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KZ Community Beat

KZ Community Beat

By: MWC
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About this listen

A Conversation with Peoria's Community Leaders, Activists, Artists and Storytellers

2025 Midwest Communications, Inc.
Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • KZ Community Beat - El Morning Chou - The Voice of Peoria's Latino Community
    Aug 8 2025

    This episode is about representation, resistance, and real talk.

    Ross sits down with Christell Frausto and Andy Fremac, the host of El Morning Chou — Peoria’s first Latino-programmed radio show — for a bilingual, boundary-breaking conversation about the rise of the Latino community in Central Illinois, and the weight of being seen and heard.

    Together, they explore:
    - The power of Latino voices in local media
    - The growing Latino population in Peoria
    - The heartbreaking cancellation of El Fiesta en el Rio due to fear from ICE activity
    - And why the microphone, in the right hands, can change everything

    This episode was recorded in both Spanish and English to reflect the culture, the emotion, and the truth of this community — and to break the barrier of “us vs. them” across radio brands, audiences, and assumptions.

    It’s not just a podcast.
    It’s a moment.
    It’s history.
    And it’s still being written.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    57 mins
  • KZ Community Beat - KZ Cares - Alzheimer's Association Illinois Chapter
    Jul 7 2025

    Ross sits down with Daryl Carlson of the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter to talk about the disease that affects millions — including Ross’ own family. His grandmother passed in 2009 after battling Alzheimer’s, dementia, and cancer. So this isn’t just a spotlight — it’s a tribute.

    Together, they dive into the emotional toll this disease takes on families, how to recognize early warning signs, and the resources available right here in Peoria. They also talk about the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer’s, where Ross will serve as emcee.

    This episode is for the generation watching their parents — or grandparents — slowly change, unsure of what to do, who to ask, or how to even talk about it.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    40 mins
  • Orange and Black - Legacy, Loss, and the City That Changed
    Jun 20 2025

    This episode isn’t about basketball — it’s about legacy, identity, purpose, and power.

    Ross sits down with filmmaker Creston Coleman to discuss Orange and Black: Beneath the Numbers, a new documentary that dives into the soul of Peoria’s Manual High School basketball dynasty. But this isn’t just nostalgia — it’s a look at what it meant to be young, Black, and full of promise in a city that’s changed around you.

    Creston speaks with raw honesty about Coach Wayne McClain, a towering mentor who shaped generations of boys into men, and about how sports became one of the only safe spaces for young men to express emotion and find direction.

    And one message rings loud:
    “Community isn’t a word — it’s an action.”

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    1 hr and 11 mins
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