as planting milkweed to mitigate flooding, protect water quality and create healthier neighborhoods.
Just as butterflies need corridors of milkweed to thrive, our communities need connected policies and practices that allow humans and nature to coexist and flourish. What’s powerful is that environmental damage can be restored by intentional public policy, community involvement and simple actions, like planting a native garden.
For environmental justice communities, the Monarch Monitoring Blitz is an opportunity not just to count butterflies but to reclaim a role in shaping an ecological future. Participation in community science is more than data collection. It’s a declaration that says, “We belong in this movement, and our voices matter in the conversation around conservation.”
As a child of Mexican immigrants, the monarch butterfly has been a symbol of the resilience and transformation of our community. The monarch is revered in Mexican culture, rooted in indigenous traditions that symbolize renewal and continuity.
Monarch butterfly conservation is a way of honoring transcending cultural traditions while also protecting the natural world sustaining them.
So what can you do?
- Plant native milkweed at home and available green spaces. Learn how to receive free milkweed seeds at mwrd.org.
- Celebrate the cultural significance of monarchs in our communities through art and storytelling, and join my upcoming annual monarch festival event Sept. 13 in North Riverside.
The monarch butterfly reminds us that resilience is possible with intention and cooperation. Let this summer be our monarch moment — when we choose to protect and transform our environment for ourselves and for those still to come.
Eira Corral Sepúlveda, commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Not giving up on Chicago
Recently, Mayor Brandon Johnson made an alarming statement about Chicago’s search for new revenue: “We have reached the point of no return.”
While it’s true the city faces grave challenges — including the mayor’s own decision to borrow $830 million for city operations and the mounting $37 billion in unfunded pension liabilities — I reject the notion Chicago is beyond saving.
Chicago has always been a city of resilience. We don’t give up when things get hard. We organize. We innovate. And we fight for a stronger future.
That’s exactly why I launched Leading A Better Chicago, a civic engagement initiative dedicated to bringing transparency, accountability and bold action to the city’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is to reimagine how we tackle longstanding issues, starting with the city’s structural fiscal crisis.
Our first step has been to partner with Tusk Philanthropies to commission an in-depth analysis of Chicago’s current fiscal state, laying out out a road map of realistic, impactful reforms by examining proven approaches from cities like New York City, Detroit and Philadelphia and adapting them to fit Chicago’s unique landscape. It’s not just a critique — it’s a call to action, rooted in data and informed by what has worked elsewhere.
We don’t just want to study the problem, we want to solve it. Leading A Better Chicago will pair this research with real-world input from people all across the city. We’ll gather feedback from residents, engage with community and business leaders, and tap national policy experts to generate bold, actionable ideas for change.
The mayor may believe there are no feasible solutions to Chicago’s issues, that its leaders have tried everything and failed. I believe we haven’t tried enough.
What we need now isn’t despair — it’s determination. Chicago needs fresh thinking, a willingness to challenge the status quo and most importantly, serious leadership.
Because despite what anyone says, Chicago hasn’t reached the point of no return. Chicago is always worth fighting for.
Bill Quinlan, attorney and founder, Leading A Better Chicago
Israel is committing genocide — not defending itself
It is time to start calling what the Israeli government is doing in Gaza what it is: genocide. With the latest announcement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to expand the current military operation and occupy Gaza, the Israeli government is continuing its plan of genocide of the Palestinian people.
Did Hamas start this current war? Yes. Is Hamas a terrorist organization that often hides among the general population? Yes. Did Hamas brutally kill and capture civilians? Yes.
But a right to defend oneself does not justify genocide. Israel is deliberating starving people and shooting those who are trying to get food.
And the idea that if Hamas released the remaining hostages, which it should, would end the war is a pretense. The Israeli government has no interest in ending the war. It wants to occupy Gaza, remove the Palestinians and resettle it with the “right” people.
Peter Felitti, Ravenswood
Easy way to cut crime in Washington
If Donald Trump was truly serious about reducing crime in Washington, D.C., he and his corrupt cronies would simply resign and leave town.
Chet Alexander, Alsip