Practically Speaking

In this installment of Practically Speaking, host Audra Wilson gets an update from Sheldon Smith, the Director and Founder of the Dovetail Project. We initially interviewed him back in 2013. A lot has changed in Sheldon's life since then, including his relationship with his own father. The Dovetail Project is a program that helps young fathers navigate the struggles and stresses of parenthood. In addition to information about his program, Smith brings insight to the struggles of the black family unit and discusses how community involvement and mentoring can help to bring change. We also hear from Jonathan, a graduate of the Dovetail Project, as he recounts his experience with the program.

On this installment of Practically Speaking, Host Audra Wilson was joined by DePaul University Religious Studies Instructor Laith Saud. He spoke candidly about why "Islamophobia" is an inaccurate term, as well as how Black Americans' and Muslim Americans' are connected (beyond the fact that many Muslim Americans are, in fact, Black, too). He also dug into the dangerous ways in which anti-Islamic rhetoric is impacting the current political climate.

Then, we revisited Audra's conversation with Josephine Wade, owner of Captain's Hard Time Diner and long time South Side Chicago resident, about the ways her community (Chatham) has changed (and remained the same over its history.

Corner Stores in many South and West Side Chicago neighborhoods are signified by bulletproof glass and limited food offerings (in food insecure ares). Many of the stores are Muslim-run. In this installment of Practically Speaking, host Audra Wilson talks to folks working to make corner stores better (and working to build the term "Muslim-Run" into a sign of quality): Sara Hamdan: Muslim Run Corner Store Manager & Organizer at IMAN(or Inner City Muslim Action Network. Shamar Hemphill: Youth & Organizing Director at IMAN Then, we hear highlights of the conversation Audra recently moderated in Washington D.C. as part of a Congressional Caucus of Black Women and Girls. We hear from: Melissa Harris-Perry, Professor and former MSNBC host Beverly Bond, Former Model, DJ & founder of "Black Girls Rock" and Geneva Reed-Veal, Sandra Bland's mother

On this installment of Practically Speaking, Host Audra Wilson sat down with Kimberly Jade Norwood, author of "Ferguson's Fault Lines: The Race Quake That Rocked a Nation". They talk about the Fault Lines (including extreme poverty and substandard education) that have caused a dramatic erosion in Black America’s belief in the promise of equal treatment under the law. They also discuss the idea of "implicit bias" as it relates to racism.

Kimberly Norwood is a Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis.

Did you know that children aged 12-17 are more at risk of homelessness than adults? In this installment of Practically Speaking, host Audra Wilson explores issues facing youth who are struggling with homelessness (both in urban and suburban settings). She also digs into the successes and failures of the federal McKinney-Vento act. The legislation requires that school districts be pro-active in finding homeless children who are not attending school. She was joined by:

Chicago native Zoie Reams proudly carries on the torch of her Black female operatic predecessors like Marion Anderson and Leontyne Price, as a rising young star in the opera world. Host Audra Wilson sat down with Zoie to talk about her path to the world of opera.

This piece originally aired September 2015 on Practically Speaking.

Host Audra Wilson talks to Burt Ashe about his new book, "Twisted: My Dreadlock Chronicles".

They talk about how black hairstyles like dreadlocks 'resist identical co-optation', and about how perceptions about dreadlocks have changed over the years. They also talk about the artistry and the politics of black hair.

From basketball legend Magic Johnson (living with HIV) to boxing great Muhammad Ali (Parkinson's disease), the face of people living with a chronic illness has changed significantly.  Though the pendulum has swung dramatically on how we perceive people who live with chronic illnesses (most notably, HIV), it does not negate the challenges that people with chronic illness face.  In this episode, we explore the challenge of living with the erratic, unpredictable nature of chronic illness, and how people living with such illnesses maintain their self-esteem.

Host Audra Wilson sat down with:

Joe Varisco, LGBTQ historian and activist, who talked candidly about his HIV diagnosis and how it inspired him to put on a showcase, Queer, Ill & OK, showcasing local and national artists living with chronic illness.   

Dr. Magda Houlberg, physician at the Howard Brown Health Center with extensive experience in helping people live with chronic illness.

Plus, we heard from two artists who participated in 2014’s Queer, Ill, and Okay showcase:Cruel Valentine and Nic Kay. 

Not many Americans travel extensively outside of the country, whether constrained by finances or lack of interest. Of those who have left the country, many have not ventured off of the North American continent or the Caribbean. And many more who have traveled abroad have not ventured too far from American-style eateries or popular tourist attractions. Though traveling can be an incredibly rewarding experience, there are still challenges for travelers of color, in particular.

For this segment, host Audra Wilson sat down with Lisa Carter, volunteer with AFS Intercultural Programs, an international exchange program organization.

Part One of this story can be heard here: Vocalo – Practically-speaking-60-the-places-weve-been

Not many Americans travel extensively outside of the country, whether constrained by finances or lack of interest. Of those who have left the country, many have not ventured off of the North American continent or the Caribbean. And many more who have traveled abroad have not ventured too far from American-style eateries or popular tourist attractions. Though traveling can be an incredibly rewarding experience, there are still challenges for travelers of color, in particular.

Host Audra Wilson sat down with Asha Veal Brisebois, founder and project editor for The Places We’ve Been. The anthology features works from over 48 writers who have lived on every continent. In these books, we get a first hand account of the joys and the challenges of traveling and living abroad.

Over the past 100 years, black fraternities and sororities have played an integral part in supporting, nurturing and cultivating black students, helping to create great leaders and visionaries.

They've also had a venerable history in racial uplift activism. 

The question today is are they still relevant? To help answer that question, host Audra wilson spoke with Loann King and Dr. Waldo Johnson.

Dr. Waldo Johnson is an associate professor at the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and recently celebrated his 40th year as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Incorporated.

Loann King is a Chicago educator and member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was initiated into the Beta Chapter in Chicago in 1959.

On this episode of Practically Speaking, host Audra Wilson talks with three guests about the under representation of certain groups in society. One Black woman, Joy Triche, founded Tiger Stripe Publishing because she felt some groups in society; specifically African-Americans were not represented in children’s books. The three discuss representation, creating books, publishing, and more. Later in this episode, one Chicago poet reads her poem live. Wilson spoke with: -Joy Triche, founder and owner of Tiger Stripe Publishing which features stories of under represented people. -Isaac Perry, Chicago based writer and creative director at paradox media. -Kristiana Colón, Chicago playwright, poet, actor, and educator.

On this episode of Practically Speaking, host Audra Wilson talks with four guests about race, diversity, and identity. She spoke with:  -Elisabeth Lindsay-Ryan, Part time faculty at Depaul University's School for New Learning -Sunny Nakae, Director of Diversity at Northwestern's School of Medicine  -Yan Searcy, Interim Associate Dean of College of Arts and Sciences at Chicago State University -David DuBois, Professor in the Division of Community Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Plus, four young men of different backgrounds sat down with Alex Thibodeau to talk about Race in Chicago. They pull no punches as they talk about invisible dividing lines, words that are "forbidden fruit", and more.