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Bourbon 'n BrownTown

Bourbon 'n BrownTown

By: Caullen Hudson & David A Moran
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 Powered by SoapBox Productions and Organizing, Bourbon ‘n BrownTown is a conversation-based podcast that fosters radically imaginative dialogues on media, culture, politics, and our various social movements through a liberatory lens. With a Chicago focus, filmmakers and movement workers Caullen Hudson and David A. Moran unpack complex social issues and topics while building relationships with artists, activists, community organizers, educators, social entrepreneurs, and others working towards a better world. Together, BrownTown holds space to listen, learn, and liberate, all while sippin’ on sumpin’ good. Salud! Visit SoapBoxPO.com/Podcast; follow @BourbonnBrownTown on Facebook/Instagram, @BourbonnBrwnTwn on Twitter; and @SoapBoxPO on all social media.2025 Bourbon 'n BrownTown Art Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ep. 127 - New Years 2026: A Retrospective ft. Kiera Battles, Kassandra Borah, & Jamie Price

    Ep. 127 - New Years 2026: A Retrospective ft. Kiera Battles, Kassandra Borah, & Jamie Price
    Jan 9 2026

    BrownTown on BrownTown. The podcast's audio engineers Kiera Battles and Kassandra Borah, and for the first time Jamie Price, assistant producer, step to the mics to talk all things BnB 2025! Last year we dropped our first show trailer; had our first live event since 2018; started our new "Wrap Up" series discussing/promoting SoapBox films; continued our Palestinian Liberation and Whiskey & Watching series; talked public transit, housing protections for working people, and how ICE ain't shit; and throughout the year analyzed Trump's billionaire, tech bro, Christian Nationalist fascist takeover and how we fight back. For better or worse, here's to 2026!

    With 12 total full episodes, 2025 brought 10 guest episodes (4 repeat, 7 new; 8 with 2+ guests) and 8 series-type episodes. In addition to the yearly breakdown, the full team discusses shared leadership, reflects heavily on the in-person BnB Live event the previous night, the making of the BnB trailer, and how SoapBox's 2025 trajectory and overall political moment compares to 2017-2019. Originally recorded December 9, 2025.

    Listen to all the episodes on your chosen podcast application or right here!

    GUESTS

    Kiera Battles ecently received her MA in music business from Berklee College of Music. There, she created When The Show Is Over, a non-profit dedicated to empowering individuals in the music industry, helping them develop the skills and confidence needed to make a significant impact in the field. As she continues to develop the organization, Kiera plans to continue pursuing her diverse passions — whether that's through audio, venue work, making waves in the music industry, or being an absolute menace.

    Kassandra Borah is a 2025 graduate of Columbia College Chicago. With her bachelor’s degree in Sound Design, she tackles a wide variety of projects. From podcasts to films to advertisements, Kassandra makes cool sounds—sounds that elevate and uplift. Her skill set also includes writing, producing, music composition, and vocal performance. A lifelong artist, she is committed to community and creation.

    Jamie Price is a visual artist and data conversion specialist. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and obtained her BFA in Photography at Northern Illinois University. Her work focuses on documentation and reflections of queer life and finding meaning in critical thought and analysis.

    CREDITS: Intro soundbite from the current SoapBox reel; outro music Haters by Slim Thug x Paul Wall x BigXthaPlug. Audio engineered by Kiera Battles. Episode photo by Aidan Kranz.

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    Bourbon ’n BrownTown
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Ep. 126 - *LIVE AT CH DISTILLERY* Reproductive Justice & Abortion Care In This Moment ft. Alicia Hurtado & Qudsiyyah Shariyf of Chicago Abortion Fund

    Ep. 126 - *LIVE AT CH DISTILLERY* Reproductive Justice & Abortion Care In This Moment ft. Alicia Hurtado & Qudsiyyah Shariyf of Chicago Abortion Fund
    Dec 25 2025
    BrownTown heads over to CH Distillery | Jōtō Sushi in Chicago's West Loop for their second-ever live recording with Alicia Hurtado and Qudsiyyah Shariyf of Chicago Abortion Fund. In a moment of further descent into fascism on the federal level, built on decades of policy maneuvers and reactive cultural propaganda through a now resurgent Christian Nationalist and far-right forces, we seek to amplify and uplift the four decades-long work of Chicago Abortion Fund and the movement for reproductive justice, gender equity, and ultimately collective liberation. Not only have we also been working in this movement and others to support from a grassroots level but also to codify life-affirming practices and funding at the policy and institutional level. With our sights on 2026 and far beyond, let’s broaden our tent while strengthening our ties and not only hold the line on reproductive rights but expand and fight back against an ongoing and re-energized threat on all fronts!LIVE AT CH DISTILLERY | JŌTŌ SUSHICH is Chicago's leading artisan spirits producer with an extensive portfolio. Hosted inside their former distillery is Jōtō Sushi, where guests can experience both à la carte sushi and signature omakase dining, each reflecting their dedication to culinary excellence and attention to detail. Tell them BrownTown sent ya!GUESTSAlicia Hurtado (ah-LEE-see-ah her-TAH-do; they/she) has been building power as staff at the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) since 2020, where they currently serve as Director of Advocacy and Communications. Alicia leads CAF’s political advocacy, communications, and grassroots organizing strategy to create a culture shift that destigmatizes abortion and moves towards a world in which all people can access abortion care no matter who they are or where they are from.Qudsiyyah Shariyf (could-SEE-yuh sher-REEF; she/they) is an organizer, birthworker, and reproductive justice advocate currently serving as Deputy Director of the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF). Her strategic vision has been instrumental in expanding CAF’s capacity to provide logistical, financial, and emotional support to people seeking abortion care in Chicago, Illinois, and beyond.Chicago Abortion Fund's mission is to advance reproductive autonomy and justice for everyone by providing financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion services and by building collective power and fostering partnerships for political and cultural change. They envision a world where everyone has the freedom and autonomy to create lives, families, and communities that are healthy, safe, and thriving and where the full range of reproductive choices, including abortion, are accessible and affirmed. Follow CAF on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Mentioned in or related to episode: Birth Equity Act (HB 5142)DidBidenSayAbortionYet.orgAbortion: A History by Mary Fissel, referenced by one of the Q&A participantsCAF -- How We Can HelpCAF -- Pre-AbortionCAF -- Post-AbortionSay abortion toolkit **COMING SOON**M+A HotlineEp. 28 - Fighting for Women's Rights through Faith, Policy, & #MeToo ft. Zoe Goodman--CREDITS: Intro soundbite of Qudsiyyah in 2021 giving remarks at a protest after SB8 was passed in Texas rally. Outro song Die of Shame by Tilt. Audio engineered by Kassandra Borah. Episode photo by Hannah Linsky.--Bourbon ’n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | PatreonSoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Support
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Ep. 125 - Funding Public Transit ft. Sadie Soto

    Ep. 125 - Funding Public Transit ft. Sadie Soto
    Dec 4 2025
    BrownTown shares space with Sadie Soto, consultant, organizer, policy savant, lifelong Chicagoan, and devoted CTA rider. The gang chats about the fall 2025 CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) and RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) budget crisis and the role and responsibility of mass public transit in our lives. As the recent funding crisis put public transit in Chicagoland in the spotlight, the team uses it as a catalyst to unpack the nuts and bolts of what funding public services actually looks like on a municipal, county, and state level; the perceptions and realities of public transit; and the the limited political will and actual possibility of what a fully funded and equitable transportation system could actually look like. Originally recorded October 24, 2025. Updates on the state vote and current state of CTA/RTA below in episodes notes. GUESTSadie Soto is a lifelong Chicagoan and devoted CTA rider. A former congressional intern, she is deeply familiar with policy at the national level and has also been active locally as an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union. Over the years, she has volunteered for multiple aldermanic campaigns and remains an engaged resident of Jefferson Park, frequently attending her neighborhood chamber of commerce and community meetings. She currently works as an environmental consultant, where she supports community-centered initiatives through outreach coordination, public meeting facilitation, and communications that translate complex policy into accessible stories. Mentioned in the episode:Update: Illinois lawmakers pass public transit funding bill to address RTA budget gap (ABC Chicago)Pre-vote: Budget shortfall could end CTA's 24-hour public service in Chicago (ABC Chicago)Mayor Johnson's “Safe And Smoke-Free Public Transit” Executive OrderViolent crime on the CTA remains above pre-pandemic levels (Transit Talent)Red Ahead ProgramWhy Chicago still hasn't fixed the Loop (The Flying Moose, YouTube)Why Doesn't the US have better public transportation? (Sustainable America)Illinois lawmakers propose merging CTA, Metra, Pace (1, 2)--CREDITS: Intro soundbite from Climate and Transit video. Outro music End Of Beginning by Djo. Audio engineered by Kassandra Borah. Production assistance by Jamie Price. Episode photo by xxx.--Bourbon ’n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree | PatreonSoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Linktree | Support
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    1 hr and 24 mins
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