In episode two of NID’s Beauty Under the Knife series, Leslie slips into the dreamy, candlelit world of El Espejo de la Bruja (1962) — a Mexican gothic gem directed by Chano Urueta and penned by Carlos Enrique Taboada. This mystical black-and-white tale follows a witch who uses Hermetic magic and an enchanted mirror to conjure revenge on a surgeon obsessed with beauty. It’s a stylish femme-horror story filled with surgical obsessions, ghostly justice, and fierce femmes reclaiming their power.

“Not in Distress” is a femme-horror radio series hosted by Leslie Hurtado that shines a light on women of color in horror cinema. Through analysis, interviews, and film critique, each episode unravels how horror empowers women to turn fear into power, rewriting their stories from the shadows.

“Not in Distress” is a femme-horror radio series hosted by Leslie Hurtado that shines a light on women of color in horror cinema. Through analysis, interviews, and film critique, each episode unravels how horror empowers women to turn fear into power, rewriting their stories from the shadows.

The Beauty Under the Knife series opens, and Not in Distress makes its debut! Host Leslie Hurtado slices into Mika Ninagawa’s candy‑bright nightmare. Helter Skelter follows top model Lilico as she submits to extreme plastic surgery to stay on top — only to spiral into physical and mental collapse. The episode ties Lilico’s descent to the Slit‑Mouthed Woman legend, ORLAN’s protest art, and today’s digital‑beauty craze. From butterflies and mirrors to Virgin‑Mary statuettes, Leslie unpacks the film’s symbols to reveal how modern beauty culture can warp as much as it glamorizes.

LUMPEN RADIO SPECIAL

Join a special conversation on Lumpen Radio as Nick Wylie talks with curators Jonathan D. Katz and Johnny Willis about The First Homosexuals—an exhibition and a book that trace the emergence of modern homosexual identity in art from 1869 to 1930, revealing the bold expressions and coded languages of early queer artists.

Now on view at Wrightwood 659 through July 2025, The First Homosexuals features over 100 works from around the world and a 500+ page accompanying book.

LUMPEN RADIO SPECIAL

Join us tomorrow for a bilingual interview with @Changosnakedog Changosnakedog is a musical spectacle geared towards children and families, that celebrates friendship, diversity, equity, and love, with bilingual lyrics and colorful puppets. In this special interview, we will highlight Changosnakedog’s upcoming project: The Lost Tapes.

“The Lost Tapes, Lado A” es un álbum conceptual que recopila las 4 canciones publicadas hasta el momento por la banda, dentro de una narrativa al estilo radionovela. Conectando su historia con su música y su misión en la vida (celebrar la diversidad, y compartir amistad y amor).

LUMPEN SPECIAL:

Argentine singer-songwriter Federico Aubele joins us live on Lumpen Radio to talk music and more, as well as share his latest release, ‘Fantasmas.’ Tune in for our conversation at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29.

Federico’s new album, ‘Fantasmas,’ sourced from his lavish catalog of releases, highlights some of his favorites transformed into warm, acoustic versions that are so intimate, serene, and enthralling they feel like he’s whispering in your ear, sharing secrets. Shhh…

‘Fantasmas,’ which features ten songs, also includes new material. It is now available on all digital platforms.

BTW: The vinyl edition is only available at Federico’s live performances. 😌

LUMPEN RADIO SPECIALS present...

Tune in for a quick recap of C2E2 2025 with Ariandy and August—famous Lumpen Radio producers, creatives, and all around geniuses. Join us as we reconvene on the weekends happenings, and what we thought overall about the C2E2 experience this year. Also, did you know, this was the largest attended convention in C2E2 history?!

LUMPEN RADIO SPECIALS present...

One artist’s trash is another’s treasure. Rubbish, refuse, leavings, litter, trash and basura. The things leftover and left behind. The discarded and disused. UIC’s Sonic Sorcery presents to you a soundscape of these forgotten bits and pieces reassembled into a beautiful mess. Welcome to The Garbage Transmissions.

Created and Produced by:

An interview w/ Gabrielle Lyon: Illinois Humanities

As nonprofit organizations across the country face growing uncertainty brought on by economic turbulence, disruptions like DOGE, and unpredictable policy shifts from the president, Lumpen Radio dives into the impact on the cultural sector. Host Mario Smith sits down with Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director of the recently affected Illinois Humanities Council, for an in-depth conversation on what's at stake and what lies ahead.

“Boletín Migrante” es un programa de radio que explica y analiza eventos recientes que impactan a las comunidades migrantes. A través de diálogos y análisis, el show despeja dudas y ayuda a entender las implicaciones de las noticias, combatiendo el miedo y la confusión. Además, celebra historias de resistencia y superación, ofreciendo una visión motivadora y alternativa que destaca los logros y desafíos de los migrantes.

En este episodio, conversamos sobre el Registro de Migrantes, algunas de las dudas más urgentes que han surgido en nuestras comunidades, en qué consiste este registro, qué implicaciones podría tener y cómo prepararnos frente a esta medida controversial. Además, hablaremos sobre la Marcha del 1er de Mayo

Invitados especiales: Adriana Velázquez, colaboradora y organizadora comunitaria; Héctor Rico del Concejo de resistencia en defensa del inmigrante.

Last month, Alberto Aguilar invited me to sit down and chat about his exhibition “a factual account” at ENGAGE Projects.

I’m excited to share part of that conversation tomorrow on Lumpen Radio! If you’re in Chicago, tune in at 105.5 FM. If not, or if you want to stream it, head to lumpenradio.com.