Vocalo Overdrive

Real talk & stories from around the way with your hosts Luis Antonio Perez & Shantell Jamison. Weekdays from 4pm-6pm on 89.5FM 90.7FM and Vocalo.org Subscribe to our Podcast.

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The Vocalo Overdrive is officially "in park" and in retirement.

Join hosts Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison as they share memories and bid a final farewell to their listeners from around the way.

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This was the last broadcast of the Vocalo Overdrive on June 26th 2013 on 89.5FM and 90.7FM hosted by Luis Antonio Perez and Shantell Jamison. They talked about the murder charges filed against football star Aaron Hernandez and the bizarre testimony of Rachel Jeantel in the George Zimmerman murder trial of Trayvon Martin. They also reminisce about "Peace Prize' Thursdays and give heartfelt farewells before signing off for the last time.

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Thank You

  Come September, I’ll be at Chicago Public Media for six years, and it’s been great being part of the Overdrive. Not only did we contribute to doing great work for members of our community, but we really made a mark of public radio. I remember the first time that I sat down in the Vocalo studio. It was January and I had been paired up with The Morning aMP's Brian Bablyon. As we were broadcasting, I thought to myself "this is unlike ANYTHING that I ever heard and I was hooked because FINALLY there was a smart, engaging alternative for the people. It was also necessary.

There have been way too many moments to list that I'm proud of on the Overdrive. From the great stories that we collect at our "Music & Stories" events to the head to head debates that we would have about policy, racism, even fried chicken, it's all been a hell of a ride. 

To the callers, tweeters and Facebook commentators, I thank you. Each of you whether we agreed or disagreed with each other, you helped us become better. Better thinkers, better communicators, better broadcasters, better people. We caused each other to think about things in different ways, and for that alone you are appreciated. I look forward to continuing to bring you great quality programming that will make you proud. Thanks for listening! 

Vocalove,

Shantell

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"Well my cousin was named Nekia and my mom really liked that name, but my cousin already had it. And my mother was a big fan of the liquor tequila, so she just decided to call me 'Tekia' "

-Tekia, on how she got her name Kanye West and Kim Kardashian welcomed their daughter North West over the weekend. Hosts Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison discuss the baby's name and hear stories from different people about how they got their names.

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Earlier this week, the Supreme Court struck down a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Section 4 of the VRA was labeled unconstitutional because it was based on “40-year-old” data which was not related to the present day voting practices. The landmark decision was devastating for civil rights activists. Overdrive hosts Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison discuss the details of the court’s decision and what it means for citizens of the country.

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Peace Prize Thursday June 27, 2013

The Trayvon Martin Case: The trial that will decide George Zimmerman's fate is now underway. The jury is hearing testimony from a key witness Rachel Jeantel, but the focus appears to be more on her delivery and demeanor than her actual account of what happened that fateful night last year. We discuss the details of her account of the murder as well as the public's response to Jeantel. 

From Football to Murder: New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been charged with murdering his friend. He's been released from the team since news broke of the occurrence. Hernandez also faces five gun-related charges. We discuss the details leading up to the charges and what this means for the NFL star's career. 

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Mike Puente joins Luis and Shantell to discuss some of the issues that are affecting our neighbors to the east. The group discusses the need for mental health reform within Indiana prisons, and the legal debate concerning what is (and isn't) being done. Then the conversation moves to the likelihood of an "Ill-iana Highway" connecting the two states and the hundreds of small farm towns that could be affected. Catch all the details on these issues and more! Mike Puente is the WBEZ correspondent for Northwest Indiana.

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"Zimmerman didn't shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to. He shot him for the worst of all reasons... because he wanted to." - John Guy, prosecuting attorney, in his opening statement The trial of George Zimmerman, the Florida man accused of slaying 17-year-old Trayvon Martin began with opening statements on Monday. The prosecution began with a haunting recount of the defendant's police dispatch call and a promise of "irrefutable evidence" against him. Where as the defense maintains that Zimmerman was an upstanding citizen, simply trying to keep his neighborhood safe. Luis and Shantell discuss the trial, its cast and the potential outcomes of this infamous case.

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Feminist Wednesday: June 26, 2013

A Victory for Same-Sex Couples: In a dual ruling, the Supreme Court struck down two laws that banned gay marriage. As of today, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act are unconstitutional. The SCOTUS also threw Proposition 8 down to a lower court. This means that same-sex couples in California no longer have to subscribe to the marriage ban. 

#StandwithWendy: Texas Senator Wendy Davis stood and spoke for 13 hours yesterday at the state's Capitol. The filibuster was in opposition of an abortion bill that would have significantly restricted abortion rights in the state. We discuss the details surrounding the incident. 

Wise Women:This week we pay tribute to the great "wise women" whose stories we've helped tell. 

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Is Mylie twerking a bit too hard? On the Overdrive, Luis and Shantell discuss the pop star's recent dive into black culture through her multiple "twerking" videos, sporting a "grill" in her newest video and her comments about wanting her new single to "sound more black". Is Mylie being out-of-line or just "being herself"? While twerking is typically attributed to black culture, the discussion turns to how we appropriate cultural relevance and why certain trends get cultural labels. Caller, Lorell K, offers her point-of-view and begins a debate on whether twerking can even be considered "black".

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Cash Money Tuesday: June 25, 2013

A Big Change to Voting Rights: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court struck down  a key point of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We discuss the details of the measure and what this means for citizens across the country.

WBEZ Bureau Check In: This week, WBEZ's NWI Bureau Reporter Mike Puente checks in with us about the ACLU's charge that prisons in the state aren't doing enough for mentally ill prisoners. MIke also talks about a proposed pitch for the Illiana expressway that will connect Indiana and Illinois.

Your Privacy Exposed: Last Friday, Facebook announced that the site had leaked the information of 6 million users. Some are questioning the corporation's handling of the situation as they posted the announcement on their security team's page as opposed to their main account. We discuss.

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Miscellaneous Monday: June 24, 2013

Something that Feels "Black": Miley Cyrus has made some very interesting comments about her next solo track. She wants it to be urban. More specifically, she wants "something that feels black." We discuss.

What's in a Name: Kim and Kanye welcomed a baby girl into the world over the weekend. We talk about the reason behind the name choice and hear stories of how some voices from around the way got their names.

Job from around the way: We present the latest job lead in hopes of making the search a bit easier in this tough economy.

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Jared Marcum, a West Virginia eighth-grader was suspended for refusing to remove a pro-NRA T-shirt. After his suspension Marcum returned to the school wearing the shirt. The police were called was called and after an altercation with the officer (for excessive talking) he was arrested. Now the teenager faces a $500 fine and 1 year in jail. Luis and Shantell discuss the issue and whether the school and the officer were being excessive.

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Critic for a Minute Friday: June 21, 2013

Man About Town: Chicago Pride’s nightlife and society columnist and Huffington Post contributor Terrence Chappell gives us the rundown on the latest weekend happenings in the region.

15-year-old Hero: 15-year-old Sarah Rivera is a hero. When gun shots rang out in her Bronx neighborhood, she jumped in front of a baby carriage and pushed it to safety. Seven adults, including the infant’s dad, all scurried for cover. We discuss.

Story from Around the Way: For Pride Month, we hear Danny’s coming out story. It was originally told at “Grown Folks Stories,” a monthly event hosted by Cara Brigandi. 

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Peace Prize Thursday: June 20, 2013

Arrested for a T-Shirt: 14-year-old Jared Marcum was suspended for wearing a t-shirt featuring a rifle that said "protect your right." When he returned to school following his suspension, he wore the same exact shirt. This time other students wore gun-related shirts in solidarity with Marcum. Police were called and the students were arrested for "obstructing an officer." Marcum faces a $500 fine and a year in prison. We discuss the details surrounding the incident and whether or not officials violated Jared Marcum's freedom of expression. 

Who Benefits from Affirmative Action More? White Women: In light of the U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming hearing of Fisher v. University of Texas, many are talking about affirmative action. Various studies reveal that white women benefit from the policy more than any other group of people in the country. We talk about the findings and how we should view the results of these studies in the context of continuing the policy.

Job from Around the Way: We present the latest job lead in hopes of making the search a bit easier in this tough economy. 

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Actress/model Davetta Sherwood sits down with Shantell Jamison to talk about her new show, "The Hustle", which premieres on June 19th. Davetta talks about her childhood as an emerging star and her role as Lily Winters on the hit soap opera "The Young and the Restless". Sherwood was also nominated for a NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series" in 2007. In 2008, the actress launched her own production company "5 Foot Nothin' Productions". In the spirit of "Feminist Wednesday", Davetta and Shantell discuss being fearless as a woman and exerting power within your environment.

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Danielle Powell was only months away from receiving a bachelor’s degree when she was expelled from Grace University for being a lesbian.

The university is now asking Powell to reimburse them for the rest of her scholarship, in order for her to get the transcripts to transfer to another university.

Powell was also forced to “come out” to her family as a result of her expulsion.

Hosts Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison discuss the different factors in this situation, whether or not Powell should have to pay the school back, and Powell coming out sooner than she was ready to.