IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES.

I AM BRANDIS FREEMAN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT THE FIGHT FOR TRANSGENDER LIVES.

LGBTQ+ Q IMMUNITIES SPEAK OUT AFTER TWO BLACK TRANS WOMEN ARE FOUND DEAD.

>>> HOW A HISTORICAL PROGRAM IS STILL BEING USED TODAY IN SCHOOLS IN ILLINOIS.

>>.

[SINGING] A PREVIEW OF "FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES" NOW PLAYING AT LYRIC OPERA.

WE HEAR FROM GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING COMPOSURE, 2022.

FIRST OFF TONIGHT MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ARE DEMANDING ANSWERS AFTER THE RECENT DEATH OF TWO BLACK TRANS WOMEN.

TATIANA LABELLE KNOWN AS TT WAS FOUND DEAD IN A TRASH BIN.

ONE WEEK LATER CLARICE MALLORY A TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST WAS FOUND DEAD A WEEK AFTER SHE WAS REPORTED MISSING.

THE CAUSE OF HER DEATH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

THE HUMANS RIGHTS CAMPAIGN SAID AT LEAST AID AT LEAST SEVEN TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR ALONE AND 21 WAS A RECORD YEAR OF VIOLENCE OF TRANSGENDER AND NON- GENDER CONFORMANCE PEOPLE.

JOINING US ARE ZAHARA BASSETT THE OWNER OF LIFE IS WORK ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE.

LASAIA WADE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BRAVE SPACE ALLIANCE A TRANSLATE ORGANIZATION ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND VICTORIA KIRBY YORK DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE COALITION.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

ZAHARA BASSETT LET'S START WITH YOU.

YOU WERE CLOSE WITH ELYSE MALLORY.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ABOUT HER?>> SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL.

ONE THAT ANYONE THAT CAME IN CONTACT WITH HER, YOU WOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER AND HOLD ONTO HER SOUL FOREVER.

HER HUGS WERE SOMETHING THAT I JUST EVEN TODAY I WISH THAT I COULD STILL GET THAT LAST MOMENT.

IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL AT TIMES BECAUSE IT SEEMS UNREAL IT STILL, NONE OF IT MAKES SENSE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTUAL EVIDENCE OF WHAT HAPPENED.

WE ARE STILL SITTING IN UNCERTAINTY.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.OUR LAST EMAIL WAS SHE WAS EXCITED TO COME TO OUR LAST THURSDAY TRANS VISIBILITY EVENT.

I - YEAH.

>> WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE CLOSE WITH HER.

LASAIA WADE THESE TWO DEATHS IN 2022 WERE IN ADDITION TO AT LEAST FIVE BLACK TRANS WOMEN WHO WERE KILLED IN CHICAGO IN 2021.

WHAT IS THIS REACTION TO THE ALARMING TREND OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN BEING KILLED?

>> I HAVE BECOME SLOWLY NUMB TO THE SITUATION THAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THE SOCIETY THAT WE SERVICE TODAY.

IT IS NOT SHOCKING BUT AS WE BECOME MORE VISIBLE AND WE BECOME LEADERS OF OUR OWN NARRATIVE AND WE BECOME THESE HIGH STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND AS WE WRITE AND CHANGE THE NARRATIVE THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THE UPCOMING FUTURE.

ELYSE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND SHE WAS A SPIRIT IN CHICAGO.

SOMEONE THAT YOU HUGGED HER YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF AND YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY WHILE YOU ARE WITH HER.

THIS WAS AN ALARMING AND HURTFUL LOSS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE WORK HERE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE BOTH OF YOU AT THE VERY LEAST ELYSE WAS A GOOD HUGGER AS THE BOTH OF YOU MENTIONED.

VICTORIA KIRBY YORK CHICAGO IS WARNING AGAINST VIOLENCE OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.WHAT IS THAT WARNING?

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT NUMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 50 TRANS WOMEN WERE MURDERED LAST YEAR A MAJORITY OF THEM WERE NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE COALITION.

IN PUERTO RICO LAST YEAR THEY NOTICE THE NUMBERS WERE SIMILAR TO CHICAGO WERE BUILDING UP IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNOR THERE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS NEEDED IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SPECIALLY IN THE CHICAGO WOMEN NOT ONLY IN THE CITY AND ADJACENT COUNTIES AS WELL.

AND WE HAVE DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

WHEN THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO DID IT THERE WERE FOUR TRANSGENDER WOMEN AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF GENDER WOMEN WHO WERE VICTIMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND HATE.

WE ARE SEEING THE SAME THING PLAY OUT IN THE REGION SIMILARLY TO NUMBERS WE SEE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND COUPLE OF OTHER STATES THAT ARE REALLY HOT SPOTS IN THIS NATION THAT WE BELIEVE ARE NOT SAFE FOR BLACK TRANS WOMEN AND AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK TRANS WOMEN FOR ALL BLACK WOMEN.

WE DEFINITELY WANT TO SOUND THE ALARM.

WE BEEN RINGING THE ALARM FOR YEARS INCLUDING THE LATE ROBERTS CALL ON THIS ISSUE AND REALLY PUSHING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO NOT JUST PAY LIP SERVICE BUT TO PUT SOME ACTION BEHIND IT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS THAT THESE DOLLARS AND CONNECTIONS AND BRINGING TOGETHER MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTS WORKING TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE THE ONES THAT IS A HARDER AND LASAIA REPRESENT TAKE A REAL CHANGE FOR PREVENTION.

WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE NUMBERS HAVE HAD A DECREASE SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN FEDERAL ACTION TAKEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND NOW WE NEED OUR STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS TO DO THEIR JOB.

>> I WANT TO COME BACK TO THAT AND WHAT YOU THINK THAT STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS SHOULD BE DOING.

SPECIFICALLY MAYOR LIGHTFOOT SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT BLACK TRANS WOMEN AND WHAT THE CITY COULD DO MORE ABOUT IT.

THURSDAY WAS TRANS GENDER VISIBILITY.

HERE'S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY.

>> WE ALL NEED TO DO MORE.

TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY ARE NOT NULLIFIED, OSTRACIZED AND THAT THEY ARE ACCEPTED INTO OUR FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE TO DO MORE AS A CITY BUT REALLY AS A COUNTRY AND WE HAVE TO STAND TALL WITH OUR TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING EXACTLY THE KIND OF SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE THAT THE REST OF THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY HAS RECEIVED THROUGH HARD WORK, STRUGGLE AND ADVOCACY.

AS I SAID TO SOMEBODY YESTERDAY AND THINKING ABOUT TODAY WERE NOT GOING TO TURN A CLOCK BACK.

WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

THAT MEANS A FULL EMBRACE OF OUR TRANS BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE MAYOR'S RESPONSE TO THIS?

>> WHAT I MAKE OF HER RESPONSE IS POLITICAL LANGUAGE.

I DON'T HEAR HOW WE ARE BRINGING JUSTICE TO THESE BLACK TRANS WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED ACROSS THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M CONCERNED IF IT'S NOT PART OF YOUR PLAN.

WE CANNOT DRINK THESE MURDERERS TO JUSTICE, YOU ARE NOT HELPING US.

WE ARE ALREADY BUILDING THE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE DOING THE WORK AND MAKING SURE WE ARE PROTECTED IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOLLARS THAT WE SPENT OUTSIDE OF OUR CHECK TO PAY FOR THE SALARIES, WE WANT TO SEE JUSTICE FOR OUR SISTERS AND OUR BROTHERS AND ANCESTORS, NOW AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REST PEACEFULLY AND IN ORDER FOR US TO REST HOLY, WE ARE HEARING A LOT OF LIP SERVICES, WE HEAR A LOT OF SUPPORT TRANS PEOPLE.

AND ABSOLUTELY WE RECEIVE SOME OF THAT SUPPORT BUT CAN SUPPORT US MORE BY PUTTING TOGETHER A TASK OR IN PARTICULAR TO BRING SOME OF THESE MURDERERS TO CLOSE.

>> LASAIA I WANTED TO ASK YOU AS WELL, BRAVE SPACE ALLIANCE YOU HELD A RALLY ON THURSDAY AS WELL WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM LEADERS?

>> IN THE PAST FEW YEARS WE TRIED TO KEEP HER ACCOUNTABLE AND SHE HAS YET TO SUCH.

SHE DIDN'T COME OUT WITH US UNTIL WE HAVE THE RALLY BECAUSE DID IN THE COMMUNITY ON THURSDAY.

AND IN THE PAST 20 YEARS IN THE HISTORICAL CHICAGO UNDER ONE TRANS MURDER WAS SOLVED WHEN PSA PUT A FOOT FORWARD AND HELPED US GET THAT MURDER SOLVED.

IT CONTINUES TO BE THE SAME LIPSERVICE THAT SHE CONTINUES TO GIVE TO THE LGBTQ+ POPULATION SPECIFICALLY THE TRANS POPULATION.

THERE WAS AN INSTANCE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN A BLACK TRANS WOMAN WAS MURDERED AND ONLY ONE DETECTIVE WAS PUT ON THERE.

AND ONE WHITE WOMAN WAS MURDERED THERE WERE 54 DEPUTIES ON THAT CASE.

THERE'S A BIG DISPARITY WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY IN CHICAGO AS A WHOLE.

AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVE CHICAGO AS A WHOLE WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE INEQUITY AROUND PAY AND HOW THE MONEY MOVES THROUGHOUT CHICAGO AND IT DOES NOT SEEM EQUITABLE ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO.

WHAT SHE IS SAYING IS COMPLETELY LIPSERVICE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HER JOB IS TO DO AND WE HAVE YET TO SEE THE WORK OF WHAT SHE NEEDS TO BE DOING TO PROTECT US.

WE ARE AT A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

WE NEED TO STOP TALKING AND START DOING.

>> VICTORIA KIRBY YORK WHAT OTHER STEPS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LOCALITIES IMPLEMENT?

>> USE THE PROPER NAME, PHOTO AND PRONOUN IMMEDIATELY WHEN EMS, DETECTIVES AND MEDIA COVER THESE CASES.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO INVESTIGATE AND SOLVE A MURDER IF YOU ARE USING THAT DATA AND BAD INFORMATION.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE TIPS YOU NEED AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SENTENCING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY TURN ON EACH OTHER IF YOU DON'T THINK TRUE JUSTICE WILL BE PLAYED OUT THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

>> THAT'S WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

I THANKS TO ZAHARA BASSETT, LASAIA WADE AND VICTORIA KIRBY YORK FOR JOINING US.

WE ARE BACK WITH MORE CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

USING MAC [MUSIC] >>> SCHOOLS AND NONPROFITS ACROSS ILLINOIS WILL BE GIVEN ACCESS TO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR FREEDOM SCHOOLS PAIRED THE FIRST FUNDED NETWORK OF FREEDOM SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.

RIGHT NOW THERE'S JUST ONE IN CHICAGO AND TO OTHERS IN ILLINOIS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND AN ORGANIZATION THAT YAN CREATING FREEDOM SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE IN 1995.

TODAY'S SCHOOLS ARE INSPIRED BY THE 19 624 FREEDOM SUMMER PROJECT WHEN VOLUNTEERS WENT TO MISSISSIPPI TO TEACH BLACK STUDENTS HOW TO READ AND WRITE AND LEARN LESSONS AROUND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.

MOST ARE SIX-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT SUPPLEMENT NEEDED A SCHOOL BUS SOME PROGRAMS OFFER AFTERSCHOOL LESSONS AS WELL.

JOINING US WITH MORE IS CECILY THOMAS FOR CHAMPAGNE PUBLIC SCHOOL ASHLEY MOORE PROJECT DIRECTOR OF THE SPRINGFIELD URBAN LEAGUE SCHOOL PROGRAM AND STATE SENATOR KIMBERLY LYFORD WHO CHAMPIONED THE BILL.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

STATE SENATOR LIGHT HEARD LET'S START WITH YOU FIRST.

THIS IS A $17 MILLION GRANT MAKING IT THE FIRST STATE ENDING USED TO SUPPORT AND CREATE FREEDOM SCHOOLS.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT?

>> THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND READING THIS AWARE.

THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THROUGH THE YEARS SCHOOLS HAVE PROVIDED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED AND WITH THE LAWS OF ACADEMIA IN THE CLASSROOM I FIND IT VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP AND LEARNING ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE OUR NEEDS.

>> CECILY THOMAS IS ONE WHO HAS WORKED AT THE FREEDOM SCHOOL FOR YEARS YOU WORK AS A PROJECT DIRECTOR.WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING?

>> I WAS EXTREMELY EXCITED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON SOME OF THIS MONEY SO WE CAN EXPAND OUR REACH.

CURRENTLY, WE SERVE 50 CHILDREN AND SO, WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO SO MUCH MORE.

WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FREEDOM SCHOOL.

AND SO, THIS WOULD DEFINITELY BE HELPFUL FOR THAT.

>> ASHLEY MOORE, SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FUNDING AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT?

>> HERE IN SPRINGFIELD WE ARE EXTREMELY IT EXCITED.

SO FAR THE FREEDOM SCHOOL HAS BEEN HERE FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND EVERY SUMMER WE SERVE 130 TO 150 SCHOLARS WITH A WAITLIST OF 75 TO 100 STUDENTS.WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND AND BUILD ON THE PROGRAM WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH THIS FUNDING.

>> THE WAITLIST THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY FAMILIES AND STUDENTS ON IT DOES THAT TELL YOU FOR THE FREEDOM SCHOOL?

>> OH MY GOODNESS, IT IS A PROVEN MODEL.

WE HAVE LEARNING GAPS BUT WE ARE PROVIDING A HEALTHY CULTURALLY AWARE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDENTS AND IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IF IT'S A CUTE BILLY HUMONGOUS NEED THROUGH THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD AND STATE OF ILLINOIS.

>> WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE FUNDING AND WHAT IS EXPECTED FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE THE GRANT?

>> THE FREEDOM SCHOOL GRANT APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN.

THE DEADLINE IS AT THE END OF APRIL.

THIS ALSO COVERS THE UNIVERSITY, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, NON-FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

TO BUILD THOSE COLLABORATIONS BECAUSE AS ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS JUST SAID, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE ESTABLISH THE SCHOOLS AND TO SUPPLEMENT THE LEARNING TAKING PLACE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR GOAL IS TO EXPAND THE TEACHING OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND DEVELOP THOSE LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND PROVIDE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PENANCE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

I AM REALLY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS STATEWIDE AND TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR NON-FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND WITH OUR LIBRARIES, PARKS DISTRICTS, IT IS REALLY A WIDE SPECTRUM SO WE CAN COLLABORATE AND GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.

>> TO THAT END SENATOR LYFORD, WHAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE IN FREEDOM SCHOOLS?

>> ALL CHILDREN.

IF THEY ARE BEHIND IN A PARTICULAR SUBJECT AND THEY NEED LIMINAL SUPPORT WE WANT THOSE STUDENTS.

IF THEY ARE ENGAGED AND THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND THEY WANT TO BE MEN TOWARD AND THEIR PARENTS FEEL A NEED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WE WANT THOSE STUDENTS.

STUDENTS WHO EXCEED AND DO VERY WELL WE WANT TO PUSH THOSE STUDENTS.

WE WANT EVERY STUDENT WANTS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS AND BENEFIT AND WHAT A FREEDOM SCHOOL CAN DO TO HELP THEM IN THEIR LIVES.

WE WANT THEM TO APPLY.WE WANT THOSE IN THESE COMMUNITIES TO SET UP PROGRAMS.THERE $17 MILLION TO SET ASIDE FOR FREEDOM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.

IT'S THE ABSOLUTE FIRST IN THE NATION STATE FUNDED FREEDOM SCHOOL NETWORK.

>> CECILY, WHAT CAN STUDENTS GET OUT OF A FREEDOM SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE GETTING FROM THEIR EVERYDAY PUBLIC SCHOOLING?

>> ONE-STORY I TELL WHEN I'M ASKED ABOUT THIS, MY SON WHO IS EIGHT YEARS OLD WENT TO FREEDOM SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST SUMMER.

WE DID FAMILY PICTURES.

ONE YEAR THEY HAD WORN A DISHY AND HE NEVER WANTED TO WEAR IT AND AFTER A WEEK OF FREEDOM SCHOOL HE PICKED OUT HIS OWN CLOTHES AND HE HAD TICKED OUT THE DISHY TO WEAR.

THAT WEEK OF FREEDOM SCHOOL INFLUENCED HIM AND HE WAS PROUD TO BE A BLACK BOY.

HE PICKED THE SHIRT BECAUSE OF WHAT IT REPRESENTED AND HOW IT REPRESENTED HIM AS A BLACK BOY AND HOW STRONG AND POWERFUL AND SMART HE IS.

AND SO THAT'S THE STORY THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME THAT I WILL ALWAYS SHARE ON WHAT KIDS CAN GET OUT OF FREEDOM SCHOOLS.

THE READING IS GREAT BUT KNOWING THAT A CHILD CAN LEAVE THERE KNOWING THAT THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL, STRONG AND IMPORTANT, THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE STRIVE TO SEND OUR KIDS EVERY DAY AND THE MESSAGE THAT WE HOPE THEY WILL TAKE WITH THEM EVERYWHERE THEY GO.

>> ASHLEY, GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHO ARE THE TEACHERS IN THIS PROGRAM.

ASK THE INTEGRATED READING CURRICULUM IS ACTUALLY FACILITATED BY SERVICE LEADER INTERNS WHO ARE COLLEGE AGE STUDENT.

THESE STUDENTS COME FROM ANY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.

WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING INTO TEACHING MEDICAL SCHOOL LAW SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

OUR CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY COLLEGE AGE INTERNS AND SERVICE LEADER INTERNS.

>> PHILIP JACKSON FREEDOM SCHOOL GRANT IS PART OF THE STATES EDUCATION WORKFORCE EQUITY ACT THAT WAS PASSED LAST MARCH HERE WHAT ROLE WITH THE FREEDOM SCHOOL PLAY IN ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP THAT WE KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT?

>> GIVEN OUR TENURE WITH THE PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF USE WE HAVE SEE THE RESULTS.

WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE FIRST-TIME COLLEGE GRADUATES WHO HAVE COME TO OUR FREEDOM SCHOOL PROGRAM AND STARTED AS FIRST-GRADERS IN THE PROGRAM AND ARE ACTUALLY GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE THIS YEAR.

WE HAD MANY TIMES WHERE THEY HAVE SHARED THEY THEIR SUCCESS AND STORIES NOT ONLY SCHOLARS BUT THE FAMILIES AND THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE RECEIVED EACH YEAR THROUGH THE FREEDOM SCHOOLS.

OUR STUDENTS, SCHOLARS, ALUMNI, THAT'S HOURS OLD THAT'S OUR PROOF THAT THE FREEDOM SCHOOL MODEL WORKS AND HAS PROVEN RESULTS.

>> SENATOR LYFORD REMIND US WHO PHILIP JACKSON IS.

>> PHILIP JACKSON WAS AN AMAZING MAN AND HE LOVED CHILDREN LOVE TO EDUCATE SMALL BLACK BOYS AND BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER PARTICULARLY BLACK MEN TAKING THE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON THE FIRST DAY WALKING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.HE CREATED THE BLACK STAR PROJECT IN 1996.

I WAS HONORED TO MEET HIM IN 1999 AND WE BEGAN PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO PROVIDE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.

HE WAS JUST A STELLAR DEPENDABLE COMMITTED DILIGENT MAN AS IT RELATED TO IMPROVING ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR BLACK CHILDREN.>> WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF THESE SCHOOLS ROLL OUT.

THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU!

>> WE ARE BACK WITH MORE CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO IS DEBUTING A POWERFUL STORY OF HURT AND HEALING WASTE ON A MEMOIR OF LONG TIME NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST COMPOSED BY TERENCE BLANCHARD THE STORY EXPOSED HOW HE WORKED TO OVERCOME ABUSE IN HIS CHILDHOOD.

WE SAT DOWN WITH THE AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER AND ARTIST AND HOW HE HOPES THIS PRODUCTION WILL SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR MORE BLACK STORIES.

[SINGING] WE TRY TO WRITE YOU SICK THAT IS HEALING FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT MUSIC HAS DONE FOR ME.

>> THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY GOALS OF TERENCE BLANCHARD AS HE WORKS OVER COMPOSURE FOR TWO YEARS.

BASED ON THE MEMOIR, "FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES" EXPLORES TRAUMATIC YEARS GROWING UP IN LOUISIANA.

IT IS PROCESSING BEING MOLESTED BY A FAMILY MEMBER ULTIMATELY TEETERING BACK-AND-FORTH BETWEEN REVENGE AND ACCEPTANCE.

>> BECAUSE IF YOU HEAR THE STORY AND THEN YOU SEE WHERE HE IS NOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S GOING THROUGH THEN IT REALLY IS A TESTAMENT TO HIS STRENGTH.

>> IT WAS AFTER ITS DEBUT AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA PRIOR TO ITS LYRIC DEBUT THAT BLANCHARD HEARD FROM HIM FIRSTHAND ON HOW HIS WORK HAD BEEN RECEIVED.

>> HE SAID I REALIZE THAT'S NOT ME ANYMORE AND THAT THE REASON DOING THE OPERA.

HIM SAYING THAT PUTTING IT OUT THERE HOPEFULLY THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES THAT CAN READ THAT AO LET'S KEEP WORKING AND HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE MY CHILD MOMENT.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE TOUCHING OUT THERE AND YOU HOPE THAT IT HELPS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR ISSUES.

BECAUSE, IT IS SPOKE TO THE POWER OF ART THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED.

>> FOR BLANCHARD, THE STORY ISN'T JUST SHARING THE EXPERIENCE OF A BLACK MAN BUT SHARING A BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AN OPERA.

>> WHEN THE COLLEGE KIDS OPEN UP THE THIRD ACT JUST FOR THE STEP SEQUENCE, JUST WHEN THEY WALKED ON STAGE THEY GOT A STANDING OVATION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOICES THAT ARE MAKING THEIR DEBUT AND THAT'S WHAT I'M PROUD OF, OBVIOUSLY BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE KNOWN AND MEAN?

IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MY PROJECT TO DO THAT.

>> BLANCHARD SAID HE HOPES THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THE WORLD NEEDS MORE RELEVANT STORIES LIKE THIS ONE.

>> ONE PERSON CAME UP TO ME AFTERWARDS AND HE WAS TRYING TO SPEAK THAT HE WAS CRYING SO MUCH SHE COULDN'T SPEAK.

HE JUST KEPT SAYING, THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THIS.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I AM ANGEL IDOWU.

>> AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THIS OPERA ORIGINALLY DEBUTED AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN NEW YORK AGAIN AT THE FIRST OPERA I A BLACK COMPOSER TO BE PERFORMED AT THE MET.

YOU CAN SEE IT HERE AT LYRICA OPERA THROUGH APRIL EIGHTH.

THE GREAT PRESENTATION OF "FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES" PREMIERED ON WTTW ON FRIDAY BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE IT ONLINE VISITING WTTW.com/WATCH.

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND TO BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE VERY LATEST ON DUBYA DTW NEWS AND IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES ON SUNDAY AT 10 PM.

KNOWING ME AND PARIS SCHUTZ AT 7:00 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I AM BRANDIS FREEMAN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.