Dr. Dana Crosby is chair, program director, and professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at SIU School of Medicine. She is also Director of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery as well as Director of Otolaryngic Allergy. She spoke to Community Voices about what drew her to this medical specialty, what all Otolaryngology encompasses, and how chronic issues with the senses impact quality of life. Dr. Crosby also talks about working with residents as they prepare to become surgeons.

A staple of the holiday season, the Salvation Army’s red kettles are stationed at the entrance of numerous stores, but the organization is seeking more volunteers to draw attention to those kettles by ringing bells. Salvation Army Envoy Jeff Eddy and board member Michael Thomas spoke to Community Voices and explained how people can volunteer and how donations are distributed in Springfield.

"The Election is Over. Now What?" That was the name of the panel discussion held by the UIS School of Politics and International Affairs, featuring UIS professors Matthew Geras, Isabel Skinner and Jason Pierceson. Jennifer Fuller from Capitol News Illinois moderated the discussion which provided analysis on the outcome of the election and what we are likely to see in future elections.

Springfield Theatre Centre's production of RENT runs 12/6/24-12/8/24 and 12/13/24-12/15/24. RENT is a rock musical loosely based on Puccini’s opera La bohème. The musical tells the story of a group of starving artist bohemian friends living on Avenue A in NYC under the shadow of HIV/AIDS epidemic in the late 1980's. LaDonna Wilson is the director of this production and Jasmine French portrays one of the main characters Maureen Johnson. They spoke to Community Voices about their experience with theater in the Springfield community, the serious themes in RENT, and what people can expect from the production. They also discussed partnering with The Phoenix Center and IDPH to do a coat drive and have testing available during the run of the show. Find tickets and details here.

A holiday reception is scheduled for the Dana-Thomas House on Dec. 6. Caren Mansfield with the Dana-Thomas House Foundation spoke to Community Voices about the event which is a fundraiser for the home’s renovations. For tickets and more information visit: https://dana-thomas.org/?event=dana-thomas-house-foundation-holiday-reception&event_date=2024-12-06

Dr. Nathan Todd is a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He spoke to Community Voices about his research on how Christian faith communities become and live out being open and inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Mark Achler is a venture capitalist and the former senior vice president of Redbox. He is also a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and he's co-authored the book “Exit Right.” He recorded an interview with Innovate Springfield for the Founders, Failures and Fun podcast during which he spoke about his journey as an entrepreneur and lessons he’s learned along the way.

The People’s Symposium Presents A Celebration of Life for Palestine will take place on Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Erin’s Pavilion. The event will feature several community resources, vendors, workshops and more. Organizer Maribel Cruz Hine and presenter Dr. Kristi Barnwell spoke to Community Voices about the event, the need for aid in Palestine and the local organization Springfield Families for Ceasefire.To learn more visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/12B7Uc2fQbk/

Mawa Iqbal is the state house reporter for WBEZ and Illinois Public Radio. She spoke to Community Voices about what it’s like as a reporter in the Illinois State Capitol, the challenges of reporting on social justice and the importance of media literacy.

Bwayisak Tanko is a master’s student in the School of Communication at the University of Illinois Springfield. Her documentary film Accents and Acceptance, which is part of her research project for closure from the School of Communication and Media Studies, premieres November 22nd, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Brookens Auditorium. The film explores the communication experiences of international students from Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East as they adjust to life in the United States of America, highlighting their stories and challenges within the context of communication. Bwayisak spoke to Community Voices about growing up in small town in northern Nigeria, the story behind wanting to use her voice to influence change, and some observations from the documentary.