Carmen Winant is an artist, photographer, writer, and art professor at The Ohio State University. Her work involves installation and collage work to examine survival and revolt through a feminist lens. Her traveling exhibition “The last safe abortion” opens Jan. 18 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. 

“The last safe abortion” is an exploration of women’s health clinics and abortion providers, with a particular focus on the Midwest. The installation is composed of photos of behind-the-scenes work related to reproductive healthcare, such as answering phones, sterilizing equipment, conducting training sessions and scheduling appointments. 

Bemis’ Rachel Adams curated the exhibition, which was organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art. “The last safe abortion” will be displayed alongside “Synchronicities: Intersecting Figuration with Abstraction.” The installations will run concurrently through May 4.

In this episode, Winant is in conversation with Maria Corpuz about the origins of “The last safe abortion,” the logistics of how she put it together, and how Winant’s art has been affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

It's our 200th episode, and we're doing something a little different this week. In this episode, Michael Griffin is in conversation with producer Courtney Bierman.

A quick note on episode numbers: if you’re listening to the podcast version of this show, you’ll notice it lists this episode as number 218. That’s because show creator Tom Knoblauch started the count when Riverside Chats was a series of live conversations in Benson. We’re counting from the first episode that played on KIOS airwaves in 2020.

Bierman, an Omaha native, graduated from the University of Kansas in 2019 with degrees in journalism and film. While at KU, she served as the arts and culture editor for the University Daily Kansan and completed a summer internship at KCUR, Kansas City's NPR member station.

She joined KIOS in 2020 and hosts programming every weekday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. In addition to Riverside Chats, she produces the local shows Faturday Omaha, Lives and The Entertainment.

Bierman also works weekends at Film Streams. You can find her behind the concessions counter at either location, and she’d love it if you said hello.

Bierman and Griffin discuss the behind-the-scenes production process in radio, the organizational structure of KIOS, and whether it is too late for her to become a film critic.

Todd Lemke is the founder and publisher of Omaha Magazine, a 42-year-old regional publication covering the arts, lifestyle, entertainment, food and more.

Lemke grew up in Papillion and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1981 with a degree in journalism. In 1983, he started a print publication called Omaha Today, which eventually became Omaha Magazine. 

Omaha Magazine is behind the annual Best of Omaha list, Faces of Omaha, Faces of Lincoln, the new North Omaha First, and other special publications. It has been honored by the Great Plains Journalism Awards, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and by the Omaha Press Club.

In this episode, Lemke and Michael Griffin are discussing the origin of the magazine, the intersection of advertising and journalism, and what Lemke has learned in his 40 years in the industry.

Joshua Brown is the program coordinator at the Nebraska Arts Council, a state organization whose mission is to promote, cultivate and sustain the arts through programming, grants and opportunities to foster creative innovation statewide.

At the Arts Council, Brown manages grants related to arts education and accessibility. Outside of his work with the Arts Council, he also serves as a visual artist and musician, exhibiting paintings and sculptures at community galleries in Omaha and organizing shows that support emerging and community-oriented artists.

A University of Nebraska Omaha graduate, Brown has a degree in art history and is also working toward a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Nebraska Kearney. His studies have led him to explore the connections between power, government and the arts, focusing on how governments can foster environments that encourage community-oriented arts and culture.

In this episode Brown and Michael Griffin are talking about art as rhetoric and why it’s essential for a healthy democracy, and how Brown’s worldview was shaped by homeschooling and an early appreciation for art of all kinds.

Jahmai Brown is a painter, photographer and Hot Shops Art Center resident. 

An Omaha native, Brown attended North High School and graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute. His paintings are often works of bright colors, bold patterns and less traditional materials like glitter and magazine clippings. 

Brown was also among the artists who created the “Black Skies” mural in 2018 at 24th and Grant Streets, which highlights the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen. Brown was only 17 when the mural was unveiled to the public.

In this episode, Brown and Michael Griffin are talking about the inspiration behind his work, and his hope for viewers to interact with it. They're also talking about the skills he thinks are important for a young artist to develop, and how those artists can find support in Omaha.

Erin Feichtinger is policy director of the Women's Fund of Omaha. In this episode, she's in conversation with Tom Knoblauch about history (in which she has a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago) and politics, including Governor Pillen's vision for Nebraska and how it's panning out after a contentious state legislative session.

This episode was recorded before the 2024 general election.

Working in poetry, glass and installation, Aspen Monet Laboy’s art explores concepts of environmentalism and identity. In the summer of 2022, they implemented and co-hosted Corner’s Space at KANEKO, a public program exploring poetry through creative experimentation and collaboration.

Laboy has published three books of poetry with a fourth on the way. Several of their selected poems were aired on Friday Live with Nebraska Public Media through NPR in 2023. Their writing has also been featured in local zines and performed in various galleries.

Currently, Laboy is part of the 2023-24 Alternate Currents Cohort and Community Advisory Group through Amplify Arts. This year, they were awarded a scholarship from Penland School of Craft and were accepted into the Pilchuck Glass School Auction.

In this episode, Michael Griffin and Laboy are in conversation about Laboy’s origins as a writer and artist, and how they became interested in glassblowing and sculpting. They're also talking about the economics of being an artist in Omaha and how we can better support the creative community.

Sean Kelly is a candidate for Douglas County Commissioner, District 5 against Brian Fahey.

An Omaha native and Dundee resident, Kelly attended Creighton Prep and went on to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business. Outside of his run for office, Kelly works as a local investor and agricultural real estate professional.

In this episode, Kelly and Michael Griffin discuss how Kelly's business background inspired his run for office, and his vision for District 5, which includes lowering property taxes and increasing transparency in local government.

Brian Fahey is a local attorney running for Douglas County Commissioner, District 5 against Sean Kelly.

An Omaha native and nephew of former mayor Mike Fahey, Brian Fahey attended Central High School and went on to receive a law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law. Fahey is also a member of the River City Mixed Chorus Board of Directors, vocalist for the Omaha Chamber Singers and artistic director of the Capitol Avenue Baroque. 

Fahey and Michael Griffin discuss how caring for elderly relatives and relying on public assistance inspired Fahey's run for office. They also discuss steps for improving quality of life in his district, staying grounded on the campaign trail, and how to foster political discussions with people from all walks of life.

Correction: An earlier version of this description incorrectly identified Brian Fahey's relationship to former mayor Mike Fahey. Brian is his nephew.

Correction: An earlier version of this description incorrectly detailed Fahey's employment history. He is not a partner at Fraser Stryker.

David Levy is a candidate for the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Board of Directors in District 2. The Transit Authority, also known as Metro, is responsible for running Omaha’s bus system, including ORBT and MOBY services.

Levy is running against Clarice Dombeck, who was on this show in June. You can hear my conversation with her wherever you get your podcasts.

The first elected transit board will have seven nonpartisan members, one for each district. Prior to this year, seats were appointed by the mayor rather than elected. The change is part of Metro’s increased budget and expanded regional services. Board responsibilities include determining transit policy, overseeing the budget and handling contracts.

David Levy was born in Lincoln, and his family moved to Santa Barbara, California when he was 9. He earned both an undergraduate and master’s degree in city planning at the University of California, Berkeley. He spent the first part of his career as a city planner in San Francisco. He earned a law degree from Hastings College of the Law, know known as University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.

Levy now works as an attorney at the firm Baird Holm LLP, where he represents clients in land use and energy matters. He currently serves as a commissioner of the Omaha Housing Authority and as a member of the Omaha by Design board of directors. Before beginning his legal career, Levy was a city planner for the City and County of San Francisco. Levy also contributed to the City of Omaha’s streetcar project.

In this episode, Levy and Michael Griffin are talking about how Levy's early interest in architecture led to his career in law and city planning, his vision for transit equity, and how to increase civic engagement in Omaha. Here is my conversation with David Levy.

Correction: A previous version of this text misidentified the school from which Levy obtained his law degree. It was Hastings College of the Law.

Ameen Wahba is a licensed mental health practitioner whose work is grounded in the belief that psychotherapy can be a liberatory practice, both individually and institutionally.

Wahba is also a multidisciplinary artist, writer and musician. In 2018, he published a book of poetry titled “Bear Witness to That Which Is.” He’s been part of various gallery installations around town and was a 2023 Fellow at the Union For Contemporary Art.

Wahba also plays guitar and sings in the bands Thick Paint, Sgt Leisure and Little Ripple, which is a solo project. You can see him perform with Sgt Leisure on Oct. 11 at The Church/Art House.

In this episode, Wahba and Michael Griffin are talking about therapy and mental health, Wahba’s journey to realizing he could be both an artist and a therapist, and how he balances both parts of his life.