Gathering Ground

Episode 90: Falling Out of Summer: Fireside Chat 2026

In this annual fireside chat, host Mary Morten reconnects with Angelique Power of the Skillman Foundation and Tracie Hall of the HBCU Library Alliance for a conversation

Episode 89: Leaving It Better: Teresa Younger on 13 Years at Ms. Foundation

In the season finale of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten sits down with Teresa C. Younger, outgoing president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, for a candid re

Episode 88: Research as Resistance: 25 Years of the Institute for Research on Race

Summary What does it mean to do research that refuses to look away and to protect that work when the political climate demands retreat? In this episode of “Gathering Grou

Episode 87: Thriving Out Loud - The GenderCool Project

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten sits down with Chase Glenn, Executive Director of the GenderCool Project, and GenderCool champions Chazzie Grossha

Episode 86: The Power of Survivors: Art, Advocacy and the Fight to End Gender-based Violence

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary sits down with Scheherazade Tillet, founder and executive director of A Long Walk Home, and Kaethe Morris Hoffer, executi

Episode 85: Leading from the Inside Out: Rockwood Leadership Institute at 25

What does it mean to lead a movement when the movement itself is under pressure? In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary sits down with Darlene Nipper, CEO of Rockwoo

Episode 84: Funding Justice: Community Power and the Future of Philanthropy

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary speaks with Sharon Bush, President of Grand Victoria Foundation, and Sol Anderson, President and CEO of Evanston Community Fou

Episode 83: Burn It Down or Build It Better? Reckoning with Power in the Nonprofit Sector

This episode of "Gathering Ground" brings together two sector-shifting leaders: Bina Patel, CEO of Saathi Impact Consulting, and Vu Le, writer of the blog Nonprofit AF. W

Episode 82: State by State: The Ongoing Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary sits down with three powerhouse advocates — Dr. Latonya Penny, Cathy Renna, and Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy — for a time

Episode 81: Who Gets to Stay: Land, Memory, and Belonging in a Changing City

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten sits down with four brilliant artists and activists to explore the intersection of art and social change. Amanda W

Episode 80: Best of 2025: Stories of Care, Creativity, and Collective Power

This special "Gathering Ground" episode looks back at the most powerful conversations from 2025. Join Producer Vince Pagán-Hill as he revisits memorable moments that reve

Episode 79: Living Out Loud: Queer Visibility in Action

Summary In this episode of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten sits down with three dynamic guests (Anna DeShawn, Victor Salvo, and Haven Crawley) for a powerful convers

Episode 78: 50 Years of Care: Howard Brown Health, Legacy, and the Future of LGBTQ+ Health

In this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary leads a powerful conversation marking the 50th anniversary of Howard Brown Health, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ health o

Episode 77: News at the Crossroads

This episode of "Gathering Ground" brings together four visionary media leaders—Jhmira Alexander, Silvia Rivera, Susy Schultz, and Tracy Baim—for a candid conversation ab

Episode 76: Environmental Justice and Community Power

Summary In this episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten welcomes Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and Joel Bramm

Episode 75: Fireside Chat with Tracie and Angelique

In this annual fireside chat episode of "Gathering Ground," host Mary Morten is joined once again by friends, leaders, and truth-tellers Tracie Hall and Angelique Power.

Episode 74: 40 Years of Collective Power: Chicago Foundation for Women

Welcome to Season 8 of “Gathering Ground”! We’re kicking things off with a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW). Host Mary Morten is

Episode 73: Tracy Baim on 50 Years of LGBTQ+ Health and History

In this live edition of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary Morten welcomes longtime friend and Chicago media icon Tracy Baim to discuss her latest book, “Liberating Healthcare

Episode 72: The Future of Philanthropy: Shifting Power, Centering Community

Mary is joined by Kelly Thompson, Daisy Moran (Quad Cities Community Foundation), and Evette Cardona (Polk Bros. Foundation) for a powerful conversation on the philosophi

Episode 71: Live with Natalie Moore on Stories That Matter

In this special live episode of “Gathering Ground,” Mary sits down with journalist Natalie Moore to talk about her new podcast, “Making: Stories Without End.” The series