An award-winning, self-taught historian and entrepreneur, Shermann “Dilla” Thomas has taken it upon himself to educate the globe on every inch of the Windy City. Known for his casual delivery and focus on Chicago’s innovative contributions to America, his profile has exploded since 2020, with nearly 250k social media followers, eager for 60-second history lessons on everything from two-flats and parking dibs to Little Village and Chinatown. His popularity has led to numerous efforts to further his cause, including speaking engagements with Google and Microsoft, his own YouTube series and the launch of Chicago Mahogany Tours — providing excursions by bus to explore the city’s various unique neighborhoods. Today, Dilla sits down with Ozinga CEO Marty Ozinga, as well as corporate and family archivist Laura Lorenzana, to discuss how “learning about others teaches you about yourself.” Find full video of this conversation at https://youtube.com/OzingaRMC.

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Follow Marty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyozinga/

Connect with Dilla and book a historic Chicago neighborhood bus tour: http://chicagomahogany.com

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Follow Said In Stone: https://www.instagram.com/saidinstone_podcast/

Connect with Ozinga: http://www.ozinga.com