About Tom Tresser

Voice of Opposition

Nonprofit Managemnt + Politics

Civic Engagment in Chicago

Tom Tresser of the CivicLab (www.civiclab.us) was interviewed by Sasha-Ann Simons of the "Reset" Program on Chicago Public Radio WBEZ on May 10, 2021, We talk about the ideas in the book "Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve" and the concept of Civic Ubuntu and MorePublic. Reach us at info@civiclab.us (16 min, 11 sec).

Tom Tresser of the CivicLab Re-Imagines Chicago

Jonathan Peck and Tom Tresser of the CivicLab (www.civiclab.us) were interviewed on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio's "Reset" Program with Sasha-Ann Simons on May 19, 2021 as part of their "Re-imagine Chicago" series. We discussed how the TIF Illumination Project works (www.tifreports.com). Bring us to YOUR community - info@civiclab.us (13 min, 38 sec)

"About the TIF Illumination Project - WBEZ-5-19-21

Mike Stephen of "Outside the Loop Radio" interviewed Tom Tresser on the latest 2020 updates on Chicago's TIFs on WGN Radio on September 18, 2021. We review how TIFs work, the headlines for all of Chicago's TIFs for 2020, and explain why the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agrees with the CivicLab that TIFs are racist. https://wgnradio.com/outside-the-loop-radio/otl-779-preserving-democracy-and-media-an-update-on-chicagos-tif-program (11 min, 11 sec)

Tom Tresser on WGN-9-18-21

Class #3 from "Civics 101" for i c stars Cycle 53, delivered October 12, 2023. The instructor is Tom Tresser, www.tresser.com. (1 hr, 30 min)

TASCAM DR-40

Civics 101 - C53 - Class 3

This ad aired on WVON Sunday afternoon, January 11, 2015. It is produced by the University of Chicago and is urging South Side residents to show support for placing the Obama Library on site selected by the University - both of which are public parks.

UofC Libray Ad - WVON

Tom Tresser (http://www.tresser.com) was interviewed by Mike Stephen on WVON-AM on April 1, 2015. We covered TIFs, community development, the CivicLab and the need to DO democracy. 17 minutes. http;//www.tifreports.com - http://www.civiclab.us - tom@civiclab.us

The simple URL for this track = http://tinyurl.com/4-1-15-WGN.

WGN Interview - 4-1-15

Tom Tresser gave these remarks protesting the siting of the Obama Library on Washington Park or any public land in Chicago. The Chicago Park District Board met at Indian Boundary Park on May 13, 2015. tom@civiclab.us. The simple URL for this clip = http://tinyurl.com/CPD-5-13-15.

Tom Tresser's Remarks to Chicago Park District Board - 5-13-15

Tom Tresser (http://www.tresser.com) told this seven minute story about the No Games Chicago campaign and our visits to Switzerland and Copenhagen in 2009. The event was the first instance of Do Not Submit Lincoln Park on May 18, 2015. More info on the No Games Chicago campaign is online at http://www.nogameschicago.com.

The No Games Chicago Story Told @ Do Not Submit

Tom Tresser made these brief (2 minutes) remarks before the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District on October 14, 2015. Unmoved, the Commissioners voted 7-0 to give priceless lake front land to the George Lucas Foundation. Are YOU fighting privatization efforts in your community? Contact Tom at tom@civiclab.us.

Tom Tresser Remarks to Chicago Park District Board

William Calloway, 26-year old community organizer with Christianaire - http://www.christianaireinc.com - http://ink361.com/app/users/ig-576807879/christianaire/photos. He worked with freelance journalist Brandon Smith and civil rights attorney Matt Topic to get the police video of the shooting of Laquan McDonald released to the public. He spoke to CivicLab's Tom Tresser (http://www.tresser.com) on December 21, 2015.

Support William's work NOW: https://www.gofundme.com/ssavesouthshore.

William Calloway

Civic educator Tom Tresser was interviewed on Freeform Radio WZRD on June 2, 2016, Find out more about "Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve" at http://www.wearenotbroke.org. Bring us to your organization - tom@civiclab.us.

Tom Tresser Interview - WZRDFM - 6-2-16

Fight For 15 organizer Douglas Hunter visits "Civics 101" class at i c stars on June 21, 2016 to tell his story. The class is taught by civic educator and public defender Tom Tresser - http://www.tresser.com - tom@civiclab.us. More information: http://www.fightfor15.org. This audio clip is 1 hour, 31 minutes.

Douglas Hunter Visits i c stars 6-21-16

Bob Quellos was a co-founder of No Games Chicago in 2008 (http://www.nogameschicago.com). He appeared on the WBEZ-FM Public Radio program "Worldview" on July 19, 2016 to discuss the Olympic bidding process, the work of No Games Chicago and the fate of cities unlucky enough to host a Olympic games.

Bob Quellos Revews the "Battle for the Bid" - 7-19-16

Tom Tresser, the editor of "Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve" was interviewed by Wayne Besen on his radio show, August 5, 2016 (22 minutes). http://www.wcpt820.com/shows/ive-got-issues-w-wayne-besen - Get the book for $12 at http://www.wearenotbroke.org - Bring us to your community organization or school. info@civiclab.us

Interview on "The Wayne Besen Show" - 8-5-16

Tom Tresser (http://www.tresser.com) teaches public leadership at Adler University in Chicago, These remarks talk about the ingredients for vision needed to lead change and a powerful nonprofit organization (46 minutes).

Ingredients for a Vision

Tom Tresser of the "Chicago Is Not Broke" Book Project spoke to the Egan Office for Urban Education & Community Partnerships at the Steans Center at DePaul on April 19, 2017. The topic was "125 Meetings & Five Big Questions" that reflected what Tom has learned from participating in community forums since 2009.

125 Meetings - Five Big Questions

Part 1 of class from May 4, 2017. 1 hr, 10 min.

PPC 503 - May 4 2017 - part 1

PPC 503 - May 4 2017 - part 2

Part 1 of class from May 11, 2017. 51 minutes.

PPC 503 - May 11 2017 - part 1

This 16 minute recording was a demo Tom Tresser produced in early 2001 for a prototype streaming service called OurHouse Radio. OurHouse.com was an early e-commerce site that was the online play for Ace Hardware. Tom  is the host, wrote the show, cast the voice actors, designed the prototype interface, and mapped out the connections between content and offerings. Sadly, the prototype was never realized as a fully functioning platform and the company went out business a month after Tom presented it, tom@tresser.com

The simple URL for this clip= https://tinyurl.com/OurHouse-Radio-Demo

OurHouse Radio Demo

Tom Tresser was interviewed by Ilona Ross of the Hudson Valley Vindicator on September 25, 2020. See http://hvvindy.com. It seems that greedy developers are grabbing public dollars EVERYWHERE across the USA. Se our TIF work at www.tifreports.com. Bring us to YOUR community to fight for economic justice - info@civiclab.us. (29 min, 36 sec)

Hudson Valley Vindicator Podcast - 9-25 - 20

Tom Tresser is a civic educator and public defender. He has been doing grassroots democracy since 1973. Find out more at www.tresser.com.