Metropolis Rising Podcast

In this episode of Metropolis Rising, we're thrilled to welcome Lilian "Lili" Jimenez, an attorney and advocate fighting for greater justice and equity in public policy. With a wealth of experience in direct services, community organizing, and policy advocacy, Lili is dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrant populations and communities of color. Lili's work focuses on ensuring that government and non-profit programs genuinely serve the needs of their communities. She's been a passionate advocate for immigration rights, health justice, workers' rights, and criminal justice reform. Her impressive career includes leadership positions with Workers United (an SEIU affiliate), the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Office of Immigrant & Refugee Services, and more. Now, Lili is running to represent Illinois' 4th District in the State House of Representatives. Join us as we explore her inspiring journey and vision for a more equitable future.We apologize in advance for an audio glitch that arose during the episode.

In this episode of Metropolis Rising, we sit down with Victoria "Vicki" Cervantes, a dedicated activist with a lifetime of experience fighting for justice. Vicki's journey began in high school during the civil rights and anti-war movements of the Vietnam era. For decades, she has been a pillar of Chicago's Mexican community, advocating for community and labor rights. After the military coup in Honduras in June 2009, Vicki co-founded the Honduras Solidarity Network and now serves as its North American coordinator. She regularly travels to Honduras, supports campesino and indigenous communities, engages with the broader resistance movement, and works as a human rights observer. Join us as we delve into Vicki's inspiring story and her unwavering commitment to social justice.

In this episode, we feature the incredible Latinx artist Martin Sorrondeguy, also known as Martin Crudo. You might know Martin as the founding member, lead vocalist, and lyricist of the legendary Latinx hardcore punk band Los Crudos. The band's powerful lyrics spoke to the Latinx experience in the US and resonated with popular struggles across Latin America, making waves worldwide.  Growing up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, the heart of the city's Mexican community, Martin's musical journey began in the '90s. Since then, he's gone on to other unique projects, like the queercore punk band Limp Wrist and his latest venture, a solo electronic dance music project called NRRRV. As if that weren't enough, Martin is also a talented photographer. Please tune in to hear his inspiring story and the incredible impact he's had on the music scene and beyond.

Welcome to the first episode of Metropolis Rising. We start our first episode with a conversation with Maya Schenwar. Maya is the driving force behind the social justice news website TruthOut, serving as its editor-in-chief. In this episode, Maya opens up about her sister Keeley, who sadly passed away at the age of 29. She shares Keeley's struggles with drug addiction, her experiences with the prison system from the age of 14, and the incredible strength Keeley showed in the face of adversity, including giving birth to her first child while incarcerated. Maya is no stranger to the world of prison reform. As an activist journalist, she's penned numerous essays and books on the topic, including her latest, "Prison By Any Other Name." Please listen to her unique insights and the inspiring legacy of Keeley's resistance against a harsh system.

 Lilian Jimenez is an attorney who advocates for greater justice and equity in public policy.  She has extensive experience in direct services, community organizing, and policy advocacy, with a special focus on promoting the rights of immigrant populations and communities of color.  Lili works to ensure that government, as well as non-profit programs, are aligned with the needs of the communities that they are supposed to serve.  She has dedicated herself to the issues of immigration, health justice, workers' rights, and criminal justice reform.Lili has held leadership positions with:  Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU); the Fair Labor Standards Division of the Illinois Department of Labor; the Illinois Office of Immigrant & Refugee Services; the State of Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); she was also a Civil Rights Investigator in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Lilian Jimenez is also currently running as a candidate to represent the State of Illinois' 4th District in the State House of Representatives.We also want to apologize in advance for some mild background noise in the audio during the latter part of the interview.Host:  Nicholas De GenovaProducer & Editor:  Magdalena Rodriguez

In this episode of Metropolis Rising, our guest is Victoria Cervantes.  Vicki is a lifelong activist who first became politicized in high school in the mid-to-late-1960s during the social upheaval of the Vietnam era's civil rights and anti-war movements.  Vicki has been a community and labor activist for decades in Chicago's Mexican community, where she has raised her family.  After the military coup in Honduras in June 2009, Vicki helped to found the Honduras Solidarity Network and serves as the network's North American coordinator.  She has traveled regularly to Honduras, where she spends time in the campesino and indigenous communities and the broader resistance movement, and works as a human rights observer. Host  Nicholas De GenovaProducer & Editor  Magdalena Rodriguez

In Episode 2 of Metropolis Rising, my guest is Latinx artist Martin Sorrondeguy (also known as Martin Crudo).  Martin is best known as the founder, lead singer, and lyricist of the Latinx hardcore punk bank, Los Crudos, who quickly came to have an impact around the world.  The lyrics of the band’s songs spoke politically to the Latinx experience in the United States but also responded to popular struggles across Latin America.  The band originated in the 1990s in the Pilsen neighborhood, the center of the political and cultural life of Chicago’s Mexican community, where Martin grew up.  Later, Sorrondeguy moved on to other musical projects, including the queercore punk band, Limp Wrist, and most recently a solo electronic dance music project called NRRRV.  Martin is also an accomplished photographer.   

On the first episode of Metropolis Rising, our guest is Maya Schenwar. Maya is editor-in-chief of the social justice news website, TruthOut. Following the one-year anniversary of her sister Keeley’s death at the age of 29, Maya reflects on Keeley’s struggles with drug addiction, her life in and out of prison beginning when she was 14 years old, the delivery of her first child in prison, and the enduring inspiration of Keeley’s resistance against the cruel injustices that shaped her experience. Much of Maya’s work focuses on prison and related topics. She is an activist journalist who has authored numerous essays and several books. Her latest book is called Prison By Any Other Name.