[MUSIC] CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

[MUSIC] >> Host: 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, 26 PERCENT OF LACK, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS WITH THEIR TIME IN THE DISTRICT.

NEW RESEARCH ON HOUSING INSECURITY IN STUDENTS.

PEOPLE WITH HIV ARE PROTECTED FROM LEGAL ACTION AFTER AN OLD ILLINOIS LAW HAS BEEN REPEALED HERE FROM THE ADVOCATE WHO POP LATE FALL FOR CHANGE.

>> THE PARADE WAS YESTERDAY BUT WHO EXACTLY WAS BUD BILL AGAIN?

JEFFREY BEAR QUIZZES A FEW CHICAGOANS FOR THE ANSWER.

>> THIS IS A HIGHLY INDUSTRIAL AREA.

>> BIKING ON THE CITY'S SOUTHEAST SIDE, HOW A PROGRAM IS RAISING AN AWARENESS ABOUT TRANSIT BARRIERS IN THE AREA.

>>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT ONE IN SEVEN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS AT THE TIME AT THEIR DISTRICT.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO RECENT STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO'S EXCLUSIVE ECONOMY LAB.

RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT BLACK STUDENTS FEEL THE IMPACT OF THIS WITH TONY SIX PERCENT OF THEM EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS COMPARED TO FOUR PERCENT OF HISPANIC STUDENTS INTO PERCENT OF WHITE STUDENTS.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE DATA AND HOW TEACHERS AND STAFF CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS ARE LIZ DOSIER FOUNDER AND CEO OF CHICAGO AND BEYOND AND CARMELO BARBARO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EXCLUSIVE, ME LAB.

THANK YOU FOR BOTH JOINING US TONIGHT ON CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES.

LIZ, LET'S BEGIN WITH YOU.

SOME OF THE FORMS OF HOMELESSNESS THAT CAN HAPPEN FOR STUDENTS ARE?

>> HOMELESSNESS IS A MUCH MORE COMMON EXPERIENCE AMONG STUDENTS THAN PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED.

STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS HAVE A ONE IN 10 CHANCE OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY BLACK AND LIVING DOUBLE UP AND ARE AT RISK OF DECREASED GPA AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

THIS IS VERY SERIOUS.

AS A PRINCIPAL ROUGHLY 50 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL AT ONE POINT QUALIFIED TO BE A PART OF THE STUDENT TEMPORARY LIVING SITUATION.

THIS WAS BROUGHT UP I STUDENTS DOUBLED UP, COUCH SURFING, IT CAN LOOK LIKE STUDENTS LIVING IN SHELTERS.

WE KNOW THAT HAVING A SAFE AND STABLE HOME IS A BASIC NEED FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHETHER IT IS HOMELESSNESS, UNSTABLE HOUSING OR A NOBILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GENERAL IS THE FACT THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S EARNING POTENTIAL AND HEALTH NOT TO MENTION THIS REPORT TALKS ABOUT TRAUMA, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THAT COMES WITH THOSE MANY EXPERIENCES.

WE KNOW THAT THE COMBINATION THAT THIS INVESTMENT HAS CREATED THOSE CONDITIONS.

OTHERS EITHER THINGS WE CAN BEGIN TO HELP MITIGATE THESE ISSUES.

>> I DEFINITELY WANT TO GET TO THAT BECAUSE HOMELESSNESS ISN'T JUST LIVING ON THE STREET OR IN AN ENCAMPMENT, IT CAN BE STUDENTS DOUBLED UP.

WHAT DOES THIS FIND ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF HOUSING INSTABILITY WITH STUDENTS?

>> AS THEY NOTED A FEW MOMENTS AGO, I THINK WERE REALLY SURPRISED TO LEARN HOW PREVALENT THIS IS IN CPS AND TROUBLINGLY VERY DISTAL PORTION IMPACT ON THE CITY'S BLACK COMMUNITIES.

WHEN WE STARTED THIS RESEARCH WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT ONE IN FOUR TRAN 26 STUDENTS.

HOMELESSNESS.

THAT WAS ONE BIG SHOCKING REALIZATION AND THE SECOND THING THAT WE LEARNED THROUGH THE CONVERSATION WITH TUDENTS, FAMILIES, PRINCIPALS, STUDENT LIAISONS IS THAT THE STUDENTS REALLY WANT TO BE ENGAGEDIN SCHOOL .

THEY VALUE LEARNING.

THEY TALK IN A COMPELLING WAY OF HOW SCHOOL WILL BENEFIT THEM IN THE LONG RUN GOOD THE THIRD THING THAT WE SAW WHICH IS PERHAPS UNSURPRISING BUT SHOULD BE A CALL TO ACTION FOR A LOT OF US, THESE OUTSIDE SCHOOL FACTORS INTO UP IMPACTING STUDENTS EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL.

SO THEY TALK ABOUT THE STIGMA THEY FELT ABOUT COMING TO SCHOOL WITH HER CLASSMATES KNOWING THEY WERE HOMELESS OR NOT TRUSTING IN A WAY THAT THEY WANTED TO BE GOOD THEY TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF ADDING TO SCHOOL ON TIME AND CONSISTENTLY AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND CONTROL FOR PRIOR ATTENDANCE AND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT DO SEE THAT EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON BOTH ATTENDANCE AND GRADES AND THERE'S A WAY IN WHICH THE HOUSING INSECURITY THE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE CAN ACTUALLY PERPETUATE SOME OF THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST IN THE CITY.

>> TAISHI NEUMAN IS A MOTHER OF THREE CPS STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS WHILE GOING TO SCHOOL AND AT THE TIME NEWMAN AND HER CHILDREN LIVED WITH HER COUSIN.

LET'S HEAR HOW THIS IMPACTED HER CHILDREN.

>> THE IMPACT WAS ONLY BECAUSE WHEN IT IS TIME TO LEARN ABOUT DOING HOMEWORK IT IS MUCH HARDER WHEN YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS TO YOURSELF ABOUT WHY MY MOM CAN'T BUY PAPER AND WHY I HAVE TO BUY PAPER FROM MY COUSINS.

>> CARMELO YOU ADDRESSED THIS BIT BUT WHAT DID YOU FIND THE IMPACT OF STUDENT SUCCESS AT SCHOOL?

>> AS I SAID, WE FOUND THAT ON AVERAGE IN THEIR VERY FIRST YEAR OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AFTER A WEEK OF SCHOOL COMPARED TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE SAME ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THAT INCREASE IS DRAMATICALLY UP HERE AT STUDENTS COULD MISS UP TO TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL WHEN THEY SPARE AND HOMELESSNESS.

THERE'S A DIRECT EFFECT OF HOUSING AND THEIR ABILITY TO GET TO SCHOOL CONSISTENTLY.

CANNOT LEARN IF YOU ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND WE DO SEE THAT IMPACT ON GRADES AS WELL.

I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT LIVING DOUBLED UP, BEING A GUEST IN SOMEONE'S HOME, COUCH SURFING IS AN INVISIBLE TYPE OF HOMELESSNESS BUT NEVERTHELESS IT IS TRAUMATIC FOR A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE HEARD THAT IN THE FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS THAT WE HEARD.

IT CAPTURES SOME OF THE SMALL BUT NEVERTHELESS IMPORTANT WAYS OF HOW IT CAN IMPACT STUDENTS.

>> LIZ, WE KNOW YOU WERE THE PRINCIPAL AT SINGER FOR SIX YEARS AND WE KNOW THAT 60 PERCENT OF YOUR STUDENT POPULATION THERE HAD EXPERIENCED OR COULD EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.

HOW DO YOU SEE HOMELESSNESS IMPACT YOUR STUDENTS WHEN YOU WERE A PRINCIPAL?

>> IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE PARENTS HAD LAID OUT A SECOND AGO IN THAT CLIP.

EVERYTHING FROM A CHILD FEELING LESS THAN IF THEY ARE IN A CLASSROOM FEELING A SENSE OF SHAME OF WHY THEY CANNOT HAVE THOSE PARTICULAR THINGS THAT THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE BUT ALSO A SOUGHT EFFECT ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOLS, THERE BEEN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY AND CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE.

IT'S A WAY OF D STIGMATIZING THE HOMELESSNESS STATUS AND THE REPORT THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF D STIGMATIZING THE HOMELESS STATUS, KNOWING THE YOUNG PEOPLE, KNOWING THEIR STORIES OF WHAT'S HAPPENED THING IN THEIR LIVES AND REALLY NOT SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF.

MEETING THE BASIC NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED AS WE THINK ABOUT THE SCHOOL REALLY BEING A LIGHTHOUSE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE'S FAMILIES.

>> CARMELO, AS WE HEARD EARLIER HOMELESSNESS HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WHY IS THAT?

>> WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT HIGH RATE OF HOMELESSNESS EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITIES BLACK COMMUNITY.

IT WASN'T IN CONTEXT.

THE RESIDENTS OF CHICAGO HAVE BEEN LOOTED FROM ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR DECADES.

BLACK MOTHERS ARE MORE INTO OCCUR IN EVICTION AND EVICTION RECORD IS OFTEN HELD AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SECURE YOUR NEXT APARTMENT DUE TO OVER POLICING BLACK FATHERS AND IS LIKELY TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THAT'S HELD AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU APPLY FOR HOUSING.

YOU CAN SEE HOW ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT FORCES CAN COMBINE TO LIMIT ACCESS TO SAFE, STABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

WHILE WE WERE SHOCKED INITIALLY WHEN YOU TAKE THAT HISTORIC VIEW AND THINK ABOUT THESE BROADER FORCES IT IS MAYBE LESS SURPRISING BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRY TO UNDO THOSE THINGS SO WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SORT OF EQUITY OUTCOMES WE DESIRE.

>> AS YOU MENTION THE STUDY DOES SUPPORT STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS AND THE ROLES THAT THE SCHOOL CAN PLAY BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

MY THANKS TO LIZ DOSIER AND CARMELO BARBARO FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT HOWEVER KIDS WAIT A REPEAL OF THE HIV CRIMINALIZATION LAW AFFECTS THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN A CONVERSATION THAT WAS RECORDED EARLIER.

>> PEOPLE WITH HIV CAN NO LONGER BE CRIMINALLY PROSECUTED FOR EXPOSING SOMEONE ELSE TO THE VIRUS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

THIS WEEK ILLINOIS IS A SECOND STATE TO REPEAL SUCH A LAW THIS ONE FROM THE 1980 MAKING HIV EXPOSURE A FELONY.

ADVOCATES SAY THE LAW DISCOURAGES TESTING AND TREATMENT FOR HIV AND THE APPEAL IS LONG OVERDUE.

JOINING US NOW ARE TIMOTHY JACKSON THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS WITH THE AIDS FOUNDATION CHICAGO IN THE LEAD LOBBYIST IN THE BILLS REPEAL.

AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE CAROL EYMAN'S, A DEMOCRAT THE SPONSOR THE BILL.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

MISSY, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE GOVERNOR OFFICIALLY SIGNING THE BILL LAST WEEK?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

EMOTIONS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU.

AS A PERSON LIVING WITH HIV FOR NEARLY 12 YEARS THERE WAS ANXIETY, THERE WAS JOY, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF TEARS.

MOSTLY IT WAS REALLY A WEIGHT LIFTED OFF OF MY SHOULDERS AND THE SHOULDERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV ACROSS ILLINOIS THAT THEY WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS BEING WEAPON ICED AGAINST THEM.

FOR THAT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR REPRESENTATIVE PAYMENTS AND THE GOVERNOR IN INITIATING THIS LEGISLATION.

>> REPRESENTATIVE PAYMENTS WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS LEGISLATION?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON ABOUT THIS BILL DID THIS BILL REALLY REFLECTS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BOOKS IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT WE HAVE TO CORRECT THE WRONGS OF THIS HISTORICAL RECORD WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV.

I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT I HAVE A LONG LEGISLATIVE RECORD IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM THEY FOUND THIS TO BE HEALTHCARE JUSTICE IN THE FACE OF COVID.

I THOUGHT IT WAS HIGH TIME THAT ILLINOIS TOOK THE LEAD ON THIS INITIATIVE AM SO HAPPY THAT WE GOT IT SIGNED LAST WEEK AND THE GOVERNOR SAW THE IMPORTANT OF THIS LEGISLATION.

>> TIMOTHY HOW DID THIS PARTICULAR LAW AND LAWS LIKE THIS IMPACT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV?

>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ARMS IN WHICH IT'S NOT BASED ON CURRENT SCIENCE.

BECAUSE, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A THING CALLED SSUE UNDETECTABLE TRANSMISSION.

THEY POSED ZERO RISK IN TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS A HUGE BOOM FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH HIV WHO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS OPENLY HARSH AND DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS SAME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY RAVAGED BY HIV.

MORE THAN ALL OF THOSE IS IT INFLICTS HARM.

IT ALSO STANDS IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY BECAUSE A PERSON COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THIS IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY DID NOT HAVE HIV.

PEOPLE LITERALLY TOLD US I'M NOT GOING TO GET TESTED FOR HIV BECAUSE I CAN BE CHARGED FOR THIS CRIME.

OBVIOUSLY WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS INCOMPLETE CONTRAST TO WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN.

WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET TESTED AND GET INTO TREATMENT SO HAVING SOME INK ON THE BOOKS THAT STOOD IN THE WAY OF US DOING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE BARRIER TO ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC HERE IN ILLINOIS.

>> LET'S GET INTO THAT.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE CIRCUIT INDICATES BLACKMAN MAKEUP TWO THIRDS OF THESE PEOPLE CHARGED IN THIS LAW AND ACROSS GENDER LINES 75 PERCENT OF THOSE CHARGED ARE BLACK AND THAT'S A CIRCUIT THAT COMES FROM THE CHICAGO READER.

TIMOTHY, WHY HAVE LACKED PEOPLE BEEN DISTAL FORTUNATELY IMPACTED BY THIS LAW?

>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S REALLY JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM.

I THINK REPRESENTATIVE HAMMOND HIGHLIGHTED THAT IT IS NOT JUST A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUE IS A HEALTHCARE JUSTICE ISSUE AS WELL AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE REALLY SEEN WHERE YOU HAVE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS THERE IS NOT JUST CHICAGO OR COOK COUNTY, ONE OUT OF EVERY TWO GAY BLACKMAN IN THIS COUNTRY WILL CONTRACT HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME ACED ON THE CDC.

THE TWO PERCENT.

AND JUST TO PUT IT INTO BROADER TERMS YOU ARE LOOKING AT THAT STATISTIC.

I AM A GAY BLACKMAN LIVING WITH HIV.

THAT PUTS INTO FOCUS ON EDUCATION, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT NOT ONLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT LATINX COMMUNITY AS WELL.

>> TIMOTHY TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE NO ONE IS CURRENTLY IN PRISON FOR THIS LAW BUT THERE'S OTHER DATA FROM COOK COUNTY FROM 1990 FROM 2016 26 PEOPLE WERE CHARGED.

REPRESENTATIVE EMMONS WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU?

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CHARGED?

THIS REALLY TELLS ME YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

IF WE KNOW THAT 50 PERCENT THAT INCLUDES MY OWN FAMILY MEMBERS, MY OWN SON.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE HE HAS EVERY OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED TO HIM TO GET GOOD QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND DO NOT IN THE EVENT THAT HE MAY CONTRACT HIV OR MY DAUGHTER FOR THAT MATTER COULD HAVE HIV OR A CHILD COULD BE BORN WITH IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT DENY THEM THEIR RIGHT AND HEALTH STATUS.

DISCRIMINATION, WE DON'T WANT THAT THE OUTCOME FOR A PERSON WHO IN REALITY HAS A HEALTH ISSUE.

IT REALLY JUST NEEDS ADDRESSING.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO THE STIGMA AND REMOVE DISCRIMINATION AND REMOVE THE CRIMINALIZATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV IN OUR STATE.

>> THAT'S WERE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

MY THANKS FOR TIMOTHY JACKSON AND REPRESENTATIVE PAYMENTS FOR JOINING US.

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

>> CHICAGO'S SOUTHEAST SIDE HAS LONG BEEN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA AND THIS IS DRAWN CRITICISM WORSE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESIDENTIAL HEALTH.

SOME SAY THE COMMUNITIES RESIDENTIAL HISTORY MEANS IT'S DIFFICULT FOR RESIDENTS TO GET AROUND BY BIKE OR BY FOOT.

>> PARTS OF BIG MARSH PARK USED TO BE A DUMPING GROUND FOR FUEL MEALS ON CHICAGO'S SOUTHEAST SIDE.

SINCE THEN THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT HAS WORKED TO RESTORE THE AREAS 300 NATURAL SPACE.

THE FRIENDS OF BIG MARSH HAS WORKED TO FILL UP THE AREA FOR ECO- RESIGNATION AND TODAY IT IS ALSO A BIKE PARK.

>> I LOVE THIS.

IT MADE IT BETTER.

I KNOW I CAN GO FASTER AND JUST DON'T STOP.

>> THE SOUTHEAST SIDE STORIED INDUSTRIAL PAST AND PRESENT MAKES IT HARD FOR LOCALS TO ACCESS THE PARK AND GET AROUND THEIR COMMUNITY.

>> BEING SURROUNDED BY FIVE COMMUNITIES IS LARGELY INACCESSIBLE.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE ACCESSED BY HEAVY INDUSTRY 50 YEARS AGO.

>> SINCE THE PARK'S OPENING FRIENDS OF THE TRAN 21 THEY TRIED TO CREATE THE BIG MARSH I CAN MASTER PROGRAM.

IT TEENS IN THE AREA ABOUT MECHANICS, SAFETY AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THEIR IMMUNITY.

NEXT I TEACH THEM THE BASIC BIKE MECHANIC MECHANICS LIKE HOW TO ADJUST THEIR HANDLEBARS OR SEATS THAT THE COOL THING ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS THAT I GET TO SEE THEM IN BIKES AND HELMETS AND VISIT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.

>> THEY ALSO BIKE AROUND BIG MARSH H TRAILS.

>> THE RIGHT THING ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS IT IS DESIGNED FOR BEGINNERS LIKE YOU AND ME.

>> THE PROGRAM MEETS FOUR DAYS A WEEK.

TWO ONLINE INTO IN PERSON AND SWITCHED FROM A VIRTUAL ONLY PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

DUE TO THE PROGRAM HE LEARNED HOW TO PREPARE FOR SAFE BIKE RIDE.

>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT ON A BIKE RIDE.

YOU MIGHT THINK THE BIKE IS GOOD AND THE TIRE MIGHT POP OR THE GEAR MIGHT GET STUCK.

>> THE TEENS ALSO LEARNED HOW TO BUILD A BIKE.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BUILD A BIKE UNTIL CHENTAL HANDY SHOWED ME.

>> THE PROJECT COORDINATOR, CHENTAL HANDY HOPES THAT IT BRINGS DOWN BARRIERS TO THE SOUTHEAST SIDE.

>> THIS IS A HIGHLY INDUSTRIAL AREA.

18 WHEELERS ARE A PROBLEM.

ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE BIKING LANES HERE GETS A LITTLE DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE ALONE ON THE PATH AND YOU SEE TWO TRUCKS WRITING SIDE-BY-SIDE AND YOU ARE JUST ON YOUR BIKE TRYING TO HANG ON.

>> WHEN WE VISITED RAYMOND WELLMAN WAS GETTING READY TO TAKE HIS FIRST RIDE THROUGH TRAFFIC WITH THE PROGRAM.

>> I'M EXCITED BUT I AM SCARED TO DO IT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TONS OF HEAVY METAL MACHINES WRITING RIGHT PAST ME.

>> MARIA TENNYSON SAID TRAVELING BETWEEN COMMUNITIES ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE REQUIRES BIKERS TO BE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDING.

>> WE HAVE TO MAINLY FOCUS ON OUR SURROUNDINGS.

WE HAVE TO GET TO KNOW THE PLACE AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GO ON THE SIDEWALK AND RIDE THROUGH THEIR.

>> TENNYSON SAID SHE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO USE THE SKILLS SHE LEARNED THROUGH THE PROGRAM LONG AFTER IT'S OVER.

>> ONCE I LEARN EVERYTHING FROM HERE I CAN TAKE IT ON AND IF MY LITTLE SIBLINGS WANT TO RIDE A BIKE AND THEY DON'T HOW TO DO THAT I CAN TEACH THEM HOW.

>> THE BIKE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS EXPANDING THIS YEAR TO BE AROUND.

LATER THIS SUMMER BIG MARSH PARK EXPECTS TO OPEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND EGO RECREATION.

>> THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARADE MADE ITS TRANSIT RETURNED SURVEY AFTER BEING CANCELED LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

THE PARADE HAS BEEN A TRADITION SINCE 1929.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHO THE PARADE IS NAMED FOR AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR NOT ALONE.

TECH OUT THIS CLIP FROM THE GREAT CHICAGO WAY SHOW WITH JEFFREY BAIRD AND SEE WHO ELSE IS SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD ON THE MYSTERIOUS PARADE.

>> CHICAGO'S ANNUAL BUD BILLICK AND DAY FEATURES THE LARGEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARADE IN THE NATION.

IN FACT, THIS FACE MARCHED IN THE BUD BILLICK PARADE.

>> CHICAGO'S ANNUAL BUD BILLICK AND PARADE WHICH FEATURES LUPE FIASCO AS A YOUNG MAN AND THE QUESTION IS WHO WAS BUD?

A CHICAGO'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ALDERMAN, B, A SOUTHSIDE CAR DEALER WHO FIRST SPONSORED THE PARADE IN 1929 OR C, A FICTIONAL CHARACTER WHO APPEARED REGULARLY IN THE CHICAGO OFFENDERS NEWSPAPER, FICTIONAL OR D, AND ALL-STAR SHORTSTOP WHO PLAYED FOR THE CHICAGO AMERICAN GIANTS IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE?

WHO WAS BUD?

>> IT WOULD BE OUTSTANDING IF D WERE TRUE BUT THAT IS NOT THE ANSWER.

>> YOU SEEM TO BE SHAKING HER HEAD AS IF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS?

>> I DIDN'T NEED THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE HE IS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER CREATED TO SELL NEWSPAPERS OR SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEIR SALESFORCE.

>> YOU ARE CORRECT!

THE ANSWER IS C!

>> HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW!

>> HE WAS A FICTIONAL CHARACTER CELEBRATED?

HERE'S THE STORY.

WITH A HUGE PARADE AND PICNIC IN HIS HONOR BUDS NAME IS A HOUSEHOLD FIXTURE IN CHICAGO BUT THERE'S ONE PROBLEM, HE NEVER EXISTED.

HE WAS THE FICTIONAL MASCOT OF A KIDS SOCIAL CLUB CRATED BY A LEGENDARY CHICAGO DEFENDER NEWSPAPER.BUT WHERE THE DEVELOPER GOT THE NAME FROM IS A LITTLE BIT OF A MYSTERY.

WE DO KNOW THIS, A BILLICK AND IS A CHUBBY ELF YEARS AND A SMILE.

HE SOUGHT TO BE THE PROTECTOR OF CHILDREN.

SOME SAY THAT IT ORIGINATED IN CHINA IT WAS REALLY DREAMED IN 1908 AND PATENTED BY A MISSOURI ART TEACHER.

THE BILLICK AND MIGHT NOT HAVE COME FROM CHINA BUT THEY DID HAVE ONE ON THE WAY AND LEGEND HAS IT THAT ROBERT ABBOTT SAW IT AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A PERFECT CHARACTER TO IN A CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

THE BUD BILLICKEN CARE THERE BECAME SO POPULAR THEY DECIDED TO START A PARADE IN 1929.

AND A CENTURY LATER THE TRAN 27 PARADE CLAIMS TO BE THE LARGEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARADE IN THE NATION.

SO WHILE TRAN 27 HIMSELF MIGHT BE FICTIONAL, HIS SPIRIT MARCHES ON.

>> THE ANSWER WAS SEEK, I KNEW THAT!

CHECK OUT THE ANSWER ON THE CHICAGO QUIZ SHOW WHERE YOU CAN QUIZ YOURSELF ON ARTS, CULTURE AND MORE.

GO TO WTTW.com /QUIZ.

THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THE SUNDAY NIGHT SURE TO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS.

CONGRESSMAN ROBBIE DAVIS ON THE INFRA STRUCTURE DEAL COMING TO THE HOUSE AND AFTER YEARS OF PLANNING AND LAWSUIT, THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER IS EXPECTED TO BREAK GROUND.

IT WILL LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH FOOTAGE OF THE 1955 AND 1969 TRAN 27 PARADE FROM OUR ARCHIVES.

HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SPOT A FEW FAMILIAR FACES.

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.

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