Who We Are
Bonfire is UIC’s independent and transparent campus journalism platform. We prioritize accessibility over form. We focus on amplifying marginalized student and faculty voices on campus. We hold institutional authorities accountable. We believe in a democratic media platform. We strive to provide insightful, relevant, and actionable information to our readers. We believe that an independent student-run press is a vital aid in initiating and advancing diverse expression in the academic environment. We believe in a holistic, inclusive portrayal of the UIC community and strive to create that through our content.
Origin Story/Founding Members
Bonfire was created to serve the UIC community. After the miscommunication and confusion surrounding the Spring 2019 GEO strike, students recognized the need for independent journalism on campus. Then-Sophomore Sophia Lackens sought to contribute to the campus conversation through social media. @UICStrikeMemes was created to inform and humor students during the GEO strike. Then-Juniors Brody Ford and Maricel Ortega organized around the community in other ways. Ford, through the Roosevelt Network at UIC, created a documentary on the strike. Ortega organized the student community around unionizing. After the election of Taylor Holmes as the Undergraduate Student Government Vice President, these students came together to form Bonfire, an independent, student-run, multi-media digital newspaper.
For more information on our ethics and priorities, visit our Code of Ethics page.
