Several people marched through Bronzeville last week to bring attention to missing and murdered Black women and girls on the South and West Sides.

Driving the news: The Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) used its sixth annual "We Walk For Her" march to call for investigations into the disappearances of at least 51 Black women missing since 2001.

The big picture: About 25% of crime victims in Chicago last year were Black women, though they make up just 16% of the city's population, according to a new CBS2 analysis of police data.

• In 2022, Black women were the victims in 35% of assaults, 38% of batteries and 50% of human-trafficking cases.
• Over the past two decades, Chicago police say 35% of missing persons have been Black women.

What they're saying: "We walk so that the spotlight, the attention, the care and concern are finally placed on the Black women who who have been ignored and neglected," 17-year-old Moriah Chandler told Axios.

• "Every step we take while walking is a step closer to finding our lost women, and we walk so that we can lose no more and to get justice."

Zoom out: This is not just a Chicago problem. In 2021, 28% of the nearly 257,400 individuals reported missing in the U.S. were Black women age 20 or younger, per the National Crime Information Center database.

Flashback: In 2019, Chicago police and the FBI investigated a possible serial killer targeting Black women. Even though some of the deaths by strangulation were similar, they determined the DNA evidence didn't support the claims.

• But that hasn't stopped advocates from asking for more thorough investigations, nor lawmakers from pushing for a federal task force.
• Just last year, KOCO was instrumental in pushing the state to establish the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women, following Minnesota's lead in 2021.

What's ahead: Illinois' task force is working on a report that will outline methods for better tracking and collecting data on violence against Black women. The report's due at the end of 2024.

On this day in 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag.

Zoom in: Today is about the stars and stripes, and we Chicagoans are super proud of our city flag with its red stars and light blue stripes. The Illinois state flag, however, leaves much to be desired.

Flashback: Illinois' state flag was adopted in 1915 and tweaked in 1969 to add "Illinois." Which you'd think they would have caught sooner.

The latest: State Sen. Doris Turner introduced a bill in February to create a commission to redesign the state flag after a constituent brought it up, Turner's office tells Axios.

• The bill passed both the Senate and House in May and heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his signature.

What she's saying: Turner wants the new design to be collaborative. "I want people from across the state to feel like they are a part of the process of designing our next official state flag," Turner said.

Tell us: What would you like the Illinois state flag to look like? We want to hear from you.

💭 Justin's thought bubble: I'll go first. The flag should have illustrations of a horseshoe sandwich, Jim Peterik, and an Asian carp, not necessarily in that order.

🏟 It's a suburban free-for-all! First Arlington Heights, then Naperville, and now Waukegan. The northern suburb is also inviting the Chicago Bears to relocate there. (Tribune)

🎸 In the face of protests, the Park District is meeting this morning to vote on a permit for Riot Fest to operate in Douglass Park again this year. (Block Club)

🏒 Blackhawks broadcaster and Stanley Cup champion Patrick Sharp is leaving the organization to join the front office in Philadelphia. (WGN-TV)

A developer is eyeing the Chicago area for a pickleball takeover.

Driving the news: Chicago-based Hubbard Street Group and racquet club owner College Park Athletic Clubs are planning to turn an old Algonquin furniture store into a Top Golf-like pickleball space called Pickle Haüs, Crain's reported Monday.

• It's slated to open in November, and the developers say they plan to open five more in the Chicago area.

Why it matters: Chicago and cities nationwide are in a love-hate relationship with pickleball, Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson writes.

• America's fastest-growing sport is a boon for players who are aging out of tennis — and others who dig its vibe — but it's noisy and draws continual complaints from tennis players who've been kicked off their turf.
• Meanwhile, cities can't build courts fast enough — and they're tapping everything from COVID-19 relief funds to municipal bonds to raise the necessary cash.

By the numbers: Chicago is nowhere near the top-ranked cities for pickleball, according to data from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a pro-parks nonprofit.

• The city has 1.3 pickleball courts per 100,000 people, per TPL.
• Meanwhile, places like Seattle and St. Petersburg, Florida, have around 20.

👟 Go deeper: The best cities for pickleball players

💼 Check out who's hiring on our Job Board.

1. Executive Director at Capital City Pride - Des Moines.
2. State Director at AARP Illinois.
3. Packaging Engineer at Silgan Closures.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.

Nearly everyone guessed correctly. Justin was at the famous staircase in the lobby of Union Station.

Between the lines: The lobby is amazing, but many of you noted that "The Untouchables" is also amazing. The staircase was the setting for one of the film's most iconic scenes.

• Kevin Costner and Andy Garcia killed the bad guys AND saved the baby in the old-fashioned stroller. Now that's a film!

Congrats to Sheila B. and Debby D., whose names we pulled out of a "violin case."

You can pick up your swag at our next live event. Details coming soon.