Rhys Lovell, the artistic director at the Heartland Theatre Company in Bloomington, Ill. spoke to Community Voices about his role as guest director for "John Proctor is the Villain," a performance put on by the UIS Theatre program. Lovell talked about the play which revisits "The Crucible" and explores how some protagonists can be viewed as flawed with modern-day lenses. The play runs April 12-14 and 18-20. For more information about tickets visit: https://uispac.com/john-proctor-is-the-villain-uis-theatre/

The concert is set for Aug. 16.

With the shrinking media landscape, many communities are underrepresented in the media. To hear from these communities, NPR Illinois hosts an event called LISTEN. The Petersburg, Ill. community was chosen for the March LISTEN event and with the help of Broadgauge, a local restaurant and event space, NPR Illinois spoke to several area residents and learned about the joys, challenges and media usage in the community. Community Voices co-hosts Vanessa Ferguson and Randy Eccles listen back to the event recording and provide analysis of the topics discussed. LISTEN in Petersburg was funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln.

The Faith Coalition for the Common Good is a non-profit with 35 institutional members that include faith congregations, nonprofit, and union labor organizations. They come together to address the injustices of racism and poverty in Springfield and Central Illinois. The Executive Director of the Faith Coalition Tyshianna Bankhead along with Dr. Brandon Derman, Environmental Justice Taskforce Chair, spoke to Community Voices about the mission of the Faith Coalition, inequities in the community, and issues surrounding rent in the state of Illinois. They also discuss their upcoming spring Gala on April 11.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Engagement Chuck Schrage sat down with Community Voices contributor Christian Nix to discuss the importance of Alumni Engagement. He talked about his experience playing college football and the life lessons that came with it. He also discussed the role that the Division of Advancement plays at UIS.

The funding comes from the Great American Outdoors Act, a Trump administration measure that supports recreational access on public lands — as well as their upkeep.

Interim Associate Dean for the College of Public Affairs and Education Ann Strahle and Director of the Public Affairs Reporting Program Jason Piscia sat down with Co-host Bea Bonner to discuss the UIS Journalism and Podcasting Camp. They discuss this rare opportunity that provides aspiring young journalists to learn more about the industry and how to guard themselves against misinformation.

Aldo Leopold was a conservationist, educator, and author who wrote "A Sand County Almanac," which has inspired modern environmental change. Executive Director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation Buddy Huffaker and Executive Director of the Friends of The Sangamon Valley Angela Funk spoke to Community Voices about the life and legacy of Aldo Leopold, the function of the foundation, and pressing environmental challenges the world is navigating today. They also speak about an event in Springfield happening on April 12 which will celebrate Aldo Leopold.

LJ Pemberton is the marketing and patron relations manager for the Kirkland Fine Arts Center. LJ is also an artist and published author. She returned to Community Voices to speak about her journey as a writer and her new book "Still Alive." LJ also talks about a future book she is currently working on.

Tim Totten is an expert on the life and career of Frank Lloyd Wright. His storytelling is compelling, and he will share his talents at the upcoming Dana-Thomas House Foundation fundraiser titled “Let’s Be Frank, Perfectly Frank” on April 13. Totten along with President of the Dana-Thomas House Foundation Cinda Klickna spoke to Community Voices about Wright’s tumultuous personal life and how he rebuilt his career in his later years.For more information about the fundraiser visit: https://dana-thomas.org/?event=lets-be-frank-perfectly-frank&event_date=2024-04-13