‘28 Days of Black Excellence’

UIC launches a podcast series, “28 Days of Black Excellence,” Feb. 1. It features inspiring stories of Black students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends in celebration of Black History Month.

Each day in February, a new episode will be released on the UIC today website, as well as the Google, Spotify and Stitcher podcast apps. The podcast series was developed by Aisha El-Amin, associate vice chancellor for equity and belonging in the Office of Diversity, Equity & Engagement.

“For decades in Chicago, UIC has been an integral part of the university experience for generations of Black and African descent students, faculty and staff. The UIC Black Excellence series lifts up these stories,” said El-Amin, who also hosts the podcast. Tariq El-Amin edited and was a consultant for the podcast.

“It brings the promise of today into conversation with a rich history of excellence that made today possible.”

El-Amin leads conversations with luminaries, visionaries and waymakers about their journeys and what it means to give back to the university and community while creating impact in Chicago and beyond. Podcasts guests include UIC graduates from 1975 to 2017 who are now engineers, academics, social workers, nonprofit leaders, authors, military veterans and more.

“Tune in every day during Black History Month and journey with alumni, faculty and staff from the past as they share some of their fondest memories, their stories of resilience and as they offer a bit of sage advice,” El-Amin said. “Join us to celebrate UIC’s legacy of Black excellence.”

Listen to the podcast on UIC today, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts.

Podcast schedule:

• Introduction and Rand Harlow
• Tamara Edmonds Askew (Feb. 1)
• Charles Pickett (Feb. 2)
• LaDora Robinson-Locke (Feb. 3)
• Horace Smith (Feb. 4)
• Michelle Morrow (Feb. 5)
• Cecil Curtwright (Feb. 6)
• Jamilah Okoe (Feb. 7)
• Gerald Hankerson (Feb. 8)
• Alfred Tatum (Feb. 9)
• Shelley Davis (Feb. 10)
• Keenan Artis (Feb. 11)
• Daphne Smith Marsh (Feb. 12)
• Roddric Sims (Feb. 13)
• Aginah Muhammad (Feb. 14)
• Robert Winn (Feb. 15)
• Ertharin Cousin (Feb. 16)
• Jerry Watson (Feb. 17)
• Saria Lofton (Feb. 18)
• Chezare Warren (Feb. 19)
• Khadijah El-Amin (Feb. 20)
• Nathaniel Downing (Feb. 21)
• Desiree Stepteau-Watson (Feb. 22)
• Gerald Smith (Feb. 23)
• Rasheedah Shahid-Tezak (Feb. 24)
• Karia Coleman (Feb. 25)
• Al Riley (Feb. 26)
• Yolanda A. Coleman (Feb. 27)
• Jocelyn Reaves (Feb. 28)