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Panel Discussion and Concert Take On Urban-Rural Divide

Illinois Humanities is hosting a panel discussion on issues that affect both rural and urban areas of the state on Aug. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Old State Capitol.
NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS
Illinois Humanities is hosting a panel discussion on issues that affect both rural and urban areas of the state on Aug. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Old State Capitol.

Illinois is often talked about as Chicago and the rest of the state.

Illinois Humanities, a nonprofit focused on arts and culture, is hosting the final event in its series of conversations about the urban-rural divide on Friday at the Old State Capitol. A musical performance will follow a panel discussion – “The Country and the City: Common Ground in the Prairie State?”.

Two of the panelists, Leone Jose Bicchieri, director of Working Family Solidarity in Chicago, and Molly Parker, a reporter with the Southern Illinoisan newspaper, talked with NPR Illinois about what they’ve learned from the conversations they’ve participated in.

Listen here.

“Let’s not let other people tell us that it’s actually this group of people that have caused your problem because that’s very simplistic,” Bicchieri said. “A lot of times, these talks remind us – why don’t you get to know people and talk to them, and then see what we can do together?”

The panel discussion starts at 5:30 p.m. A music performance by Grammy-award winning soprano singer Christine Brewer and banjoist Noam Pikelny begins at 7 p.m. The event is free. To register and find more information, visit the Illinois Humanities’ website.

Copyright 2021 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS. To see more, visit NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS.

Mary is a reporter at NPR Illinois and graduated from the Public Affairs Reporting program atUISand received her BA in International Studies from American University. Previously Mary worked as a planning consultant and reported for the State Journal-Register where she covered city government.