Author Archives: asamawi
Soccer Dad Discovers Chicago’s Hidden Soccer Universe
Author: Hoon Program of Study: MS in Applied Data Science, Physical Sciences Division Description: A dad’s journey from skepticism to amazement while discovering Chicago’s vast soccer infrastructure – from rooftop pitches to European academies to authentic supporter culture – revealing how America’s “soccer problem” might actually be soccer’s greatest democratic achievement. https://voices.uchicago.edu/findingchicago/files/2025/10/Hoon_podcast_FinalSubmission_Sept17.mp3 Transcription (provided by the author): Welcome...
The Eastern Slavic Community and Its Identity in Chicago’s “Ukrainian Village” neighborhood
Author: Byeongyeob Lee Program of Study: History, Social Sciences Division At the center of West Town, Chicago is a community of Eastern European, Slavic descendants called “Ukrainian Village” quietly keeping its traditions. While it is not as demonstrative in publicly exhibiting its ethnic identity compared to, for instance, the neighboring Puerto Rican population, a closer look at this district...
The Chicago Promise: A Lakefront for Everyone
Author: Lei Zhang Program of Study: Master of Laws (LLM), Law School Description: How did Chicago’s 30-mile shoreline, with its 3,400 acres of parkland, remain a continuous, public space while other major cities sold their waterfronts to private developers? I’ll share how I, a student from Shanghai, discovered the hidden history of the city’s lakefront, from a legal promise...
The Chicago Promise: A Lakefront for Everyone
Author: Lei Zhang Program of Study: Master of Laws (LLM), Law School Description: How did Chicago’s 30-mile shoreline, with its 3,400 acres of parkland, remain a continuous, public space while other major cities sold their waterfronts to private developers? I’ll share how I, a student from Shanghai, discovered the hidden history of the city’s lakefront, from a legal promise...
Two shores of Lake Michigan
Author: Di Lu Program of Study: Chemistry, Physical Sciences Division (PSD) Description: My personal reflection on finding peace by Lake Michigan—and uncovering the social and environmental inequalities hidden beneath its beauty. Listen here: Transcript: Welcome to the ELI’s Finding Chicago Global Perspectives Podcast Series for AEPP 2025. I’m your host, Di Lu, and I’m currently enrolled in the...
The Mystery of Italian Beef’s Spread
Author: Michitaka Ito Program of Study: Master of Public Policy (MPP), Harris School of Public Policy Description: This podcast is about the features, the origin, and the mystery of Italian Beef, the iconic sandwich from Chicago. I will answer “What a classic Italian Beef is”, “How you can order it”, and “How was this recipe born.” Furthermore, my podcast...
The voices of Chicago
Author: María José Carvjal This podcast explores Chicago’s street art as a reflection of social issues, creativity, and collective voices. It highlights its accessibility, democratic nature, and temporary existence, inviting listeners to see the city’s walls as open-air museums where urgent messages and cultural expressions intersect. Audio: Transcript: Welcome to ELI’s Finding Chicago Global Perspective podcast series...
Exploring Chicago’s Sports Culture Through a White Sox game
Author: Clement Li Program of Study: Master of Public Policy (MPP), Harris School of Public Policy Description: In this podcast, I share my experience attending a Chicago White Sox game and a surprising conversation with a lifelong fan. I then reflect on what Chicago’s sports culture reveals about community, identity, and keep the city’s passion alive through both highs...
Finding Chicago: The newbirth of the iron vessel
Author: Ruoxi Liu Program of Study: Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS), Social Sciences Division Why 606? Or, why the railway? Honestly, the railway is one of my personal favorite images and signs of nostalgia. The heavy iron body and the rumbling tracks were attractive fun for me as a child. When I went back to...
Perceptions of Chicago’s Safety Beyond the Rumors
The Writing on the Wall at Lincoln Park Author: Tangxiaoxue Zhang Program of Study: Masters in Computational Social Science (MACSS), Social Sciences Division When I first set out to explore Chicago, I wandered around Lincoln Park, especially the part near DePaul University. To be honest, there was not much writing on the walls that struck me—no murals or dramatic...