Ask Me Why

Inspired by StoryCorps National Day of Listening, the Illinois Humanities Council has partnered with WBEZ-Chicago to present "Ask Me Why", a collection of interviews featuring pairs of individuals who disagree on an issue, taking turns asking each other questions in order to better understand each other and their position.

Ask Me Why: Should we open U.S. borders?

America’s immigration debate is usually framed in reference to folks, legal or not, who come here from Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

Ask Me Why: What's a union good for?

For the next installment of our conversation series Ask Me Why we have two voices on opposite sides of the debate about unions.First is Antonieta Caicedo, 43. Caicedo grew up aspiring to work in human resources in a union environment, but became disillusioned by what she saw once she got there.

Ask Me Why: To forgive, but not forget

This next installment of Ask Me Why tackles a painful, hot-button topic: Should convicted sex offenders stay on a permanent registry that documents their offenses? Or, should they be removed from the list after some period of time?Helena Carnes-Jeffries, 36, picked the topic.

Ask Me Why: Navigating extremism

Kate Murray, 24, and Hafsa Arain, 23, met their freshman year at DePaul University. Together they navigated dorm life and built a close friendship, starting when Murray planned a trek through the Loop to explore their new surroundings.

Ask Me Why: Do the Jews need Israel?

Rabbi Brant Rosen, 47, remembers vividly the night he met his future congregant, Boris Furman, 58.He was applying for the position of rabbi at Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston and attended a party thrown by the search committee.

Ask Me Why: Does God exist?

Shay Senior and Henry Pye are juniors at Global Citizenship Experience High School, a tiny tuition-based school in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The school has only 16 students, which means Henry and Shay take every class together.

Ask Me Why: Is gay marriage worth fighting for?

Gay marriage continues to make headlines across the country as lawmakers from various states debate the issue. Earlier today Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee promised to sign a gay marriage bill into law should the state legislature send it to his desk.

Ask Me Why: Cars vs. bikes

Only around 1% of Chicago residents bike regularly for transportation. Some cyclists see themselves as an embattled minority, fighting for a safe space on roads that were not designed with them in mind.

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