Journalism & Storytelling in Chicago
Join us in Chicago on Tuesday, December 1 at 6pm at the Harold Washington Library for a night of entertaining live storytelling celebrating the power of local news to create change. Some stories will be funny, others moving — all will be compelling. Each Pulitzer-winning journalist will share a true, personal story about the impact of their reporting on their communities and themselves.
Storytellers include Chicago-based 2024 Audio Reporting staff contributor Yohance Lacour of The Invisible Institute; 2026 Local Reporting staff contributor Laura Rodríguez Presa of the Chicago Tribune; 2012 Commentary winner Mary Schmich, formerly of the Chicago Tribune; 2021 Breaking News Reporting staff contributor Liz Sawyer of The Minnesota Star Tribune; and 2018 Commentary winner, 2023 Local Reporting winner and Pulitzer Board member John Archibald of AL.com.
Nicole Carroll, Pulitzer Board chair and leader of local news nonprofit Newswell, and Charles Whitaker, dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University will moderate the evening.
Event details:
The Stories Behind Our Stories: Behind the Scenes with Pulitzer Prize Winners
Tuesday, December 1, 2026 at 6pm
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605
This event is free and does not require seat registration -- seating is first come, first served.
Details on accessibility and other information can be found on the Chicago Public Library website.
This event is presented alongside the Pulitzer on the Road traveling exhibition to libraries, developed in partnership with the American Library Association. The Chicago Public Library is the first site on the tour, which will visit 20 public libraries across the country over two years.
Read more about additional events at the Chicago Public Library during their exhibition host period between October through December 2026 here.