Chicago Reader print issue of December 12, 2024 (Vol. 54, No. 11)

WINDY CITY TIMES INSERT INSIDE

THIS WEEK

Shop Local Bon Femmes in Ravenswood

05 Sula | Feature Dee Robinson is putting Good Trouble in a bottle.

06 Reader Bites Gyro cheeseburger with fries at Baba’s Famous Steak & Lemonade

08 Gun violence A mother’s search for her son’s killer and the culture of silence that leaves survivors grappling for answers

10 Gun violence My best friend might still be alive if low-income communities had the resources they need.

COMMENTARY

12 Isaacs | On Culture Anti-choice groups take aim at the Illinois Reproductive Health Act’s insurance provisions.

ARTS & CULTURE

14 Cra Work The folks behind Lot’sa hope to share cra making skills and build community.

15 Feature An MCA exhibition tackles painting’s evolution in response to new technologies.

THEATER

16 Plays of Note Jukebox musical & Juliet imagines life a er Romeo, Trap Door’s satirical Fraudulent LLC hits close to home, and Little Women gets a moving new adaptation at Northlight.

FILM

18 Feature Rey Tang is creative beyond her labels. 20 Moviegoer Curiosity, the Kat, and Lubitsch 20 Movies of Note Angelina Jolie’s talents are squandered in Maria; Oh, Canada contends with its writer-director’s bleeding heart; and Queer is a captivating and victorious adaptation.

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

21 Feature Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff makes a home in Chicago.

23 Chicagoans of Note Dana Meyerson, Biz 3 partner and publicist

25 Shows of Note Previews of concerts including Foodman, Machine Girl, Molder, and Mariachi Herencia de México

(Top le ) BluIvy embroidered vest at Bon Femmes ISA GIALLORENZO (Top right) A wall quilt by Gingergold DANNY ALLEGRETTI

(Bottom le ) Melinda Abdallah’s photos and candles for her son, Jacob AKILAH TOWNSEND (Bottom right) Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Ashooting in Humboldt Park. A shooting in Little Village. A shooting in Oak Brook. A shooting in Summit. It’s become easier to disassociate when we read these words, taking in the information and quickly storing it away in the “news but it happens all the time” section of our brains. We can point to other cities that, per capita, have higher crime rates (Philadelphia, Baltimore), but the Chicago area still su ers from an epidemic of gun-related violence.

Find us on socials: facebook.com/chicagoreader twitter.com/Chicago_Reader instagram.com/chicago_reader threads.net/@chicago_reader linkedin.com search chicago-reader

The Chicago Reader accepts comments and letters to the editor of less than 400 words for publication consideration. m letters@chicagoreader.com

Our partners at the nonprofit newsroom the Trace are dedicated to being a part of the solution, o ering their readers the opportunity to hear about the how and why behind gun violence.

The Trace has published a series of personal stories from family members, friends, and others whose lives were changed by gun violence, all culled from the organization’s Survivor Storytelling Network, an initiative designed to put personal stories at the forefront of our understanding.

We’re printing two of the stories from the series in this issue (starting on page eight).

Read on to glean wisdom from both a current and a former Chicagoan who share their respective experiences with a shooting in Humboldt Park and a shooting in Little Village. Compartmentalizing our intake of the news keeps us stagnant in our anxiety and depression. Learning more from these tragedies is the key to finding solutions.

You’ll also find joy in this issue, because when you cover Chicago, you find a lot of joy and hope.

Read on for tales of a music publicist who has achieved some of her dreams (page 23), a comedian and filmmaker who’s just starting to see her dreams realized (page 18), and a

dreamy (you see what I did there?) exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (page 15).

And our friends at the Windy City Times grace us with their print presence this week, covering Chicago’s LGBTQ+ communities and more (starting after page 14).

As 2024 puts on its best furry onesie and pretends that it’s a fashionable outfit, we too are settling in during these last weeks of December. Thanks for reading and continuing to hope alongside us. v

—Salem Collo-Julin, editor in chief m scollojulin@chicagoreader.com

CORRECTIONS

The Reader has updated the online version of the December 5 print feature by contributor Bill Meyer, “Lily Glick Finnegan and gabby fluke-mogul improvise the intimacies of survival.” The print version of the story stated that Finnegan was born in 1998; she was born in 1997. The Reader regrets the error. v

Juan Rendon with a photo of his friend Junior

AKILAH TOWNSEND

CITY LIFE

SHOP LOCAL

Chic c’est la vie, c’est Bon Femmes

A woman-owned shop in Ravenswood exclusively sells products from women-owned businesses.

By ISA GIALLORENZO

For those who still have holiday shopping to do, Ravenswood might be your destination. Some of the coolest and cutest local shops can be found on Damen in the stretch between Montrose and Argyle. Sailor (4658 N. Damen at Leland) o ers high-end yet a ordable contemporary jewelry, home goods, ceramics, and more. You’ll find colorful art, clothing, and home goods at Ponnopozz (4839 N. Damen, north of Lawrence). And travel less than one block to find Bon Femmes, a small but mighty storefront at 4817 N. Damen, just north of Ainslie.

With its soothing scent, vibey music, and friendly customer service, Bon Femmes is a relief from big box holiday shopping fatigue. Besides the relaxing and welcoming atmosphere, Bon Femmes o ers a well-curated selection of gifts at surprisingly modest prices, ranging from $4 to $70. “At this point, I carry a li’l bit of everything. There are art prints, greeting cards, stickers, beauty products, apparel, accessories, and homewares,” said owner Omotola Akinbiyi.

I must confess I ended up gifting myself a few items when I last visited Bon Femmes. Their orchid hair clips ($13) and bow hair pins ($16) are irresistible, and so is Lisa Angel’s vase in the shape of a book ($25). Other great gift choices are the lovely Flores cocktail napkins ($49), beautifully wrapped in a graphic envelope; the chunky Arctic Fox beanies ($35) and scarves ($45), made from recycled plastic bottles; the embroidered Blu Ivy vest, at the shockingly low price of $47; their vintage housewares, including a teapot adorned with its own mini tea set ($26); a portable watercol-

or palette by Elseware ($22); a perfectly doable “Five Year Thought a Day Journal” by Lisa Angel ($17); plus the in-house Bon Femmes No.1 soy candle ($32), with delicate top notes of santal and sandalwood. The candle is locally hand-poured by Virtue Alchemy Candle Co. All products sold at Bon Femmes are sourced from women-owned businesses, an ethos central to Akinbiyi’s mission: “My journey to Bon Femmes started with a blog

FEMMES

4917 N. Damen, Wed–Sat noon– 6 PM, Sun noon– 5 PM, 224 - 425 -2553, bonfemmes.com

in 2015, where my focus on fashion and food quickly shifted to art and creative projects. I fell in love with spotlighting women in the arts and discovering how underrepresented they are,” Akinbiyi said. “Inspired to change that, I launched the Bon Femmes online shop in 2019 to share beautiful creations by women artists and makers. Today, Bon Femmes has grown into a cozy brick-and-mortar shop in Ravenswood.”

Having opened her store right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Akinbiyi said her business has experienced a few ups and downs, but that her customers have kept her going. “They’re genuinely one of a kind,” she said. “In a way, Bon Femmes feels like a collaboration between me and the amazing people who shop here. . . . They are truly the best.” v

m letters@chicagoreader.com

FOOD & DRINK

Dee Robinson is putting Good Trouble in a bottle

A veteran airport restaurateur teams up with a Kentucky master distiller to cra a bourbon for finding common ground.

By MIKE SULA

Dee Robinson grew up with the words of civil rights icon John Lewis firmly imprinted in her long-term memory, though she didn’t know it at the time. She first heard them from her mother.

“My sister Pearl, the oldest—if my mom told her to go right, she went left,” Robinson says. “Ten years later—surprise—twins were born. My mom used to say to us [that] the only kind of trouble we could get in was good trouble, because Pearl got in all the rest. But it was the late 60s. She was also teaching us how to show up in the world.”

It’s a story Robinson tells often: in interviews, in the 2022 motivational book Courage by Design, and on the back cover of her cookbook, Stirring Up Good Trouble, published the same year. She wears a sparkling, gold-plated pavestone pendant that spells out the word “TROUBLE.”

And now the words are branded on bottles filled with Kentucky straight bourbon, aged more than four years in new, charred, whiteoak barrels—coming soon to a cocktail bar or liquor store near you.

Stroll down the American whiskey aisle of your favorite well-stocked liquor store and every bottle has a story behind it—some real, most imaginary. Eyes glaze over at the oldtimey fonts hinting at some venerable but vaguely rebellious early American distilling legacy, washed in bullshit-tinted branch water. It’s all marketing, often disguising the fact that many of these bottles have been produced through contract distilling. There’s nothing wrong with that—distilleries have been making whiskey for outside clients since the dawn of the industry. But stating outright on the label that your venerable Old Daddy Barrelbilge originated in a massive 80-acre factory complex in southern Indiana rather than in your great-great-grandpappy’s cornfields might keep it from jumping o the shelves. For a long time, it was a practice brands pre-

ferred to keep consumers in the dark about. Just ask Iowa’s Templeton Rye, forced by class action lawsuit to remove the words “Small Batch” and “Prohibition Era Recipe” from its labels after it was revealed their juice came from MGP, that Indiana distilling behemoth. Robinson’s Good Trouble bourbon is also produced under contract, but her brand tells

support a particularly uncommon story that Robinson wants to sell: that bourbon can be a catalyst for conversation, connection, and the kind of positive social change the late, oft-quoted Atlanta congressman meant when he talked about “good trouble, necessary trouble.”

None of this would mean much if the whiskey weren’t good. But it is. At 46 percent alcohol, it is shockingly smooth, satiny, and light-bodied, and you might be tempted to think of it as a beginner’s bourbon if it didn’t blossom across the palate with caramel notes and bakery spices.

“You can’t be called Good Trouble and be bad,” says Robinson, one of those broadly accomplished people whose range of experience and interests will make you lose your balance if you step a few feet back from her bio. “I knew we wanted to bring people into the category with something approachable from day one. A lot of people say they don’t like bourbon, because they had a bad first experience. I liken

a different story. First, there’s a relatively uncommon degree of transparency. It states on the label that it was produced at DSPKY-10, aka Owensboro’s Green River Distilling Company, Kentucky’s tenth oldest distillery. Its mash bill—the combination of grains used to make it—is printed on the front as well (70 percent corn, 21 percent rye, 9 percent malted barley).

What’s not on the label—though she planned to include it—is that she developed the recipe in collaboration with Jacob Call, Green River’s former master distiller, whose family truly has been making whiskey for eight generations. More on that later. There is a lot more to unpack from Good Trouble’s label and bottle design, all meant to

became an accomplished home cook in her own right, which gradually made her realize that her heart wasn’t really in her day job. She loved to cook and throw dinner parties, and she thought her heart might be in the kitchen, but that wasn’t quite right either.

A one-night turn as a guest chef at Charlie Trotter’s further helped her realize that she didn’t have the necessary passion to be a professional chef. What she really wanted was to be a restaurant owner.

Robinson struck out on her own, naming her company Robinson Hill, for her mother, and franchising a Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop at Midway Airport and then later at Navy Pier. She formed retail partnerships with Hudson News at O’Hare, followed over the next two decades by an exponential growth in retail- and restaurant-licensing agreements at airports across the country.

Today, at O’Hare alone, Robinson Hill operates outposts of Frontera Grill, Big Bowl, Intelligentsia, Tocco, Hub 51, R.J. Grunts, Wow Bao, and Urban Olive.

The leap from airport restaurateur to craft distiller happened about nine years ago, when Robinson developed a liking for good bourbon at a tasting held by the Chicago chapter of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gastronomical society.

“I learned about the complexities of the bourbons themselves with all those flavors bursting into your mouth. I learned to trust my palate, and I really leaned in and started buying di erent bottles.

“When I decided I loved it, I was curious enough to figure out what it meant to be a craft distiller.” Robinson took courses o ered by the trade organization Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and she began to visit distilleries.

it to the first cigarette. Nobody likes their first cigarette. It doesn’t have that heat.”

She grew up in Cleveland with her twin brother, her sister, Pearl, and her mother, Helen Hill, who worked a number of jobs to keep the family afloat but who also loved to cook. Robinson picked up that passion, learning at her mom’s side, but she also absorbed her entrepreneurial drive, helping her roast peanuts to sell during Indians games.

But education was the priority. After attending boarding school in Massachusetts, Robinson studied economics at Penn, earned an MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, then embarked on a corporate career that started in banking and ended in marketing at Leo Burnett. Through it all, she

“I was fascinated by the operational side: How do you build a mash bill?” she says. “But also, when I decided that I wanted to make a bourbon, I wanted it to be bourbon with a purpose. When I started talking to different distilleries, if they didn’t understand that I wanted to find a way to bring more joy and equity in the world, why would I bother? I always knew I had a responsibility to give back.” Robinson wanted her bourbon to support a charitable foundation and do just that.

In 2018, she visited Green River, which opened around the turn of the 19th century but had lain dormant for decades. By then, it was four years into a comeback under Jacob Call. He and Robinson hit it o . “We connected on kitchens; my home kitchens and his kitchen, which of course is the distillery. He

Dee Robinson and her Good Trouble bourbon DIMITRY LOISEAU

FOOD & DRINK

continued from p. 5

understood my mission for the brand and my desire to make the world better.”

Call began pulling samples from barrels aging in the Green River rickhouses, and Robinson began tasting, eventually narrowing it down to two that she took around to bars and sampled among her friends until the right one rose to the top.

She also designed labels featuring a Native American vision of Lady Liberty astride a raging bull, meant to represent hate, misogyny, and racism, superimposed over the goldembossed motto “A SPIRITED CONVERSATION,” representing the idea that the lubricative power of bourbon could be leveraged as a tool to spark dialogue and overcome di erence.

She also intended to feature her master distiller’s name on the label, she says, but not long after Green River launched its own whiskey, the distillery was purchased by Chicago’s venture firm Pritzker Private Capital, and Call left to build his own operation.

RBars and liquor stores across Chicagoland goodtroublebourbon.com

“Clear light, amber color. Aromas and flavors of salted corn bread, caramel apple, creme brulee with chocolate powder and orange zest,” declared one. “There are pleasing aromas of caramel cookies, saddle leather, and baking spice on the nose,” ruled another.

But Robinson’s biggest challenge had been finding a distributor who wanted to take a chance on a small, fledgling brand. She eventually signed on with Elmhurst-based Maverick Beverage Company, covering markets in Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and Texas. The o cial Chicago soft launch began last month, and right now you can find Good Trouble on shelves at Hyde Park’s A&S Beverages Wine & Spirits and Printers Row Wine Shop. They’re trying to get it into Binny’s before the end of the year.

The transfer in ownership also postponed Good Trouble’s projected launch by about a year. The four-year age statement on the label is actually closer to five because of the delay. Robinson took advantage of the time by taking bottles around the country, racking up gold and silver medals at spirit industry competitions (winning a few bottle design awards along the way) and collecting florid tasting notes from judges that just so happen to integrate well into a marketing campaign.

It’s begun to pop up at restaurants too. Chef John Manion is a fan, stocking it behind the bar at Brasero and El Che, where he hosted a four-course dinner with Good Trouble cocktail pairings last week. It’s also at Lettuce Entertain You’s Bub City, and the Drake is pouring an exclusive, almost six-year-old custom blend. Meanwhile, you can buy it through Robinson’s site, along with Good Trouble–branded baseball hats and T-shirts and a line of jewelry signaling her intention to build the bourbon brand into a lifestyle brand. It’s in support of her Shine Your Light Foundation, which in turn will donate a portion of sales to, among others, the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, naturally. “We’ll be working with them

Gyro cheeseburger with fries at Baba’s Famous

Steak & Lemonade

If you were to ask me what my favorite foods are, I would basically just list out the entire menu of Baba’s Famous Steak & Lemonade. Serving Chicago fast food staples like super Philly cheesesteaks, Italian beef, pizza puffs, and gym shoes, my love for Baba’s began about a decade ago when I was a high schooler living in the south suburbs. My friends and I were frequent patrons of the location on 183rd Street and Cicero Avenue in Country Club Hills, and at that time, the Italian beef was my go-to. I’ve moved around the city a couple times since then, but wherever I end up, I always make sure to know the location of the nearest Baba’s. And with a number of them scattered around the south and west sides, as well as in the south and west suburbs, Baba’s has become a hood staple for more than just me. Since high school, I’ve heard people raving about gyro cheeseburgers. Having

to celebrate his 85th birthday in February,” she says. She’s also a golfer and a trustee with the PGA of America REACH Foundation, where “we are trying to bring more women and minorities in the game,” particularly through youth initiatives like the Chicago State University golf program.

Most of all, she’s trying to achieve those ends by flipping people who aren’t whiskey drinkers yet. “I actually believe that many people would drink bourbon if they knew how to love it. I think that I can expand the category by just bringing people into the conversation.” v

m msula@chicagoreader.com

never tried a gyro, the idea of combining the two was off-putting to me. A couple years ago, though, I decided to put on my big-girl britches and give it a try. From the first bite, I knew I’d been missing out on a delicacy. The bottom half of the sandwich consists of a perfectly chargrilled burger topped with American cheese that rests on a bed of lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. On top of that, you’ll find a generous heap of gyro meat dressed with tzatziki sauce. Depending on the location— and in true Chicago fashion—you may be able to get a jerk variation of the gyro cheeseburger, which will include jerk gyro meat. Of course, you have to get your fries topped with lemon pepper and mild sauce on the side. It’s very filling, and I feel extremely gluttonous every time I have it, but it’s worth it for such savory satisfaction. —TYRA NICOLE TRICHE BABA’S FAMOUS STEAK & LEMONADE Price varies, locations across Chicagoland v

Reader Bites celebrates dishes, drinks, and atmospheres from the Chicagoland food scene. Have you had a recent food or drink experience that you can’t stop thinking about? Share it with us at fooddrink@ chicagoreader.com.

NEWS & POLITICS

GUN VIOLENCE

I want to change the culture of silence

This crisis has shattered so many families, including mine. If more people support survivors, we could begin to solve the problem.

By MELINDA ABDALLAH FOR THE TRACE

Melinda Abdallah is a Native Chicana, currently living in Wisconsin. She’s worked as a packer at a large worldwide facility but is currently an at-home nana and wife while healing from an injury. She is an activist advocating against gun violence in the Little Village community.

On November 10, 2019, my son Jacob woke up early, did laundry, and finished painting the room he and his girlfriend were preparing for the birth of their first child. A few hours later, he was shot while driving in Little Village. It was the middle of the day.

Five years later, I know he was the unintended target, but I still don’t know who did it. Even though detectives told us that the gun used to kill my son was used four other times—three times before Jacob and once after, killing a 16-year-old girl walking home from work—nobody has come forward to say

they saw anything.

Because Jacob wasn’t from Little Village, no one there knew him, so detectives said they have few leads. What I’ve come to learn is that because there is so much violence in Little Village, people won’t speak up, even if they’ve witnessed it firsthand.

I want to change this culture of silence. Every day since Jacob’s death, I’ve fought to honor his spirit, to bring survivors and nonsurvivors to support each other in grief and to fight for safer streets. Just this year, as of the end of November, there have been 247 shootings, including 44 fatalities, in the Tenth Police District, which includes Little Village, according to the city’s violence reduction dashboard.

This crisis has shattered so many families, including mine. Last summer, Jacob’s girlfriend was killed in a hit-and-run. I am now raising my four-year-old grandson in Wisconsin.

But because of Jacob, we are still very much a part of the Little Village community. If more people support survivors, by coming to vigils and marches or by stepping up to help police solve cases or by advocating for better gun laws, we could show the perpetrators of gun violence in the area that we’re not afraid of them. We could begin to solve the problem.

Losing Jacob

Jacob was driving a family friend’s car and stopped at a light when another car pulled up and opened fire. He was shot six times: once in the side of his head, twice in the arm, and twice in the chest. But he held on.

“When they pulled up with your son, we had

to revive him,” a doctor at the hospital said. “Your son came back almost immediately.” The doctor told me that Jacob coded and came back again. The same thing happened after his X-ray.

“I don’t know how this is happening but, with that trauma, we should have never been able to bring him back the first time,” the doctor said. “I don’t know what it is, but your son’s hanging on for some reason.”

I believe he was waiting for his son to be born. When the baby came, Jacob was mostly unresponsive, but I whispered in his ear and told him his son had arrived. Jacob died two days later. We named his son Jacob Jr. Those five days in the hospital were painful, but they also helped our estranged family

Melinda Abdallah’s photos and candles for her son Jacob AKILAH TOWNSEND

Melinda Abdallah AKILAH TOWNSEND

reconcile. Jacob had always hated that we didn’t speak to each other. When she heard that Jacob was in the hospital, one cousin pointed out, “Jacob always wanted us to be together.” Everyone made amends for Jacob.

That’s what Jacob did—he brought people together, and I’m hoping to carry that spirit of unity to bring the people of Little Village together to fight for peace.

Forever tied to Little Village

Leading up to the birth of his son, Jacob would tell me he wanted to leave Little Village. He had moved there to be with his girlfriend, Perla, but he didn’t want to raise his son there. Perla had told him of her youth there—no family outings or trips, no community events, none of the things Jacob grew up with.

NEWS & POLITICS

gun control policies. No one with a background of any gun violations should be able to own a firearm.

Hospital Hop

POETRY CORNER

By Demetrius Amparan

Have you ever hospital hopped until your pain stopped?

Still sick, just a different type of sick… and tired.

Rejected long enough for your body to find its own cure

You ever been rerouted to county care?

Exiled from ICU while your wife whispers I still see you

Your son, a mirror image of you

quickly learning the ways his body might fail

I know every hospital corridor by heart.

Every floor etched into my brain

Every administrator who knocked on my fathers door telling him that he couldn’t stay anymore

I remember the squeak’s of his chair and the hum of his lungs

As we were escorted away

From Rush to Little Mary Jackson to Loretto

If Northwestern can’t figure it out

Maybe UIC can do it better

Have you ever hospital hopped until your heart beat like a gospel

Until god held you closer than any family member could Watching Doctors dejected by the lack of magic in their hands

I will never know how my dad felt on days his body betrayed him

I can only recall my bones rumbling in the back of ambulances

Closing my eyes while I held his hand

Hoping that we would never have to hospital hop again

I didn’t know about Little Village before my son moved there. Now, the shooting that killed him there ties me to the area. As my relationship with Little Village has grown, I’ve learned that police there are understa ed, that many people there are afraid they might be targeted if they come forward as witnesses, and that others won’t come forward because of their undocumented status. Enlace Chicago, a nonprofit community group in Little Village, estimates that nearly one in four residents there is not a U.S. citizen.

Now, I work with Parents for Peace and Justice and Mothers and Families United for Justice (under the Little Village Community Council) to advocate for victims, support other survivors, and try to prevent gun violence. On July 27, we had the first ever Race for Peace in Little Village. Shortly after we left the event, in the middle of the day, a three-monthold baby was shot in the area.

Knowing that my son was killed with a gun that was used to hurt others both before and after has also made me an advocate for greater

I’m gonna fight for my son until the death of me. We held another event in Little Village in November, the week that Jacob was shot. We march because we want a rebirth in Little Village. Jacob would’ve wanted that, too.

Baby Jacob reminds us of his father’s spirit, his joy and warmth and his wish that we would all come together. So, every chance I get, I go out there with my son’s pictures to protest and bring awareness.

It’s my hope that the more people who know Jacob’s story, the more they’ll see that we need change. Maybe someone will come forward with information about Jacob’s killers, maybe more survivors will come to our events. Maybe nonsurvivors will lend their support to the fight against gun violence.

Maybe no one else will have to lose a son. v

This story was originally published by the Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America.

m letters@chicagoreader.com

Fall Hours

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM

Thursday: 11:00 AM–6:00 PM

More Light! Exhibition

Chicago design duo Luftwerk’s immersive interpretation of Aram Saroyan’s poem “lighght” transforms the Poetry Foundation gallery into a dynamic lightbox.

Open through January 11, 2025

Demetrius Amparan is a music artist and poet from the south side of Chicago. He is a nonprofit leader and father to daughters Ella and Addison. His latest work, Hold Me Down, released August 2024.

A weekly series curated by the Chicago Reader and sponsored by the Poetry Foundation.

Melinda Abdallah and her grandson, Jacob AKILAH TOWNSEND

NEWS & POLITICS

Ialways thought Junior and I would go to college together, that we’d be roommates after school. I always thought our kids would grow up together. Instead, when he was 19, I lost my very best childhood friend.

On December 30, 2012, Junior was shot along with two other people. His friends were shot in the shoulder and jaw and in the back, and Junior was shot in the abdomen, but there was no trauma center nearby. Blood loss, his family said, was a major factor in his passing. Losing Junior made me realize that while impoverished areas su er the most from gun violence, they’re often not equipped to handle the bloodshed. In Chicago city limits, there are five Level 1 trauma centers (and a sixth that serves only pediatric patients), and they tend to be on opposite ends of the city. There were only four when Junior died.

Chicago needs more trauma centers, and its hospitals and emergency sta need better trauma training. This was the case 12 years ago when Junior died, and it’s still the case now. The only change I’ve seen in Humboldt Park is that now there are condos and co ee

shops, things that make wealthier residents’ lives easier. These changes don’t serve the people who’ve been there for generations, the neighborhood kids like me and Junior who grew up thinking we had the whole world in our little slice of Chicago. If we instead invested in communities like the one Junior and I grew up in—creating community events and funding trauma centers—maybe my best friend would still be here today.

Growing up with Junior

Imet Junior when I was 11 and he was seven. The neighborhood kids used to hang around Kedvale Park, and there was always a group that would bully us. One day, when the biggest kid tried to push Junior, Junior hit the kid and ran away. I had to know who he was.

I learned that he happened to live maybe a block away from us and that we had the same interests. We liked video games, especially Street Fighter , and we loved wrestling. He liked “Stone Cold” Steve Austin; I liked the Rock.

GUN VIOLENCE

If a trauma center had been closer, my best friend might still be alive

The neighborhoods with the most bloodshed need adequate medical services.

By JUAN RENDON FOR THE TRACE

We started hanging out in the park that summer. There wasn’t much else that you could do to have fun for free where we lived.

Eventually, my family ended up moving into the first floor of the two-flat building Junior’s dad owned, solidifying the friendship. Anytime my brothers and I got bored or had a new video game, we would go upstairs, or Junior would come down. It was just fun.

We would go to the candy shop together. Even if we didn’t have enough money, we would scrounge up dimes and nickels and put them all together.

As soon as we got up in the morning, we hung out. The only time we were separate was when his parents had something to do or we were out of town. We were practically family.

As we grew bigger, so did our problems, but Junior was still one of the people that I counted on the most. One Father’s Day, my son’s mother got mad at me for something, and she refused to let me see my son. I called Junior, and he told me to come over. I told him everything, and he talked me through it.

It could have been just another story

Around 11 PM one night, I was on the Red Line coming home from a bad date, and I wanted to talk to Junior about it. I told myself I’d call tomorrow. I had no idea that Junior’s tomorrow would never come.

Fifty minutes earlier, Junior had been shot.

He died at Stroger Hospital at 12:15 AM. I found out from family and friends later that an adversary from his past who wouldn’t leave him alone challenged him to a fight. But, they said, it was all a trap. When Junior and his friends arrived, the person ambushed and shot them.

Another friend drove them to Norwegian American Hospital (now Humboldt Park Health), which does not have a trauma center. They transferred Junior to Stroger, but it was too late.

It could have been just another story. I can imagine him saying it. “Oh, dude. Oh, man. Remember when I got shot in the stomach—and I’m still here?”

We could have joked about it, but unfortunately the first hospital wasn’t properly equipped, and now he’s gone.

A rift in time

Everyone drifted further apart. I stopped talking to his brother and his sister as much. I would see his mom every once in a while. All the neighborhood kids who used to hang out, none of us saw each other anymore. The glue that held us all together was gone. Junior was our community leader.

The last time we were all together was when we all met up at his gravesite a year after his death for one last hurrah.

Losing Junior felt like losing my childhood. It’s like when they tell you Santa Claus isn’t real; the magic was gone. It was like a rift in time. One moment we were able to experience our youth, and then, just like that, everything I knew vanished.

His death created a gap between then and now. Then, we didn’t have much, but we

Juan Rendon with a photo of his friend Junior AKILAH TOWNSEND

NEWS & POLITICS

shared everything we had.

Now, I don’t share what I’m feeling. I’m distrustful. I don’t seek out new friends. I am cautious with my kids. I probably shelter them too much, but sometimes I feel like they’re too trusting. I just don’t want them to hurt the way that I am. I don’t want to jinx myself or make any plans that would fall through if the worst happens.

He’s the person I would’ve talked to about something like this.

The world and everything in it

Ididn’t ever go downtown until I was 17. I just thought all those buildings on the horizon were landmarks and locations I would never get to see and touch.

Junior knew better. He encouraged me to

want more. He would say, “We don’t have to settle for this. There’s more out there. Let’s go.”

We were happy just being friends in our little slice of Chicago, but I wish we were able to see more.

One of our favorite movies was Scarface

Our favorite scene was when Tony Montana’s best friend, Chico, asks him what he wants and Tony answers, “The world and everything in it.” When I have the money, I’ll start a club for at-risk youth, kids like us, to teach them art, history, sports, and science. They’ll get to see more of the world than we did. v

This story was originally published by the Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America.

Juan Rendon AKILAH TOWNSEND

ON CULTURE

Illinois is a haven for reproductive rights

And a hub for legal challenges to abortion

By DEANNA ISAACS

On October 30, Donald Trump made an announcement: “I’m going to protect the women, whether they like it or not,” he said, promising to deny the agency of half the American population.

The MAGA throng he was addressing in Wisconsin cheered.

I’m trying to imagine Trump announcing that he’s going to protect American men, “whether they like it or not.” Would this naked threat inspire any reaction other than jeering, even among the MAGA crowd? Especially among the MAGA crowd? Maybe laughter.

Less than a week later, the pu edup pussy grabber was elected to the presidency. Again.

Last month, a coalition of groups that also want to dominate the female half of the American populace filed a federal lawsuit seeking to take away the mandatory insurance coverage for abortion that Illinois established in 2019.

That’s when state legislators passed the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, recognizing abortion as a “fundamental right.”

The Reproductive Health Act stipulates that state-regulated insurance policies that provide pregnancy care must also cover pregnancy termination, both pharmaceutical and surgical.

There’s nothing in the Reproductive Health Act that would force the individual plainti s in this case, or anyone else, to have an abortion. Theirs is a more subtle complaint: they may never have to personally experience an unwanted pregnancy and childbirth (most of them are men), but they are all su ering pangs of conscience.

By paying premiums into a pool of funds that are used to cover a wide range of medical care, including abortions, the plaintiffs say they’ve been made to feel complicit in what their religion regards as an act of murder.

They want the state to stop the mandatory coverage and instead require that every insurer regulated by the state o ers the option of policies that do not include abortion coverage.

The defendants are Governor J.B. Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and the acting director of the Illinois Department of Insurance, Ann Gillespie.

Plainti s include Students for Life of America, a Virginia-based national organization committed to the total elimination of abortion.

cludes abortion coverage.” All six of these conscience-stricken Students for Life members are male.

“Insurance coverage is crucial for access to care. They’re trying to attack access.”

Students for Life says it has standing in this case because some of its employees live in Illinois, and because six of its members are students at Illinois colleges, and Illinois law “makes it impossible” for them to purchase “state-regulated health insurance that ex-

The lawsuit was filed by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago antiabortion law firm founded in 1998 by Thomas Brejcha, who defended Joseph Scheidler through years of legal battles with the National Organization for Women. (Ann Scheidler is the chairman of the Thomas More Society board.) The lawsuit claims that Illinois is violating the plainti s’ First and 14th Amendment rights, as well as other federal laws, including the long-dormant 1873 Comstock Act, which, they say, still forbids mailing, shipping, and receiving abortion materials.

In September, a similar lawsuit challenging Illinois’s mandatory insurance coverage for abortion in state courts was dismissed by a judge who noted that the plainti s already have a remedy at hand: they can purchase insurance policies that are not regulated by the state. Plainti s in that case are appealing.

Asked for comment, Attorney General Raoul said via email, “Abortion is health care.” He is “committed to continuing to protect reproductive rights and . . . access to coverage for reproductive health care that includes abortion.”

Raoul noted, “After my o ce successfully preserved abortion care coverage protections in the Illinois Reproductive Health Act by winning a motion for summary judgment in Sangamon County Circuit Court . . . I said the fight is by no means over.”

Plaintiffs also include the Pro-Life Action League and its president, Ann Scheidler. The Pro-Life Action League, based in Aurora, was founded in 1980 by Scheidler’s late husband, Joseph Scheidler, and the organization’s current president is her son, Eric Scheidler, also a plaintiff in this case. Joseph Scheidler is celebrated as the pioneer of confrontational “sidewalk counseling” tactics, intercepting women as they try to enter abortion clinics.

Illinois Right to Life and its executive director are also listed as plainti s, along with a church, a school, and a DuPage County business.

I wondered what Ameri Klafeta, director of the Women’s and Reproductive Rights Project for ACLU Illinois, would have to say about it. “This is a kitchen-sink approach, trying to throw a lot of claims in,” Klafeta told me. “They lost in the general assembly on this, they lost in state court, and now they’re coming back to try in federal court.”

All of these claims have the same flaw, Klafeta said. “This is a law that applies to insurance companies. It is not targeting anybody’s religion. And the law serves a very important purpose: insurance coverage is crucial for access to care. They’re trying to attack access.”

This legal challenge is not only about paying into an insurance pool. It’s about the larger agenda of eliminating choice, whether you like it or not. v

m

disaacs@chicagoreader.com

Two protesters at the Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws protest in August 2024

ORIANA KOREN FOR CHICAGO READER

Verilife lights up the holiday season with their Happy Holidaze Sweepstakes

Enter to win prizes and discounts at the cannabis dispensary’s eight Chicagoland locations

The legalization of cannabis in Illinois ushered in a tidal wave of producers and retailers dedicated to serving local medical and recreational users. But people are a lot like cannabis leaves—in the sense that no two are completely alike. That can make combing through the glut of flower, prerolls, edibles, concentrates, topicals, and more overwhelming as consumers look for high-quality products that will meet their individual needs and give them the physiological effects they desire.

Verilife aims to streamline that process and make it more fun. The independent company is committed to improving lives through cannabis. They believe that impactful education combined with engaging, high-quality service empowers customers to make informed decisions so that they can feel more confident consuming cannabis products and get more enjoyment out of life. To that end, their staff members are well-trained, compassionate, and eager to lend an ear and provide personalized assistance to customers 21 and up, whether they are experienced cannabis consumers or exploring for the first time.

Verilife’s diverse selection includes their premiere in-house Verilife and LivWell lines, innovative products from Matter. Products and Magnitude Vape Cartridges, and a wide variety of popular brands including Nature’s Grace & Wellness, Dog Walkers, Heavy Hitters, and Daze Off. Guests are welcome to browse Verilife’s web store and place an advance order or stop into

one of their eight Illinois dispensaries, which are conveniently located in River North in Chicago, Arlington Heights, Galena, Ottawa, North Aurora, Schaumburg, Romeoville, and Rosemont. Whether online or in person, shoppers can expect to find an open, accepting environment and clear, detailed information, which makes for an excellent shopping experience. The company is committed to providing the highest quality cannabis products at the lowest prices—they’ll even match prices on identical products from local retailers through their price match guarantee.

Verilife firmly values social equity and equality, and they see it as their responsibility to help uplift individuals and communities that have been unjustly impacted by the decades-long so-called War on Drugs. Through their parent company, PharmaCann, they’ve partnered with Mission Green Alliance, a grassroots initiative launched by the Weldon Project that works to secure the release of individuals incarcerated for cannabisrelated crimes and advocate for cannabis reform on a national level.

This month, Verilife invites Chicagoland residents to celebrate the holiday season with their newly launched Happy Holidaze Sweepstakes. From December 21 through December 31, guests can pick up a scratch-off card at any of Verlife’s Illinois dispensaries for a chance to win festive apparel and heavily discounted products—including $1 vape cartridges, gummies, and half-ounces of flower.

Verilife knows cannabis has the power to help people forge connection and come together in a positive way. As stigmas around cannabis evaporate and the plant’s popularity continues to surge, their dispensaries are the perfect place to find holiday gifts and special treats for friends and loved ones. So come to Verilife to consult with their expert budtenders and pick up your scratch cards today.

BY JAMES IJAMES

A boisterous Southern cookout sets the scene for a Black, queer discovery of self and resilience in this Pulitzer Prize-winning, five-time Tony nominated “uproarious reimagining of Hamlet” (The New Yorker).

“This is what I was raised in: pig guts and bad choices.”

As Juicy grapples with his identity and his family at a backyard barbecue, his father’s ghost shows up asking for revenge—on Juicy’s uncle, who has married his widowed mom—bringing his quest for joy and liberation to a screeching halt. James Ijames has reinvented Shakespeare’s masterpiece, creating what the New York Times hails as “a hilarious yet profound tragedy, smothered in comedy,” where the only death is the patriarchy. Tyrone Phillips, Founding Artistic Director of Chicago’s famed Definition Theatre, directs.

JANUARY 11 - FEBRUARY 23

sponsored content is paid for by Pharmacann

ARTS & CULTURE

Sharing skills, building community

Sisters Cheryl and Sarah Hinman bring their collaborative mindset to Lot’sa.

BY CHRISTINA NAFZIGER

Family can teach you a lot of things. For sisters Cheryl and Sarah Hinman, family has taught them the joy in creating together, the insight gained from having someone there to bounce ideas off, and the value of sharing creative skills and resources. The artistic duo are the minds behind the design studio Gingergold, originally a product-based studio started in 2020. Through Gingergold, they were able to use their creative skills in collaboration and o er services such as packaging, branding, and web designing.

Both sisters learned these skills in college but through very di erent paths. While Sarah studied graphic design at the University of Kansas, Cheryl focused on art and design at Columbia College Chicago, carving out a slightly more nontraditional path by taking classes like bookbinding and letterpress. These skills—along with woodworking, type design, and illustration—allowed Gingergold to thrive. Through their design studio, they’ve done murals and signage and menu fabrication and design for such places as an ice cream shop and a brewery.

But the Hinman sisters couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. They loved creating together but were also deeply embedded in the Chicago craft and makers community. For them, this community has been integral in their journey as artists, as other makers provide the encouragement and support to keep going, and are always there to lend you supplies or o er tips on how to create something specific. There’s no knowledge hoarding here! The Hinman sisters desired to take this sentiment of resource sharing and create a permanent space where folks can do just that. Three years after they opened Gingergold, their friend and creative collaborator Hannah Sellers found a perfect spot in the Avondale neighborhood right next to fellow art spaces like Color Club. In 2023, the three opened Lot’sa. Lot’sa is hybrid and fluid in nature. Walking in, you are greeted with cards, magnets, totes, notepads, socks, prints, and original art hanging on the walls—all made by local artists (including the three Lot’sa founders). At first

blush, it reads as a local shop with an open floor plan. This openness leads you around the till, which looks like a kitchen counter, inviting you into the makers’ area. This is a workshop space, complete with a Riso printer, a wall of tools, a large communal table, and so much more. Here is where the magic happens. In order to truly make this a usable, community space, Lot’sa hosts monthly workshops on things like botanical cyanotype prints, risograph notebooks, and concrete castings.

“During workshops,” Cheryl explains, “We ask, ‘What brought you here today?’ And more often than not it’s because people are sitting at a computer all day for work and they want to make something with their hands. I think people are craving that.” They also host gather-

ings for folks to intentionally play and meet others, like group drawing nights and queer speed-dating nights hosted by Hot Potato Hearts. The workshops are hosted by various artists and offered on a sliding scale, making them more accessible and mutually beneficial.

Both artists in their own right, Cheryl and Sarah have slightly different skill sets—perfectly matched to complement and strengthen each other’s practices. Both have a strong interest in physical processes like screen printing, letterpress, bookbinding, and quilting. When it comes to collaborating, Cheryl prefers to look at the big picture and is skilled at building a prototype to figure out the right method forward. For Sarah, it’s all in the details; during the creation process, she often focuses on elements that need precision, like spatial design and printing and cutting. In Lot’sa you can see examples of the sister’s works, such as gorgeous quilted wall hangings of flowers.

Originally from Kansas City, Kansas, the sisters grew up near their grandmother Gladys who was a big sewer and quilter. Once a week, she would leave her farm and go into town to make quilts with her sewing circle. Her creativity and sense of design rubbed off on Cheryl and Sarah, and although they didn’t quilt growing up, every time they would visit Gladys’s farm, she would say, “Okay, what do you want to do? Here’s how you can do it.”

That creative problem-solving mindset, the sentiment of putting your knowledge and skills together to figure out how to make your ideas a reality, was o cially instilled. Making became something that wasn’t just meant for the solo artist alone in their studio, but instead, something to gather, learn, and forge friendships around. For the sisters, there are so many more

possibilities that emerge within the process of making together—there is power in the collective. As Cheryl explains, “Things that are unknown feel a little less scary when you have a partner to explore with.”

How do you take an idea in your head and transform it into a physical object? What will the process be for bringing a concept to life? These are the questions that excite Cheryl and Sarah. Although the final result is of course important, for them it’s less about producing for productivity’s sake and more about solving a problem. They want to figure out a process and share what they’ve learned with others, knowing they’ll learn more in return. For them, sharing and making together is its own learning tool; it’s a tool to build community, share ideas, and see something from a di erent perspective—one they would never have seen if they were creating alone.

Sarah explains that, no matter the skill level of a person, they always have insight to o er. During a zinemaking workshop, everyone was showing each other what they made, and Sarah couldn’t believe how different everyone’s zine was! Each person approached it so di erently in ways she couldn’t have predicted, which just further inspired her to try new things in her own practice.

For both Cheryl and Sarah, there is no fear of competition or comparison; working closely with your sister—a space that for many can be full of sibling rivalry—is a testament to that. Instead, they invite people, artists and novices alike, in to approach making with a sense of curiosity and playfulness—the same approach they have when working on their own projects.

For the sisters, there are so many more possibilities that emerge within the process of making together—there is power in the collective.

They want someone to walk into Lot’sa, learn a new skill, and walk out with something they made with their hands, something they are proud of. Because, like your grandmother teaching you how to quilt, these skills are meant to be shared. v

m letters@chicagoreader.com

Gingergold cofounders Cheryl and Sarah Hinman DANNY ALLEGRETTI

R“THE LIVING END: PAINTING AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES, 1970-2020”

Through 3/23/25 : Tue 10 AM–9 PM, Wed–Sun 10 AM– 5 PM, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago, visit.mcachicago.org/ exhibitions/the-living-end-painting-and-other-technologies-1970 -2020/, suggested admission $19 Chicago residents, $10 Chicago students, teachers, 65 +, $22 non-Chicago residents, $14 non-Chicago students, teachers, 65 +, free on Tuesdays for Illinois residents

MUSEUMS

How artists respond to technology

“The

Living End” is “both of and about painting,” says curator Jamillah James.

By JENNIFER SMART

“The Living End: Painting and Other Technologies, 1970-2020,” which opened November 9 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, as with so much of our lives, begins with the Internet. Specifically, with MCA Manilow senior curator Jamillah James, who observed the Internet’s e ects on artistic practices in the early 2000s, and who organized the show with assistant curator Jack Schneider.

In 2010, James was living in New York City and observing two trends in the visual arts: the breakdown of traditional painting and the rise of “surf clubs,” or collaborative models of working in online spaces. This moment felt, to James, like another turning point in the long history of painting’s evolution in response to new technology. Just as artists had done upon the introduction of photography in the 19th century, or video in the 1960s—in the 21st century, prompted by the Internet, they were once again reconsidering more traditional forms. The idea for the exhibition became more real in 2020, when it was originally planned for the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, where James was working. The COVID-19 pandemic foreclosed that possibility, but that moment too felt significant as James observed artists experimenting with NFTs and AI.

Now the culmination of James’s decadeand-a-half-long consideration of the relationship between painting and other technologies has culminated in “The Living End.” It’s a show that James says is “both of and about painting.” It reconstructs the longer history of how artists have responded to computers, cameras, and television, as well as,

more recently, social media and automation, and how they have incorporated these technologies into their painting practice, adopted their aesthetics, or used them to grapple with the history of painting itself. Eighty percent of the works on view are of the titular medium, painting, but video and performance are also present because the real undercurrent of the show is technology as art’s inspirational “spark.”

“The Living End” will be organized thematically and chronologically, beginning with work made with and about early computing technologies, before moving through work in dialogue with television, the televisual, and performance and video.

For James this is the heart of the exhibition and, she expects, is what will surprise audiences the most. “There is a long history of artists working in performance and video having a lot to say about more traditional forms and the hierarchies [of art] that are formed in the public imagination,” James notes. “When you talk to someone about art, typically the brain goes to painting or sculpture, not necessarily to performance or video.”

The show includes work by legendary artists like John Baldessari, Carolee Schneemann, and Shigeko Kubota, all of which respond in one way or another to the history and ideology of painting. Included in the show is Schneeman’s Up to and Including Her Limits (1976), a video documenting a performance in which the artist responds to the masculine legacy of “action painting” by raising and lowering herself via harness to produce a series of marks on paper. The video transforms the ephemeral act of mark-

ARTS & CULTURE

making into a durational experience while inserting the female body as a creative force directly into the space and history of painting. From there the exhibition moves into sections on photorealism, the Internet, and automation. Work by contemporary artists such as Petra Cortright, who creates work in Photoshop and other digital image software that is then printed on aluminum, and Wade Guyton, who manipulates the surface of the canvas using an Epson printer, will both be on view.

Most of the show’s practice-based themes—an interest in critique, in removing the artist’s hand, or using one medium to creatively realize another—are not new in the history of art. What will be new is the way in which James brings these ideas together in the interest of thinking specifically about the history of one of art’s oldest mediums.

The exhibition is as much in dialogue with other shows from the

last few years that have focused on the relationship between art and the Internet, or art and screens, as it is to recent shows about contemporary painting. Shows such as the MCA’s “I Was Raised on the Internet” (2018), which featured some of the same works that will be on view here, or the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror: Art and The Digital Screen” (2023) come to mind.

This is a history that is very much still being written, but “The Living End” cuts o at 2020 because, as James notes, she wanted “to contend with the history that leads up to this point.”

“I’m interested in precedent and trajectory, as opposed to just focusing on the immediate present,” she says. “I didn’t just want to focus on the digital as it relates to painting. I wanted to set the stage towards that moment and locate the precedent for what is happening now. I’m trying to establish a history of artists exploring painting as it relates to new technology.”

For over a century, artists and critics have been eager to declare the death of painting. For just as long museums have mounted exhibitions to prove them wrong. James is, thankfully, less interested in entering these debates than she is in expanding how we think about the medium beyond its status as endangered. v

Carolee Schneemann, Up To and Including Her Limits , 1976 COURTESY ELECTRONIC ARTS INTERMIX, NEW YORK

THEATER

OPENING

RShe will survive & Juliet is a heartfelt coming-of-age jukebox musical.

We’ve all heard the story of Romeo and Juliet—a tale of two star-crossed lovers who end up dying at their own hands in the midst of the feuds between the Capulets and the Montagues. But what happens when Juliet lives at the end of the whole debacle, instead of killing herself over a man she’s only known for fewer than 24 hours?

In the world of this musical (book by David West Read), William Shakespeare (Corey Mach) and his wife Anne Hathaway (Teal Wicks) choose to rewrite the ending of the play. In this new version, Juliet (Rachel Simone Webb) decides to live a er Romeo’s death and travels to Paris with her friends May (Nick Drake) and April and her nurse Angélique (Kathryn Allison) in an effort to escape her parents’ wishes of her becoming a nun.

New characters like François Du Bois (Mateus Leite Cardoso) and his father Lance (Paul-Jordan Jansen) are introduced and hijinks ensue—including Romeo (Michael Canu) rising from the dead and a wedding that falls apart between François and Juliet.

The story is told through iconic hits from the late 90s, early 2000s, and early 2010s including songs from the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Kesha, Katy Perry, and more. (Max Martin & Friends are credited with original music.) All of the song selections speak to Juliet and the characters’ journey throughout the play as they work to find deeper meaning for themselves and in their relationships.

Throughout the show’s 160 minutes, the cast, directed by Luke Sheppard, perform iconic vocals and stunning dance performances (choreography by Jennifer Weber). Webb’s Juliet is a highlight of the show, with her impeccable stage presence and a voice that gives justice to the original songs’ predecessors. & Juliet is a coming-of-age story that will transcend generationally through song and meaning. (And if you miss it this time, Broadway in Chicago has announced it’s coming back in July.) —LAYLA BROWN-CLARK & JULIET Through 12/15: Tue 7 PM, Wed 1 and 7 PM, Thu 7 PM, Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 7:30 PM, Sun 1 PM; Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, broadwayinchicago.com, $66-$181

R Deconstructing Dickens

Blake Montgomery’s comedic solo take on A Christmas Carol returns.

You think you’re sick of A Christmas Carol? Imagine how poor Charles Dickens feels. Since 1853—ten years a er the publication of his novella—poor Charlie has been giving solo performances of the tale of miserable miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation into a decent chap. No wonder his prevailing attitude seems more “FML” than “God bless us, everyone.” Wouldn’t it be nice to mix it up a little a er 171 years? Maybe just a fun holiday party, instead?

That’s the premise behind Blake Montgomery’s charming and sly Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs ‘A Christmas Carol’ Again. First produced at Montgomery’s now-defunct company, the Building Stage, in 2011 and 2012, the solo comedy is back for a seasonal run at the Den. And if you’re not interested in the version at “that big theater downtown,” you may well find yourself enchanted by Montgomery’s goofy but good-hearted take on Dickens—seasonal dyspepsia and all.

Montgomery, sporting a black cutaway formal suit and a very Dickensian wig, engages the audience with warmth and dashes of bookish wit. On opening night, while suggesting other Dickens titles he could perform, Montgomery’s scribe discovered that there was in fact someone in the house who had read Dombey and Son. “You’re going to be hard to please,” he noted wryly. Dickens’s description of Marley’s face as looking like “a bad lobster in a dark cellar” gets a funny dissection at one point. At another, Dickens imagines a world where Marley’s ghost visits Hamlet, and the ghost of Hamlet’s father shows up in Scrooge’s world.

Montgomery’s knowledge of the source text is palpable, which makes his riffs and discursions even more enjoyable. And at heart, the show is an examination of the paradox of traditions: they both bind us to the past, but can also provide a pale light pointing in the direction of a better future as we realize “we can’t go on forever.”

—KERRY REID CHARLES DICKENS BEGRUDGINGLY PERFORMS ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ AGAIN Through 12/22: Thu–Sat 8 PM, Sun 7 PM; Sun 12/22 3 PM; Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, 773-697-3830, dickensagain.com and thedentheatre.com, $32

RFlimflammers, Inc.

Trap Door’s Fraudulent LLC hits almost too close to home.

An awkward young person (Levi Welch, nameless but referred to as “Junior” later) shows up for their first day of work at a shabby office, unaware and unprepared for what’s in store. At one desk, a woman (Daniella Rukin, called “Senior”) is fast asleep. Rousing her—to great irritation—the new arrival peppers her with questions, none of which gets a straight answer. Then the boss (Tristan Odenkirk, “the Doctor”) arrives and their “work” begins.

Cycling haphazardly through disguises and identities, the Doctor rubber-stamps scientific studies, quality control tests, and whatever else a client might need to keep their business rolling without true oversight. Junior’s queries about lawfulness and morality are laughed off as naive by his coworkers. A er an inspector shows up who threatens to expose their sham operation but lets them keep things as they are (provided they do him an occasional favor), Senior decides to abandon ship.

The Doctor is happy to keep lining his pockets by hook or by crook, and Junior—who is now promoted to Senior—can’t afford to quit. They’re trapped in unreality and must play along. There’s no other choice.

Jonathan Quigley directs what’s billed as a comedy they cowrote and codirected with Tracy Tojo. I insert the qualification because what’s funny, rather than horribly pedestrian and true, is in such flux these days. Whatever you call it, it’s too familiar for comfort. The flimflammers have won and how we function in their world remains to be seen. —DMITRY SAMAROV FRAUDULENT LLC Through 12/21: Thu–Sat 8 PM; Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland, 773-384-0494, trapdoortheatre.com, $20

RSister stories

Lauren Gunderson’s Little Women premieres at Northlight.

Lauren Gunderson has a knack for bringing 19th-century sisters to life; her ongoing series with Margot Melcon about Jane Austen’s Bennet family has provided seasonal hits for theaters across the country—including Northlight, which has produced all three of the “Christ-

mas at Pemberley” plays. Now Gunderson has tackled Louisa May Alcott’s beloved quartet in Little Women, presented in a new rolling world premiere in Skokie. (The adaptation was co-commissioned by Pittsburgh’s City Theatre Company, People’s Light in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in Palo Alto.)

Under Georgette Verdin’s direction, it’s a sturdy and o en moving look at sibling rivalry and partnership. Little Women starts at Christmastime, but it’s the family dynamics that make it feel right at home this time of year (as Heather Chrisler’s stellar version for now-gone First Folio Theatre showed two years ago). Gunderson’s script adds a few locutions that sound a tad contemporary, and there’s a sly suggestion of the sexuality of Alcott’s stand-in, Jo March (Tyler Meredith), when she proclaims, “I don’t even like girls,” followed by a wink to the audience. (Recent scholars have suggested that Alcott may have been nonbinary or a trans man.)

Then again, being a woman in the 1860s with a civil war raging and poverty and disease banging on the door is reason enough for Marmee (Lucy Carapetyan) to declare, “I am angry almost every day of my life.” The juxtaposition of Jo learning that she’s sold a story with the arrival of news of Mr. March’s illness in a military hospital is a suitably sharp-elbowed way to remind us that fortune and fear go hand in hand in life. (People who think Little Women is just saccharine “chick lit” generally are telling me that they’ve never actually read it.)

It’s a well-cast production, with Demetra Dee’s Beth—the sickly sister who stays home while Amy (Yourtana Sulaiman) travels to study art in Europe, Meg (Janyce Caraballo) marries, and Jo pursues writing in New York—providing the emotional heart of the story. Her death scene is still a tearjerker, but Verdin has found a simple and profound way to mark the transition. And though the show is, as advertised, very much about the women, Erik Hellman as John Brooke and Friedrich Bhaer (the suitors for Meg and Jo, respectively) and the boyishly charming John Drea as Jo’s neighbor, best friend, and missed-it-by-that-much love interest, add heart and nuance to the story of the March girls. (“It’s not enough to get one of them to love you,” Drea’s Laurie warns Brooke when he begins to woo Meg. “They come as a set.”)

Sotirios Livaditis’s set, featuring a large carved proscenium frame, a dollhouse-sized house suspended in the air, and trees garlanded with lights and greenery, distills the domesticity and yearning for the larger world twined together particularly in Jo’s nature. Meredith’s take on Jo shows the young writer’s forthright-to-a-fault character that deepens over the course of the show, and makes her an irresistible guide and narrator. —KERRY REID LITTLE WOMEN Through 1/5: Wed 1 and 7:30 PM, Thu–Fri 7:30

THEATER

2:30 PM; also Thu 12/26 1 PM and Sun 12/29 7:30 PM; no performances Wed 12/25 and 1/1; open captions Fri 12/20 7:30 PM, open captions, audio description, and touch tour Sat 12/21 2:30 PM; North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, 847-673-6300, northlight.org, $49–$91, $15 students (subject to availability)

RSmall-town politics

The Totality of All Things examines the national divide through a high school hate crime.

Redtwist Theatre bucks the seasonal trend and leans into our current national malaise with Erik Gernand’s The Totality of All Things, now in a world premiere under Enrico Spada’s direction as part of the company’s inaugural Twisted Playfest, a new-plays incubator featuring six pieces at various stages of development. If you’re trying to cut down on rage bait a er the election, this may not be the show for you. And if you’re allergic to occasional splashes of didacticism, it may also work your nerves. But overall, Gernand has cra ed a meat-and-potatoes debate play that gives its characters enough breathing space to make for an engaging smalltown drama.

“We don’t have Nazis in our school. We have idiots,” the principal proclaims early on. But one of the strengths of Gernand’s play is illustrating how easily “idiots” can be co-opted by radical organizations with clearly malicious intentions. If you’re tired of the bothsidesism of, say, op-ed pages at legacy media, then you’ll enjoy the explication of “the dipshit conundrum” (it’s hard to give equal weight to both sides “if one side is full of complete and total dipshittery”) laid out here.

Some of the plot twists in this Redtwist production feel a little arbitrary, and some moments feel a little telegraphed. But Grandt, a longtime ensemble member, slips into Judith’s sometimes self-righteous skin (and her insistence on one nonfungible approach to finding the truth) with just the right mix of vinegar and vulnerability. And Gernand’s play also reminds us that in small towns like Lewiston it’s harder to pick a political side without suffering some real social penalties. —KERRY REID THE TOTALITY OF ALL THINGS Through 1/19: Thu–Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3:30 PM; also Sat 1/11 and 1/18 3:30 PM; Thu 12/19 and Sat 12/21 8 PM; no shows Fri 12/20, Sun 12/22, or Thu–Sun 1/1-1/5; Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, 773-728-7529, redtwisttheatre. org, $35, $15 students/military/seniors, pay what you can Fri v

That small town is Lewiston, Indiana, where the local high school newspaper consistently punches above its weight, thanks to firebrand journalism teacher Judith Benson (Jacqueline Grandt), the ex-wife of Principal Benson (Phil Aman) and bestie of fellow teacher DeeAnn (Suzy Krueckeberg). It’s fall 2015 and Obergefell v. Hodges has just made marriage equality the law of the land. Judith’s bulletin board celebrating the decision runs afoul of school board policy. But it also incites someone to paint a red swastika on it. When Judith refuses to back down and sends one of her students, Micah (Kason Chesky), on an assignment to uncover the perp, political and personal ri s begin growing, with increasingly higher stakes.

Rey Tang is creative beyond her labels

Chicago’s “spirit of creation and love of play” are helping the young multihyphenate find artistic opportunities for herself and others.

By ANDREA THOMPSON

Rey Tang really loves Chicago—so much so that the New Jersey native eschewed the traditional route of moving to New York City in favor of attending Northwestern and decided to stick around.

“Northwestern had the perfect program that let me pursue a bunch of interests,” Tang related via Zoom. Good thing, because the 25-year-old creative wears a whole lot of hats: writer, photographer, stand-up comedian, actress, and filmmaker. Her short film Emergence, about a transgender college freshman struggling to embrace and define her identity, has already screened at the Music Box Theatre. (Full disclosure: this was for my own film fest, the 2024 Film Girl Film Festival.)

Deciding to stay in Chicago was a nobrainer. Like anyone trying to make a living in the arts sans a nepo baby title, money was and is a constant consideration. “I think it’s far better to be broke here than in New York or LA,” she said with a chuckle. “But I also was very fascinated by the comedy scene here. I was very much drawn to these creatives who just have this spirit of creation and love of play.”

Given that intrinsic love of playfulness and her general aura of sparkling humor, it’s no surprise that stand-up and its inherent performativity is Tang’s favorite creative hat to wear. Her weekly open mike night at Pizzeria Serio prioritizes LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and femme comics, and it has proven to be such a success that it’s been mentioned in the New York Times. Such notice lent a greater legitimacy to the endeavor, and the fact that traditionally marginalized performers have priority goes a long way in preemptively weeding out the toxicity of a scene that can be notoriously and viciously racist, sexist, and homophobic. Like many who find themselves on the outside, creating her own community was an act of survival for Tang; there’s a certain weariness to being the only trans woman in the room, especially the only trans person of color.

“Building the mike [night] was trying to find a way to circumvent that, because I don’t want to keep going to mikes that don’t have my interest or don’t have people who look like me,” she said. Inspiration from others helped too, such as nonbinary performer Tuxford Turner, with whom she costarred in the 2023 local film BAM! and who has since moved to LA. Lots of other mikes geared toward something outside the cisgender heteronormative narrative have also sprung up since Tang started hers.

Some doors have indeed been pried open, but even that can have its drawbacks. Yes, society deigns to do the bare minimum by acknowledging one’s existence and rights (after years of activism and general pushback, that is), but it can also reduce them to a few aspects of their identity. As the election has proven, opportunities may not always remain, and acknowledgment can lead to attacks.

“I don’t want to be reduced to my labels of, like, I am trans, I am Asian, I am a woman, etc.,” Tang explained. Such realities are not something she manages per se—more so, Tang has come to the realization that she has every right to be in the room and seize opportunities while they’re there. “It’s a rare moment that our ancestors have fought very, very hard for,” she said. “And we need to honor that, and we need to honor ourselves and [be] able to take up space.”

Her short films testify to that, with many of them coming directly from her own experiences. Much like Tori, the lead of Emergence, Tang was a trans athlete in college who struggled to come out to her teammates. But many women can relate to how a vulnerable 18-year-old on her own for the first time can grapple with coming to terms with her body and opening herself up to love.

Her upcoming film, Love in Process , is something of a pivot, following Gracie, a queer photographer who discovers old photos that reveal a hidden history of two women in love, just as Gracie is grappling with her own identi-

ty and her feelings for another girl. For Tang, it’s a way to honor the legacy of those who fought for the opportunities she has now.

“It’s very much this idea of—we’ve always been here and we will stay,” Tang elaborated.

Of course, having family who embody the concept of change can make all the di erence. Tang’s parents were able to, in a sense, transition when she did at 19, after they were initially unsupportive. “My parents have taught me the capacity to grow as people, and that everyone is able to empathize and learn and continue to evolve,” Tang said.

“When I became that vision,” she continued, “they were able to see, ‘Oh, OK, Rey is taking care of herself. She’s trying her best. She’s going to survive as a person—she’s going to thrive, maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed.’”

Comedy is also a key part of her perspective, a way to avoid defining her life for the well-meaning and not so well-meaning, to essentially exist without having to explain that she deserves to. “Why I love comedy so much as well is that comedy and making somebody laugh is the quickest way to garner that kind of empathy and understanding,” Tang stated.

For many marginalized people, simply existing and working in art means that there’s an additional burden to assume: that of representing a community far more vast than the individual. Under those circumstances, the

process of making any kind of art can be paralyzing to an artist before they’ve even begun to create. It’s certainly something Tang has had to grapple with.

“This idea of representing a community, I think that crippled me for a while as a creative; that was very hard. As a stand-up comedian especially, you are taking shots every night. You are taking shots in the dark and you don’t know what’s gonna land. And sometimes, you don’t always say the right thing,” Tang admitted. “I think it’s too much of a task to think about representing a whole community. And so I always think of it as [if] I’m trying to give a gift to somebody.”

Tang sees her work as a gift to an audience and young trans girls alike, but it seems to benefit her as much as it benefits others. Improv is all about chasing the fun and finding joy, after all, and it helps her to continue to define herself on her own terms, rather than by the very real anger she feels at the violence being inflicted on her and her community.

She also has no plans to depart Chicago anytime soon, which is great news for the film scene, comedy community, and other creative spaces. “I’ve had plans to move, but I don’t know when that’ll be,” Tang said. “Chicago keeps giving me reasons to stay.” v

m letters@chicagoreader.com

Rey Tang (R) and a costar in LDR , a 2022 narrative web series written, produced by, and starring Tang COURTESY

Curiosity is a key factor of being a cinephile—maybe the most important one. In an e ort to appreciate and to understand cinema (try as we might), the mind must be open to exploring all it has to o er. For this reason, I watch all kinds of movies: popular movies, not-so-popular movies, movies by filmmakers I like, movies by filmmakers I don’t. If I think that it can in some way advance not just my understanding of the art form but others’ appreciation of it, I’m interested by default. Some may take longer for me to pursue (for example I’m sure I’ll see Wicked eventually . . . ), but I generally try to leave no avenue unexplored.

Then there are those thoroughfares that I tread often. Ernst Lubitsch is one director whose films I’m happy to explore over and over again, gleaning more and more each time I see them. Thus, I was thrilled to see Lubitsch’s The Shop Around the Corner (1940), presented by the Chicago Film Society, last Monday at the Music Box Theatre. My favorite Lubitsch film would be whichever one I’m watching at the moment; he’s said to have had a singularly charming, urbane touch that’s recognizable but not entirely definable. Many have sought to articulate what makes a Lubitsch film so distinctive, but I’ve yet to come across such a characterization that epitomizes the feeling of actually watching his films. It’s what I felt while watching The Shop Around the Corner, starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan as adversarial salespeople in a Budapest leather goods store, Matuschek and Company, who are unknowingly courting each

NOW PLAYING

Maria

Unlike Jackie Kennedy or Princess Diana, director Pablo Larraín’s latest muse, Maria Callas, isn’t exactly a household name—unless you’re one of the opera diehards in the room. But in her time, Callas was nothing short of a mythical presence. She was dubbed “La Davina” or “the Tigress” for her mysticizing stage presence and towering voice. Leonard Bernstein once called her “the Bible of Opera.” Yet, her simplest nickname, “La Callas,” is what underscored her singularity in the world of opera.

Like Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021), Maria zeroes in on an influential woman in the 20th century reckoning with tragic circumstances; here, he chooses Callas’s final pill-fueled days in her glamorous Paris apartment.

Get showtimes and see reviews of everything playing this week at chicagoreader.com/movies

intent on searching for answers, pondering the silence on the other end of life’s ever-present questions, but more inclined toward love. In Oh, Canada, Schrader now contemplates his own legacy and the legacy of all artists, and experiments with strands of truth, hubris, and humility.

Leonard Fife (Richard Gere, reuniting with Schrader 44 years a er Gigolo) is a famed Canadian documentary filmmaker on the brink of death. He agrees to a final interview by two of his former students, Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill). Fife insists it be filmed with his wife, Emma (Uma Thurman), present, as he’s intent on exposing himself as the man she married. Schrader toys with the audience’s point of view as Fife (his younger self played by Jacob Elordi) recounts his life story, transplanting present entities into past and blurred timelines.

other by mail. More than just achingly romantic, it situates the workplace as a home away from home, which normally I would detest, but that’s the magic (and, quite frankly, the power—I can’t think of another artist who could make that believably palatable) of Lubitsch.

How does he do it? I ask myself. It’s something I also wondered while spending Sunday viewing experimental films at Sweet Void Cinema (Reader contributor Joshua Minsoo Kim presenting Unknown Nostalgia, the first complete retrospective of filmmaker Will Hindle) and Doc Films (the final screening in the Devotional Cinema of Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler series). I went in unknowing to the Hindle and Hiler films; I’m more familiar with Dorsky’s work, but I hadn’t seen what was screening. Still, all around, it was an enlightening way to spend an otherwise scary Sunday pre-workweek. (I may appreciate the way Lubitsch finds sophisticated humanity in the workplace, but I realize it’s merely an illusion of movie magic.)

It was also fun to spend a day with a group of experimentally inclined moviegoers going from one program to the other. It’s kind of like Matuschek and Company, in a way, except we work not for a capitalist overlord (admittedly a benign one—there are no “bad” guys in Lubitsch’s films) but for the satiation of our curiosity and the expansion of our souls. —KAT SACHS v

The Moviegoer is the diary of a local film bu , collecting the best of what Chicago’s independent and underground film scene has to o er.

Maria takes a page from Larraín’s previous films, offering an impressionistic exploration of Callas’s inner world rather than a straightforward dramatization. It worked (albeit only partially) for the household names. But following Angelina Jolie’s turn as La Callas, we’re le with a version of the legendary soprano that feels hollow. The tragedy of her vocal decline, drug use, and public persona doesn’t quite land, likely because the details of her life aren’t etched into the zeitgeist. Instead, what should feel extremely human teeters on caricature.

In no way is this Jolie’s fault. Larraín chose a solidly niche subject and appears to have overcorrected. The flashbacks are particularly heavy-handed: there’s her tumultuous affair with Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer), an asinine conversation with JFK, and the dazzling memories of her most electric performances. This clumsy storytelling is bolstered by hallucinated interviews with her anthropomorphized pills, Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Jolie immerses herself in the role (admittedly giving a hell of a performance), but her talents are squandered, le unsupported by her director (a misstep that may remind you of Jolie in the 1998 film Gia).

You might find yourself rooting for Maria whether for Jolie’s star power or for the genuinely devastating decline of a star. Still, as the credits roll, footage of the real Callas achieves what Larraín was striving for: a sensitive portrait of complexity under immense, almost unbearable pressure. It begs the question—what are all these biopics trying to achieve? —MAXWELL RABB R, 124 min. Netflix, in limited release in theaters

ROh, Canada

Oh, Canada is an artist toying with their own mythology. Writer-director Paul Schrader—known for collaborations with Martin Scorsese (1976’s Taxi Driver, 1988’s The Last Temptation of Christ) and titles such as American Gigolo (1980) and First Reformed (2017)—has increasingly so ened in recent years. It is as if time has worn away his most forceful ideological tendencies, only to expose a confused, angry, bleeding heart, one still

More stylistically honed than his previous effort, Master Gardener (2022), Oh, Canada manages a fluid consistency within an o en purposefully obtuse narrative structure. It would be simplistic to say Gere acts as a stand-in for Schrader; there is more here than narcissistic reflection. Oh, Canada is just as interested in the discrepancies and imaginative flourishes of recollection and retribution as it is in the authenticity of legacy. In examining art as inherently political, it too examines the artist’s default to activist amongst the pratfalls of personhood. With truth shrouded in mythology, another reality is born, one where the idealization of the artist joins the decaying entity itself. —OLIVIA HUNTER WILLKE 94 min. Gene Siskel Film Center

RQueer

“I want to talk to you without speaking.” Few working directors can communicate the complex feelings of longing, desire, and devastation with as much texture as Luca Guadagnino. Queer, an adaptation of William S. Burroughs’s controversial autobiographical novella of the same name, follows William Lee (Daniel Craig), a heroin addict and American expat in 1950s Mexico City who becomes enamored to the point of obsession with a younger man (a captivating Drew Starkey). Craig is impossible to look away from; his bouts of desperation and all-consuming yearning command your attention at every turn in a way that feels both highly manicured yet totally disheveled. Buoyed by a phenomenal score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and incisively adapted by Justin Kuritzkes, Queer lingers on many small moments—gentle touches, longing gazes, unspoken confessions—that build up into a darkly psychedelic form of wish fulfillment in the hopes of finding answers to larger-than-life questions. Queer is a victory lap for Guadagnino’s career stint in adaptations and reimaginings (2017’s Call Me By Your Name, 2018’s Suspiria, 2022’s Bones and All), particularly due to his deep fascination with the source material and his curiosity to find an ending of his own making. —CODY CORRALL R, 137 min. Wide release in theaters v

A still from The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

CHICAGO FILM SOCIETY

Alynda Segarra makes a home in Chicago

The Hurray for the Riff Raff bandleader has found new community, new collaborators, and even most of their new touring band here.

By NOAH BERLATSKY

Alynda Segarra’s latest album as Hurray for the Riff Raff, last winter’s The Past Is Still Alive, is a folk odyssey in motion, chronicling train hopping and bus trips. Its lyrics name-check just about every corner of the country: San Francisco, Minnesota, Florida, the southwest. “I was young when I left home / I never stopped running,” Segarra sings on the title track, “Snake Plant (The Past Is Still Alive).”

In real life too, Segarra has been on the move: Earlier this year, they left their longtime home base in New Orleans and relocated to Chicago. They’ve switched cities in part to be closer to collaborators, they explain, and in part because Chicago feels like a better personal and musical fit for where they’re headed at the moment. “I just really want to create a nest here,” they say.

Segarra began their travels in the midaughts, leaving their home in the Bronx at age 17 to hop trains like their hero Woody Guthrie. The Past Is Still Alive , they say, is a “scrapbook” or “memory box” of that history: “Hiding from the cops / In Ogallala, Nebraska” (“Ogallala”); wearing a “bathing suit on a twoday drive” (“Snake Plant”); a friend with a “dildo waving on her car antenna” (“Hawkmoon”). Recording for the album began in Durham, North Carolina, a month after the death of Segarra’s father.

The stu that I do remember—I couldn’t tell you the name of the town, but I could tell you how I felt.” Putting all those memories in an album, they say, “felt very therapeutic.”

Segarra’s band has changed from record to record; the name “Hurray for the Ri Ra ” refers to whoever they’re working with now, not to a steady group. For The Past Is Still Alive, they enlisted producer Brad Cook, who’d also worked with Segarra on the 2022 album Life on Earth. The musicians, Segarra says, were “his buddies . . . a whole North Carolina crew,” including Brad’s brother Phil, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Matt Douglas of the Mountain Goats, S.G. Goodman, and Meg Du y. Most of those people weren’t available to tour with Hurray for the Ri Ra , though, so after the record came out in February, Segarra needed to put together a band in order to get out and support it. That band ended up consisting mostly of Chicagoans.

“What brought me here was knowing that I would have a strong artistic community that I could survive these times with.”

—Alynda Segarra

“I’ve always had this really hard relationship to memory, because I feel like my memory is, in some ways, really spotty, and then in other ways it feels overwhelming and intense,” Segarra says. “It feels really emotional.

This is partly because Segarra’s sometime guitarist, Johnny Wilson, is from Chicago. He’s also their longtime tour manager and sound engineer, and he’s worked with many artists here, including multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Nnamdï Ogbonnaya, one of the founders of Sooper Records. In the 2010s, Wilson and Ogbonnaya played together in the punk band Nervous Passenger, and Wilson is now part of Ogbonnaya’s touring group. So when Segarra needed a bassist for a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, reaching out to Ogbonnaya was a natural move.

“I’d never actually listened to a full [Hurray for the Ri Ra ] record,” Ogbonnaya admits. “My introduction to the band came when I was

asked to play with them. But they just needed me to fill in for one show. And I was like, yeah, I’ll do that.”

One gig turned into another and then into a regular role. (“They’re not sick of me yet, so I’ll stick around as long as they want me around!” Ogbonnaya says.) Thanks to Wilson and Ogbonnaya’s connections, Segarra’s band soon filled up with other Chicago musicians, especially from the orbit of Sooper Records. On Hurray for the Riff Raff’s recent tour to Mexico, the lineup included Marcus Drake on drums, Sen Morimoto on keyboards, Kaina on background vocals, and Parker Grogan (now in Sacramento, but formerly a Chicagoan) on guitar.

Because Segarra was traveling with Chicagoans, throughout 2024 the band used Chicago as a place to rest and recover between tour

stops. Segarra finally moved here permanently in September.

Segarra had been living in New Orleans for around 15 years. “I really needed a change,” they say. In New Orleans, they explain, most musicians don’t tour. “You stay in town and you play your gig every day,” they say. “I was feeling like me and New Orleans were growing apart, because I was gone all the time. I was losing touch with the way that that city operates musically.”

Segarra also considered the benefits of living in a blue state. They came out as nonbinary before the release of Life on Earth , and The Past Is Still Alive is in many ways a tribute to queer community and queer friends. “When I was coming up learning folk music and being a train rider, all of the people that I was friends with who were interested in old fiddle tunes

Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff TOMMY KHA

MUSIC

continued from

or learning banjo or any of these traditional songs were queer people,” they say. The song “Hawkmoon” memorializes their friend Miss Jonathan, the first trans woman they’d met. “She opened up my eyes / In the holes of her fishnet tights,” Segarra sings. They also remember seeing Miss Jonathan being beaten in the street.

“There’s such a strong queer resistance and history in the south that gets overlooked,” Segarra says. “There’s going to be people all over the country who are very scared and very concerned with what’s happening and with where our country is being led. And we’re going to play in Florida, because there’s people in Florida who really want to go have a show where they feel a bit of calm, or a place where they can go and feel a little bit healed in this really chaotic time.”

As much as southern resistance and southern community inspire Segarra, though, the current political climate has made even a blue city like New Orleans feel precarious. “Louisiana got lucky during COVID, because we had

they were inspired by indie westerns and heist films such Wild at Heart, Badlands, and Paris, Texas . Segarra, wearing a cowboy hat, joins mononymous actor-musician Denny to smash car windows with a golf club and dance on a motel bed covered with money. Perlman and his friend and codirector, Sean Kelly, drove out in a van and “two-man-banded that whole video, which was a heavy lift but super fun.”

Perlman and Segarra made the second video, for “Bu alo,” in August and September of this year, and it’s a more direct welcome to Chicago. The song is a strummed elegy for lost creatures: “Will we go like the woolly mammoth / Or the dear dodo / Gone like the Bachman’s warbler / Disappeared like the melting snow.” Segarra’s phrasing emphasizes the ends of lines and the pauses for breath, giving the song a sense of claustrophobia and of life ba ed, trapped, and yearning.

“The lyric content just immediately conjured a museum,” Perlman says. He reached out to a contact at the Field Museum, who set up a shoot inside. For much of the video, Segarra shares the screen with taxidermied animals, playing their guitar and soulfully serenading glass-eyed deer, birds, zebra, tigers, and warthogs.

have some ideas, but yeah, I definitely want to create with these guys.”

Segarra says they’re planning to cut a single or B-side with Ogbonnaya shortly. They specifically praise the folk-tinged Kara Jackson album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?, which Ogbonnaya produced. “That record is the best-sounding record I’ve heard in so long,” they say.

“I love these guys,” Segarra adds. “It’s hard to make new friends in your 30s, you know?”

a Democratic governor,” they say. “He was conservative, but he believed in science. But there’s a new governor there now. . . . ”

Segarra admits to feeling bad about jumping ship to come north. “But I don’t know if guilt really does anything for you or anybody,” they say. “What brought me [to Chicago] was knowing that I would have a strong artistic community that I could survive these times with. So that’s really what I thought about in my move.”

That community is already coming together. In addition to touring with Chicagoans, Segarra has been working with Chicago independent video producer and director Jeff Perlman. Perlman is close friends with Wilson; they used to play in the band Rat Hammer together, and in the mid-2010s they ran a Humboldt Park DIY venue called the Flowershop. Wilson even o ciated at Perlman’s wedding. Wilson connected Perlman and Segarra, and the two have since collaborated on a couple of videos for The Past Is Still Alive. They made the first, for “Hawkmoon,” in late 2023, a few months before the album came out. They shot it in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Perlman says

In other footage, Segarra stands outside a pen containing live bison. Those scenes too were shot in Chicagoland. “I was like, it’d be cool if we could get live bu alo,” Perlman says. “So I just googled bison farms and found a ranch called Broken Wagon in northwest Indiana. And they were super gracious.”

Perlman loved the experience of working with Segarra, with or without bison. “They’re the perfect combination of somebody who knows what they want and has vision but also respects other people’s visions and creativity,” he says. “So it was a really easy dialogue to get on the same page. They bring so much to the table, but at the same time they have so much trust for people to do what they do. That’s a rare and pretty awesome thing.”

Segarra is still touring, but they say they’re looking forward to immersing themselves in Chicago. They’re planning to explore our jazz scene. “I was living in another jazz city, but the jazz here is very different,” they said. “New Orleans is very focused on trad jazz, and that’s the music that I learned playing on the street. I’m really excited to go to some Chicago jazz clubs and have a psychedelic experience.”

Segarra is also thinking about working with their touring band on some recordings. “I haven’t written anything yet, but I really want to use the winter to be inspired,” they say. “I

Ogbonnaya is also enthusiastic about the collaboration. “I just love Alynda’s lyrics so much,” he says. “Everything in their songs is so visceral, and every time I hear a lyric I can picture an image. I’m a very visual person, visual learner—have been since forever. And I think every line of theirs, I can picture where they are at that moment or what they’re thinking about. I think that’s beautiful. I don’t think a lot of people can do it the way that they can, so it just feels very special to me. And really honest.” Ogbonnaya, who grew up here, says he thinks Segarra is a good fit for Chicago. “It goes back to just talking about honesty,” he says. “You get a kind of midwest honesty here; people aren’t going to let shit slide, like they do maybe on the coasts. Yes, I am a hater! I feel like this is a di erent type of honest energy here, where it just feels real. It feels, like, attainable here. People go to LA for this big dream, but shit just feels real here and more, like, working-class—people just doing it, making it happen.”

Segarra is planning to tour with Bright Eyes in February and March, this time in the south and southwest. (“I did that with the last record, and I’m excited to do it again,” they say.) They don’t have firm plans for Chicago performances yet. They’re hoping to get booked for the second annual Evanston Folk Festival in September 2025. They’ve somehow never played at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which seems like it would be a natural fit.

“It’s kind of fun when you enter into the other cycle, the next cycle of an album campaign,” they say, “because you can just be more creative and there’s a little bit more freedom in what you can do. I’d love to play a solo set or a more acoustic set, or something like that.”

In the meantime, Segarra is enjoying their new home. “Meeting people here,” they say, “feels more like where I’m at in my life. Everybody is writing music, and they’re all, like, blending genres. I feel very lucky.” v

m letters@chicagoreader.com

Alynda Segarra released the newest Hurray for the Riff Raff album, The Past Is Still Alive, in February.

p. 21

Publicist Dana Meyerson didn’t grow up fantasizing about a career in music. Her single mom, a Chicago public schoolteacher, wanted her to be a doctor. “I’m Jewish, and I think Jewish mothers like to say, ‘Be a doctor!’” Meyerson says, laughing. By her junior year of college, she knew medicine wasn’t going to work out, and when her mom got sick during her senior year, Meyerson’s fallback plan to get a teaching certificate also fell through. She graduated in 2001 and returned home to Highland Park feeling directionless. A friend hooked her up with a job doing corporate relocation for a real estate company, but it bored her—and she had a lot of debt. She needed to make a bunch of money, and she wanted a glamorous life. Meyerson started daydreaming about being the publicist for a Madonna type—and

in her quest to get there, she waited tables through three unpaid music-industry internships. Working in entertainment turned out to be way less exciting and lucrative than she’d imagined, but it broke open her brain to the diversity of talent out there. In 2005, Meyerson was hired at Biz 3, whose founder, Kathryn Frazier, she describes as a mentor, friend, and hero. Nearly 20 years later, she’s a partner at Biz 3, which now has offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, and she and Frazier run an eight-person agency supporting a robust stable of artists at multiple tiers of the industry, including Sen Morimoto, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Chappell Roan. Meyerson finally has her “Madonna” clients, but she remains grounded by a passion for storytelling and a supportive community.

CHICAGOANS OF NOTE

Dana Meyerson, Biz 3 partner and publicist

“I love using publicity as a tool to tell the right stories.”

As told to MICCO CAPORALE

Iwas 23 years old and doing what I thought you’re “supposed” to, but I was always interested in entertainment. I’d also racked up serious credit card bills. I thought I was Carrie Bradshaw and was living it up in the city. I had a fancy apartment that I couldn’t a ord. I was out every night. For some reason I thought that if I worked in entertainment, I could make a lot of money quickly–which is hilarious, looking back.

It was 2002, which was a great time to invest in real estate, and I was thinking about getting my real estate license. Instead I had this vision

of working at a major record label and being, like, Madonna’s publicist. Madonna was the ultimate for me—just the coolest person in the world. [When I was] growing up in the 90s and early aughts, MTV was this bastion of cool music, and there were all these music magazines. My life was very sheltered, and I wasn’t exposed to things that weren’t being played on the radio, so that stu was how I learned about a world beyond mine.

When I decided to get into music, I wanted to do the opposite of what my mom did, because she was always complaining about

KATHRYN FRAZIER

MUSIC

bureaucracy and having no money or respect. She loved her students but felt a lack of support. Being a teacher is really hard. I didn’t know that I wanted to be a publicist; I just thought working in music would be glamorous and the opposite of how teachers are treated.

I learned that John Mayer’s record label, Aware, was in Chicago, so in 2003, I got an internship there. I didn’t know what jobs were available in the industry or if this would lead anywhere. When I asked my first mentor [Jason Rio, then comanager of Liz Phair] what he thought I should do, he said, “You should be a publicist, because you talk a lot.”

I waited tables so I could a ord that unpaid internship. I was at Aware for a year, only to find out my best work friend—my male counterpart—had been offered a job while I got passed over. I felt really upset by that, but I also felt like it was not the right environment for me. It was mostly men, and I was aesthetically gravitating elsewhere. I took another internship at a start-up called Better Propaganda, which gave away free MP3s on behalf of labels. It was housed above the Empty Bottle. I became really involved in the indie/ alternative scene and was exposed to a whole new world of sounds. It reshaped my whole perspective. I found “my people”—but there was also no end in sight to me waiting tables. Suddenly all my friends were starting to have

fancy jobs and condos, and I was, like, getting backstage passes. Then this guy in this band Pulseprogramming was like, “You should try to work for my publicist, Kathryn.” That was my introduction to Biz 3.

I’d only had male bosses up until this point, and I really wanted to work with a woman. Kathryn had become, like, Chicago’s hot indie publicist. She’d worked at Metro, then started her own company, but she grew up raised by a single mom. Her favorite artist was Madonna, and she waited tables to help start her career. I was like, “Oh my god, she’s just like me!” I emailed her, but she’d just had her baby so she didn’t respond right away. I followed up, and in 2005 I was once again . . . an unpaid intern.

My first day, I was like, “I don’t want to do any filing and stu . I want someone to teach me how to be a publicist.” We laugh about it now, but Kathryn’s like, “Well, the first thing you should know is everyone at Biz 3 does the filing and stu , so humble yourself.” After three months, I really got my butt kicked. I learned a bunch and got hired on, but I was tired.

I thought being a publicist was going to be super glamorous, but it’s hard work. It’s 24 hours a day. Then you throw in traveling and people’s egos. . . . There are fun parts, like pontificating about music and learning all the time, but there’s also so much politics and strategy. And I still had to work a second job

to pay for my dream job. At my height, I was working seven days a week and rode my bike everywhere.

Two thousand and nine was a pivotal year for me. Kathryn and I started doing press for Justin Bieber. The Kid Sister and Flosstradamus scene blew up. We connected with Scooter Braun, who wasn’t Scooter Braun yet, and we started doing restaurant press because Pete Toalson at the Empty Bottle opened up Longman & Eagle with Bruce Finkelman. We realized how many cool things we could do at Biz 3—not just indie music but a big pop star, a cool restaurant, all kinds of things.

But I was so burnt out. I went to Kathryn and said, “I can’t keep working at Biz 3 and waiting tables. I’m turning 30. I need to pay o my credit cards and figure out my life.” Kathryn helped me pay off my debts and gave me a raise so I could just do what I love. At Aware, I felt like I was in this factory trying to make the next John Mayer, and at Better Propaganda, I was at the indie-est of indies but knew I’d be waiting tables forever. At Biz 3, I found this happy medium where I got to work on things that I think are artistically and culturally significant but still support myself.

Scott, but for his 14th studio album, [Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning,] he changed his name from his government name to his First Nation American name. His family is a mix of First Nation Americans and freed Black slaves. It was his first time singing on an album, and he used an instrument he invented called an Adjuah Bow, which is an electric double-sided harp.

“At Biz 3, I found this happy medium where I got to work on things that I think are artistically and culturally significant but still support myself.”

If you listen to this album, it’s not a jazz album—if anything, it’s closer to rock—but because he was formerly a jazz player and he’s Black, it gets labeled jazz. He’s someone reclaiming their heritage, but he’s still fighting against being labeled a jazz musician. His story is a much bigger one about culture!

In 2013 I became a partner, but publicity is always at the forefront for me. I tried managing at different points, and I’ve had side gigs in A&R, but I always come back to publicity. I love using publicity as a tool to tell the right stories.

I’ve had a great year. It started with Victoria Monét, who’s a longtime client, winning Best New Artist at the Grammys. I feel incredibly proud because she’s the fucking coolest, most humble, generous, kind, beautiful spirit. Then I had Raye blow up, who broke records at the BRIT Awards this year, and then Chappell Roan. So Victoria, Raye, and Chappell—these are three people who are so kind and say thank you at every turn and have teams that make me feel so good.

I’ve had a bunch of clients who almost took me to that Madonna place. Then it didn’t work out, and they became really famous anyway. At the time, I was disappointed, but the one thing I can say now is that everything happens when it’s meant to. I’m having my moments with the right people—not the people that were mean to me or didn’t appreciate me or made me feel like I wasn’t part of their team.

Like, last year I worked on an album for an artist called Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah. He was known to the world as this celebrated jazz trumpeter named Christian

I think that’s why I never left Chicago: Chicago keeps me grounded. I’m not in the muck in the same way of, like, Los Angeles or New York, where it feels so industry and competitive. I still drive my 2010 Toyota and live in Albany Park, but the Chicago industry is super supportive. It makes me happy to see people who choose to do things unconventionally find success. v

m mcaporale@chicagoreader.com

Recommended and notable shows with critics’ insights for the week of December 12 b

PICK OF THE WEEK

Japanese producer Foodman creates eclectic tracks as inventive as they are playful

FOODMAN, JANA RUSH, DJ HANK, EQ WHY, MUKQS, TOXIC YURI LOVE TRIANGLE Sat 12/14, 9 PM, location to be provided the same morning to anyone who buys a ticket via Resident Advisor (ra.co/events/2008798), $25. 21+

TAKAHIDE HIGUCHI IS DRAWN to simple pleasures. The Japanese producer also known as Foodman first created music in a PlayStation game called Depth, and his rudimentary experiments with the technology sparked an understanding that anyone can be an artist, regardless of skill or expertise. That notion in turn informed a guiding principle of his creative practice: minimize excess and maximize impact. Foodman constructs miniature fun houses across 2014’s Drum Desu , a 20-track cassette filled with prankster synth exercises that exude naive charm, and on 2015’s Couldwork he places a track filled with pneumatic drills (“Kougeki Robo”) alongside a dreamy footwork heater (“Hitou He Go”). His ability to traverse genres stems from his interest in sound design and the degree of attention he pays to individual tones. His music treats every noise as a world unto itself, where timbre and pitch can collide to create dizzying rhythms.

Foodman’s beloved 2016 album, Ez Minzoku, draws a line between

Chicago footwork and traditional African rhythms on “Minzoku,” while “Rock” combines MIDI rock guitar and bright, straightforward synth tones into something resembling joyous children’s music. His ability to collapse musical styles and transcend taste (MIDI instruments appear across his discography) is among his greatest strengths; even the glossiest IDM visions on 2021’s Yasuragi Land don’t feel like a concession to trends as much as an expansion of his palette. “Sanbashi,” which forges a minimalist pop song from bare-bones percussion and the dreamy singing of Cotto Center, is especially thrilling. Foodman’s use of vocals on 2023’s “Pichi Pichi” is more oblique—the spoken or chanted lyrics excavate the percussive nature of the Japanese language and seamlessly fold it into the rest of the production. That new direction should come as no surprise for fans who’ve followed his career: according to the Foodman ethos, making music should feel like play. —JOSHUA MINSOO KIM

THURSDAY12

Molder, Primal Code Molder headline; Primal Code, Obscene, Warp Chamber, and Morbidity open. 7:30 PM, Reggies Rock Club, 2105 S. State, $20. 17+

Chicago’s metal scene has a well-deserved reputation as one of the country’s most eclectic and prolific. As 2024 comes to a close, local fans can celebrate their good fortune with a stacked double album-release show headlined by two of the area’s grimiest death-metal purveyors. Joliet four-piece Molder released Engrossed in Decay in 2022 and have spent much of the year and a half since on the road. That experience has tightened their ensemble playing, and you can hear it all over their new third full-length, Catastrophic Reconfiguration (the first they’ve written with new guitarist Carlos Santini). It’s classic death metal, groovy and filthy, with pulverizing riffs, scathing guitar solos, hard-driving drums, and lyrics that confront the realities and anxieties of the modern world. Even the vocals will remind you of first-wave veterans like Autopsy and Obituary.

Primal Code are a relatively new trio of local musicians who’ve already amassed a tall stack of heavy releases in other bands. Vocalist and guitarist Gene Marino also plays guitar with hardcore mainstays the Killer, drummer James Farn fronts Home Invasion, and bassist Will Lindsay has an extensive résumé that includes an ongoing role in longrunning Chicago noise act Bloodyminded as well as stints in Anatomy of Habit, Indian, Middian, and Wolves in the Throne Room. Their first full-length, Opaque Fixation (also their debut on Relapse), takes aim at humankind’s inhumanity with a concise punch of brutality, underlining the bitter irony that our species wound up on top of the food chain. Also on the bill are Indianapolis four-piece Obscene (who released the impressive Agony & Wounds this summer), Ontario’s Warp Chamber, and promising local newcomers Morbidity. —JAMIE LUDWIG

FRIDAY13

Machine Girl Femtanyl and Kill Alters open. 7 PM, House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, $37–$49.  b

Machine Girl makes rave music for weebs who’ve read American Hardcore . Long Island producer and vocalist Matt Stephenson launched the project as a solo effort in 2012, and its 2014 debut, WLFGRL, has aged like decadent toilet wine. The cover art features a close-up of a snarling prop werewolf head and Japanese text that translates to “prepare for transformation,” and that’s exactly how the music sounds: gnarly and life-changing. Across the album’s 13 tracks, Stephenson relentlessly zips among time signatures and dance-music genres, using samples from the 2008 movie Machine Girl and related ephemera (including clips from video reviews of the film and various anime) like fill-ins for dead pixels. The record’s sharp-toothed cynicism and flippant queerness are more commonly associated with punk than with electronic music, but its sound is chintzy and spasmodic, like a Sailor Moon

COURTESY IN CONTEXT ARTISTS

MUSIC

continued from p. 25

transformation sequence that won’t stop glitching. Stephenson put out Machine Girl’s second album, Phantom Tracks, in early 2015, and later that year he expanded the project into a duo with drummer Sean Kelly. Together they’ve made three more records, which retain the aggression and ethos of hardcore punk and the aesthetics and speed of hardcore techno. Their latest record, October’s MG Ultra , is easily their most palatable—its hooks are so er and poppier and its lyrics are more intelligible—but the group’s distinctively mangled hyperpop sound nonetheless delivers a sobering assessment of our dystopian reality. To attend a Machine Girl show is to straddle the worlds of hardcore and rave music: you’re just as likely to encounter moshing or stage diving as shuffling or footwork. And while Machine Girl’s sound and attitude are true to the underground, they’ve always aspired to connect with bigger, broader audiences. The House of Blues isn’t my ideal stage for Machine Girl—the group’s spirit and grit clash with the furniture— but I wouldn’t pass up a chance to see them just because they’re playing the TGI Fridays of music venues. —MICCO CAPORALE

SATURDAY14

Cass Cwik Trevor Joellenbeck and Jack Brereton open. 9 PM, Cole’s Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee, $13. 21+

Cass Cwik and his band the Small Gas Engines specialize in an engaging variety of folk music that recalls Bob Dylan and retro Nashville pop. This is well-trodden territory, but the Chicago singersongwriter keeps the tradition fresh with a sure hand and strong ear for melody and arrangement. “Under Your Spell,” which opens Cwik’s selfreleased second album, Wise, Wild & Free, is solid enough to make Le y Frizzell tip his cowboy hat to the band. Pedal steel guitarist Nick Usalis bolsters its rolling hook, while Cwik emphasizes the vulnerability of the lyrics with his wavering but engaging vocals. “Aw, no, I can’t tell / Where I am or who I am,” he sings. “You got me under your spell.”

Part of the pleasure of listening to this kind of music is catching its influences, and Cwik and the band sprinkle plenty throughout Wise, Wild & Free The swamp-boogie riff on “I’m Giving This to Sara” salutes Creedence Clearwater Revival; the slightly le -field electric chug of “Rock N Roll Junkie Angel” is reminiscent of T. Rex; and “Fools in Love” channels bluegrass with the help of Nick Apple’s banjo. Cwik also follows the folk tradition of honoring his local roots. On the twangy “Calumet River” (off his 2021 debut, Cass Cwik & the Small Gas Engines) the music goes rowing across a recognizable landscape as he declares, “Fi een miles to the Calumet River / That’s the nastiest thing I ever did see.” Good folk music grounds itself in the familiar while providing enough variation to keep listeners on their toes— and Cwik and his band understand the assignment.

—NOAH BERLATSKY

Foodman See Pick of the Week on page 25.

Jana Rush, DJ Hank, EQ Why, Mukqs, and Toxic Yuri Love Triangle open. 9 PM, location to be provided the same morning to anyone who buys a ticket via Resident Advisor (ra.co/ events/2008798), $25. 21+

Microplastique 8:30 PM, Constellation, 3111 N. Western, $15, $5 livestream. 18+

Playfulness and purposeful converge in the music of Microplastique. The quartet’s membership includes some of Chicago’s busiest and most engaged rising improvisers. Percussionist and composer Adam Shead leads his own bands, plays in a collaborative free-improv trio with Jason Stein and Damon Smith, and runs the Irritable Mystic label—which just released Microplastique’s debut album, Blare Blow Bloom! Molly Jones (woodwinds, percussion) and Ben Zucker (brass, percussion, toy piano) both participate in projects that straddle improvised music and new-music composition; together they’re half of the collective that curates the Improvised Music Series at Elastic Arts. And finally, Josh Harlow (who also plays toy piano and percussion) leads or coleads several duos and larger ensembles, including Jewish spiritual-jazz quartet Teiku.

The sound world they explore together as Microplastique combines two streams of emancipatory mid-20th- century musical practice. Since John Cage first presented his Suite for Toy Piano in 1948, composers and keyboardists have used the humble instrument to make music that isn’t burdened by its adult relative’s centuries of cultural ubiquity. And Microplastique’s use of handheld percussion and noisemakers, including toy bells and clown horns, is directly inspired by the Art Ensemble of Chicago’s use of “little instruments” to create a novel and flexible sonic space. Shead’s compositions are sufficiently open-ended that the quartet’s improvisations can transform the same tune into a fragile atmospheric exploration or an antic scrum. —BILL MEYER

SUNDAY15

Mariachi Herencia de México Mariachi Herencia de México also perform four concerts at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Fri 12/20 and Sat 12/21. 3 PM, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport, $40.  b

Chicago knows the power of mariachi. The city has nurtured several acclaimed mariachi ensembles,

including Mariachi Herencia de México, who’ve become a national success story. Assembled by the Mariachi Heritage Foundation in 2016, the group have released five albums and received two Latin Grammy nominations. Mariachi Herencia de México hew faithfully to many mariachi traditions, but they’re not merely cultural preservationists. Their current Nueva Generación tour clearly displays their ability to push the envelope: they infuse their classic mariachi vibes with salsa, Latin soul, and jazz influences, and they embrace songs from adjacent Latine cultures (in October, for instance, they released their take on beloved Puerto Rican ballad “Preciosa”). These musical explorations also give a fresh sheen to their original compositions and pop-forward interpretations of mariachi classics.

Mariachi Herencia de México’s 14 members (who range in age from 18 to 32) honor the traditional mariachi confi guration of brass, vihuela, and guitarrón, and many members also sing, conveying strong emotion with their soaring vocals. Their virtuosic playing and charming, flamboyant showmanship have helped make Mariachi Herencia de México’s annual Christmas shows a nascent Chicago tradition, and their powerful performances offer a fabulous way to celebrate and share the joy of the season.

—CATALINA MARIA JOHNSON

Machine Girl COURTESY SIGNE PIERCE

Cass Cwik SARAH ELIZABETH LARSON

Microplastique COURTESY THE ARTIST

Molder ALEX FORD

Find more music listings at chicagoreader.com/musicreviews

MUSIC

WEDNESDAY18

Drazek Fuscaldo The Shape Of open. 8:30 PM, Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, $15, $12 in advance. 21+

Przemyslaw Krzysztof Drazek and Brent Fuscaldo have been on an exploratory musical journey since 2008. They conceived the Chicago group as a relatively rock-oriented unit called Mako Sica, but several drummers later, the two core multiinstrumentalists decided to have a go under their surnames. Since last year, they’ve officially operated as a duo with a revolving cast of guests. By then, they’d already played with local luminaries such as drummer Hamid Drake, Cheer-Accident founder and multi-instrumentalist Thymme Jones, and bassist Tatsu Aoki. Those three musicians appear on Drazek Fuscaldo’s 2023 album, June 22 (Feeding Tube/ Astral Spirits), along with bassist Joshua Abrams, and they continue to collaborate with the duo. This fall, Drazek Fuscaldo took Aoki on the road in Germany and Drazek’s native Poland. “Every performance was unique and showcased Tatsu’s beautiful shamisen and electric-bass playing,” Fuscaldo says. “Tatsu is the most genuine player with no pretensions. [He’s] full of life and joy. He brings the lightness of a child and the depth of a master.”

JOBS

Aoki’s shamisen adds to the mantralike qualities of the group’s devotional soundscapes, which fall somewhere between Ennio Morricone’s film scores, Sun City Girls’ avant-garde global fusions, and Pink Floyd’s 1968 LP, A Saucerful of Secrets

At this Hideout gig, Drazek, Fuscaldo, and Aoki will continue their illuminated expedition with special guests they have yet to reveal. Opening the evening are local duo the Shape Of, which guitarists and electronics players Donny Mahlmeister and Theo Katsaounis formed in 2019. They previously played together in experimental rock outfit A Tundra, and their combined CVs include a mix of indieand avant-garde rock projects, including Early Day Miners, Judson Claiborne, Dead Rider, and Joan of Arc.

Earlier this year, the Shape Of released a heady self-titled cassette on Tone Deaf Tapes that showcases their eclectic influences, including minimalist composer Arnold Dreyblatt, electronic ambient outfit Cluster, and 50s surf-rock greats the Shadows. They’ll be joined by drummer Jamie Levinson, who put out a solo tape on Tone Deaf in 2022. The label is run by ambitious and underrated local shop Tone Deaf Records, which also booked this bill. I’m excited to see what else Tone Deaf will cook up for future Hideout shows, but for now you’d be wise to set your controls for the heart of this cosmic concert. —STEVE KRAKOW v

COFCO International Grains US LLC seeks a Senior FP&A Analyst in Oakbrook Terrace, IL to support FP&A Manager in short-term and longterm business modeling, daily profit and loss analysis, monthly forecast, and strategic investment planning; conduct business and financial analysis for margins, expenses, capital expenditures, and market conditions based on different scenarios and models for management to review by creating charts, tables, and graphs with Microsoft Excel to visualize data; prepare daily and weekly market reports by researching latest news and market trends and provide global management predictions on how market conditions may impact North America business; assist the manager in producing presentation slides to present detailed analysis or strategy proposals to the regional North America management and senior global management; make financial analysis to assist the manager in making merger and acquisition investment proposals for North America; discuss with business units regarding their financial forecasts and business plans, analyze validity of their plans, and assist the manager in modifying their plans based on the global management’s comments; cooperate with third-party consultants, appraisers, auditors, tax practitioners, and professionals in financial projects; assist the manager in preparing analysis and presentation slides for monthly and quarterly financial reviews or forecasts for regional CFO; coordinate with product lines and business units to collect and organize financial data and make presentation slides to support the manager in annual budgeting process; investigate causes and impacts of significant variations in business accounts; assist the manager in preparing

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HOUSING

Looking to live in a co-op housing situation? Come join us at the Aster House in Avondale. A block away from the intersection of Belmont and Kedzie. A few blocks away from the Blue Line. Single family house with 6 bedrooms. $550 - $650 month plus shared utilities. tom.t.walsh@gmail.com

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Mariachi Herencia de México COURTESY THE ARTIST

Drazek Fuscaldo with Tatsu Aoki and other collaborators KAMIL MILEWSKI

SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT SHED THE SALT

DEC 30 & 31

DEC 20 / 8PM / 18+

JOHN KEZDY MEMORIAL CONCERT & RECORD RELEASE THE EFFIGIES

WITH The Bollweevils / Ganser / DJ Joe Shanahan SAT DEC 28 / 8PM / 18+

WITH Daisychain / Glass Beagle

WITH Heaven Malone / Lucy Stoole and more!

JAN 05 / 10PM / 21+

WITH VITIGRRL / DJ wOLFY! and more!

Lake Street Dive WITH THEO KATZMAN

DEC 18 SUKI WATERHOUSE ..... . THE SHED WITH BULLY

DEC 19–21 ZEDS DEAD ........... . THE SHED JAN 11 KNUCKLE PUCK ........ . THE SHED WITH ORIGAMI ANGEL, KOYO, CAN’T SWIM AND BEN QUAD JAN 17 SAN HOLO ............ . THE SHED JAN 24 DISCO LINES .......... . THE SHED WITH OMNOM JAN 25 OF THE TREES ......... . THE SHED WITH DETOX UNIT, OPIUO, DMVU AND SYLPH

JAN 31 THE STRING ........... . THE SHED ON SALE NOW & FEB 1 CHEESE INCIDENT

WINDY CITY TIMES

VOL 40, NO. 1

12, 2024

About Face Theatre marks 30 years with plans to expand LGBTQ+ mission

BY ALEC KARAM

About Face Theatre is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, heralding its mission and looking to expand beyond the theater’s physical boundaries.

Founded in 1995 as About Face Collective, the organization has strived to tell queer stories through the art of theater, evolving into the digital age and through the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a “dedicated space where LGBTQ+ folks can let their guard down and be fully themselves, bring the fullness of their visions and talents and ideas into the space to push the form and push what theater can be,” according to artistic director Megan Carney, who has served in her role since 2017.

“We spend so much time creating a space where people can say, ‘Okay, I can relax here,” Carney added. “And

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Copyright 2024 Lambda Publications Inc./Windy City Media Group; All rights reserved. Reprint by permission only. Back issues (if available) for $5 per issue (postage included). Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights to letters, art and photographs sent to Windy City Times will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such, subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Windy City Times. Publication of the name, photograph, or likeness of a person or organization in articles or advertising in Windy City Times is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organization. While we encourage readers to support the advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Windy City Times cannot accept responsibility for advertising claims.

WINDY CITY TIMES

when you can relax and settle into your full self, you get to make amazing things.”

About Face recently wrapped its latest show, We Could Be, an interactive production that gives the audience a role in the drivers’ seat.

The show, emulating choose-your-own-adventure games, allowed audiences to vote on which paths the story will take, allowing the cast to practice in front of numerous audiences at the Rivendell Theatre before going on tour.

The show’s ethos has been rooted at the core of the theater collective’s mission since Day One, Carney shared.

“Heading into the 30th anniversary year and returning to our roots, and having a strong, fun program that can hit the road, has provided a full return for us,” she said.

Archivists with Gerber/Hart Library & Archives have organized a collection of the theater’s 30year history that was on display at the Nov. 7 party at Venue West, 221 N. Paulina St., allowing both former and current participants to get a

glimpse of the organization’s rich history.

But About Face “has never been a company that’s rooted in nostalgia,” Carney said, looking to the future. Having learned from the pandemic, Carney said they want to lean more into hybrid shows to connect to audiences outside of Chicago.

“We’re in Chicago. We’re in Illinois, which is a sanctuary state, but we’re just one theater,” Carney added. “Some of the exciting ideas that we’re working on are, how do we blend what’s happening live on stage in Chicago with this broader reach around the region, and let there be more of a mutual exchange in the Midwest?”

About Face intends to continue offering full union productions year-round alongside “robust” education work, going full steam ahead as the organization looks forward to its next 30 years.

“I hope we will keep changing as the industry changes and culture changes,” Carney said. More coverage online of the Nov. 7 30th anniversary event online at windycitytimes.com.

Theta Rho Nu: A new fraternity for Black SGL men

BY ANDREW DAVIS

Dissatisfied with what he experienced with NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council) fraternities, Chicago resident David Dodd has become a founder, marketer and managing member of a new fraternity, Theta Rho Nu.

According to its website, “the purpose of Theta Rho Nu is to provide synergetic connection between men excelling in scholastic and career advancement who are of similar life experience.”

In a recent talk with Windy City Times, Dodd talked about the beginnings, goals and parameters of the organization—and a lot more.

NOTE: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.

Windy City Times: Tell me about the genesis of Theta Rho Nu.

David Dodd: So, the genesis of Theta Rho Nu came about in March 2021. A colleague named Kenneth Freeman—the president and one of the founders of the organization—and I came up with the idea then. However, we were previously part of another organization that was similar to Theta Rho Nu; Black gay Greek culture is a phenomenon, and so we’re just one of many organizations that’s under that umbrella. We chose to walk away from that organization because it no longer served our interests and where we felt the organization should be going.

So, we came up with the concept of Theta Rho Nu, also called Throne, by the way; “THR” was, like, the acronym for “throne.” We really liked this idea of Black gay men serving as kings, and the crown is one of our emblems.

The purpose of the organization is centered on the intersectionality of being Black, gay and male, but also centered on academic and professional endeavors. We don’t really talk about or come together in that vein often, and we really wanted to center all the intersectionalities of who we are but in a professional environment. We want to harness all the collective energy of all these wonderful individuals and create great things for our community; we all want to help build men in our community who are trying to achieve greatness in their careers.

WCT: And this has been years in the making.

DD: Yes. Kenneth was in a space where he said, “Okay—I need to bring some folks on board and further this effort.” He brought on myself, Matt Richardson and Tony Mize Jr., and we all came together to carve out what the next steps would be to take the organization to the next level—centering the work of the organization, confirming bylaws and policies, [composing the] financial structure, putting together the process for initiation of membership, marketing and more. That’s how we all came into the fold; that all happened last year. We then worked together for the launch, which is taking place this fall.

WCT: So can any Black professional SGL [same-gender-loving] man apply?

DD: Yes. Any Black SGL man can apply—but there are requirements. Being at least 25 is one of them; also, we require applicants to have a high-school diploma; be in or have graduated from an advanced degree program; have letters of recommendation—that kind of thing. But, yes, we’re accepting anyone nationally. Our goal is that, once we understand that centering, we would grow the organization in those respective areas so we understand who’s coming to the table.

WCT: So you will have chapters?

DD: Most definitely… Quite a few people have hit me up in Chicago about wanting to participate so I anticipate that when we go through this first membership process, I will have some members from Chicago so we’ll start a Chicago chapter of Theta Rho Nu.

WCT: So what’s the hazing going to be like? I’m joking, of course.

DD: [Laughs] Everyone asks that question, but it’s a good one. When people think of Greek culture, they think there’s some crazy stuff you’ve got to do, like running through the fields at night.

Our process is pretty simple. We want to start the first line in January 2025, and we’re going to run an eight-to-10-week process during which you’ll have to learn about the organization. You’ll meet with us on a regular basis, as a group and as a team. There will be knowledge checks to make sure you’re learning about the organization, and then there will actually be a culminating event in March 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina, where the organization [was] founded.

WCT: I remember reporting earlier this year on two fraternities of the so-called “Divine Nine”—Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma—who had instituted anti-trans policies. What is your fraternity’s position regarding trans applicants?

DD: We are probably going to focus—at least, at this time—on cisgender men. I try to make sure that we can support someone in their total experience. Often, I—as a cisgender male—don’t know what the trans male experience is, and

From left: Tony Mize Jr., David Dodd, Matthew Richardson and Kenneth R. Freeman II of Theta Rho Nu fraternity. Courtesy David Dodd

I want to honor that in a real way. I wouldn’t say that we’re anti-trans but I think, right now, we’re trying to focus on cisgender men. We have talked about growing to potentially include the trans male experience, but we want to make sure it makes sense and is the proper thing to do.

I don’t think you can have real inclusivity without being intentional about it—making sure you’re doing it for the right reasons and making sure you honor that experience. I don’t want to do that in the wrong way. I want to take the time to understand and bring in someone who can help us go in that direction. That is our goal.

I don’t plan to be in this seat for 20 years. My goals are to have the fraternity evolve and continue to work with the community. I’m always open to what growth, change and evolution look like. Talking with trans friends, I’ve learned that it has to be real. I don’t want to bring trans folks in and then we’re not doing the work; I want to make sure we have the right resources and tools.

WCT: And you may spawn similar fraternities down the line.

DD: Yes. It’s funny that you speak of that because any great LGBTQ space will focus on the trans male and trans female experiences as well as those who are non-binary—and even those organizations are looking to be more inclusive. But I think the beauty of the LGBTQ Greek world—from the lens that I’ve seen, for about 25 years—is that it creates the opportunity for us to honor all of our experiences under the umbrella.

WCT: Would the political affiliation of an applicant matter?

DD: No. None of that matters to us. We’re accepting folks for who they are. Political affiliation and connections don’t matter to us. We’re trying to be agnostic. We do ask that applicants be registered voters, but political affiliation doesn’t matter to us.

WCT: Is there anything else you wish to say about Theta Rho Nu?

DD: Yes. It’s a labor of love and it’s something I feel we deserve to have in our community. We need to have an organization that is willing to pull the collective resources of our community to further us as men in our personal and professional endeavors. But also, how can we take this information and energy, and create something great for the community that’s going to help it achieve the same thing? We need to continue and grow that.

I’ve seen that in Chicago. There are some amazing men here who are doing some wonderful things in the community and who have these talents—and we don’t know about them. We need to bring those energies together to create greatness. And, hopefully—through Theta Rho Nu—we’re able to do that. We want to have brotherhood and service, but we want to make sure we bring in the right people across this country to help achieve that and to give back to the community.

Babe’s Sports Bar will soon provide space to enjoy women’s sports in Logan Square

BY KAYLEIGH PADAR

Once co-captains of their college rugby team, Nora McConnell-Johnson and Torra Spillane are now working to open Babe’s Sports Bar in Logan Square, where people will be able to watch women’s sports next spring.

Babe’s, 3017 W. Armitage Ave., is expected to open in early spring 2025, just in time for March Madness, according to its website.

“I love sports as a venue for heartbreak, but also complete awe,” McConnell-Johnson said. “Like, getting to see such high-level play and the respect between teams and players is just such a beautiful thing. We don’t have very many spaces in our society where we get to see this high level excellence and celebrate it, especially for women who have not been taken seriously as athletes for a long time.”

The bar’s atmosphere will feel “old-school,” with elements of vintage gymnasiums. For example, the bar top will be made out of flooring that was ripped out of a ballet studio.

The bar’s name honors women’s sports trailblazer Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who competed in golf, baseball, basketball and pool in the ‘30s and ‘40s. She is the only athlete to win individual Olympic medals in separate running, throwing and jumping events.

“The way I’m envisioning the space is like, ‘What if she wasn’t an exception?’” McConnell-Johnson said. “What if she was the norm of athletes, and women like her were celebrated and able to access sports at a high level, ever since the ‘30s and ‘40s? It feels like a futurist project.”

Longtime friends McConnell-Johnson and Spillane are working with the women-owned design firm, Siren Betty, to create a concept for the space that’s inclusive, accessible and centers women. Many bars’ counters and stools are taller to accommodate men, but the one at Babe’s Sports Bar will be slightly shorter and built specifically with women in mind. They’re also working with Clean Air Club, a group that helps venues improve indoor air quality, to ensure the bar has a good air filtration system to protect people from spreading

COVID-19 and other illnesses.

“I really believe that doing right by people is the best way to go,” McConnell-Johnson explained. “We really want to create a beautiful space that’s also accessible.”

A lifelong fan of sports of all kinds, McConnell-Johnson has often thought about how hard it is to find places to watch women’s sports in bars with other people, so she wanted to create a space where people can come together to celebrate women’s athletics.

Whiskeygirl Tavern, a lesbian-owned bar in Edgewater, is also known as a haven for women’s sports fans. McConnell-Johnson loves spending time there and said she’s gone to the owners for advice throughout the process of creating Babe’s.

“It’s very exciting [that] we already do have such a cool space to work off in Chicago, and I love that they are so supportive,” McConnell-Johnson said.

When McConnell-Johnson was in high school, she was the captain of an all-boys

soccer team, and it gave her insight into what it feels like to be a woman athlete in a male-dominated space, which some men found threatening.

“I realized how hard it is to find women’s sports on TV and in bars, which really aligns with my experience throughout my life as a woman athlete,” McConnell-Johnson said. “We have these structural issues stacked against us that impede our ability to really be full athletes and just focus on the sport itself.”

Prior to this project, McConnell-Johnson spent most of her career as an educator, and previously taught middle school students. She said her classroom felt pretty similar to a rowdy bar at times.

“It’s a big pivot, but it doesn’t feel like that, honestly,” McConnell-Johnson explained. “If you can get good at being a middle school teacher, you can be good at anything. It feels very aligned with how I’ve always been somebody who wants to create space for people who don’t always have a good space to be together.”

Nora McConnell-Johnson is working to open Babe's Sports Bar in Logan Square next spring.

Courtesy Babe's Sports Bar

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fi ght infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

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 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

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You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and KEEP BEING

Artist Nicole McNamara discusses personal transformations through work and love

BY CARRIE MAXWELL

Art has long been part of Nicole McNamara’s life since “the moment I picked up a crayon as a toddler.”

The Glen Ellyn-based abstract artist explained, “The world of art has captivated me. Yet, as I grew older, my passion was sidelined by my parents’ well-meaning advice, steering me toward a degree in advertising. For years, life took me in many different directions—I built a career, got married and started a family. Yet the yearning to create never faded.”

McNamara grew up in Nashville and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in advertising. She landed in the Learning and Development world for the majority of her early career years, where she helped others grow professionally.

“After that, I stepped away from the corporate world to be a stay-athome mom for 12 years, which was a rewarding chapter of my life,” said McNamara.

An existential turning point

Then, at age 38, McNamara reached a turning point in her life. She had what she calls “a deeply personal crisis that brought me to rock bottom,” where she had to find a way to “reconnect with myself, that inner child who had been quieted.”

McNamara said that, to outsiders, it would seem as if she had the perfect life and was “living the dream,” but that was the furthest thing from the truth. She developed deep depression and crippling anxiety and could not see a way out. This scared her, as well as her family, so much that she underwent intensive treatment at an inpatient facility for a week.

The reconnection with her inner child, and the new tools gained through treatment to confront her inner demons, gave McNamara permission to finally pursue her lifelong artistic dreams. She taught herself “how to oil paint by studying the scientific aspects of composition and color theory, art history and plain old trial-and-error. For the next seven years, it was a therapeutic process for me: a hobby, not a profession.”

McNamara describes her abstract art as “these tiny worlds of safety that I can live in and explore because there are an infinite amount of safe spaces.” She began to express her fear, anxiety, tension, anger, depression, yearning and an evolving maturity and joy in her art. McNamara also “sees an incredible amount of depth, which is reflective of my desire to make my emotions and life more tangible, trying to gain a sense of control, stability in a world that much of the time has felt very unstable.

“I began to paint while living in New Orleans, and when I moved to Glen Ellyn, I felt these unexpected connections to my past. The first place I noticed when searching for a home around here was 504 Crescent—ironically, 504 is the area code for New Orleans, and the city is known as the Crescent City. The fact that 504 Crescent in Glen Ellyn was also home to a Cajun restaurant called Rue made it feel like fate. Rue became the first place where I ever showcased my art, and it felt like a sign that I was meant to be here.”

Further revelations

Another realization changed McNamara’s life. She had always felt like something was absent in her romantic life, but didn’t know what that

was until she walked into her team’s tennis drill two-and-a-half years ago and saw their new assistant coach, Kat Truman.

“I was instantly drawn to her; I had to meet her—just like I had been drawn to painting,” said McNamara. “It was as if I needed to meet her for my heart and soul. That same feeling hit me when I saw Kat; it was like the moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy steps into Oz and everything bursts into Technicolor. Life suddenly felt vibrant and exciting, something I had never experienced before.

“The challenge was that I was married to a man at the time. This realization would obviously lead to a difficult and painful transition for many, especially our children. I wanted to tell people immediately that I was gay, and had found the love of my life—and I did within two weeks of having met Kat. I didn’t want to keep it quiet or put this revelation back into the box. I was ready to live my life authentically. I told my family immediately. Both of my daughters embraced the news. One of them even said ‘Cool.’ The whole situation has been a transition for everyone.”

For Truman, this new relationship with McNamara started out as a great friendship with someone with whom she could have excellent conversations. Truman said they connected quickly and “I had never felt more seen, heard or understood in my life. As Nic said, my black and white world suddenly was bursting with color and a deeper understanding of life became clear to me. There was a deep understanding that she was someone very important to me, despite only knowing each other for a very short time. The most important person ever. I soon realized that my feelings for her were more than friendship.”

When McNamara isn’t focused on her art and children, she loves to play tennis with Truman. They also do a lot of house and yard projects, play games, go for walks and ponder life questions in the news. McNamara and Truman are currently engaged but have not set a wedding date.

Through her painting and new found authenticity and security, McNamara eventually found the courage to investigate what she had always suspected were symptoms of ADHD.

“I always felt a lot of fear and shame around what an official diagnosis would mean,” said McNamara. “A branding of sorts that something was wrong with me. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as getting support and learning more about ADHD actually answered so many questions about my life. It was liberating.”

One of the ways Truman has helped McNamara achieve her artistic dreams is to encourage her to turn her hobby into a business. Together they launched Nicole McNamara Art in March 2024 to showcase and sell her prints as ready-to-hang wall art.

“Customers are purchasing art that not only enhances their environment, but also encourages them to live their most authentic life,” said McNamara. “We empower people, at any stage of life, to embrace their most authentic selves, inspiring them to navigate the necessary changes to live with purpose and truth.

McNamara has a number of showings of her work planned. Dates and locations are on her website’s Events page. She invites her audience “to connect with my work on a personal level—there’s nothing quite like feeling the energy and passion firsthand.”

Nicole McNamara in her studio.

Sarah Merryweather Photography

Kat Truman (left) and Nicole McNamara.

Sarah Merryweather Photography

Judging Me, oil on canvas, by Nicole McNamara.

Juan Gutierrez—corporate pastry chef for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and executive pastry chef for the St. Regis Chicago—is one of two Chicago competitors on the new Food Network show Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking (The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group Director of Food & Beverage Chris Teixeira is the other local entrant.) Gutierrez is quite the reality-show veteran, as he has won the Netflix competition series School of Chocolate and the second season of Food Network’s Chopped Sweets. (As if that isn’t enough, he also took the title in the 2022 iteration of Dancing with Chicago Celebrities.)

Juan Gutierrez talks about competing on ‘Harry Potter’ baking show

BY ANDREW DAVIS

Latino community. Everybody does salsa and bachata so I asked, “Why don’t we step it up a notch and do a tango?” It’s so sexy. So we combined tango with voguing—it was so fun!

In a recent talk with Windy City Times, Gutierrez discussed his competitive nature, the allure of the baking show and his response about why a queer chef would be on Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, given Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans stance.

NOTE: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.

Windy City Times: Hi, Juan. I haven’t talked with you since you were at the [Four Seasons restaurant] Adorn.

Juan Gutierrez: Yes! I remember.

WCT: You seem to have a competitive nature, having won a couple other reality shows as well as Dancing with Chicago Celebrities. Why do you think you’re so competitive?

JG: Well, first of all, I’m Latino [laughs], so that comes with the territory! But I’ve actually always pushed myself to be better. It’s not that I want to win—I just want to show the best of me. I always try to push myself to those limits and outside of the box.

WCT: Yeah, when I heard a couple years ago that you were competing on Dancing, I said, “Oh, I didn’t know that!” So a belated congratulations on that…

WCT: You mentioned your mom. You started being a pastry chef by baking with her, correct?

JG: Yes. Some days, my mom and grandmom used to make things at home. My mom used to make the most delicious brownies—I’ll never forget them. They were just brownies from a box, but they were the best boxed brownies you’ll ever have.

what being on Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking was like?

JG: I was asked so many times on that show, “How do you guys feel?” And my answer all the time was “I don’t have words.” This show is so special; I didn’t feel like it was a competition. I was so into knowing that I was part of the Harry Potter world and that fantasy. That was more than enough. Every day, I was constantly in awe of being there.

It was the best experience just being there and meeting the cast [chefs/ judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef as well as hosts/Harry Potter actors James and Oliver Phelps]. I don’t know if you’ve seen the trailer, you hear a person say, “Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” That’s me. [Laughs] I was surprised and excited, and I felt like I had magic. I almost lost it the day that Luna [guest judge Evanna Lynch] came out. I was shaking.

WCT: And how did Elizabeth Rowe come to be your partner? [Note: The show is a competition involving two-person teams.]

JG: Thank you! It was really important for me because of my mom. I remember practicing every week because—listen—I am literally the worst Latino, in terms of dancing. I know how to shake just like a maraca—that’s it. So it was really fun getting into the groove of the dancing. They asked me what I wanted to do; I wanted to showcase voguing, to represent my gay community, but I also wanted something that represented the

WCT: And then you came to Chicago to go to school?

JG: Correct. So I left Colombia at a really young age and I went to Chicago’s French Pastry School to study. After that, I just stayed here and started that journey.

WCT: For our readers, can you describe

JG: That was the magic of the Harry Potter world; they put us together. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Nobody knew each other, although I knew who she was. I was so intimidated by her because she’s so talented. I knew I had to step up my game even more because I didn’t want to let her down.

WCT: Of course, you have to believe in your own talent, too.

JG: Oh, yes—I know. I know myself but seeing her talent was so fun and exciting, but I was also, like, “She’s so good!”

WCT: Did you have any hesitation about being on the show because of J.K. Rowling’s beliefs?

JG: To be honest, of course. I want to support the community in any way.

Being in the kitchen or pastry is a really traditional career. But we are the new chefs who are rising up and taking over the world. We need to change; I tell my team, “My past struggles should never be your struggles.” When I found out about the show, I thought, “This goes against everything I believe—something that affects some of my friends.” But I wanted to be there because I wanted to show that nobody else is going to take our shine because of how they think. I really want to showcase the true love of ourselves. We have the op-

portunity to use our voice—and it’s about how we use it.

WCT: And these other chefs…

JG: The amount of talent in that room—there are no words to express how talented they are. They’re from all over the world, not just the country. We have me, from Colombia. We have someone from France. We have people from London. We have Hemu [Basumatary], who’s from India; she’s just the most beautiful human being, ever. Mitzi [Reyes] is my fellow Latina and she’s from Mexico; the way she puts her heart into everything is amazing and she makes her country proud. That’s why we do this and why we want to showcase everything.

WCT: Is there anything else you want to say about this show?

JG: It was just such a cool show to do. It just brings you back to how you were as a kid.

Juan Gutierrez in front of Hogwarts Express. Courtesy Food Network

Tea time:

Eli Tea Bar continues to grow as a Chicago non-alcoholic queer haven

BY LU CALZADA

This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.

When people talk about non-alcoholic queer spaces in Chicago, one of the first places mentioned is often Eli Tea Bar. And although owner Eli Majid didn’t initially open the store with that vision in mind, he’s glad it has grown into its community role.

Eli Tea Bar opened nearly three years ago in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood and has evolved into a community staple. While the queer community can head to Northalsted for a night of bar-hopping, they can come to the tea bar during the day or in the evening for a variety of promoted activities.

The original Eli Tea Bar in Birmingham, Michigan will be 10 years old this December. Before the shop’s inception, Majid simply sold teas as a side business at local farmer’s markets.

“It was definitely to create a job that I couldn’t find,” he said. “It was to create a space I didn’t see, but also I’ve always kept in mind that this business I’m creating has to be sustainable for myself and as a company.”

Majid graduated from Loyola University with an undergraduate degree in plant biology, and has always been interested in both tea and business. He views his shop as a cross between a wine bar and a coffee shop, since teas also lend themselves to discussing blends, regions, cultures and more. He said he gravitated towards running a business around tea because it’s a beverage that more easily extends into the evening, unlike coffee.

Outside of the shops themselves, Eli Tea Bar supplies tea to establishments such as cafes,

restaurants and hotels. Many of the teas are house blends, but some of them are also direct imports. In the near future, Majid said they’ll be launching canned non-alcoholic tonics, as well.

Although he didn’t intend to make the shop a well-known non-alcoholic—though he did envision it as queer—space, he said it’s been fun to see it grow in that direction. Over the past ten years, he said both shops have become this type of needed space.

“It was something that happened, but it was something where I could see the customers raising their hands, if that makes sense,” Majid said. “At some point, I think I had the initial idea, and then I think over time I actually gained the confidence to really run with the idea.”

Those ideas—especially those involving his evening events—have been the crux of the Chicago business. Eli Tea Bar boasts a variety of ac-

tivities from open mics to writing groups to art creation nights and more. And they’re a big hit— Majid said the business is often hitting capacity.

Melissa Erikson has been doing stand up comedy for two years and began hosting the Friday open-mic nights at Eli for around a year ago. She became interested in Eli after seeing it was not only a queer place but one actually owned by a queer person, which is important to her as a trans woman.

“Queer spaces are so important to me to feel safe, to see myself reflected in my story, reflected in other people, to know that I’m less alone,” she said. “I’m turning 30 this year, but especially when I was younger, being in spaces like that [was] probably a little life-saving for me, I can say in many ways. And now they’re just life-affirming.”

Even when she’s tired after long weeks,

Erikson said her mood does a “total 180” after attending the Friday events and spending time with the community. She said that every week she sees people exchanging art and numbers, complimenting each other and forming relationships.

The Chicago shop has been growing, gaining more business and revenue every year, Majid said. He also thinks that the rise of people becoming sober-curious during and post-peak pandemic has added to the desire for non-alcoholic spaces. They’re also looking to have more dynamic social lives with nighttime options besides going to bars.

“What we’re doing did not exist when I was in college,” he said. “What we’re doing did not exist 10 years ago, five years ago and whatnot … I think the bars will always have a place in the queer community, and I love going out too. But what people are seeking now is, they’re seeking more quiet spaces. They’re seeking introvert-friendly spaces. They’re really interested in being nerds.”

He’s also open to ideas from the community—tarot events, writing fun PowerPoints, anything “slow fun, living room fun.” He said he is always looking for new events to cater to different parts of the community.

Although Majid said he doesn’t have any sort of metrics he uses to gauge “success,” he’s busy every night. And while other Chicago business owners he knew were telling him about being down in sales this past winter, Eli Tea Bar surpassed all its sales goals. There’s no expansion plans currently in place, but he said the team is “always keeping [its] eyes open.”

“We are proof of the concept that a sober space is needed,” he said. “We have lots of programming. We have a diverse amount of customers—every age, every cultural background. And it’s authentically forming.”

Eli Tea Bar owner Eli Majid prepares a kombucha-nada. Kirk Williamson

Eli Tea Bar hosts an open mic each Friday. Courtesy Eli Tea Bar

Lansing, Michigan, the state's vibrant capital, is a city brimming with cultural diversity, historical richness, and a rapidly evolving urban landscape. From its renowned Lansing Pride festival to unique dining spots like Veg Head and the dynamic Lansing Shuffle, there is something for everyone in this bustling Midwestern city. Add to this a plethora of attractions such as the Broad Museum of Art, Potter Park Zoo, and the historically significant districts of Old Town Lansing and REO Town, and Lansing stands out as a must-visit destination.

One of Lansing's most cherished events is the annual Lansing Pride festival. This celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and community has grown significantly over the years, drawing thousands of attendees from across the state and beyond. Lansing Pride features live performances, local vendors, and family-friendly activities, all set against the backdrop of Lansing’s welcoming atmosphere in Old Town. The festival not only fosters a sense of community but also emphasizes Lansing's commitment to inclusivity and equality.

While in Old Town, visit one of the area’s many locally owned boutiques, cafes, and art galleries. This walkable neighborhood is full of charm and the perfect way to begin your Lansing adventure. The district also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including festivals, art walks, and live performances, which contribute to its lively and welcoming atmosphere.

For those seeking a unique culinary experience, Veg Head in Lansing is a standout choice. This LGBTQ-owned vegetarian and vegan-friendly eatery offers a diverse menu that caters to a variety of dietary preferences without compromising on flavor. Veg Head’s innovative dishes, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, have earned it a loyal following. Whether you're a committed vegan or simply exploring plant-based options, Veg Head promises a delightful dining experience that showcases the best of Lansing's culinary creativity. We ordered the roasted Brussels for the table which came topped with harissa sauce, crumbled cheese and pepitas. For our entrees, we tried the signature sweet potato burger as well as the cauliflower street tacos, which were prepared with roasted cauliflower, salsa verde, avocado puree, crumbled cheese, pickled onions, cilantro and corn tortillas. All the items were

Pride Journey: Lansing, Michigan

BY JOEY AMATO

delicious and made me forget I was at a vegetarian restaurant. For those meat-eaters out there, a trip to Veg Head will make you change your mind about vegetarian cuisine.

Visitors seeking stylish and comfortable accommodation during their stay should check out AC Hotel Lansing. Situated within close proximity to downtown Lansing, this modern hotel combines contemporary design with topnotch amenities. The AC Hotel Lansing is also conveniently located near many of the city’s major attractions, making it an ideal base for exploring all that Lansing has to offer. Their king suite offers an additional seating area and of course an extra-large room fit for any king … or queen.

After some rest, check out Lansing Shuffle, another jewel in the city's crown, offering a dynamic space for entertainment and community engagement. This multi-purpose venue hosts a variety of events, from live music and drag performances to food festivals and markets. Lansing Shuffle is designed to be a flexible space that adapts to the diverse interests of Lansing's residents and visitors. With its vibrant atmosphere and ever-changing lineup of events, Lansing Shuffle is a testament to the city's lively and inclusive spirit.

Swing by Soup Spoon for breakfast and be sure to order any one of their delicious omelets or scrambles before heading to REO Town, an-

ENTERTAINER’S DREAM IN EAST LAKEVIEW!

Discover the perfect blend of space and breathtaking views in this stunning northeast corner condo. Ideal for hosting, the grand living room and den feature a wet bar and oversized windows, o ering panoramic views of the lake, park, and harbor. Spanning 2,400 square feet on a single level, this elegant residence on prestigious Lake Shore Drive boasts 2 spacious bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a large separate dining room, an additional o ice, in-unit laundry, and central air conditioning— all within a sophisticated elevator building.

other historic district that has seen significant revitalization. Named after the REO Motor Car Company—which was once headquartered here—REO Town has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Today, it is a thriving neighborhood known for its eclectic mix of businesses, including coffee shops, breweries and vintage stores. The area also features murals and public art installations that reflect its unique character and history. REO Town’s vibrant community spirit and creative energy make it an exciting place to explore and experience.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Art enthusiasts will find much to admire at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University . This contemporary art museum is renowned for its striking architecture, designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid. The Broad Museum ’s collection features an impressive array of modern and contemporary art, including works by both established and emerging artists. With its innovative exhibitions and educational programs, the museum is a cornerstone of Lansing's cultural landscape, offering visitors a chance to engage with thought-provoking art from around the world.

Speaking of art, the Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center recently held the LGBTQ+ Artist in Michigan exhibition, a group exhibition of artists who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. This exhibition was in partnership with Suits and the City, whose mission is to promote the interests of LGBTQ+ persons in the Mid-Michigan area through education and advocacy.

Lansing's unique combination of cultural richness, historical significance, and modern amenities makes it a standout destination in the Midwest. The city's commitment to inclusivity all contributes to Lansing's distinctive and welcoming character. Whether you're exploring its historic neighborhoods, enjoying its vibrant festivals, or simply taking in the local culture, Lansing offers a truly memorable experience.

Enjoy the Journey!

Joey at the Michigan State Capitol. Courtesy Joey Amato

Trans start-up founder seeks to improve lives of wheelchair users

BY LU CALZADA

This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.

Although Wave Therapeutics’ work combines many of Jessica Bussert’s interests, a chance encounter in adult life provided the spark she needed to start her business. From growing up with an interest in technology to moving into the business and healthcare spheres, Jessica has had a long road—often dealing with rampant transphobia since her transition in the mid-2000’s. But now she’s running a company aimed at improving the lives of wheelchair users by creating an ideal and affordable chair cushion.

Jessica had always been interested in the tech world. She taught herself about electronics when she was 10, how to code when she was 12, and by 15 had her own door-to-door IP consulting business.

“This was the very beginning of the personal computer age, and nobody knew how to use this thing,” she said. “And I did.”

Once she got to college, she turned it into a C Corporation to help support her young family. After running that business for years, she then led a Fortune 100 company’s European business

consulting and professional services

Part of the reason Jessica wanted to sell her own company and work for someone else, she said, was due to England’s passage of some of the first anti-bigotry laws that included transgender people.

“I knew I wanted to transition, but I was afraid to do so in the States and I thought moving to Europe, I’d finally be in a safer environment,” she said. “Well, unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”

When Jessica transitioned about 20 years ago, she lost her job and her career—nobody would hire her. At the same time, a trans discrimination lawsuit she filed was gaining large amounts of publicity, taking away her option for a quiet life. She said paparazzi and news media followed her around and outed her to the world, derailing everything she’d worked for up to that point.

A little while later, Jessica said she and her family received notice from the British government they had 28 days to leave due to the loss of her work permit. They moved back home to the States and to a little log cabin in southern Indiana they had bought years before. Although Jessica and her family only intended to live there a few weeks, she could not obtain employment.

Jessica sank into a deep depression after two years of job searching. However, she began

Wave Therapeutics' current project is creating an affordable and comfortable wheelchair cushion to help relieve and prevent pressure injuries.

Courtesy Jessica Bussert

during the peak of COVID-19.

There are two full-time people in the company, Jessica and her spouse and cofounder, Sharon Bussert, along with a handful of part-time workers.

Sharon met Jessica in a chance encounter when a northern Indiana snowstorm forced recent college graduate Sharon to take the bus one day, and Jessica, who was still in college at the time, was waiting for it at the same stop. The pair were friends for a while according to Sharon, and then began dating.

Wave Therapeutics isn’t the first business they’ve run together. Sharon said she had a skillset Jessica needed—more experience working behind the scenes on technical and financial aspects—which made them a great match for working together.

With chair cushions on the market running up high costs, one of Wave Therapeutics’ main focuses is making sure an affordable product is available to everyone, not just for those who already have major injuries and can more easily get costs covered by insurance.

“I believe that if we can get this project launched and into market, it will change the standard of care for pressure injury prevention,” Sharon said.

to take note of her surroundings in her small town—no hospital, mostly volunteer emergency services and two ambulances for the whole county. She began volunteering with the fire department and gained a strong sense of purpose, which inspired her to go back to school and become first an EMT, and later an ER nurse.

After dealing with further transgender discrimination in the nursing field, Jessica found work at a small hospital, which she later left to pursue travel nursing.

On one of her travel gigs, she met a bilateral amputee veteran who was using a cheaply-made wheelchair. He came in with some of the worst bed sores she had ever seen and was septic due to infections and wounds. Once he was stabilized, Jessica learned how his doctor had prescribed a $4,000 wheelchair cushion which he couldn’t afford. His story moved her, and soon enough she was tinkering with potential ideas.

“That night I asked myself, ‘You know, I’ve got all these years and years of engineering experience, and I’ve got this healthcare knowledge,’” she said. “‘Could I design a better solution that can be manufactured and sold affordably?’”

In 2019, Jessica officially incorporated Wave Therapeutics and started working on creating the ideal wheelchair cushion nearly full time. She only took one other nursing contract after that—to work at a New York City hospital

As of now, they’ve done over 500 customer discovery interviews and created 10 generations of prototypes. In their early tests, Jessica said Wave Therapeutics’s cushion delivers almost two times as much oxygen to affected cells as the current market-leading product.

The cushion is not on the market yet, with fundraising being the biggest limiting factor. They now are dealing with outside investors, with some even telling Jessica they are “not going to get involved in that culture war,” and stepping away.

Beyond this first product, Jessica has big dreams for what Wave Therapeutics can accomplish in the future. They’re looking into creating hospital beds, products for surgical suites and even items for a mass consumer market, such as comfort devices for long haul truckers or anyone sitting for long periods of time.

Jessica and her family moved to Chicago’s West Loop area about a year-and-a-half ago. Since coming to the city, they’ve been able to find more resources for LGBTQ+ business owners and trans folks in general.

As one of few trans women in business leadership positions, Jessica said she’d like to see more opportunities with adequate support for trans folks to realize their own dreams.

“The far majority of us are either unemployed or underemployed,” she said. “I’ve got friends that have doctorates that are flipping burgers just to pay bills. It’s such an incredible waste of resources.”