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.

    --

    Bourbon ’n BrownTown
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    SoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3
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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
  • Ep. 124 - The Wrap Up: "No Cop Academy: The Documentary" (2023) ft. Debbie Southorn & Destiny Harris

    Ep. 124 - The Wrap Up: "No Cop Academy: The Documentary" (2023) ft. Debbie Southorn & Destiny Harris
    Nov 17 2025
    BrownTown debriefs"No Cop Academy: The Documentary" (2023) with campaign organizers, interviewees, and producer/curator of the film, Debbie Southorn and Destiny Harris. The team reunites to discuss the creation, process, and impact of the one-hour SoapBox-produced film and the #NoCopAcademy campaign more broadly. The adult-supported, youth directed coalition and campaign from 2017-2019 was a grassroots effort demanding the city of Chicago stop the construction of a then-$95 million dollar cop academy in West Garfield Park and fund youth and communities instead. The city ultimately decided to move forward with the project, however, the lessons learned and strategies seeded would prove fruitful for future campaigns in Chicago and movements across the country. The gang unpacks how Chicago youth changed the organizing landscape and movement media supported in naming, framing, and resisting power, both forging a path to the city's current political moment. BrownTown and guests compare and contrast the struggles of the late 2010's to what our movements are up against in this new fascist reality. Originally recorded October 2025.“The Wrap Up” which invites collaborators and community partners to take a behind the scenes look at SoapBox films, unpacking the nuts and bolts while thinking more deeply about power, struggle, and storytelling. Let’s get meta!Screen No Cop Academy: The Documentary here. Stay tuned for the film available on streaming in 2026!GUESTSDebbie Southorn was a lead adult organizer in the #NoCopAcademy campaign and producer of the film. She co-founded the Chicago chapter of Black & Pink in 2012, has been involved in and supported numerous efforts through her work at American Friends Service Committee, and is currently serving as the Director of Organizational Development at Dissenters. Follow Debbie on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Destiny Harris is a Black, queer educator, writer, poet, abolitionist and anti-imperialist organizer from the West Side of Chicago. She is an Alumna of Howard University who believes in the power of art and grassroots organizing as a vehicle to achieving liberation throughout the diaspora. She is currently the Chicago Peacebuilding Program Associate at American Friends Service Committee. Destiny also was an interviewee in the film and created corresponding educational material. Follow Destiny on Instagram and Facebook.Learn all about the campaign at NoCopAcademy,.com, the film at SoapBoxPO.com/NoCopAcademy, and peep the Linktree for any film updates. Follow the campaign/film on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Mentioned in episode:Related #NoCopAcademy episodesEp. 11 - Intersectionality, etc. ft. RubyEp. 26 - Coalition-building ft. Debbie & MonicaEp. 54 - #CopsOutCPS ft. Vero & AshaBONUS - #NoCopTOBER ft. Freedom#NoCopTOBER#CopsOutCPSBIG shoutout to by Sarah-Ji of Love and Struggle Photos who documented much of the campaign!Tom Callahan, filmmaker/creator of Sensitive Visuals--CREDITS: Intro soundbites from news and campaign audio curated by Kassandra Borah; outro music King’s Dead Remix. Poster by Citlali Perez. Audio engineered by Kassandra Borah. Production assistance by Jamie Price.--Bourbon ’n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | PatreonSoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Support
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Ep. 123 - America: The Good, The Bad, and The Fascist

    Ep. 123 - America: The Good, The Bad, and The Fascist
    Nov 1 2025

    BrownTown sits down for a follow-up conversation to earlier this year, analyzing the shock and awe strategy of the Trump-Musk aligned agenda and how we got there. Fast-forward to fall 2025, BrownTown speaks candidly on Trump's war on Chicago. While the lies and terror of ICE kidnappings, killings, and military-style raids on family housing projects color Operation Midway Blitz, Chicago fights back. More and more, the brutality and incompetence of the alphabet boys is on wide display as everyone from seasoned organizers to everyday community members hold the line and get involved in the most historically effective and creative ways. Now, with the imperial boomerang in full effect and Christian Nationalism more explicitly codified into policy after the murder of Charlie Kirk, BrownTown takes inventory of our current cultural and political moment with a sober analysis and hope for the future. Originally recorded October 6, 2025.

    Mentioned in or related to episode:

    • Ep. 116 - America: The Last Dance?
    • Feds Continue To Tear Gas Neighbors (Block Club Chi)
    • Feds Won’t Pause Immigration Blitz During Halloween, Día De Los Muertos (Block Club Chi)
    • Project 2025 Tracker
    • Gov. Pritzker calls out DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's bullshit
    • Mayor Brandon Johnson Bans Use Of City Property For Immigration Enforcement (Block Club Chi)
    • Presidential Memorandum on "cOuNtEriNg DoMeStiC tErRoRiSm AnD oRgAniZeD pOLiTiCaL viOLeNce"
    • Inside real estate fight that led to South Shore immigration raid (Real Deal)
    • The 13th Largest Army in World Is Unleashing Violence in Chicago (In These Times)

    CREDITS: Intro clip from Vic Mensa for the New York Times; outro music SMOKIN' ON THAT CK PACK by Bonald J. Pump. Audio recorded and engineered by Kassandra Borah. Episode photo by Aidan Kranz.

    --

    Bourbon ’n BrownTown
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    SoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3
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    1 hr and 48 mins
  • Ep. 122 - Organizing against Displacement with the Obama Community Benefits Agreement 2.0 ft. Kiara Hardin & Infiniti Gant

    Ep. 122 - Organizing against Displacement with the Obama Community Benefits Agreement 2.0 ft. Kiara Hardin & Infiniti Gant
    Sep 24 2025
    BrownTown chops it up with Kiara Hardin and Infiniti Gant, multifaceted organizers with the Obama Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) coalition. Ten years since the announcement of the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) on Chicago's South Side and five years since the passing of the Woodlawn Ordinance that ensured housing protections for some residents, the coalition has continued to organize to ensure affordable housing for more area residents, including and specifically South Shore. The gang compares and contrasts the political moment and opportunities from summer 2020, in the midst of the uprisings, to fall 2025 under a Brandon Johnson Mayoral Administration with a backdrop of a fascist takeover on the federal level. They end with a discussion on the interpersonal nature of community organizing at its root in relation to de-pedestalizing politicians in order to circumvent power to the people because when we fight, we win! Originally recorded September 10, 2025. GUESTSKiara Hardin is a dynamic project manager and organizational strategist with a passion for creative, collaborative solutions that center the needs and priorities of the Black community. With a strong focus on capacity-building, Kiara partners with Black-led and Black-focused organizations to create anti-authoritarian systems that fortify organizational infrastructure and promote sustainable growth. Her work, driven by a commitment to social equity, particularly addresses the social determinants of health. A dedicated community organizer, Kiara played a key role in the organizing efforts behind the South Shore Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) ordinance, working alongside local residents to fight for equitable development and protect long-standing Black communities from displacement. Through this campaign, she is helping build grassroots power, elevate community voice, and ensure that public policy reflects the lived experiences and demands of South Shore residents. Follow Kiara on Instagram and Linkedin.Infiniti is an incredibly motivated, astute, and empathetic community organizer with the willingness to push beyond previous experiences to contribute innovative ideas and creations. A skilled public speaker, researcher, organizer, independent worker, and team player, she's all about freedom and committed to using those skills for building people power for her community.Follow the Obama CBA on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Southside Together on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!--
Other topics mentioned:Correction: The shirt Caullen describes, the Panthers were at the County Courthouse, not City HallOriginal Obama Center announcement2020 Uprisings Coverage & SoapBox MediaLightfoot's Tent City Occupation & all-day protestEp. 55 - Obama CBA from July 2020Micro-Doc on Obama CBAUprisings MediaSouth Korean Hyundai factory workers detained (PBS)Chicago Ward/Neighborhood/Community Area Info (1, 2, 3)Average Median Income (AMI) per City of ChicagoNo New Prisons Campaign and Gov. Pritzker--CREDITS: Intro and outro soundbites from SoapBox's Obama CBA micro-doc. Audio engineering by Kassandra Borah. Episode photo provided by Infiniti Gant.--Bourbon ’n BrownTownFacebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | PatreonSoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Site | Support
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • TRAILER - Welcome to Bourbon 'n BrownTown!

    TRAILER - Welcome to Bourbon 'n BrownTown!
    Sep 1 2025

    Welcome to Bourbon 'n BrownTown! Since 2017, BrownTown has fostered 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. Y'betta LISTEN!

    CREDITS: Trailer produced, engineered, and edited by Kassandra Borah. Podcast audio engineers include Kiera Battles, Kassandra Borah, and Genta Tamashiro (up to episode 76); production assistance by Jamie Price; co-hosted and produced by Caullen Hudson and David A. Moran. Past guests featured include Charles Preston, Tia Haywood, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, and Heavy Crownz.

    --

    Bourbon ’n BrownTown
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    SoapBox Productions and Organizing, 501(c)3
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    3 mins
  • Ep. 121 - Chinga La Migra: Understanding Your Rights under a MAGA Regime ft. Khiabett Osuna

    Ep. 121 - Chinga La Migra: Understanding Your Rights under a MAGA Regime ft. Khiabett Osuna
    Aug 26 2025
    BrownTown talks all things immigration under Trump 2.0, June protests in Los Angeles, and how ICE ain't shit with immigration attorney and new homie Khiabett Osuna. As Trump tests the waters of his draconian federal policies, financially backed by the Big [Fucking Ugly] Bill, and using ICE as his Gestapo-like muscle, we turn our focus to community resistance in all its forms. Khiabett leans into her work in and outside of the legal field as one piece of this larger puzzle to ensure that no human is illegal on stolen land. From protestors, organizers, and healers on the front lines in Los Angeles to mutual aid and rapid-response networks in Chicago, BrownTown and Khiabett unpack our neoliberal past, technofascist present, and what will be a desperate future unless we fight back. Originally recorded July 18, 2025. GUESTKhiabett Osuna is an attorney with Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC. While at DePaul College of Law, Khiabett worked at a local immigration firm and was involved in the Asylum Immigration Clinic. She volunteered with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project in Dilley, Texas, helping screen women and children at the South Texas Family Detention Center who had recently arrived in the United States. After law school, Khiabett was hired through the Department of Justice Honors Program as a Judicial Law Clerk, where she clerked for Immigration Judges in El Paso and Fort Worth, Texas. She then worked at immigration firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, assisting clients primarily in removal proceedings. In Chicago, Khiabett works at a full service immigration law firm, continuing to represent clients in removal proceedings, as well as individuals seeking family based and humanitarian relief. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the AILA Chicago Chapter Advocacy Committee, and the Federal Bar Association. Khiabett also volunteers at her local church providing consults to community members. Mentioned in the episode:Correction: WWII ended under U.S. President Harry S. Truman, not FDRSocialism Conference 2025 session on community defenseLA Tenants UnionBirthright U.S. CitizenshipICE and Homeland Security budgets over timeThird Act documentary film by Tadashi NakamuraBnB Episode 116 - America: The Last Dance?Kelly Osbourne...incorrectly calling out TrumpMigrant dies in ICE raid (1, 2)ICE Mass Arrests Spark Chaos In South Loop (Block Club Chi)ResourcesICIRR Support #: 855.435.7693Midwest Immigration Bond FundOrganized Communities Against Deportation (OCAD)Pilsen Neighborhood Watch CoalitionNew fees for asylum seekers (1, 2)SoapBox's 2020 Census projectPalestinian boy dancing with drone above (Aljazeera)Defectors by Paola RamosImmigrants in tree outlast ICE (Reddit)LA Anti-ICE protest Instagram highlights--CREDITS: Intro soundbite from Alderperson Byron Sigcho-Lopez at a STOP ICE rally on June 8, 2025 in Chicago. Outro music FUCK ICE 2 by MANNY SÁNCHEZ. Audio engineered by Kiera Battles. Production assistance by Jamie Price. Episode photo by unknown.--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 45 mins