Best Axios Chicago Podcasts (2024)

1
Maha Jweied: Businesses must lead on second chance hiring 21:45

22h ago21:45

21:45

One in every three adults in the U.S. has some kind of criminal record. That makes finding a job much harder, and has consequences not just for individuals and communities, but also takes a major economic toll on the country. One leader says businesses can advance the effort for so-called second chance hiring much faster than government. How her or…

1
Alloysius Attah: Helping small-scale farmers thrive 19:55

8d ago19:55

19:55

Climate change, inflation, and unreliable supply chains are just some of the challenges small-scale farmers globally are facing today. Alloysius Attah grew up on a farm in Ghana and has seen it all first hand. Now, as tech advances in agriculture and AI have opened new possibilities for farmers, he's helping small-scale farmers take advantage by pr…

1
Reshma Saujani: Using AI to put moms first 19:16

15d ago19:16

19:16

Reshma Saujani, founder of Girl Who Code, saw the pandemic push women out of the workforce and make existing workplace inequalities worse. "We have not made the workforce work for moms," she says. With her campaign called Moms First, she launched a tool last year that uses generative AI to help moms-to-be apply for paid leave benefits in New York. …

1
Rich Buery: Fighting poverty with AI 19:22

24d ago19:22

19:22

Some 38 million people live in poverty in this country – nearly 12 percent of the population. The problem remains especially bad in New York City, where the poverty level among kids alone has jumped 66% since 2021. The Robin Hood Foundation has provided millions of dollars of grants to fight poverty in New York for more than 3 decades. Now, its CEO…

1
Sec. Jena Griswold: Protecting elections officials from violent threats 21:08

29d ago21:08

21:08

Elections officials have faced violent threats since the 2020 presidential election, and five months out from the next vote, Secretaries of State are on the front lines. Colorado's Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold has seen a 600% rise in threats against her in recent months. Niala spoke to Secretary Griswold about protecting elections an…

1
Ed Yong: Birding for a fulfilled life 21:45

1M ago21:45

21:45

Interest in birdwatching has been booming, and Ed Yong is one of the millions who have fallen hard. Yong is a Pulitzer-prize winning science writer previously of the Atlantic, where he was one of the first journalists to deeply investigate long COVID. He says birding has has a transformative impact on his life in the last year, and hopes the same m…

1
Steve Young: What private equity could do for the NFL 20:52

1M ago20:52

20:52

In his more than 15 years in pro football, NFL quarterback Steve Young made his name on the field as one of the most efficient passers of all time. But after his retirement, he turned his career to private equity, co-founding the firm HGGC in 2007. Now, Young is watching the recent surge in private equity investments in sports teams, and making the…

1
Episode 130: Fake fish, black jello, José André dog treats 46:41

2M ago46:41

46:41

This week on Chewing, Monica recaps her Chicago adventures in beef, beer, bowls, and baseball. Then, she tastes fake fish and talks to Aqua Cultured Foods co-founder and CGO Brittany Chibe! Lastly, Louisa dares Monica & Iris to eat black jello from Costco and dares our dogs to eat treats from José Andrés! chewing.xyz chicagotribune.com/chewingpodca…

1
Fei-Fei Li: AI's new possibilities for robots 20:44

2M ago20:44

20:44

Fei-Fei Li is widely known as the godmother of AI, thanks to her groundbreaking research in the field. You can draw a straight line from her early work to the generative AI of today. Now, she's at the forefront of what comes next, which includes bringing together generative AI and robotics for use across industries. Niala visited Dr. Li's lab at St…

1
Rep. Miller-Meeks: The GOP can lead on climate change 21:23

2M ago21:23

21:23

Republican lawmakers have come a long way on climate change since the days of tossing snowballs in the U.S. Senate a decade ago. Today, an 80+ member Conservative Climate Caucus wants to elevate Republicans' voices on climate, while maintaining conservative principles. But former President Donald Trump is still at odds with that mission. The Caucus…

1
Sue Bird: "Society finally caught up" with women's basketball 16:54

2M ago16:54

16:54

Retired WNBA legend Sue Bird knows just how far women's basketball has come. Arguably the greatest WNBA player in history, she was also part of negotiating a major collective bargaining agreement in 2019 that set the stage for big changes for players. "We've been trying to get people to pay attention, to see what we've all seen behind closed doors,…

1
Avril Benoît: Is ignoring humanitarian law the new norm? 21:02

2M ago21:02

21:02

Hospitals are supposed to be safe havens in a war. But Avril Benoît, the U.S. executive director for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says that's not the case in places including Sudan, where this week marks a year since the start of a brutal civil war. More than 14,000 people there have been killed, 8 million have been displaced, and some 25 million …

1
Duncan McIntyre: Electrifying school bus fleets 19:43

3M ago19:43

19:43

The majority of U.S. school buses today are diesel, emitting pollutants harmful to the environment and to kids. Highland Electric Fleets is behind the largest electric school bus project in America, and its founder and CEO says the buses are healthier, quieter, and a cost savings over time. But upgrading is complicated and costly, and uptake is slo…

1
Anna Hehir: Banning the most dangerous autonomous weapons 21:04

3M ago21:04

21:04

Autonomous weapons are no longer science fiction - and they're becoming a top priority for major military powers. Anna Hehir of the Future of Life Institute says we need an international treaty to ban some of the most dangerous autonomous weapons, and that we have a unique window now to do just that. Plus: Axios co-founder Mike Allen on how Washing…

1
Alondra Nelson: AI chatbots get elections info wrong 21:13

3M ago21:13

21:13

Recent elections have shown us the power of bad actors using AI. But what about AI itself that's just...flawed? Dr. Alondra Nelson has investigated this, with surprising results. Nelson was involved in some of the government's earliest talks about how to thoughtfully manage AI and democracy during her tenure in the White House Office of Science and…

1
Sen. Joe Manchin: What's at stake when we lose the center 20:47

3M ago20:47

20:47

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin may have a D next to his name, but he's been known to buck his party on major issues, including climate. In November, the Senator announced his retirement from the Senate, just as other more moderate Senate voices like Kyrsten Sinema and Mitt Romney depart, too. Niala speaks to Sen. Manchin live on stage at the Axi…

1
Lee Saunders: Flexing union muscle 20:43

4M ago20:43

20:43

U.S. workers today have enormous momentum and leverage. 2023 was a year of walkouts, with the number of U.S. workers on strike more than doubling. Lee Saunders is president of AFSCME, one of the country's largest unions, and he says with workers engaged as never before, this is the moment to make progress for American labor. The power of workers in…

1
How tech-savvy author Cory Doctorow got scammed

4M ago

—

The American Dialect Society’s 2023 word of the year? Enshittification. And our guest on this edition of Chicago Public Square Podcasts, Cory Doctorow, is the guy who coined it. Hear him define it—and his harrowing explanation of how he, one of the world’s most tech-savvy authors and journalists, got scammed out of $8,000 before he could figure out…

1
Episode 129: Chef Geno Bahena, La Grande Boucherie, John’s Food & Wine 48:49

4M ago48:49

48:49

This week, Monica and Louisa talk about mole, French food, and corned beef. First, Monica talks to veteran chef Geno Bahena who’s now cooking at Manchamanteles. Then, Monica talks to Emil Stefkov, founder of La Grande Boucherie, which claims it’s the biggest restaurant in Chicago. Finally, Louisa reveals details on the corned beef sandwich at John’…

1
Dr. Sara Naseri: Menstrual blood as a diagnostic tool 20:59

4M ago20:59

20:59

It's estimated only one percent of medical research spending globally goes toward female-specific conditions that aren't related to cancer. But even as underfunding of women's health persists -- companies focused on women's health are innovating. Dr. Sara Naseri is working to reframe menstrual blood as a diagnostic tool rather than waste, with her …

1
Sharif El-Mekki: Building the Black teacher pipeline 17:56

4M ago17:56

17:56

New laws in at least 14 states are forcing teachers to rethink how they teach history when it comes to race in particular. For the last day of this Black History Month, one education leader on why having more Black teachers, and leaning into Black teaching traditions, can help all students get a better handle on American history. Plus, Axios Miami'…

1
Victor Pickard: A new business model for journalism 21:11

4M ago21:11

21:11

Last year was one of the worst in recent memory for layoffs across media. Job losses in digital, broadcast and print news increased almost 71 percent from 2022, according to a recent report. Victor Pickard, professor of media policy and political economy at the University of Pennsylvania, says the current situation amounts to a "systemic market fai…

1
Helen Fisher: How we choose who we love 21:13

5M ago21:13

21:13

Anthropologist Helen Fisher has long been trying to answer the question: why do you fall in love with one person rather than another? Her research says we've evolved four basic styles of thinking and behaving linked with the dopamine, serotonin, testosterone, and estrogen systems. Fisher used that research to create a questionnaire that's been take…

1
Kristin Kobes Du Mez: Inside the Evangelical MAGA vote 21:15

5M ago21:15

21:15

It's harder than ever to define what it means to be evangelical in America. But one constant? The Trump support. "The MAGA base is very real inside these evangelical spaces and it's not accurate to try to separate them," says scholar Kristin Kobes Du Mez, who herself has an Evangelical background. She tells Niala why white Evangelical power is stro…

1
Sean Daniels: Using humor on stage to combat addiction 20:11

5M ago20:11

20:11

This marks the end of so-called "Dry January," a phenomenon that's been growing in popularity. But for many, alcohol is still a daily struggle; it's the most common substance abuse addiction in the United States, affecting at least 1 out of every 10 people. Sean Daniels is a playwright and recovering addict whose critically-acclaimed autobiographic…

1
Songyee Yoon: Transforming gaming using responsible AI 21:16

5M ago21:16

21:16

There are more than 3 billion video gamers worldwide. Many come--and stay--for the community. Today: AI is changing gaming for these communities, and the head of one major video game developer says we need to advance gaming for users through responsible AI. Niala talks with Songyee Yoon of NCSoft, from the Axios House at the World Economic Forum, a…

1
Episode 128: Maxwells Trading, Feld, next gen chefs 47:28

5M ago47:28

47:28

This week, Monica and Louisa talk about the next gen of chefs and King Cake season. Monica interviews chef Erling Wu-Bower who just opened Maxwell Trading, plus chef and TikTok star Jacob Potashnick who’s planning to open Feld in Chicago. Then, Louisa gives us the rundown on Roscas, and what she's hoping for King Cake season. chewing.xyz chicagotri…

1
Fawn Sharp: The world needs Indigenous leaders 21:15

5M ago21:15

21:15

Indigenous leaders are helming efforts to tackle the world's problems, from climate change to violence against women. And Fawn Sharp, Vice President of the Quinault Indian Nation and former President of the National Congress of American Indians, says "the world is starting to recognize they need us more than we need them." Niala Boodhoo sat down wi…

1
Noah Feldman: Cracks in the Constitution 21:09

6M ago21:09

21:09

January 6th, 2021 put our founding document to the test. And constitutional scholar Noah Feldman says, that although we survived our stress test, "our EKG went up and down a lot more than you would like it to do in what is supposed to be a 21st century democracy." What we've learned about the strength of our Constitution--and where its cracks show-…

1
Misty Copeland: Ballet as activism 21:58

6M ago21:58

21:58

Misty Copeland is the rare ballerina who's recognizable well beyond the world of ballet. In 2015, she became the first Black woman to reach the title of principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Throughout her career, Misty has spoken out about being one of the few Black dancers on the professional stage, and why early and equa…

1
2023: The year China's economic miracle ended 21:15

6M ago21:15

21:15

For years, we've heard that China is an unstoppable economic engine. In 2023, that changed. One stat says it all: in the third quarter this year, foreign direct investment in China was negative for the first time in modern history. Today for the holidays we're bringing you another special episode of 1 big thing where we spotlight a leader from with…

1
Episode 127: Zooey Deschanel, Mike Sula, Malört 40:27

6M ago40:27

40:27

This week, Monica and Louisa talk about the holidays, health, and drinks! Monica interviews Zooey Deschanel about her health app. Monica attends the 90th anniversary party for Malört and talks to our pal and James Beard award winning writer and pop-up maestro Mike Sula about his secret homemade drink made with wormwood. Finally, Louisa shares her e…

1
Daniel Lubetzky and Lonnie Ali: Fighting hate with humanity 20:49

6M ago20:49

20:49

"As a passionate Muslim and a passionate Jew, we have come together to humbly share a path forward for how to transcend the construct of 'us vs. them' and side with humanity instead." That's from a recent open letter to college students across America, written by Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND Snacks, and Lonnie Ali, co-founder of the Muhammad Al…

1
Dr. Fredi Otto: Attributing extreme weather to climate change 20:47

7M ago20:47

20:47

Extreme weather is being increasingly linked to climate change, thanks to the work of scientists the world over. But Dr. Fredi Otto's contribution is unique: she is getting it done faster. That hurricane, that drought, that wildfire? Her team at World Weather Attribution can say the extent to which climate change was a factor, but within weeks, not…

1
Harjeet Singh: Getting rich countries to pay up for climate change 21:45

7M ago21:45

21:45

UN climate conferences don't generally start off with a bang. But COP28 in Dubai this year did just that, when on day one a Loss and Damage fund was created to support developing nations hit hardest by climate change. It's been a 30-some year fight to get here for climate activists like Harjeet Singh, but he says the new fund is not enough. How one…

1
Episode 126: Kevin Pang, Michele Norris, power foods 1:22:42

7M ago1:22:42

1:22:42

This week, Monica and Louisa catch up after getting stuffed at Thanksgiving. Monica talks to America’s Test Kitchen’s Kevin Pang about his new book co-written with his dad, “A Very Chinese Cookbook: 100 Recipes From China And Not China (But Still Really Chinese).” Then, Monica chats with Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Michele Norris abou…

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