What to Doc: “Richard Wright, who lived in Chicago, once wrote that we ‘can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as (we) can from a lack of bread.’ The men and women in these videos, each of whom has been touched by our criminal justice system, are inching us along to that self-realization. They’re asking us to listen, to mourn those they’ve lost and to celebrate those who have refused to give in. They are asking us, at least for a moment, to stand in their shoes, to see the world through their eyes, to understand what it means to persist in seeking what is right and just.” That’s Alex Kotlowitz introducing a short-video series from The Marshall Project that presents intimate portraits of Chicagoans who have been touched by the criminal justice system. This is a tremendous piece of story-telling that illuminates two of the key elements missing in American society: Listening and empathy. Absolutely essential viewing. We Are Witnesses: Chicago.

+ What to Pod: The 1619 Project from the NYT was excellent. And so is the companion podcast.

+ What to Hear: The NextDraft-approved band Middle Kids is out with a new album called New Songs For Old Problems. And like their other stuff, it’s excellent. You can still catch these guys in small-ish venues. So check ’em out.