Tom Neilson is an award-winning folk musician and activist whose songs—rooted in his upbringing on a dairy farm and shaped by decades of international work in education, public health, and community organizing—give voice to movements for justice around the world. He draws on experiences from Colombia to Kenya, Somalia to Nicaragua, weaving humor, political insight, and storytelling into music that has been performed in more than twenty countries. Tom combines art and activism through concerts, residencies, and community engagement, offering audiences both sharp social critique and a generous dose of wit.

The global fame of Bad Bunny has raised popular awareness of Puerto Rico and its people, millions of whom live in the United States. In Chicago, the Puerto Rican community has played a pivotal role in shifting understandings of identity and belonging over the past century. This talk will demonstrate how Chicago and the whole Midwest have generated elements of culture and politics that helped pave the way for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl moment, and it will suggest a possible future path for Puerto Ricans and their relationship with the USA.

The Manchester Symphony Orchestra presents Take Flight at the Eagles Theatre at 3pm.