A lifelong learner and student by nature, Rabbi Art Stern came on Community Voices to share his story of success, failure, and finding faith in Judaism, as well as delving into what it means to be spiritual and have a relationship with God.

Vinod Gupta , founding president of the India Association of Greater Springfield discusses the upcoming celebration, Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi October 7, 2023, 2 p.m. at the Lincoln Library, Carnegie Room North.

Julie Staley is the writer and director of "Fields of Gold," a documentary exploring A.E. Staley’s innovations in business and agriculture, as well as his love for sports. She spoke to Community Voices about the process of creating the film and the ways in which this story is tied to the history of Decatur.

Violins of Hope is a traveling exhibit that features violins that survived the Holocaust. The exhibit will be housed at the Illinois State Museum Sept. 7-13. Additional concerts will also be offered as a way to celebrate the survival of Jews and Jewish music despite the many atrocities of the Holocaust. Musicians Yona Stamatis and Katrin Stamatis, and Nancy Sage, the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Springfield, spoke to Community Voices about the exhibit and what it means for the community.To learn more visit: https://www.shalomspringfield.org/

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum hosted another lecture to shine a light on Lincoln and American history. The lecture titled "Lincoln, Race, and the Future of American Freedom" was given by author Dr. Lucas Morel.

Community Voices will moderate the annual Center for State Policy and Leadership (CSPL) showcase, which will feature projects the Center has worked on in the past year. We will hear from the Illinois Innocence Project, the Director of the Alliance for Experiential Problem-Based Learning Dr. Betsy Goulet, and Research Director at CSPL Dr. AJ Simmons. The showcase is Sept. 14, at 8 a.m. To register visit: https://go.uis.edu/CSPLShowcase.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is the Executive Director of Illinois Humanities, a program devoted to keeping and spreading the deep cultures of Illinois. She sat down with co-host Logan Bricker to speak about "Spark! Places of Innovation," a traveling exhibition that seeks to help reveal and spread the various cultures and histories of rural communities in Illinois.

Historian W. Dale Weeks wrote the book "Cherokee Civil Warrior: Chief John Ross and the Struggle for Tribal Sovereignty." In a forum presented by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Weeks discussed the Civil War from the perspective of the Cherokee nation and the negotiations between President Lincoln and Ross.

The Springfield Oyster and Beer Festival is in its 13th year serving craft beers and oysters. Jay Shanle spoke to Community Voices about the event and explained how the event comes together with more than 150 beers and ciders from more than 50 breweries. He also shared that the event will raise money this year for Downtown Springfield, Inc. The event is Saturday Sept. 2, from noon to 5 p.m.

Vicki Terry and Ashley Striplin spoke to Community Voices about Dabble Springfield, their do-it-yourself arts and crafts studio. They, along with Amanda Terry, are co-owners of Dabble, which offers unique crafting experiences for all ages and skill levels.