Podcasts about west sides

About a decade ago, 38,000 Chicago residents lived more than a mile from a supermarket or superstore. That number jumped to 102,000 residents by 2023, according to a WBEZ and Sun-Times analysis. A wave of grocery store closures on the South and West Sides last year prompted Mayor Brandon Johnson to propose a city-owned grocery store as one solution. And community members are building creative models to address this issue sooner rather than later. Reset sat down with three of the people working on bringing their visions of food justice in Chicago to life. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

The city of Chicago and Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson is calling on city authorities to give black residents fewer parking tickets in an effort to push “racial equity.”“Chicago has a long history of racial disparities and social inequities, especially on the South and West Sides. As a longtime resident of Chicago's West Side, I see the devastating impact systemic inequality can have on a neighborhood and its residents,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johsnon said.In order to achieve “racial equity,” Johnson said, “we must acknowledge the injustices of the past and consistently include those who are most impacted by inequality in our policy and decision making, not just when it is easy or convenient.”“Demonstrating proper accountability towards people and the outcomes we are committing to is vital,” the mayor added. “I am confident that this is just the beginning, and that the impact of this work will last for generations to come. I am proud of the work that is being done thus far  to build systemic equity and secure racial justice for our residents.”Support the show

There is more news being made by the Democratic Party about its 2024 Presidential Convention next summer at the United Center and McCormick Place in Chicago. Good news. The convention will be chaired by Minyon Moore of the South and West Sides of Chicago. Miss Moore is aiming to raise $85 million and working on […]

Crain's contributor Judith Crown talks with host Amy Guth about supermarkets and food access in the wake of a wave of recent closures of big brand stores on the South and West sides. Plus: Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund says no to Lincoln Yards, ousted Discover CEO gets 2023 stock grants taken away, feds scoff at Outcome Health founders' attempt to flip convictions and Illinois warned over lengthy Medicaid call wait times.

Entrepreneur, proud Chicagoan and first-generation Mexican American Lucy Angel Camarena was inspired by her heritage to create several organizations highlighting and supporting Little Village. She owns Flores Campo Santo, a floral shop inspired by Mexican flowers and arrangements; she co-founded Grocery Run Club to support food security on the city's South and West Sides, from which came an actual running club sponsored by Lululemon; she's been working in event production since 2018; and she helps run home goods store Comercio Popular. At the core of all her endeavors is the goal to remind people of Chicago's passion and creativity. This is what her Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was produced by Ari Mejia. To learn more about Lucy Angel Camarena, follow her on Instagram @lucyangelcamarena.

Also in the news: Trial begins today in ComEd bribery case; Illinois Supreme Court to hear arguments on the SAFE-T Act; Chicago Fire to build a new training facility on the Near West Side and more.

Also in the news: Trial begins today in ComEd bribery case; Illinois Supreme Court to hear arguments on the SAFE-T Act; Chicago Fire to build a new training facility on the Near West Side and more.

Also in the news: Trial begins today in ComEd bribery case; Illinois Supreme Court to hear arguments on the SAFE-T Act; Chicago Fire to build a new training facility on the Near West Side and more.

Shamus Toomey, Editor in Chief and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joined Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. Shamus had details on: Chicago's Tourism Bureau Lands $5.5 Million Grant To Bring More Visitors To City Neighborhoods: Twelve neighborhoods primarily on the South and West sides will be added to the city’s marketing efforts […]

Sam Spitz is a businessman, real-estate investor and youth mentor. Sam also serves on the Board of Directors for Chicago Votes, mentors youth on Chicago's South and West Sides, and speaks with his award-winning documentary film The Greens.You can contact Sam via instagram @sam_spitz or on twitter at @spitzsam

Each fall, Chicago media report a consistent trend – declining enrollment at Chicago Public Schools. Of those who left by the start of the 2022 school year, about 18,000 moved to a school outside Chicago, 3,000 transferred to private schools, 2,000 dropped out and 1,400 opted for home schooling. Overall, CPS's net loss of students was 10,000. This year's drop came in the wake of COVID upheaval at the district, including a protracted fight between the teachers union and the district over the safety of in-person instruction. But a new report finds there are much larger forces at work, and it's not just impacting big cities like Chicago. The report comes from Kids First Chicago, a group founded by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago that's dedicated to advocating for parents, particularly on the city's South and West Sides. The report identifies three key drivers of the enrollment slide at CPS. One, people are having fewer kids overall. Two, the growth of Latino families is slowing. Three, there is an accelerated out-migration of Black families. The solutions aren't clear in this report – Kids First is embarking on a second installment that includes input from parents. The authors do suggest there are opportunities to win families back, but it's likely a decades-long quest that will take a big change in policy approach beyond the walls of the district itself. This episode is a two-parter. The guest in the second segment discusses rising enrollments at Catholic Schools. This fall, Archdiocese of Chicago schools saw the student headcount climb for the first time in at least three decades. It jumped by nearly 7% across 157 schools. At a portion of Chicago schools that are getting extra financial support from the philanthropic group Big Shoulders Fund, numbers are up by ​​8%, with pre-k enrollment increasing 28%. The first voice you're going to hear is Hal Woods, chief of policy at Kids First Chicago. The other voice you'll hear in the first conversation is Daniel Anello, Kids First's CEO. Later, you'll hear from Joshua Hale, president and CEO of Big Shoulders Fund.

Hello Friends! I've been sitting on this episode forever, and I'm so excited to get this episode out, and what more perfect time, when people will be getting flowers and wreaths to decorate their homes for the holidays, as well as honey to sweeten your various holiday teas. This episode I had the pleasure of chatting with Cade Kamaleson, program officer of Chicago Eco House, a local flower farm located on the south and west sides of Chicago. This is a great conversation, and we talk about all of the awesome work the organization is doing.  Listen and Share!  Resources: Chicago Eco House Southside Blooms Chicago Reader Article on Chicago Flower Farms WTTW: On South and West Sides, Business is Blooming for Eco-Friendly Florist  Youtube: Can YOU Fix Climate Change? Signup for the newsletter here: Off The Beaten Podcast Newsletter Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any upcoming episodes. Also, please take a moment to rate and review OTBP on your favorite podcast app. Follow OTBP on Social Media: Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / Website / Podchaser I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Got something to say? Give us a call and leave a voicemail: (312) 488-9068 Email us: beingsillyinthecity@gmail.com Also don't be afraid to slide into my DM's on any of the social media platforms.  You can also support the podcast by Buying Me a Cup of Coffee. Every dollar donated goes into helping me make the podcast better. buymeacoffee.com/OffTheBeatenPodcast

Dima Salaberrios, pastor and film-maker, joins Steve Bertrand on Chicago’s Afternoon News to discuss his new documentary, Chicago: America’s Hidden War, which explores how gun violence in the city impacts the lives of people living on the South and West Sides. Follow Your Favorite Chicago’s Afternoon News Personalities on Twitter:Follow @SteveBertrand Follow @kpowell720 Follow @maryvandeveldeFollow […]

Thousands of pieces of delayed or undelivered mail. Inaccurate reporting of mail conditions. Mail sitting at post offices for days. These are some of the issues flagged in a recent report from the USPS Office of the Inspector General investigating complaints involving four post offices on the South and West Sides. Reset takes a closer look at ongoing mail issues in the Chicago area and what’s being done to address them. For more Reset interviews, subscribe to this podcast and please leave us a rating. That helps other listeners find us. For more about the program, go to the WBEZ website or follow us on Twitter at @WBEZreset

Thousands of pieces of delayed or undelivered mail. Inaccurate reporting of mail conditions. Mail sitting at post offices for days. These are some of the issues flagged in a recent report from the U.S. Postal Services’ Office of the Inspector General that investigated complaints involving four post offices on the South and West Sides. Reset takes a closer look at ongoing mail delivery issues in the Chicago area and what’s being done to address them.

Chicago's vaccine rollout to low-income areas is not getting to the people who need it most. Many of the appointments are going to Chicago's suburbanites. Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Executive Director Patrick Brosnan joins John to discuss why leadership is to blame for the failed COVID-19 vaccination program.

This episode of #BTLRadioShow takes us from the social consciousness of A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE in Chicago to the wild and wacky world of WILLY'S WONDERLAND. First up is our exclusive conversation with director KEVIN LEWIS going in-depth on the wild and wonderful world of WILLY'S WONDERLAND starring Nic Cage! Who doesn't love a Nic Cage film – especially when he's being Nic Cage at the top of his game. And that's exactly what we get from him in WILLY'S WONDERLAND. Listen as Kevin talks about his attraction to G.O. Parson's script, working with Cage in developing the character of "The Janitor", Molly Coffee's detailed production design, cinematography and developing extreme dutched angles and explosive use of color and light in collaboration with his cinematographer David Newbert, scoring by Emoi, and so much more. Then we shift gears as director/producer JASON POLEVOI joins us live talking about his documentary A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE which had its world premiere at the virtual 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. Focusing on the story of Chicago native, Jahmal Cole and his My Block, My Hood, My City organization which brings hope and opportunity to teenagers across Chicago's segregated South and West Sides, the film follows a formative year for Jahmal as he makes the hard decisions and sacrifices for the community over himself. Listen as Jason talks about the genesis of the documentary, the multi-year course of shooting, shifting through-line of the film's focus, narrowing the scope of story to one year and making the decision as to which year would be the focus, the lengthy and challenging editing process, and more. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com

Jahmal Cole is the confident and charismatic leader of My Block, My Hood, My City: an organization that brings hope and opportunity to teenagers across Chicago's segregated South and West Sides. Away from the spotlight of his important work though, Jahmal is in the fight of his life as he battles to keep his home out of foreclosure, his marriage alive, and himself out of harm's way. A Tiny Ripple of Hope follows a formative year for Jahmal as he struggles with everything he must sacrifice so that the people and the city he loves can prosper. About the Director: Jason Polevoi is a founding partner of the Chicago-based production company One City Films and the first-time feature Director and Producer of the Slamdance Film Festival premiering documentary A Tiny Ripple of Hope. Jason’s previous credits include the Chicago/Midwest Emmy-winning documentary F*** Your Hair, the Independent Lens series The Calling, and A Regional Taste, a first-of-its-kind docuseries for the James Beard Foundation.   About Jahmal Cole: A champion of social justice, Jahmal Cole’s mission is to build a more interconnected Chicago on the pillars of service and education. As the founder and CEO of the city’s fastest-growing social impact organization, My Block • My Hood • My City, Jahmal is the creator of an exposure-based education program for teens and a network of volunteer initiatives that serve Chicago communities year-round.  In 2018, Jahmal was named a Chicagoan of the Year (http://go2.mailengine1.com/click/fcoj-2czupr-ypn3sx-gewyggp8/) by Chicago Magazine, in 2019, he was named to Crain’s 40 under 40 (http://go2.mailengine1.com/click/fcoj-2czupr-ypn3sy-gewyggp9/) , and in 2020 he was awarded the American Red Cross Community Impact Hero Award.

The inspiring, gritty documentary, A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE, focuses on Jahmal Cole with his My Block, My Hood, My City: an organization bringing hope and opportunity to teenagers across Chicago's segregated South and West Sides. Cole is charismatic and charming, and the beating heart of his community –because he does care so very much (his home mortgage is used to fund his organization!). This aspirational feature film documentary A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE from award winning filmmaker Jason Polevoi will make its world premiere at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival (February 12th – 25th, 2021) as a Competition Documentary and the film follows a formative year for Jahmal as he struggles with everything he must sacrifice so that the people and the city he loves can prosper. Director Jason Polevoi joins us to talk about the complex and occasionally chaotic life and work of Jahmal Cole as well as documenting the systemic barriers that far too many people living in Chicago’s poorest zip codes are forced to navigate and the joy of watching so many, including Jahmal, forge their way towards a better future. For news and updates go to: onecityfilms.com To watch A Tiny Ripple of Hope go to: slamdance.com

Chicago bluesman, Alligator recording artist and multiple BMA Award winner Nick Moss shares stories from his celebrated career, taking us from the South and West Sides of Chicago to his songwriting, studio work, guitar playing and lessons learned from some legendary bluesmen.

Shelton Banks is CEO of re:work training, a Chicago-based non-profit that is reshaping hiring trends by training and supporting individuals from underrepresented, underserved, and non-traditional backgrounds; empowering them to start and keep careers in sales & technology.  Shelton joined re:work in July of 2018 to drive the organization's vision of solving three major problems: the growing wealth gap between Chicago's South and West Sides and the rest of the city, the tech industry's staggering lack of Black and Latinx professionals, as well as the way companies have historically thought about hiring candidates who may not check all the typical boxes. Under his direction, re:work candidates on average jump from making around $19,000 to $55,000/year base salary with full benefits - not including commission and bonuses - and the nonprofit has helped create $3M and counting in earned income that empowers not only alumni, but their families and neighborhoods as well.    His efforts have been recognized by major local news outlets, like Fox News Chicago, WGN News Radio, Money Matters with Adam Torres, and tastytrade's Bootstrapping in America.

Chicago’s “Invest South/West” program is underway as sites have been selected for development and reinvestment on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Reset is joined by Asiaha Butler of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood and Norma Sanders of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation to learn how this will impact their communities.

Pastor Corey Brooks joins John Williams to discuss the gun violence that’s severely riddled the South and West Sides the last couple of weeks and beyond. Pastor Brooks describes his interventions with gang leaders and how he hopes to prevent them from taking the lives of witnesses who “snitch.”

Pastor Corey Brooks joins John Williams to discuss the gun violence that’s severely riddled the South and West Sides the last couple of weeks and beyond. Pastor Brooks describes his interventions with gang leaders and how he hopes to prevent them from taking the lives of witnesses who “snitch.”

Jen Sabella, the director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joined Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provided details on the new block-watching program on the South and West Sides; black-owned businesses have seen a boost from social media campaigns, but owners want customers to keep fighting for racial […]

The Greater Chicago Food Depository has partnered up with seven faith- and community-based organizations and the City of Chicago to deliver truckloads of food to several pop-up food pantries on Chicago’s South and West Sides. Greg Trotter, senior manager for public relations at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, joined Rollye James to tell us more […]

On this episode, Andrea and Jim discuss the train wreck of CPS' school funding formula with sociology professor Stephanie Farmer. CPS calls it Student-Based Budgeting, but it has damaging consequences for students, teachers, and whole communities, particularly those school communities on the majority-Black South and West Sides. Dr. Farmer's recent paper on the subject is accessible, clear, and compelling, and you can find it here. Share your thoughts and questions with the CTU Speaks! team by emailing ctuspeaks@ctulocal1.org or calling 312 467 8888.

Chicago footwork got its start on the South and West Sides in the 1980s. And One Chicago nonprofit is working to keep footwork alive in the communities where it got started.

Residents in the greater Chicago area are regularly told not to go to the South and West Sides of the city.Reset sits down with Folded Map Project creator about people are challenging this word-of-mouth culture.

The Pritzker Traubert Foundation is offering a $10 million grant to a single community-driven initiative aimed at bettering the lives of residents on the South and West Sides of Chicago. Reset sits down with one of the Chicago Prize finalists.

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" Davis Sisters - "12 Gates to the City" [The compilation offers a number of hit recordings along with numerous musical treasures just waiting to be discovered. The collection includes Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Rev. James Cleveland, along with other notable artists such as The Gospel Keynotes, Solomon Burke, The Caravans and The Mississippi Mass Choir. This set is also one of the first, if not the first, to explore in depth the mass choir phenomenon that not only dominated gospel radio from the mmid-1970s to the early 1990s but also produced many of today’s top-selling songwriters, soloists and musicians.] Harlem Gospel Travelers - "He's On Time" ["The Harlem Gospel Travelers are not from Harlem. They came to Harlem, however, from far-flung corners of the five boroughs of New York City, and it was in Harlem, that legendary center of African-American culture, that they found their voices. As members of the music education program Gospel For Teens, these young men spent many hours on the subway or the bus to ultimately end up at an unassuming brownstone on W. 126th Street. They walked through the red door at the parlor level, the one with the cross on it, and inside they found a world of music. Gospel music.] Messiahs of Glory - "No Other Love" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) [this collection of rare black gospel from the Midwest—featuring church congregations, basement recordings sessions, family bands and children’s choirs—is drawn together by two threads. The first—hope—which holds fast and unchanging, even in the most trying of circumstances. The second—circumstance—the way these recordings fell into the hands of producer, Ramona Stout, in Chicago at the dawn of the Obama era, when she had just about lost hope in her American Dream. Over the course of five years (2006-2011) of vinyl hustling in Chicago’s South and West Sides, these 45s came into Ramona’s hands, mixed up in milk-crates stacked with Northern Soul, water-damaged jazz and Hall and Oates LPs. After much travel and time, Ramona has articulated the spirit that drove this music forward. In this collection, she writes of this music and its relationship to the struggling communities where the records were found. Sourced from exceedingly rare 45s—many of which were vanity pressings of less than 100 copies—all but one of the tracks found on this collection appear for the first time since their original release. Remastered by Grammy-winning producer Christopher King, these recordings have been resurrected for a new generation of listeners. With art direction by Grammy-winning graphic designer Susan Archie, this collection is a tangible, immersive experience in the struggles—the victories, the failures and the lingering hope—that defined Chicago in the post-Civil Rights era.] National Independent Singers - "Someday We'll Be Together" - Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton's Raw Detroit Gospel 1969-1974 Silver Harps - "I'm Pressing On" - Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton's Raw Detroit Gospel 1969-1974 Rev. John Thomas And The New Christian Fellowship Church Choirs - "Christ Rose" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) Harlem Gospel Travelers - "Am I Doing Enough" - He's On Time Joanne & Sonny - "Rocky Roady" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) Edith Moreno - "Get Ready For Judgement Day" [Ups to DJ Greg Belson.] LA Shouting Stars - "What Would I Do" Stars of Glory - "I'm Going Away" Swanee Quintet - "Dr. Jesus" - Gospel According to Malaco [Renowned author and researcher Robert Marovich tells the stories of the 100 recordings contained in the eight CD anthology. Marovich, the author of the authoritative A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music, hosts a weekly gospel show on Chicago WLUW 88.7 and runs the superb website, The Journal of Gospel Music. A meticulous researcher, his liner notes greatly complement the music included here. About the project, Marovich notes, “Never before have so many memorable gospel songs from so many significant gospel stars been collected in one package. These songs brightened spirits when they were released and continue to do so today whenever they are heard. This collection presents some of the best of African American gospel music and does it with the grace and dignity the songs deserve.”] Jessy Dixon and the Dixon Singers - "Wade in the Water" [https://www.dublab.com/archive/greg-belson-the-divine-chord-gospel-show-pt-64-10-26-16 Greg's superb gospel show on LA's Dublab radio and online station. Divine Chord Gospel. Check it!] Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "Precious Memories" - Gospel According to Malaco Ward Singers - "Packing Up" - Gospel According to Malaco https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/89972

Silver Quintette - "Sinner's Crossroads" Davis Sisters - "12 Gates to the City" [The compilation offers a number of hit recordings along with numerous musical treasures just waiting to be discovered. The collection includes Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Rev. James Cleveland, along with other notable artists such as The Gospel Keynotes, Solomon Burke, The Caravans and The Mississippi Mass Choir. This set is also one of the first, if not the first, to explore in depth the mass choir phenomenon that not only dominated gospel radio from the mmid-1970s to the early 1990s but also produced many of today’s top-selling songwriters, soloists and musicians.] Harlem Gospel Travelers - "He's On Time" ["The Harlem Gospel Travelers are not from Harlem. They came to Harlem, however, from far-flung corners of the five boroughs of New York City, and it was in Harlem, that legendary center of African-American culture, that they found their voices. As members of the music education program Gospel For Teens, these young men spent many hours on the subway or the bus to ultimately end up at an unassuming brownstone on W. 126th Street. They walked through the red door at the parlor level, the one with the cross on it, and inside they found a world of music. Gospel music.] Messiahs of Glory - "No Other Love" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) [this collection of rare black gospel from the Midwest—featuring church congregations, basement recordings sessions, family bands and children’s choirs—is drawn together by two threads. The first—hope—which holds fast and unchanging, even in the most trying of circumstances. The second—circumstance—the way these recordings fell into the hands of producer, Ramona Stout, in Chicago at the dawn of the Obama era, when she had just about lost hope in her American Dream. Over the course of five years (2006-2011) of vinyl hustling in Chicago’s South and West Sides, these 45s came into Ramona’s hands, mixed up in milk-crates stacked with Northern Soul, water-damaged jazz and Hall and Oates LPs. After much travel and time, Ramona has articulated the spirit that drove this music forward. In this collection, she writes of this music and its relationship to the struggling communities where the records were found. Sourced from exceedingly rare 45s—many of which were vanity pressings of less than 100 copies—all but one of the tracks found on this collection appear for the first time since their original release. Remastered by Grammy-winning producer Christopher King, these recordings have been resurrected for a new generation of listeners. With art direction by Grammy-winning graphic designer Susan Archie, this collection is a tangible, immersive experience in the struggles—the victories, the failures and the lingering hope—that defined Chicago in the post-Civil Rights era.] National Independent Singers - "Someday We'll Be Together" - Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton's Raw Detroit Gospel 1969-1974 Silver Harps - "I'm Pressing On" - Sacred Sounds: Dave Hamilton's Raw Detroit Gospel 1969-1974 Rev. John Thomas And The New Christian Fellowship Church Choirs - "Christ Rose" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) Harlem Gospel Travelers - "Am I Doing Enough" - He's On Time Joanne & Sonny - "Rocky Roady" - No Other Love: Midwest Gospel (1965-1978) Edith Moreno - "Get Ready For Judgement Day" [Ups to DJ Greg Belson.] LA Shouting Stars - "What Would I Do" Stars of Glory - "I'm Going Away" Swanee Quintet - "Dr. Jesus" - Gospel According to Malaco [Renowned author and researcher Robert Marovich tells the stories of the 100 recordings contained in the eight CD anthology. Marovich, the author of the authoritative A City Called Heaven: Chicago and the Birth of Gospel Music, hosts a weekly gospel show on Chicago WLUW 88.7 and runs the superb website, The Journal of Gospel Music. A meticulous researcher, his liner notes greatly complement the music included here. About the project, Marovich notes, “Never before have so many memorable gospel songs from so many significant gospel stars been collected in one package. These songs brightened spirits when they were released and continue to do so today whenever they are heard. This collection presents some of the best of African American gospel music and does it with the grace and dignity the songs deserve.”] Jessy Dixon and the Dixon Singers - "Wade in the Water" [https://www.dublab.com/archive/greg-belson-the-divine-chord-gospel-show-pt-64-10-26-16 Greg's superb gospel show on LA's Dublab radio and online station. Divine Chord Gospel. Check it!] Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "Precious Memories" - Gospel According to Malaco Ward Singers - "Packing Up" - Gospel According to Malaco http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/89972

Manufacturing on Chicago’s South and West Sides kept whole communities squarely in the middle class. But when those jobs left in the 1960’s and 70’s, there was no plan to re-invigorate the neighborhoods or retrain the people. Those areas of the city are still feeling the effects of the economic shift. We take a deep dive with 4 WBEZ reporters who’ve been telling the story of Chicago’s manufacturing losses.Plus Dennis Rodkin brings us the history of the ornate Murphy Auditorium just off the Magnificent Mile on E. Erie.

This week on Connected To Chicago the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioner’s Toni Preckwinkle joins the show. Bill and Toni discuss her working relationship with Mayor Lightfoot, Thoughts on President Trump, and Criminal Justice reform. In this week's round table segment, Bill is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line, Lynn Sweet and Fran Spielman of The Chicago Sun-Times. The discussion opens up with the recent office raids of Democratic Sen. Martin Sandoval, and the Mayor of McCook Jeff Tobolski. The Impeachment inquiry continues, and Lynn provides an update from Washington D.C. Are there any similarity to the Water Gate scandal? The Chicago Teachers Union has voted to authorize a strike. Will it happen or not? This week’s Community Spotlight is with Nick Gale. Nick explains the details on the $3.6 million investment in the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund,  which will give small businesses and entrepreneurs on the South and West Sides additional access to capital to create jobs.  Mayor Lightfoot along with Steve Hall, Vice President of Small Business Lending with the  Local Initiatives Support Corporation, both talk about the importance of small businesses in the community and the capitol they need to get started. One small business owner who has gotten help is Jimmie Williams. He owns a small local landscaping company called Urban Roots, and was recently able to secure a loan through LISC for a new office building. The new investments bring the total funding committed to the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund to over $9 million to support minority entrepreneurs on Chicago’s South and West Sides.

Retired investigative journalist Thomas Hargrove is the founder of the Murder Accountability Project.  The data he’s collected has led the Chicago Police Department and the FBI to look into the possibility that a serial killer has been murdering women on the South and West Sides over a 20 year period. And the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, has won a special posthumous Pulitzer citation prize "for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades”

Sal is ready for the actual T. Devlyn is taking us all back to Pawnee. We celebrate our book giveaway of “Dugan’s Bistro and the Legend of the Bearded Lady” by Owen Keehnen! (Don’t forget the upcoming Bearded event at Unabridged Bookstore.)Our special guest JACOB TOBIA joins us to talk about faith, gender, and grandma fashion. Get your tickets now to their March 12 event at WeWork, in conversion with Imp Queen! They’ll be discussing their brand new memoir SISSY: A COMING-OF-GENDER STORY. It’s f*cking gorgeous. Please purchase.Check out more about Brave Space Alliance right here! They’re the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ Center located on the South Side of Chicago, and designed to create and provide affirming and culturally competent services for the entire LGBTQ community of Chicago. Brave Space Alliance was created to fill a gap in the organizing of and services to trans and gender-nonconforming people on the South and West Sides of Chicago.Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @theythempod theypodcast.com to submit content, suggestions, or if you are a Chicago pro-LGBTQ+ business interested in sponsoring the show!Music by Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

"Settlement" is a roving sculptural installation that uncovers the material and human connections between Chicago's North and West side communities and the histories that bind them. The ghostly architectural sculptures are currently on display until 11/11 on the northern tip of Lincoln Park and serve as a meditation on access, territory, and migration. Artists Susy Bielak and Fred Schmalz from Settlement spoke with Jill Hopkins on The Morning AMp about the installation and the public programs surrounding it. For more info, visit: http://www.balasandwax.com/settlement

Today on the Friday News Wrap, guest host Nathan Sterner takes a look back at a week of dramatic political news, from the Paul Manafort trial to the arrest of a Republican congressman on corruption charges, and a special congressional election in Ohio that’s given Democrats new hope for winning a majority in the House this November. NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley joins Nathan on the line from NPR studios in Washington to help us make sense of it all. Then, we’ll hear how the city of Chicago is dealing with last weekend’s spasm of gun violence in the city's South and West Sides, in which at least 70 people were shot and 12 victims died. Nathan talks with the Reverend Gregory Livingston, the Interim Pastor at Chicago's New Hope Baptist Church. He's a prominent faith leader who’s been active in protesting the city's daily violence -- and how city leaders have been respondingto it.And we close the hour with Melody Simmons, real estate and development reporter for the Baltimore Business Journal, who joins Nathan in the studio to talk about the Journal’s new two-part series of articles spotlighting the brighter sides of Baltimore, called Stop Aplogizing, Baltimore. BBJ editors say the series is intended to accentuate the positive about a city that’s usually framed in terms of rising crime, poverty and political dysfunction. And they're hoping that readers of the series will be inspired to join a larger conversation about the future of Charm City: BBJ is hosting a public forum to discuss the series on Tuesday Aug. 28, on the second floor of 36 S. Charles St. Coffee, doughnuts and networking will be on tap starting at 8am. The discussion will be led by BBJ's editors and reporters, and include prominent local leaders and businesspeople. Audience members are invited to ask questions and share their ideas.To register for this free event, contact April House at ahouse@bizjournals.com.

“This is Chicago from my lens and I think Chicago is vibrant. I think it is colorful. I think it is full of life,” South Side native and creator of The Chi, Lena Waithe, explains in an interview with the Weekly’s Olivia Obineme and Erisa Apantaku. The conversation covers the genesis of the Showtime series - a mix of James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and news reports from Chicago - and the practicalities of shooting a series in Chicago’s South and West Sides. Waithe also discusses black queer representation in Hollywood and her new project Twenties, which was recently picked up by TBS. South Side Weekly Radio airs live on Tuesdays from 3-4pm at WHPK 88.5 FM - The Pride of the South Side - with your hosts Andrew Koski, Sam Larsen, and Olivia Obineme. The bumper at the beginning featured Chicago scholar, artist, and activist Eve Ewing and was produced by Jed Lickerman. For more news, visit www.southsideweekly.com.

Erisa Apantaku interviews Sol Patches - gender abolitionist and musicmaker from the South and West Sides - along with collaborator Chaski So, about their newest album "Garden City." During the hour we also share some listeners' New Year's wishes and resolutions. Later, hosts Olivia Obineme and Erisa Apantaku interview writer Hanna Addis about her upcoming piece on Olatunji Oboi Reed, a transit equality activist from Chatham. To close out the hour, we share an interview with Sol Patches from last September. Recorded live from WHPK 88.5 FM - The Pride of the South Side with your hosts Erisa Apantaku and Olivia Obineme. The bumper at the beginning of the show featured members of HUEY Gang and was produced by Jed Lickerman. You can find Sol Patches' music at: https://solpatches.bandcamp.com/. For more news, visit www.southsideweekly.com.

Musical episode double feature! First, Erisa Apantaku interviews Sol Patches, a musician from the South and West Sides of Chicago. Then, Erisa Apantaku interviews Oni Duval, a multi-genre bassist and composer. Both talk about their upcoming musical projects and their inspirations. Between interviews, the Weekly Read delivers her opinion on the origin of natural disasters. The Weekly Read was produced by Erisa Apantaku. Music heard during The Weekly Read was "Cirrus" by Blue Dot Sessions, available on www.freemusicarchive.org. For more news, visit www.southsideweekly.com.

Jacob Allen was the first-ever youth president for the NAACP in Wisconsin and a Teach for America corps member in Chicago. But it wasn’t either of those roles that landed him on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list this past January. Rather, it was his efforts to bring an important topic back into K-12 schools—the idea of a student’s self-identity. In 2013, Allen and his cofounder Marie Dandie created pilotED Schools, an afterschool program that has a three-tiered curriculum, specifically focusing on developing students in the realms of academic success, civic engagement and social identity. Over the last few years, pilotED has worked with more than 100 school students and families on Chicago’s South and West Sides. But pilotED isn’t just about helping existing schools anymore. Allen and Dandie will soon be launching the first pilotED brick-and-mortar school—a daunting but unique opportunity. EdSurge sat down with Allen last week to discover how his new school model is tackling themes of trauma and citizenship in the classroom—the stuff that can really impact students’ academic success.

Many of the organizations and groups mentioned on AirGo have developed in response to ways that existing institutions have failed to successfully serve the purpose they claim to serve, from the classroom to the corner to the studio. News media has also largely failed its purpose of honestly, fairly, and accurately telling the stories of Chicago. This week's guests, Andrea Hart and Darryl Holliday, are editors of City Bureau, an organization "aiming to restore civic media coverage of the South and West Sides of Chicago by training a new generation of young reporters in the practice of urban journalism." In this meeting of the media minds between City Bureau and AirGo live some ideas for how to continue extending the Chicago Renaissance onto the newsprint and airwaves that are tasked with telling the truth. Recorded live 2/18/16 at WHPK in Chicago Music from this week's show: Into the Trees - Kodyak Mercury Rising - @themindmusic BLK PR (feat. @ali-of-new-kingz, sydshawmusic, & Chapo)- @kingronthepoet

A North Carolina native, Anthony grew up with the desire to act from an early age. His college years were interrupted by some harrowing twists and turns, but Anthony graduated from East Carolina University in 1992 with a BFA in Communication Arts. In 1993, he drove west with a friend to Los Angeles where he slept on the floor of his high school friend, Keith Coulouris' apartment in Studio City, CA. Keith was instrumental in Anthony getting a bit part in, Dead Man's Revenge, a USA network movie of the week, starring Bruce Dern, Michael Ironside and Vondie Curtis-Hall.  Upon realizing the high cost of living in LA, Anthony returned to the East Coast, to study, as he had no business on a film set without formal training. He spent just shy of two years in Atlanta, taking classes and auditioning, before his then agent, Ted Borden urged him to make the big move to Manhattan to study at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. In 1995, Anthony did just that. He lived in a NYU dorm with a student he met on his flight to New York after the living situation he had arranged prior to the move fell apart upon his arrival. The front door to the apartment that he was to be staying in had been kicked in and the tenants robbed the night before. He ended up bouncing between apartments on the Upper East and West Sides of the city for a few years. Concurrent to his studies at Strasberg Anthony studied privately with acting coaches Michael Margotta and Geoffrey Horne.  While performing off-off Broadway in numerous black box theaters, Anthony met Lamya Jezek in 1997. Two years later, upon her graduation from NYU's Tisch School for Acting, the newly engaged couple moved to Los Angeles as Lamya had secured representation. They were married July 14, 2001, in North Carolina. In LA, Anthony studied with Milton Katselas at The Beverly Hills Playhouse and later took classes with Lesly Kahn in the Hollywood Hills, but found that the best training of all, was working on sets with other actors. He had the privilege of working with Academy Award Nominated actor, Edward Norton for nine years on several films as well as Academy Award Winner, Billy Bob Thornton on four films. Anthony maintains a number of relationships in NY and LA, but chose to leave the city life to return to his Southern roots to raise his family. Anthony and his family have resided on the East Coast since 2008 where he has been blessed beyond his wildest dreams by being able to work consistently in film and television as a character actor. Some of the highlights of Anthony's career have been working with some of Hollywood's most celebrated actors. He has had roles on both the small and big screens. On television Anthony has made appearances on “Homeland,” opposite Damien Lewis, “Revenge,” “Nashville” and “The Red Road,” opposite Martin Henderson and Jason Momoa. Anthony can be seen in the upcoming USA drama “Complications” opposite Jason O'Mara. He has feature film roles in “The Hunger Games” opposite Jennifer Lawrence, “Iron Man 3,” “Prisoners” opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Anthony will be seen in the upcoming films, “Cell,” opposite John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, “Project Almanac,” and the new reboot of Marvel's “Fantastic Four” franchise opposite Tim Blake Nelson. Anthony wrote and produced a short film entitled “Times Like Dying,” a post Civil War drama that recently World Premiered at the Cucalorus Film Festival. “Times Like Dying” is currently making the film festival rounds.