The Broad Cast

The first episode in our six-month series of conversations around systemic racism and building an anti-racist society. To launch this series, we are proud to feature Illinois State Senate Majority Leader and Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus (ILBC), Senator Kimberly Lightford! She and the ILBC are leading some of the most important work in the state of Illinois right now, building a b...

If you live in the state of Illinois, odds are you’re getting a majority of your COVID news and updates from Governor JB Pritzker’s daily briefings, which have become a staple for both residents and media across the state. Illinois is flattening the curve and we are getting to a level of testing needed to properly evaluate when we might be able to emerge from this period. The person who is the Gov...

If you enjoyed our last episode with Tusk Philanthropies President, and former Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden, Sheila Nix, you’re in for a treat! Sheila is back to talk with The Broad Cast host Becky Carroll about Tusk’s work on the Mobile Voting Project and how the shift to mobile voting is now more important than ever.

Listen to part one of our conversation with Sheila Nix. The Broad Cast host Becky Carroll talked to Sheila about her background, the presidential campaign, what went on behind the scenes in the US Senate as they debated a COVID-19 relief bill, and her role as a woman leading high profile offices and missions.

There was an abundance of news made in the world of Illinois and Chicago politics in 2019 and in its annual year in review and look ahead, The Broad Cast welcomed The Daily Line Managing Editor and Chicago City Hall Reporter Heather Cherone to help make sense of it all. Click here to tune in!

Chicago has experienced a construction boom of epic proportions across the commercial and housing markets over the past several years and if you look around at neighborhoods surrounding the greater downtown - and beyond - you see cranes lined up block by block. On Episode 23, The Broad Cast welcomed Smita Shah, Erin Lavin Cabonargi, and Bonita Harrison, three women who all have their pulse on Chic...

Chicago journalist legend Mary Mitchell recently announced that she is stepping back at the Sun-Times after 29 years as one of its best known and respected columnists. We devote this entire episode to a conversation with Mary!

Tune in to hear The Broad Cast's first-ever live taping hosted at EvolveHer, which features the “Marijuana Moms” of the Illinois General Assembly. State Representatives Jehan Gordon-Booth and Kelly Cassidy and State Senators Toi Hutchinson and Heather Steans share their candid and inspirational stories about passing the nation’s first statewide recreational adult cannabis law, which also addresses...

This year, we’ve had a changing of the guard with a new Chicago mayor who campaigned on vowing to invest in neighborhoods and stem violence that has plagued many communities. But with the city still facing significant budget gaps and new financial constraints that will put even more pressure on our city’s coffers, will we have the resources to make an impact? On the state side, the legislature pas...

On April 2, 2019, Chicago is heading to the polls for the Runoff Election. Nicole Johnson will be on the ballot in 20th Ward. #TheBroadCast Host Becky Carroll sat down with Nicole to talk about her campaign and what she has learned on the trail.

This episode of The Broad Cast is devoted to one trailblazer: Cheryle Robinson Jackson. A high-powered exec, TedX Talk alum and survivor, Cheryle’s career has been marked by many firsts, spanning international business, civil rights, politics, government, not-for-profit, and the media. Her work and her life experiences have led her to launch a very special celebration of life and women: Grit + Gra...

2018 was one of the biggest years ever in Illinois politics. Chicago Sun-Times Columnist and ABC 7 Chicago Political Analyst Laura Washington joined #TheBroadCast for a special one-on-one interview to deconstruct every major storyline in 2018 and break down what all of this means for 2019 with host Becky Carroll.

Illinois experienced a blue wave on Nov. 6, 2018 and to discuss that and what lies ahead in the 2019 municipal elections, we turned to The Daily Line Reporter and Aldercast Host A.D. Quig, WBEZ City Hall Political Reporter Becky Vevea, and WTTW Chicago Tonight Political Correspondent Amanda Vinicky.

The Broad Cast host Becky Carroll brought on ACLU Illinois Executive Director Colleen Connell, Personal PAC Chairman Melissa Widen, and Planned Parenthood Illinois Action President & CEO Jennifer Welch to discuss the implications that Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court will have on access to abortion and reproductive health care options for women in Illinois and the United St...

A first for The Broad Cast: this month host Becky Carroll talks with three guys who are raising their hands to support women in the workplace and in life. Episode 14 features Holistic Co-Founder and former COO of 1871 Tom Alexander, Goodcity Chicago President & CEO Jimmy Lee and Democratic Party of Illinois Interim Executive Director and State Rep. Christian Mitchell.

The Broad Cast Host Becky Carroll talks with Chicago Foundation for Women President/CEO K. Sujata, Mujeres Latinas en Acción President & CEO Linda Tortolero, and WeWill Founder Alexandra Eidenberg.

The Broad Cast Host Becky Carroll talks with Interim President of Olive-Harvey College, Felicia Davis; Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Rosa Escareno; and CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District, Dr. Suzet McKinney

The Broad Cast Host Becky Carroll talks with Sol Flores, Kelly Mazeski, and Marie Newman about their recent Congressional campaigns in Illinois.

Host Becky Carroll is joined by veteran Chicago reporters Mary Datcher, Shia Kapos, and Kerry Lester to discuss the 2018 Illinois primary elections on the latest episode of The Broad Cast.

Becky Carroll talks to Jessica Williams, Co-Facilitator of 1871’s WiSTEM program. Two graduates of the WiSTEM program, Rochelle Gorey, CEO and Co-Founder of Spring Four, and Tiffany Mikell, CEO/CTO of AerialSpaces, join the conversation in the latest episode of The Broad Cast.

Covering some of our best moments so far this year!

During this month's podcast, we speak to three ladies kicking ass in Chicago’s culinary scene. On this episode of The Broad Cast, we feature Michelle Herndon, Partner/Director of Private Events of B Hospitality Co., Ina Pinkney, Chef/Owner of Ina’s Kitchen, and Alpana Singh, Restaurateur and Sommelier!

During this month's podcast, we speak to three Chicago ladies dominating the public relations and public affairs industry. Our 6th episode of The Broad Cast features Sarah Hamilton, Managing Director of Kivvit, Marilyn Katz, President of MK Communications, and Rikeesha Phelon, President and CEO of Phelon Public Strategies.

During this month's podcast, we speak to three of Chicago's top female CEOs thriving in our city's entrepreneurial community. Our 5th episode of The Broad Cast features Katrina Markoff, CEO of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, and Chris-Tia Donaldson, CEO of Thank God It's Natural.

This month, we speak to 3 powerhouse women working in Chicago’s nonprofit community. This episode features guests Dorri McWhorter, CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Jenne Myers, CEO of Chicago Cares and Celena Roldan, CEO of The American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois.