EP 12: Renee Ambrose – Candy Ladies’ Impact on Black Neighborhoods

Join Mike, Zoe.and featured guest Doreen Renee Ambrose as she explores the power of poetry and storytelling rooted in Chicago’s West Side. Discover how Renee’s journey from Cabrini-Green to the vibrant West Side offers a mirror to our shared history and future.

Our hometown legends, such as the “candy lady” play a vital role in defining who we are as black urbanites. The experiences of Renee Ambrose—transitioning from Cabrini-Green to an army vet journalist/poet in Austin—demonstrate how these narratives, from the myth of Candyman to the stories of neighborhood heroes, serve as powerful symbols of our community’s heritage and strength.


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