Two Pilsen Murals Were Tagged. Now What?
Chicago is known for its public art. Almost every neighborhood is painted with murals showing the people who live there, the politics that shaped the place, and activists who have fought to retain its character. Even though murals and street art are born from graffiti, some say tagging the art breaks an unwritten rule and disrespects the artist. One of those people is Chicago Sun-Times editorial board member Ismael Perez, who wrote the recent editorial, “Chicago should take such pride in its wealth of murals, and yet, they are being defaced." Host Jacoby Cochran tours two of those defaced murals in Pilsen with Perez and talks to him about how the neighborhood felt like a "hug" when Perez arrived from Texas.
Guest: Ismael Perez, Editorial Board Member, Chicago Sun-Times (@_ismaperez)
Chicago should take such pride in its wealth of murals, and yet, they are being defaced
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
What Are Mental Health Courts? Plus, United Center Tax Break and Obama Center Gentrification
Mental health courts have proliferated in Illinois, but how effective are they? Grace Hauck with the Illinois Answers Project joins Justi...

Churches Build Housing, Maxwell Street’s Loss, and It’s Patio Season!
Lawmakers in Springfield are considering legislation that would make it easier for churches to build multifamily housing on land they own...

The DNC in Chicago ... Again?! Plus, Best Late-Night Bites
DNC officials are wrapping up a three-day visit as the city is a finalist to host the 2028 and 2032 conventions. We talked with contribut...

Are Chicago’s Scooters Safe? Plus, How Bad Will Mosquito Season Be?
Are more regulations coming to the city’s scooters and ebikes? Following several fatal accidents involving minors, lawmakers have propose...

A Rare, All Good News Episode
What sets Chicago brick apart? Why are bald eagles returning to Chicago? What would you wait in line for? City Cast Chicago contributors...

Why Is Mayor Johnson In Springfield? Plus, Chicago's First Baby Eagles in a Century
Why did Mayor Brandon Johnson go to Springfield? Will state police actually investigate the killing of Silverio Villegas González by ICE...

What Chicago Kids Want Us to Know
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Earlier this year, we visited the Carole Robertson Center for Learning at their Albany Park site to talk...

Will Chicago Hospitals Resume Trans Youth Healthcare? Plus, What is the RIFL Act?
In April, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration could not cut Medicare and Medicaid funding to hospitals providing gender-affirm...

Immigrant Families Facing Evictions. Plus, CPS Manages May Day
A new report shines light on how immigrant families in Chicago continue to suffer months after the height of Operation Midway Blitz. Many...

Your Guide to May 2026 in Chicago
May flowers are blooming all around us as summertime Chicago is on the horizon. We’ve got your guide to what’s happening in Chicago this...


