>> CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES 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 AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT HOW BLACK AND BROWN ACTIVISTS ARE WORKING TO NEUTRALIZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES THEY SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITY IN A SPECIAL CROSSOVER ADDITION OF VOICES.

>>> WE MARK AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH CARED WHY BLACK CHILDREN ARE DIAGNOSED AT AN OLDER AGE.

>>> A NEW OPERA EXPLORES THE LIFE OF BLACK MAN POST REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN LONDON.

>>> CHICAGO'S OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CAMERA CLUB FOCUSES ON THE HISTORY AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF WASHINGTON PARK.

>>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT AMERICA'S LEGACY OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM HAS A LONG STREET AND A LONG REACH.

FOR BLACK AMERICANS DECADES OF AMERICAN POLLUTION HAS RESULTED IN STRIKING DISPARITIES INCLUDING AROUND 13 PERCENT OF BLACK CHILDREN AFFECTED BY ASTHMA COMPARED TO SEVEN PERCENT OF WHITE CHILDREN NATIONWIDE.

A 2013 EPA STUDY SHOWED THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO 1.5 TIMES MORE PARTICULAR MATTER THAN WHITE PEOPLE IN A TWEEN 19 STUDY OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY SCIENCES SAID LOCK PEOPLE EXPERIENCE 56 MORE POLLUTION THAN THEIR CONSUMPTION GENERATES.

JUSTICE ADVOCATES ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THE SYMPTOMATIC STRUCTURES THAT CREATED THESE INEQUITIES.

THEY SAY GREATER FUTURE IS POSSIBLE AS LONG AS THE CITY AND INDUSTRY ARE WILLING TO DO THE WORK.

JOINING US NOW AS PART OF A SPECIAL CROSSOVER DISCUSSION WITH CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES ARE EDUARDO FLORES A MEMBER OF CLEAN POWER LAKE COUNTY.

CHERYL JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PEOPLE FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY.

ISIS BAZALDUA, COFOUNDER OF BRIDGES//PUENTES JUSTICE COLLECTIVE OF THE SOUTHEAST.

AND, NAMOI DAVIS, FOUNDER AND CEO OF BLACKS IN GREEN.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS.

NAMOI DAVIS YOUR ORGANIZATION BLACKS IN GREEN YOU HAVE THE SUSTAINABLE SQUARE-MILE PAIR TELL US HOW BAD THIS IS IN ADVANCE BILLY ENVIRONMENT INJUSTICE?

>> THIS IS BY CREATING ECONOMIES, FOR EXAMPLE IN ENERGY.

THE IDEA THAT WE ARE RE-CREATING THESE SYNERGY THAT IS LOST FROM BACK IN THE DAY WHEN BLACK FAMILIES COULD WALK TO WORK, WALK TO SHOP, WALK TO LEARN AND WALK TO PLAY WHERE IT NEIGHBOR DOLLARS COULD CIRCULATE TO FERTILIZE OUR SELF INTEREST WHERE WE OWN BUSINESSES, OWN THE LAND AND WHERE WE LIVE THE CONSERVATION LIFESTYLE SO THE IDEA THAT WE ARE HISTORICALLY THESE SUPERB STEWARDS OF THE LAND AND THE RESOURCES THAT THE LAND GENERATES WHICH IS EVERYTHING.

THE IDEA THAT JUSTICE IS THE ABILITY FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES TO OWN THEMSELVES, BLACK CONTRACTORS FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES.

THE IDEA THAT IN THE ECONOMY WE HAVE MANY DECADES ARGUABLY 100 YEARS OF REALLY STRONG HIGH WAGE EARNING JOBS, ENTERPRISES THAT CAN BE CREATED AND THAT WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN THE FINANCING, FUNDING OF THESE ECONOMIES IN OUR PLACES, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, IS THIS CAPITAL.

THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN ACTION ON THE GROUND.

>> CHERYL JOHNSON, YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE MANY EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE DOWN THE LINE.

WE SPOKE WITH A YOUNG PERSON, 16-YEAR-OLD DOROTHY JEAN TILLMAN WHO FOUNDED THE DOROTHY JEANIUS STEAM LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE ABOUT WHAT SHE SEES AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, HE OR SHE IS.

>> FROM THE PEOPLE IN HIGHER POSITIONS WHO HAVE THE POWER TO START CHANGING THINGS IN MASS WAYS, I THINK IT IS ABOUT NOT GIVING, NOT POURING WATER INTO A BUCKET THAT IS ALREADY FULL.

I THINK WHEN YOU SEE A LOT WITH ENVIRONMENT OF CHANGE OR STABILITY FOR CHICAGO, IF YOU GO DOWNTOWN TO THESE DIFFERENT CHANGES IT'S GREEN THIS OR GREEN THAT AND THEY ARE MAKING SURE THEY ARE LEAVING A GOOD GREEN FOOTPRINT ON THE WORLD BUT THEN YOU GO TO THE SOUTH SIDE AND THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE GOOD THERE.

IT'S LIKE WELL THAT'S A LARGE PART OF THE CITY AND IT THIS POINT NOW CHICAGO AS A WHOLE IS HURTING ENVIRONMENTALLY.

>> ONE THING THAT CHICAGO DID NOT DO WAS EDUCATE THE COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

I THINK THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY FROM GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACT ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF THESE DIRTY INDUSTRIES HAVE THE EDUCATION AND THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO LEARN TO BECOME ENGINEERS, ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS AND SCIENCES IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CREATED THIS WORD AND IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND ENHANCING AND REMEDIATING SOME OF THE HARM THEY HAVE CREATED.

I DON'T CARE WHERE WE GO INTO THIS COMMUNITY, BUT AS LONG AS WE ARE BROWN IN THE COMMUNITY WE WILL HAVE A COMPROMISED ENVIRONMENT AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

>> SAME QUESTION TO YOU, HOW DO WE ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE ON THIS TOPIC AND WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES?

>> I FEEL LIKE TO ENGAGE THE YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT IS TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT LAND THEY ARE ON.

MANY PEOPLE AROUND 14 TO 16 DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE PETCO PROTEST THAT OCCURRED DURING 2011 AND 2010 EVEN STUDENTS I HAVE TAUGHT HAD NEVER HEARD OF PETCO DUE TO PEOPLE PUTTING UP A FRONT TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

WE DO NEED TO DISCUSS HOW HISTORICALLY THE SOUTHSIDE OF CHICAGO HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BUILD DOWNTOWN CHICAGO AND NOW HAS BEEN LEFT AS A DUMPING GROUND FOR THE SAME CITY THEY BUILT.

MY CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND GLOBAL WARMING HAS TO BE THAT WE NEED INDUSTRIES TO DO MORE.

IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU SAY THIS SHIRT WAS MADE WITH 50 PERCENT LESS WATER WHEN YOU ARE STILL POLLUTING THE POLLUTANTS BACK INTO THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN CONTINUOUSLY GET ASTHMA.

AND IT IS UNFAIR THE PLAYGROUND THAT THE YOUTH ARE IN IN SOUTHSIDE CHICAGO ARE LITTERED WITH MERCURY, LEAD, MAGNESIUM AND IT'S CAUSING THEM TO GET CANCER AND ASTHMA AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RATE.

>> WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE IN OVER VERDANT COMMUNITIES THAT CAN IMPROVE THE WATER, AIR AND SOIL?

>> I FEEL LIKE ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT IN THESE COMMUNITIES THERE MIGHT BE GREEN SPACES SUCH AS PARKS OR MAYBE EVEN FORCED PRESERVES IF THEY ARE LUCKY BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE IN BETWEEN LIKE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIES AND PARKS.

WE NEED TO SEE MORE TREES, WE NEED TO SEE MORE TREES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BE LEASING MORE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND GREEN SPACES ON ROOFS.

SO, CREATING THAT IDEA THAT IT'S NOT JUST YOU ARE FULLY IMMERSED IN NATURE OR IN THE CITY CREATING A MIX BETWEEN THAT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE GREEN ENVIRONMENT AND A GREENER, HEALTHIER AIR.

PLANTS SOAK UP A LOT OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND SO JUST HAVING GREEN SPACES THAT ARE FULLY IMMERSED HAVING AN IN BETWEEN LIKE ONE OR THE OTHER.

>> NAMOI DAVIS YOUR ORGANIZATION BOUGHT THE IMAGE TILL HOUSE.

HOW DOES THAT HOUSE MESH WITH ENVIRONMENT INJUSTICE?

>> WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS I SAW IN THE VERY HEART OF THE WEST WOODLAWN COMMUNITY WHICH IS OUR SUSTAINABLE SQUARE-MILE PILOT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A PLACE WHERE THE STORY OF OUR GREATNESS CAN BE REMEMBERED AND RETOLD ESPECIALLY TO OUR YOUTH.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE NEED FOR THE WORLD TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A NARRATIVE OF TRIUMPH IN THE BRANDIS FREEMAN COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKING AND AS BAD AS THINGS CAN BE RIGHT NOW WITH THE HEALTH AND WEALTH METRICS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WE ARE MADE OF THE BEST STUFF IN THE GREAT MIGRATION STORY AND THE AMY AND EMMETT TILL STORY, IT'S THE STORY ABOUT THE TRIUMPH OF JUSTICE AND FORGIVENESS BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IS THAT HIS DEATH TRIGGERED A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT CHANGED EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY AND AS A PART OF MATTER, WE ARE USING THE EMMETT TILL HOUSE TO CREATE A NET POSITIVE PHYSICAL SPACE THAT THE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE HOW ENERGY TRANSFORMS THE INSIDE OF AN AVERAGE EVERYDAY TO PLEX CAN REALLY TRANSFORM OUR HEALTH AND WEALTH.

WE ARE DOING THAT AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL.

>> OF COURSE.

WE HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.

CHERYL JOHNSON I WILL LET YOU HAVE THE LAST WORD HOW CAN CHICAGO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN ENSURE JUSTICE IN THE FUTURE?

>> ONE THING WE NEED TO HAVE IS AN INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE REVIEW BOARD.

THIS REVIEW BOARD HAS TO LOOK AT THE OCCUPATION THAT MANY OF THE INDUSTRIES ARE TRYING TO GET FROM OUR CITY AT A STATE LEVEL.

>> THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO LEAVE IT RIGHT NOW BUT A NOTE TO OUR VIEWERS BE SURE TO TUNE INTO CHICAGO TONIGHT LATINO VOICES FOR MORE ON THIS EXPANDED CONVERSATION INCLUDING THE FIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM NOT ONLY IN CHICAGO BUT SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES.

THANK YOU TO OUR GUEST EDUARDO FLORES, CHERYL JOHNSON, ISIS BAZALDUA AND NAMOI DAVIS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> OF NEXT DETAILS ON DIAGNOSING AND TREATING AUTISM.

[MUSIC] >> THE CDC DEFINES AUTISM AS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY THAT CAN CAUSE A WIDE RANGE OF CHALLENGES IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIOR.

IT AFFECTS ONE IN 44 CHILDREN.

THERAPIST SAY EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY TO TREATING AUTISM AND BLACK CHILDREN ARE FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE MISDIAGNOSED OR DIAGNOSED LATER IN LIFE.

JOINING US WITH MORE ARE NIKKI GRIFFIN A BOARD CERTIFIED ANALYST AT INVISION UNLIMITED NONPROFIT SERVING ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DISABILITIES.

AND, CYNTHIA PIERRE A PSYCHOLOGIST AT RUSH UNIVERSITY AUTISM CENTER AIRED THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

CYNTHIA PIERRE WE WILL START WITH YOU WHAT IS AUTISM AND HOW DOES IT PRESENT IN CHILDREN?

>> WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AUTISM IT IS A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER THAT PRESENTS VERY EARLY IN LIFE.

CHILDREN ARE BORN WITH THIS CONDITION AND WHAT WE SEE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OR TYPES OF SYMPTOMS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR DELAYS IN SOCIAL COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONING.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A CONVERSATION OR NONVERBAL INTERACTION IT'S THE BACK-AND-FORTH WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND ALSO A SORT OF NONVERBAL QUALITY TO IT.

SO CHILDREN THAT PRESENT WITH AUTISM MIGHT STRUGGLE WITH SOME OF THOSE VERBAL AND NONVERBAL BACK-AND-FORTH SKILLS WHICH IMPACTS FRIENDSHIPS AND ACADEMIC FUNCTIONING.

WE ALSO NOTICED BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF SYMPTOMS INCLUDE REPETITIVE AND RESTRICTIVE BEHAVIOR SO EERIE STRONG INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES AND DIFFICULTY TRANSITIONING BETWEEN ONE ACTIVITY TO THE NEXT.

UNUSUAL MOTOR MOVEMENT WHERE BILLY OR MANNERISMS AS WELL AS SENSORY SENSITIVITY.

WHEN WE LOOK AT DIAGNOSING AUTISM WE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO CATEGORIES OF BEHAVIOR TO BE PRESENT FROM AN EARLY POINT IN CHILDHOOD.

>> NIKKI GRIFFIN SPEAKING OF THAT EARLY POINT IN CHILDHOOD WHY IS EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION SO IMPORTANT?

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE START TO INTERVENE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT IS ALREADY A VERY IMPORTANT TIME FOR A CHILD WHEN THEY ARE PICKING UP A LOT OF SKILLS.

THEY ARE LEARNING FROM THEIR PEERS, LEARNING FROM ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES AND IT IS THE BEST TIME TO COME IN AND TEACH THEM THE SKILLS THEY MIGHT BE LACKING PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY ARE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM.

IF WE WAIT TOO LATE TO TRY TO STEP IN AND PROVIDE THOSE INTERVENTIONS IT'S NOT TO SAY THOSE INTERVENTIONS WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL IT MIGHT TAKE LONGER FOR THOSE INTERVENTIONS TO SEE THE SUCCESS AND COME TO FRUITION JUST BECAUSE THE CHILD WOULD'VE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THAT POINT TO CREATE BAD HABITS.

THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO CEMENT THE INAPPROPRIATE STYLES OF PLAY, INAPPROPRIATE STYLES OF COMMUNICATION THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE FAILED TO LEARN APPROPRIATELY IF WE DON'T INTERVENE SOON ENOUGH.

>> AS WE JUST SAID BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED LATER IN LIFE THAN WHITE CHILDREN.

NIKKI WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT DISPARITY TO?

>> I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS LACKING OF ACCESS TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY NEED TO ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE DIAGNOSIS.

IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD MIGHT HAVE AUTISM AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO A SPECIALIST AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO REPEATED APPOINTMENTS AND TRAVEL ALL AROUND THE CITY TO FIND THOSE SPECIALISTS THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE VERY TIME INTENSIVE AND MONEY INTENSIVE AND THAT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS.

>> NIKKI, STICKING WITH YOU FOR JUST A SECOND.

WHAT KIND OF WORK ARE YOU DOING TO HELP BRIDGE THAT GAP?

>> AT INVISION UNLIMITED WE ARE A NONPROFIT THAT HAS BEEN IN CHICAGO FOR 74 YEARS.

MAINLY WE SERVE ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES BUT WE ARE EXPANDING INTO THE WORLD OF CHILDREN KILLED IN 8A SPECIFICALLY.

IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE LACK WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES DIRECTLY IN THE HOME.

WE ARE ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR THE FAMILY TRUCK TO GO SOMEWHERE OR TAKE THE CHILD SOMEWHERE.

WE COME TO THEM WHEREVER THEY ARE.

WE ARE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR THE PARENTS TO REARRANGE THEIR SCHEDULES SO THERE CHILD CAN GET THERAPY.

WE WORK WITH THE FAMILY TO PROVIDE WHAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR IT.

WE ALSO PROVIDE PARENT TRAINING AS WELL AS THERAPY FOR THE CHILDREN SWEEPER FIVE DIRECT THERAPY TO THE CHILDREN AND PROVIDE PARENT TRAINING THE FAMILY KNOWS HOW TO PROVIDE THE SAME TYPES OF INTERVENTION IN THE SAME TYPES OF STRATEGY TO THEIR CHILD WHEN WE AREN'T AVAILABLE TO BE THERE.

>> FROM DATA COLLECTED FROM INVISION UNLIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE 3 TO 21 DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM INCREASED 500 PERCENT FROM 1999 TO 2015.

CYNTHIA OF COURSE I KNOW YOU ARE AT RUSH BUT WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS TELL US ABOUT THE RATE OF AUTISM IN THE US?

ARE MORE PEOPLE BEING BORN WITH AUTISM, DEVELOPING AUTISM OR ARE WE GETTING BETTER AT DIAGNOSING AND IDENTIFYING IT?

>> I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT A LOT OF PARENTS COME TO US ASKING AND IT'S A RELEVANT QUESTION.

WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS IN UNDERSTANDING THE UNDERPINNINGS OF AUTISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT COULD MAKE IT MORE LIKELY FOR A CHILD TO BE BORN WITH AUTISM HOWEVER WE DO KNOW THAT THE TOOLS AND OUR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY MORE SUBTLE PRESENTATIONS OF AUTISM HAVE IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PAST 15 OR SO YEARS.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS FOLKS THAT ARE COMING INTO A CLINIC WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING ANXIETY OR MAYBE THEY ARE JUST AN INTROVERT.

THEY MIGHT BE CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF DETERMINATION WE HAVE.

IT'S THE IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE MADE OVER TIME.

THE OTHER FACTOR THAT IS BENEFITING FOR FAMILIES IS THE UNIVERSALITY OF SCREENING MEASURES.

>> SOMETHING THAT A PEDIATRICIAN WOULD BE ABLE TO CATCH YOU MET.

>> YES.

>> UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT OF TIME AND I KNOW WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A LOT LONGER MY THANKS TO NIKKI GRIFFIN AND CYNTHIA PIERRE FOR JOINING US.

END UP NEXT A NEW OPERA EXPLORES THE LIFE OF A BLACK MAN IN 18TH-CENTURY LONDON.

[MUSIC] >> WHEN IT COMES TO THE STORIES TOLD ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE 18TH-CENTURY LONDON MIGHT NOT BE THE FIRST TIME AND PLACE THE COME TO MIND.

BUT COMPOSER ERLAND WEILAND IS HOPING TO CHANGE THAT WITH PLUM ENOS MAP A NEW OPERA BEING STAGED AT CHICAGO OPERA THEATER.

THE OPERA TELLS A STORY ABOUT JUBA WHO GAINS FREEDOM IN AMERICA FIGHTING FOR THE BRITISH IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

IN LONDON HE FINDS LOVE WITH THE MEMBER OF THE BRITISH LACKED GENTRY AS HE CREATES A NEW LIFE FOR HIMSELF AS A NEW MAN.

HE SAID THAT QUAMINOS MAP IN THE MAINLY BLACK CAST LEADS PEOPLE TO UNEXPECTED PLACES.

>> FROM THE BEGINNING I WANTED SOMETHING FULL OF VITALITY AND DRAMA.

THERE'S A LOT OF TUNE IN IT.

IT HAS QUITE A LARGE ORCHESTRA.

IT IS OF SINGING I DRAW FROM BLUES, FROM CHANTING, ANCIENT SHE TO MUSIC.

IT'S GOT A LOT OF LOYALTY.

AND FOR ANYONE WHO HAS NOT BEEN TO IT OPERA BEFORE THE GOING TO BE QUITE ENGROSSED IN THE STORY.

IT'S VERY ENGROSSING.

I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES TO BE TOLD FOR ME AS A COMPOSER I SEE THAT IT IS MY DUTY TO TELL THOSE STORIES AND THE THING THAT USING CAN DO IT CAN REALLY BRING TOGETHER ALL OF THE EMOTIONS AND ATMOSPHERE AND YOU CAN LOOK US IN ON THE CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS.

[SINGING] WHEN IT IS FOR ME I WANT TO SEE A WIDER WORLD TRADE THAN THE ONES I SEE WHEN I GO TO AN OPERA HOUSE.

[SINGING] YOU CAN SEE QUAMINOS MAP AT THE CHICAGO OPERA CENTER NEXT WEEKEND.

THERE ARE MORE DETAILS ON HER WEBSITE.

>>> THEY FOCUS THEIR CAMERA LENS ON THE PEOPLE AND BEAUTY OF SOUTHSIDE PARK.

NOW THEY ARE COMBINING THEIR PASSION FOR PICTURES WITH HISTORY OF THE WASHINGTON PARK CAMERA CLUB WAS ORGANIZED IN 1955.

IS THE OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CAMERA CLUB IN THE CITY.

WE MET THEM TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR PRESENT DAY DIVE INTO THE CITY'S PAST.

HERE IS OUR STORY.

>> I GREW UP HERE I MOVED IN THERE IN 59 SO I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.

FOR US WHEN YOUR PARENTS TOLD YOU TO GO OUT AND PLAY THAT MEANT GOING TO THE PARK.

IT WAS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY.

THIS IS MY BACKYARD.

WHY PLAY IN THE ALLEY WHEN YOU CAN PLAY ON THE GRASS?

>> STARTED CRIME SCENES WRITTEN YEARS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT NOW IT'S A JOY.

YOU CAN SIT BACK AND TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO TAKE.

NEXT WE SAT BACK WITH A FEW OF THE WASHINGTON MEMBERS CAMERA CLUB IN THE PARK THAT GIVES THE CLUB ITS NAME.

HER LATEST PROJECT LENS PAST AND PRESENT.

THEY ARE PEERING OLD FEUDS WITH THE PARK WITH NEW INSPIRATIONS.

IT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE PARKS CREATOR 19TH-CENTURY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FREDERICK OLMSTED WHO COMPLETED THE PARK IN 1871.

>> WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS A CELEBRATION FOR OLMSTED'S 200TH BIRTHDAY.

FOR THIS MAGNIFICENT SPACE IT IS STILL HERE AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY HE LEFT IT HERE VERY SMALL CHANGES AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT IS THAT HE GAVE THE COMMUNITY THE SPACE.

>> IN ORDER FOR YOU TO APPRECIATE THE PARK YOU HAVE TO GET INTO THE BELLY OF IT.

THERE ARE HIDDEN SPACES AND THAT IS WHAT OLMSTED IS KNOWN FOR.

YOU WILL WALK THROUGH A PATH AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PATH WILL OPEN UP TO A LAGOON OR A CREEK.

GREEN SPACES.

>> OLMSTED WAS AN ARTIST, CONSERVATIONIST AND EARLY ADVENTITIOUS.

THIS EARLY PHOTO IS SPONSORED BY THE HIDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND AMERICAN ART.

THE PROJECT HAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER IN A HISTORIAN.

>> HE WAS A REMARKABLE HUMAN BEING.

HE'S CONSIDERED THE FOUNDER OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE AND HE HAD THE IDEA THAT AMERICAN PARKS COULD BE THIS TREMENDOUS DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT DURING VICTORIAN SOCIETY THERE WERE FEW PLACES WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND CLASSES COULD ACTUALLY EVER MINGLE OR MEET OR SEE EACH OTHER BUT THE PARKS WERE THE SPACES THAT THEY WERE PARKS THAT BELONGED TO ALL THE PEOPLE.

>> THE WASHINGTON PARK CAMERA CLUB IS MADE UP OF GAINERS AND PROFESSIONALS.

IT IS AS THEY PUT IT WHERE GREAT MINDS CLICK.

>> WE FORM OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

I WILL SAY THIS WAY.

NO MATTER WHAT MY ASSIGNMENT IS IF A CHILD WALKS BY OR A FAMILY WITH THEIR CHILDREN, I WILL STOP AND TAKE THAT PICTURE BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO SEE BLACK FAMILIES OUT ENJOYING THE COMMUNITY.

EXCELLENT I COME OUT I AM TALKING TO PEOPLE AND THEY ARE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE PARK SO I'M SHOOTING THEM IN THE LANDSCAPE.

WHEN YOU COME TO THE PARK YOU TAKE A LOT OF THIS FOR GRANTED BUT THIS WHOLE THING WAS A GIFT FROM OLMSTED.

HE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS 150 YEARS AGO.

>> THE CHICAGO PARK SYSTEM IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE FOR THE CITY AND NOT ONLY IS IT ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE PLACES TO GO BUT THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY LIVING WORKS OF ART.

>> THESE ARE THE SAME LOCATIONS SOME OF THESE TREES ARE OLDER THAN THE PARK ITSELF.

WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THIS OUT HERE AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT.

THANK YOU OLMSTED!

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, THIS IS MARK VITALE.

>> THEY SAID THAT HE ALSO DESIGNED CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK AND THE GROUNDS OF THE US CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON DC.

THIS TUESDAY MARKS 200 YEARS SINCE HIS BIRTH AND TUESDAY IS ALSO IN THE VIRTUAL EXHIBIT OF THE WASHINGTON PARK CAMERA CLUB WILL BE LAUNCHED.

YOU CAN SEE MORE OF THEIR WORK ON HER WEBSITE.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND JOIN ME AND PARIS SCHUTZ NEXT WEEK AT 7:00 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

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

THANKS FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> REAL-TIME CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY U.S. CAPTIONING COMPANY