The COVID-19 pandemic created an unpredictable employment landscape, but things are looking up for college graduates. According to a national survey, employers are significantly boosting recruitment.

Reset learns more about what’s driving this trend and how the class of 2022 can leverage it.

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Producer: Marie Mendoza

GUESTS: Robert Bruno, professor and director of the labor education program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Jaime Velasquez, associate director for employer relations at the University of Illinois Chicago

During the pandemic, psychologists have reported bigger workloads and longer waitlists for current and potential clients. But they say there aren’t enough workers to meet the demand.

Reset discusses how the workforce shortage is affecting Illinois’ mental health care system and how Chicago social service organizations are stepping up to help.

GUESTS: Alexa James, executive director of NAMI Chicago

Natali Rehman, director of behavioral health at the Inner-City Muslim Action Network

Jennie Hull, chief program officer for Lakeview Pantry

The annual Leading for Good conference at the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility at Loyola University Chicago brings together hundreds of executives. This year’s theme is accelerating impact in a changing world.

Reset hears from two speakers about how they’re using their business to drive social change.

GUESTS: Jeni Britton Bauer, founder and chief creative officer of Jeni’s Ice Cream

Jon Staff, founder and CEO of Getaway

Chicago’s City Council voted 43-7 on Monday to pass a controversial new ward map, which splits up communities like Englewood into spaghetti-like slivers. Some of the members who opposed the plan were hoping for more Latino-majority wards. The new map contains 16 majority-Black wards, 14 majority-Latino wards, and, for the first time, one majority-Asian ward.

Reset gets the details on the new map and takes calls from listeners for their thoughts.

GUEST: Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city government reporter

Black hair is inherently unique. And the Black hair care industry in the U.S. generates billions of dollars in sales. Yet, something so essential to Black identity is often misunderstood by people outside of the culture and Black hair has only recently been given its due in the world of mainstream beauty.

Reset talks with photographer Sandro Miller about his new book that showcases the various hairstyles of Black women, from Chicago to parts of Africa.

GUEST: Sandro Miller, Chicago-based photographer; director and author of Crowns: My Hair, My Soul, My Freedom

Following a racist mass shooting in New York and three recent attacks targeting Asian-owned businesses in Dallas, Reset learns about the work that’s being done to dismantle systemic racism in Chicago.

GUESTS: Derrick Dawson, program coordinator for Chicago Regional Organizing for Antiracism (Chicago ROAR)

Rory Smith, member and former co-chair of the Anti-Racism Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago

Federal officials have opened a hate crime investigation into a shooting at a Korean-owned hair salon in Dallas last week. Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the attack and say the incident could be linked to two other recent shootings at Asian-run businesses in Dallas.

Reset hears from leaders in Chicago and Illinois about the rise in anti-Asian violence, and what we need to do to keep our Asian American communities safe.

GUESTS: Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview)

Seong-Ah Cho, organizing director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago

Last week, Evanston moved into high COVID-19 risk level after reporting 397 new COVID cases.

Reset checks in with an infectious disease specialist about what’s driving the uptick in cases.

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Producer: Claire Hyman

Chicago’s air quality is among the worst in the country, and the issue has been tied to the city’s dozens of industrial corridors. Data from a new network of sensors confirms that link, showing Chicagoans who live near heavy-traffic areas are breathing the most polluted air.

Reset learns more about the findings from a new joint investigation by WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times and MuckRock.

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Producer: Stephanie Kim

Abortion will continue to remain legal in Illinois if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, and starting June 1st, people under 18 will not need to have a guardian notified before the abortion. While these protections will stay in place, legal advocates are concerned that there will be attempts by states to make it illegal to aid out of state patietns seeking abortions.

Reset checks in with the American Civil Liberties Union to learn more about the legal rights in Illinois how they are intending to safeguard them.

Host: Sasha-Ann Simons

Producer: Lynnea Domienik