Shahzmeen Hussain
A data analyst by trade, Chicago-based artist, Lisa Mishra, became a Bollywood sensation, literally overnight, when her cover of “Tareefan”, a mash-up of the Veere Di Wedding song by the same name, and DJ Snake’s “Let me Love You”, went uber-viral. For this week’s Global Notes, Lisa, comes to WBEZ, her “literal favorite radio station”, for a sit-down with Jerome McDonnell and Catalina Maria Johnson of Vocalo’s Beat Latino. We’ll play some of Lisa’s tunes and hear the story about her rocket-like journey to fame.
Chicago-based digital art group, Digital Tapestries will premier its new film, “Roots Grow Together,” this weekend at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Digital Tapestries’ founder, Hart Ginsburg is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and initially used this platform as art therapy for his clients. Having lived in Japan, he incorporates aspects of Eastern philosophy into his interactive books and films. Ginsburg joins Worldview to discuss the themes and the intercultural influence in his new film. Joining him is Porter Green, who specializes in working with transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. The film premier will be followed by a workshop and panel discussion at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Sunday, September 9, at 11 am. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
On this Labor Day, Art Design Chicago will present Living Architecture, a multifaceted exhibition focusing on the role of immigrant communities in building Chicago’s culture. The program, funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art, will highlight the works of over 50 contemporary immigrant artists. Jan Tichy is a participating immigrant artist, with a background in art education from Israel. Tichy uses video, sculpture, architecture and photography to create conceptual work that is socially and politically engaging. He is also one of two artists commissioned by the Terra Foundation. Joining us to discuss are Tichy and Elizabeth Glassman, President and CEO of the Terra Foundation. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
Chicago-based Dancemakers forum (CDF) brings SHareOUT to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) this weekend. The mini dance festival, featuring six lab artists, will celebrate 15 years of enabling local choreographers to tell their individual stories through what’s called “imaginative dance.” Joshua Ishmon is one of CDF’s six lab artists premiering his latest work “Redefining BLACK: Transforming Perceptions through Conversation, Music, and Movement.” He seeks to challenge negative perceptions associated with all things “Black” through community discussions and creative work. Ishmon’s project is influenced from these discussions and his travels to Bulgaria and South Africa.Joining us to discuss the origin and schedule of the festival is Yolanda Cursach, curator of performance at the MCA. Artists will take the Edlis Neeson Theater stage at MCA tonight and tomorrow. Also our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
Actor Adrian Grenier, the star of HBO’s Entourage, has been focusing his attention less on the big screen and more on cleaning up oceans. An estimated 170 million straws are used per day in the United States, according to consulting firm Technomic, and Grenier believes a healthy environment can begin by reducing single-plastic straws. Grenier, the newly appointed goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, co-founded Lonely Whale — a nonprofit focused on ocean advocacy. Its team has also been discussing alternatives to single-use plastic straws with companies like Starbucks, which recently announced it will replace them with recyclable lids and compostable straws by 2020.
The Windy City Carnival returns this weekend for its 6th annual cultural celebration of the West Indies and the Caribbean islands. The Carnival was first started in 1994 but gradually lost its appeal by 2011. That’s when migrants, Kirvan Audain and wife, Lystra Audain realized its potential to unite people of their heritage and co-founded it as the Windy City West Indian Carnival. The Carnival is full of sights and sounds celebrating food, music and dance of the islands. But that’s not all. According to the Audains, it’s a “party with a mission,” as they use this platform to educate other communities about their culture and serve the underprivileged. They also help the Caribbean population in the process of naturalization. This year, the Carnival will begin with a parade of 11 masquerade bands playing Jamaican, Belizean and Haitian music. The parade will also feature handmade costumes, traditional dances and steel pan music, surrounded by vendors selling authentic food and crafts. According to the Audains’, the highlight of the Carnival is the Parade of Bands competition, where mas bands compete for the 2018 Windy City Carnival Midwest Band of the Year. The Carnival is tomorrow, August 18 from 11a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Midway Plaisance in Hyde Park. Joining us to discuss the Carnival are co-founders Kirvan and Lystra Audain. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
Rashida Tlaib, Democratic primary winner of Michigan’s 13th District, is set to become the first Muslim woman elected into Congress come November. She will run unopposed and was to succeed Rep. John Conyers, Jr. from Michigan. He resigned due to sexual harassment accusations. Born to Palestinian immigrants, Tlaib also served as the first Muslim woman in Michigan’s State Legislature. In 2016, Tlaib was dragged out by security for confronting then presidential nominee Donald Trump during a campaign speech in Michigan. Tlaib has publicly promised to fight President Donald Trump’s misogyny and challenge American Islamophobia. Following her win, she tweeted, “growing up in Detroit taught me better than to stand by as people’s rights are violated. My roots as a Palestinian American are strong and important. I believe every human being deserves to live with dignity.” Tlaib is a strong advocate for Black Lives Matter and believes that her win comes from the predominantly African American community in the 13th District. Tlaib joins Worldview to discuss her heritage, her political concerns, and the representation of Muslim women in American politics.
The youth of Bangladesh took to the streets after a bus accident killed two students and injured several others in Dhaka on July 29, 2018. What followed was a series of massive public demonstrations speaking up against poor road safety laws. Students waited at checkpoints chanting “we want justice” and checking for valid driver’s licenses for nine consecutive days. Government authorities attempted to control this unrest with batons, tear gas and rubber bullets and disabled internet services to limit the spreading of the news. Supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League Party also assaulted and threatened journalists and activists covering the protests. Renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist, Shahidul Alam, was arrested for speaking live with Al Jazeera. He has been sent to prison as of today. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and UN agencies have expressed concern for road safety in Bangladesh. Violence from the police has raised concerns about the government’s authoritarianism and inhibition of free speech. Similar youth-led protests in the past point to deeper corruption in the country than what lies on the surface, according to human rights activists. Joining us to discuss youth-led movements in Bangladesh is Vidhi Doshi, India’s correspondent for The Washington Post. Doshi is based in New Delhi and has previously covered several similar issues in Bangladesh.
ÉSSO Afrojam Funkbeat doesn’t play by the rules. ÉSSO is a Chicago musical band started in 2013 by Mexican-American songwriter and producer Armando Pérez. Band members Armando Pérez, Kevin Miller, Dan Lieber, Ezra Lange, Diana Mosquera, Puerko Pitzotl, Jess Anzaldua, Matt Davis, and Luis Tubens, come from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Their musical inspiration is taken from North, Central and South America, as well as Spain and the Caribbean. This creates a combination of dance music with different styles and voices. Performances often include guitarists, bass, brass horns, Mexican cumbia, dancing, singing and spoken word poetry. ÉSSO’s unpredictable blend of musical genres creates a global experience and unifies its audience. Joining us to discuss the cultural and musical diversity in ÉSSO is Sandra Antongiorgi, a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and visual artist. She will be performing at the ¡ESSO! Afrojam Funkbeat Vinyl Release with Beats y Batería this Saturday, August 11 at Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln Chicago. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
In October, 2008 — 3 years before the Syrian war — Syrian short story writer and poet Osama Alomar moved to Chicago in hopes of publishing his work, only to realize that surviving in America meant hard work. He found himself driving a cab from the crack of dawn to the end of day, while working with his friend and translator, C.J. Collins, to translate some of his works from Arabic to English. When the war broke out in 2011, Alomar lost his home along with several manuscripts and unfinished novels. He has not returned to Syria since. His homesickness influenced his current work-in-progress — a novel about the tragedies of the Syrian war. Alomar is known for his very short story writing style — al-qisa al-qasira jiddan — also adopted by several Syrian and Lebanese authors, such as Khalil Gibran, his inspiration. Alomar will be joining us to discuss his latest work, Teeth of the Comb and Other Short Stories, a compilation of his stories translated into English. The official book reading will be at 7 p.m. tonight at The Book Cellar on 4736-38 N Lincoln Ave. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!
The fear of being deported looms over millions of immigrant communities under the Trump administration. President Trump tweeted in June that anyone who has entered the U.S. illegally must be subjected to removal without any judicial process. Detroit-based visual journalist, Rachel Woolf, will join us to discuss the narratives of undocumented immigrants and her latest project, “Deported: An American Division.” It highlights the story of Lourdes Salazar Bautista who was deported to Mexico in 2017 and split from her U.S born children, after living in the country for 20 years. Woolf uses documentary photography, videography and portraiture to show aspects of humanity intersecting with economic and social issues. The opening of the exhibit is tonight at Art Works Projects on 625 N. Kingsbury St. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. .
The stigma around menstruation and inaccessibility of affordable period products is keeping millions of young girls around the globe from getting an education. Women in developing countries like India and Kenya stay home from school 3-5 days every month as menstruating is considered a shame. India recently celebrated the removal of 12% tax on period products, making all female hygiene products tax-free. In the U.S., young girls and women living under the poverty line are also faced with similar issues, as 36 states still tax period products as non-essential. Menstrual health organizations and female activists have been advocating for menstrual equity, and Former First Lady, Michelle Obama and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle have also campaigned for the cause. Kiran Gandhi, M.I.A drummer and the iconic free-bleeding menstrual runner at the 2015 London Marathon, will be joining us to discuss how her music celebrates the female body. Molly Hayward, co-founder of Cora, will also join us to discuss how reproductive health education can open doors to gender equality and accessibility of affordable, high-quality period products in the U.S. and around the world.
For this week’s Weekend Passport, we will discuss the Obie winning play “Guards at the Taj,” written by Rajiv Joseph, which premiered in 2015 in New York City. Set in 1648 India, the play revolves around two imperial guards and best friends, Humayun and Babur, faced with the incredible responsibility of guarding the Taj Mahal, a monument built for the Indian Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The play opens with the day the building is unveiled to the world followed by a series of events that will test the guards’ faith in friendship and humanity. Joining us to discuss its debut in Chicago will be actors Omar Metwally and Arian Moayed, who play the role of Humayun and Babur, respectively, and have been with the making of the play since its birth. “Guards at the Taj” will be playing through July 22nd at the Steppenwolf Theatre. Our global citizen, Nari Safavi, will also join us to give you a couple events to help you plan your international weekend!