The Weekly Show: 9/20/25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the weekly show
here on iHeartRadio, I ninety three nine Light FMO and
All three five Kiss FM and Rock ninety five to five.
I'm Paulina, and every week we're here to discuss topics
that matter to Chicago Land. And today on the show,
we have a new episode of Whitney's Women featuring Whitney Reynolds.
We're also chatting with Lee Clark, Senior Director Patient Programs

(00:22):
at the Aplastic Anemia and NDS International Foundation. We are
discussing how September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. And I'm
chatting with our friend Jorge Valdivia from the Chicago Latino
Theater Alliance.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
So let's kick off the show.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hi, It's iHeartRadio, iHeart Media Chicago. It's Paulina ro here,
and today I am talking to our friend Joge Valdivia,
the executive director of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
How are you? I'm great?

Speaker 4 (00:49):
How are you, Pelina?

Speaker 1 (00:50):
I'm so good.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
I'm happy that you're here with us today. Finally made
this happen, So I'm so excited we are chatting you
and I Today we're going to be talking about a
couple of different things. But before we dive into that,
I would love for you to tell us a little
bit about yourself and your current role.

Speaker 4 (01:06):
Yeah, thank you for the opportunity to pulling that. So
I'm the executive director for the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance
and together we produce Thisino's Chicago's International Latino Theater Festival,
bringing Latino theater to to theaters across the city in Downtown,
the Loop and across different neighborhoods. We believe that theater

(01:28):
and art should be accessible to everyone, and so we
take great pride in being able to do that.

Speaker 3 (01:34):
Absolutely, And what should our audience know about the festival
as far as like what you expect previous years and
then what makes this one different?

Speaker 4 (01:43):
Yeah, thank you for that question. So Thistinos is the
largest Latino theater festival in the Midwest with we have
a positive impact into the local economy with one point
two million dollars. And so all of this is possible
because people are coming to Chicago, They're booking hotels, they're

(02:05):
going to see productions in different neighborhoods, and you know,
they're just checking out the area, you know, having the
drink or dinner afterwards, and so what can you expect?
Sixteen different productions world premiere as US premiers, Midwest premiers.
There's a little bit of everything for everyone. There's a
physical theater, there's there is burdlusque, there is of storytelling.

(02:30):
Quite frankly, there's just something for everyone, for the different
palettes of theater. And so I think that it's a wonderful,
wonderful opportunity for people that are avid theater lovers and
for people who you know, might not know too much
about theater but want to get to know theater. I
think this is a wonderful opportunity because I think some
people think that theater is for some people might be born,

(02:50):
it's you know, it's it's sitting there for an hour,
and other people who love theater it's quite the opposite.
I think that this is a great opportunity for people
to discover the world of theater and really get to
in some different the diversity of theater.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
Absolutely, well, that's wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing
that with us as well. What are the overarching themes
this year?

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Right?

Speaker 3 (03:12):
And a couple of things that make it different, But
what seems can we.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
Expect that's a great question. And I think one of
the things that I love about theater, that I love
about art is that we usually respond to the current
social climate, to social issues. And so with that said,
this year, you know, I think that a lot of
us are very much aware of the fact that families
are being separated, that people are unfortunately, you know, being deported,

(03:37):
and so art usually responds to social issues and sometimes
it thrives the social issue, the national discourse around different
social issues. This year, you're going to see a lot
of stories around immigration, a lot of stories around identity,
stories around a women's women's rights. And also it's going

(03:58):
to be a wonderful opportunity think for all of us
to come together and celebrate who we are as Latinos,
as latinas, as latinus. Uh. This is just I think,
aside from the different social issues, it's it's also time
to celebrate, you know. It coincides with with UH Latino
Heritage Month. And what better way to celebrate than to

(04:20):
purchase a ticket, set in the audience and do it
in the front, you know, in the company of your friends,
your family. Make it a girls night out, make it
a family night you know, just go out there, buy
a ticket, support the local Latino theater.

Speaker 3 (04:33):
Community absolutely, and you know we will absolutely be attendance
as well. So I'm happy that you and I got
to connection and we're able to share with our audience
today as well. And quick question as well, so as
far as supporting you even beyond the festival, how or
what are some good ways that we can do that
for the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance and then of course

(04:54):
for Dstino's, how can we continue to show support even
after the festival.

Speaker 4 (04:58):
That's a great question. I think the number one thing
is we're asking you to allow yourself to be immersed,
allow yourself to to be present, you know, to show up.
I mentioned earlier, you know the importance of really sort
of seeing you right now. Now is the time for
everyone out there to just fill the theater spaces, fill

(05:18):
every seed. Like I said, you know, this is I
think a great opportunity for you to to invite your
friends to come out. And also I think you know,
re sharing everything that you see on social media that
that has to do with this Tinos, that has to
do with your favorite Latino theater company, just resharing, you know,
get to help us get the word out there. But
I think ultimately what were the best. I think the

(05:42):
one of the most important ways that people can show
their support is by visiting Galata dot org that's c
l a t A dot org and you know, learning
about the festival, make a donation, just you know, show up.
We're asking you to show up. This time, we're asking
you to be present, I think now more than ever,
when we're seeing the arts funding, you know, unfortunately being cut,

(06:05):
this is when we're turning to you and saying, show up,
be present, and sow some love for Latino Theater.

Speaker 3 (06:12):
Absolutely, he thank you for being here with us today.
What is a good website or even like a social
media platform Instagram? Where can we check you out there,
you know today and of course throughout the festival and
then even after.

Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, you know you can follow us, follow us on Instagram,
on Facebook, on TikTok at Latino Theater that's our handle.
And I mentioned our website earlier at cloud Do dot org,
so you can find us there at Latino Theater.

Speaker 3 (06:38):
Awesome, thank you for being here with us today. I
really appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (06:42):
Balina, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 5 (06:45):
September is blood cancer Awareness Month. But exactly what does
that mean? I thought we'd talked about it as we
bring in Lee Clark, Senior Director of Patient Programs, a
Board certified patient advocate with the a Plastic Anemia and
MDS International Foundation. Lee, I appreciate the time, Thanks for
joining us.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
Oh, thank you so much, Manny.

Speaker 6 (07:06):
We appreciated the invitation and I'm delighted to be able
to talk about blood cancer awareness.

Speaker 5 (07:13):
Well, let's start off with I guess the simplest question,
why September? Why is this month designated Blood cancer Awareness Month?

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Store? Great question, Thank you so much.

Speaker 6 (07:24):
The Leukemia Foundation actually began Blood Cancer Awareness Month in
September of twenty ten as a month to be able
to recognize blood cancers which most people were not aware
of and still are not today. So it was actually

(07:48):
started by the Leukemia Foundation in September of twenty ten.

Speaker 5 (07:52):
And leukemia is probably, i'm guessing, the best known blood cancer,
but there are many others, are there not?

Speaker 6 (08:01):
Absolutely so, when most people think of, you know, blood cancer,
they think of leukemia, lymphomas, myolomas, But there's so many
other blood cancers that are not known, And there's actually
over one hundred different blood cancers, and the blood cancer

(08:22):
that our organization supports is milodysplastic syndromes or sometimes people
will refer to as MDS, And there's only ten to
fifteen thousand that are new cases that are diagnosed each
year in the US, and it is a rare blood cancer.

Speaker 5 (08:46):
What exactly is a plastic anemia or I'll refer to
as an MDS because I won't be able to pronounce
the full name.

Speaker 4 (08:54):
More.

Speaker 7 (08:54):
What exactly is that?

Speaker 6 (08:56):
Yeah, so aplastic anemia is actually not a blood can answer.
So MDS or milodysplastic syndromes is the blood cancer that
our organization support.

Speaker 2 (09:10):
So it's actually.

Speaker 6 (09:12):
Where your bow marrow is not producing healthy blood cells,
which then causes anemia and other symptoms for patients. And
there are treatments available, but the only known cure at
this time is a bow marrow transplant.

Speaker 7 (09:33):
What are some of the symptoms of this?

Speaker 5 (09:34):
How does someone end up going to a doctor and
get diagnosed with MDS?

Speaker 6 (09:40):
That excellent question. So most patients don't even really know
they have MDS. It can be found through a blood test.
You go in for a physical and have a CBC.
A lot of times patients will say they were feeling fatigued,
or they may know notice they were having bruises on

(10:04):
their legs unexplained. So usually the diagnosis starts with some
type of symptom of the disease, which then leads to
tests being done, a referral to a hematologist or an oncologist,
and then further testing is done. But ultimately the disease

(10:25):
is diagnosed through a bone marrow biopsy.

Speaker 5 (10:28):
And you mentioned that there's there's no real cure, but
what kind of treatments to someone with MDS?

Speaker 7 (10:35):
Just the bone marrow transplant?

Speaker 6 (10:39):
A bone marrow transplant as of today is the only
known potential cure, but there are other treatments that are
available for patients that help with the symptom management of
the disease.

Speaker 7 (10:54):
How does your group empower patient?

Speaker 5 (10:56):
I guess caregivers are a key part of the whole
process as well.

Speaker 6 (11:01):
Absolutely so, once someone is diagnosed, everyone that knows and
loves them is diagnosed as well. So through our organization,
we are looking to empower patients with information about their diagnosis,
what their what the treatment options are that are available,

(11:25):
providing them with resources where they can get connected with
others who have MDS. With the disease being so rare,
it's really hard for patients to be able to connect
with another patient. And then we you know, through our
educational programming. Each year we host patient and family conferences.

(11:50):
We have our webinars, which are interviews with experts about
different topics that would be important for patients and their
loved ones. They're supporting works to know. We also host podcasts,
which is the one that we're on today. But the
other piece that's really important that we do is we
also invest in research.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
Making sure that.

Speaker 6 (12:15):
The latest is being done and looking for patients to
understand that there are things that are being done to
help advance treatments and a cure that may be available
for everyone.

Speaker 5 (12:30):
Do these types of I guess they're known as marrow disorders.
Do they primarily affect a certain demographic.

Speaker 6 (12:39):
So it depends on For mds, the median age of
diagnosis is in your early seventies.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
It's not discriminative of whether you're a male or female.

Speaker 6 (12:53):
However, with all of that said, there are children who
are diagnosed young results, but primarily it has been known
as a disease of older individuals. But that doesn't mean
that other age groups are not diagnosed.

Speaker 7 (13:11):
Is there a cause? Do we know what causes these
types of blood cancers?

Speaker 6 (13:16):
Store so for dyes, there are a few things that
experts have been able to determine. One of them is
environmental exposures. It could be a known cause.

Speaker 5 (13:31):
A couple more minutes here with Lee Clark, Senior Director
of Patient Programs, a board certified patient advocate with the
Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation. Talk to me about
how you became part of this group and a patient
advocate for something like blood cancers and MDS.

Speaker 6 (13:52):
Sure, so, great question, and I have been very proud
to be a staff member here at the Foundation for
the past eighteen years. I actually had worked in the
field previously with individuals with developmental disabilities as an advocate,

(14:12):
So that's how I came upon the organization through a
former colleague and learned about the foundation all that they
do to help support patients and their networks. And I've

(14:33):
been very proud to work here for a group an
organization that is all about patients first, supporting patients, supporting
their network, working side by side with healthcare providers, and
making sure patients have the very best in education about

(14:53):
their diagnosis and providing supports.

Speaker 5 (14:57):
You mentioned a couple of times that providing that support
empowering patients for MDS, for example, because it's so rare
is one of the challenges. How I guess popular there
is the wrong word, but how prominent are these blood
cancers when we think of it in the scope of
all of the other cancers.

Speaker 6 (15:17):
Sure, So for MDS, there's approximately ten to fifteen thousand
individuals diagnosed each year in the US, So MDS is
known as a rare disease and it can be very difficult.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
For patients finding supports.

Speaker 6 (15:38):
It can be very difficult finding someone who has MDS
for you to be able to connect with and talk
and share experiences. Some of the other challenges with MDS
is finding a physician who is an expert in MDS.

(16:00):
It's very important for patients to find someone that understands MDS.
It can be very challenging to manage UH and to treat.
And one of the things our organization is able to
do is help connect patients with these expert physicians to
make sure that they're getting second opinions and then they're and.

Speaker 2 (16:22):
That they're getting the very best care.

Speaker 6 (16:27):
One of the things that we hear a lot is
from patients is MDS isn't an invisible disease.

Speaker 2 (16:34):
So patients look fine, you may not really know that there.

Speaker 6 (16:39):
Is something that is going on with them, and that
can be very challenging for for patients. But you know,
through our organizations, through our educational programming UH, through our
virtual support groups UH, through our we have something that's
called our peer Support Network, which is where we can

(17:01):
connect patients one on one with another patient to be
able to talk about what they're going through and be
able to share experiences. We're able to help patients find
answers to their questions, support for what they're going through,
and hope for a future.

Speaker 5 (17:22):
Do you find that most primary care physicians lack information
about blood cancers and MDS and things like that.

Speaker 6 (17:35):
Yes, it's not their area of expertise. Sometimes I hear
from patients quite often they went in for a routine
physical with their primary care physician and when they got
blood work back, the primary care physician noticed something was

(17:56):
off with the blood work and then ended up referring
them on to a hematologist oncologist where they did more testing.
So sometimes a diagnosis starts out of physical sometimes folks
don't even really realize there's something going on inside of

(18:18):
them because they may not be exhibiting symptoms that you
would think of when you hear somebody has a blood cancer.
So a lot of times right it starts with the
simple I went in for a physical had a CBC.
Or they may go to the doctor because they've noticed
they had extra bruising that may happen that would lead

(18:41):
them to go. But usually it's there's a diagnosis would
be sometimes through the primary care physician that then prompts
the going to see a specialist.

Speaker 5 (18:54):
We mentioned September is blood cancer Awareness months.

Speaker 7 (18:58):
How what do you hope to make the general.

Speaker 5 (19:01):
Public aware of blood cancers and what impact do you
hope to have this month.

Speaker 7 (19:08):
What do you want the public to know.

Speaker 6 (19:10):
We'd like the public to know that you know, there
are many blood cancers that our patients are being diagnosed.
Our hope is is that with patients hearing about for
US MDS, it would spark them to think about if

(19:32):
they're suffering from anemia or they're having symptoms to seek
a second opinion, because MDS would be something that they
may want to inquire about. Our goal is also to
help our community, the MDS community, make awareness about their diagnosis,

(19:56):
give them something to empower them, letting people know what
is going on with them, and hopefully through education, we're
able to help others who may be in the process
of being diagnosed or received a new diagnosis be able
to find us.

Speaker 5 (20:15):
And sometimes it's that peer support and the community that
can be the difference between a successful treatment and an
unsuccessful rabbit.

Speaker 7 (20:24):
Lee, really appreciate the time. Really appreciate the time. Best
of luck.

Speaker 2 (20:28):
Thank you so much for having me have a great day.

Speaker 5 (20:31):
That's Lee Clark, Senior director of Patient Programs at the
Aplastic Anemia MDS International Foundation. The website is AA MDS
dot Org, aa MDS dot o RG.

Speaker 3 (20:47):
Community Affairs on one of three five Kids FM, iHeart
Radio and I'm here with Whitney Reynolds Whitney's Women.

Speaker 7 (20:52):
I'm not Brady, I'm Paulina.

Speaker 3 (20:53):
Yeah, I'm so happy to be here and I love
that you're here today.

Speaker 2 (20:57):
So who are we chatting with?

Speaker 8 (20:58):
You could be on this side of the sea, because
it's all about women that are doing big things and
I'm so excited. I'm missing my boy Brady right now,
but I'm loving that you are in studio. You know,
it's always a pleasure to be in here. And we
have not only a return Whitney renalds oh you want
to say Jones.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yes, Handy Jones, Kim handy Jones.

Speaker 8 (21:16):
Okay, Kim Handy Jones. Okay again Kimberly Handy Jones.

Speaker 7 (21:20):
Okay.

Speaker 8 (21:21):
In a three to one, Well, it is time for
another episode, and we have an outstanding woman we have
Kim Jones is last Handy Jones. Oh my gosh, okay,
I wish there was a start over one. Kim handy
Jo okay?

Speaker 2 (21:40):
Okay?

Speaker 8 (21:40):
Is Jones new or no?

Speaker 7 (21:41):
No?

Speaker 8 (21:42):
Okay, okay.

Speaker 7 (21:43):
I always went by Handy because of her son.

Speaker 8 (21:45):
But it's oh yeah, yeah okay. In A three A
two A one, take four, Well, it is time for
another episode, and I am so excited to welcome.

Speaker 2 (21:54):
Quick Kimberly Handy Jones.

Speaker 8 (21:58):
Kimberly Handy Jones. Is this is horrible, It's gonna be
good though, It's be so good.

Speaker 2 (22:04):
It's okay, okay, it's cordial.

Speaker 8 (22:09):
Cordell Quinn Handy in remembrance of me foundation. Okay. Well,
I am so excited to be here and introduce our
next guest, we have Kim Handy Jones. Now, Kim, I've
had you on the Whitney Reynolds Show. I've heard your story,
but it is time to open it up to the
airwaves about the Cordel Quinn Handy and Rememberance of Me Foundation. Welcome.

Speaker 7 (22:31):
Thank you for having me. Whitney.

Speaker 8 (22:33):
Yeah, you know, I just think about the work that
you're doing because sometimes we don't talk about the messy
details and when it comes to death and grief and
how to move forward after the loss of a loved one,
it's really hard. And two I want to just note
because people can't see us too. You're right, we have
Kevin O'Connor with ko Kevin Law Firm, who has really
just held your hand through this process of losing your

(22:55):
son and starting a foundation.

Speaker 9 (22:58):
Yes, well, my son was gunned down by Saint Paul
police March fifteen, two thousand seventeen. So from that point
I just took off from the ground running, uh out
there being an activist just looking for truth and accountability.
Cause to say justice, justice would me my son being here.

(23:20):
So through that movement, I begin to wanna create a
legacy for my son. So with that being said, I thought,
and I said, well, what would I name it? So
I named it the Cordell Quinn Handy And remember some
of me foundation, and I didn't really have a vision
at the time, but I I don't think.

Speaker 7 (23:39):
N one would have this vision.

Speaker 9 (23:42):
You would have to lose something and someone so sacred
to you, And I thought about it, What is it
that we don't have you think about the death of
your loved one. I was fortunate I was able to
give my son a burial a headstone that I had
met so many mothers who had chiallenge just trying to

(24:06):
bury their kid, got the kid buried, no headstone.

Speaker 8 (24:10):
Wow.

Speaker 9 (24:11):
So I had a person ask me, what would make
you think like that? I said, the fact of moves.

Speaker 7 (24:18):
In my child.

Speaker 9 (24:18):
Had I not lost a child, I wouldn't have thought
like that, wouldn't have been no need.

Speaker 8 (24:22):
Yeah, it's interesting. One thing through my interviews over the years,
a lot of the people's most painful moments connect the
dots on this purpose driven either activism like you're saying,
or seeing a gap in the system. And so headstones.
You're right, that's something that most people wouldn't think about.
And so you launched this foundation, and that's what you're doing.

(24:44):
You're providing headstones for people who can't do it.

Speaker 9 (24:46):
Yes, and it's a crazy thing withn't he is his
foundation came into fruition on this birthday Oh wow, twenty eighteen.

Speaker 8 (24:58):
Well, I don't believe in any accidents. And Kevin, I
want to bring you into this conversation because you have
really held Kim's hand through all this and in the
fact of you know, helping her move forward and really
creating a legacy. That's what you're all about with what
you do.

Speaker 10 (25:13):
Well, we ended up having two jury trials up in
Minnesota because the judge took away the first one. It
was it was a terrible crisis for the family, but
we were victorious in the end and we're very happy
with that. It's finally now resolved and at the end
of the end of the line. But Kim has been
the strongest person you're ever going to want to see.
She brought together hundreds of mothers in Minnesota, even though

(25:35):
she lives in Chicago, and helped to bring a once
a year gathering wherever all the mothers could come together
and grieve and to receive their headstones when they couldn't
afford it. And it's just been such a great thing
to see to have somebody that brings triumph through this tragedy,
like she's done.

Speaker 8 (25:52):
And that's what you're really about. You're one of those
people that it's not about just the loss or you know,
just doing your job. You really want to see change
happen through this. Where do you get the passion for that?

Speaker 10 (26:05):
Well, this is a situation like Kim has that passion
myself too. To be a lawyer and just get people
money isn't enough because when I've seen grieving parents over
the years, they're like, I don't want my child to
die in vain. We have to make a change in society,
change laws, do something, get some recognition for all of this,
because otherwise their death was meaningless. And so we have

(26:28):
strived with every one of my clients that we try
and push for new laws or new things or new
changes within whatever the system was that was broken.

Speaker 7 (26:35):
They caused their death.

Speaker 8 (26:36):
That's beautiful. And then Kim, tell people how they can
get involved with what you're doing, because again this is
something that people don't always hear about. And like you said,
when your friends asked you why are you doing that,
you connected the dots of what needed to be done.
But there are a lot of people, like Kevin was
just saying, hundreds of people gather once a year to
come together and support your work. How do people get.

Speaker 9 (26:57):
Involved, Well, you can go to the website which is
www dot Cordell Quinnhandy and remember Me dot org and
you can make contributions. That would be a big help
because what we do there when we come to the
banquet once a year, we have a meet and greet.
We try to help with travel, we try to help

(27:19):
with lodging. We give the parents swag bags, we give
them Cordell Quinn Handy, Remembers of me t shirts, and
we have a healing in grief and then on Sunday
we have church. But we provide meals Friday and Saturday,
and we provide breakfast Sunday. They come in, they eat,
and then we have church. So a lot of it

(27:41):
is just making donations and always tell people no donation
is too small because that one cent could be the
difference of giving a family a headstone at the banquet.
And I do believe when you're being blessed, we should
be a blessing because just like maybe two or three
four people get blessed with a headstone. We could always

(28:03):
use resources to bless two or three and four more.
I always try to reach for the high end. Yeah,
I always try to think bigger.

Speaker 8 (28:13):
So oh, thank you so much for coming on. Give
us the website one more time.

Speaker 9 (28:18):
Www dot Cordell Quinnhandy in remembrance of me.

Speaker 8 (28:23):
Thank dot org dot org. Thank you so much. Kim
and Kevin O'Connor, thank you so much for being that
light in our city. So often we hear these horrible stories,
and it's amazing how you've turned your pain into purpose
and you're taking others along with you, saying we can
really be the change. Both of you two.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
Thank you, thank you so much for sharing this story
with us today, Whitney Whitney's Women.

Speaker 1 (28:47):
You know, it was an incredible story to be heard
and I'm so happy we got.

Speaker 6 (28:50):
To do that.

Speaker 3 (28:51):
Oh, please share with us too, what else we can
expect from you, what's coming up?

Speaker 8 (28:54):
Well, you know I said this earlier. I had Kim
on our show, she was in the studio, and the
Whitney Reynolds really want to be the strongest voice of
hope when it comes to talk television, and so this
season you are going to see that happen live. We
are doubled down down on what we do. We are
taping with a live audience. I'm so excited. I know
the crowd goes wild. I wish we had one of

(29:15):
those buttons right now. But our season debut is on
ten thirteen on Lake Shore PBS, and then we will
have the live audience. There's so many ways people can
get involved. Go to Whitney Reynolds dot com.

Speaker 7 (29:26):
Awesome, thank you so much for being here with us today.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
Thank you so much for listening, and thank you for
always tuning into the Weekly Show. You can find this
episode and previous episodes up on our free iHeartRadio app.
Just simply search for the Weekly Show. Thank you so
much