A new Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ), biweekly feature “Chicago Matters: Beyond Burnham Visionaries” shows a glimpse into a diverse group of people right in our own backyard!

The series profiles “visionaries with an eye on our region’s future,” but also draws connections to the international level. The people profiled run the gamut from a community developer to a cancer researcher to an architect. And, of course, the profiles are done in audio, which is fantastic.

Angela Hurlock, of Claretian Associates, develops affordable green housing in South Chicago.  Hurlock is working to turn things around in one of Chicago’s most neglected areas with an approach to development that emphasizes family. “It’s thinking about what really is affordable for all of our families,” Hurlock says to WBEZ. “It’s not just in the purchase it’s in the upkeep and the usage. And if your utility bill is too high your home is not affordable.”

Rami Nashashibi, who founded the Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) “religious beliefs as a springboard for community action.” Nashashibi’s interview covers everything from the Muslim-American community to the connection of hip-hop culture to Islam.

These folks, similar to GES staffers, delegates, facilitators and alumni, are “global visionaries.”