Schedule:

Saturday, March 1, 2025

3:00 p.m - 4:00 p.m: Juan Williams: New Prize for These Eyes at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
More than a century of civil rights activism was a catalyst to help elect the first Black man as President of the United States. But Barack Obama’s presidency sparked a white, right-wing backlash, and a second civil rights movement began to erupt. Journalist, political analyst, and best-selling author Juan Williams shines a light on this historic movement in his highly-anticipated new release, New Prize for These Eyes, a follow-up to his 1987 PBS documentary series and companion volume Eyes on the Prize. Join us as Williams traces the arc of America’s second civil rights movement, from Obama to Charlottesville to January 6th and a Confederate flag in the Capitol. But this isn’t just a history lesson; it’s a forward-looking call to action urging us to get in touch about the progress made and hurdles yet to be overcome.

7:00 p.m- 8:00 p.m: You Didn’t Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip with Kelsey McKinney at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
It’s no secret that society is consumed with the concept of "gossip" - is it good, bad, or somewhere in between Kelsey McKinney, host of the massively popular Normal Gossip podcast, joins Chicago Humanities to explore our obsession with gossip, weaving together journalism, cultural criticism, and personal stories. McKinney’s newest book You Didn’t Hear This From Me considers the murkiness of everyday storytelling. Why is gossip considered a sin and how can we better recognize when gossip is being weaponized against the oppressed Why do we think we’re entitled to every detail of a celebrity’s personal life because they are a public figure And how do we even define "gossip," anyway She dishes on the art of eavesdropping and dives deep into how pop culture has changed the way that we look at hearsay. With wit and honesty, McKinney unmasks what we're actually searching for when we demand to know the truth - and how much the truth really matters in the first place. Join us early for a free pop-up experience complete with interactive components, knick-knacks, and, of course, plenty of gossip. (A bar will also be available on-site!) This will take place from 6:00pm–7:00pm in the Paradiso room, located just off the main atrium upon entry.

Monday, March 3, 2025

8:00 p.m - 9:15 p.m: Destroyer (solo) at Old Town School of Folk Music - Maurer Concert Hall
Immerse yourself in a solo performance with indie rock musician Dan Bejar, frontman and founding member of the band Destroyer. Self-described as a rock poet, Bejar’s songwriting is infused with unique literary and pop culture references from modernist poetry to the film I Know What You Did Last Summer. His lyrical and literary artistry, as well as his delicate melodies, shine through in this intimate performance. Grab some music loving pals and enjoy an evening of songs with one of the best writers around.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

8:30 p.m - 9:30 p.m: MBIZO: A Gathering for Johnny Dyani at Constellation
South African musician Johnny "Mbizo" Dyani relentlessly sought freedom for over two decades. From the day he jumped on a stage in South Africa to jam on a borrowed bass with Chris McGregor’s Blue Notes, then exiled in Europe, and next through dozens of boundary-breaking collaborations, Dyani’s mission was to set the music free. Refusing to bow to apartheid and colonialism, Dyani was "jumping a bass-line like humping a landmine" (Lesego Rampolokeng). Join us as the South African-based band Chimurenga presents a performance of Dyani’s music, the sound of "Panafrica," co-conducted by two of Chicago's favorite musical sons, Adam Zanolini and Ben Lamar Gay. This event is part of a constellation of exhibitions and events at the Art Institute of Chicago and across the city that explore ideas around freedom, solidarity, and place from artists throughout Africa and the African diaspora.

Sunday, March 9, 2025

2:00 p.m - 3:15 p.m: Dylan Mulvaney: Paper Doll at The Den Theatre
When Dylan Mulvaney came out as a woman online, she was a viral sensation almost overnight, emerging as a trailblazing voice on social media. Join Chicago Humanities as Mulvaney pulls back the curtain on her personal coming-out story and how it blossomed into a platform for advocacy and empowerment for trans people all over the world. In this conversation, Mulvaney discusses her debut book Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer, giving us an inside look into her "Days of Girlhood" series, how she handled scandals and cancellations, and her first big break in theater all while never shying away from discussing the transphobia she faced online.

Thursday, March 13, 2025

7:00 p.m - 8:15 p.m: Paul Reiser: A Career-Spanning Conversation at Music Box Theatre
From creating and starring in the long-running sitcom Mad About You to writing such best-selling books as Couplehood and Babyhood, Paul Reiser has turned the most fundamental parts of our lives into some of the most relatable and enduring comedy of our time. These days, Paul is experiencing something of a career renaissance, including roles on Stranger Things, Reboot and The Boys, as well as reprising his role from the Beverly Hills Cop movies in this past summer’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. For good measure, he also helped his friend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Michael McDonald write his memoir, What a Fool Believes. To quote Collider: "If it seems that Paul Reiser is everywhere, you’re not mistaken." In a career-spanning conversation, Reiser will discuss his latest projects and share stories from coming up during the standup boom of the ‘80s to making one of the most beloved TV shows of all time.

Monday, March 17, 2025

6:00 p.m - 6:45 p.m: Chris Hayes Laureates+ Member Reception at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
We are delighted to invite our Laureate Circle supporters and above to an exclusive reception on March 17th, preceding the highly anticipated Chris Hayes program. This special event will take place in the elegant Paradiso room of the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture and offers a unique opportunity to mingle with fellow members and enthusiasts of the humanities over light bites and refreshments. As a token of appreciation, guests will receive a complimentary copy of his latest book, "The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource."

7:00 p.m - 8:15 p.m: Julian Lage in Performance at Old Town School of Folk Music - Maurer Concert Hall
Join us for an intimate solo performance with Julian Lage, one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation. Revel in Lage’s exquisite musical touch and interpretation, and his deliberate fusion of the American musical heritage from gospel and raw blues to singer-songwriter folk and straight-ahead jazz. Don’t miss this solo performance demonstrating Lage’s technical command of his instrument and a wellspring of composed and improvised material that reveals the pure artistic voice and true essence of this guitar virtuoso.

7:00 p.m - 8:15 p.m: The Sirens' Call: Chris Hayes on the Attention Economy at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture
We all feel it the distraction, the loss of focus, the addictive focus on the wrong things for too long thanks to our phones, computers, tablets, and more. Chris Hayes, host of MSNBC’s show "All In" and "Why Is This Happening The Chris Hayes Podcast," argues attention has become a commodified resource extracted from us, and from which we are increasingly alienated. This assault from attention capitalism has reordered our politics and the fabric of our society. In his newest book The Sirens’ Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource, Hayes offers clarity and guidance so that we can wrest back control of our lives, our politics, and our future.

9:00 p.m - 10:15 p.m: Second Show Added: Julian Lage in Performance at Old Town School of Folk Music - Maurer Concert Hall
Join us for an intimate solo performance with Julian Lage, one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation. Revel in Lage’s exquisite musical touch and interpretation, and his deliberate fusion of the American musical heritage from gospel and raw blues to singer-songwriter folk and straight-ahead jazz. Don’t miss this solo performance demonstrating Lage’s technical command of his instrument and a wellspring of composed and improvised material that reveals the pure artistic voice and true essence of this guitar virtuoso.

Thursday, March 20, 2025

8:00 p.m - 10:00 p.m: The Interview Show: Samantha Harvey + Jonathan Weisman at FitzGerald's, 6615 W Roosevelt Road Berwyn, IL 60402
The Interview Show, the long-running live talk show and former WTTW program hosted by Mark Bazer, welcomes Samantha Harvey, the Booker Prize-winning author of Orbital, plus journalist Jonathan Weisman, and The Frank Catalano Saxtet.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

5:30 p.m - 6:30 p.m: Ezra Klein Pre-Event Reception & Spring Festival Preview for Collaborators at UIC Dorin Forum
Kick off the Spring Festival with our first member reception of the year! Join us for a sneak peek of our upcoming Spring programs, preceding our highly anticipated program with Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Enjoy light bites and refreshments while you explore our book giveaway, featuring past seasons' selections, and hear from the Chicago Humanities team about highlights to come this season. This event is free to Collaborator members and above. However, tickets are required and do not include entry to the Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson program.

7:00 p.m - 8:15 p.m: Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson on Abundance at UIC Dorin Forum
After years of refusing to build sufficient housing, the entire country has a national housing crisis. After years of slashing immigration, we don’t have enough workers. The list goes on. The twenty-first century so far has been full of growing unaffordability and shortage. And in the last few decades, our capacity to see problems has sharpened while our ability to solve them has diminished. Bestselling authors and popular podcasters Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson join Chicago Humanities to trace the political, economic, and cultural barriers to progress and how we can adopt a mindset directed toward abundance, and not scarcity, to overcome them. Drawing from their latest book, Abundance, they ask us to rethink big problems that seem mired in systemic scarcity: from climate change and housing to education and healthcare.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

8:00 p.m - 10:00 p.m: Nils Frahm in Concert at The Salt Shed
Join us as we partner with The Salt Shed to present an intimate solo concert with accomplished composer, producer, and celebrated performer Nils Frahm. His unconventional approach to the piano, played contemplatively and intimately, and on a mesmerizing scale at his vast stage shows, has won him fans around the world. Nils gained global notoriety for his highly developed sense of control and restraint in his work, as well as a breathtaking level of emotion and personality. In 2024, Nils released Day, a solo piano album recorded in the summer of 2022 in complete solitude and away from his Berlin studio. He also shared All good, the third record with his band Nonkeen featuring his childhood friends Frederic Gmeiner and Sebastian Singwald.

Date: March 1 - May 14, 2025

Location: Various Venues in Chicago, IL 60642

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