Arne Duncan: Founder & Managing Partner of Chicago CRED/Emerson Collective

Reducing Gun Violence in Chicago: Best Reasons to Put Down the Gun

Arne Duncan, founder of the nonprofit Chicago CRED (Create Real Economic Destiny), is trying to achieve a transformative reduction in gun violence in Chicago. Chicago CRED engages directly with those most at risk of shooting or being shot, and gives them a reason to put down their gun. Through partnerships with local business leaders, community organizers, and other nonprofit groups, Duncan aims to provide outreach, therapeutic, education, and employment opportunities for the young men most likely to be engaged in gun violence.

Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ: Founder and Director of LA's Homeboy Industries

Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times

In a world increasingly marked by division and discord, Jesuit priest Father Gregory Boyle offers a transformative vision of community and compassion. Over the past thirty years, Fr. Boyle has transformed tens of thousands of lives through his work as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention program in the world. The program runs on two unwavering principles: We are all inherently good (no exceptions) and we belong to each other (no exceptions). Fr. Boyle believes that these two ideas allow all of us to cultivate a new way of seeing the world. Rather than the tribalism that excludes and punishes, this new narrative proposes a village that cherishes. With Homeboy Industries as a backdrop, this talk will explore the power of love to transform the disunity that currently keeps us from each other.

Cardinal Wilton Gregory: Archbishop Emeritus of Washington DC

From Chicago's St. Carthage Catholic School to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City (with a few stops along the way!)

It all began when Wilton Daniel Gregory, a fifth grade student at St. Carthage grade school, informed his parish priest that he wanted to be a priest. Told by the priest that he was not even a Catholic, young Wilton Gregory responded with a question that began a most amazing journey: “Then what do I have to do?”

Sister Helen Prejean: Advocate Against the Death Penalty & Author of Dead Man Walking

A Soul On Fire: Helen Prejean’s fight on behalf of the most despised Americans

Helen Prejean got into her ministry against the death penalty almost by accident in her early forties, with a decision to write to a prisoner on death row. She credits “Sneaky Jesus” for this idea, which changed her life. Her 1993 book, Dead Man Walking, made into a movie, brought her onto the national stage.

Today Sister Prejean is still the most prominent voice against the death penalty in the U.S. She urged Popes John Paul II and Francis to change church teaching to oppose capital punishment in any circumstance, which finally happened in 2018.

Hermene Hartman: Media Pioneer and Founder, Host & Publisher of N’Digo

Press Under Pressure

Traditional media faces adversity on all sides. Younger generations have turned to social media and podcasts, often one-sided, where misinformation can run wild. Everyone feels bombarded, our heads spinning. Given these realities, can America’s media still be a force for truth?

Hermene Hartman, with her decades as a pioneer in Chicago media, will look for signs of hope in a rapidly changing media landscape. But how will we recognize truth in this fractured time?

Jennifer Parks: Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity Chicago

On the home front: Habitat for Humanity confronts Chicago’s housing crisis

Chicago's severe housing deficit is undermining our city's vitality. We simply do not have enough decent places, especially affordable places, for people to live. Habitat for Humanity, with current projects in three Chicago neighborhoods, plays a small but critical role in righting this wrong.

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity Chicago, CLICK HERE.

Jahmal Cole: Founder & CEO of My Block My Hood My City

Providing Ripples of Hope in Chicago

In 2013, Jahmal Cole began volunteering at the Cook County Jail and realized many of its youngest occupants had never once been out of their neighborhoods. Jahmal Cole and his team began providing opportunities for teens to step outside their comfort zone and explore new communities, cultures, and cuisines and gain a greater understanding of the world. These experiences would also show communities how service, empathy, and collaboration can make a difference not only on their own block but in the city of Chicago.

To learn more about My Block, My Hood, My City and how you can help, CLICK HERE

Lester Munson: The Menace of Sports Gambling

Lester Munson, retired sports journalist & legal analyst for Sports Illustrated and ESPN, will explore the long term effects on collegiate and professional sports

Gambling isn't new, in fact it was around before Christ and actually played a role in financing the American Revolution. The challenge of the game and the promise of a quick dollar continues to attract a variety of players, especially with an increased presence of online platforms. But with today's targeted advertising and the ease of placing bets online for collegiate and professional sports, what are the real long term costs of gambling?

Jack Shea: Theologian and Storyteller

The Challenge of Christmas: Unwrapping our Spiritual Gifts

Beyond the socks or sweaters found wrapped under the tree are the real gifts of Christmas: spiritual stories and practices which exemplify the many gifts of our spirits and the depth of their involvement. Gifts which are there for the taking, whether we realize it or not. But how do we understand, how do we embrace, how do we listen to these spirits during the busy holidays, or when daily struggles with personal, work,or social situations become overwhelming? How do we open this spirit-filled box?

Join us as Jack Shea engages our imagination, our intellect and our Spirit.

Mary Ann Ahern and Carol Marin: What Happens Next?

Two of Chicago's most prominent journalists will look at what we know about the outcome of the November election, and what it means not only for Illinois, but for our country. The pair have joined the First Friday Club in prior post-election roundups--a treat not to be missed. Along with the Presidency, the House and Senate have been labeled as tossups, with big ramifications for both parties and for America.

Father Jack Wall: President of Catholic Extension

Hope at the border: what the Church looks like when she is at her best!

Join us to hear about those ministering to migrant families at the U.S. - Mexico border. Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension will share some of his experiences at the border and reflect on the heroic work the Catholic Church is doing with those making the journey to the United States.

The History and Mission of Catholic Extension

In 1905, many Catholics were isolated in rural towns across America with little to no access to Catholic fellowship. Father Francis Clement Kelley from Lapeer, Michigan, heard these stories and got to work. He established the Catholic Church Extension Society—now Catholic Extension Society—to bring the sacraments to remote faith communities across the country.

This mission with the support of the Catholic Extensions's earliest donors, allowed priests to ride into tiny frontier towns to celebrate Mass from the back of rail cars or motor chapels where there were no train stops. Two years later, Father Kelley began publishing Extension magazine to tell the stories of the resilient, faith-filled Catholics he had met across the United States.

Today, Catholic Extension Society, through the generosity of many donors, reaches over 15 million American Catholics, many of whom live in faith communities which are located in poor Extension dioceses. Grants are provided to build churches, fix facilities and award scholarships for emerging leaders to empower diverse ministries. Catholic Extension is investing in the future of the faith through efforts to engage young people.

While methods continuously evolve to meet the demands of the times, the Catholic Extension mission remains as alive and important as ever!

More on Father Jack Wall

Reverend John J. Wall was ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago after graduating from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in 1968. He has served as a faculty member of Niles College and Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago. For 24 years Father Wall served as Pastor of Chicago's historic Old St. Patrick's Church and is the co-founder of the popular Theology on Tap program for young adult Catholics. He was appointed president of Catholic Extension Society by the Vatican in 2007.

Father Wall has served on several boards and advisory councils, including the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management, and the Illinois Patrons of the Arts-Vatican Museums.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike: President & CEO of Sinai Chicago

Give it to me straight, Doc!

She got us through the pandemic. Now, with her trademark passion and professionalism, Dr. Ngozi Ezike takes aim at the biggest health care challenges facing Chicago.

A confident, reassuring presence during Gov. Pritzker’s daily covid briefings, Dr. Ngozi Ezike in 2022 left the Illinois Department of Public Health to lead Sinai Chicago. And, while steering this major, 105-year-old Chicago healthcare institution, she’s keeping her eye on the broader picture.

“Understanding health care is more than what happens with doctors and nurses,” she says. “We have to see the related other pieces: having insurance, having a safe space to exercise, having a grocery store nearby so you can buy healthy food. We’re in the minority among developed nations in how we don’t see health care as a right. Instead there are haves and have nots.”

Located on Chicago’s West Side, Sinai Hospital offers a case in point: 70% of its patients are on Medicaid. West Siders’ life expectancy is 16 years shorter than that of folks who live just a few miles away in the Loop. Ezike insists that this status quo is simply not acceptable. “More people need to be thinking about this,” she says. “Our words and our actions really have to match.”

As a healthcare leader who has dedicated her career to serving disadvantaged communities and fighting health care disparities, Ezike will point to the bigger picture of how we can work together to ensure decent healthcare for all Chicagoans.

Mary Meg McCarthy: Executive Director of National Immigrant Justice Center

The Border Has Moved to Chicago. Now What?

Attorney Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center, will discuss the new realities of immigration for Chicago and for our nation. The busing of tens of thousands of migrants to our city has strained our resources, caused some to reconsider their positions, and also called out the best in our communities.

McCarthy will touch on how the federal and local governments are responding to the crisis and how "immigration fatigue" is taking its toll. She will also address how people of faith have been and can continue responding to this crisis. "We need to recognize these new arrivals as fellow human beings," she says, "and welcome them with compassion and mercy."

Mary Meg is the executive director of Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), one of the nation’s foremost immigrant and human rights advocacy organizations. Under Mary Meg’s leadership, NIJC has become a leading organization dedicated to advancing justice for immigrants. Working with a pro bono network of 1,500 attorneys, NIJC provides counsel and representation to approximately 10,000 low income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers each year. NIJC’s legal services inform its advocacy, litigation and educational initiatives to promote human rights locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

An expert in immigration law, Mary Meg has testified before Congress and is often quoted in major news outlets such as MSNBC, The New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune. As an active member of the American Bar Association, Mary Meg chairs its Commission on Immigration. She is also a member of The Chicago Network, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Chicago Bar Association, among others.

Prior to joining NIJC, Mary Meg practiced civil litigation and was an NIJC pro bono attorney. Earlier in her career, Mary Meg’s worked in communities throughout Chile as a Holy Cross Associate to help safeguard the rights of individuals under a dictatorship. She received her bachelor of business administration in finance from the University of Notre Dame and her doctor of law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Rev. Otis Moss III, Sr. Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ

Dancing in the Darkness: Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times.

Through the power of stories that speak to the heart, Otis Moss III tackles the theme of democracy—and what we can do in this moment, when we fear that ours is coming apart at the seams.

This father of two calls us to consider our responsibility for the future: “Every generation has a call it must accept, to lay a brick in the cathedral that we’re attempting to build for our children’s children.”  A believer in the sacredness of history, Moss will tell stories of people who, despite having fewer resources than many of us, made an incredible difference in our world.

Moss has been named one of the “twelve most effective preachers in the English-speaking world.” He has been cited by Chicago Magazine as one o the city’s thirty most influential people. 

Shermann ‘Dilla’ Thomas, Chicago Urban Historian & American TikToker

Everything Dope About America Comes From Chicago”: Chicago’s urban historian shares his passion for teaching people about the city he loves.

Join us as Sherman “Dilla” Thomas, proud South Sider, founder of Mahogany Tours, son of a Chicago police officer, and TikTok dad, explains how the power of storytelling can change the narrative about Chicago. “My gift is that I understand history--that helps me to order my steps in the now,” he says. “We all have to do our part to make Chicago better.” 

Featured across Chicago media and nationally on both the Today and Kelly Clarkson shows, Thomas soared to fame with his 60-second TikTok videos on Chicago history, which have gathered more than 20 million views. His company, Mahogany Tours, visits neighborhoods such as Bronzeville, Englewood, and North Lawndale. “I wanted to have an asset-based tour,” says Thomas, as opposed to a lineup of notorious mob sites or the like--“not pointing out the site of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, but instead showing people where Pope John Paul II spoke, where Nat King Cole lived.”

Thomas, an employee of Commonwealth Edison, has been named the 2022 Chicago Tourism Ambassador of the Year by Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism agency. He has also received the prestigious Chicago Public Library Foundation's 21st Century Award, as well as the Studs Terkel Uplifting Voices Award.

Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General

“...Rouse up defenders to plead the cause of the oppressed so that justice may be done in love.” --Prayer of St. Yves, patron saint of lawyers

Join us on this podcast as Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul traces his commitment to social justice back to his Haitian immigrant parents and his childhood on Chicago’s South Side.

Kwame Raoul was born in Chicago to Haitian-born immigrants. A lifelong resident of the Hyde Park/Kenwood area, he completed his undergraduate education at DePaul University and went on to earn a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Kwame started his legal career nearly 25 years ago as a prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and continued to practice as a labor and employment attorney for the City Colleges of Chicago.

In 2004, Kwame was appointed to fill the vacancy left in the 13th Legislative District by former state Senator Barack Obama’s election to the U.S. Senate. At the state Capitol, he quickly gained the confidence of leaders to handle difficult negotiations and landmark legislation, including the abolition of the death penalty, background checks on private transfers of guns and the strongest voting rights protection in the country.

An attorney concerned with both crime victims and the rights of the accused, Kwame has consistently introduced and supported criminal justice reform legislation that makes Illinois not just tough on crime, but smart on crime. He sponsored diversion and second-chance programs, made it easier for juveniles to have their records expunged and pushed through landmark law enforcement reform, including body camera and police training standards. Most recently, he passed a criminal justice reform package aimed at reducing gun violence by cracking down on repeat offenders while making sentences for nonviolent offenders more reasonable. He has also passed bills aimed at fighting the heroin/opioid crisis. Kwame has been recognized for his work to protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.