They're back! The 2026 election season has host Bessie Alcantara back in conversation with the co-authors of Girl I Guess, Stephanie Skora and Reaghn Draper.

Stephanie Skora (she/her)

She is the Director of Development and Strategic Priorities for Chicago Therapy Collective, is on the Board of One Roof Chicago, and does several other things, as well.

Reaghn Draper (they/them)

is a pro-labor, queer, Black, non-binary babe who is bisexual only because they like the flag colors better than the ones for the pansexual flag. They are the Communications Manager for the Center for Third World Organizing, a co-founder of the CHAAD Project, a community organizer, painter, and writer.

Most recent Girl I Guess Guide: Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide 2026 General

NCN Voter Engagement Toolkit: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/media/documents/2026/NCN_Voter_Engagement_Toolkit_2026_V12.pdf

In this episode of Broken Office Chair, host Bessie Alcantara meets again with Amanda Hwu. Amanda directs ILCPF’s strategies to create new philanthropic structures that are genuinely accountable to the Illinois organizing ecosystem. Her work is driven by the belief that how we fund organizing is a critical site for practicing the discipline and interdependence needed for transforming our world.

Amanda was born and raised in East Central Illinois. Prior to ILCPF, she served as the founding Director of Neighborhood Funders Group’s Midwest Organizing Infrastructure Funders where she built the region’s only program dedicated to training and coordinating funders to resource organizing. Her past work also includes managing an equity initiative within a family foundation, facilitating participatory grantmaking processes to fund Asian and Pacific Islander-led power building, building data systems for violence prevention programs, coordinating youth organizing programs, and supporting racial and environmental justice campaigns.

Amanda holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois and Master's degree in Social Administration from the University of Chicago.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-hwu/

Introducing Broken Office Chair, a new podcast produced by Alternatives, a Chicago-based nonprofit. Broken Office Chair is hosted by Alternatives’ Executive Director, Bessie Alcantara, a Chicago native and a first-generation Salvadoran-Mexican American who’s passionate about dismantling systemic racism.In each episode, Bessie will be joined by friends and colleagues who are ready to talk frankly about the most important issues within the nonprofit sector. Topics range from challenges for women of color in nonprofit leadership to the cost of being poor.To learn more, visit our website: www.alternativesyouth.org/brokenofficechair