Cornered (Black Chicago’s Crossroads) cover art

Cornered (Black Chicago’s Crossroads)

Cornered (Black Chicago’s Crossroads)

Written by: Malachi Webster
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About this listen

 Cornered tells the untold story of Black Chicago at a breaking point—where housing, jobs, and safety collide. Presented by Chicago News Weekly, this limited-series podcast is about survival, resistance, and the future of community.
Chicago News Weekly Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Part 3: Survival by Design: Entrepreneurship, Community, and Chicago’s Crossroads

    Part 3: Survival by Design: Entrepreneurship, Community, and Chicago’s Crossroads
    Oct 18 2025
    In this episode, we unpack how small business ownership represents both hope and hardship in Black Chicago’s economic landscape. Through the voices of Charisse Bennett, Akilah McCord, Marquinn McDonald, Chris Davis, and others, we explore the impossible calculations entrepreneurs face, the ripple effects on nonprofits and service providers, and the unique community spaces—like barbershops—that anchor neighborhoods. From federal pressure and debates on immigration to grassroots block clubs and the struggle against gentrification in Bronzeville, this episode reveals how survival, resistance, and innovation come together in a city at the crossroads of crisis and possibility.

    Sources and Methodology: This investigation is based on original interviews conducted in September 2025 with Chicago residents, community organizers, nonprofit executives, and small business owners. Additional reporting drew from Chicago city budget documents, Illinois state employment reports, federal Community Violence Intervention funding allocations, Cook County housing data, and real estate market analysis. Some sources requested anonymity due to employment restrictions or safety concerns.

    Primary Interviews: Marquinn McDonald (WatchGuard Chicago), Akilah McCord (The Answer Inc.), Chris Davis (educator/entrepreneur), Charisse Bennett (small business owner), and additional community members.

    Malachi Webster is a freelance producer and writer covering community organizing, economic development, and social justice in Chicago. This investigation was produced in partnership with Chicago News Weekly and Public Narrative/CIMA.





    https://www.cnwmedia.com
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    16 mins
  • Part 2: Policy Promises, Community Realities & The Violence Intervention Paradox

    Part 2: Policy Promises, Community Realities & The Violence Intervention Paradox
    Oct 4 2025
    "Policy Promises, Community Realities & The Violence Intervention Paradox,” exposes the disconnect between government commitments and life on the ground in Black Chicago. Through the voices of Marquinn McDonald, Akilah McCord, city leaders, and advocates, listeners witness the daily grind of community violence intervention amid funding gaps, political maneuvering, and uncertain nonprofit futures. This episode dives deep into the paradoxes of major city investments and block club efforts, revealing how true safety and self-governance are forged not in city hall meetings but in the kitchens and sidewalks of Bronzeville. The result is an unfiltered look at how hope, exhaustion, and determination mix as residents confront promises and realities—and build the blueprint for the next chapter of survival and resistance.

    https://www.cnwmedia.com
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    8 mins
  • Part 1: The New Economics of Displacement

    Part 1: The New Economics of Displacement
    Sep 26 2025
    In our opening episode, we plunge into Lake Meadows and the fast-changing landscape of Black Chicago, where sudden rent hikes and strategic evictions threaten to upend lives overnight. Community organizer Marquinn McDonald wakes before dawn to face the crisis on his block, while nonprofit leader Akilah McCord races grant deadlines just to keep families afloat. You’ll hear from tenants caught in a wave of displacement and experts like Michelle Kennedy, who explain just how high the stakes have become. As the episode closes, we pull back the curtain on the larger forces shaping this crisis—hinting at the power struggles and unraveling alliances that will define the battles ahead.

    https://www.cnwmedia.com
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    6 mins
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