Growing Democracy Podcast Episodes

Throughout 2024, Joe Rice and Magda Giurcanu have organized six Growing Democracy podcast episodes with local leaders, artists, and community organizers working at the intersection of youth engagement, activism, and youth representation. Our episodes explore youth disenfranchisement, youth initiatives that help them overcome civic and political apathy, and the role of the non-profit sector in youth engagement. Enjoy!

Episode 1 Growing Democracy: Interview with Ryan Jones and Mary Stonor Saunders.
Growing Democracy - Episode 1.MP3

Summary: Ryan Jones from Mikva Challenge and Mary Stonor Saunders from Common Cause join NLU faculty to reflect on best civic practices when thinking about youth engagement strategies, the importance of building relationships, the meaning of language across segregated Chicago, youth disenfranchisement, and the need to build a pipeline of future civic leaders to achieve much-needed representation in public offices.

Key takeaways:

• Mikva Challenge: Focuses on empowering young people through civic education and leadership programs. Their initiatives include student election judge programs, youth advisory councils, and restorative justice efforts.
• Common Cause: Works on democracy reforms, including voting rights, government accountability, and youth civic engagement.
• Challenges & Insights: Both speakers highlight barriers to civic participation, such as disengagement, systemic issues, and lack of youth representation in decision-making.
• Success Stories: Programs like voter registration drives and youth councils have empowered young people by giving them direct exposure to policymakers and advocacy platforms.
• Community Engagement: Emphasis on authenticity, representation, and creating safe public spaces for young people to engage in civic activities.

The discussion underscores the importance of investing in youth leadership, fostering civic responsibility, and addressing systemic inequities through grassroots and policy-driven approaches.

Talking Points:

00:00  Introductions

01:01 Mary Stoner Saunders' Journey & Ryan Jones’ Journey

03:40 What advice would you have for the listeners to get engaged to get their voices heard?

08:21 Where are you currently in your position, and what’s the mission, core value, etc.?

20:05 What is an example of a successful project you have worked on and a project that wasn’t successful?

40:14 What are some of the best practices that you have come across that can get those who are disengaged to participate? And what are the main issues that young people care deeply about?

Episode 2 Growing Democracy: Interview with Karen May

Growing Democracy - Episode 2.MP3

Summary: Karen May talks to us about community and youth development - challenges and opportunities when working with divided communities, and the pride of belonging to a Boxing Club on the West Side as a safe space. Karen also addresses current challenges when engaging with youth development in a non-profit sector where balancing is needed around concerns related to ‘real life experience’ and issues related to emotional well-being.

Talking Points:

00:00 Introduction

08:55 La Villita Community Church Chicago boxing club: Could you talk more about that?

10:59 What do you think about a church setting providing an avenue for community engagement for youths and people who might have had a negative experience?

12:29 When discussing boxing, what is more embodied than competitive sports and using a mature setting to create a sense of community around it?

15:46 What can you tell us about the boxing youth community?

22:41 How do you think you help the youth become citizens in their community?

32:36 Various Projects Overview

Episode 2 Image: Joe Rice, Karen May, and Dr. Magda Giurcanu

Episode 3 Growing Democracy: Interview with Christian Harris

Growing Democracy - Episode 3.MP3

Summary: We are interviewing Christian Harris, a young Black entrepreneur, political representative, and community organizer actively involved in the Oak Park Reparation Task Force, among other things. He talks about the importance of the youth knowing ‘your their own history,’ and the relevancy and connections students need to make and feel with various issues and subjects to make them interested in learning more. He also addresses aspects of trust, what it means to be a leader and stay true to one’s own beliefs even when going against your constituents, campaign office addressing grievances, how to build connections to communities, and the effort it takes to mobilize people, especially when faced with dismal financial resources.

Talking Points:

00:00 Introduction

03:55 On challenges experienced by the youth from the south and west sides today

09:38 On issues youth will strive for, act on, and engage more

12:56 Intergenerational efforts to adjust these historical wrongs

14:1 Gaining trust in public officials

16:44 The Reparations Task Force on the West side

26:22 Financial campaigns

35:22  Your Future

Episode 4 Growing Democracy: Interview with Camille Williams from Chicago Votes. Growing Democracy - Episode 4.MP3

Summary:  Camille Williams reflects on her trajectory to becoming civically engaged, work that started at the very young age of 12, the role and access to education in helping young people have a voice and understand their political environments, the importance of funds and resources for communities, and reforms needed in the courts. Camille also highlights a few Chicago Votes projects such as Reimagining Democracy, Unlock Civics - an educational initiative for and with incarcerated people, and Court Watching.

Talking Points:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Background, philosophy, and values.

06:22 Successful and influential projects

08:07 Why do we need Chicago Votes?

10:39 How do Chicago Votes plan to attack the problem of low interest in voting for this year’s presidential race? 

16:41 Can you say a few words about the court-watching project you are working on?

21:57 What social issues does Chicago Vote focus most on regarding advocacy?

28:09 In your opinion, what is the crucial issue that our youth care about?

32:02 What lessons would you have to train incarcerated people to train others?

34:04 Where do you see Chicago Votes in the future with projects on the horizon and for you?

36:34 What are you most worried about, and what are you most excited about in 2024?

Episode 4 Image: Joe Rice, Camille Williams, and Dr. Magda Giurcanu

Episode 5 Growing Democracy: Interview with the Filipino American Lani Montreal from Circa Pintig and Malcolm X College

Growing Democracy - Episode 5.MP3

Summary: The interview with Lani Montreal explores her work as an educator, writer, performer, and community activist in Chicago. She discusses her involvement in theater as a form of activism, using plays to engage communities in conversations about social justice, particularly issues like gun violence and immigration.

She highlights her work with Circa-Pintig, a grassroots Filipino-American theater group focused on community-based storytelling, and shares the impact of plays like Panther in the Sky (about mothers affected by gun violence) and Sister Outlaw (exploring LGBTQ+ and immigration issues). Montreal emphasizes the importance of co-ownership in community projects, ensuring that those affected by the issues have a voice in shaping the narratives.

As a professor at Malcolm X College, she integrates civic engagement into her teaching, encouraging students to explore their own communities, volunteer, and connect coursework to real-world social issues. She also discusses challenges in bridging academia and community activism, including overcoming perceptions of scholarly arrogance and securing funding for community projects.

Ultimately, Montreal advocates for long-term relationship-building between scholars and communities to create meaningful and sustainable social impact.

Talking Points:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 What is a community activist?

01:57 What challenges do you encounter when you step out of the classroom to do community work? 

06:38 What community organization are you part of, and how did you get involved?

12:37 How do you engage with students who are challenged with resources, time to read, etc?

15:53 Can you discuss any service projects you’ve worked on?

18:54  Have you seen communities interested in going into academia?

20:37 What are some of the challenges of grant writing to finance community educator work?

Episode 6 Growing Democracy: Interview with David Boykin

Growing Democracy - Episode 6.MP3

Summary:

David Boykin is a member of the 6th District Police Council in Chicago. The discussion covers the role of the District Police Council, which was created to enhance police accountability through the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance. Boykin explains the structure and function of the council, the challenges of engaging the community, and the difficulties in ensuring police accountability. The conversation highlights both the challenges and opportunities of grassroots civic engagement in police oversight.

Key points include:

• The council serves as an intermediary between the police and the community, but meetings have low attendance, mainly by older property owners focused on quality-of-life issues.
• Public perception of police accountability remains low despite reforms, and incidents of police misconduct often go unaddressed in meetings.
• The role of economic investment in crime reduction is debated, with concerns about resources benefiting property owners rather than residents.
• Boykin discusses the influence of police unions, arbitration issues, and the struggle to challenge police power.
• The presence of police officers in community meetings creates a barrier for those who wish to raise complaints.
• Looking ahead, Boykin hopes to encourage more community engagement and prepare candidates for future elections.

The conversation highlights both the challenges and opportunities of grassroots civic engagement in police oversight.

Talking Points:

00:00  Introduction

00:38 What is a district police council member?

04:29 How does the public interact with district police council members?

13:24 Would you argue that the district council is an investment in the community?

14:05  How do we elect district police council members?

15:56 This is the 2nd year of your four-year term; what do you see in your next two years?

18:08 If you reform the system, what reforms would be needed?

20:05 What were your priorities at the start of your term until now?

23:08 Would you be responsible for showing citizens how to report their concerns to the police?

Episode 6 Image - Dr. Magda Giurcanu and David Boykin