Local Voices (Chicago)

Kerl is........very humble, he helped us face our new mic the wrong way. Born in Haiti, he lived with aunts and uncles as his parents earned US citizenship and finally moved to Chicago around age 10, growing up in the Englewood neighborhood. He was basically a prodigy, attending UIC at age 15 and finishing with a double degree in architecture & structural mechanics. Now the president of CARA, Chicago Area Runners Association, he is focused on expanding the sport of running to places like the South Side and suburbs of Chicago where it is less mainstream. Himself having loved running only after transitioning from soccer into duathlons, and running his first marathon because it fell on his birthday, Kerl is uniquely situated to grow the practice, having run every marathon since, except for 2018 because of injury and 2020 because of COVID. He is now a coach for Chicago Endurance Sports and is advising us to hit that famous 20 mile marker before resting up for the marathon. Also, I'm also crazy enough to forget to turn the mic the right way, please support the organization Back on my Feet, which helps homeless people get jobs and into affordable housing, with my fundraising link, http://YourcrazyIsupportit.com. Thank you

Chris is...........kind of a pro..........we might need a new mic. Born in the Chicago suburbs, he played baseball, basketball, and football in high school, went to Wesleyan undergrad, and ISU for grad school for a degree in sports management. After interning for the Buffalo Bills, he decided to take his first job running the biggest market here in Chicago of the Sports & Social Association back in 1997. Fast forward more than 20 years, and Chris has helped turn Chicago into a mecca of volleyball and full team sport utilization of every inch of sportive real estate. Running events and concerts yearly as well, Chicago Sports & Social is providing a huge value to the community life here in the city, and getting people to use the parks and outdoors like no other. Follow @chisportsocial on Instagram, and tag a best friend to join you in an upcoming league. There's pickleball, pickup, and everything you or Scottie Pippen could imagine. Sign up today.

Abi is..........kinda smart. He's figured out the #thing. Born in Puerto Rico, he moved here to Chicago as a baby and grew up mostly near Albany Park. After high school, he found himself working factory jobs and got into IT work for 10 years, before a comedy workshop opened his eyes to the possibility of standup. He hit the mic, and the rest is history. Well, it took a few years, but after cashing out his 401k savings, and leveraging COVID payouts, he eventually quit his job and won the 2020 HBO Latino Comedy Contest, also selling out shows at Zanies and the Laugh Factory here in Chicago. Catch him on IG @abisanchezcomedy, and come by one of his sets, he's legit, he even used to run a Legal Aliens podcast.

Herschel is...........definitely not fucking my couch. The Lyft Driver does sound like Dave Chappelle tho. Born in North Side, Lincoln Park area of Chicago, he broke his neck playing wide receiver in high school, and found that it didn't hurt his dating game. Fast forward to today, he now invests in paper. Day trading the Asian Markets at night, Herschel learnt some secrets working at the Chicago Board & Trade, and now lives a fire life, driving Lyft, trading stocks, and appreciating the great characters of this universe, like New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and Kanye West. If you a Mom, or under 15, maybe put earmuffs on. If not, listen to truth, served chili hot.

Chirine is........someone who falls into things. like multiple Olympics. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she left home when she was 13 years old, to go train as an alpine skiier in France with her coach for 2 years, before moving to the US, to go to school and train in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the exact same slopes as the 2002 Winter Olympics. She went on to carry the flag for Lebanon, in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 games, and was still in her last year at the University of Utah, when she met her husband on a plane after both were standbys and eventually moved to Chicago in 2012. With the spacious Lakeview trail and abundance of running clubs and competitions, Chirine eventually found her competitive drive fully invested in running, and qualified for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics at the Houston Marathon one day. Ever since then she has been running for fun, in addition to working for a healthcare startup, and dropping by various run clubs, always inspiring with her laid back joyful vibes. Follow her on IG @Chirine_Njeim, and come by the Lakeview Run Club or Universal Soles Wednesday run, for a chance to meet her. Either way, just do it, the running thing, she likes Nike.

AC is.........A blessed soul. Born and raised in Chicago, he lived all over the South Side in his youth, and first started cutting hair at 16, when a friend needed his help for an upcoming job interview. He then starting working at a local salon and after graduating high school, pursued his passion at a barber college in Chicago. After working at a few salons, he answered the call from Ishmael & Zariff, Obama's barber, when the Hyde Park Hair Salon was changing locations back in 2007, and needed new young barbers. Still working there 'til this day, AC is an energy source for all in the community, soaking up from morning affirmations and shower prayers, bringing his flow and smile to the shop but also all around Chicago which he travels regularly. Come by Hyde Park Hair Salon to experience his high vibration, and consider becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister if you're in Chicago all year round. We could use a helluva lot more AC's.

Duncan is mellow........pleasantly smooth. As executive chef of Rootstock Wine Bar near Humboldt Park, he has an appreciation for cuisine one can only gain from travel. Born & raised in the Chicago area, he got his first experience in hospitality at a Country Club, before heading to Honolulu to work at a Chili's and experience something different. After attending culinary school, he got a job at Lula Cafe in Logan Square, and his mentor Jason Hammel eventually pushed him to go travel Europe and acquire some real respect for the art of food. After working at an Agriturismo in Italy on top of a mountain, and living in a staff house in England, he came back to Chicago in late 2009 and right off the plane, answered the call to be the executive chef at Rootstock. Serving up unique wines to go and leveraging great relationships with local farms, the restaurant has become a secret haven of high quality, with a small space and no reservations taken. Follow @rootstockbar on Instagram, and come by the Humboldt Park restaurant to experience a taste of, whatever is freshest, in the area.

David is............a man who doesn't stop until he finds.........incredible. Born in Long Island, his father wanted his kids to experience challenges and the raw outdoors, so they bought a farm in Canada. After heading down to Illinois for a soccer scholarship, he transferred back to the Ontario College of Art to fully accept his passion for painting, which his dad inspired in him at an early age. A world traveler, who has always supported himself with the arts, and nothing else, David has a lot of lessons for young artists out there perhaps still chasing the Wow. With a wife and 2 young boys now, he enjoys supporting the family with commission work on painting homes, and capturing light whenever it hits something beautiful, which he does a good bit of searching for. Check out his art @ https://www.davidedallison.com/, and reach out to him for a private showing. He's guaranteed to UP your decor.

KJ is......goin places. An HIIT instructor at places like Eat the Frog Fitness and XSport, a loved co-admin of Lakeview Run Club, and an astute Nutrition Coach, she also holds a fulltime job in Operations. After studying Martial Arts in high school, she got a degree in Supply Chain Management, Accounting, and Communications at the University of Dayton, and freshman year got her first true runners high. A 5 mile 40+ minute run with a friend, the experience opened KJ to a love of running that has continued to this day, many marathons and half-marathons later. Just recently moved out of her parents p[ace, catch KJ co-leading a group of 50-100+ runners every Tuesday at 6pm in Lakeview East. Follow Lakeview Run Club on Facebook and Instagram and experience the joy of running with friends. Wrigley bars afterwards.

Sarah is.......so cool through the fire. A hot yogi momma. After swimming in high school, and studying vocal performance in college, she taught music and had kids, before discovering hot yoga one day with a Groupon at 105F in Wicker Park. Growing in kindness, patience, and compassion, she eventually took a job at a studio in admin management, and took the plunge 8 months ago into a 1 month intensive bikram yoga teacher training with Be Yoga Andersonville. Now thriving and teaching at both Be Yoga and 105F six days a week, she is bringing her vocal training to a sport that truly appreciates it. Competing now in yoga competitions with USA Yoga, Sarah is growing and challenging herself with her newfound teacher energy. Follow her on IG @SarahBeth246, and come by 105F or Be Yoga for a taste of the Bikram highness. It carries.

Tamila is the sound of PURE JOY helping couples and friends climax in their perfect moments. Born in Kazakhstan, her family moved to Russia when she was 2 months old, where she lived for 10 years, before deciding to study music in university. After graduation, she started to travel to concerts in Russia and China before studying in the Kazak National Conservatory, and eventually winning a scholarship to play for the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where she fell in love with the string quartet. She eventually organized her own group and entered competitions, before deciding to pursue her own individualistic ambition and move to the states, after visiting a friend in Chicago. Having been here for 3 years, Tamila started out as an Uber driver, eventually learning how to play legally her viola on the streets, and getting booked to play at weddings and proposals. Now a regular at the Black & Caspian Mediterranean bistro 6 nights a week, she is embracing the chance to have artistic freedom and DJ her own two hour sets in intimate settings. Follow her on IG @Tamila_Viola, and don't be afraid to reach out and message her directly, she is dynamite.

Lynmarie is a local run addict. Born in New Jersey, raised outside of Cleveland, she was very active in different high school sports, and ran to de-stress in college at the Miami University of Ohio, but really only got serious about running when she moved to New York and did the NYC Marathon in '95 and '97. After moving to Chicago, she found run clubs a bit more friendly than in the big apple, and found herself making tons of great friends. She is not alone in combining fun and exercise, as the Chicago Marathon is the second largest in the country, and we all know how much Chicagoans love to gather at watering holes. Just Google "Chicago run clubs" to find one near you, and don't forget to stretch! Check out the Local Voices (Chicago) Meetup page for weekly free yoga sessions every Saturday in Waveland Park, now taught by yours truly, and meet the old guard of Chicago runners at one of the Universal Soles fun runs. Stay lifted.

Beth is the true animal lover of Chicago. Born in Michigan to outdoorsy parents, her family moved across from the Lincoln Park Zoo when she was a young girl, and she would go there all the time, eventually working there in her 20's on their traveling bus. After studying animal behavior in college, and starting her own catering business Park West Catering, eventually she got into the traveling zoo business herself, with her friends always asking her to bring her many pets by to birthday parties and other events. Still very active in the exotic animal space, today Beth brings her creatures by to festivals, libraries, schools, special-ed classes, and nursing homes all over Chicago. As a wife to local BBQ pitmaster, Willie Wagner, she also helps run the restaurant and live music space, Honky Tonq BBQ, in Pilsen and is very active in the community, hosting weddings and other events, at a local convent and garden that she now owns. Check out Scales & Tales Traveling Zoo on Facebook or Yelp, and come by the Honky Tonq BBQ joint or order takeout, for a chance to meet one of our town's epic characters.

Hope is cool.......exactly where she needs to be. As Executive Director of the food bank and soup kitchen, Care for Friends, she and her team specialize in providing services for the homeless without documentation and without barriers. Raised in the South suburbs of Chicago, she majored in international studies and spend time in China teaching children, before working for the Marriott Foundation and their youth with disabilities program at Chicago public high schools. After going to grad school to study conflict transformation and human trafficking, she went to Taiwan to work with victims there, before returning home and finding a position with Care for Friends in 2019. Originally a space for refugees, the soup kitchen has become a community hub where locals in need can find opportunities for affordable housing and stable jobs. Hope has learned the valuable skill of grant writing, and has been expanding the reach of the center with grocery programs and other partnerships. With a $3 million dollar capital projects grant from the state of Illinois on the way, she is preparing to rebuild a whole new center and set up the program for long term success. Get involved by checking out Careforfriends.org, and don't be afraid to become a regular monthly donator, if you live too far away to come volunteer. It is pretty fun if you can make it.

William is serious about acting......even if some of his roles are not so serious. Born in Chicago, he moved to Indiana with his family in his teenage years, went to college for business, got into retail management, and had an epiphany at age 22 that he might want to get into acting. After showing up to an open call in 2016 at a community theatre production, he was cast as a cop and was a natural in the role from the get go. He went on to take some acting classes and in 2018 finally acquired some more flexibility in his life, with a part time job in financial services and some investment income, was able to invest himself more fully in his dream. Hardworking all through COVID, Will has learned some tricks of the trade and developed a nice demo reel of work which he hopes to utilize someday in LA where he plans to be within 5 years. Follow him on IG @williamwh25, and listen in for an interesting discussion on acting, and also a bit of history regarding how Chicago was actually the birthplace of film.

Danny is.......someone with a reason to smile. After moving here to the US with his family after the Holocaust, he got to watch his parents start up their own business, "The Bagel" when he was just 6 years old, and enjoyed working the cash register, typing up menus, and being part of the overall ambience. A restaurant more than a bagelry, Danny learned that certain things just stick, and went on to study psychology as an undergrad, coming back to the restaurant afterwards to help run things. He took over for his father at the end of the '60's, and has seen it grow and change locations numerous times, always enjoying the process. His advice to other local business owners is to simply "hire people who love the business", "people who smile in their interview." You can catch him bicycling the Lakeshore drive, listening to Aretha Franklin or a Cub's game, always ready for whatever new fancy spread (avocado) might need to hit the menu. For authentic, locally adored, Eastern European cuisine and sandwiches, give "The Bagel" a try, and get ready to be smiling the rest of your day.

Joel is........someone who embodies the joy of running. After first jogging with his mom in the cornfields of Indiana, he found his passion for racing and started working at a run shop in high school. After walking on to the IU Cross Country Team, he eventually graduated with a degree in marketing, and became a brand ambassador for Cliff Bar. Always heeding the call to adventure, he bought the Universal Soles Running shop from his buddy in 2008, and proceeded to create a loyal community around fun run events. With online shopping and Amazon starting to eat into his profit margins, he eventually closed the shop in 2017 and turned Universal Soles into an event based organization. The annual Burgers and Beer Fun Run was so loved by locals that it gradually took over Soldier Field, and this year has pivoted to a Twilight Trail Run edition that will take place on August 7th on the Palos Trails outside of Chicago, with big grills & partnership with craft beer company Solemn Oath. As someone who has run 5 Chicago Marathons, helped bring charity Back on my Feet to Chicago, and has served roles with the running organization CARA and the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, Joel is someone who truly champions the sport of running, for solely the joy and fun of it all. Catch him at one of our Wednesday 6:30 runs (https://www.universalsole.com/) (https://www.meetup.com/local-voices-chicago/) and experience the cathartic effect of gathering with running friends.

Fat Linda is.........one of a kind. Probably her own species. Writer, student, artist, fighter, she was born in Kosovo during the war with Serbia, and moved here as a refugee before she was 2. With her name meaning "Lucky Birth", she never cried during the war, and became an extremely well rounded individual. Finishing now her senior year studying Philosophy and Law with a minor in Cinema Studies, she took a gap year during COVID and got a job at LA Fitness here in Chicago. An astute people person, she has excelled at catching "Drag-ins" and opening up new prospective gym-goers to their power. Now a manager, she is looking forward to finishing school, and becoming a published author within five years. Have you felt a bit off this past year with COVID? Have a listen and get woke with Fat Linda.

Paul is the most hardworking comedian in Chicago. Catch him at your local diner shooting emails at midnight. After playing in a band, and working as one of Illinois's top trial lawyers, he discovered his love of comedy at Second City improv classes a few years ago, and got hooked his first time trying standup. Quite traveled nationwide, with his skill for setting up gigs. you can find him most often at the Laugh Factory on the North Side of Chicago, either at one of his themed shows, or just shooting standup with his colleagues. Follow him on IG @paulfarahvar and invite him to brunch.