From Kartemquin Films and “Cooked: Survival By Zip Code:”

Q: What do Chicago’s 1995 heat wave and the COVID-19 pandemic have in common?

A: The heat wave-death map and the COVID-19-death map are ALMOST IDENTICAL.

It takes extreme crises to push us to confront the systemic roots of racism. No doubt, journalists are on the front lines, translating data and drama into compelling reporting.

In 1995, Chicago was hit by one of the deadliest heat waves in U.S. history, disproportionately killing 739 poor and elderly, mostly people of color. Now history repeats itself. The coronavirus pandemic is exposing the same deadly inequities.

Marking the 25th anniversary of the devastating heat wave, summer 2020 is predicted to be one of the hottest on record—and against the additional public health crisis of police brutality—one of the most revolutionary.

How will journalists reframe and report on this collision of crises?

SCHEDULE

Your registration is good for one, two or all of the three days.

If you have any questions you know you'd like panelists to address, email the organizers at info.summerofextremes@gmail.com.

DAY 1 - TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2020 7-8:30 PM, CST

"It's All The Same Map"

Chicago’s heat-death map from 1995 is almost identical to Chicago's COVID-19-death map — both rooted in the economics and health inequities plaguing Chicago’s communities of color. Such structural inequities are also at the root of police brutality, as seen recently in the killing of George Floyd. What is the role of the journalist in the deeper storytelling behind these crises?

Panelists: Dr. Linda Murray, Governing Council Speaker, American Public Health Association; Judith Helfand, Director/Producer, "COOKED: Survival By Zip Code;” Anton Seals, Lead Steward, Grow Greater Englewood; Cheryl Corley, Correspondent, National Desk, NPR; Andy Nebel, Founder, The Andy Nebel Co./ Former Reporter, ABC7 Chicago; Josh McGhee, Reporter, The Chicago Reporter. Moderator: Maudlyne Ihejirika, Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times.