On today's show:

– Marj Halperin, Democratic analyst heard on “The Mincing Rascals” podcast and organizer with Indivisible Chicago and One Community Near South
– Nancy Stearns, freelance journalist covering corporate social responsibility, and founder of Impactivize, a platform that focuses on “inclusivity and civil rights in America”
– Steve Phillips, columnist and New York Times bestselling author of “Brown Is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority” (2016) and  ”Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?: Playing Offense in the Fight for Racial Justice in America” (2026)
–Heartland Signal’s Rich Eberwein with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom
– Ikhlas Hakeem, collaborative arts manager for the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN); he talks about this weekend’s Save Our SNAP Block Party in Chicago

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

On today's show:
&ndash; Marj Halperin, Democratic analyst heard on &ldquo;The Mincing Rascals&rdquo; podcast and organizer with&nbsp;<a href="https://indivisiblechicago.com/">Indivisible Chicago</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://onecommunitysl.com/">One Community Near South</a> &ndash; Nancy Stearns, freelance journalist covering corporate social responsibility, and founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.impactivize.org/">Impactivize</a>, a platform that focuses on &ldquo;inclusivity and civil rights in America&rdquo; &ndash; Steve Phillips, columnist and New York Times bestselling author of &ldquo;Brown Is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority&rdquo; (2016) and  &rdquo;<a href="https://thenewpress.org/books/are-white-men-smarter-than-everybody-else/">Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?: Playing Offense in the Fight for Racial Justice in America</a>&rdquo; (2026) &ndash;Heartland Signal&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/authors/richard-eberwein/">Rich Eberwein</a>&nbsp;with three stories you might have missed from our digital newsroom &ndash; Ikhlas Hakeem, collaborative arts manager for the&nbsp;<a href="https://imancentral.org/">Inner-City Muslim Action Network</a>&nbsp;(IMAN); he talks about this weekend&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-our-snap-block-party-w-nico-segal-shawnee-dez-more-tickets-1988444976452?aff=ebdsoporgprofile">Save Our SNAP Block Party</a>&nbsp;in Chicago
Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central), a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics.  

A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, here are full episodes of "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central), a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. &nbsp;
A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect &mdash; Democrats, of course. &nbsp; &nbsp;
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC. &nbsp;Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).&nbsp;

Joan Esposito (Full Episodes)

From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central) is a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect — Democrats, of course.    

Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC.  Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). 

From Heartland Signal and <a href="https://heartlandsignal.com/wcpt820/">WCPT AM 820</a> in Chicago, "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" (weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central) is a topical and interactive talk show that focuses on national, state and city politics. A veteran Chicago broadcaster, Joan talks to politicians and professors, activists and authors, candidates and correspondents, as well as listeners who call in to share their views on the news of the day. Her goal is to Edify, Entertain and Elect &mdash; Democrats, of course. &nbsp; &nbsp;
Joan Esposito has hosted WCPT's afternoon show since 2019. Prior to that she spent 20 years as a Chicago television anchor and reporter for WGN Channel 9, ABC7 and NBC5, and had a stint as managing partner at media trainer J2SC. &nbsp;Joan is a long-time member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).&nbsp;