Writing & Media
I’ve taken a somewhat unconventional path—from engineer and consultant to immigrant, community builder, elected official, nonprofit leader, author and entrepreneur.
Along the way, writing has become one of the ways I make sense of what I’m experiencing and learning. My work has also generated stories, research, case studies and conversations that I’m fortunate others have chosen to document.
This page brings those pieces together—not simply as an archive, but as a record of an evolving journey and the ideas that have shaped it: community, leadership, technology, citizenship, sustainability and our capacity to create positive change.
Published Writing
Community, Citizenship & Reflection
Our Zoning Debate Should Not Divide Us — Wednesday Journal, September 2026
A perspective on housing, affordability and managing community change thoughtfully. Read
An Immigrant's Reflection on America 250 — Wednesday Journal, July 2026
An immigrant's perspective on gratitude, renewal and America's next chapter. Read
Thank You for the Opportunity to Serve — Wednesday Journal, April 2025
Reflections at the conclusion of four years in elected office. Read
Leadership & Public Service
A Vision for Oak Park: Leadership That Delivers — Wednesday Journal, March 2025
A vision for effective, focused and results-oriented local government. Read
A Vision for Change — Wednesday Journal, December 2024
Reflections on Oak Park's progress, priorities and opportunities. Read
Opposing Village Board Pay Increases — Wednesday Journal, October 2024
A case for public service, fiscal responsibility and accountability. Read
2023 Oak Park Village Board Reflections — Wednesday Journal, December 2023
A year-end assessment of affordability, safety and sustainable development. Read
Looking Back on the Village Board's Year Just Past — Wednesday Journal, January 2023
Reflections on fiscal discipline, community safety and sustainable development. Read
Affordability & Fiscal Responsibility
Concerns About the New Leaf-Bagging Policy — Wednesday Journal, May 2024
Examining equity, cost and sustainability implications of policy change. Read
It's a Fiscal Free-for-All at Village Hall — Wednesday Journal, July 2023
A case for fiscal guardrails and long-term community affordability. Read
Is There a Mandate to Build a New Village Hall? — Wednesday Journal, July 2023
Examining need, cost and community engagement around a major capital investment. Read
Case for a 0% Increase in 2023 Village Tax Levy — Wednesday Journal, October 2022
An argument for providing taxpayer relief while maintaining essential investment. Read
Technology & Community Safety
A Missed Opportunity — Wednesday Journal, August 2025
Balancing technology, privacy, professional accountability and public safety. Read
Enhancing Community Safety with Technology — Wednesday Journal, June 2024
Making the case for thoughtful, accountable use of technology in public safety. Read
Can Cameras Make Oak Park Safer? — Wednesday Journal, March 2022
Exploring technology, privacy, bias and governance in public safety. Read
Sustainability & Technology
Important Steps Forward on Local Sustainability — Wednesday Journal, June 2023
Finding practical ways to bring people and businesses along in environmental change. Read
Why I Voted Against the Styrofoam Ban — Wednesday Journal, May 2023
Why supporting an objective doesn't always mean supporting the way it is implemented. Read
Equity and Oak Park's Communications Technology — Wednesday Journal, August 2022
Considering digital transformation through an equity and accessibility lens. Read
We Need a Shared Vision of a Sustainable Future — Wednesday Journal, January 2022
Connecting environmental sustainability with affordability, equity and economic opportunity. Read
MORE
My current essays and ideas are published in Reflections.
CASE STUDIES & PUBLICATIONS
Takeout 25: A Community-Driven Entrepreneurial Initiative in Illinois — SAGE Business Case / University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
A teaching case examining Takeout 25 as an example of social entrepreneurship and community mobilization. Case study information
Integrating Responsible Research and Innovation Principles into Social Entrepreneurship Processes: A Framework for Enhancing Responsible Social Value Creation — Journal of Responsible Innovation, 2025
Academic research featuring Takeout 25 in the study of responsible social entrepreneurship. Publication information
The Takeout 25 Effect: Mobilizing Community for Positive Change — Book, 2024
A case study, personal narrative and practical toolkit for mobilizing communities around shared purpose. Explore
Takeout 25 Community Cookbook — Book, 2025
25 recipes, pairings and articles exploring local food, sustainability and community building. Explore
In the News
Television
NBC 5 Chicago — “Oak Park Residents Pledging $25 a Week to Help Restaurants Amid COVID Pandemic”
Coverage of the launch and early impact of Takeout 25. Watch / Media archive
FOX 32 Chicago — Takeout 25
Television coverage of Takeout 25's community response during the pandemic. Media archive
Radio & Podcast
WGN Radio / Outside the Loop with Mike Stephen — Takeout 25 Oak Park
Interview on the creation and early growth of Takeout 25. Listen / Media archive
WGN Radio / Outside the Loop — Takeout 25 Expands
Conversation about expansion into Austin/Galewood and the future of the initiative. Media archive
Additional Outside the Loop conversations have covered Takeout 25's evolution, Illinois' first Green Dining Hub, sustainability and Boxed Water. Media archive
Print & Digital Media
Chicago Tribune — “Takeout 25 Has Saved Local Restaurants in Oak Park. Now It's Flexing Its Spending Muscle Across the Chicago Border, in Austin.”
Takeout 25 was featured on the Chicago Tribune front page in May 2021. Media archive
Wednesday Journal — “Introducing: Takeout 25 Oak Park” — November 2020
The original story introducing the Takeout 25 idea and its $25-a-week model. Read
Wednesday Journal — “The Takeout 25 Effect” — December 2020
Coverage of Takeout 25's impact and replication in communities around the country. Read
Wednesday Journal — Villager of the Year — January 2021
Recognition of Ravi Parakkat among Oak Park's 2020 Villagers of the Year for creating Takeout 25. Read
Wednesday Journal — “OP's Ravi Parakkat Shares Success of Takeout 25 in New Book” — May 2024
Profile marking the publication of The Takeout 25 Effect. Read
Wednesday Journal — “‘Takeout 25’ Publishes a Cookbook” — November 2025
Feature on the Takeout 25 Community Cookbook and five years of building community through food. Read
Wednesday Journal — Oak Park Village President Election Coverage — 2024–2025
Profiles, candidate forums and reporting on Ravi Parakkat's campaign for Village President. Candidate profile
ICFAI — “An Evening with Ravi Parakkat”
A detailed profile and conversation about Takeout 25, social entrepreneurship, public service, purpose and lessons in community building. Read