WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Chicago Public Media is pleased to work with Sixty Inches From Center to use our community bureaus - located in Englewood, Rogers Park, and Little Village - to set up space for meeting with area artists and documenting their work.

Chicago right now seems to be known most for the violence that happens here – especially the violence perpetrated by and visited upon young people.  With so much violence fresh in our minds, and with summer – historically the most violent season in our city – almost upon us, what can we do to make Chicago a more peaceful city, for all its residents?

Help us explore Chicago's history as a gateway for hopeful migrants from the 20th century to today with a community conversation that starts with Wright's words about seeking "the warmth of other suns" and asks if those who sought out Chicago during the Great Migration found what they were looking for. Are those migrants' grandchildren living better lives?

As conversations around who can marry, who should be allowed to live in this country, and the policies governing these areas of American life continue to be present in our media, how are conversations taking shape in diaspora communities? Come explore how queer diasporas navigate the issues of marriage equality and immigration reform that have taken center stage. Presented by WBEZ, the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University, and The Public Square - a program of the Illinois Humanities Council.

Join us for a facilitated discussion about how we each think about food and our relationship to what it is and where it comes from. What responsibilities do we have to participate in our own food production & preparation, support local farmers, or learn the origins of the food we buy? How are we supported in these efforts, and what realistic challenges do we face? Co-produced by WBEZ and Fourth Presbyterian Church, in collaboration with the Center for Civic Reflection.

There is a lot of talk these days about immigration—about fences, amnesty, dreams, and citizenship. Much of this talk is polarizing and aimed almost entirely at influencing policy rather than understanding one another and even ourselves. This conversation will get us talking across and about the differences between us, and also about the lives and communities we have in common. Facilitated by the Center on Civic Reflection.

How healthy is Chicago's economy? Where do our tax dollars go? Everyone agrees we need jobs, but what else can be done to improve our communities? Join us for intimate facilitated community conversations - in Englewood, Pilsen and Austin - that will take up these questions and more.