For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Eric Williams to talk about The Last Block Party! We talk about everything from the origins of The Sound System Block Party and the original conception of the idea all the way to the present day of its last installment! Eric goes down memory lane with host Mario Smith and talk about 18 years of amazing culture, community and love! The Silver Room Sound System Block Party, founded in Chicago in 2002, is a multicultural, all-ages music and arts festival and is known as a mainstay in Chicago summers. Its roots come from the historic sound system block parties in the Bronx that connected communities through music. Having grown from a modest event for friends + family, the Block Party now attracts over 35K+ guests. We take pride in how our vibrant event highlights arts and businesses across the greater Chicagoland area, and creates a platform for famed and up-and-coming music acts. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Avery R. Young! We talk about everything from his origin story of growing up on the West Side of Chicago and how that shaped his career all the way to his current role as the Chicago Poet Laureate in Illinois and everything in between! An award-winning Poet, Educator, Musician, Artist, Composer and Producer, Avery R. Young's work spans the genres of music, performance, visual arts and literature. Young’s work in performance, visual text, and sound design has been featured in several exhibitions and theater festivals, including the Chicago Hip Hop Theater Fest, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the American Jazz Museum. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Jansen Bridge! We talk about everything from his origin story and what inspired his move to Chicago all the way to things like his portrait process, his dream capture and so much more! "Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida. I’ve lived in Chicago the previous eight years. My life story has influenced my photography. I don’t have any childhood pictures or strong memories to fall back on. I use photography to transform childhood trauma into a positive by using creativity to build a community and family I never had. I want my commitment to adding value to Chicago shows in my work. Just as marketing and photography has the ability to impact businesses I believe it is also capable of changing communities. This is why I use my camera to push forward causes I believe in." You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of Future Firm! We talk about everything from their origin stories and their original intentions with starting The Future Firm all the way to the current days of helping reshape the design structure of Chicago and so much more! Future Firm is a Chicago-based architecture and design research office. Founded by Ann Lui and Craig Reschke in 2015, the architecture practice spans diverse scales: from exhibition spaces to residential and commercial buildings to urban and territorial speculations. We focus on using design to synthesize the aims and efforts of multiple stakeholders, catalyze transformation for individuals and groups, and create flexible space for diverse needs. We excel at working with clients who are changemakers in their own communities. Our work helps develop novel approaches towards community and belonging when multiple stakeholders come to the table. We use technical expertise and collaborative means to create spaces which bring together diverse agendas as more than the sum of their parts. Future Firm’s work has been exhibited at Exhibit Columbus, Storefront for Art & Architecture, Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Architecture/Urbanism, New Museum’s Ideas City, and the Chicago Architecture Center. The practice has been published in The Architect’s Newspaper, Architect Magazine, and Wallpaper*. Future Firm also currently operates The Night Gallery, a nocturnal exhibition space on Chicago's South side, which features video and film works by artists and architects from sunset to sunrise. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Priya Shah! We talk about everything from her origin story and her international travels while studying at the University of Illinois all the way to how that impacted her to create The Simple Good and so much more! Priya is an entrepreneurship professional that was selected as a Ariane de Rothschild Legacy Fellow focused in Cross-Cultural Leadership and Innovative Entrepreneurship from University of Cambridge, Obama Foundation Strategist, nominated for Forbes 30 Under 30, amongst other honors. In addition, Priya is an international Speaker and fashion and lifestyle model based in Chicago, Producer for an upcoming documentary, Project: Building Hope and a children's book author. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Norman Teague LIVE from the Bronzeville Winery! We talk about everything from his origins of growing coming up in the Chicago Public School system and how that brought him to his present endeavors as a mentor for Chicago youth. We also talk about his hand in redesigning The Silverroom, The Bronzeville Winery and so much more! Norman Teague is social practice artist, designer, furniture maker, and educator. Teague co-founded the Chicago-based design studio, blkHaUs Studios, and in 2019 went on to form Norman Teague Design Studios. In addition to his studio practices Teague currently resides as a professor in the school of industrial design at University of Illinois Chicago. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Mark Aguirre LIVE from the Bronzeville Winery! We talk about everything from his origins at Westinghouse and his DePaul recruitment all the way to his love for Chicago and so much more! Mark Anthony Aguirre is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Aguirre was chosen as the first overall pick of the 1981 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks after playing three years at DePaul University. Aguirre played in the NBA from 1981 until 1994 and won two championships with the Detroit Pistons after being traded to Detroit from Dallas in exchange for Adrian Dantley. Aguirre was a three-time All-Star for Dallas. He was also the 1st Mexican-American basketball player to win an NBA title. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with the legendary Bobbito Garcia! We talk about everything from his origins in the basketball and sneaker communities and his impact on Hip Hop all the way to his current endeavors as an author of the children's book "AIM HIGH, LITTLE GIANT, AIM HIGH"! Robert "Bobbito" Garcia (born September 25, 1966), also known as DJ Cucumber Slice and Kool Bob Love, is an American DJ, author, streetball player, streetball coach, and member of the Rock Steady Crew. He is known as a former co-host of hip hop radio show The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, alongside Adrian "Stretch Armstrong" Bartos, from 1990 until 1999. In 2015, Showtime premiered a feature-length documentary on Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives, directed and written by Garcia. The film includes interviews with Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, Common, Fat Joe, Rosie Perez and DJ Premier, among others. In 2018, Garcia released his third documentary, Rock Rubber 45s. It serves as his most personal film to date. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Jeanne Sparrow! We talk about everything from her origin story in radio at WGCI all the way to her current endeavors as a Fortune 100 Consultant, Self-Care Sundays and so much more! Jeanne Sparrow's three decades of award-winning work in the media with a reach of more than 500 million people, combined with her wealth of experience as a respected speaker, consultant, and faculty member at Northwestern University have shaped her perspective on the important and very necessary connection between personal value, communication skills, and success. Her extensive repertoire includes hosting her own daily TV talk show for seven years, co-hosting daily radio shows with comedic giants Steve Harvey, George Wallace, and Danny Bonaduce, and interviewing hundreds of Hollywood heavyweights, including Kevin Costner, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, and Susan Sarandon. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Channyn Parker! We talk about everything from her origin story and the beginning stages of her journey all the way to her current roles within Howard Brown Health Center and so much more! Channyn is a Human Rights advocate, public speaker, community-centric leader and Director of Strategic Partnerships for Howard Brown Health Center and serves on the board, at Equality Illinois. Prior to her current role, Channyn served as manager of The Broadway Youth Center’s, Youth Development Program, and manager of Chicago House Social Service Agency’s, TransLife Project (2017). You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Brandon Pope! Brandon shares his origin story of growing up in Ohio and how that sparked his move to Chicago, covering the 2012 Olympics and so much more! Brandon is a journalist passionate about covering the issues Chicagoans care about most. He is a board member for the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, where he focuses on shepherding in the next generation of TV reporters. Brandon's mentorship experience also includes Big Brothers Big sisters. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with the one and only, Binkey! We talk about everything from his origin story of growing up with a foster family and how that lead to the meeting of his biological mom all the way to his current role as the amazing new host of Grown Folks Stories and so much more. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with the one and only Mary Datcher! We talk about her beginnings in the music industry as a Program Director and how her career allowed her to bring some of the Hip Hop Pioneers to Chicago in the 90s. Mary also talks about her latest endeavors in politics and so much more. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Principal and leader of Leo High School, Shaka Rawls! We talk about everything from the tools he uses to help guide the youth he oversees, how he made his way into being a Principal and so much more! You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this special episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with former Alderman of the 46th ward in Chicago, Illinois and Chicago City Council member, Helen Shiller! She shares stories from her childhood and how she was first introduced to politics, her cross-city migration to becoming the Alderman of Uptown and so much more! You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this special episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Actor, Writer and Comedian, Lisa Beasley! She shares stories from the early stages of her career as a graphic designer and how an opportunity to share her poetry lead to her being a dominant force in the industry. Lisa was a writer for "Cards Against Humanity" and currently holds a monthly residency at the legendary Laugh Factory in Chicago. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this special episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Ron Trent and Eric Williams! We talk to Ron about his new album, "What do the stars say to you", his long-term friendship with Eric and how all of that led into the build out of Bronzeville Winery. We also talk to Eric about how the Sound System Block Party started and what it has become for both of these gentlemen throughout the years of hosting it. You definitely don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Christopher LeMark! Christopher is the CEO & Founder of Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health here in Chicago. We talk about everything from his career as a Jay-Z impersonator and why he chose not to continue that path all the way to the launch and continued success of Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health, an organization that seeks to Normalize the physical, emotional and mental well-being in the black and brown community. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Natalie Y. Moore! Natalie is an award-winning journalist based in Chicago. Her reporting tackles race, housing, economic development, food injustice, and violence. We talk about everything from growing up as a Chicago native and her inspirations for becoming a journalist all the way to her current endeavors as a writer and so much more. You don't want to miss this one!
For this episode of Randomly Selected, we sit down with Dave Jeff! A cultural architect, a builder of brands, the creator of PHLI and the overall voice to many communities including his home base, Hyde Park! We talk about everything from growing up as a Hyde Park native and building up PHLI all the way to his current endeavors including Hyde Park Summer Fest and so much more! You don't want to miss this one!