Pizza is so delicious.

Mike Stephen discusses the state of to-go pizza slices in Chicago with Chicago Tribune food & dining reporter Nick Kindelsperger, learns about a great literacy & art organization called Brown Books and Paint Brushes with CEO Candice Washington, and gets an update on empowering youth in Austin with Adam Alonso of BUILD. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin reflect on the show and ponder if we are eating too much pizza during the pandemic. The local pandemic tunez come from Photo Curio. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page or RSS feed.

Mike Stephen discusses the impact of the return of the 157 bus to the North Lawndale Community with Rochelle Jackson of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council, learns how Black business owners on the West Side are looking to the community for support instead of elected leaders with Vee Harrison of The Triibe, and explores the possibility of meaningful police reform in Chicago with Tracy Siska of the Chicago Justice Project.  And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin give their takeaways from the show and ponder the glory of a salad bar. The local phase four music this week comes from Flake Michigan. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

A map showing how much money is spent on incarcerating people.

Mike Stephen learns about the money spent to incarcerate residents in certain neighborhoods with Dan Cooper, co-author of the book The War on Neighborhoods: Policing, Prison, and Punishment in a Divided City, discusses how the pandemic impacts recycling with Michelle Thoma, president of the Chicago Recycling Coalition, and examines the impact of TIF districts on minority communities in Chicago with Tom Tresser, co-founder of CivicLab. And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin chat about the notion of defunding the police. The local quarantine music this week comes from Midnight Dice. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

The conversation around systemic racism continues.

Mike Stephen discusses the need to address systemic racism in our society with Sharlyn Grace, executive director of the Chicago Community Bond Fund, and Aislinn Pulley, co-executive director of the Chicago Torture Justice Center and founder of the Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter. After that we learn the Secret History of successful video game composer Michael Salvatori.  And in the OTL Wrap Party segment, Mike and Producer Collin explore ways to work towards racial equity in our society. The local quarantine music this week comes from DJ Taz Rashid. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.