Audio Series “Meeting the Moment” Offers Communications Strategies to Local Nonprofit Leaders Navigating Crisis, Identity, and Change
Audio Series “Meeting the Moment” Offers Communications Strategies to Local Nonprofit Leaders Navigating Crisis, Identity, and Change
The 13-week broadcast series builds on candid conversations with nonprofit leaders confronting funding uncertainty, policy pressure, and evolving communication challenges.
Midway Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has launched Meeting the Moment (MTM), a new 13-week audio series designed to support nonprofit leaders navigating one of the most complex operating environments in recent history. The series soft-launched March 21st, offering listeners an early look at the real-time challenges shaping Chicago’s nonprofit sector.
“WVON and WRLL are trusted voices in Black and Brown communities throughout the Chicago region—providing spaces where our audiences come not just to be informed, but to be understood,” explained Melody Spann Cooper, Chair & CEO, of MBC. “Meeting the Moment is a natural extension of that responsibility. At a time when nonprofit leaders are navigating heightened pressure, shifting policies, and real consequences for how they communicate, we have a role to create a platform that brings clarity, connection, and actionable insight to those doing the work on the ground.”
SERIES DETAILSMeeting the Momentairs Saturdaysthrough June 13, 2026, across Midway Broadcasting’s platforms:
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WRLL 1450(Spanish-language broadcast): Saturdays,9:00–10:00 AM | hosted by Jessica Tapia https://www.wrll1450.com/meetingthemoment/
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WVON 1690: Saturdays,12:00–1:00 PM | hosted by Lorie Smith https://www.wvon.com/meetingthemoment/
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Live broadcasts are also available to stream on Facebook, YouTube, iHeart, WVON app, wrll1450.com and wvon.com. Additionally, each episode is available via podcast on our MTM homepages and Soundcloud.
Each one-hour broadcast features:
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Candid conversations with nonprofit leaders and sector experts
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Practical Communications Strategies to navigate uncertainties
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Real-world scenarios drawn from Chicago-based organizations
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Tools to address reputational risk, policy shifts, and funding pressures
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A segment aptly named “The Doers” which highlights the mission of a nonprofit organization working on behalf of our communities
The series is powered by Midway Broadcasting in partnership with The Chicago Community Trustand reflects a broader commitment to equipping nonprofit leaders with the communication strategies needed to lead through disruption.
Unlike traditional program rollouts, Meeting the Moment is grounded in direct insights from nonprofit leaders themselves—captured through confidential, invitation-only focus groups. Several broadcasts reflect those conversations, surfacing the urgency, tension, and strategic recalibration happening inside organizations serving Black and Latino communities.
The first two episodes highlighted a critical throughline: Nonprofit leaders are not only delivering services—they are navigating how to talk about their work amid shifting political, funding, and cultural pressures.
Leaders described:
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Increased scrutiny over how race and community are referenced in grants and reporting
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The challenge of balancing transparency with organizational protection
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The need to rethink communications strategies in environments where language itself is contested
At the same time, the broadcast underscored differences across communities. Black-led organizations are navigating questions of identity and expression.
Latino-led organizations—particularly during heightened immigration enforcement—are operating with a strong sense of urgency and cohesion around protecting their communities and sustaining services.
For more information, please contact:Shawnelle Richie -mtm@midwaybroadcasting.com-(773) 336-3423
About Midway Broadcasting Corporation
Midway Broadcasting Corporation is one of Chicago’s leading independently-owned community-centered media organizations whose assets include WVON and WRLL Radio, and VONtv, WVON's digital video streaming platform. Midway has served as a trusted platform for news, dialogue, and civic engagement, amplifying voices and conversations that matter to the communities it serves.
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