Illinois Public Media News

We’ll speak with Chicago based visual artist and writer Riva Lehrer, whose recent New York Times Op-Ed “The Virus Has Stolen Your Face From Me” explores how the pandemic has presented challenges to her as both a disabled person, and as an artist whose work focuses on portraits and representations of faces and bodies stigmatized by society.

With the new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 now in the U.S., mask wearing is as important as ever — but masks also pose challenges to communicating for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Illinois state lawmakers are set to return to Springfield this week for the first time since last May. The agenda includes dealing with significant budget shortfalls and the Black Caucus wants its agenda on equity addressed. 

Host Brian Mackey and producers Anna Casey and Ryan Wilde share some of their favorite and most memorable segments from The 21st.

As we review some of our favorite conversations from 2020, we revisit conversations with two authors whose books past tension between the press and past US presidents.

As we look back at conversations in 2020, we're sharing memories of three people with major impacts on Illinois: former Governor Jim Thompson, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and musician John Prine.

Today, we're revisiting our conversations about Christmas themed movies new and old; how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting charities and how you can help; and how Illinois Arts organizations are taking their holiday performances virtual this year.

As we look back at conversations from 2020: we're resharing a conversation on the arts with a creator of a podcast, a NIU grad starring in a holiday themed movie putting a twist on roamantic comedies and meet Illinois' fifth state poet laureate.

The 21st revisits some of its favorite segments from 2020. Today's theme: books.