Soundboard Saturday is the pulse of Chicago's performing arts scene, representing working artists with discussions around creative culture, open-stage events, and artist resources. Expect a colorful lineup of special guests who represent our vast ecosystem and featured performances. Join the conversation with your host, Sam Thousand, artist advocate and founder of the ChiBrations App.

Part 6 focuses on borders, race & multiculturalism. This program is dedicated to Palestinian freedom and the liberation of indigenous people everywhere.

The poem Affirmation, written by Assata Shakur, was read by Samantha Rodgers and Lujain Al-Saleh. Karla Cisneros read Gloria Anzaldua’s poem Borderland. Joseph Young read Open Roads, a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye. Bassam, Nabil, and Mr. Lou shared some of their personal border stories.

Music by Jamie Branch, Ry Cooder, Sarah Hopkins, Cate Le Bon, and Mike Reed.


Joining on this week’s episode, the visionaries from Brave Space Alliance: Nikki Patin (Interim Executive Director), Ebony Thompson (Senior Facilities and Operations Team Specialist), and Jaheim Jones (Outreach Coordinator), Chicago’s first Black- and trans-led LGBTQ+ center. Born from the urgent need to bridge the resource gap between the North and South Sides, Brave Space Alliance provides essential food access, housing support, healthcare navigation, and identity-affirming services to the community. ✊🏿

Tune in as we discuss their history and why their work is the ultimate example of what it looks like when communities build systems of care where institutions have failed to deliver them.

On this episode, our host Kamilah Rashied @shesgotta will be in conversation with producer, arts administrator, and consultant Kendall Karg @kendallkarg along with curator, educator, and arts administrator J. Gibran Villalobos @thegibran

This week's theme, "can I get a witness" explores the art of capturing the illusive "industry" friend (who actually becomes a real one). this promises to be a very candid conversation about the glue that keeps enduring friendships together through all of life's changes, challenges and career pivots.

On this episode of Dish with David: our guest is Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno. One of the kindest, hard working and most genuine people, Tony is a proud Italian Chicagoan. He and his partner Ciro Longobardo bring the best of Italy and the Midwest to the intersection of Grand, Milwaukee and Halsted where everything is made in house from scratch including all of their breads, pastas, and gelato!

Chicago-based production designer, set decorator, and artist Aaliyah Shae (@theaaliyahshae) for a conversation about world-building on and off-screen.

We’ll get into art direction, storytelling through space and detail, Chicago creativity, community care, and the work happening through The People’s Panther Party ✨

Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, and Tia Lessin, co-director and producer of Steal This Story, Please!, join Ed Marszewski, Founding Director of Public Media Institute and makers of Lumpen Radio, for a conversation on the power of independent media, the importance of telling our own stories, and the daily work of building journalism that refuses to look away.

Their new documentary Steal This Story, Please! follows decades of reporting through war, protest, climate crisis, occupation, police repression, and the fight for truly independent media.

🌟 Ashley Barlow and Tracy Evans, founders of Ragbagalia, join Sandra Treviño in the studio to discuss their inaugural festival taking place on May 16 at Sleeping Village. Joining the conversation are two performing artists: MCAmy of She’s Crafty and the legendary Renee of ESG.

Inspired by the radical space-making of the Riot Grrrl movement (specifically the histories of Girls to the Front and Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl), Ragbagalia is a mission-driven arts festival designed to center women, femme, and queer voices in a scene that often overlooks them. 🌟

🛸 MACHOMAN VS. SUPERGIRL

Welcome to the newest episode of the Mex Files...

MACHOMAN vs. LA SUPERGIRL, an epic battle of the sexes at the End Of Times. For this week’s show we have invited two amazing poets who have been analysing the myths and projections about gender both in the US southwest and Mexico.

Logan Phillips, poet laureate of Tucson Arizona is here to rant about growing up in Tombstone, Arizona surrounded by gunfights, outlaws and Hollywood cowboys.

Also with us is Delia Zafiro, rapper mermaid from Veracruz, Mexico, exploring the ultimate powers of girlhood and womanhood in contemporary patriarchy.

MC’s Gomez-Pena and Aranza Cortes along with DJ extraordinaire Charly Garcia collectively broker this tri-city poetic jam! ❤️‍🔥



In this episode or Preserving Disorder, we go to Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee! Featuring interviews with musicians Cleo Reed and Wu Fei, WUTK radio director/festival worker Sherleen Mwaura, and historian Jack Neely. Music based on guest recommendations. A shorter version of this episode aired on May 24. 2026.