Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson visits West Side with Hasan Piker, JAAM Podcast team

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is making the rounds on different podcasts, and this past weekend, he brought the podcasters to the West Side. 

Mayor Johnson took the hosts of the JAAM Podcast —JJ, Allen, Abee and Matt, a group of friends from Chicago who talk about politics and culture — to walk and talk down the streets of the city's Austin neighborhood.  

They were joined by leftist political commentator Hasan Piker, who was in the city after giving a speech and answering questions from students at Northwestern University, and who streamed the interview live on his platforms.  

Piker, known as HasanAbi online, has more than 2 million followers and is one of the top streamers on Twitch. His streams run seven to eight hours a day, almost seven days a week, a format he's called the equivalent of "radio for Zoomers." The New York Times has called him the "Joe Rogan of the Left." Recently, he has interviewed progressive candidates around the country ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.  

Mayor Johnson has appeared on each of their shows before. This time, they walked down the Soul City Corridor, a stretch of Chicago Avenue that was named a state cultural district in 2025.  

The JAAM Podcast candidly talks about what their reality is like being young Black men in Chicago. Johnson previously appeared on a "Lakeside Chat" episode to discuss the SNAP funding crisis and federal immigration operations in Chicago.  

This time, the group discussed topics including affordable housing, political organizing, the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose funeral services were held the day before, and Johnson's effort to keep the Bears in Chicago. 

The Bears have been negotiating a plan for a possible new stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and are also being courted by the State of Indiana for a possible new stadium in Hammond. 

"You can stop the Chicago Bears from going to Hammond?" one of the JAAM podcasters asked. 

"This is what I love about our movement. We want to make sure there's healthcare for all, and Bears games on the lakefront," Johnson said. "Listen, I haven't given up on that yet, man. There's still no better place in the country, in the state of Illinois, for the Bears to play than the lakefront." 

When Piker interviewed Johnson several weeks ago, he asked about the challenges progressive mayors face, specifically, what challenges newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, could face. They also discussed the struggles of the working class, previous administrations, and what they call "private influence" in politics.  

Johnson told Piker he is working with Mamdani and other mayors to form a coalition to fight back against what he called "federal overreach." 

Johnson said he joined Piker and the JAAM Podcast because he wants to bring his message directly to young people. 

"As an organizer, I've watched people pour their hearts out before the government, only to be ignored," he said. "It's incumbent upon those of us who represent young people to speak alongside them and directly to them." 

Johnson warned about the "over-sensationalized glorification" of politicians, and emphasized the difference between someone just trying to get their name on the ballot versus "the desire to push the ground and organize" at the same time. 

"If the only motivation this generation has to organize is to be an elected official, then we may not have our assignment complete," he said. 

Piker and the JAAM Pod both appeal to a younger audience — one that, according to a new Johns Hopkins study, is increasingly frustrated with the political system and skeptical that either party represents them. 

The study found that more than 60% of Gen Z agreed that the government needs "significant changes no matter who we elect." More than half said their party is not moving in the right direction. 

University of Illinois at Chicago political scientist Dr. Alexandra Filindra, who studies the psychology of politics, said that frustration makes sense considering the political environment of the last decade. 

"The kids who are growing up today, or who have become adolescents and young adults over the past decade, politically, it's like they're growing up in a very dysfunctional family with parents who are screaming 24-7," Filindra said. 

She said the best way to reach young people is to meet them where they are, on platforms they already trust. According to the Hopkins study, 70% of young adults say they "happen to come across" news on social media, meaning they are not seeking it out. 

Johnson has also been making an effort to meet young Chicagoans where they are in the city. 

According to the 2025 Youth Impact Report, the city has hired more than 31,000 of the 59,000 who applied. Johnson said where they've been able to hire, he acknowledged there is still a gap to fill. 

"I would like to see a day where not only we can have a job for every kid that wants one over the summer, but expand it to year-round opportunities," Johnson told CBS News Chicago. 

He also pointed to the fact that where there are more youth jobs in the city, there was a 23% reduction in youth homicides. 

He said it's also essential to give young people input into city programs and strategies because he and other elected officials do not always know what they want. According to the 2025 Youth Report, there are 53 different young people representing 37 different communities on the Mayor's Youth Commission.  

Although the Hopkins study author's warned that young people are becoming "more cynical," Johnson contested with that characterization. "Young people have energy," Johnson said. "They want to be heard. They want to be seen. My job is to meet them where they are."

The day before the walk, Piker heard that cynicism and frustration from some students at Northwestern. Piker answered their questions on their views on the current bipartisan electoral systems and the best way to organize for change. 

Piker urged students to hold onto "glimmers of hope" and what he called "revolutionary optimism."  

At large, Filindra said it is very hard to make the case for younger generations to care about politics.

"You have to make a case to them that learning how the government works will help you in your job," she said. "It makes sense that politicians today, if they want to engage with youth, they have go to where the youth are, and whatever shows and whatever podcasts attract this demographic, that's where you'll go," she said. "It's a complicated story of cause and effect. It has many steps. So maybe it's easier to not care."

Arguably, Piker, Johnson, and the JAAM Pod are meeting young people where they are, in hopes of making those steps feel a little shorter.

The JAAM Pod thanked Piker for showing a larger audience the West Side.

"It's so important to highlight sides like this because it destroys the perception of what people think Chicago is. People think it's dangerous. This city is beautiful."

JJ, Allen, Abee, and Matt said that the mayor has been supportive of their podcast for the last year, and that his support means a lot. But they don't shy away from "difficult issues or accountability." 

"We wanted to build an independent media platform that allows us to express ourselves and uplift the people," the JAAM Podcast said in a statement to CBS News Chicago. " It is definitely confidence-inspiring having the mayor of a Major American city in tune with our perspectives and our passion for bold change."