Chicago Speaks June 7th 2026

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Conduit for speaking to the issues impacting our community. I'm
your host, Daryl Denard. It is Sunday, June seventh, twenty
twenty six, Cloudie with a chance of a stray shower,
a high in the upper seventies. Currently it's fifty eight degrees.
Matter of fact, it's sixty eight degrees. There is good
and not as good news when it comes to crime
stats for May. The good news is that the city

(00:23):
saw its fewest homicides in decades. On the flip side,
there was a slight increase in shootings given the start
of summer. We'll take your calls on the latest crime figures,
as well as the week's other top stories, including the
Bears looking to hem in Indiana for a new stadium,
and the tragic loss of Spencer Lake Junior. With fathers
they're approaching, we'll hear from authors of the new book

(00:45):
called My Dad the Man, Black Fathers and praise, and
Black daughters in praise of their fathers. And we'll close
out our discussions learning about entrepreneur resources available at the
Chicago Urban League. So as is the case every Sunday morning,
there's a lot to speak to, and we begin with
a film that deals with neuro divergence and AI. Given

(01:08):
the light speed impact of technology in our lives, it
can cause some to want to isolate in a quiet place,
So go to a public place and let out a
rore Rara is the title of a short animated film
premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival and joining me to
talk about the film and what it says about culture, neurodivergence,
art and AI is the film's director, writer, editor, and

(01:31):
cinematographer Jesse Wiglan Jesse, pleasure to have you joined us
this morning.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
How are you doing doing well? Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
First of all, congratulations on this delightful short film. It's
just over three minutes and it represents a plethora of
today's big issues from as I mentioned, diversity in neuro
divergency as well as your studios role in terms of AI.
What is your hope that is the major takeaway for
viewers of this film, Well.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
It was really a kind of a test to see
what can be possible to create nowadays using new technology,
but using the legacy of everything that I learned while
that Pixar for almost sixteen years. I wanted to create
a new kind of studio that kind of harkened back
to everything that we learned, but utilizing some of the
newer technologies that allowed us to be a lot more efficient.

(02:22):
So for the film, it was a personal story that
resonated with my family. My wife is from Japan. She
moved to the United States when she was young, and
we have a lot of members in our family who
are on the spectrum. So this is a very personal
story about what does it mean to become uprooted, to
move to someplace new, and to have no voice, to

(02:45):
have so much to say, and to have very little
ways of actually communicating that.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
As you mentioned, it is personal for you. It focuses
on the life of Tora. She's a neurodivergent girl from Tokyo.
But yet in telling us story, we also see this
convergence of technology in a sense because we come to
identify with head that is attached to headphones and trying

(03:12):
to understand what is her personal reality that she's absorbing.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah, so Tora, she's nonverbal, she has selective mutism amongst
other things, and she can't speak. In order to communicate,
she's listening to a soundtrack. And what we wed come
to realize during this film is that what you're hearing
is kind of her internal monologue, is how she's processing
the world and everything that she's seeing. She's hearing it

(03:37):
in this soundtrack, which is kind of a K pop
jpop inspired song that we wrote. And so what we're
seeing is this little girl processing this new world. Everything
is brand new, and it's hypersaturated with colors, and it
represents a stark contrast from what she's familiar with, and
so we're hearing through her headphones what she's and what

(04:01):
she hopes to be able to communicate with the world.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
You have a storied career as a lead and senior
technical director of lighting and Creative Services and marketing at Pixar.
What made you branch out and create Illuminati Studios and
how do you use AI?

Speaker 2 (04:19):
I was very, very fortunate too to have a long
tenure at Pixar where I worked on every film from up.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
To That is one of my favorite films.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
Man me too, Yeah, it is my favorite.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Actually, I was a VOI scout and See Love and
it's just kudos to you.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
Thank you, thank you. You know, it's a team effort.
There's hundreds of artists that work on these films. And
to be a part of my small role was just
a dream come true. In twenty twenty four, I was
part of the mass layoff that affected almost three hundred
people at Pixar, and I found myself in this unique
position where I have all this experience and so many

(05:01):
news stories to tell, wanted to continue telling stories. I'm
a passionate artist. I love film, I love animation. It's
been my whole life. And how do I continue telling
this story? And in an industry that is becoming decimated
Every week we seem to hear more and more people
being let go from different various studios and companies. And

(05:22):
as an independent is someone that doesn't have two hundred
million dollars to finance and the distribution network that you
know we that we enjoyed a Pixar. How do I
continue to tell stories? So the most natural thing was
to explore new technology that would allow someone like myself
that has a background in animation and film to continue

(05:45):
to tell these authentic stories and ways that are creatively liberating.
And I found that with my background in traditional animation
two D and three D and lighting, how do I
incorporate the newest technology off the shelf and my own
proprietary things that allow us to move forward in an
efficient way, and AI was the logical first step. And

(06:09):
it is by no means a perfect system. There's a
lot of flaws with AI, but I found like it
was very very liberating as how fast I could adapt
new ideas into something that was workable. However, it is
a very hybrid system where I still hand draw things.

(06:30):
I create something in Photoshop and I'll charcoal on paper first,
and then I will actually prototype it in three D
using Maya, and I will use the AI as a
kind of a between frame animator, which is a role
kind of a junior animator would take you typically and
help go from one keyframe to another key frame to

(06:52):
animate it. And initially it was very clunky, it was
not a great way of working, and it took about
a year really kind of of pushing on it and
seeing different different strengths and weaknesses to understand which AI
platform could handle different things. But my role as a
lead technol director was to identify new technologies even at Pixar,

(07:15):
and to kind of to keep pushing the boundaries of
what is possible and raise the bar. So I continue
to do that with my own studio.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
Speak about the paradox that AI represents, because this is
the conundrum, especially for creatives. Oh yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
I think the fear is that AI will will replace
artists and that's a huge fear for everyone in the
industry right now, myself included. And what I wanted to
do initially, right from the get go, was to create
something that I would consider to be ethical AI. And
that's something that not a lot of people are talking about,
whereas it is still well.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
It needs to be discussed at the congressional level, but
there is a reticence to do so.

Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yes, I'm one hundred percent in agreements. So I think
what I wanted to do was to make sure that
everything that we create is artists driven, human in the loop,
hand on papers with the initial steps, everything that we
learned at PISAR in Disney has to be integrated into
this new system and yet using AI to do some

(08:22):
of the laborious heavy lifting as needed, but without letting
go of that. There's always a cost to using the AI.
It is inherently in human. It's inherently not really capable
of understanding the complexity of human emotion. So asking it
to do drama is very difficult asking it to capture

(08:42):
the emotion of humans and understanding the beats of how
we process feelings. The AI is not really good at
that at all, so you're asking it to do things
that it's inherently uncomfortable doing. And also, I've taken steps
to only allow the AI to know what I'm giving it,
so that it has no understanding of the outside world

(09:03):
other than the library that I feed it based on
my own work.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
There is an ethical mandate here that we have to
abide by. And finally, we know that the film is
featured at the Tribeca Film Festival, but when can listeners
have an opportunity to view this beautiful tribute to tra
and your family.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Thank you. I'm hoping that after the film festival circuit
ends that we'll have it on our website alumnistudios dot com,
and we'll probably have it on YouTube and different social platforms.
So yeah, I think I would love audiences around the
world to become familiar with this, and as the film
festivals kind of wrap up in different premieres, you know

(09:45):
the and the the restrictions, I would love for everyone
to be able to watch this. We're currently working on
a feature length film based on this story to allow
us to go beyond the three minutes and really tell
this beautiful story in its in its rifle kind of
long format.

Speaker 1 (10:01):
And at the same time keep harmony at home by
paying tribute to your wife.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
Absolutely. Yeah, it's all about family. This whole everything that
we created was initially just for our kids. We wanted
them to have stories that they could resonate with, because
a lot of times, you know, the everyone loves the
Disney and picks our films, but there's a lot of
individuals out there that fall outside of the norms, and
being able to communicate a story for those audience members

(10:28):
is really what we resonate with.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
Jesse, We thank you so much for joining us this morning.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
Thank you so much. I really really enjoyed it as well.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
Coming up, Black Daughters Sing the Praises of Their Black Fathers,
we'll talk to the authors of the new book Black
Daughters and Praise of Their Fathers. Please stay with.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
Us Chicago Speaks with Daryl Dinard. You can voice your
opinion right now toll free at eight three, three, five
nine to one V one.

Speaker 4 (10:55):
O three Live from the Northwestern Medicine V one O
three Studio.

Speaker 3 (11:00):
Now back to Chicago speaks with Daryl Dinard, share What's
on your mind? Toll free at eight three, three, five
nine to one v one oh three.

Speaker 1 (11:11):
And welcome back. It is Sunday, June seventh and sixty
eight degrees and you're listening to Chicago speaks. As a
father of both a daughter and son, I am truly blessed.
But there is a unique relationship fathers have with their daughters.
Those relationships are chronicled in a new book edited by
doctor Carold Adams called My Dad The Man Black Daughters

(11:35):
and Praise of their fathers. And joining us this morning
are Doctor Adams as well as several of the daughters
who pen tributes to their father's Charmain Rickett Or is
the daughter of Gus Rickett, who turns one hundred in August.
We also have joining us Yvonne Or whose father was
Delbert or Africa, who is a MOVE member, as well

(11:58):
as Deborah Farmer who writes about her father Conrad Brown.
Pleasure to have all of you join us this morning,
Dr Adams, What was the inspiration for you penning this book?

Speaker 5 (12:09):
The impetus for this book was, of course, my relationship
with my own dad. That was very pivotal for me
and for the things that I thought that I could
do and become.

Speaker 1 (12:19):
Further, I did a study sometime ago on.

Speaker 5 (12:22):
A black women politicians and one of the unexpected things
that came out constantly was this theme of their dad's
and how inspired they were by them and what they
did to make them feel that they could be.

Speaker 6 (12:37):
And do anything.

Speaker 5 (12:39):
My title comes from a song from my father, Horra
Silver and sung by Leon Thomas, and it gave me
just inspiration the all the time I was working on this,
and the opening standsa is if there was ever a
man who was generous, gracious and good, it was my

(13:00):
dad the man.

Speaker 1 (13:01):
And that, of course is one of my favorite albums.
I could see the picture of his dad from Cape
verd Uh sitting on a rock there just the album
is just chalk full of jazz standards. What have become
jazz standards? I want to commend you on penning this
because so many times fathers, particularly black fathers, are always

(13:27):
described in the negative fashion or missing in action. Exactly
in many cases they are missing.

Speaker 5 (13:33):
But guess what, nothing is further from the truth, because
the data shows that black dad spend more time with
their children than any other demographic. So you have to
wonder why constantly this anti this negative theme is what
is repeated over and over. One of the first things
I wrote, before I ever thought about putting together this

(13:57):
anthology was a piece from that that was called Papa
was not a rolling stone, No rolling stone, he was
a rock.

Speaker 1 (14:07):
And speaking about rocks, let's start with you, Deborah, in
terms of what did you say in your essay, in
your chapter about your father that you want the world
to know.

Speaker 4 (14:19):
I think when you look at the context of my
dad's story being an immigrant from Barbados, just the resilience
that he had to withstand all the you know, challenges
of where he you know, resided, which was you know
at that point he moved to New York and then
to Chicago. I just want people to know that, you know,

(14:40):
the strength of the man to be able to move
from a move into a foreign land and be able
to you know, build wealth, build a family, build a
legacy is attainable.

Speaker 7 (14:52):
You know, with my dad, all things were possible.

Speaker 4 (14:56):
There was nothing that you know, he would tell me
that I could not you And so just in the
sense of being able to beat the odds, you know,
one thing that he would oftentimes say, and we quote
this from sherylu Chisholm, is you know, don't sit on
the sidelines and complain, you know, be a.

Speaker 7 (15:12):
Part of the solution.

Speaker 4 (15:13):
What can you do to make a difference. I just
was so excited when doctor Carrol reached out about this
opportunity to be able to talk about my dad in
this way and then gratefully my dad's still living and
to be able to provide him his roses while he's
still alive.

Speaker 1 (15:29):
What do you think is unique to the Barbadian experience
that you received from your father.

Speaker 7 (15:36):
One thing was really clear was education.

Speaker 4 (15:39):
You know, Barbados has a free education system, probably one
of the highest literacy rates in the world, and for him,
it was making certain that you got a good education.

Speaker 7 (15:52):
Another thing that I think.

Speaker 4 (15:53):
That really was that stood out was business. You know,
being in the position to work for yourself, as he
would say, you know, don't work for mister Charlie, right,
And so that really stands out for me from my dad.
My dad came again from Barbados with you know, not much,
and you know, started working and then you know, built

(16:15):
a business. And so when I went to college. You know,
I had a radio and television background. My dad was
not happy about that. He wanted me to get an
accountant degree, you know, and so he would oftentimes say,
you know, a fast penny can outrun a slow dollar
any day. And so being in a position to make
your own money and not be reliant on mister Charlie

(16:37):
was something that echoed through all of our conversations.

Speaker 5 (16:40):
Relying on mister Charlie was something that I heard often
as well, that you should always have your own business.
That my father had a quote regular job and it
was a good one, but he always had businesses because
he said, you cannot put yourself where you are totally
relying on the man to get He was a teskege. Yeah,

(17:03):
that was part of their missachgief you better have your
own I have never just had a job.

Speaker 6 (17:08):
I've always had a business some side.

Speaker 1 (17:12):
Well, one person who's an author in the book knows
something about business because it was her father as well
as her mother that created one of the best places
to go for fried chicken. And I'm talking about Uncle
Remus fried chicken is Charmagne. Charmaine talked to me about

(17:32):
what did you learn not only from a business aspect,
but other worldly ideas and traditions from your father.

Speaker 8 (17:41):
You know, I want to first go back to something
doctor Adams said about the myth that fathers are absent.
Most people will look and see my dad was not present,
you know, a lot physically in my life, you know,
because he was out working and providing. You know, by
the time I was born, it was twelve of us,
so I was the last of twelve. So you know,
my dad, you know, did not really have time to

(18:03):
you know, take me to school or if I was
in a sport or you know, whatever activities I did.
But I never felt you know, I never grew up
feeling like, oh, my dad is not there, or my
dad you.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
Know, didn't love me.

Speaker 8 (18:15):
So you know, I did grow up. I had the
greatest privilege of growing up watching my dad be an entrepreneur,
watching my dad, you know, develop a work ethic that
is in me, and you know, watching my dad, you know,
just extend to the community and you know be that
you know that that that go to for everyone. So

(18:37):
you know, I I he too, you know, grew up working.
You know, when he first came to Chicago, you know, homeless,
a couple of times. But finally, you know, he had
a week, as we call quote unquote a good job.
You know, he worked for the city imagine you know,
in the forties and the fifties working for the city
of Chicago as a janitor.

Speaker 7 (18:53):
So that was a good job.

Speaker 8 (18:54):
However, he also you know, remember the struggles here my mom,
you know, back in you know, Mississippi, of of not
having and you know that that need for him to
be a change in the community. That's what led him,
you know, during the unrest and during the movement, and

(19:15):
he said, I was just watching TV and whoever the
president was, Lenda Johnson said, if you want to create
a job, you know, be a job, be an entrepreneur.
He didn't know it was starved for that. He was
just like, oh, I can help my other you know,
fellow people that came from Mississippi get you know, I
become an entrepreneur. So he became an entrepreneur, knowing nothing
about it except that it's what I need to do

(19:37):
to provide to have more so I would not have
to depend on mister Charlie.

Speaker 1 (19:42):
We talked about passing on in terms of a business legacy,
but there's also a political legacy. Here and a von
if you talked about the passing on of a business
tradition or legacy, but there's also the passing on in
terms of a political commitment, and that is indicative of

(20:02):
Yvonne or whose father, Delbert or Africa, was a member
of the move movement in Philadelphia. Yvonne, what would you
say you learned most from your father?

Speaker 6 (20:14):
What I learned most from my dad is resiliency.

Speaker 9 (20:17):
Through forty two years of being a political prisoner, my
dad still figured out a way to parents, to champion me,
to raise me, and.

Speaker 7 (20:27):
To support me.

Speaker 9 (20:29):
And as a member of the move organization first and
foremost social justice.

Speaker 7 (20:35):
And it is ironic hearing from the other.

Speaker 9 (20:37):
Authors about mister Charlie because my dad was also honorably
discharged from the Air Force, so he had firsthand knowledge
of mister Jolly and came out letting us know that
you have to have your own So I actually come
from five generations of entrepreneurship and that resiliency stay true

(20:58):
to the end of his days after he gained his
freedom in twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (21:02):
But the reality is is that he gained his freedom
in twenty twenty, but he only ended up living a
really short time after that.

Speaker 9 (21:10):
So a lot of how we live in our family
is to thrive. We're beyond surviving.

Speaker 7 (21:18):
We like to thrive.

Speaker 9 (21:19):
And so though he had a short six months of freedom,
he dived from prostate cancer that had spread, unfortunately to
other parts of his body. Never have I ever seen
a more vibrant, thriving, seventy four year old man taking
on so much of the newness of the world versus

(21:39):
when he became incarcerated in nineteen seventy nine, mastering the
iPhone and the apps like no other and constantly facetiming
me doing interviews across the globe until he was just
too ill to travel. And so those six months were
they were gold done to us.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Carol, What do you hope readers get from this? And
all of the stories are exceptional, but some of the
others that you want to highlight, I think.

Speaker 5 (22:09):
There's messaging for different segments. I think I want the
world to know about the magic of black fathers, what
they had to endure and still did so and protected us, Okay,
And I think the protective factor is so significant here
because it's rarely discussed. I want young fathers to be

(22:31):
to see examples and to.

Speaker 1 (22:33):
See what it means.

Speaker 5 (22:35):
I want us to recognize and honor all the things
that they had to overcome to be the kind of
dad as they were. The fact that people need these
lessons even now, and really part of the back of
my mind as a teacher, I want to do a
curriculum and say, listen, these are things you should be
aware of, These are things you should do. Here are

(22:56):
some things that will make your daughter feel a certain way.
And I'm very encouraged because I've been studying lyrics and
because I put together a Black Dad's playlist that's very
positive that we're going to be giving out and mentioned
at the back.

Speaker 1 (23:10):
Of the book.

Speaker 5 (23:11):
But some of the newer artists, the young rappers and everything,
have done songs about their daughters and about how daughters
change their lives made them think differently about who they
should be and how they should act and how they
should treat women in general once they had their own daughter.
You know, it's very interesting they say it right out

(23:33):
louds and the lips. Look, don't go out with guys that
I like I used to be because I'm different now
because of you.

Speaker 1 (23:40):
Well, we know that when it comes to mothers, and
praise of black mothers. There are so many songs that
instantly come to mind, but exactly it comes to black fathers.
Of course, we have the jazz standard, and most people
know the instrumental version of song for my father. They

(24:00):
don't hear the beautiful In other words.

Speaker 5 (24:03):
Yeah, and I want my Hasten to say, Darryl that
we all have great moms. But people brag about the
moms all the time. You hear about the moms all
the time. The dads are unsung, and we want to
make sure that their voices are heard and appreciated, and
that they hear us appreciate them.

Speaker 1 (24:22):
On the other song I could think of that comes
immediately to mind as patches. In terms of patches, I'm
depending on you, son. I tried to do my bestess
up to you to do the rest. Go to Deborah first,
and then we're gonna hear from Charmain and Denny Vaughn.
What do you feel should be the major takeaway from

(24:43):
the unique story of your father, Deborah?

Speaker 4 (24:47):
I think Candillac what Charmaine said. I think most men
are in a position to serve, protect, provide, and you
assume that they're doing those things absent up being present,
and my dad did all those things, but he was
still very present.

Speaker 10 (25:05):
You know.

Speaker 4 (25:05):
I say my heels are as high as my standards
because of my dad, you know. And so when any
move that I make, you know, relation wise or with
you know, business or work, I think of my dad
and to the end of him providing and being you know, present.
He wasn't oftentimes in the home, actually wasn't for the

(25:25):
majority of the time, but it still did not make
me believe that he was absent. He was very present
because he was providing. And I think, you know, to
the end of being in a position to just share
that we need to, as doctor Carroll is mentioning, reverse
the narrative. You know, I'm currently in the in the South,
I'm in Georgia, and I will tell you, you know, the

(25:47):
majority of these guys out here, they have full custody.

Speaker 7 (25:50):
Of their kids.

Speaker 4 (25:51):
I don't know what what's happening with the moms, you know,
these days, but these brothers are totally stepping up. And
so I think we, you know, we find ourselves in
a great position here to change the narrative. And I'm
excited to be a part of this. I think it's fantastic.
I think we need to continue to for those fathers
that I think one thing that stands out the doctor

(26:13):
just mentioned is putting together a handbook or tool kit,
because I remember my mom would say, you know, I
didn't get a handbook, you know, when we would have
our issues. You know, I didn't get you know, someone
to sit down and talk to me. And so to
be able to provide those that are even interested in
learning how they can be better and do better, this
is magnificent.

Speaker 5 (26:31):
I'm excited communication with some of these projects where they
are working with young fathers about this and about making
books available to them and so forth.

Speaker 1 (26:42):
So you're right, We're right on track there, Charmaine, What
do you hope is the big takeaway from your section?

Speaker 8 (26:49):
The big takeaway for me from my section was for
those who you know, have the time you know, with
their their fathers who maybe didn't you know when they
were younger, and your father is still here. I think
what it was so important you know when I wrote
that part about my father not being physically present, but

(27:11):
the impact that he has made, the spiritual impact, the
economic impact, uh, just the support of impact he has
made from him building is not something that I take
lightly and I am forever grateful because I am sensitive
to some people are scarred. You know, Oh my dad

(27:31):
wasn't around. Oh my dad didn't you know, take me
to lunch or anything like that. However, if they're leaving
and building a legacy, that's so much more powerful, That
lasts so much longer in me than the moment of
you know, you know, my dad wasn't a guy. You know,
he didn't remember my birthday. You know, it wasn't like

(27:52):
he's like, I don't remember, you know, he didn't you know,
I didn't have birthday parties. You know, I didn't have
what I think think people value and they think that
is the impact of them growing up. And I don't
take that away. You know, if that's what it takes
for you, I just appreciate my father showing me from

(28:13):
Afar what it is like to have a spirit of excellence,
what is like to be resilient, what it's like to
fall down and get up and keep trying again. So
my biggest takeaway is if your father was not there physically,
don't beat them up. Take the take the impact of
the spiritual what he left and the impact of the

(28:36):
uh my father loved me from afar, and now I
get to give it all back to him, you know.

Speaker 7 (28:41):
And he's still good. You know, he's still doing his
push ups, you know, but at one hundred.

Speaker 8 (28:44):
You know, sometimes he works our nerves more than we
work his Nervesonne, if your father was.

Speaker 1 (28:50):
Here for me.

Speaker 9 (28:52):
For me, it is the importance of the commitment of
holding on to your beliefs and having values. It's resilience,
and you know, it's also the human cost of what
happens when you're having political conflict and state power. A
lot of times we see social justice from a different

(29:12):
lens since the murder of George Floyd, but it puts
it front and center what the consequences of systemic conflict
are to the Black family as an institution. And most importantly,
it is the human dignity under pressure.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
You know, he.

Speaker 9 (29:33):
Persevered through extraordinary pressure. And when I say I'm strong,
I'm strong because of that. And so I am hopeful
that people, as they read the story, they can see
that my dad was still able to be a dad
despite our circumstances with that political conflict, that I still

(29:54):
felt protected and safe and also disciplined. You know, you
got to be a real creative to discipline a child
from behind bars. And when I tell you I was
a little rambunctious, I mean it in the most diplomatic sense.
And so if I was in trouble, because my father
and my mother didn't communicate during those years, I think

(30:17):
there was a part of her that was just simply
so heartbroken, and her being a high ranking political I
mean officer of the Black Panther Party, you know, if
they just had two different dichotomies, if you will. And
so my father would stop writing me if I.

Speaker 6 (30:35):
Got in trouble.

Speaker 9 (30:36):
And I don't know how he did it, but he
had a ways and a means.

Speaker 6 (30:40):
Because I was home.

Speaker 9 (30:41):
School for the first part of my life until he
was incarcerated.

Speaker 6 (30:46):
So I didn't even start school until I was.

Speaker 9 (30:48):
Ten years old, I didn't have a sense of what
that was like to stand in line, I ask people
to go to the bathroom. So if I got in trouble,
you know, weeks and weeks later would go by and
I wouldn't receive a letter, and then I'd be like,
what's going on? And then finally he were right and
ask me if I learned my lesson, you know, and
he felt that from solitude the difference he could make

(31:10):
in the world through standing by his conviction.

Speaker 1 (31:13):
Well, if you want to hear great stories in terms
of daughters reflections on their father please pick up the
book My Dad, the Man, Black Daughters and Praise of
their Fathers, available where all books are sold. I want
to thank doctor Carrold Adams as well as Charmain Rickett
and the vaughn Or and Deborah Farmer for joining us

(31:35):
this morning.

Speaker 8 (31:35):
Thank you for having us.

Speaker 5 (31:37):
Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about
these marvelous stories.

Speaker 1 (31:43):
Coming up next, we'll take your calls on the top
news stories of the week, from the untimely death of
Spencer Lake Junior, to some positive news on the crime
front to the Bears signaling that they're going to move
to ham in Indiana. Should the Bears stay or should
they go? Call us now with your questions and comments
at eight three three five nine one V one oh three.

(32:05):
Please stay with us.

Speaker 3 (32:06):
Chicago Speaks with Darryl Donard. You can voice your opinion
right now toll free at eight three three five nine
one V one O three snvie IR V one O
three presents Chicago Speaks with your host Daryl Dennard. This
program is designed to address issues that affect you. Your
opinions matter, toll free at eight three three, five nine

(32:30):
one V one O three. The views and opinions expressed
are not necessarily those of the station, it's management, sponsors,
or iHeartMedia, Inc.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
And welcome back. Time check for you. Right now it
is six point fifty one and it is that time
of the morning where you speak to the issues that
are impacting our community. Assembled in our reporters roundtable are
Charles Whittaker. He is a professor as well as dean
of the Middle School of Journalism at Northwestern University. We
also have another Northwestern alum and that's Morgan Johnhunson, who

(33:00):
is the co founder and publisher of the Tribe That's
Tribe with Two Eyes. And doctor Jerald McNair, who is
a columnist for both the Chicago Sun Times as well
as Chicago Tribune, as well as a school administrator. I
want to welcome all of you to the program. Begin
first with you, Charles, in terms of a weekly rundown

(33:22):
of the top stories that you've been following and that
are impacting the community.

Speaker 11 (33:28):
Wow, there's so much, Daryl, I don't know when swere
to begin. Good Morning good one of your listeners, Good morning,
Morgan and Gerald. Let's see, I'll try to touch on
things that perhaps my fellow panelists may not touch on.
I continue to be fascinated by the example of moral
authority that pop Leo presents as a faith leader who

(33:52):
is constantly the conscience of the world, reminding.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
Us now a million people showed up in Spain for.

Speaker 11 (33:59):
His mass, absolutely, and that is just a fascinating ongoing story,
particularly juxtaposed to the lack of moral authority that we
are seeing out of Washington, DC hit this moment in time.
So that is I find that very very interesting because

(34:19):
I live in the neighborhood. I am watching and waiting
with baited breath the opening of the Obama Center, which
I think is going to be a transformational institution in Chicago,
not just on the South Side, but in the city
writ large. And that's fascinating to see and is controversial

(34:45):
because it will transform I think, the surrounding neighborhoods in
both good and worrisome ways. And so it'll be very
interesting to see how that plays out over the next five, ten,
fifteen years or so. And then finally, I'm not going

(35:06):
to say that Bear's go no someone else. I'm going
to say that I'm actually watching that quite with baited
breath and also trying to see that. But I'll say
the the on is it a ceasefire? Isn't it a
ceasefire drama? Over the war in Iran? In the Middle least, actually,
because I think you have to look at what's happening

(35:26):
in Lebanon as well and the way that is, you know,
affecting us not just domestically but internationally. And there is
no off ramp to that conflict, despite the fact that
Trump wants to find one desperately, and I don't know
how that's going to play out, but that continues to

(35:47):
be an interesting story to watch.

Speaker 1 (35:52):
Morgan, your top three, Top three?

Speaker 12 (35:57):
Okay, well, Governor Brooke if you want, Okay, good morning everyone.
So Governor Prisker just announced that he's directing a pause
on data center tax incentives. Now this goes into effects

(36:19):
for July. First, he's saying that data centers we need
to readdress their environmental toll and see what taxpayers get
in response. Of course, there are still some concerns that
people are bringing up saying that the data centers that
have already been receiving these tax incentives would not be

(36:41):
affected by this new order that he has issued, and
some people are calling for data centers to just be
banned in general. So this is a nationwide issue. We're
seeing communities rise up against the proliferation of these data
centers because they are sucking up resources, water, and of

(37:01):
course utility builds are skyrocketing. So it's very interesting that
the governor just issued this order. Will definitely be tracking
the impacts of that. Also, Mayor Johnson recently announced a
partnership with the y m c A that is bringing
free YMCA memberships for the use as a way to

(37:24):
increase access for more free and accessible recreational opportunities for
young people. The haircare line. Mayel actually funded that initiative,
which is pretty cool. This comes after there's been so
much conversation around team trends, team takeovers, and you know

(37:44):
how that's impacting the city right now. So the mayor
and the YMCA coming with a progressive solution is definitely
something that we celebrate. And there's also been multiple movements
from community outreach to reach out to young people. There's
a community group called the Unity Movement that has provided

(38:06):
safe spaces for you to gather. They just hosted a
major event, and of course we've seen also parents and
business owners coming together to hope parents takeovers as well.
So I'm very interested in tracking how like the full
force of government and community and black folks basiclys in
like we're going to come together and take care of
our own to see how that impacts crime this summer.

(38:29):
And speaking of crime, the crime numbers just came out
and May has been the lowest number of commiside since
two thousand and seven. So crime is still trending down
in Chicago, which is always good news. Of course, we
don't want to see only people using their lives to

(38:52):
gun violence, but it's important for us to acknowledge when
crime is turning down so we can acknowledge what's working.

Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, there is also a flip side to that because
while the number of homicides are down dramatically, there is
a slight uptick in shootings and we saw that.

Speaker 12 (39:11):
But what that means though, maybe that means that people
are having quicker access to the care that they need
so that they can survive. So when we talk about crime,
it's important that we think not only about police response
times and things like that, but how long does it
take for people to get to the care that they
need and whether that care is actually saving lives. It's

(39:33):
important for us to save lives because then you know,
that cycle of retaliation and things like that, it gives
people the opportunity to rehab their lives.

Speaker 1 (39:44):
Yeah, and I'm all for a reduction on all fronts
with regard to crime. But the reality is is that
having to report the news, people will say, well, why
do we focus on news and shootings. I'm like, because
that's supposed to be something that's abnormal, and it is

(40:05):
your responsibility, all of you, as journalists and truth tellers,
to you know, give the good with the bad. But
I definitely applaud the fact that it is consistent with
a downward trend, not only here in Chicago but nationwide.
Doctor Joe McNairy your top three.

Speaker 6 (40:21):
Yeah, just so much.

Speaker 13 (40:23):
Good morning to your listener and your panelists Morgan and Charles.

Speaker 6 (40:27):
I tell you, you know, the thankfully the Trump administration's.

Speaker 13 (40:34):
Restrictions on snap benefits, it was halted. Federal judge halted that,
and so you know, you have a lot of people
depending on snap benefits and for the federal judge to
temporarily block it.

Speaker 6 (40:50):
It's really good.

Speaker 13 (40:51):
Because we talk about high crisis, we talk about affordability issues,
and so we're going to see how.

Speaker 6 (40:56):
That plays out.

Speaker 1 (40:59):
I mean, the the.

Speaker 13 (40:59):
The Trump administration had restrictions on gender ideology, things of
that nature had nothing to do with generally, has nothing
to do with why and how people apply and qualify for.

Speaker 12 (41:14):
Saying that data centers we need to readdress their environmental
toll and see what taxpayers get in response. Of course,
there are still some concerns that people are bringing up
saying that the data centers that have already been receiving
these tax and centives would not be affected by this

(41:34):
new order that he has issued, and some people are
calling for data centers to just be banned in general.
So this is a nationwide issue. We're seeing communities rise
up against the proliferation of these data centers because they
are sucking up resources, water, and of course utility builds

(41:54):
are skyrocketing. So it's very interesting that the governor just
issued this order. Will definitely be tracking the impacts of that.

Speaker 13 (42:03):
Also.

Speaker 12 (42:04):
Mayor Johnson recently announced a partnership with the y m
C a that is bringing free YMCA memberships for the
use as a way to increase access for more free
and accessible recreational opportunities for young people. The haircare line
Mayel actually funded that initiative, which is pretty cool. This

(42:28):
comes after there's been so much conversation around team trends,
team takeovers and you know how that's impacting the seating
right now. So the mayor and the YMCA coming with
a progressive solution is definitely something that we celebrate. And
there's also been multiple movements from community outreach groups to

(42:52):
reach out to young people. There's there's a community group
called the Unity Movement that has provided safe spaces for
youth to gather. They just hosted a major event. And
of course we've seen also parents and business owners coming
together to hope parents takeovers as well. So I'm very
interested in tracking how like the full force of government

(43:12):
and community and black folks basicallys in like we're going
to come together and take care of our own to
see how that impacts crime this summer. And speaking of crime,
the crime numbers just came out and May has been
the lowest number of hommicide since two thousand and seven.

(43:35):
So crime is still trending down in Chicago, which is
always good news. Of course, we don't want to see
only people using their lives to gun violence, but it's
important for us to acknowledge when crime is turning down
so we can acknowledge what's working.

Speaker 1 (43:51):
Yeah, there is also a flip side to that, because
while the number of homicides are down dramatically, there is
a slight up and shootings And would be sure that
what that.

Speaker 12 (44:03):
Means though, maybe that means that people are having quicker
access to the care that they need so that they
can survive. So when we talk about crime, it's important
that we think not only about police response times and
things like that, but how long does it take for
people to get to the care that they need and
whether that care is actually saving lives. It's important for

(44:25):
us to save lives because then you know that cycle
of retaliation and things like that, it gives people the
opportunity to rehab their lives.

Speaker 1 (44:35):
Yeah, and I'm all for a reduction on all front
with regard to crime, But the reality is is that
having to report the news, people will say, well, why
do we focus on news and shootings? I'm like, because
that's supposed to be something that's abnormal, and it is

(44:56):
your responsibility, all of you, as journalists and truth tellers,
to you know, give the good with the bad. But
I definitely applayed the fact that it is consistent with
a downward trend, not only here in Chicago but nationwide.
Doctor Joe McNairy your top three.

Speaker 6 (45:13):
Yeah, just so much.

Speaker 13 (45:15):
Good morning to your listener and your panelists, Morgan and Charles.
I tell you, you know, the thankfully the Trump administration's UH
restrictions on Snap benefits, it was halted. Federal judge halted that,
and so you know, you have a lot of people
depending on Snap benefits and UH for the federal judge

(45:39):
to temporarily block it, UH, it's really good because we
talk about high crisis, we talk about affordability issues, and
so we're going to see how that plays out. I mean,
the the the the the Trump administration had restrictions on
gender ideology, things of that nature.

Speaker 6 (45:57):
It had nothing to do with Jill, has nothing.

Speaker 13 (46:00):
To do with why and how people apply and qualify
for SNAP benefits. And so we're going to see how
that pans out. But I think that's worth noting. You know,
Snap benefits impact millions. I think thirty eight million people
across the nation. So that's that Bears. We also have
to talk about the Bears. I think Charleston. I mean

(46:27):
the Bears may be the hem and Bears just just right.
You know, the Chicago Bears organization will proceed with plans
for state and handed and in Indiana, and so you know,
we often talk about gridlock being the reason why there's
an impast but when the Democrats control Congress, the Senate,

(46:49):
the executive branch, it's not gridlock. And so it's really
a poor indicator of the politics and a Democratic party,
which leads me to my third.

Speaker 1 (47:01):
Important on there for a second job. When you say
it's a politic, are you talking about at the state
level in terms of the Bears. That's what we're speaking of.

Speaker 6 (47:09):
Correct at this I mean, you're right, you're at the
state level.

Speaker 13 (47:12):
But it's also an indicator of where the Democrats are.

Speaker 6 (47:15):
From a national standpoint.

Speaker 13 (47:17):
We talk about moderates, we talk about the progressive movement.
We know why the presidential election did not go on
the way of the Democrats in twenty twenty four. We
talk about the regressive movement pulling the Democrats too far.

Speaker 1 (47:31):
To the left.

Speaker 6 (47:33):
And so I think that's why that's why.

Speaker 13 (47:36):
We're watching these races across the nation, like the senatorial
race in Maine and we're watching the governor race in California.
Where do the Democrats lie in terms of the progressives
the moderates, and where's our country is more in that
center and at the progressive left pulls the Democrats too

(47:57):
far over, It's going to be it's going to be interesting.
That's why it's so important that we've watched these races
across the country.

Speaker 1 (48:05):
You look at there's a lot of controversies surrounding that
mayors that main race right now in terms of people
have to do their background checking. It's only because of
investigative journalism that people are able to know exactly the
backgrounds of these candidates. So, you know, there's a lot

(48:27):
of allegation swirling around the Democratic potential Democratic nominee there
in terms of the main Senate race.

Speaker 13 (48:36):
I mean, you're right, Platner does have a history, you know,
some sexual allegations with his former workers, and also a
tattoo that symbolizes a support of Nazism. I would be
remissed as an educator and administer that if I did
not mention Illinois Center Bill twenty four to twenty seven,
it's going to restrict self.

Speaker 6 (48:56):
All usage in K th twelve schools and by the
governor past I'm in favor of it.

Speaker 13 (49:04):
But the reality is, and this is this is unfortunately,
this is the politics and the Democrats. Unfortunately, even though
on this face it sounds good, there's no meat behind it.
In other words, administrators cannot dole out any consequences at
a student.

Speaker 6 (49:20):
Breaks those fruits.

Speaker 13 (49:21):
In order for that legislation to get passed, all of
these things had to be agreed upon because we know,
you know, the research shows as certain students are over
identified for consequences. But at the same time, you have
a policy that has no meat to it in terms
of consequences, and so on his face that sounds great.
We certainly know that the impact of cell phones having

(49:41):
classrooms and all of those things.

Speaker 6 (49:43):
So it's gonna be interesting.

Speaker 13 (49:44):
But I'm gonna hopefully and mister Den, you'll certainly be
covering this as you know, when school begins and perhaps
as we are to summer, there's gonna have to be
a strong movement for educators and people across the state
to to reach out to parents to support this because
there's a link to sell POWE usage and depression and anxiety.

(50:06):
But again, in order for this to work, we're gonna
need parents to support schools in this process because again
there are no consequences can be given out when someone
brings that rule. So those are my top stories. There
so much can be talked about. This is one hundred
days for the war in the United States, and of course.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
The war that removing goalposts. We talked about this before,
and I just I don't understand just how reticent the
American public is to say, hey, stop telling us that
it's ending soon. It's ending soon. That that's the part

(50:47):
that just drives me crazy every week. Yes, it's the
same thing. He comes out, and I just can't. I'm like,
where is the moral fiber to just tell the truth,
say hey, this is a protracted thing. I don't see
the end in sight right now. But I'm begging your
patients as opposed to literally, as journalists, we get these

(51:10):
false news conferences and social media posts that say a
deal is very near, We're on the precipice of the deal,
and then literally a day or a week later, well,
it's going to take time. The Vietnam War took time.

(51:30):
It's you know, total insanity in that regard. But my
three would be the Bears, Spencer, Leake Junior, and Crime.
I think that it is extraordinary. Spencer was a friend
of mine, and of course the Leak family is so
tied to the civil rights movement here in Chicago. I

(51:51):
am just amazed at this outpouring of just condolences that
people here in Chicago are given the Leak family. And
what I mean by being amazed there, it's just that
the overwhelming support in terms of what this family has
meant to so many people. And it's interesting there. But

(52:15):
this is Chicago speak, so it allows you the opportunity
to talk about what's going on in Chicago. We're going
to begin first with Edguardo, who is a former Chicago
resident but now resides in the state of Florida. Eduardo,
always a pleasure to talk to you, my friend. And
you're coming to a question this morning.

Speaker 14 (52:34):
Yeah, good morning. And I was just reading this because
I go every day on the WGN news here. I
think Bradley grew up in the back of the yards
I grew up. I picked it for now Laughlin and
every time I go on the on the site, there's
a back of the yard's address on the shooting and killing.
Is there some kind of turf.

Speaker 11 (52:53):
Four going on over there?

Speaker 14 (52:54):
What's going on over there? Maybe your panel has some
insight on the back of the yards?

Speaker 1 (53:00):
Yes, yeah, go ahead, Joel. I know that you've been covering.

Speaker 13 (53:04):
This and it's this and I think, uh, I think
Morgan might have alluded to it.

Speaker 6 (53:10):
The reality is who you when you when you do it.
When you just aggregate some.

Speaker 13 (53:13):
Of the data, there's still ques there's still some students
in certain parts of Chicago that are a little higher
than than last year.

Speaker 6 (53:22):
Uh, you see that. But you look at the.

Speaker 13 (53:24):
Data from the from a more from a more macro level,
we certainly see some data that's favoraboth women.

Speaker 6 (53:30):
You just aggregate it.

Speaker 13 (53:31):
Yes, there's still constant conflict with Jame Turk wars and
those things, and so Gardo, to your credit, you're just
aggregating that data. And that's how you have to look
at statistics and look at it sometimes a more micro
level because it impacts you directly.

Speaker 6 (53:45):
And your.

Speaker 11 (53:50):
Would notice that the Back of the Yards is saying,
as Dodo said, there's just an unusual I don't know
if it's an unusual uptick or an unusual in the
by media on shootings in the back of the yards,
but we are seeing way more. It appears that we
are seeing more in back of the yards than we
had in the past before these isolated shootings who are

(54:13):
south and west side and then the random neighborhood here
and there. But there does appear to be a concentration
over the past couple of weeks in back of the yards.
And I don't know if it's beef that groups are
having with one another or what, but it's certainly bears
looking at I'm surprised that the media actually hasn't said,
what's happening here? Why are we seeing this uptick?

Speaker 1 (54:35):
Yeah, it's interesting because I know you've had Hey, jackass,
if I'm not mistaken, that would literally show you on
a map on an info grid in terms of where
the shootings are taking place. And I go to the
back of the yards, I visit all neighborhoods in Chicago,
and the reality is is that it's shifting demographics too,

(55:01):
and so is What is your take, Morgan, You guys
at the tribe, have your pulse, your fingers on the
pulse of the younger people. What are you getting in
your reporting?

Speaker 12 (55:16):
Well, you know, Daryl, the Tribe doesn't cover inter community
violence in that way. We cover systemic issues, root causes
of violence and things like that. So what we would
look at in that area is, you know, what's happening
with housing, what's happening with education in that area? Are
there abandoned building? You know what's going on to where

(55:39):
this activity can can start to a sester. And you
know that crime, intercommunity crime is something that breads more
like a disease. So if there is some action happening
in one area nearby, it could start to grow. So
that's that's we would we would look at. But but yeah,

(56:05):
but this is not something that we've been covering so far.

Speaker 1 (56:08):
That sounds good, Hey, guado Man, I appreciate you listening.

Speaker 15 (56:11):
Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (56:14):
All right, you're welcome. Coming up next, we want to
talk about the Bears move to Hamm in Indiana. Is
it the right move? Are they going to be called
the Indiana Bears or the ham and Bears? Give us
your thoughts or comments call us now at eight three
three five nine one V one O three and Friday,
We're gonna hear from you on the other side of
the breaks. Please stay with us.

Speaker 3 (56:37):
Chicago Speaks with Daryl Dinard. You can voice your opinion
right now toll free.

Speaker 1 (56:42):
At eight the best I know when I.

Speaker 3 (56:47):
Now back to Chicago Speaks with Daryl Dinard. Share what's
on your mind toll free at eight, three, three, five,
nine one v one oh three.

Speaker 1 (56:57):
And welcome back. Time check for you right now it
is nineteen and the temperature went up just a bit.
It's currently seventy degrees. We are joined in our reporters
roundtable by Charles whittakerdean the Middle School of Journalism, Morgan Johnson,
who is the co founder and publisher of the Tribe
dot com, and doctor Gerald McNair, who is an educator

(57:18):
as well as a columnist with both The Tribune and
Chicago Sun Times. We're going to go directly to the
phone lines in terms of going to hear from Friday.
The clash had a big hit called should I Stay
or should I Go? Well, that is the dilemma facing
the Chicago Bears and Friday. Your feelings on a possible

(57:41):
move out of state for the Bears.

Speaker 15 (57:44):
Hey, Friday even been there, why you know, Yeah, I
want to say good money thirty pounds where I just
played that right now, Chicago Bear, they are just being
greedy and uh uh you know the the organization. I
think that Chicago have given a lot to this organization.

(58:07):
Not too long ago that Sodia a few was rehab
I think by my life was it life.

Speaker 1 (58:14):
Photo and I was way before mayor Lightfoot, Yeah, manual matter.

Speaker 15 (58:20):
Yet we did all of that. You remember, uh what
do you call your uh to the Aliso drivers? Suda
few was wrap around by Lakeshore Drive. Yeah, we moved,
we moved to one side just to accommodate, you know,
Chicago bed. And I just say that right now, Chicago based,
I just acting like Nigeria and politician. They just want

(58:41):
to change, honestly, honestly, yeah, like Nigeria.

Speaker 1 (58:49):
Honestly the views and opinions expressed on Chicago speak, so.

Speaker 12 (58:56):
You know.

Speaker 15 (58:56):
And to be honest with Joe, I don't like that
you are making this flight to be uh you know,
blaming the Democrats. I don't know if you're a Republican
or watch you know part of your belong to I
just now Chicago Bears should be asking Chicago, how high
do you want me to jump? Where do you want

(59:17):
to build the stadium in your city? I'm not talking
about moving to hammad Indiana. Come on, how much can
you take fun the people? How much? And when do
you joge the land? I said, oh, let's start giving
it to Chicago.

Speaker 1 (59:32):
So okay, what I want to get I want to
get our steam Panels take on on this dilemma. In
terms of the Chicago Bears, I'm going to begin first
with you, Charles, because you're a sports fan and I
love I love sports, I love the Bears. I love
good competition. But the reality is is that they sit.

(59:57):
They don't pay taxes at Soldier Field right now, from
what I understand, and stadiums are a white elephant. They
don't bring in money.

Speaker 11 (01:00:06):
There's not there's no history of any government entity that
has poured money into a stadium and recouped that investment.
There's just this isn't one. And so for a billionaire
family franchise to try to hold up the city and
state to subsidize their new stadium, I'm kind of with Friday.

(01:00:33):
That feels like greed to me. And I'm considable, and
I don't think this is I don't think this is
a Democrat or Republican issue. I think any group of
politicians given the state finances and we're talking about a
state that is resource starved to begin with, faced with
the possibility.

Speaker 1 (01:00:52):
And a target of major federal funding reductions from the administration.

Speaker 11 (01:00:58):
That's right. And so now having to pour into the
coffers of again the billionaire owners of the Bears in
order to keep them here, it feels unconscionable to me.
So I think they're bluffing. We'll see, but I think

(01:01:18):
I don't know. I don't know how the state can
in good conscience debsidize the Bears.

Speaker 1 (01:01:27):
Yeah, Gerald, your take, I will tell you.

Speaker 6 (01:01:31):
I mean worse franchises.

Speaker 13 (01:01:33):
I mean they bring in jobs, they do bring in
some some revenue and things of that nature. I mean,
the Bears are one of the oldest franchises, and to
lose them, and I do understand that, you know, Chicago
economics and Illinois economics are not the best.

Speaker 6 (01:01:50):
I do get that, and.

Speaker 13 (01:01:51):
So, but part of part of that whole process is
the way in which taxing bodies or solutions that receive
revenue and property owners. Uh, there's a pilot program in
that legislation that still mandates that the Bears pay some

(01:02:12):
form of property taxes. But no leader wants to be
occupying the position where they're going to lose. Chicago Bess franchise,
this is one of the oldest frenchise.

Speaker 6 (01:02:24):
This has been uh mention that they're on the cover
and so can you mention them win the super bowls?

Speaker 1 (01:02:30):
And Hammond, Well, let me tell you something. The super
Bowl will not be won and unless they have the
super Bowl will not happen in Chicago because they don't
have a dome stadium. Let's just be perfectly honest about
the You know, the NFL only chooses locales where it's
going to be, even though I think they're going to
be trying to do something in New York, which is crazy,

(01:02:52):
but New York. Again, I go to the fact that
the New York Giants are one of the older franchises
and the New York Jets.

Speaker 16 (01:03:03):
And in New York.

Speaker 1 (01:03:08):
Nobody says anything. Nobody says they have never been called
the Jersey Giants or the ruther for Giants.

Speaker 11 (01:03:15):
Jersey Jets definitely.

Speaker 1 (01:03:17):
The Jersey Jets, And so I think it's a favor
complete and hey, and somebody's going to on the flip side,
it's the Bears. They're saying, Oh, you want to build
the stadium for me and Hammond then, and you're going
to pay all it is? Then Hey why not? And
what's going to be in the stadium.

Speaker 11 (01:03:36):
I'm not sure that fed are complete. They are only
because of what Gerald says. I don't think any politician
wants to be the politician that loses the Bears. I
think that's I didn't want to be a tremendous embarrassment.
And so I think they are going to They are
going to cave, and I think the Bears are are
banking on that, which is why they turned up the

(01:03:58):
screws by saying they're talking of Hammond. I think it's
a bluff, but I don't think any politician wants to
call that bluff. So I think we are going to
be on the hook for a Bear stadium in some way,
shape or form, But I personally am opposed to it.

Speaker 1 (01:04:15):
Yeah, I just want to tell you that, you know,
when the Giants won, in terms of the Super Bowl,
they did not party over on the other side.

Speaker 13 (01:04:25):
Of the parade New York even.

Speaker 1 (01:04:32):
You could actually almost see the Stadium. You know, if
you're on the Hudson there Friday. I thank you, my
friend for calling one to move now over to Brother Hall.
You're very welcome, sir. Yeah, moving over to Brother Hall.
Calling from the great area of Bronzeville, Brother Hall. In
terms of your comment to question in this morning.

Speaker 16 (01:04:52):
Think you can you hear me, Darryl?

Speaker 1 (01:04:54):
Yeah, I can hear you.

Speaker 16 (01:04:56):
Okay. To your guests, the last women that talked about uh,
no politician wanted to want to be associated with losing
the bads. He's one hundred and twenty percent correct. Because
if that would happen, they won't have to worry about
running for nothing.

Speaker 11 (01:05:14):
They can go get a hot dog and go somewhere retire. Yeah,
that's how that goes.

Speaker 16 (01:05:20):
Because catch up on it right, Yeah, yeah, absolutely, this
is definitely a bad town.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
Now.

Speaker 16 (01:05:29):
I actually called, you know about something else. I don't
know if the screening told you.

Speaker 1 (01:05:35):
I said, yeah, the governor, you had something you wanted.

Speaker 11 (01:05:37):
To say, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 16 (01:05:40):
I'm really concerned about the language and the stuff that's
being put out. We got to be very cautious and
careful of people telling us or these commercials that may
not be true. For instance, I'm not a fan of JB.

Speaker 11 (01:06:01):
Trickister. I call him JB.

Speaker 16 (01:06:03):
Trickister because and the reason why is because I don't
see what he's really doing. And and I'm disturbed because
the legislative brands look like they're just stuck. Can't do nothing,
can't say nothing. Many times we don't even hear from him.

(01:06:23):
There's a few of them that's doing the look some something.
But for the little part, Daryl, we're in trouble here.
The Democratic Party is in trouble, and I don't know
why they're trying.

Speaker 11 (01:06:36):
To hide this.

Speaker 16 (01:06:37):
If you look at the latest poll, the latest poll
is showing Trump it's more favorable.

Speaker 11 (01:06:44):
Mm.

Speaker 1 (01:06:45):
I haven't seen that poll.

Speaker 16 (01:06:47):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. So if that's the case,
then we need to be outraged about why we're not needing.
What is our a game plan to deal with these
elections that's coming up, and how do how do we
put all this in perspective to win. If we doesn't win,

(01:07:10):
it doesn't matter, we fall back once again first in
last place. Thank you for thinking, my god brother, Daryl,
all this and all the time. Man B one or
three is the most powerful station in the world. Thank you.
For having your life.

Speaker 1 (01:07:24):
I appreciate that You're very welcome there, Morgan. What do
you feel is the post in terms of political involvement
and participation, particularly among younger black folks.

Speaker 8 (01:07:39):
Like nationwide or locally locally and nationwide for that matter.

Speaker 12 (01:07:45):
I do feel like black folks are engaged. I think
we do know that we are the moral compass of
this country and the backbone specifically of the Democratic Party party.
But I do hear everyone's offer this satisfaction with the
Democratic Party. I share that sentiment because a lot of
people are looking at our democracy crumbling and saying, what

(01:08:10):
have the Democrats done over the years to really like
fortify our systems and protect them? So people we're seeing
like a lot of critique of kind of like Democrats
being like kind of one and the same as Republicans
in terms of just like their support of of of

(01:08:33):
racial capitalism, really billionaires and their inability to basically safeguard
things like things like abortion rights and you know, the
voting rights and and all of those things. So now
it's about like how do we what do we need
to do? What kind of like radical movements are we

(01:08:54):
going to employ at this time? Are you going to
try to expand the Supreme Court. At this point, we're
not really hearing Democratic leaders talk about anything radical to
really turn the country around. But at this point it's like,
are we going to do amendments to the constitution? How
do we even start the process of repair? And I

(01:09:15):
think what makes the Democrats unappealing to people is that
we haven't quite been a unified message yet, and we're
looking for the messenger. And even in the press, it's
kind of just like, who is the next Democratic leader
who's going to unify and bring people together around us
sexual goal.

Speaker 1 (01:09:35):
Charles. It's interesting because perception, unfortunately, is not always reality.
And you know, people, and I'm not saying this in
defense of Democrats, but the reality is is that the
way this particular republic that we live in is is

(01:09:55):
that there are three branches. There's the executive, there's legislative,
and there's the judiciary. And the reality is is that
Republicans control all three of those. And so people say, well,
why haven't the Democrats. They've done everything possible to a
certain extent to try to have a voice. But all

(01:10:19):
of this truly started for me, Charles, in terms of
Mitch McConnell when he decided during Barack Obama's administration, when
he decided to break rules with tradition that had been
in place for decades and not allow a vote on

(01:10:41):
Merrick Garland and Barack Fro'm not mistaken, at that time
had at least fifteen months left on his presidency, and
because the Republicans controlled the Senate, they decided to engage
in that tick for tat type of behavior that we
are facing right now and then will say.

Speaker 11 (01:11:05):
Go ahead, no, go ahead. When it was time to
appoint Amy Coey Barrett, then they did exactly the opposite
and and uh and installed her with uh, you know,
less than a year ago on Biden's term. But yeah, sure.

Speaker 12 (01:11:21):
But my question, Eryl, though, is like why when Republicans
are in office they can just bulldle their way through policies,
whereas you know, it seems like, you know, when we
did Democrats did have a majority, there's so much resistant
to the last time.

Speaker 1 (01:11:39):
Morgan. Let's look at the when the last time they
had a majority, they did push through legislation to a
certain extent. That's how we had Obamacare, which which benefits
all Americans.

Speaker 11 (01:11:49):
Go ahead to Morgan's point though, I mean, I think,
what what frustrates so many people and and you know,
Gerald's common that's about the about the left leaning Democrats. Notwithstanding,
the Democrats are a center left party. They are institutionalists

(01:12:10):
and traditionalists, and they have been trying to fight a
norms busting, tradition busting party with rules that no longer
reply in this up for grabs, you know, free for
all that uh, you know, wanton uh, norms busting and corruption. Yeah,

(01:12:35):
street fight that that the Republicans are engaged in, and
Democrats are still pretending as though we are in the
genteel days of norms and people on the outside, young
people look at that and they're frustrated. They want they
want to get in the in the gutter and have
the street fight. They do want the Democrats pushed way

(01:12:57):
to the left, and the Republican the establishment is quite
resistant to that. And again they keep trying to plow
a line down the center, appealing to a broad base
of people. They have this fantasy that somehow they're going
to convince those Trump voters to ultimately see reason and

(01:13:19):
move to the Democratic Party, or that somehow those independents
are going to realize the error of their way and
move over, and maybe things have reached an idea at
this moment, and that may happen with the independence. I
think there are certain people who are in the cult,
in the cults who are never going to leave the cult,
but maybe it will happen with independence at this moment

(01:13:40):
in time. But again, young people are frustrated by a
message that is not clear, decisive, defiant in the face
of what they are seeing, in the face of the
shattering of the democracy and the republic by the Republican
Party right now.

Speaker 1 (01:14:00):
But he is a member of the Fourth Estate, and
in doing so it is our responsibility to also inform.
And one thing that I would like for everyone to
do I've told you about Please read George Orwells in
nineteen eighty four. But there is a documentary it came
out a couple of weeks ago on W. E. B.

(01:14:20):
Dubois in terms of his life story, and I find
it was just super intriguing in terms of what this
man went through, and I would encourage everybody to watch
the du Boys documentary in terms of the thing that
I found fascinating was that he was an intellectual of intellectuals,

(01:14:44):
and because he was part of that privileged class that
went to Harvard, and you know, he's one of the
first blacks the game his PhD from there. And the
reality is is that he thought that Woodrow Wilson, you know,
is going to be you know, accept him as an intellectual.

(01:15:05):
And Woodrow Wilson was one of the most racist presidents
that we've ever had. And I say that perception is
everything here because I think about in terms of us
knowing our history and the history of this country during reconstruction.

(01:15:26):
This is the part that blows my mind is that
during reconstruction we had black representation in terms of black
senator and governors, and these these people that were members
of Congress, they were brilliant, They were brilliant people. But
then comes Jim Crow and the apex of that Jim

(01:15:48):
Crow happened in nineteen nineteen or nineteen seventeen with the
release A Birth of a Nation where it showed black
people in Congress being undignified. That was the furthest thing
from the truth, right, And so you know, I just

(01:16:09):
I just compel people, please. You know, we watch social media.
We spent hours there. Take I think it's a two
hour documentary.

Speaker 6 (01:16:19):
Take two hours a friend.

Speaker 11 (01:16:21):
Of mine name, that's by a friend of mine, Rita
Whack Coburn, that documents by a woman. Yes, that's reader's documentary.
It's it's absolutely I encourage I encourage everyone to mine
mine as well. I encourage everyone to see it. It's
actually really if you think you know the boys, this

(01:16:43):
will tell you things that you you didn't know.

Speaker 1 (01:16:46):
Yeah, and you know, in terms of his family, we
always talk about I believe it was Charles Drew who
died down South because he couldn't see a doctor, if
I'm not mistaken, And the same situation happened to Dubois
son because the white doctor wanted to provide care to

(01:17:07):
his eighteen month old son.

Speaker 12 (01:17:11):
Well, you know what, Darryl though. To bring it back
to your original question about our young people engage, I
would say yes overwhelmingly, And I would say, you know,
the downfall of you know, America's democratic institutions can really
be tracked to the Citizens United decision where you know,
money could just have this, Yeah, you know, overwhelming influence

(01:17:34):
in politics. So you see people online on social media
tracking down to a t where campaign dollars are coming from,
to learn who our politicians are actually accountable too, and
they're informing everyone, They're informing their peers, they are organizing
and having conversations. So I would say right now there

(01:17:56):
is definitely kind of like this class movement happening where
they're looking at, Okay, what is the influence of corporations
of billionaires and politics, and how do we share and
spread that information?

Speaker 1 (01:18:08):
And he still have to go through that legislative process
in terms of getting passed in Congress because the Supreme
Court has made it clear who they're siding with. Matter
of fact, there was a recent decision that upheld that
Citizens United decision. So I want to thank Charles Whitaker
as well as Morgan Johnson and doctor Gerald McNair. Coming

(01:18:30):
up on the other side of the break, we're going
to tell you about how you can be an entrepreneur
and take your business to the next level with help
from the Chicago Urban League. Please stay with.

Speaker 3 (01:18:41):
Us Chicago Speaks with Daryl Dinard. You could voice your
opinion right now toll free at eight three, three, five,
nine to one v one oh threeals and more deals
Now back to Chicago Speaks with Daryl Denard. Share what's
on your mind, toll free at eight, three, three, five
nine to one V one O three.

Speaker 1 (01:19:04):
The Chicago Urban League's purpose and vision includes a thriving
future for Black Chicago built on wealth, equity, and generational impact.
Now to that end, it is tiresly focused on entrepreneurship
and innovation, and achieving those goals is our intern with
Northwestern University. Evan Blake with more.

Speaker 10 (01:19:24):
Evan Blake reporting for Chicago Speaks and Chicago Insight. The
Chicago Urban League Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is on
the front lines of building black economic power, helping entrepreneurs, launch, grow,
and sustain businesses right here in Illinois. Today we're hearing
from the leaders driving that mission forward. This is Evan
Blake reporting.

Speaker 1 (01:19:44):
Thanks Evan, and joining us this morning to talk entrepreneurship
and innovation at the Chicago Urban League is Kelly Evans,
who is the vice president of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
for the League. Kelly talk to me specifically about what
is the Urban League doing when it comes to entrepreneurship
and economic development.

Speaker 4 (01:20:05):
Good morning, everyone, and thank you Darryl and Evan for
having me on today.

Speaker 7 (01:20:10):
My favorite topic is to.

Speaker 4 (01:20:11):
Talk about what we do in entrepreneurship at the Chicago
Urban League. So our goal at the Urban League and
the Department of Entrepreneurship is to really support small black
businesses that come through our doors in our communities to
make sure that they solvent, that they are strong, that
they are at sustainable businesses.

Speaker 7 (01:20:30):
And we do that in a multitude of ways.

Speaker 4 (01:20:32):
We do that through support of one on one counciling
and business advising, technical assistance if they're applying for grants,
and then we have cohort programs that target specific areas
of concentration and really work with businesses just to make
sure that they're sustainable and that they're becoming bankable investable businesses.

Speaker 1 (01:20:50):
So let's break this down in terms of two examples.
The first being somebody that has started a business. They
actually have a little bit of brick and more are
going on with their business and they're seeking to take
it to the next level. What would you offer them
in terms of helping them to achieve that goal of

(01:21:11):
reaching the next level?

Speaker 4 (01:21:12):
Sure, So we have a couple of cohor programs that
are that are designed just for that. One is called
our Next Level Exchange Program, which is a really really
cool program. It's a program that we do in collaboration
with WBDC and with Sunshine Enterprises, and it's a twelve
month mentoring program where businesses are partnered with mentors who
have experience in the area or who have been long

(01:21:35):
time entrepreneurs, retired entrepreneurs sometimes, but it is a twelve
month mentoring program that really walks with them for twelve
months to make sure that they are addressing any issues
that they have, that they're getting the support that they
need from real life experiences. Then our other program that
we have is called our Next one program, and it's
an accelerated program for businesses with revenues of two hundred

(01:21:58):
and fifty thousand dollars and more. They usually have to
have at least two employees, and that is a six
month program.

Speaker 7 (01:22:05):
That really really accelerates learning.

Speaker 4 (01:22:07):
We we focus on finance, marketing, operations, HR and all
those things to really help businesses scale. That program is
designed for scaling. We're trying to get you to your
first million if you're not there, and if you are there,
we're trying to get you to your next million. That program,
we have experts come in. It's once a month. We
have experts come in to talk about you know how

(01:22:29):
they can support and things that are that entrepreneurs need
to know. And also we want those businesses to ultimately
be able to get into contracting positions with corporate partners
or you know, or public partners. And so those are
two of the business two of the cohorts that we
have for businesses in order to scale them.

Speaker 1 (01:22:48):
So let's go to the opposite end of the spectrum
in terms of somebody that just has an idea that
they would like to see hit the stores or to
hit the market place. What are you offering them?

Speaker 4 (01:23:02):
So we offer them our next one program, so we
have something for everybody. Next one is for businesses that
are in ideation or pre revenue or startups early businesses
under two years old.

Speaker 7 (01:23:14):
And actually I shouldn't.

Speaker 4 (01:23:15):
Say it in two years because some businesses are still
start up and they've been around for a while and
they just have it, you know, moved.

Speaker 7 (01:23:20):
To that level.

Speaker 4 (01:23:21):
And so that cohort is designed to really really talk
about how to start up. You know, what do financial
records need to look like, how do you do your marketing?
What is your social media? Do you have a website?
If you don't, will help you build one. And so
those cohort participants really really get foundational help and support
to actually start and launch successful businesses.

Speaker 1 (01:23:43):
Now on both of these programs, many of them are
rather extensive in terms of the year long program that
you have and then the monthly one for those that
are already established. Is there a particular fee that is
associated with participating in these programs?

Speaker 4 (01:23:58):
So that's the beauty of the Chicago Earth. We don't
charge anybody anything. We are funded and supported by corporate partners.
We have some public dollars that also support our work,
but all of our services are free to anybody who
wants to sign up. And even if you don't want
to go through a cohort program, you can just sign
up for one on one counseling and have ongoing counseling

(01:24:18):
with our business advisors as far as long as you
need it.

Speaker 7 (01:24:21):
So all of our programs are absolutely free. We just
ask for your commitment.

Speaker 1 (01:24:24):
Evan, I know that you have a question for Kelly.

Speaker 10 (01:24:27):
I was wondering, are there any ideas or businesses that
have come through a program that have genuinely inspired you
or that surprised you.

Speaker 16 (01:24:35):
Man.

Speaker 4 (01:24:35):
That's a great question, Evan, So I'm going to tell
you this I am, and Daryl might know this because
he knows this about me. We've been friends for such
a long time. I am really a voyeur. I love
to hear what people do, and that's why this role
is like, that's why I love my job, because all
of these businesses inspire inspire me most of the time,
because people have such magnificent ideas and to see them

(01:24:58):
being born and launched in to something just really really
just really really makes me happy.

Speaker 7 (01:25:03):
But I will tell you.

Speaker 4 (01:25:04):
That there's one in particular, and I know we were
going to be talking about success stories, so I hope
I'm not jumping the gun on this, but we have
one business and this is like full circle moment because
he came through our Next Startup program as a startup
company and he was creating this platform, this digital platform.

Speaker 7 (01:25:21):
To help other small businesses.

Speaker 4 (01:25:23):
Well, now he's gotten his platform to the point where
we're buying his services, and so that.

Speaker 7 (01:25:29):
That makes me so happy.

Speaker 4 (01:25:30):
He doesn't even know what I'm talking about him today,
but that makes me so happy because we saw somebody
start off with an idea and now get it to
a place where we can actually financially support him by
buying it.

Speaker 7 (01:25:41):
To support other businesses.

Speaker 1 (01:25:43):
And so now is there any formal program that is
getting ready to start that you want to tell our
listeners about.

Speaker 4 (01:25:51):
So we do well, they kind of already started because
we usually have spring and fall cycles. But our Next
one program just kicked off last week month. It's in
our it's just in our second month. We still have
openings for people who want to slide in. If you
have revenues of two hundred and fifty thousand or more
and you want to apply, there is an application process
for that, but we are still taking application because of

(01:26:13):
the class is not full. And so yeah, I want
to talk about that, but I also want to highlight
our Digital our Next one Digital or not Next one,
our next Digital program.

Speaker 1 (01:26:23):
Talk about this digital initiative.

Speaker 4 (01:26:25):
So our next Digital it started out just helping businesses
build websites, right because one of you know, one of
the things that we found coming out of COVID is
that a lot of our businesses suffered because they did
not have a way to reach customers if they were
not in person. And so we made it our mission
to make sure that we were infusing technology into all

(01:26:49):
of our business operations. And so it started out like
let's let us help you build a website. And of
course with all of the new technologies that are born
every day, we are just really really digging and into
how now we're doing AI innovation right, And so we
have a whole next digital program that actually just started.

Speaker 7 (01:27:06):
This is we're in our second second.

Speaker 4 (01:27:08):
Week of how do we use AI technology.

Speaker 7 (01:27:12):
To help enable our growth? Right?

Speaker 4 (01:27:15):
So we know that this AI technology is helping us
do all kinds of stuff, you know, write emails and
apply for grants and all the things that AI is
really really supporting. And a lot of people are still
afraid at AI, and we're like, look, AI is here
to stay, you might as well learn about it. And
so we are really really focused on AI enablement of
our businesses. And so that is one of the most

(01:27:37):
exciting things to me going on right now because we're
infusing these technology infrastructures into all levels of our businesses.

Speaker 7 (01:27:46):
So the best way to.

Speaker 4 (01:27:47):
Join any of our programs is just to go online,
but through our form to contact one of our advisors
and somebody will reach out to you and find out
what you are trying to get into and we'll put
you into those classes.

Speaker 7 (01:28:00):
You know, it's not too late.

Speaker 4 (01:28:01):
Leslie Williams is the teacher in that class and he
is just absolutely magnificent. So both so our technology classes
are all virtual. Our next one classes are in person.
Our next we haven't talked about our next deal class,
which is our certification program, and that is a hybrid.
And so however you need to get the information, we'll

(01:28:22):
give it to you that way. But it's most a
lot of it is you have a virtual option for
most stuff. And next next startup is in person as well.
That's right, we're going to be in another Black Wall
Street before this thing is over.

Speaker 1 (01:28:35):
Kelly Evans, Evan Blake, We thank you so much for
joining us this morning.

Speaker 7 (01:28:39):
Thank you, guys, thank you so much. I appreciate you.

Speaker 6 (01:28:43):
Well.

Speaker 1 (01:28:43):
That wraps up this edition of Chicago Speaks. As always,
I want to think, my guess, but most importantly you
the listeners and callers into this program. If you desire
news on a twenty four to seven basis, it's always
available with our sister station with the Black Information Network
at AM six forty.

Speaker 6 (01:28:59):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:28:59):
Now, get to get your praise on what's on your Blakey.
I'm Darryl Dennard. We'll see you back here. Next Sunday,
beginning at six am for another edition of Chicago Speaks.
Please be sure to take care of yourself.

Speaker 13 (01:29:12):
Snap benefits and so we're gonna see how that pans out.
But I think that's worth noting. You know, Snap benefits
impact millions. I think thirty eight million people across