Airgo

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Over the next few weeks, we'll be hopping on the line with workers in the health care, educational, governmental, organizing, and prison abolition spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home. This episode's guest is Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez of Chicago's 33rd Ward. Rossana talks about how her office is supporting mutual aid work without coopting it, what City Council looks like right now (not much), and what hard lines the mayor and governor need to be taking to keep people safe. Read the Right to Recovery legislation demands: https://actionnetwork.org/campaigns/right-to-recovery Learn about everything that the 33rd Ward office is doing: https://33rdward.org/covid-19-resources/ Recorded 4/12/20 in Chicago Music from this

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Over the next few weeks, we'll be hopping on the line with workers in the health care, educational, governmental, organizing, and prison abolition spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home. This episode's guest is Dennis Kosuth. Dennis is a nurse in Chicago Public Schools, at Provident Hospital in Washington Park, and now inside of Cook County Jail. He gets on the line to talk about last week's shutdown of the ER at Provident Hospital, what he observed and experienced taking care of the people being held in Cook County Jail, what this moment means for CPS students, and how he stays struggling for a world less rooted in greed and profit. Sign the Petition to keep the Provident ER open: https://www.change.org/p/elected-officia

From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Over the next few weeks, we'll be hopping on the line with workers in the health care, educational, governmental, organizing, and prison abolition spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home. This episode's guest is Sharlyn Grace, who is a cofounder and the Executive Director of the Chicago Community Bond Fund. She talks about the front lines work CCBF is doing to protect and free the 4500+ people currently held in Cook County Jail, where the COVID infection rate is 40 times that of the rest of Chicago, and shares how y'all can contribute to their current call-in campaign. Participate in the call-in here: https://chicagobond.org/call-in/ Recorded 4/6/20 in Chicago Music from this week's show: On the Line - Isaiah Rashad

The guys are doing okay. From the isolation of our homes, AirGo is presenting a series called On the Line, which focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic and the people putting their bodies on the line to help us all survive and heal. Over the next few weeks, we'll be hopping on the line with workers in the health care, educational, governmental, organizing, and prison abolition spheres to talk about what their work looks like right now, and what we can do to help as we isolate our physical bodies at home.. On this first episode, Damon and Kiss check in about how their quarantines have been and answer some listener questions. Recorded 4/6/20 in Chicago

Each month this year, we're going to revisit an episode from the 200+ episodes in the AirGo Archives and bring that conversation back to the forefront. This month, we're revisiting our conversation with the magnificent recording artist Saba from 2015. Since then, Sab has ascended to a global spotlight–he killed a feature on Dreamville's collaborative Revenge of the Dreamers III, has released two critically-acclaimed projects Bucket List Project and CARE FOR ME, and now lives in LA with his brother Joseph Chilliams and his partner(who you may have heard on last week's episode). At the time of recording, Sab had recently released Comfort Zone, a beautiful project that solidified his spot as one of Chicago's hottest rising stars, and was about to play a show at Township, a small venue in Logan Square–the venue sold out so quickly that they ended up moving the show the day before. We talk about his craft, the solidification of Pivot Gang, and much more. Recorded 11/18/2015 on WHPK 88.5FM in Chicago Music from th

Back before the world turned upside down, Dame and Kiss kicked it in LA with the wonderful Qurissy, a Chicago native and member of the community here who recently moved to Los Angeles. Qurissy is a portrait photographer, designer, art director, and visual creator whose photography has shone a lens on so many members of the arts world in the city that we showcase and celebrate. She's the Art Director at Gumbo Media, a multimedia company that curates content, experiences, and services to expand the narrative of Black life. We talk about her transition to LA, cohabitating with her boo (who's an AirGo alum), developing one's eye, and much more. Plus, some damn good jokes from the guys and a little constructive feedback time, since Qurissy is a regular listener of the show. Get in the pre-pandemic time machine! Follow Qurissy: http://instagram.com/qurissy Recorded 2/3/2020 in Los Angeles Music from this week's show: Uptown - Podington Bear Rebelion - Joe Arroyo

Sitting on your couch? So is our resident AirGo DJ. Daniel aka DJ Empathy returns with a new #coronamix for you couch potatoes out there. Sit back and enjoy. Songs on this mix: Everybody Wants to Rule the World - @themind Moon River - Frank Ocean CYANIDE - Daniel Caesar Time Alone - Jacob Collier x Daniel Caesar Break In - @themind Yo Love - Vince Staples x Mereba x 6lack Antidote - Orion Sun Mixed 3/28/20

Climate Changemakers is a 5-part podcast series, showcasing and celebrating leaders in equity work and climate action across Illinois, presented by Elevate Energy. This episode's guest is Suzy Schlosberg, the Co-Director of the Chicago Youth Alliance for Climate Action. A senior at Whitney Young High School, Suzy is also on the steering committee for the Ready for 100 Chicago Collective and is a student intern at the Sierra Club office. Learn about Elevate Energy and their 20th anniversary: www.elevateenergy.org/ Check out the Chicago Youth Alliance for Climate Action: https://www.cyaca.org/ Recorded 2/23/20 in Chicago

Well, that escalated quickly. In the first week of Chicago’s social distancing and self-isolation due to COVID-19, AirGo takes a moment to wish you and yours some love, and share some laughs from a recent recording session. We’ll be back next week with full AirGo episodes. Keep your hands washed and your hearts full! Recorded 3/18/20 in Chicago

Unelectable is an live podcast event series that engages electoral politics through the filter of radical imagination. AirGo and Black Youth Project are using the 2020 election cycle to have tangible conversations about impactful issues dismissed as being too big or unrealistic by mainstream political media. Vol. 1 happened on Feb. 26 at the Silver Room in Hyde Park, and featured Ald. Jeanette Taylor and Chicago Teachers Union VP Stacy Davis Gates. It was a great conversation about what protecting the public looks like, what elected officials need from movement workers, and how we learn about politics in the classroom. Check out Black Youth Project: http://blackyouthproject.com/ Recorded 2/26/20 in Chicago Music from this week's show: Burn - Lava La Rue

Time stands still sometimes for Benjamin Earl Turner. The emcee, writer, craftsman, and intellectual has a theory and praxis for his writing and music-making that creates some of the most remarkable raps in the world, in which he can challenge himself and his listeners to see themselves, their shortcomings, and the complexity of their spirits. Dame and Kiss went to his home studio in Burbank, CA for a sitdown that turned to an all-nighter, which we are releasing in two parts. On part 2, Benjamin tells a mythical story, talks through how he's thinking about masculinity and growth, and a remarkably comprehensive beef with the 20th century. Music on this week's episode is all from @benjaminearlturner's album Bad Nature, which you should stream now!: soundcloud.com/benjaminearlturner/sets/bad-nature Follow Benjamin on twitter: twitter.com/benjaminearltea Recorded 1/30/2020 in Burbank, CA

Time stands still sometimes for Benjamin Earl Turner. The emcee, writer, craftsman, and intellectual has a theory and praxis for his writing and music-making that creates some of the most remarkable raps in the world, in which he can challenge himself and his listeners to see themselves, their shortcomings, and the complexity of their spirits. Dame and Kiss went to his home studio in Burbank, CA for a sitdown that turned to an all-nighter, which we are releasing in two parts. On part 1, we talk about finding his craft, his bond with Damon, and the magical summer of 2012 that he spent creating and growing in Chicago. Part 2 drops next week! Music on this week's episode is all from @benjaminearlturner's album Bad Nature, which you should stream now!: https://soundcloud.com/benjaminearlturner/sets/bad-nature Follow Benjamin on twitter: https://twitter.com/benjaminearltea Recorded 1/30/2020 in Burbank, CA

As part of our #BYPSpotlight series, Dame and Kiss talk with Jawanza Malone. Jawanza is the Executive Director of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, or KOCO, a nearly 50 year-old community stalwart fighting for the communities of the Kenwood Oakland neighborhood. Jawanza talks about his journey as a father, living in Fred Hampton's legacy, the fight for a Community Benefits Agreement in connection to the new Obama Presidential Center, and more. Learn more about KOCO: https://kocoonline.org/about-us/ Support the CBA fight: http://www.obamacba.org/ Join the fight to lift the rent control ban: https://www.ltbcoalition.org/ Recorded 1/18/20 in Chicago

Debbie Southorn knows how to throw down. Debbie is the cofounder of the city's Black and Pink chapter, was a central figure in the #NoCopAcademy campaign, and is a founding member of We Are Dissenters, a new group activating students toward anti-militarism and anti-war organizing on college campuses. She also works at the American Friends Service Committee, a century-old Quaker social justice organization. We talk about her path into the work, DINOSAURS, dealing with serious burnout, the impacts of militarism, and more. Follow Debbie: http://twitter.com/madlittledebbie Check out We Are Dissenters: http://wearedissenters.org NOTE: Leave AirGo a rating and review! It helps new folks find the show, and gives us the validation we deeply crave. Recorded 1/27/20 in Chicago Music from this week's show: I Can See It - Darksunn

While in DC to host an event for the Rising Majority that featured the brilliant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley, Damon swung by Eaton DC, a new global hotel merging hospitality with progressive social change, to talk with a few student organizers from Howard University who are involved with the new national anti-militarism student organization We Are Dissenters. Check out Eaton DC: https://www.eatonworkshop.com/hotel/dc Peep We Are Dissenters: http://wearedissenters.org

Each month this year, we're going to revisit an episode from the 200+ episodes in the AirGo Archives and bring that conversation back to the forefront. This month, we're revisiting our convo with Dometi Pongo from 2018. Since his appearance on the show, Dometi has moved to New York, where he is a host and news correspondent for MTV. He is the host of the True Life documentary series, and a contributor to all of MTV's coverage. We talked about his then-current role at WGN, bringing Black Americans to Ghana, and much more. Follow Dometi: twitter.com/dometi_ Rate and review AirGo on Apple Podcasts: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/airgo/id1016530091?mt=2 Recorded 5/3/2018 at WHPK 88.5FM in Chicago

Dominique James is a word-based multimedia artist, educator, and teaching artist at Young Chicago Authors. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Howard University, and has completed research fellowships at the University of California-Riverside and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. After graduation, she was a TRIALS Fellow at Harvard Law School and a University of Chicago HBCU Bridge Scholar. She is also the matchmaker behind a pretty special relationship, a relationship that has some pretty big news to share on this episode… Follow Dominique here: http://twitter.com/niqjames Recorded 1/21/20 in Chicago Music from this week's episode: Chill Mode - Audiobinger

As part of our #BYPSpotlight series, Dame and Kiss talk with movement stalwart Jasson Perez. Jasson is one of the founding members of BYP-100, a labor organizing veteran, and a pivotal member of the Afrosocialist caucus within Chicago's Democratic Socialists of America chapter. He breaks down the lessons learned from organizing across movements, his alternative life as a rapper of legendary Chicago rap group BBU, and how the spiritual life of the recovery community have taught him how to build more loving and effective revolutionary movements. Check out the whole #BYPSpotlight at http://blackyouthproject.com Recorded 1/21/20 in Chicago: Kurt De La Rocha - BBU Music from this week's show:

Lynsey Ann Moxie brought her energy with her. She's a vocalist, performer, Chicago schoolteacher, and interdisciplinary artist from the South Suburbs of Chicago. She grew up in the Cantata choir as a 1st soprano, before finding her jazz roots at Spelman College, and then ultimately ending up back home in Chicago. She breaks down the wisdom she's found through craft, therapy, and the classrom, as well as a whole bunch of other quotable gems. Come along on this fun ride with the guys to kick off another year of AirGo! NOTE: Come through our Art and Activism series #TodayatApple series this month!: http://apple.co/artandactivism Recorded 1/14/20 in Chicago Music on this week's episode: Seasons - Lynsey Ann Moxie Bad MF - Pharoahe Monch

To kick off the new year, we're digging into the archives to launch our #GoBack series. Each month this year, we're going to revisit an episode from the 200+ episodes of the show and bringing that conversation back to the forefront. First up is our conversation with Jamila Woods from 2016, when she was just on the brink of the glow up that has been the last few years for the brilliant poet and musician. Come to our Art and Activism series at the Apple Store Michigan Ave! https://www.apple.com/today/collection/art-activism-airgo/michiganavenue/ Music from this week's show: Very BLK - @jamilawoods Black Girl Soldier - Jamila Woods The Joy - Milo and Otis