Gathering Ground

In this episode of “Gathering Ground,” Mary sits down with four women of the SOL Collective, a Chicago storytelling group built to put Black women and women of color at the center of the stage: co-founder Shelley A. Davis, Karin Norington-Reaves, Terri A. Johnson, and Rev. Michelle Hughes. Shelley traces SOL back to a kitchen table and a year of Thai food dinners, dreamed up after a 2019 show finally gave her an audience that could hear her. Terri, Michelle, and Karin each share the story that turned them into tellers, from facing chemo with humor to a memorial that became a celebration to grieving a daughter's death in front of an audience, and what it took to tell those stories off book.

Episode Highlights:
- Shelley A. Davis on how SOL began around her kitchen table in 2019, and what makes the collective's “high polish” personal essay storytelling different from Chicago's open mic and spoken word scene
- Terri A. Johnson on choosing to tell her breast cancer story with humor instead of avoiding it altogether, and the audience members who always come up afterward with their own
- Rev. Michelle Hughes on becoming a storyteller after decades as a “manuscript preacher,” and the memorial service that turned into a party
- Karin Norington-Reaves on the sisterhood that carried her through her daughter's death, and how storytelling shapes her work leading the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership

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In this episode, Mary Morten gathers four leaders shaping the future of documentary film in Chicago.

Stacy Robinson, artistic director of Kartemquin Films, marks the studio's 60th anniversary and the hard-won lessons behind 80-plus films, including Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters. Yvonne Welbon, founder and CEO of Sisters in Cinema, talks about turning 30 years of research into the country's only brick-and-mortar space dedicated to Black women filmmakers. And two filmmakers who came up through their fellowship programs, Cam Be and Arlieta Hall, share what's next: Cam's Joffrey Ballet documentary premiering on PBS, and Arlieta's deeply personal film on caregiving through Alzheimer's, Finding Your Laughter.

Together they talk candidly about a funding climate where legacy institutions built around race are being targeted, why finding your people matters more than going it alone, and what it takes to keep Chicago's documentary ecosystem alive.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- Stacy Robinson on Kartemquin's 60th anniversary, the studio's philosophy of documentary as social inquiry, and how they decide which stories to tell
- Yvonne Welbon on building Sisters in Cinema from a grad school research project into a physical home for Black women filmmakers in South Shore
- Cam Be on his process, his fellowship with Kartemquin, and his new PBS documentary Joffrey Ballet: The Next Movement
- Arlieta Hall on Finding Your Laughter, her film about caregiving through her father's and mother's Alzheimer's, and balancing comedy, storytelling, and heart

All four guests on a funding climate where the Civil Rights Act of 1866 is being weaponized against race-conscious programs, and why community, not isolation, is what keeps filmmakers going

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Instagram: @mortengroupHost Mary F. Morten: @marymorten

In this annual fireside chat, host Mary Morten reconnects with Angelique Power of the Skillman Foundation and Tracie Hall of the HBCU Library Alliance for a conversation about memory, education, and what it takes to carry the baton in a moment when history is under pressure. From the opening of the Obama Presidential Center to the progress happening in Detroit's public schools, they look at who gets to tell our stories and why staying vocal matters.

Episode Highlights
- Mary on being featured in the Obama Presidential Center museum through her film “Woke Up Black,” and the story of trying to sneak a DVD into the White House
- Angelique on stepping into the Obama Presidential Center and feeling like she had "unzipped the current timeline," plus Tracie on why every family's keepsakes are archives worth protecting
- Angelique on Detroit's gains in reading, math, and graduation, and Mary on why she insists young people be on every panel, because her film's teens are "exceptional, but not exceptions"
- Tracie on her work with 105 HBCU libraries and how censorship fights that began at school boards now reach libraries, museums, and universities, plus all three on passing the baton and caring for themselves along the way

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In the season finale of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten sits down with Teresa C. Younger, outgoing president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, for a candid reflection on 13 years of leading a legacy institution through fundamental transformation. Teresa talks about what it took to center women and girls of color at a second-wave feminist foundation, the listening tour that covered 50,000 miles in her first year, and why she believes succession planning is one of the most overlooked acts of leadership. She also shares what comes next: Project Stargazing, an intentional pause to redesign the constellations.

Episode Highlights
- Teresa Younger on arriving at the Ms. Foundation as its second Black woman CEO and leading a 50,000-mile listening tour that reshaped the foundation's language, priorities, and grantmaking strategy
- On centering women and girls of color as a point of inclusion, not exclusion — and the board conversations, donor fears, and courageous clarity it took to make that shift explicit
- Trust-based philanthropy before it had a name: how the Ms. Foundation moved to general operating support, de-siloed its grant pillars, and started treating grantees as partners instead of recipients
- Succession planning as a leadership responsibility: why Teresa started the conversation with her board in year eight, why transitions cost money, and what she would tell any long-tenured leader about exit strategy

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

Summary
What does it mean to do research that refuses to look away and to protect that work when the political climate demands retreat? In this episode of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten sits down with Dr. Amanda Lewis, current director of the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Dr. Beth Richie, the institute's former director, to mark 25 years of community-centered, justice-oriented scholarship. Together, they trace IRRPP's origins in faculty activism, make the case for engaged research as a more rigorous — not less rigorous — approach to knowledge-making, and speak plainly about what it means to keep saying the word "race" when institutions around the country are flinching.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten sits down with Chase Glenn, Executive Director of the GenderCool Project, and GenderCool champions Chazzie Grosshandler and Ashton Mota to explore how storytelling, joy, and visibility are reshaping the conversation around trans and non-binary youth. At a time when legislation like Kansas's retroactive ID restrictions are making headlines, GenderCool is centering something the news rarely shows: young people who are not just surviving, but thriving. Together, Chase, Chazzie, and Ashton trace the origins of GenderCool, share their own powerful coming-out stories, and make the case that the antidote to fear-driven narratives is something deceptively simple -- actually getting to know trans youth as the full human beings they are.

Episode Highlights
- Chazzie Grosshandler on founding GenderCool at her family's kitchen table after coming out in fourth grade, and why she and her parents knew that if people could just get to know transgender and non-binary young people, everything could change
- Ashton Mota on coming out to his mom on his 12th birthday, growing up in a Caribbean household navigating cultural and religious dynamics, and how his family eventually opened their home as a foster placement for LGBTQ+ youth of color
- Chase Glenn on moving from policy advocacy in South Carolina to leading GenderCool in Chicago and why he sees personal storytelling, not legislation, as the most powerful force available to the trans community right now

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary sits down with Scheherazade Tillet, founder and executive director of A Long Walk Home, and Kaethe Morris Hoffer, executive director of CAASE (Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), for a searching conversation about art, accountability, and what it means to keep doing this work when the political ground keeps shifting beneath you. Together, they trace their paths into this fight, reflect on what the Epstein revelations expose about power and complicity, and share the stories of resilience -- and record-breaking impact -- that are keeping them grounded right now.

Episode Highlights:

- Scheherazade Tillet on co-founding A Long Walk Home 24 years ago from her own healing journey -- and how photography and art became the foundation for training young Chicago women to become artist-activists fighting gender-based violence

- Kaethe Morris Hoffer on CAASE's record year -- 244 survivors served, new legal work representing incarcerated women who experienced sexual harm, and lawsuits filed against the Illinois Department of Corrections

- Both guests on navigating federal funding cuts and anti-DEI pressure

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

What does it mean to lead a movement when the movement itself is under pressure? In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary sits down with Darlene Nipper, CEO of Rockwood Leadership Institute, and Russell Roybal, Board Chair of Rockwood and Executive Vice President at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, to mark Rockwood’s 25th anniversary and explore what it truly means to lead from the inside out.

Episode Highlights
- Darlene Nipper on Rockwood’s evolution — from environmental training to a cross-movement leadership powerhouse that centers leaders of color and LGBTQ+ communities
- Russell Roybal on the “elevator exercise” — a pivotal Rockwood experience that helped him trace workplace triggers back to childhood, and why personal leadership is inseparable from organizational leadership
- Leading with joy: How Rockwood’s approach breaks leaders down and builds them back up, centered in what truly matters to them
- How Rockwood is responding to the current political moment - with new grassroots programs, community crisis response, and unwavering investment in leader renewal

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary speaks with Sharon Bush, President of Grand Victoria Foundation, and Sol Anderson, President and CEO of Evanston Community Foundation, about how philanthropy can move closer to the communities it seeks to serve. Drawing from their distinct place-based work across Illinois and in Evanston, they discuss trust-based grantmaking, community-led decision making, and the responsibilities funders hold in advancing racial justice.

Sharon and Sol reflect on how foundations can support grassroots leadership, sustain commitments to equity in a shifting political climate, and rethink traditional funding models. Their conversation highlights the importance of proximity, trust, and collaboration in building philanthropic practices that strengthen communities and support lasting change.

Episode Highlights:
- Sharon Bush on pioneering trust-based philanthropy and sustaining racial justice commitments across Illinois
- Sol Anderson on community-led grantmaking and the importance of proximity to power
- A look inside two foundations rethinking how resources flow to grassroots leaders
- Why rest, renewal, and imagination matter for movement leaders and funders alike

This episode of "Gathering Ground" brings together two sector-shifting leaders: Bina Patel, CEO of Saathi Impact Consulting, and Vu Le, writer of the blog Nonprofit AF. With honesty and clarity, they join Mary to examine how the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors perpetuate inequality, reward compliance, and resist transformation.

Together, they explore how movements are being co-opted, how "toxic intellectualizing" replaces real action, and why we must stop maintaining systems we claim to be dismantling.

Episode Highlights:
- Bina Patel on strategic compliance and the quiet parts that keep systems unjust
- Vu Le on the myth of philanthropy and why nonprofits must get political
- A call to stop obeying tyranny in advance and begin organizing for collective liberation

Links and Resources:
- Saathi Impact Consulting – https://saathiimpact.com
- Nonprofit AF Blog – https://nonprofitaf.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary sits down with three powerhouse advocates — Dr. Latonya Penny, Cathy Renna, and Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy — for a timely conversation about what LGBTQ+ rights look like across the U.S.

From legislative battles to grassroots resistance, the episode traces the highs, the heartbreaks, and the hope fueling this moment. Guests reflect on the real-life impact of policy wins and setbacks, the resilience of LGBTQ+ communities in the South, and the growing need for coalitions that center intersectionality, joy, and long-term strategy.

Episode Highlights:
- Dr. Penny on how Southern LGBTQ+ leaders are resisting burnout and building power despite political pressure
- Illinois State Representative Cassidy on expanding coalitions beyond shared identity or ideology, and why it works
- Cathy Renna on executive orders, misinformation, and why local education and media matter more than ever

Links and Resources
- Laughing Gull Foundation – www.laughinggull.org
- National LGBTQ Task Force – www.thetaskforce.org
- Rep. Kelly Cassidy – www.repcassidy.com

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten sits down with four brilliant artists and activists to explore the intersection of art and social change. Amanda Williams, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Lisa Yun Lee, and Shannon Downey share how their personal histories, creative practices, and collaborations fuel powerful movements for justice, community, and joy.

Together, they reflect on how art can illuminate systemic inequities, bring people together across differences, and create the conditions for new futures.

Episode Highlights:
• Amanda Williams and Tonika Lewis Johnson on their collaborative projects and the politics of place
• Shannon Downey on craft as community organizing and creative resistance
• Lisa Yun Lee on the National Public Housing Museum as a civic anchor

Links and Resources:
Tonika Johnson – https://www.tonijphotography.com
National Public Housing Museum – https://www.nphm.org
Amanda Williams – https://awstudioart.com/home.html
Shannon Downey – https://www.badasscrossstitch.com

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to "Gathering Ground" and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

This special "Gathering Ground" episode looks back at the most powerful conversations from 2025. Join Producer Vince Pagán-Hill as he revisits memorable moments that reveal how people create meaning, challenge injustice, and build collective power, from journalism and philanthropy to the arts, climate justice, and healthcare.

Summary
In this episode of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten sits down with three dynamic guests (Anna DeShawn, Victor Salvo, and Haven Crawley) for a powerful conversation about queer joy, representation, and the enduring fight for LGBTQ+ equity. From grassroots media to public art, the stories shared in this episode remind us that history, creativity, and visibility are all tools for liberation.

Episode Highlights
- Anna DeShawn on building a Black queer media ecosystem through E3 Radio and Queer News
- Victor Salvo on the creation of the Legacy Walk and why public memory matters
- Haven Crawley on performing queer narratives and making space for youth expression

Links and Resources
- E3 Radio: https://e3radio.fm/
- Queer News Podcast: https://e3radio.fm/queer-news/
- Legacy Walk: https://legacyprojectchicago.org/legacy-walk

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary leads a powerful conversation marking the 50th anniversary of Howard Brown Health, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ health organizations. With guests Staci Bush, Ron Nunziato, Jessica Halem, and current CEO Dr. Travis Gayles, the discussion traces Howard Brown’s past, present, and future.

Together, they reflect on the organization’s early days, the HIV/AIDS crisis, the fight for culturally competent care, and the political realities shaping LGBTQ+ health today. From personal stories to policy, this episode uplifts a community-centered legacy and the urgent work ahead.

Episode Highlights
- Dr. Travis Gayles on leading Howard Brown through a shifting political and public health landscape
- Ron Nunziato on the organization’s early days and its transformation during the AIDS crisis
- Jessica Halem and Staci Bush on culturally competent care and the legacy of the Lesbian Community Cancer Project

Links and Resources
- Howard Brown Health: https://howardbrown.org/

- Liberating Healthcare: https://donate.howardbrown.org/campaign/678582/donate

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

This episode of "Gathering Ground" brings together four visionary media leaders—Jhmira Alexander, Silvia Rivera, Susy Schultz, and Tracy Baim—for a candid conversation about the state and future of journalism. They explore the collapse of legacy news models, the spread of misinformation, and why community-centered, equity-driven journalism is not just a goal, but a necessity.

Episode Highlights

- Jhmira Alexander on building trust and centering community through storytelling at Public Narrative
- Silvia Rivera on reimagining local news infrastructure at the MacArthur Foundation

- Susy Schultz on creating investigative tools to dismantle systemic racism in media

- Tracy Baim on the LGBTQ+ press, legacy media preservation, and Press Forward Chicago

Links and Resources

- Public Narrative: www.publicnarrative.org

- Press Forward Chicago: www.cct.org/pressforward

- MacArthur Foundation: www.macfound.org

- Investigative Project on Race and Equity: www.raceandequityproject.org

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

Summary

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten welcomes Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and Joel Brammeier, CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, for a powerful conversation on environmental justice, water equity, and community voice in the Great Lakes region.

They discuss the legacy of environmental racism, the role of policy and federal investment, and how community-centered solutions, from permeable playgrounds to local volunteer programs, are building climate resilience.

Episode Highlights

- Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis shares her path from LGBTQ+ advocacy to water leadership and her vision for community-centered infrastructure.

-Joel Brammeier reflects on civic engagement, clean water access, and the regional work of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

-Both guests speak to the intersection of climate change, racial justice, and the power of community-driven solutions.

Links and Resources

- Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis: http://www.mwrd.org/commissioner-precious-brady-davis

- Alliance for the Great Lakes: http://www.greatlakes.org

- MWRD Rain Barrel Program: http://www.mwrd.org/rain-barrels

- Learn more about your water: http://www.greatlakes.org/get-involved

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Gathering Ground and leave us a review! Follow Morten Group, LLC on Instagram @mortengroup for more updates.

In this annual fireside chat episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten is joined once again by friends, leaders, and truth-tellers Tracie Hall and Angelique Power. Together in Chicago, they reflect on a year marked by grief, resistance, clarity, and community.

From the normalization of cruelty and censorship to the beauty of collective care and intergenerational strength, this conversation is a raw, reflective, and strategic look at what it takes to keep fighting - and keep feeling - in a world that demands both.

Episode Highlights:

- Angelique shares her reflections on urgency, cruelty, and the clarity required in today’s political climate.

- Tracie discusses her work on Black Information Future and the threats of narrative erasure.

- All three emphasize the role of self-care, ancestral wisdom, and Black joy as essential forms of resistance.

If you’ve been listening to "Gathering Ground" over the years, you know this is one of our most anticipated annual conversations—and we’re so grateful you’re here for it.

Find more: https://www.studiocchicago.com/gathering-ground

Welcome to Season 8 of “Gathering Ground”! We’re kicking things off with a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW). Host Mary Morten is joined by Christine Grumm, Alicia Bailey, and Keenya Lambert for a powerful conversation on philanthropy, collective giving, and building community from the ground up.

Together, they reflect on the evolution of CFW, the South Side Giving Circle, and the broader women’s funding movement, from personal pathways into philanthropy to the global push for justice and financial empowerment.

Episode Highlights:
- Christine Grumm on co-authoring The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy and decades of movement-building
- Alicia Bailey’s reflections on belonging, grantmaking, and collective giving in the South Side Giving Circle
- Keenya Lambert on becoming CFW’s new CEO and the legacy she’s proud to inherit and advance

Links and Resources:
- Chicago Foundation for Women – http://www.cfw.org
-The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy – http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/the-uprising
- South Side Giving Circle – http://www.cfw.org/southside

In this live edition of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten welcomes longtime friend and Chicago media icon Tracy Baim to discuss her latest book, “Liberating Healthcare: 50 Years of Resistance, Resilience, and Healing at Howard Brown Health.”

From the early days of LGBTQ+ organizing to the modern fight for inclusive, affirming healthcare, Tracy unpacks why she felt this history needed to be documented now. Together, they explore journalism, movement building, and the urgent need to preserve community memory.

Episode Highlights:
- Why Tracy felt compelled to document 50 years of Howard Brown Health’s legacy
- The role of Windy City Times in LGBTQ+ journalism and preserving community history
- Press Forward Chicago and what’s next for local, independent media

Links and Resources:
- Liberating Healthcare Book – http://donate.howardbrown.org/campaign/678582/donate
- Press Forward Chicago – http://www.cct.org/press-forward
- Windy City Times – http://www.windycitytimes.com