In his book The City Is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis,” Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Royal Pratt gives a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the tumultuous single term of Mayor Lightfoot and the chaos that roiled Chicago as she struggled to keep her promises to end corruption and institute reform.

Pratt will discuss his book on Sept. 30 when he gives the 2024 Andrew K. Prinz Lecture for Political Awareness at Elmhurst University.

Lightfoot was a groundbreaking figure when she took office in 2019—the first Black, gay woman to be elected mayor of a major city and only the second female mayor of Chicago. But the once-in-a-lifetime challenges she faced, including the COVID-19 pandemic, were beyond anything she could have anticipated.

Pratt covered every day of Lightfoot’s term as an investigative and City Hall reporter for the Chicago Tribune. A Chicago native, Pratt has won several national awards for his political reporting, and he is a regular commentator about the city on local and national media, including appearances on CNN and NPR.

The Andrew K. Prinz Lecture begins at 7:00 p.m. on  Monday, Sept. 30, in the Frick Center, Founders Lounge. Admission is free but reservations are encouraged, at elmhurst.edu/cultural.

The Prinz Lecture was established by Elmhurst’s Student Government Association to honor the legacy of one of the University’s most beloved professors. A faculty member from 1969 to 2003, Andrew Prinz earned a loyal following with his keen insights on politics and urban issues, coupled with his humor and love of city life. He died in 2009.

The public lectures and other cultural programming at Elmhurst University support community engagement and lifelong learning, and prepare our students to thrive as adaptive leaders. For more information, visit elmhurst.edu/cultural. Question? Email [email protected].