Michael Gerstein

Jordan Neely's killing on a New York subway comes at a time when many urban transit riders feel unsafe. Crime rose 17% on Chicago's "L" system from 2021-2022, a system which has also become a last resort for many homeless residents. But Chicago's new mayor, Brandon Johnson, proposed a radical solution during his campaign: Send trained specialists to intervene in mental health crises instead of police. He's also vowed to open more mental health clinics. The message helped propel him to victory over a more conservative opponent with a tough-on-crime approach. Activists say Chicago's L system has the potential to take a different track than New York while easing concerns of fearful riders and helping people most in need of city services.

As Chicagoans wait to see how the new Johnson Administration will change things, I took to the subway to visualize the reality on trains and at bus stops. Riding the L, you'll find many people in desperation and varying degrees of mental crises. Beyond the headlines is the everyday: Boredom, furtive glances, drunken sports fans, smokers, teenagers and their youthfulness; lovers and their blissful myopia; steely-eyed staff, commuters just trying to get home and occasionally -- hope.