Recent
This week, we helped host Richard Steele celebrate his 75th birthday. For the celebration, we were joined by music icons: • Mavis Staples • Gene Chandler Plus, after everything that the City of Chicago has been through this year, we thought we’d do Chicago a favor and suggest a few resolutions for the City. For that discussion, we were joined by: • Ben Joravsky, reporter with the Chicago Reader • Monroe Anderson, veteran journalist and commentator • John W. Fountain, columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times And, finally, Stephanie Hart of Brown Sugar Bakery joined us (cake in tow) to talk about building a sweet empire from the ground up. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
In “East Texas Hot Links”, a play by Eugene Lee, seven strong willed neighbors join forces to protect one of their own. The year is 1955, and times are changing in the Jim Crow South. But for all that changes, some things remain the same. We talked about the play, and how some of its themes connect with today’s realities. Host Richard Steele was joined by: • “East Texas Hot Links” director Ron OJ Parson, and • Alfred Wilson, who plays Columbus Frye Then, we revisited a story of learning to heal through the art of Latin drumming. Plus, we heard about an artist learning to push forward towards her dreams. For those stories, we were joined by Vocalo Storrytelling Workshop Alumni: • Brittney Leanne Williams • Gloria Guaderrama
On this week’s installment of the Barber Shop Show, we heard host Richard Steele’s 2005 conversation with Sam Chatman. Sam is credited as one of the key people who has helped to build the “Chicago Stepper” sound and culture for decades. Then, as a follow-up to a recent program, we heard about a grassroots effort to supply healthy, local food to residents of South Shore. For that conversation, we were joined by: • Fred Carter • Dr. Jifunza Wright • Akin Carter The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
Dr. Conrad Worrill is retiring after 40 years at the Northeastern Illinois University Center for Inner City Studies. He’s spent the past 12 years as director of the center. Host Richard Steele talked to Dr. Worrill about his journey, as well as his transition to “elder hood”. Then, we revisited the story of a program offering at risk teens something special: an apology from the adults in their lives. For that conversation, we spoke with: • Enoch Muhammad, co-founder of Hip Hop Detoxx. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
This week on the Barber Shop Show, we heard about the outlook for a new grocery store to serve residents of the South Shore and South Chicago neighborhoods. The area has lacked a full-line grocery store since Dominick’s closed in 2013. For that conversation, we are joined by: •South Side Weekly contributing reporter Chloe Hadavas •Writer, performance poet, and South Shore native Nicole Bond Then, we heard Emma Farley’s report on Biking in Chicago. Bicycling Magazine named Chicago #1 on their list of 50 Biking Cities in the country. However, in a year marked by the deaths of 6 bikers, some in Chicago’s biking community are questioning the honor. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
This week on the Barber Shop Show, we heard from Dion Clarke, founder of the Harlem Fine Arts Show. Then, we heard about how a number of grassroots groups are trying to push for a whole new system for justice: one that does not include policing as we know it. We’ll talk about what that could look like with: •Maya Dukmasova, freelance reporter for the Chicago Reader Finally, we heard from Practically Speaking’s Audra Wilson about a young man who’s been working to bring parenting resources to other young fathers to help keep them in their children’s lives. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
Doo wop is often thought of as a vocal tradition rooted on the East Coast, but back in the 1950s, Chicago had a number of influential doo-wop groups, including the Magnificents, the Eldorados, the Moonglows, the Spaniels, and the Flamingos. This holiday weekend, we revisited Richard Steele’s 2006 conversation with Doo-Wop vocalist Johnny Keyes. We heard the stories... and the beautiful music. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
This week on the Barber Shop Show, we checked in with some our favorite local journalists and bloggers: •Monroe Anderson, veteran journalist and commentator •Lenox Magee, Freelance journalist and co-host of “The Sip” •Darryl Dennard, host of Chicago Speaks and Chicago Insight We got their perspectives on the recent local and national news headlines that caught their attention. They told us about developments in the news that they think are good news, and ones that they think are bad news. Lastly, they told us about those moments that made them go… we’ll, you’ll just have to tune in to find out. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
This week on the Barber Shop Show, we talked about the results of the elections. We unpacked how the pundits and pollsters were so far off in their predictions. And we also asked what Trump’s first 100 days in office might mean for people of color, in particular. For that conversation, we were joined by: •Salim Muwakkil, WVON Radio Host and op-ed columnist for the Chicago Tribune •Sue Ontiveros, columnist and blogger for the Chicago Sun-Times •Delmarie Cobb, Political Strategist •Sylvia Puente, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum Plus, we talked with the photojournalist who captured the Tribune’s iconic shot of the World Series champion Chicago Cubs. • Brian Cassella, the photojournalist who took the amazing Tribune cover shot of the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.
This week on the Barber Shop Show, we caught up with two recent investigations from The Chicago Reporter. First, we heard about how the City of Chicago avoided using competitive bidding in its contract for police body cameras. We discussed how much that agreement cost taxpayers, as well as a new police reporting app. We were joined by: • Jonah Newman, investigative journalist with the Chicago Reporter • Channing Harris, creator of the app and website Excuse Me Officer Then, we heard about new public funding from the U.S. Department of Education to help students traumatized by violence in their communities. For that conversation, we were joined by: • Kalyn Belsha, investigative journalist with the Chicago Reporter Finally, we revisited Audra Wilson’s report on how homelessness is impacting our youth. The Barber Shop Show airs Sundays at 9am on Vocalo 91.1FM. You can also stream live at vocalo.org. In addition, the show rebroadcasts on Sundays at 3pm on WBEZ 91.5FM.