City Cast Chicago

You may have heard host/producer Ayana Contreras on Vocalo or WBEZ, bringing soul music to the airwaves and diving into the stories behind the songs on the show, "Reclaimed Soul." Her first book, “Energy Never Dies: Afro-Optimism and Creativity in Chicago,” came out a few weeks ago, and takes those stories — and many others — to the next level by exploring the lasting impact of Chicago’s Black artists and entrepreneurs in the '60s, '70s, and '80s. Ayana sits down with City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran to talk about cultural contributions like Ebony and Jet, Soul Train, and Afro Sheen, and the importance of the stories behind the music and art we love.On January 29, Ayana will be talking about her book and signing copies at the Woodson Regional Library on 95th and Halsted. Find out more and sign up here.Guest:Ayana Contreras, host of Reclaimed Soul and author of “Energy Never Dies: Afro-Optimism and Creativity in Chicago”Some Good News:Comedian Lisa Beasley is hosting a “Teachers’ Appreciation Comedy Show” at 8 p.m. tonight at the Laugh Factory. It’s also virtual. Plus, there are free tickets available for CPS teachers!Music clips in this episode from Frankie Knuckles (”Your Love,” “The Whistle Song”), Glenn Jones (”Oh Girl”), Lost Generation (”The Slick, Sly, and the Wicked”), and The Esquire (“Get on Up”).Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Chicago Public Schools students will return to classes Wednesday, now that the district and the Chicago Teachers Union have reached a tentative deal. Students went nearly a full week of no instruction while the union and the city clashed over COVID safety protocols. The deal promises increased COVID testing for students and school-based metrics for remote learning, but it fell short of the union's proposal to require opt-out testing for students and a district-wide remote learning metric. The agreement still needs to be approved by union members. The deal didn't keep Mayor Lori Lightfoot or union leaders from continuing to trade harsh words Monday night. And this is just the latest in a long and arduous line of fights between the mayor and CTU. Chicago Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa explains the three major labor disputes between the Mayor and the union since since Lightfoot took office in 2019.Guest:Nader Issa—Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times Some Good News:Free days at the Shedd Aquarium.Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Rep. Bobby Rush has represented Illinois’ 1st District since 1993. His path to Congress was more unconventional than many of his peers’. He was co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party, an alderman, and eventually, the only person to ever beat Barack Obama in an election. He’s been an advocate of racial justice, but hasn’t been without controversy in the district. Rush is not running for reelection this year, paving the way for a younger candidate to step in to lead a district that includes not only Chicago’s South Side, but also rural areas like Frankfort and Mokena. Chicago Sun-Times columnist and ABC 7 commentator Laura Washington tells us about Rush’s legacy and what the race for his seat could look like.Guest:Laura Washington — Chicago Sun-Times columnist and ABC 7 political commentatorFollow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

WCIU reporter Brandon Pope and Block Club Chicago’s Jamie Nesbitt Golden break down the week’s news with host Jacoby Cochran, including the chaos Chicago Public Schools families, teachers, and staff experienced with late night class cancellations. Jamie was watching as a journalist and a CPS parent. Plus, what First District Congressman Bobby Rush’s legacy is now that he faces retirement, and how the Bulls are carrying all the hope for Chicago sports fans right now. Guests:Brandon Pope—WCIU Reporter and AnchorJamie Nesbitt Golden—Reporter, Block Club ChicagoShare your favorite hidden gems of Chicago! Call or text us at: (773) 780-0246 or email us chicago@citycast.fm Topics discussed:CPS–CTU ConflictRep. Bobby Rush to retireChicago's Black Fire BrigadeJuice WRLD's mom talks about leaked music, new documentaryBulls on FireT’Challa Recast EffortFollow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Dr. Allison Arwady was confirmed as Commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Public Health just a couple months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the city. Since then, she’s been all over the place, regularly appearing with the mayor and governor and answering coronavirus questions on Twitter and Facebook. She talks with host Jacoby Cochran about what goes into making public health decisions during a pandemic. She also explains why she thinks it’s safe for CPS students to return to in-person learning, even as omicron surges in Chicago.Guest: Dr. Allison Arwady — Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public HealthParents, teachers, students: How are you feeling about the return (or not) to in-person learning right now? Text us or leave a voicemail at (773) 780-0246 or email us at chicago@citycast.fm. We may include your response in the podcast or newsletter.Also! Tell your friends about City Cast Chicago! There's swag in it for you. Tweet about us @citycastchicago!Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

At this point, virtually all of us know someone who has had COVID-19, or we’ve gotten it ourselves. There are a lot of reasons for that — the omicron surge, a return to (somewhat) normal life, uneven vaccination. But many people, especially those who feel like they "did everything right," are often left feeling ashamed and guilty for contracting an infectious disease. The stigma around getting COVID can push people to keep their positive test results to themselves, which can lead to more infections, exacerbating the public health crisis. Clinical psychologist Dr. Sheehan Fisher explains what drives these feelings of shame, and he offers ways to help with the anxiety that comes with this wave of the pandemic. We also hear from one of our City Cast colleagues in Pittsburgh who got COVID over the holidays in 2020.Guests: Sheehan Fisher — Professor, Northwestern UniversityMegan Harris — Senior Producer, City Cast PittsburghSome good news: The documentary "Unapologetic" is streaming all this month on PBS. Check out our interviews with filmmaker Ashley O'Shay and with Bella BAHHS, whose activism is showcased in the film.Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

More than 300,000 public school kids in Chicago are expected back in the classroom today after winter break. Their return comes as the city averages nearly 4,000 COVID cases a day. Before the break, CPS sent testing kits home with about half of the district’s students. But the Chicago Teachers Union and some parents questioned the efficacy of that plan when this image was on the front page of the Chicago Tribune. The union held a virtual town hall Sunday night so members could share their concerns about teaching in person, but CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said last week he’s confident about students returning. Chicago Tribune education reporter Tracy Swartz has the latest on what the next week could look like in the country’s third largest school district. Guest: Tracy Swartz—Reporter, Chicago TribuneNews:New Illinois laws enacted in 2022Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

We wrap up our look back on some the team's favorite stories from this year with a conversation about one of Chicago's most persistent issues: corruption. Lead producer Carrie Shepherd loved that former Inspector General Joe Ferguson held nothing back about how he thinks the city can be better. Ferguson led the office for 12 years, through three different mayors, a federal investigation into the Chicago Police Department, and numerous scandals that have revealed racism, sexism, and political patronage, as well as resulting in indictments of sitting alderpeople. He retired in October. Ferguson tells host Jacoby Cochran how his office kept pushing for more transparency and better government (even when it seemed like nothing would change). He also answers the question: Is Chicago really more corrupt than other cities?This segment was originally published on Oct. 26, 2021.Guest: Joe Ferguson — Former Inspector General, City of ChicagoSee you in 2022!Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

We're decidedly city people at City Cast Chicago. But sometimes it's great to hang out in nature with people who know it well. That's why newsletter writer Sidney Madden chose this conversation with Chevon Linear and Kameron Stanton as one of her favorites of 2021. Linear and Stanton are behind the popular TikTok @black.people.outside. They make videos about their travels and local excursions to connect with other Black adventurers. The couple guided host Jacoby Cochran on a hike at the Captain Daniel Wright Forest Preserve to talk about why they make their videos and the challenges they've faced in raising the visibility of Black people in the outdoors. Plus, they show how fun it is to be outside.This segment was originally published on May 24, 2021.Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm

Let's go back to summertime Chi, when the sun was out and it was warm. And there were even horses. This story was a favorite of City Cast producer Simone Alicea. She and host Jacoby Cochran visited the South Shore Cultural center, where every year, the Broken Arrow riding Club hosts a rodeo. Yes, right there, next to a golf course, beach, and landmark event space where the Obamas hosted their wedding reception. The club has been around for more than 30 years with a mission to bring horseback riding and rodeos to people of all ethnic backgrounds and physical abilities in Chicago. As a native Chicagoan, Jacoby had never even heard of the rodeo in his backyard, so he went to talk to the man who started it all.This segment was originally published on July 1, 2021.Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicagoSign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm