The Chicagoan

In a recent episode of The Chicagoan podcast, host Alicia Dale dives deep into the inspiring life story of Steve Ferkau, a man whose resilience and determination have become a guiding light for many. As the episode unfolds, Ferkau shares his remarkable journey, providing us with a wealth of inspiration, wisdom, and knowledge that can be applied to their own lives. Ferkau's journey has been shaped...

Meiling Jin is a content creator who has built a large following by sharing stories that inspire, educate and entertain her audience. In her recent appearance on The Chicagoan Podcast, she discussed her journey to becoming a content creator and the impact she hopes to make through her work. Meiling's journey began when she started sharing her personal stories on social media. She realized that her...

Brandon Bell-Booker, a South side Chicago native, was born to teenage parents and has lived a life of resilience and determination.  Growing up, he knew that his parents were young, but it never phased him. Instead, he saw them working hard to provide for their family and following their dreams, which ultimately served as an inspiration for him. As a child, Brandon was a self-proclaimed math...

Artisha Moore is a young and ambitious real estate investor from South Holland, Illinois. She grew up in a large family, with three older sisters and a father who instilled in her the importance of discipline and hard work. After graduating from college, Moore was eager to blow her newfound career money and have fun, but her father saw potential in her and encouraged her to get into real estate.&n...

Dustin Drankiewicz, a Chicago-based hospitality professional, recounts his journey from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois on the latest episode of The Chicagoan Podcast. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Drankiewicz's childhood was marked by a move to a small town, where he and his siblings were sent to avoid getting into trouble. But despite the idyllic setting, Drankiewicz found that boredom...

Ari Bendersky's passion for stories and finding out about people’s lives drew him towards a career in journalism and content creation. He started his career as a music journalist in the nineties, gay publications writer, and is currently a freelance editor.  Having worked in different restaurants, writing about food in the Chicago scene felt like home. He developed a deep interest in wine, fo...

Having lived in Chicago for the last 13 years, Pooja Naik has recently made a name for herself in the influencer world as content creator focusing on Chicago’s seafood scene. Originally from Mumbai, she immigrated to the United States when she was 17. She first spent time on the east coast and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh.  Yet despite also receiving her...

Eric Platt, aka Eric Boss in the nightlife scene, is an event producer and nightlife promoter in Chicago. He joins us to share his story on how he became involved and how he's using his platform to enrich the lives of others.  Once a recruiter by trade, it wasn't until a stint in Las Vegas that Eric would come to be known in the world of bars and nightclubs. Leveraging his experiences from bo...

“Every young person is born to win.” This is Vondale Singleton’s model for every situation in life. Vondale is the CEO of Champs Male Mentoring Program; his journey into mentorship stemming from losing his mother to drugs at only 29. Something he believes could be different, if only she had a mentor. “You know, losing a mom at an early age, when I was 14, I knew that I was going to have to fight m...

Mary Scala’s heart has always been in the hospitality industry. She started working in restaurants at a young age, but amidst the pandemic, she lost her job like so many others. As Scala was trying to understand her next step in life, she spent a lot of sleepless nights researching future foods and food supply chains. “I landed on an article, in one of those sleepless nights, about this manufactur...

Growing up in the projects on the South Side, Dr Michael Airhart never let his circumstances weigh him down. Given the name “The Black MacGyver” by his friends and neighbors, Michael found a way to create, with whatever was available to him. Taking his creativity and love of food, Michael began cooking for his neighborhood friends.  “We would have grilled cheese sandwiches because back then y...

To say Juan Leyva has been on a journey would be an understatement. Like many immigrant stories, his family would travel undocumented from Mexico to Chicago, where he’d realize a destiny that awaited him. Though never imagining a life in hospitality, Juan is now in charge of one of the most prestigious hotels in Chicago: Oxford Hotels & Resorts - LondonHouse.  Coming from a larger than av...

CBS2 Chicago News Anchor Jim Williams | Hosted by Stephanie Welter

Though passionate about her South Side roots, Alicia Dale loves her city and more importantly, the people in it. Choosing to live, work and volunteer in areas that weren’t always so popular to live near, she was and is inspired by change. A professional ghost writer by trade, she shares her experiences of getting involved in her community to make a difference.  Joking that she could never see...

Shamilya Woods is an author, motivational speaker and the CEO of Candidly Speaking; all while being a full time Principal at the University of Chicago Charter School. Born to teen parents, and raised by her grandparents, Shamilys spent her entire childhood in different areas on the west side; attending and graduating from Chicago public schools. Eventually, also teaching at Chicago public schools....

On the first episode of the Chicagoan podcast, realtor Shannon Sutton sits down with her friend, Samantha Clark, a local clothing boutique owner. The two ladies first met with Shannon, voting early in Wicker Park in October 2020, spotted Samantha’s store, Steely Boutique, and had to go in. One Def Leppard tee and a silk bomber jacket later, these two became fast friends. They talk about how Samant...