In this special edition of the Crisis Cast, we'll hear the personal account of a dangerous trek across multiple borders in 2023. We invite you to listen in on Thom Serafin's intimate conversation with a couple from Venezuela, who traveled on foot and on top of train cars in search of the American Dream. Lissa Druss and Thom Serafin set the stage for this family's story with a powerful dialogue about the challenges of managing immigration.

We'll hear why a young family would risk it all to leave their homeland, what life in Chicago was like during the winter of 2024, and what sustained their hope during their treacherous journey. The policies discussed do not reflect those of the current Trump administration. This episode was originally released in January of 2024.

For 30 years, Chris Bury was at the forefront of covering the biggest global and national stories at ABC News. Today he's teaching the next generation of journalists at DePaul University. Chris says the two most important words in journalism are still -- go there.

Richard Porter believes this is a moment worth seizing in the shifting landscape of Illinois politics. That's why Porter is passionately testing the waters as a potential Republican candidate for Dick Durbin's U.S. Senate seat.

In this episode, Porter joins Lissa Druss to preach bipartisanship as essential for effective governance. You'll hear how he defines Americanism. Plus, why he's concerned about government's penchant to rule over people, instead of serving their needs. Richard Porter is a seasoned attorney and former Republican National Committeeman, who served as a senior domestic policy adviser to President George W. Bush.

Dagmar Braun Celeste was born in Nazi-occupied Austria, she authored her own Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies, which led her to collaborative human rights work with both Rosalyn Carter and Mother Theresa. Dagmar eventually made her home in Ohio, and fed her passion for politics as the state's First Lady.

In 2002, she was secretly ordained as a Catholic priest on the Danube River with six other women. The ordination led to her excommunication by the Roman Catholic Church. During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom get to the heart of why she accepted the call to ordination -- even when she knew it would not be accepted by the Church.

What happened to the bishop who ordained Ms. Celeste? What kind of advice did Mother Theresa share? What did the Carters grieve most following Jimmy's loss to Ronald Reagan? There are a lot of questions with surprising answers during this visit in our chat room.

This episode was originally released in November of 2023 -- featuring the Crisis Cast hero William Kamkwamba. His story is best told in the film The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.

After nearly 16 years as a magnetic voice on Chicago radio, Amy Jacobson is turning the page to a digital platform all her own. The former WIND morning host joins Lissa and Thom in our chat room to share her vision for Amy Jacobson Live. Amy also reflects on the journey that took her from television journalism across seven states to conservative talk radio in her hometown. Join us for this conversation about demanding truth from powerful politicians, and denying power to those who seek to crush your dreams.

After nearly 16 years as a magnetic voice on Chicago radio, Amy Jacobson is turning the page to a digital platform all her own. The former WIND morning host joins Lissa and Thom in our chat room to share her vision for Amy Jacobson Live.  Amy also reflects on the journey that took her from television journalism across seven states to conversative talk radio in her hometown. Join us for this conversation about demanding truth from powerful politicians, and denying power to those who seek to crush your dreams. 

Gilda's Club Chicago has a remarkable business story to tell about innovative perseverance. How did CEO LauraJane Hyde's team survive and thrive post-pandemic? They looked inside the work they've been great at for nearly three decades -- serving families and individuals impacted by cancer.

In this episode, Lissa Druss talks with LauraJane about the 27-year evolution of Gilda's Club, their meaningful outreach inside schools, and the moment in LauraJane's childhood that defined her calling as a community advocate.

Plus, we'll celebrate the impact of Ann & Thom Serafin's work as chair's of the 2025 Gilda's Club Gala.