Chi Sounds Like

As a lifelong Chicagoan, Brandon Johnson wishes more people could see the city through the eyes of the mayor. Growing up in a faith-centered family on the “West West” Side of Chicago, serving the community has always been a deeply-instilled passion in Johnson’s life. After becoming a public school teacher in Cabrini-Green, Johnson was galvanized to pursue politics — later becoming a Cook County co...

Chicago DJ and all-around music man Jesse De La Peña hosts Vocalo’s 5 O’Clock Mix and Friday Night DJ Series, and plays a key part in shaping the station’s sound. Growing up all around Chicago, Jesse started out as a DJ in his early teens — inspired by his mother’s disco records, Chicago’s hip-hop scene and the diverse music broadcasting on local radio stations. He joined Team Vocalo in 2011 as a...

Bekoe has been Vocalo’s morning host for the last four and a half years. From his teenage years of making beats for aspiring high school rappers to his commitment to local music discovery at iLLANOiZE and Vocalo, Bekoe’s passions have always centered on uplifting Chicago’s music scene. Through highlighting Chicago talent, Bekoe hopes to create a platform for the local artists of today and tomorrow...

Chicago photographer Kenn Cook Jr. highlights the beauty of his West Side home with new project #MyWestSideStory. Already a community advocate, working with organizations benefiting the West Side like the NAACP, Cook found his advocacy niche in documenting the everyday life of his family and neighbors through photography. He showcases the spirit of the West Side with rich, authentic portraits, and...

Monica Trinidad is a queer Latin visual artist, communicator, and cultural strategist from the South Side of Chicago, committed to amplifying marginalized voices through combining art and activism. Trinidad’s activism blossomed during their college years, where they first explored anti-war movements and recognized the power of young voices as a catalyst for change. This is what their Chicago sound...

Adam Rust is the co-owner of Andersonville oddities shop Woolly Mammoth. Located at 1513 W. Foster Ave. since 2010, Woolly Mammoth has showcased the macabre and mystifying rarities from Chicago and beyond. Owned and operated by couple Adam and Skye Rust, Woolly Mammoth has grown into a staggering collection of oddities attracting locals and tourists alike. Featuring everything from human hair and...

Taste of Lebanon fits the description of many generationally-loved Chicago staples: Good prices, better food, small menu and nothing fancy. Manned by Ali Faraj, Taste of Lebanon is a no-frills, family-owned restaurant in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, serving up shawarma and falafel to hungry neighbors for decades. Taste of Lebanon was opened by Faraj’s father in 1996, after trying his hand...

Multi-media performance collective Manual Cinema brings audiences into their world of puppetry, intricate soundscapes and immersive visuals. Founded in 2010 by Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace and Kyle Vegter, Manual Cinema’s works go beyond puppetry to become multimedia, multi-sensory works of art akin to live cinema. The Emmy-winning collective has worked on countless stunning...

Helene Achanzar grew up throwing herself into any and every hobby — but she’s always been a writer. She found a natural voice for poetry at a young age; it was something she could engage with and practice without a formal environment. Now, Achanzar is the director of programs at the Chicago Poetry Center, where she manages poetry residencies, workshops and other educational programs for Chicago Pu...

Erin Rembert is a pole dancer and “tooth fairy” (or tooth gem artist) inspired by her firm roots in Chicago and tangible alchemy. Honoring her ancestors is a throughline in all of Rembert’s work, with an emphasis on personal and spiritual wellbeing. Whether she’s helping people fall in love with their gem-adorned smiles or performing burlesque and cabaret, Erin Rembert honors her ancestors and spr...

Glamhag is a multimedia artist, performer, director, production designer and fabricator who channels playfulness into every facet of their work. Whether it’s performance art on a major stage (or in someone’s living room), shooting films and music videos, creating their own brand or releasing work through Glam Productions, Glamhag hopes to create space for themself and others to create DIY works an...

Multimedia artist, printmaker, zine maker and pie baker Sarita Hernández found their home through artmaking. Moving to Chicago in 2015 from southeast Los Angeles County, Hernández feels held by the Chicago arts community. Now, as a teaching artist and the co-creator of a local zine collective Marimacha Monarca Press, Hernández hopes to build the same sense of togetherness for others. This is what...

Efren Adkins values the exploration of personal identity, community connection and the transformative power of art as they navigate the meaning and purpose in life. As a biracial and bicultural artist and teacher, Adkins’ background has fueled their curiosity about identity, belonging and making sense of where they come from. This curiosity manifested in the form of art, becoming a driving force i...

Ashley Johnson is a Chicago community activist, DJ, fashion designer and more. Johnson fell into her three prominent passions organically; she grew up always aware of community support and mutual aid (though not by name), and found a deep love for both DJing and fashion design during her time at Columbia College. Though she’s lived in many cities across the U.S. and beyond, Chicago’s cultural sign...

Lauren Hersch is a mental health advocate and co-founder of Rayo Counseling and Community Co-Op. Through Rayo, Hersch emphasizes the importance of building a therapeutic relationship tailored to the needs of the patient, and recognizes community connection as a crucial factor in individual healing. This is what her Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sounds Like” was produce...

Chicago-native DJ, writer, and storyteller Erin Alexander embraces the diverse stories and beats echoing through the neighborhoods of Chicago. Alexander describes herself as a storyteller through her work as both a DJ and a screenplay writer. In the midst of beats and melodies, Alexander found a passion for screenplay writing, exploring themes that invoke introspection and reflection. Chicago itse...

Chicago-based visual artist Latham Zearfoss creates works navigating the spaces “between personal desire and collective identity.” As an artist and community organizer with a passion for mutual aid, Zearfoss’ work is often a reflection on life, death and sustainability. His creations challenge the notion that things must endure forever, noting the importance of old ideas fading away to make room f...

Tera Murray is a chef instructor for Silver Fork at the Center on Halsted, a free seven-week culinary readiness program. Murray’s work with Silver Fork and other similar programs serves as a means to humanize individuals facing stigma and challenges, and equip them with real-world culinary skills in an uplifting environment. Now, Murray has decided to leave the culinary industry in pursuit of beco...

Anthony Joel Quezada is the Cook County Commissioner of the Eighth District and grassroots organizer with a vision for a more compassionate future. Serving neighborhoods including Humboldt Park, Avondale and his home neighborhood of Logan Square, Quezada is driven by the hardworking spirit of Chicago and envisions a future of politics motivated by compassion rather than greed. This is what his Chi...

Gina Lira, also known as Gigi Jiggles, is a nail tech and artist who works to create a safe space for all her clients. As she turned to her nails as a canvas for self-expression, the early experimentation laid the groundwork for her future career. The turning point: when Lira discovered Beauty Bar, a vintage-inspired venue with manicurists creating art on nails. Recognizing the needs of the LGBTQI...

Mari DeOleo is not your average clown. Through her craft, she aims to dismantle societal constructs, create connections and embrace the complexities of her heritage. Originally from the Dominican Republic, DeOleo made it to Chicago by way of rural Pennsylvania, and has honed in on her artistic calling over the last decade in the city. DeOleo also hopes to offer young people opportunities and respe...

Scout Bratt fights for autonomy and resource availability through all facets of their work, as both a sexual health educator and an advocate for Palestinian liberation. For their segment of "This Is What Chicago Sounds Like," Scout dives into their journey as an organizer for Palestinian liberation, their involvement with Jewish Voice for Peace, why they are passionate about sexual health knowledg...

Sacha Mullin is a Chicago-based singer and songwriter who’s learning to let go on his third solo album ‘Casino Wilderness Period,’ out Nov. 3. But Mullin never thought he’d be a solo artist. He fell into a music career almost by accident; intrigued by interesting CDs and music cues in TV shows from his childhood, he would write letters to composers and session musicians as a 10-year-old with a cur...

JuJu MinXXX is a burlesque performer, advocate for sexual liberation and, at their core, a champion for self-love. They first discovered a love for burlesque performance at 18, when they won a local “Burlesque Idol” competition for new performers. They saw the art form as a means of empowerment and finding self-love. This is what their Chicago sounds like. This segment of “This Is What Chicago Sou...

GIIIVENS is a creative director, installation artist and DJ who creates art to evoke feeling and provide comfort. Over the years, GIIIVENS has produced interactive and immersive art installations and has found deeper involvement with the Chicago arts scene as the creative director for the Chicago Fashion Coalition. Hailing from South Bend, Indiana, the artist's roots flow through their DJ sets, wh...