It's knives out in Chicago, as election season draws near.. and there will be mud.
On March 19th 2024, Chicagoans will see the end of a story multiple years in the making. Voters must decide if the city should create a dedicated source of funds to fight homelessness, but a million dollar astroturfing campaign from the real estate lobby is committed to preventing its passage. Once again.
Meanwhile Streetwise Editor Suzanne Hanney and Reporter A. Allen interview activist and former Alderperson, Helen Shiller whose legacy left an indelible mark on Chicago's Northside and discover that weaponizing the plight of the homeless is far from new.
Special thanks to Musician Andrew Bird who donated music from his Chicago-inspired, 2013 EP “I Want To See Pulaski At Night” and Block Club Chicago Reporter Joe Ward who broke many of the stories in this episode, also 49th Ward Alderperson Maria Hadden, Erin Ryan, Tom “The Mayor of Uptown” Gordon, and the many encampment residents we interviewed for this story.
CREDITS:
Reported by Jesse Betend, Suzanne Hanney, A. Allen, Kianna Drummond and Keith Hardiman
Produced by Jesse Betend with help from Jennifer O'Neill
Music by Andrew Bird, Jeremy Blake, AETHER, John Patitucci and Freedom Trail Studios
Editing by Suzanne Hanney, Sheila Solomon, Amanda Jones, Julie Youngquist, Terri Lydon and Cindy Paulauskas
About StreetWise magazine
StreetWise has been part of the fabric of Chicago for 31 years, covering everything Chicago from its people to its social issues, politics, nonprofits, arts, culture, and neighborhoods.
Over the past 31 years more than 14,000 StreetWise vendors have found dignity on street corners in many neighborhoods across the city as they are empowered to earn an income with a hand up and not a handout.
About Rivet360
Rivet360 is a business to business podcast agency. It was founded in Chicago in 2013 with a simple mission: Tell the world’s stories, making them engaging and fun. An obsession with elegant solutions and devotion to editorial integrity have been part of the company from day one—along with a flexible, can-do attitude that customers love.
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