Becky Carroll, founder and president of C-Strategies, joins Justin to discuss a variety of topics including the state of women in Illinois government, co-founding “Illinois Say No More,” an open letter regarding the pervasive culture of sexual harassment in Illinois politics, changing the culture of sexism and misogyny in politics, how the role of spokesperson has changed in the era of Trump, the importance of transparency in government, how communications has changed with the advent of social media and why Chicago is the toughest place […]

Award-winning film director Gabe Polsky joins Justin and special guest Mary Sandberg Boyle to discuss his new film “In Search of Greatness.” Gabe talks about the science behind what makes someone the best in their field, the importance of creativity and imagination to great athletes, the concept of “rage to master,” the process of putting together the film, the benefits of being well-rounded and how greatness isn’t just related to sports. The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast is easy to find. Listen […]

Zygmunt Dyrkacz and Lela Dyrkacz join Justin to discuss the history of the Chopin Theatre and the importance of the theater to the Wicker Park community. Zygmunt and Lela talk about the building that houses the Chopin Theatre being 100 years old, what they knew about the building when they bought it in 1990, what they learned about the building since 1990, what it means to be part of the theatrical community in Wicker Park, how the neighborhood has changed over […]

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. This morning, Justin speaks with Dr. Garland L. Thomas-McDavid, the President of North Lawndale College Prep, about what separates North Lawndale College Prep from other high schools in Chicago, the importance of students receiving compassion from their educational program, the core values of the high school and what they do to get their students prepared to not just graduate from high school but to graduate from college.

It’s the “The Download on Chicago Business” sponsored by Signature Bank. This morning, Justin speaks with Sol Flores, the founding Executive Director of La Casa Norte, the top organization serving homeless youth and families in Chicago. Sol talks about La Casa Norte’s mission, the amount of CPS children that don’t have a home, the importance of realizing that homelessness is not an identity, how the private sector can help Chicago’s homeless and if we are seeing a change in the way government approaches […]

Attorney, former Hispanic Democratic Organization (HDO) chieftain and longtime aide to Mayor Daley Victor Reyes joins Justin to talk about his career, the upcoming Chicago mayoral race, why there are so few Latino candidates for mayor, why money has become the driving force behind competitive elected officials, how he started out in Chicago politics, the history of Latino politics in Chicago, the original goal of the HDO, if he misses being involved with government on a day-to-day basis, the status […]

The incredible Chicago artist SoloSam joins Justin to talk about his career, his recent EP, “ITIS,” his new video for “Breezin’ & Coolin‘,” how he’s grown and improved in 2018, how the work he is doing now differs from his earlier material, how he was able to find his voice, how he continues to stay true to himself, what it means to be a Chicago artist, why the Chicago scene has been so successful, the importance of consistency and what […]

Journalist, author, filmmaker, Windy City Times owner and new Chicago Reader publisher Tracy Baim joins Justin for a great conversation about her new role at the Chicago Reader, what the Reader meant to her while she was growing up, wanting to curate a special print journalism experience, the importance of the digital format, what makes Chicago a special market for alternative weeklies, what the Reader does to survive, how her role at Windy City Times prepared her for this new […]

The hilarious actress and comedian Erica Rhodes joins Justin to talk about her career, getting used to the routing of being on the road, how she continues to develop her act, the way she sets herself apart from other comics, the tight community of comedians in Los Angeles, the way her family responds to being part of her act, how her life and career are continually a work in progress and her upcoming show at North Bar. The Download with Justin Kaufmann Podcast […]

Actor, comedian and writer Ike Barinholtz joins Justin to discuss his new movie, “The Oath.” Ike talks about the challenges involved in directing the film, where the idea for the film came from, when he started becoming interested in politics, why he chooses to be vocal about his political beliefs, the difficulty finding comedy during the current political climate, what it was like doing a movie with his brother, how he has used his Chicago improv training throughout his career, […]