Erin Allen is an artist and communicator, driven by her curiosity about the stories of people. She has a dynamic background in audio, from producing multimedia work at Michigan Radio and WDET to co-hosting Radio Campfire, a live, listening event series. Her passion for social justice and art with her skills in marketing and communications have led her to spaces like Stone Soup Housing Cooperative and Allied Media Projects. Erin holds a BA in psychology from Grand Valley State University. With spare time, she dances her heart out at music festivals and binges science fiction media of the Octavia Butler persuasion.
The Rundown: Naomi Davis imagines a greener future for Black neighborhoods
Naomi Davis grew up with a walkable neighborhood and is making it her mission with Blacks In Green to focus on “sustainable square miles.”
The Rundown: Candace Hunter takes you inside the sci-fi worlds of Octavia Butler
What happens when iconic art inspires more iconic art? Artist Candace Hunter shows me with her largest exhibition yet, based on the speculative fiction of Octavia Butler.
The Rundown: Anna DeShawn is making the queer radio she never heard growing up
Chicago-based podcaster Anna DeShawn created a queer radio station in 2009, making it her mission to tell more LGTBQ+ stories.
The Rundown: ‘Living legend’ Faith Ringgold has first Chicago exhibit at the MCA
The art of Faith Ringgold is bold, bright and political. Her first Chicago exhibit is open now at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
The Rundown: Why director Andrew Davis loves to film in Chicago
Director Andrew Davis has made films set in deserts and at sea. But when he directs movies based in cities, he always tries to bring them to Chicago.
The Rundown: How two nearby cities are thinking about Chicago’s migrant crisis
The village of Oak Park took in about 160 migrants that were living in Chicago. A nonprofit in St. Louis wants to resettle hundreds more.
The Rundown: A Chicago city guide that invites to you try something new
This city has so many places to see and experience. Lauren Viera shares how 20 years of living here led to her new book, “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Chicago.”
The Rundown: Chicago’s ‘Melanin Martha’ talks food and feels at Friendsgiving
For Thanksgiving, the food may be taken care of, but what about the feels? Jordan Wimby, aka “The Melanin Martha,” has some tips.
The Rundown: Why we have ‘Insufficient Memory’ of LGBTQ+ hate crimes
Photographer Sean Fader uses his installation at Wrightwood 659 to memorialize LGBTQ+ people murdered in hate crimes in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Rundown: A history of Palestinian migration to Chicago
The Chicago area is home to the country’s largest Palestinian American community with more than 18,000 Palestinians living in Cook County alone.