>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

Black voices, I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> Resting and taking anybody away from Illinois.

>> Democratic lawmakers are digging in on their fight against redistricting in Texas despite a potential bomb threat or Illinois hotel.

It worth of investment has brought jobs higher, education and stability South side community.

>> A look at whether it can be a model for other parts of the city.

>> And what return your investment looks like.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gets its first black presiding bishop.

We talk with him about his new role and vision for the church.

Your older person works with their 49 colleagues to set policy on big citywide issues.

>> And what would you say you do me TV.

W News explains what exactly a Chicago over person does to you.

>> And now to some of today's top stories and alleged bomb threat at a suburban hotel forces, Texas Democrats to evacuate along with some 400 people.

>> But lawmakers have been in Illinois this week in protest of a redistricting vote in their home state.

In a statement, Representatives Gene Wu, Ramon Romero and Barbara Girvan Hawkins said, quote, We are safe.

We are secure and we are and it aired and an intimidated.

We are grateful for Governor Pritzker, local and state law enforcement for their quick action to ensure our safety Saint Charles police confirmed the threat came in at 7.15 this morning at the Q Center Hotel and Convention complex.

But a search found nothing to read more about this investigation.

Please visit our website.

Meanwhile, Governor Pritzker mind today pushed when criticism from Republicans who say Democrats in Illinois are hypocritical because of how the state draws its congressional this once and was running.

These are all in 2022.

>> Everybody said those were competitive races.

So you can't tell me that these were drawn so that only Democrats could win.

>> And it's not really the Illinois State fair without this 104 year-old tradition, the annual butter cow.

Today the governor and first lady unveiled the 800 pound unsalted butter beauty in the dairy building to kick off this year's Illinois State Fair, which begins tomorrow.

This is the 9th year running that sculptor.

Sarah Pratt has carved the cow this time with a companion and adventure seeking hidden treasure across the fairgrounds.

And if you can't make it to Springfield, you can move on over to the butter cow livestream.

You can find that link on our website.

Up next, we meet with the EV and Tellico Lutheran churches.

New leader.

>> Chicago tonight Black voices he's made possible in part by the support of these donors.

>> It's a new era of leadership in the Lutheran community, but also a historic one.

The EV and Tellico Lutheran Church in America elected its first black presiding bishop last week.

Bishop, you Hail Curry who currently leads the Metropolitan Chicago Senate will start his new role in October.

Joining us with more is the presiding bishop elect himself.

You Hail Curry, Bishop, welcome and congratulations.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Fans of course.

So was this a position that you ever felt called to be in?

I wouldn't say yeah.

At I was just doing the daily working routines and the Mets pollens Chicago's and it.

>> And in many ways, this is a example of the church saying we see you.

And so I didn't go into our assembly thinking that I would be elected.

The presiding bishop.

My name was lifted up and after prayer and conversation with family and friends, I decided to allow my name to stay in.

And this happened.

Here you So you'll also be, of course, that the church's first black presiding bishop, what does that mean for you?

>> Yeah, I'd like to focus on the 20 years of work that I've been doing.

I know it's it's it's it's new.

It's inspirational.

But I've been working for 20 years and his church and at every turn, they said, hey, I see I was working on the South Side and Riverdale, Illinois, as a pastor and then was elected this ship.

And then I was the chair of the Conference of Bishops.

So for me, I do see this as someone who's but for work.

And the church is recognize the work that we've done and said.

Hey, we see.

I'm so you've said that, you know, early on in your career, you initially didn't necessarily feel called or didn't good enough for ministry.

>> What made you change your mind to pursue this?

It is always being someone's looking at me and saying here's what I see in you.

I started out in social work and just really didn't think that.

>> That was something I would be good at.

But someone said I think you'd be good at this.

and it worked out.

I was a 6th grade teacher in Chicago public School and was a little bit reluctant but was really excited.

When I look back over the impact that I had and even when it came to ministry, it took me 2 years to say yes, because you start thinking about your gifts in your skills and do they line up?

But yet again, when I look back at my time as a pastor, I feel like.

Those things that people saw me.

I lived up to and yet again, just didn't know if my guest aligned will with the office.

And so it took some encouragement.

And so I think I always focus on that self-doubt.

But others were saying you got this and encourage me to move forward.

So you mentioned you're more sort of nontraditional path being a social worker being a teacher before pursuing your feel logical education >> you work, which is and that's a little bit different from the elite academic backgrounds of previous LCA But you also Catholic when you are younger before coming to the Lutheran Church.

One major change went to Catholic Grammar School High School in college.

One of my college friends invited me to a worship service.

>> That had a focus on mentoring young black boys in a program called some bus safe in my brother's arms.

Now it's on the south side of Chicago and I went to this church to not even knowing that it was Luke the rent.

Fell in love with the ministry which wish a kind of chapel started attending and probably 2 years later learned that it was Lutheran.

So I went into a church looking for ministry and found the Lutheran Church for folks who may not be as familiar with what the Lutheran Church stands for.

What would you tell them?

Yeah, I would say to know that the Lutheran Church prides itself on Grace got word for all people loving each and every person.

But more importantly, we are building up leaders, lay leaders, church leaders for Church of God.

It's that represents everyone.

>> So according to the Pew Research is 2023 to 2024 religious landscape study, 95% of you'll members are white.

Just one percent are black.

One percent Hispanic.

Why do you think this religion and and the Lutheran Church specifically remains predominantly white because the population certainly is not.

95% white.

Yeah, I think we get comfortable sometimes.

Ines community changes and shifts.

We go into things that >> we're familiar with.

But what's happening now is we're starting to branch out a little bit.

I can't necessarily speak to why it's remained.

I just know what I am going to be focused on.

And that's making sure that people like myself who's been in this church whose done the continues to lead and make sure that everyone knows that we're here and hopefully that will start the work and diversifying ministry.

Yeah, because that said, you know, you have let a black congregation on the city's far south side.

>> Is there a way to appeal to black communities?

Because we also know that, you know, black people tend to worship together, right?

Like the most churches are mostly black and sometimes they get to be a bit more diverse.

But is there a way to appeal to the black communities with your ministry?

Yeah, I think the funny part is I didn't know the Lutheran church was white.

And so when you're leaving and contacts and everybody and the looks like you in the worship looks the same.

You start to think that, hey, this is how the entire denomination is.

And so as we begin to travel as we begin to build relationships as we begin to other church leaders, congregations throughout the country, then we begin to recognize that we were in a predominately white the nomination and some of that work is proven really successful about sharing different cultures, beliefs.

And I think this would work starts the Lutheran church like other denominations has been losing membership over the years.

Despite efforts to become more diverse, what ways can the church adapt but also address that membership decline?

I hope the way I came into ministry is is part of the answer.

A church was closing and Riverdale, Illinois and I was asked to lead a new ministry and so sometimes and that closure, there is an opportunity for some 3rd is opportunity for resurrection.

And what we found on the South side, Chicago, but also in Riverdale, Illinois, was was a great opportunity for us to grow a ministry.

It might look a little bit different.

But it can be successful.

So you are currently presiding bishop elect, you start I know still getting used to it.

You start your position in October.

What's your vision for the role played to shape the future of the church?

>> The one thing is in by the minute, we have a lot of great statements.

We have a lot of great goals that we want to do.

But embody means bring in a in a larger group alongside with these goals and living in them out.

So I think embodying what we say.

We stand for is really the focus.

What would you say you need to do to prepare between now and October.

Pray after prayer but relationships and continue to meet people where they are.

Listen and to Okay, Bishop, you help carry.

Congrats again.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Best of Luck.

Thank you.

>> Up next, Poland has been reaping benefits from years.

Long investments.

We unpack how right after this.

And area on the city's far South side is seeing the benefits of economic investment.

693 million dollar investment into the Pullman community has generated a 1.5 billion dollar economic impact.

That's according to a new report commissioned by the Chicago neighborhood initiatives, its nonprofit real estate developer that's spent over a decade investing in the area.

Joining us now are David Doig, the president of the Chicago neighborhood initiatives.

Longtime Pullman resident violent a wily and 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale, who sparse outside Ward includes neighborhoods like Pullman, Rosedale and Riverdale.

Welcome all of you.

Good to see you.

Thank all here.

So Alderman Bill, let's go back in time a little bit.

What were some of the economic struggles that Pullman residents might have been facing 15 years ago or so?

Well, it was the food desert.

We have a food desert.

We have helped desert.

>> And we've addressed all of those things by bringing the Walmart and the Walmart was the first anchor that catapulted all the development that you see today if it had not been for Walmart initially.

>> Breaking ice, you would see anything on Bishop Ford Expressway.

So really proud that Walmart was there.

And now we see Johnson, we have got bring food desert at the time.

But what else was was troubling.

The community.

What else was when we do have a new job work on.

We didn't have any jobs and opportunity.

The red still was not in existence people still couldn't get to jobs.

So job started coming in.

And now that you see the investment, the jobs, the company, and doing housing where, you know, we have a sports complex, that woman community center.

And I mean, when you look at all those things, we came at it from a holistic approach.

And that's why you see crime coming down.

That's why you see the investment property values going up.

And we're really proud of their accomplishments that we it all but development you're talking about, of course, this what cni his work to develop in Pullman park.

It is on the former Ryerson Steel site which 180 acre plot.

>> That's been turned into mixed use development.

David, you all you commissioned research from the firm Anderson Economic Group, and it found that your organization's investments translated to more than 7800 jobs, 4,570 one of which very specific are in Pullman.

It decreased unemployment rates by more than 7.8% dropping from 21% to 13% and pushing median household income in Pullman up from almost 38,002 over 56,000 between the years, 2010 2023.

How are you?

How have you been able to ensure that the economic investment in Pullman would would be retained to the benefit of the community?

That's there.

for full.

Let me just give a shout out to all the reveal.

We couldn't have done this without stable political leadership in and having.

>> And all the men who had been alderman for 10, 15 years, even before we started in now, that being the most senior member of City Council has really helped So that's been fundamental key part of of our development strategy as a place based developer.

We really look at of the neighborhood and figure out kind of what the needs of the neighborhood are and then and then endeavor actually improve those change those and deliver for for the neighborhood.

So the older mentioned the Walmart, the need for quality job.

So our focus on industrial was very much motivated by the need for quality living wage the recreation that was identified need 15 years ago that the committee said we need a safe place for our kids to play after school and during the winter.

So we worked with the alderman to develop the Plumbing Community Center.

So all of these things are they resonate originally from the community.

And then as a community developer, our job is to execute on those aspirations and those How how is pullman's would've chosen are selected or why Pullman for for all of this?

Because the argument could be made in number of Chicago.

Yeah, it could use an organization like this for sure will.

And we think every neighborhood needs that level of investment.

>> I think what what was unique for us this week we started out of a local bank that had purchased the old Pullman bank.

And so we were physically located there.

And at that time, the bank president said, you know, for taking deposits from the neighborhood, we should also be investing.

So was a very much kind of this old-school banking mentality.

And that's really how we got started.

We bought the writers and still we're part of the bank.

And so that kind of got us going.

We took an entire year.

Just listen to the community did over 70 community meetings and out of that came those aspirations and desires of the community had.

So literally for the last 15 years just been trying to execute on those those expectations of the community for Linda, I know you have lived in Pullman for knocking on 40 years.

Tell me about the passion of Pullman garden that year because I know gardening is your passions in and thank you.

The passion Pullman garden.

>> Is our community garden.

>> It's been exist in 60's since 2009 Thank appeal they do got together okay, we can do this weekend renovate this car because they had gone under kind of fell into the little disrepair because the people that, you know, when a lot of participating.

So we partner with Avery space and we.

Land develop.

That.

Develop them side donated to us.

And so tomorrow I see and I read it and I see in the So we're having I'm going to work from Britain tomorrow.

What can folks expect from this garden?

expect fresh food growth?

They can expect social activities.

We'll have a chess table standard out there.

You in the ground we'll help or a sun shade.

We will have different activities such as we host a movie night was some love.

We have.

We have plans to have spoken word, poetry and so Lyons and a lot activities that we think will be from unity activities games.

You've been there for 37 How would you say Pullman has changed?

>> You know, what would you say?

It's like today versus 20 years ago.

25 years ago versus today versus 25 years ago.

We have so much growth.

It has really exciting to have the pool in historical National Park.

Join us Walmart joining us.

It's been exciting to have the Portland Community Center.

was indoor space the difference.

little strip mall in a different restaurants that we have.

It's it's really been exciting for a lot of community membership and the residents wait.

We're excited about all the new development alderman Bill.

How could other communities across the city of Chicago replicate what's happening here?

Well, first, I would have to do is listen to the community.

>> And then assemble a great team carry out the vision of the community because that's what we have done.

David mentioned 70 I think it's 77 community meetings that we have before we go ground won't act and we listen to the community and we had a plan and we are sticking to the plan and having a great developer having you know, like he's my tenure in the city council and have a residence stand behind the vision.

I think that's what you need.

And so once you put that plan in place, you can not deviate from that plan because every community can have a plan and it's going to be unique to that particular community.

And you just have to work tandem with your community needs some community people in front of great developer and work that plan and I guarantee you'll see results.

David, you're from has been working with Pullman since 2010 as we and a lot's changed since particularly recently or in the last, you know, 5.10, years President Donald Trump, eliminating dei programs recently in the community development, financial Institutions Fund.

>> Which is institution that provides federal tax credits and other incentives to help developers finance developments in underserved communities.

How's all that affected?

Your work?

Yes, so I think the good if there is any good news in the bill, was the new market tax credit program was permanently extended.

>> So this is something we've been working on for decades.

So that was a that was a good thing and the opportunity zone legislation was extended for another 10 years.

So there were some silver linings, I think in the bill, the downside is, you know, when you look at a lot of these programmatic cuts, whether that's too CDFI programs, whether that's to housing assistance programs, medical, you know, Medicare, Medicaid, those those things are are you going to be devastating in terms of providing the resources for some of the work groups like ours to across the city.

>> mean, and despite, you know, the extension orbit making permanent some of the things that you mentioned like the new market tax credit, opportunity zones, are we sure that, you know, developers in the obviously yours is is based there, but will other developers continue to to maintain the work that they do in underserved communities.

I think it's a great question.

I think we're gonna have to see how that plays I the good news in Chicago is, you know, we do have local resources.

So things like tiff and economic development, bonds and those kind of things.

>> Help spurred that kind of development.

And the state's been very supportive of our work.

so generally not relied heavily on federal resources other than those tax relief programs.

But most of our development resources has come from either the state or or the city of Chicago.

>> Filing the about 30 seconds left.

What else would you like to see happen in your community?

I like to see more housing renovation will affordable housing go up, which is what is in the plans.

And I would like to see more community involvement in different areas of our community.

I like to see more people come out.

To the parks and more people come out to the community said what people come out with their families, bringing their their company or their guests to the neighborhood to explore into tour and have a good But yeah, everybody wants everybody have a good time.

All right.

I love it.

That's where we'll have to leave him.

I think Stuff Island, a wily David doing an Alderman Anthony Beale.

Thanks, everybody.

kids.

>> Coming up, what exactly does your local alderperson do?

No All right.

We'll explain next >> a new face will soon be joining the ranks at City Hall.

That's because 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett has resigned after 30 years in office.

Now, Mayor Brandon Johnson has less than 60 days to appoint his replacement will serve until the next election in 2027.

And in true Chicago fashion Burnett is pushing for his son, Walter, Reade Burnett to take a seat.

But it's not a done deal.

So if you're thinking of applying, here's Heather Sharon to explain what an older person actually does in tonight's edition of WT TW News explains.

>> Every 4 years residents of Chicago's 50 wards pick their representatives on the city council officially known as older people.

They are between 115 and 100 and $50,000 a year, not too shabby for a job that comes with instant saying and allows for nearly unlimited side But what exactly does an alderperson do?

Their official job can be divided into 2 big buckets, citywide duties and ward service.

Your older person works with their 49 colleagues to set policy on big citywide issues like public safety, housing, transportation.

They also decide whether to raise or lower taxes and how to spend those box by passing a budget which they negotiate.

The mayor who isn't a member of the city council, the presides over its meetings.

The mayor gets to pick who serves as chairs.

The city council's nearly 2 dozen committees.

Those older people have real power and get to decide which ordinances and resolutions get a piece of the city hall spotlight and stand a chance of becoming law.

>> Life outside City Hall can be much less glamorous.

people are in charge of providing direct city services to the nearly 50,000 people in their award.

That stuff out the population of a well size suburbs.

And unfortunately for them, those 50,000 Chicagoans want that pothole fails now and a new garbage cart now and they want that tree in the parkway guessed it.

Now.

>> But in return for dealing with the nitty-gritty details of city government.

Older people are free to function like many mayors of their small part of the city under a decades old tradition, known as aldermanic crime.

>> If you looked at the different to the other members of the city council, each all the person gets to decide much of what should and should not happen in their ward.

That means if, for example, you want to need super nice specialty capping you best to get the local person on board before you slept.

The first could paint on the walls while many older people are dedicated public servants.

More than us, he was left that nearly unchecked power go to their heads and ended up becoming the many mayor of a much smaller piece of real estate prisons.

And if you think it's hard to get that pothole filled your person's disease, serving the community, you'll find that it's a lot harder when they're serving time.

>> You can catch more of our Emmy award-winning series W T Tw News explains on our website.

That's at W T Tw Dot com Slash explains.

And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10.

Now for all of us here at Chicago tonight, Black Voices on Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

healthy and safe.

>> And have a good night.

>> caption News may pass by Robert a cliff and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful