CHICAGO (March 21, 2023) – Three Black women. Three generations. Three different perspectives. Amazing conversations. That’s what listeners can expect from When Magic Happens, WBEZ Chicago’s newest weekly podcast. (Listen to the trailer here.)

In its debut season, When Magic Happens spotlights intergenerational conversations between Black women about life, culture, family, ambition, joy and more. Every Friday, three hosts from different generations – Taylor Coward, the resident Gen-z’er: Shea Love, the all-in-mom spin queen; and Cheryle Jackson the Gen-X diva – sit down to tackle real topics that affect Black women and the larger community, each offering insight from their unique generational perspectives.

“Everybody’s got a juicy group chat with their girlfriends. It’s where we share everything from the scintillating to the serious like, “Halle Berry’s dress at the Oscars. GO!” or “Girl, did you hear what that Senator said about Black maternal mortality rates not mattering?” said Cheryle. “So go ahead and add us, When Magic Happens, to your girlfriends’ group chat. We want in on the action!”

Taylor, Shea, and Cheryle invite guests to the conversation in every episode. In the premiere episodes, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx talks about ambition, matchmaker Tennesha Wood talks about relationshipping, and celebrity hair stylist AJ Johnson joins the hosts to talk about hair stories and learning to love the hair you have.

“Throughout the season, we’ll be talking to guests that reflect the magic of our community. We have the opportunity to speak with both well-known and up-and-coming figures that I hope will both engage and inspire our audience,” said Taylor.

”I love our stories. They are inspiring, funny, heartwarming and triumphant,” said Shea. “One story that I’ve personally learned from was Markia Brown with The Money Plug. She talked about how she’s shifted from a situation with limited financial resources to one of abundance. She was candid about her journey, detailing how she really makes money and offering tips on how to pivot to financial freedom. She turned a very painful situation into one of power and I believe that’s one of the many examples of how Black women make magic happen!”

New episodes of When Magic Happens will drop every Friday. It is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR One, Pocket Casts, or wherever listeners get their podcasts. Listeners can join the conversation on social media at @whenmagichappenspodcast on Instagram.

“When Magic Happens is the podcast I’ve always wanted to hear as a Black woman. It’s a safe and affirming space, where the intellect and imagination of Black women is boundless, where everyone gets a seat at the table regardless of age, class, sexuality, religion, or institution. It’s a place where the multiplicity of Black women’s narratives get the platform to simply be,” said Briana Garrett, producer of When Magic Happens.

“We laugh together, spur each other’s boldness, and put out transformative work each week that in turn, transforms us into better people. Black women have always been magical. And that’s on period. So, when we come together like this? That’s when magic happens,” she added.

WBEZ Chicago production credits for When Magic Happens:

• Host: Cheryle Jackson ⁠— A healthcare CEO, political veteran, mentor and coach to women and a proud member of Gen X. Instagram: @cherylejackson

• Host: Jennifer “Shea Love” Long ⁠— Non-profit executive, radio and TV personality and an all-in-mom spin queen. Instagram: @beingshealove

• Host: Taylor Coward ⁠— A native Chicagoan, an educator and your resident Gen Zer. Instagram: @taylorcowardonline

• Producer: Briana Garrett, producer, journalist, polyglot that’ll talk to a stranger in a heartbeat Instagram: @projectbreality