Issuu

ROC

INTERVIEWS WITH JESSICA RISKER IMPULSIVE HEARTS

O N E

C H I C A G O

VISIT WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM

ISSUE 2 / MAY 2021

R A D I O

Venues of Chicago is a site dedicated to the the music scene in Chicago. As the pandemic has ravaged live performances, this Instagram account brings a warm reminder of the architecture and life that these venues still hold while dormant.

Venues of Chicago is presented by Lisa Patel and can be found at: www.instagram.com/ VenuesOfChicago.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 10

L I V I NG WAL L S

L E T’S AL L GO TO TH E MOVIES

MU SI C MOTI VATI ON

B U T F I R S T, C O F F E E . . .

J ESSI CA & DANI EL L E

WAL ANG MAKAKATI GI L SA MGA PI L I PI NAS

UNLEARNED

M AY P L AY L S I T

“Living Walls” aims to highlight the beauty that can be found in all of the nooks and corners of Chicago.

ON THE COVER

Mural by Myron Laban read more on PAGE 10

A look back at a rough year with new beginnings - Editorial.

Let this selection of sounds motivate you in the most positive of ways.

kicks off with a nod to one shop’s focus on mental health awareness.

Mental health professionals and musicians, Danielle Sines of Impulsive Hearts, and Jessica Risker discuss the intersectionalities of music and resiliency.

An original poetry piece by Katharine.

An original poetry piece by Theresa.

A collection of songs curated by Jax.

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Ephedra viridis ILLUSTRATION BY ALISHA HUBBELL

OUR TEAM

Alex Alvarez

Jax Allos

Rob Katt

Hex Hernandez

she/her/ella Alex is a Chicago based adventurer and supporter of the arts. She does a little bit of everything these days, documenting as much as she can with her trusty Pentax and contributing to a number of locally driven projects that highlight some of the best artists, musicians, and events throughout the city. You can hear her on a new, monthly podcast called “Yo. Check This” with friends at Pursuit of Dopeness, and tag along on her adventures and art walks via Instagram at alvarezfotos. She proudly contributed the mural section of this magazine and is excited to share more of the city through her eyes with everyone.

she/her/hers Musician, multi-media artist, and currently the vocalist for [melter] and Aviatrix on Fire. Jax has played bass in local bands spanning a variety of genres including post-rock, witch house, darkwave, and Spanish rock. Before the pandemic, Jax could be seen regularly attending live shows and events. She has been spending much time in her music and art studios with her Eskie, quietly working on a number of projects.

he/him Hailing from Chicago, Rob found his passion and meaning through art. Dipping his toes in music, photography, writing and even finding his voice (all that talking finally paying off) as a loud radio co host. While growing up in Chicago, drumming in bands became his number one focus before moving to the West Coast bouncing back and forth between the Golden state of California and the scorching valley heat of Arizona. Out west his focus on writing became much stronger as he searched high and low for himself. After four and half years out west working with peers and classmates it was time to head back home. Upon his return to Chicago the search for himself continues; he documents stories in the city while working on modern noir short stories.

he/him Hex is a Chicago native who is continually exploring the city with his camera in hand. Once embedded in the Chicago music scene, he continues his love for local musicians and artists through Radio One Chicago and now through ROC. Hex has always striven to bring equity to the art scene by working to bring attention to the diverse range of artists that inhabit Chicago and its surrounding area. Hex has been proud to collaborate with the R.O.C. Team in bringing awareness of the rich culture that Chicago has to offer.

Cat translation: Meow.

Give Alex a follow Instagram @alvarezfotos

Give Jax a follow Instagram @jax.allos Instagram @meltermusic Twitter @aviatrixonfire

Give Rob a follow Twitter @heykiller

Give Hex a follow Instagram @HexHernandez Twitter @HexHernandez and find his work at www.hexhernandez.com

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Alisha Hubbell

Sandra Treviño

she/her Alisha is a landscape designer and small business owner in Chicago. Originally from the Navajo Nation and desert southwest, she has been learning the Midwest plant palettes, Chicago landscape architecture and streetscapes, and the rich diversity found within Chicago. She is enthusiastic to contribute to ROC magazine by making connections to design and handmade community.

she/her Sandra Treviño is a music journalist based in Chicago. You can find her writing on Enchufate.com and Gozamos.com. She is a contributor to NPR’s World Cafe Latin Roots, Contratiempo, Vocalo, Lumpen Radio, and the Chicago Reader. Sandra covers Latin alternative music and culture.

CONTACT US Visit ROC online at www. radioonechicago.com Follow us on Twitter @RadioOneChicago Instragram @ RadioOneChicago Email us at radioonechicago@gmail.com Scan the QR Code below to send ROC a donation.

Give Alisha a follow Instagram @loveabellstudio Etsy Loveabell Studio

Give Sandra a follow Instagram @sandstrevino Twitter @sandratrevino and find her work at www.enchufate.com

GUEST WRITERS Theresa Campagna

Ms. Campagna is a Chicago based journalist and teaching artist. She has over a decade of experience in photojournalism, audio documentary, documentary film, and newspaper reporting. She is proudly Filipinx-Sicilian-American. Having studied cognitive science, sociology, critical race theory, and American history, she regularly taps into this knowledge to ensure she creates stories that aren’t extractive. Her work has appeared in PBS, XOJane, Alternet, Getty Images, Free Speech Radio News, South Side Weekly, The Gate Newspaper, and WLUW 88.7 FM. She is a Kartemquin Films Diverse Voices in Docs fellow. She is bilingual in French at the B1 level, and has a limited working proficiency of Tagalog. Her film career has recently focused on making the connections between the Milton Friedman doctrine and The Philippines. She is also madly in love with the history of language and the cultural mark it leaves on us all.

Katharine Flores

Katharine Grace de Jesus Flores is a first-generation Filipinx-American from Northern California. They graduate this Spring from Loyola University Chicago in English (BA) and Environmental Science (BS) and served as President of Kapwa Loyola, the Filipinx-Interest organization on campus. She will move on to work in academia through non-profit education, bringing BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and immigrant identities into general education.

Gabe Nye he/him Gabe originally hails from the Detroit area and after tiring of living in and near cornfields of Wisconsin has become one of Chicago’s newest residents. Known by friends, family, and acquaintances as the go-to person for all things coffee, he is thrilled to share the knowledge he has accumulated over the years. In 2016, after years spent learning about brewing the perfect cup of coffee, he decided to dive into the world of roasting coffee. Contributing to ROC Magazine is an exciting opportunity to merge his love for both music and coffee. When not spending time working in higher education or learning about the latest trends in roasting and brewing coffee, Gabe can be found creating playlists of his latest favorites, curating his vinyl collection, exploring, and streaming his favorite podcasts. Give Gabe a follow Instagram @ gabidhasselhoff7 | Twitter @beansandbeats

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TOP Coffee from Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health, see PAGE 18 BOTTOM Looking inside to N. Broadway. PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEX HERNANDEZ

TOP Bucktown, 1933 N Milwaukee Ave BOTTOM Bucktown, 1868 N Milwaukee Ave RIGHT Logan Square, 2252 N Milwaukee Ave

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LIVING WALLS As we look to highlight Mental Health Awareness throughout the month of May, I wanted to share a visual artist based in Chicago whose work supports the perseverance and reminders to oneself that we all deserve to be happy. Now more than ever, mental health conversations are brought to the forefront in personal and professional spaces, and there has been a surge of importance to find a positive balance between the two and maintain optimism during difficult times. Myron Laban’s work is most recognizable and known in part of the “Uplift” series, in which the main character is usually represented carrying someone on their shoulders. While many of Laban’s pieces are simple murals, they pack a powerful message that while we may carry ourselves daily, it’s also important to lift up others because at the end of the day we are all human dealing with our personal and often times unvoiced struggles and sometimes need that gentle reminder that we are supported, that we are deserving of wellness, and that we must keep moving forward. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEX ALVAREZ

Myron Laban Find Myron Instagram Website

K AT ’S MEOW

LEFT Rob Katt at Logan Theater

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LET’S ALL GO TO THE MOVIES March 20, 2020 All hell broke loose. The city of Chicago was now officially on lock down. Schools came to a halt while businesses tried to figure out what their next move was. Panic buyers stormed grocery stores and giant surplus conglomerates, to find and store as much as they could. The fear was real and for some (understandable but silly) reason, paper sanitary products, along with hand ‘sanny’ became gold. Not one day into lock down when I saw an individual dressed in what looked like riot gear on the corner of two northside streets. The lone soldier, in many attempts to wave down passing by vehicles, had something else going on. A hustle no one saw coming. Selling clorox wipes and mini bottles of hand sanitizer from his rather large overstuffed backpack. I took one look, shook my head, and thought, if it wasn’t evident before there was absolutely no doubt that we were living in a fever dream episode of The Twilight Zone. Do not adjust your television sets and be sure to keep both arms and legs inside for the duration of this ride. Things were changing and I knew it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. One year to the date told a very different type of story. A year later over 100 million Americans have now received the vaccine. Indoor dining, shops, breweries, and many other businesses are now comfortably yet cautiously opening their doors. Like dusting off the cobwebs of an old guitar, clean it up,

tune it up and see if that baby can still sing. The bones look good, our spirits are still high. Hope is in the air; we might just make it through this after all. So much lost and taken away from everyone, that it’s quite easy to get lost in the small things that we unintentionally took for granted. To find joy and enormous emotional relief in the things we held so dear, things that filled our days with inspiration and light. Having a drink with an old friend, being able to go to work and talk to another soul. Even something as small as giving a hug or handshake reminded us how important it is to have some sort of comfort. We all need it and we all deserve it. Too much paused for so long and in that limbo, we found time. The time to pause and self soothe to take care of not only our physical needs but our mental health as well. We found time to stop and reflect on not only what makes us happy but what makes us human. Being tremendous home-bodies, my (much) better half and I both had a quick adaptive transition to this new way of life. As social as we could be (without being dragged out by the hair), we very much enjoyed not having to deal with all the social norms from before the (pandemic) pandara’mama. There’s no subtle way around saying it, for once we were able to slow down from the everyday chaos. It got to the point where we had to lie to people that would ask us how we were after telling us how much it sucked for them not to hang with people and go to bars. Feelings were (CONTINUED...)

LEFT Inside The New 400 Theater

not mutual. Don’t be fooled by the smoke and mirrors, it wasn’t easy. The stress and creepy crawlers of uncertainty, on how the world was going to manage, still crawled in and out of our perforated skulls. However shortly after we’d given up the charade and start openly admitting, “yeah, this is kinda fucking awesome.” We loved spending every waking second with one another but as we all know a little too well, all good things wind down. Months had gone by and even if one or the other didn’t admit it we were longing for some small grain of reality, some small fractured sliver of some kind of normal. Going to work and coming home spending time on social media was another factor. Constant reading and viewing of how people were killing the time being as productive as they could be in our ‘new normal’. It became overwhelmingly difficult to muster up any energy, let alone the energy to take care of

myself. I’d sit around walking from room to room playing and talking with my cat and rabbit. Cleaning and organizing as if a camera crew was following me around for my own special on, HGTV. Having beers and smoking one too many cigarettes while watching the world and my better half prosper, being productive and keeping busy. All the while I sat and wondered, where did my energy go? I had become a sloth uninterested and uninspired to write, read or work on things that made me happy. The world was shut down and closed for business, with the hours of operation still to be determined. I guess it made me think, why bother? I ain’t going anywhere any time soon. A month or so later I struggled to bring myself from this hole that I had dug so deep and the one thing I despise so much awoke and via digital carrier pigeon, delivered me a piece of advice that deeply consoled me. A certain trendy-dance-ridden app spawned a video before my eyes, as I laid in bed late at night. I’m paraphrasing to my best recollection but MAY 2021 / WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM

the gist of this hallmark esque quote was simple. “It’s ok to be inactive, it’s ok to take your time, there’s no need to rush or force yourself to be busy because you see everyone else is. Take your time.” There’s so much truth coupled with hope in that slice of advice, especially in a time when we feel tense and alarmed at every moment of every day. With all the weight and noise, it’s necessary to pull over for a moment and put the vehicle in park. I was beating myself up for being lazy, when instead I should’ve been reflecting. We take care of our bodies, our social lives, and our financial status while most of the time our minds are set to idle. Our minds, our mental health above all else should be numero uno, top priority. With this newfound enthusiasm I grabbed hold and ran with it. I took time to breathe and think. There was only one thing to figure out after that: what makes ME happy? As a child my mother would constantly take me to the movies, sharing her love of story and cinema. It was our special family outing and every other week there was always a new adventure around the corner. These moments that I hold so dear to my being, latched on to me like sweat at the brow and I never let it go. These stories and tall tales remind me of what it is to be human and how wonderful it is to share and experience the art of storytelling with the people you love. My partner’s birthday was just around the corner and an opportunity popped in my lap to do something special for her, for us. It had been too long since we were able to unclench and relax. I managed to get us a theater showing in a threelettered franchise cineplex where we both enjoyed a screening of one of our all-time favorite films. Something we bonded over early in our history. “Great Scott”, we enjoyed the living hell out of it. There we sat, eyes glued to the silver screen, beer in hand, popcorn, and ear-splitting laughter. At this moment, we were on a different planet, Planet Us, where only we existed with no troubles or noise but our own cackles echoing in the dark. Watching her light up at every scene made me smile and glow with appreciation. Appreciation, of not only how damn lucky I am to share my life with her but of how damn lucky I am to be alive. We all are, and it doesn’t hurt to remember that every now and then. Going to catch a film, that one small activity, was just what the Doctor ordered. It was the spark we needed and ever since that day I’ve been happier and upbeat. I find myself more focused and eager for

every morning that’s given to me. But I know myself and I think we all know that these feelings don’t last very long. What’s important is that we try to hold onto them for as long as we can, using that momentum to our advantage. Now I’m not saying go out and do exactly what I did to find some glimmer of sunshine but get up and find something for you. It’s very easy to get caught up with worries of what was and what will be, but what was, is gone. And what will be, hasn’t happened yet. The beauty of that, is that you are in control. Only you can change it. Unfortunately, it’s tough and certainly not something that can change overnight. It’s taken me years to do so for myself and I’m still trying. But if anything, do me a favor and do something for you. Do something that lights your spark. Reach out to a friend for a chat and start a conversation. Write that song you’ve been thinking of, build that thing and buy that outfit you’ve been dying to get. Find that thing that makes you happy no matter how big or small and hold on to it. Fall in love with it and make it a part of you. I want you to be happy and you deserve to be happy, everyone does especially through this apocalyptic episode of Earth. Sit up straight and breathe. Look around at all you have and be thankful you’re still here. If you’ve made it this far through yet another bug in my mind, I thank you once again. If you are still reading, I hope you’re all being safe in this world and looking out for one another. I hope this finds you in good health and in even better spirits. It’s been a hell of a month and the sun has returned. The season is underway, the birds are chirping, and spirits are high. We here at ROC just want to thank all of you for all the love and support we’ve received this month after the release of our first issue. We hope to continue to bring and share all the stories, music, and art this city has to offer. I’ll leave you with this; do what makes you happy and block out the noise, all we have is today. Cat translation: Meow WRITTEN BY ROB KATT PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEX HERNANDEZ

Special thanks to The New 400 Theater 6746 N Sheridan Rd. You guys rock!

MUSIC MOTIVATION

ESSO

Beats y Bateria

ESSO’s music as well, you could pick any song and have your mood change immediately. The tropi-funk goodness in their music is like sunshine poppin’ out of the clouds on a gloomy day. One of my favorite songs is IWBWU.

Get moving with “Bride’s Song,” a wonderful track by Beats y Bateria off their title track EP. For most of my life, music has been essential to my survival. Music has helped me get through the toughest moments and has also provided joy, celebration, y mucho baile when things are at their peak. Music is one of life’s greatest companions. You can always rely on music, on sound, for transformation.

Find Beats y Bateria Bandcamp

Find ESSO Bandcamp

I mention this because May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I selected some songs in this mini-playlist that I hope provides an uplifting swing in your day. May these beats and rhythms brighten your day as they’ve brightened mine. Enjoy the sounds. And, ya sabes, it’s okay to not be okay. WRITTEN BY SANDRA TREVIÑO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ARTISTS

Spotify Mini Playlist

Britteny Carter

Gabacho

Brittney Carter’s music is moving and so full of hope. Plus, her flow, wow! I love Prove ‘em Wrong.

Gabacho is definitely a happy mood. Pick any song, trust me. For this I like Sweet & Sour.

Find Brittany Carter Instagram

Find Gabacho Bandcamp

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Impulsive Hearts

“Come On” feels like a friend is literally grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me a little bit to ‘snap out of it.’ Ha! “Come on, come on, come on…” in the wonderful voice of Danielle Sines of Impulsive Hearts had to be on this mini-playlist. Find Impulsive Hearts Bandcamp

Los Vicios de Papa

From Los Vicios de Papa I chose “This Girl,” a super divertida love song. Find Los Vicios de Papa Facebook

Lykanthea

From the album Migration, I selected “My Sisters,” a majestic song that’s a perfect introduction to this set of music. It brings together Chicago artists, Lykanthea with guest Rasplyn. It’s heavenly, harmonic bliss.

The Lemons

The Lemons! ANY of their songs will brighten your day. Find The Lemons Bandcamp

Find Lykanthea Website Find Rasplyn Instagram

The Lawrence Peters Outfit

You know, I grew up in Houston and grew to love country/western music. Don’t judge me and instead get into “Another Year” by The Lawrence Peters Outfit. So good, y’all!

The Sea and Cake

“Bombay” by The Sea and Cake has a lovely, jazzy, peppy flow. It’s from their debut album (1994). Find The Sea and Cake Thrill Jockey Bandcamp

Find The Lawrence Peters Outfit Website

But First, Coffee...

“You’d think that people would have had enough silly love songs I look around me and see it isn’t so” In addition to the love songs Sir Paul McCartney mentions, the world cannot seem to get enough coffee. Chicago is a special place in the world of coffee—specifically where something called the “third wave” of coffee is concerned. For those unfamiliar, referring to coffee in the 20th and 21st centuries as taking place in three distinct “waves” is an appropriation of the three waves seen in the feminist movement. Where coffee is concerned though, the first wave focused on the creation of cheap and

accessible coffee. The second wave kicked off in 1960s Berkeley, California with shops like the now famous Peet’s Coffee & Tea, where a greater focus on sourcing higher quality beans began to take place. The third wave, which we are now in, introduced an even higher standard along with an “artisan” approach; leave it to the hipsters (which includes yours truly) to find a way to incorporate the term “artisan.” Intelligentsia Coffee was opened in Chicago in the mid-1990s and has become one of the major pillars of the coffee world. So, it only makes sense to launch an article looking at the coffee shops and culture that exist around this beautiful beverage and magnificent city. So, in each column I will report out on my most recent visits to the coffee shops and cafes throughout the city. I know, it’s hard work, but someone has to do it! This time around we are taking a look at “Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health” (CHHAMH) which is more of a grassroots mental health movement with a café. CHHAMH’s has a storefront location on Broadway in Lakeview, just north of Melrose. Upon entering, my eyes immediately darted to the large colorful painting on one of the walls; a human brain made up of words like “peace,” “help,” “pain,” and of course “coffee.” Cute round tables with chairs and a case of merch line the opposite wall. As you walk further into the café, you see all of the art and portraits that line the wall—a large painting of Common takes center stage. The bass-heavy sound of hip-hop pours at a high decibel out of the speakers they have set up near a turntable— which was appreciated until it was time to order.

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CHHAMH seems to place a little more emphasis on their specialty and house drinks rather than straight coffee, which honestly isn’t a bad idea since that caters to the biggest segment of those journeying into most cafes in search of a sweet and caffeine-laced beverage. I order a regular coffee and my girlfriend orders the drink they are showcasing that day: a honey-lavender coffee creation called “The Bey Hive.” A combination of nice weather, COVID, and the loud music result in our decision to walk down to Lake Shore Drive and find a quiet place to sit. I take a sip of the “Bey Hive” creation and, though I don’t particularly care for sweet drinks, I enjoy the sugary concoction— though any notes of lavender are lost in the honey and coffee. While in the café and ordering then receiving our drinks, I had this nostalgic feeling wash over me. Then it occurred to me that I was being reminded of the cafes that you see at places of worship these days—specifically Christian churches. Later it occurs to me that it makes sense as the founder of CHHAMH, Christopher LeMark once upon a time was an artist in the Christian rap genre and went by the name “Focus One.” CHHAMH opened their doors in November of 2020, so as coffee shops go, they are still in their infancy. It is my hope that as they grow, they will expand into roasting their own beans or perhaps partner with some of the larger Chicago-based coffee companies to offer coffee beans that are higher quality and fresher than the Pike’s Place roast I ordered yesterday. All of that aside, seeing a Black-owned business making a mission out of de-stigmatizing and promoting mental health in all communities is, in the opinion of this author, incredibly important. Their mission is inspiring enough to enable one to look more to the positive impact they are having in their communities and less at the coffee in the cup. WRITTEN BY GABE NYE PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEX HERNANDEZ

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Jessica and Danielle This month I thought it would be fun to interview two musicians that also work in the mental health sector. Each has their own unique style of music and both also have very different roles in mental health.

Part I - Mental Health

Jessica (she/her) is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) with over 15 years experience working in social service non-profit organizations and private practice settings. Jessica began her mental health career as a women’s case manager, working to connect Chicago homeless persons with health care, mental health care, resources, and housing. Two years into this role, Jessica simultaneously began working evenings in private practice, working with adults with anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. Jessica continued working these dual positions for several years. In 2018, Jessica started her own full-time private practice in Wicker Park, where she sees adults and couples for various mental health and relationship issues. Danielle (she/her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with over 10 years experience working with couples and families. She began her career working with children and families involved in the Cook County Juvenile Justice system. She has a wealth of experience working with teens and parents using empirically validated models such as Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and more! She earned her Masters of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University, and is a graduate of The Family Institute. She earned her Bachelors from Michigan State University.

LEFT Danielle (left) and Jessica (right)

(CONTINUED...)

We have always had a lot of fun having people in at the station where we broadcast Radio One Chicago, especially when we have two guests at the same time. I appreciate both of you taking part in this interview. Can you both share with me a little of what you do in the realm of mental health? J: I have a private counseling practice in Wicker Park under “Jessica Emelia, LCPC”. I work with individual adults and couples, and specialize in anxiety issues, depression, life transitions, communication issues, conflict resolution skills, and relationship issues. D: My practice, Home Remedy Chicago provides an alternative for families who have found little relief from traditional therapies or are considering out of home placement for their child. We offer an intensive, shortterm, home-based therapeutic model that targets the specific challenges of individual families in the context of their home, school, and community. Jessica, I would like to start with you. You have entered the world of mental health more recently than Danielle. What are some of the challenges that you have seen starting off in this career path? J: I’m not sure when Danielle started, but I’ve actually been working in the mental health field since 2004 - so it’s been a while! My overall career has been a split between non-profit social work and private counseling practice, which are quite different from one another. Certainly the non-profit work was much more challenging in terms of meeting the needs of the clients due to limited resources, and significant financial and systemic barriers to those in need.

mental health, what would you say have been some of the biggest themes you are currently seeing? J: Increased anxiety and depression for sure. People are feeling very isolated, a loss of control, parents are struggling to manage work and school, families have tension within the family system because people have differing ideas about COVID safety and politics. And of course, fear of COVID! Right now I’m also seeing many people nervous about returning to “normal” life - not sure how they will re-adapt to socializing and the demands of our previous routines. D: Depression and Anxiety in our youth is skyrocketing. I think that schools have kept their expectations high while we are all emotionally reeling from COVID-19. It’s too much for many to handle - reality has completely changed for everyone - so it can be difficult to concentrate on academic responsibilities! How does one know when to ask for help? J: That’s a good question! Many people don’t feel comfortable reaching out for help - they may not

Danielle, you have been doing this for some time. As you have grown with experience, what has come more natural to you? D: I definitely feel more confident in my clinical skills than I did ten years ago! The majority of the families I see are thinking about sending their kids away to a therapeutic boarding school because they feel unable to handle the emotional and behavioral needs of the child. I’m able to offer parenting skills and help parents stick to house rules while emotionally engaging their child in a way where we are able to talk about the root of the problem. It’s an intense process, but I love it. I feel that trusting my intuition has become more natural as I’ve gained more experience.. Since both of you have seen different sides of

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have anyone they trust, or may feel uncomfortable being vulnerable or admitting vulnerability. I think one good signal to ask for help is when your life/ functioning feels negatively impacted - for example, if you are having difficulty concentrating at work, if your relationship is suffering, if you’re not able to do activities you used to enjoy or have feelings of hopelessness - those are all good signs to ask for help. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, or harming anyone else, those are definitely times to reach out for help immediately. D: I would love to see a world where everyone has a trusted, woke AF therapist and an hour every week reserved just for them in the mental health realm - just as a basic standard of care. Could you imagine the potential that people could reach? How many lives we could save from suicide? To get there, we’d have to de-stigmatize mental health and stop stripping public funding of mental health services. Jessica, can you tell us a little bit about your YouTube Channel? J: My YouTube channel consists of my own music videos and video collages I’ve created over the years, as well as video versions of my podcast, “Music Therapy With Jessica Risker”. My “Music Therapy With Jessica Risker” podcast focuses on talking with musicians about mental health, the creative process, music careers, parenting and music, touring, recording and releasing albums, and anything else we want to talk about!

Part II - Music

Jessica Risker Bio Jessica Risker is an American musician and visual artist based in Chicago, Illinois. From 2011 - 2018 Risker performed and released albums under the name Deadbeat. In 2018, Risker signed with Western Vinyl with the release of the full-length “I See You Among The Stars” and began performing as Jessica Risker. Risker’s music fluctuates between electropsychedelic/experimental albums, instrumental music box lullabies, and psych-folk songs. From the dreamsoaked harmonies of ‘Moon’ to the neopsychedelic/ garage rocker ’Won’t You Meet Us In Vegas?’, Risker’s continuous genre shifting is inspired by dual desires to 1) experiment with soundscapes made possible by modern recording techniques, and 2) craft melodies, lyrics, and structures pared down to their most basic

elements. Frequenting open mics, serving as an engineer’s assistant at a recording studio, and an active participant in Chicago’s DIY music scene, Risker has spent the past decade developing her sound and honing her recording/engineering skills. In 2012, Risker was named Chicago’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” by The Deli Magazine. In 2015 and 2016 Risker was awarded two independent artist grants from the city of Chicago, resulting in two 2016 releases: Big Forever, an ever-shifting continuous eighteenminute piece of electro-psychedelic music released via Already Dead Tapes & Records, and Soft Moons: Twenty Lullabies, a self-released album of original instrumental music-box lullabies. In 2017, Risker was again awarded an independent artist grant from the city of Chicago, marking 3 consecutive years Risker has won the highly competitive grant award. The funding went towards recording a new psych-folk album with engineer Dave Vettraino of Public House Sound Recordings. The resulting album entitled “I See You Among The Stars” caught the attention of Austin label Western Vinyl, who released the album in spring 2018. Jessica Risker performs both solo and with the following musicians: Joshua Wentz - keyboard/synths, drum machines, electronix Jarrett Hothan - bass Adam Wiebe - drums In spring of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, Risker also began a podcast called “Music Therapy With Jessica Risker”. The podcast’s goal was to connect the Chicago music community, explore issues meaningful to musicians, and offer mental health awareness and support, based on Risker’s experience as a professional counselor. The podcast (CONTINUED...)

is recorded live on Instagram weekly, then distributed through podcast streaming platforms. Jessica is currently working on a new folk album, as well as a space-rock album with the full band. Impulsive Hearts Bio Impulsive Hearts is Danielle Sines & her friends. She sings, shouts, plays guitar, piano, organ, & accordion and records noises on tape recorders. She likes melodies that remind her of summertime. Impulsive Hearts pick up where recent revivalist acts like Dum Dum Girls and Best Coast have left off, adding just a hint of indelible Midwestern sadness to the neo-girl group garage rock sound. On “Cry All The Time,” the second LP from MidWest Action and Cavity Search Records, the surf-rock group delves into darker themes of love and loss, while maintaining bright, fierce and catchy-as-hell songwriting. Both of you write fairly different music, what do each of you appreciate about each other’s art? J: I remember doing an interview with Danielle a while ago where she talked about feeling more inspired to write in the summer - really drawing from that

sunny, fun summertime energy - and I love how that summery vibe comes across in her music! I’m also inspired, as a mental health professional, to witness another therapist actively maintaining music in her life - writing, recording and performing her own music, sharing music and events with others as a DJ for CHIRP, and encouraging young girls and women through her work at Girls Rock! Chicago. D: I love and admire Jessica’s musicianship- she crafts songs in a new and interesting way and isn’t afraid to change keys and structures which I really appreciate. I also love how Jessica has been able to bring together a community of artists to talk about mental health at a critical time in our history. Musicians are especially vulnerable to mental health problems - so having this space on Music Therapy to talk through our process and thoughts has been so helpful and therapeutic. Does any of your mental health career cross into your music career, or visa versa? (If so, how) J: I never directly write about clients or their stories. I certainly use music as a way to process and release my own emotions. My interest in understanding MAY 2021 / WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM

people and the human experience are certainly themes I explore in my music. In the other direction, I certainly bring my musical experience into therapy sessions - many of my clients are artistic themselves, so it’s a way to connect with those clients and relate to that side of their lives. Also, the process of creating contains so much wisdom for our everyday lives - for example, the importance of honoring empty space/ time in your life, which allows time to rest and return to action with fresh perspective and energy.

D: Haha, I like the energy and affirmation-like lyrics of “I WANNABE GONE” and that’s sort of where I am at musically. I’m so excited to get back together with my band and start having COVID-safe band practice and just have fun playing. So much of my musical experience pre-COVID was about getting it perfect, or getting too stressed out at shows or about things being “just-so.” Now, I’m ready to rip it all to pieces and focus on enjoying playing and enjoying being in a really great band with really talented people!

D: I personally write every song as a way to process and handle my emotions and thoughts - especially on our latest record “Cry All The Time.” People don’t necessarily know it from the lyrics, but I coped with a lot of losses - a friend to suicide, my grandmother’s death, people close to me struggling with addiction - all through music. Writing music has become my therapy in a way; a sacred space to be able to say and feel anything - to process and allow myself to have a wide range of emotions and feelings.

Have the two of you ever shard the stage? D: Only virtually (I think!) Jessica created this really fun virtual Halloween cover show. She covered Lisa Loeb (swoon!) and I covered Tori Amos. I hope to share a physical stage with Jessica at some point though!

Do you feel that your mental health careers changed the way you write lyrics? Are your lyrics or the way you think of writing different from before and after you entered your career as mental health advocates? J: I don’t feel my mental health career impacts the way I write lyrics. D: Ugh, looking back on old songs are like looking at bad diary entries. I try not to look back, and to not take it too seriously if I find something totally embarrassing in all the old notebooks I have. I think now I’m a bit more mindful of the power of words and lyrics - a lot of the first album I’m lyrically beating myself up. On YKILY, I’m talking about going to grad school to “cure myself” of myself. It’s lyrically a representation of my subconscious leading up to that point, an old form of self-talk. At the end of the song, I’m basically saying “nothing that you’re going to do is going to amount to anything, try again loser.” Now, I’m a bit nicer at least to myself. Once you shed that negative energy, you don’t want it back. If you each had to name a signature song that you wrote that defined where each of you are at musically, what would it be? J: Maybe “Zero Summer Mind” - moving about in sort of a daze, ready for summer warmth, and my mind is very preoccupied with everything that’s been happening around us.

INTERVIEWED AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEX HERNANDEZ

FIND JESSICA RISKER Visit Jessica online at Bandcamp Instagram Spotify YouTube Podcast Website Twitter

FIND IMPULSIVE HEARTS Visit Impulsive Hearts online at Bandcamp Facebook Instagram Spotify Twitter

Walang makakatigil sa mga Pilipinas Walang makakatigil thousands of years Of warriors Rebels The matriarchs Goddesses of guerilla warfare Grabbing blonde shitcaked hair To pull a bolo through a neck And a homemade rifle Slung across her shoulder Protecting ang mga tao Against colonization It’s in our blood Kami ay Refugees Exported Human Labor Sold to a dick Bought for scrubs For a child that speaks english but— Ito ang ating pamana In oppression we resist Built by resilience We learn to fight from our mothers We never back down Kahit gaano kasakit I shall not Be afraid At all. WRITTEN BY KATHERINE FLORES

MAY 2021 / WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM

Unlearning Police are attacking journalists of color covering the protests in large numbers. We still don’t have much representation of disabled journalists in newsrooms. How did we get here? White supremacy feeds capitalism. Capitalism feeds the bleeds it leads mantra of corporate journalism. Sometimes the journalists with integrity win against business executives funding their paychecks. Sometimes they don’t win. Some journalists buy into the innocent oppressed person narrative. Some editors believe it’s not worth covering certain communities because they don’t align with the “If it bleeds it, leads narrative.” Some journalists are extractive. Some journalists don’t honor the youth or elders. Some editors don’t assign certain beats, because they push for a universal truth narrative. But there are multiple universal truths on a spectrum. These reporters who deny people of color’s existence, and trick the public into believing that if these voices are not covered, that must mean they don’t matter in society. Unlearning extractive journalism is hard, when this mindset of extraction permeates every aspect of society. I thought I was doing it right. I just now began to scratch the surface of what it means to be an ethical reporter. As an Asian-Latinx-American college student, I chose sociology of globalization in Asia as a field of study. I chose Asian-American mental health as a beat in my feature writing classes, supplemented by my sociology of pop culture and mental health studies. I genuinely believed with this knowledge, Chicago newsrooms would be clamoring to cover hard hitting issues I was interested in. I thought my people mattered enough to be covered on a wide

spectrum. I thought my lived experience is supposed to make me an expert of my people. I thought journalists were supposed to be open minded about disability justice since they get paid to listen to pain. I learned quickly that was not always the case. Often, my emails were met with silence. Journalists of color are leaving the industry in large numbers because their ideas, knowledge, or lived experiences are not heard or misrepresented. I have only met two journalists with disabilities. Now what we have left are those who uphold the white supremacist model of journalism that extracts and leaves. Now we have journalists covering people of color pain from a white man’s perspective, rather than from a person of color’s. What happens when white journalists ignore journalists of color in 2016? They get the story wrong. They miss the real narrative: that Americans are still racist. What happens when white journalists treat Trump like comedy? They end up indirectly convincing Americans that Trump is not such a bad guy, an honest guy. What’s happening to those journalists with integrity and courage who are still out there covering the pandemic and political unrest? What happens then to those strong enough who are still there fighting racism in their newsrooms? Time will tell. The question is, what are you going to do to disrupt the status quo? WRITTEN BY THERESA CAMPAGNA

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Featured Local Label Founded in 2015 by Chicago natives David Paha and Edward Hamel, this local label shines a light on contemporary concert music, noise, ambient and electronic composition. Check out some of the artists on this Chicago label: www.scriptsrecords.com Bandcamp Scripts Artist Compilation Released November 20, 2020 Crown of Feathers Experimental, Contemporary Free Jazz Released March 2, 2021 Jakob Heinemann Upright Bass Free Improvisation Released April 1, 2019 Holy Family Experimental Released July 1, 2018