The AMp from Vocalo

The Government reports that over 250 US military veterans have been placed

in immigration removal proceedings in the last 6 years. With support by the Pulitzer

Center, WBEZ reporter Maria Ines Zamudio spoke with more than a dozen of US veterans

currently residing in Tijuana as they try to raise awareness of their situation,

find ways to return home to their families, and gain access to health services for

military veterans. Jill Hopkins spoke with Maria about their cases, why and on what

grounds can US veterans be deported, and whether there's any hope of bring them back

home.

To read the full story on WBEZ, visit:

https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/deported-veterans/4bfad4a2-2407-42f2-9bf4-243fdad21510

A report titled "The Plunder of Black Wealth in Chicago: New Findings on

the Lasting Toll of Predatory Housing Contracts" found that Black families in

Chicago lost between 3 and 4 billion of dollars in wealth because of said contracts

during the 1950s and 60s. Jill Hopkins spoke with WBEZ South Side reporter Natalie

Moore about that report and whether the new Chicago administration and its newly

formed Housing Department will see equity in home ownership a priority issue.

For more info on the report and the story, visit:

https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/contract-buying-robbed-black-families-in-chicago-of-billions/d643ea19-2977-43d7-81c7-1d7a568c5c81

The new film, BEING FRANK takes us back to 1992 where a young man named

Philip is in the throes of teen angst. His dreams are dashed when his overbearing

father, Frank, played by Jim Gaffigan, forbids his son from venturing out on his

own. But Frank's anger at rebellion is hypocritcal since Frank is out here doing

dirty his own self. The film’s director, Miranda Bailey, and the titular Frank: Jim

Gaffigan joined Jill in the studio to talk about the film that out in theaters now.

With a cast of nearly 100 artists and musicians, the Lyric's production of

West Side Story brings new energy and scale to the iconic musical that transports

Shakespeare's story of Romeo and Juliet to the back streets of New York City. Over a

hundred thousand people have already seen the West Side Story since it opened

earlier in the month at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, and there's still time to catch

the immensely popular show between now and June 2nd.

Jill Hopkins sat down with two of the amazing cast members - Amanda Castro (Anita)

and Manuel Stark Santos (Bernardo) to talk about how they got involved in the show,

what it means to have Puerto Rican actors to be cast to play the Sharks and, of

course, their characters' arc and dynamic in the show.

For more info about the production and tickets, visit: https://www.lyricopera.org

PREACH! is a fiery collective of poets and comedians using spoken word and

sketch comedy to seek truth and rage against the machine since 2016. They are

throwing a Block Party at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre on Friday, May 31st, and we

spoke with members Asia Martin and Terrence Carey about their beginnings and their

upcoming show.

For more info about PREACH! visit: https://twitter.com/preachimprov

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM and streams at

vocalo.org

This month, Free Spirit Media in Chicago is celebrating 18 years of

championing youth voices in media. The organization provides teens and young adults

in communities of color on the West and South sides with a comprehensive foundation

in media literacy and hands-on media production experience. We spoke with Founder

& Executive Director, Jeff McCarter about the history and the mission of the

organization and their upcoming FOCUS event on May 30th. For more info about FSM,

programs and events, visit: https://freespiritmedia.org

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM (Chicago) and

streaming at vocalo.org

"SIX" is a pop-concert spectacle that tells the story of King Henry VIII's

six wives, their lives and fate. The electrifying show brings the overshadowed

historical female figures to the forefront as the queens grab the mic and reclaim

their identities. We spoke with Co-Director and Co-Writer Lucy Moss about the

production running through June 30th at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Photo: Liz Lauren

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM and streaming at

vocalo.org

The increase of abortion ban bills across the country is posing a threat to

Roe v. Wade. Alabama, Georgia and Ohio are among the latest conservative states to

pass such bills at the State House level in hopes of taking it all the way to the

the Supreme Court. But folks here in Illinois are working to advance and protect

access to reproductive health, and the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) is currently

being stalled in the Illinois State House. Jill Hopkins spoke with President and CEO

of Planned Parenthood, IL. Jennifer Welch about the anti-abortion bills as well as

the RHA.

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM (Chi) / vocalo.org and

via the Vocalo app.

"Klepper" is the name of the new docuseries from an acclaimed writer and

comedian Jordan Klepper. The ex-Daily Show correspondent, and the host of "The

Opposition with Jordan Klepper," ventures out into the sometimes literal trenches of

different Americans' fights for social change. The show broadcasts on Comedy Central

starting on 5/9/19. Jill Hopkins spoke with Jordan about the new series.

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM (Chi) and vocalo.org

"I wanted Blackness to be an advantage in the world," says Lull Mengesha,

author, entrepreneur and creator of the upcoming sci-fi comedy series "Rise and

Shine." The series explores what happens when the second sun appears in the sky and

only the highly melanated can thrive. Jill Hopkins spoke with Lull about the concept

and how it "flips the script."

For more info about Rise and Shine series as well as how to back the project, visit:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lullmengesha/rise-and-shine-tv-pilot

The Morning AMp airs weekdays 8-10 AM on Vocalo Radio 91.1 FM (Chi) and streaming at

vocalo.org