Meha Ahmad

Chicago

Senior Producer, Reset at WBEZ-FM (Chicago, IL)

now: @wbez. past: al jazeera. ★ SAG-AFTRA union member. ★

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Articles

‘We don’t take Section 8’: Are landlords who reject housing vouchers breaking the law?

20 hours ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

In Chicago, the city’s Fair Housing Ordinance identifies “source of income” as a protected class and allows alleged victims of discrimination to file complaints with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. But new reporting from WBEZ finds that people are being discriminated against for using rental assistance, despite local laws aimed at preventing that. Reset digs into why landlords are rejecting vouchers, and who is most impacted.
Chicago and Illinois have had a rough first 100 days of Trump

2 weeks ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

We mark 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. From sweeping immigration crackdowns, to steep tariff hikes and major federal funding cuts, how is Chicago and Illinois weathering the storm? Reset finds out how our area has been impacted by the Trump administration. GUESTS: Tina Sfondeles, Chicago Sun-Times chief political reporterMitchell Armentrout, Chicago Sun-Times reporter covering government and politics
How can Chicago close its $1.12 billion budget gap? We look at the options

2 weeks ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

Faced with a $1.12 billion budget shortfall, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is bringing as many stakeholders to the table as possible to try to solve the problem. Once the mayor’s task force gets to work, what options are on the table for them to explore? Reset dives in. GUEST: Justin Marlowe, research professor, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy
Lisa Ann Walter on ‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 5, being a ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ champion and more

2 weeks ago | wbez.org | Sasha-Ann Simons |Meha Ahmad

Actress and comedian Lisa Ann Walter stars as teacher Melissa Schemmenti in the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary, which just wrapped its fourth season. Before Abbott, Walter was best known for her role as Chessy in The Parent Trap. In advance of her stand-up shows at Zanies in Rosemont on Friday and Saturday, Walter spoke with WBEZ’s Reset host Sasha-Ann Simons over Zoom. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Small products, same price: Could tariffs lead to more ‘shrinkflation’?

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

Do you feel like that orange juice bottle just keeps getting smaller? Don’t worry, you’re not going crazy. OJ is one of many products that have seen “shrinkflation” in recent years as companies cut costs. Reset learns how today’s uncertain economic times could lead to more “shrinkflation” and “skimpflation.”GUEST: Edgar Dworsky, former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, founder of consumer-focused websites Mouseprint.org and consumerworld.org
Chicago proposed ordinance would crack down on rogue tow operators

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

Towing companies could face new regulations under an ordinance making its way through Chicago’s City Council. The goal is to crack down on rogue towing operators who prowl crash scenes, take vehicles away, and then shake drivers for massive fees to get their cars back. Reset finds out more about how widespread the problem is. GUEST: Mitch Armentrout, Chicago Sun-Times reporter
Actor Michael Shannon on directorial debut, ‘Eric Larue’: ‘Honesty can be intimidating to some people’

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

Michael Shannon is an Oscar-nominated actor, known for his movies like “The Shape of Water” and “Revolutionary Road,” and the TV show “Boardwalk Empire.” Now, he’s enjoying the view behind the camera as he makes his directorial debut in the new film “Eric Larue.” It tells the story of Janice, the mother of a teenage boy who shot and killed three of his classmates and how she tries to cope with the fallout, guilt and hostility. Reset sits down with Michael Shannon and screenwriter Brett Neveu.
Without Chicago, there wouldn’t be soap operas

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

Love triangles, amnesia, cliffhangers, blackmail – there’s no trope or plot device that soap operas haven’t seen – or invented. But who invented the soaps themselves? Turns out, the genre got its start in Chicago. It’s a piece of broadcast and pop culture history that is getting its due in a new podcast from WBEZ. Reset gets the story. GUEST: Natalie Moore, host of “Stories Without End,” a WBEZ Making podcast
Pritzker builds his own trade relationships as Trump tariffs take effect

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

All U.S. trading partners will be hit with a 10 percent tariff, with dozens of countries getting slapped with tariffs two to three times as high. Meanwhile, Gov. JB Pritzker wrapped up a trade mission trip to Mexico City to strengthen trade relationships between Illinois and Mexico. Reset takes a closer look at the local impact of U.S. tariffs, and what Illinois is doing about it. GUEST: Cécile Shea, nonresident senior fellow on security and diplomacy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Where you live in Chicago can determine how long you have

1 month ago | wbez.org | Meha Ahmad

The residents of West Garfield Park may not live as long as their neighbors in the Loop. According to public health data, there is a whopping 25-year difference in life expectancy between those two neighborhoods that are only six miles apart. Chicago has the widest life expectancy gap of any major city in America. But despite the threat of looming federal funding cuts, experts on the ground continue to work to address the disparity.