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Chi Sounds Like

Since 2016 we have been profiling people who give their all to Chicago and enrich us socially and culturally by virtue of their artistry, social justice work, and community-building. Take a listen. Read their words. Become inspired.

Nominate someone for a Chi Sounds Like Feature

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Bekoe Is What Chicago Sounds Like

Kenn Cook Jr. Shares His West Side Story

For Monica Trinidad, Art Is Integral To Revolution

Woolly Mammoth Is Home To The Weird And Wonderful

Taste of Lebanon: Andersonville Lunch Staple Since ‘96

Manual Cinema Shines A New Light On Puppetry

For Poet Helene Achanzar, Chicago Is A City Of Artists

Erin Rembert Finds Tangible Alchemy In Chicago

For Glamhag, Art Is A Love Letter

For Sarita Hernández, Printmaking And Community Activism Are Interconnected

Efren Adkins Finds Their Fire In Chicago

Ashley Johnson Blends Creativity And Community

For Lauren Hersch, Community Should Be A Nest

Erin Alexander Expresses Chicago In Her Own Way

For Latham Zearfoss, Change Is A Chance For Discovery

Tera Murray Finds Human Connection Through Culinary Arts

Anthony Joel Quezada: From Community Organizer to Cook County Commissioner

Gina Lira Spreads Self-Love Through Nail Art

For Mari DeOleo, Clowning Opens The Door To Possibility

Scout Bratt Fights For Autonomy Locally and Internationally

Sacha Mullin Makes Solo Music With A Communal Mindset

JuJu MinXXX Spreads Self-Love Through Burlesque

GIIIVENS Lights Their Path To Visual Artistry

Kenya Elan Finds The Humor In Life’s Frustrations

Vici Howard Amplifies the Impact of Black & Brown Femme Films

Octavia Reese Creates Work At The Intersection of Art And Technology

Darius Dennis Uses Change As His Canvas

Caro Aceves Ignites Community Connection Through Drag

LaVonte Stewart Believes In The Transformative Nature Of Sports

DJ Hiroko Yamamura Uses Passion As Her Guide

David Gauna’s Artwork Blooms Throughout Chicago

For Alyssa Gregory, Dance Is A Vessel For Communication

Bindu Poroori Finds Power In Being Tender

Sulyiman Stokes Visualizes Black Narratives

Shomari Daniels, AKA Zeetus Lapetus, Is Chicago’s Intergalactic Funk DJ

Adia Ivey Shapes Cinematic Narratives Through An Intersectional Lens

Sandra Puebla Harnesses People Power To Reimagine The Political System

Teresa Magaña Builds Space For Culturally Resonant Expression

Through Film, Adam L. McMath Preserves Community History

Daniella Mazzio Believes The Arts Should Be Accessible For Everyone

Through Chicago Votes, Stevie Valles Works To Amplify Chicago Voices

Mary Bowman Advocates For Reproductive Justice In Chicago’s Queer Medical Community

Tarnynon Onumonu Uses Words As Tools To Heal

Daisy Zamora Takes Healing Into Her Own Hands

For Musician-Slash-Reporter Debbie-Marie Brown, Curiosity Is Essential 

Rima Sweiss Shares Palestinian Culture With Chicago

Photographer Eric Strom Captures Chicago History In Real Time

Mayadet Patitucci Cruz Is Healing Chicago Through The Youth

Painting Outside The Lines With Damiane Nickles

For Lucy Angel Camarena, Cultural Heritage Is The Foundation For A Better Chicago

Tyomi Morgan Creates Safe Spaces For Intimacy Work In Film 

For Artist Tonika Lewis Johnson, Chicago’s Map Is The Medium

Darien Sea Builds Community Within Chicago’s DIY Music Scene

Colette Ghunim Radiates Love Through Film

Jordan Ratliff Is Bringing A New Wave Of Theater To Chicago

Journalist Britt Julious Believes In “The Underground, The Underdog And The Avant Garde”

Sentrock Is The Boy Who Wanted To Fly (2017) 

Sam Kirk Works To Break Through Chicago’s Barriers (2017)

Ciera McKissick Is A Champion For Chicago’s Creativity (2018)

For Aymar Jèan Christian, Chicago is Full of Honest Storytellers (2018)

For Ennis Martin, Sci-Fi Has Space For Everyone 

Nina Sánchez Liberates Her Community Through Creativity

Tony Smith Changes the World One Student (and One Photo) at a Time

Painter Ivan Vazquez Works to Leave His Mark on Chicago

David T. Kim Makes Ceramic Objects With Meaning

Omolará Mino Wants Her Students to Know They Can Do It All

Hac Tran Works to Amplify Asia On Argyle

Jeanine Valrie Logan Fights For Maternal Equality and Reproductive Justice

Tempestt Hazel Redefines Who Determines History

Christopher LeMark Uses Coffee and Hip-Hop to Destigmatize Mental Health

For zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o’neal, Art is a Vessel for Connection

James Kao Says Artists Drive the Conversation

Antonio Diaz Oliva Connects Latinidad Academia With ‘Campus’

For Marcela Gallo, Chicago Has A Global Sound

Samer Owaida Wants Liberatory Healing

Luis Tubens Gives Back To Pilsen Through Art And Education

Paige Taul Explores Blackness Through Film

Anjal Chande Embraces The Transformative Nature of Dance

Amber Marsh Highlights Humanity in Puppetry

Kimberly Dixon-Mays Explores the Power of Words

For Djedi Ohm, Tap Dance Is A Vessel For Catharsis

For Naydja Bruton, Music Is About Emotional Connection

Yoni Pizer Sees AIDS Garden Chicago As A “Park With A Purpose”

Xail Hernandez Uses Bicycles To Create Community

For Diana Quiñones Rivera, Documentary Work Is Empowering

Beatrice Scescke Created A Nature Healing Haven In Chicago

Through Energy Healing, Rosé Hernandez Finds Interpersonal Understanding

For Activist Katelyn Johnson, Every Problem Has A Resolution

Joe(y) Saves Lives — And Wants To Teach You How To Save Lives, Too

Andrea Ortiz Believes In People Power

Paul Fitzgerald Finds Connection In Public Space

AnnMarie Brown Cultivates Space For Healing And Growth

For Sarah Ross, Arts Are A Vehicle For Change

Teshika Silver Wants People To See Beauty In Themselves

For Alma Wieser, Chicago Arts Heal And Connect

Sky Cubacub Believes In Radical Visibility

For Darling “Shear” Squire, Chicago Has A Family Dynamic

For Faheem Majeed, Chicago Is His Blank Canvas

Matt Harvey Spreads Love To Chicago

Damon Williams of #LetUsBreatheCollective Says Chicago Is A Place to Organize

Peter Gaona wants you to just live your life!

Natalie Moore Acts As A Conduit For Chicago’s Most Important Stories

Trey Elder Gives Back To Chicago’s Art And Music Scene

ArtReach Exec. Director Karen Benita Reyes Says Chicago Is Steadfast & Sturdy

Chicago DJ/Producer Ariel Zetina Makes Music For People to Dance To

Alicia Nesbary-Moore On How Agriculture Becomes Activism

Ramon Norwood Believes Food Is A Right, Not A Privilege

Simone Freeman Brings Equity And Unity Through Food

Norman Teague, Designer and Educator, Says Chicago Is Unity …

Keewa Nurullah, Founder of Kido, Says Chicago Is Untapped Potential …

Darius Parker Says Chicago is a Beautiful Place to Live, Learn and Thrive …

OneGoal’s Pam Johnson Davis Says Chicago Is Deeply Human …

Speak Up Director Megan Brand Says Chicago Is Vibrant …

Howard Brown’s Channyn Lynne Parker Says Chicago Embodies Individuality

UChicago Organizer Erika Dudley Says Chicago Has Radical Imagination …

KT’s Kids Founder Katie Augustyn Says Chicago Is Generosity

Jahmal Cole Says Chicago is an Activist City

Seobia Rivers Says Chicago Is Sharing Your Resources

Justin Cunningham Says Chicago Is Being Active In Your Community

Rich Gardner Says Chicago Is Diversity and Resilience

Francis Almeda Says Chicago is Real and Genuine

Bumbac Joe Says Chicago Has Fresh Charm

Graffiti Artist Kane One Says Chicago is Democracy in Action

Artist Brandon Breaux Says Chicago is Thoughtful & Honest

DJ CQQCHiFRUIT Talks Finding Your Community

How Professor Lourdes Torres is Rewriting Latinx Narratives…

Isabel Gonzalez-Smith Talks La Villita and Latina Motherhood

How Ivan Resendiz Makes Classical Music a Tool for Justice

Chicago’s Gloe One Makes Art and Takes Action

Leslie Pappas is Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders and Innovators

Lina Fritz Gives Young People the Tools to Succeed Through Her Work at OneGoal…

Prevention Educator Maggie Arthur is Listening to the Youth

Jamila Parham Is a Technology Unicorn

Loyola Professor George Villanueva Fosters Creativity to Spawn Social Change

Organizer Imani Rupert Gordon On Finding Beauty and Working To Be More Thoughtful

Urban Farmer Xavier MaatRa Is Building Trust

Organizer LaSaia Wade Says Chicago Is A Pinnacle of Organizing and Liberation

Reunion Co-Founder Elijah McKinnon On Gratitude, Imagination, and Manifesting a World Outside Oppression

Fee Lion Talks Self Love, Chicago Couture, and Stepping Into Your Power.

Elise Swopes Is A Digital Media Visionary

Nancy Garcia Loza is a Pocha Playwright

Ireashia Bennett Loves that Chicagoans Just Do It

Tanji Harper is Here to Spread Love.

Ali Barthwell Is A Truth Teller