<![CDATA[The Low Hum]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-low-hum What if we stopped defining ourselves through the cycles of trauma and started wielding the tools to build a shared reality?

Beyond the noise of the news cycle lies a "Low Hum"—the sound of people quietly fixing the systems that run our world. Hosted by Chicago-based multimedia artist Rachel Steele and musician Ava Brennan. The Low Hum is a podcast dedicated to creative practice, community organizing, and world-building.

Whether we’re discussing independent political runs, DIY instrumentation, or the healing power of music, our mission is to move from immobilization to agency.

]]> RSS.com 2026.401.141116 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:55:29 GMT en 3611a42f-a22a-5b5b-aed0-fda18bdd0694 https://media.rss.com/the-low-hum/20260317_080308_c5515565638d96c10365a6b6dc289a07.png The Low Hum https://rss.com/podcasts/the-low-hum yes Rachel Steele and Ava Brennan Rachel Steele and Ava Brennan Rachel Steele and Ava Brennan false episodic podcast Chicago, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60605, USA Northwestern University, 633, Clark Street, Downtown, Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, 60201, USA <![CDATA[Concrete Without Shade: Building a Government That Actually Works]]> Most people can name their mayor. Far fewer can name their Cook County Commissioner.

In this episode, Rachel Steele talks with Isaiah White about the hidden infrastructure of local government and why it matters more than you think.

Overseeing a $10 billion budget, the Cook County Board shapes public healthcare, the justice system, and critical infrastructure for over 5 million residents. Yet many of these seats go uncontested, creating what Isaiah describes as a broken “accountability feedback loop.”

Drawing on his experience as a policy worker, and teacher, Isaiah breaks down:

  • Why systems like CountyCare are generous but hard to access
  • How inefficiency drives up costs and worsens outcomes
  • Why property taxes keep rising while services feel stagnant
  • What it takes to challenge entrenched political systems

As federal funding shifts and pressure builds, this episode asks:

What would it take to build a government that actually works?

A conversation about local power, and how to reclaim it.

Recorded by Seth Lauver

Mixed and mastered by Rachel Steele

For more information about Isaiah White please visit https://isaiahwhite.org/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-low-hum/2637505 a93518ff-db52-407e-a0ec-7de3d3d1831c 1504 full 1 1 1 1 false Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:07:28 GMT Northwestern University, 633, Clark Street, Downtown, Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, 60201, USA River North, Near North Side, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60654, USA <![CDATA[Vibrations and Visions: Why We Started the Low Hum ]]> Welcome to The Low Hum, a podcast exploring the intersection of creative practice, community organizing, and spiritual life through conversations with diverse world-builders.

In this debut episode, hosts Ava Brennan and Rachel Steele introduce themselves, share the story of how they met, and reflect on the experiences that shape their work, including navigating chronic illness as artists and building community through collaborative projects like The Great Gathering music festival.

This episode features:

  • The origin story of The Low Hum
  • Reflections on art, resilience, and identity beyond trauma
  • A preview of upcoming interviews, including a conversation with Cook County Commissioner candidate Isaiah White
  • The debut of Ava Brennan’s original song “Predator War” featuring Chaepter

Follow us on Instagram @the.low.hum

Sounds composed by Rachel Steele

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/the-low-hum/2637431 6feb7dcd-ccd1-4bc7-84c0-bdcf787975d2 1017 full false Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:26:01 GMT Northwestern University, 633, Clark Street, Downtown, Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, 60201, USA Chicago, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, 60605, USA