Show Up Chicago

Show Up Chicago is the new, improved monthly gathering hosted by Blue Beginning and Indivisible Chicago.  On the fourth (usually) Monday of every month, we come together at the Hideout, Chicago’s most highly evolved saloon, for community, camaraderie, and conversation about the issues that concern us all—city, state, and national. It’s a chance to hear from well-informed guest speakers, to meet and mix with like-minded folks, and discuss what’s happening, what needs to happen, and how we can make it happen. 

Scroll down for action items from our September 29 session.

September 29 Our guest speakers Richard Day, of the must-read Substack newsletter A City That Works, and Andre Vasquez, alderman of the 40th ward, went way deep on housing problems and solutions, a fascinating conversation heard by a packed house. Watch the video here. 

July 28 Our guests were State Senator Graciela Guzman and ICIRR deportation defender Rey Wences, telling us what to do when we see ICE.  Watch the video here.

June 23 Block Club reporter Manny Ramos and state rep Kam Buckner talked transit. Watch the video here.

May 12  We heard from the leaders of local activist groups including Anu Sarda from Swing Left Chicago, Reid McCollum from the Progressive Turnout Project, and Kevin Naglich, who's just established a new Indivisible Chicago chapter on the northwest side. They told us what they do, what they offer, how to plug in, and how to organize your own thing. Watch the video here.

April 28  We discussed the Trump administration’s attack on lawyers and the law with Ed Yohnka of ACLU Illinois and Sheila Bedi of Northwestern University law school. Watch the video here.

March 31  We launched the new series with two of our favorite pundits, Tribune investigative reporter Gregory Royal Pratt and man-for-all-media Brandon Pope. Watch the video here.