In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

The Chicago City Council fails to override the mayor’s veto of an ordinance banning intoxicating hemp products, Gov. JB Pritzker blasts President Trump in his State of the State address and Illinois reports its first measles case of 2026. In the Loop goes behind the headlines in the Weekly News Recap. Today’s panel: Christian Farr with NBC-5 Chicago, Simone Alicea with City Cast Chicago, and...

It took years for U.S. leaders to address the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. One public figure that wasn’t afraid to bring the challenges the LGBTQ+ community were facing to the forefront was the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In the Loop reflects on Jackson’s work pushing progressive ideas and being an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community with Northwestern professor Martha Biondi and Equality Illinois CEO...

In the Loop continues to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns were ultimately unsuccessful, but he proved that a Black American could have success at the polls and opened the door for diversity in politics. In the Loop examines how Rev. Jackson changed the political landscape of the Democratic party and paved the way for a new generation of...

The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s story in Chicago begins in the 1960s when he moved to the city to study at the Chicago Theological Seminary. Not long after his move, he met Martin Luther King Jr. and asked him for a job at the Chicago chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Operation Breadbasket. Since then, Rev. Jesse Jackson became a symbol for the Civil Rights Movement, Black politics...

Tired of visiting a news website and getting hit with a paywall? Hollywood actor John Cusack feels your pain – and wants outlets to free the news that you need. Cusack and Seth Stern from the Freedom of the Press Foundation stop by to talk about what’s at stake when newsrooms are gutted, journalists are under fire, and information is gatekept. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head...

Illinois joins three other Democrat-led states in suing the White House over public health funding cuts. Amazon announces drone delivery coming to southwest suburbs. Portage, Ind., unveils its pitch for a Bears stadium, as northwest suburban residents and mayors rally to secure a stadium in Arlington Heights. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in our Weekly News Recap with WTTW...

Between the 1930s and ’50s, Chicago was a hub for Black writers, poets and creatives – an era known as the Chicago Black Renaissance. A number of great literary, music and art names came out of Chicago during this renaissance – including Gwendolyn Brooks, Richard Wright, Margaret Walker, Nat King Cole, Langston Hughes and many more. In the Loop dives into Chicago’s poetry scene then and now, with...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Jan. 31 instructing Chicago police to document alleged abuses by federal immigration agents and refer wrongdoers to the Cook County State’s Attorney for prosecution. State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke questioned the order’s legality, calling it “wholly inappropriate,” and Mayor Johnson walked back his order on Tuesday, saying officers...

For 115 years, the City News Bureau was a training ground for young journalists in Chicago. Known for its long hours, low pay, and intense, fast-paced atmosphere, the wire service broke stories on courts, crime, and government for local papers, television, and radio stations. The new book Sirens in the Loop tells the story of the City News Bureau through the voices of former staffers. In The Loop...

Lori Lightfoot has worked as Chicago’s mayor, a federal prosecutor and a top leader on police accountability. She wants local officials to do more to counter ICE. In the Loop learns about her ICE Accountability Project and how she thinks local officials can respond in the face of aggressive immigration enforcement. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.