On Thursday’s Afternoon Shift we talk about standing up- to tell jokes, to improve race relations and to stop human trafficking.

Details via Director Jason Marck:

The State of Stand-Up – Ahhh, the 80’s. Big Hair, synthesizers, white powder…and dudes standing in front of brick walls telling jokes-all while wearing blazers with the sleeves pushed up over t-shirts.  It’s been a while now, but stand-up is back, baby! (You must say that line in your best George Costanza voice).  We talk about the resurgence of stand-up comedy in Chicago and beyond. 

Ramadan – Rami Nashashibi of IMAN (Inner City Muslim Action Network) talks about the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and IMAN’s ongoing campaign to improve both food quality and race relations at the neighborhood corner store.

Race – WBEZ’s series exploring different aspects of the racial divide in Chicago continues with a report from Tony Arnold on the hiring/contracting of minority-owned businesses by the city. 

3@3 – Our panel give us their impressions of  Tony’s Race piece, plus they’ll each choose a big story of the day to gnaw on with Steve

DeBaca – US Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Luis C DeBaca …talks about the government’s (and the UN’s) efforts to deal with human trafficking and its ties to the Chicago area.