"Chuy" Reyes of CR Films joins us to share some of the insights he’s gained while getting to know some of the many street vendors in Chicago. I came upon his work at the height of the ICE raids and around Mexican Independence Day. I noticed the thoughtfulness and attention to detail he has with his subjects. As a Pilsen resident myself, I wanted to learn more about the legends in this neighborhood like "El Tri" or "El Guero". They are reminders of resilience, simplicity, and tradition. Please enjoy my conversation with Chuy Reyes.

www.instagram.com/_crfilms
https://www.crfilmsvision.com/

What does it actually take to make Chicago more affordable, safer, and functional? Joe Holberg — political outsider, former teacher, Google alum, and tech entrepreneur — is running for mayor with a platform built around housing supply, fiscal discipline, and a friendlier environment for businesses of every size. In this episode, Joe digs into the CTA safety crisis, Chicago's permitting problem, the parking meter deal that still haunts the city's budget, and why getting kids to school every day might be the single most important lever in the city. No political jockeying — just problem solving.

www.joeforchicago.com
https://www.instagram.com/joeforchicago/

In this episode, I pass the mic to Charles Wong of Umamicue and Episode 182. He hosts Shawn Smith of Heffer BBQ along with brothers Sam and Stephen Lee of K-TEX BBQ. They share their individual journeys into BBQ and where they’re currently at. They share notes on what has and hasn’t worked, manifesting a brick and mortar, and reflect on what Chicago BBQ can be. It was truly a pleasure to take a back seat as they went to depths I could have never gone to. I hope to host more of these roundtables in the future.

https://www.instagram.com/umamicue

https://www.instagram.com/therealhefferbbq

https://www.instagram.com/ktexbbq