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.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT HISTORIC MOMENT IN EVANSTON AT THE THE CITY DETERMINES WILL BE THE FIRST TO RECEIVE REPARATIONS.

WE >> Guest: TWO PEOPLE BEHIND THE PUSH TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

>>> A NEW VISIT DISPLAYS CIVIL RIGHTS MURDERS OF THE PAST TO OFFER LESSONS FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

>>> THE AUTHOR FOR A URBAN FANTASY SERIES SHOWS HOW SHE WANTS TO BRING DIVERSITY TO CHILDREN'S BOOKS.

>> THIS COMMUNITY, THERE IS LITERALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

>> MEET A CHICAGO BREWER HOPING TO MAKE THE CHICAGO.

INDUSTRY MORE INCLUSIVE ONE BEER AT A TIME.

>>> FIRST TONIGHT EVANSTON HAS SELECTED THE FIRST GROUP OF LACKED RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE REPARATIONS THROUGH THE CITY'S RESTORATIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.

THE CITY WILL DISTRIBUTE $10 MILLION USING TAX REVENUE FROM MARIJUANA SALES.

EACH RESET IT MAY RECEIVE $25,000 IN HOUSING BENEFITS THAT CAN BE USED AS A DOWN PAYMENT, HOME REPAIRS OR INTEREST OR HOME PENALTIES.

THE FIRST RECIPIENTS WERE CHOSEN AT RANDOM LAST WEEK.

THERE WERE 122 BLACK RESIDENTS APPROVED FOR REPARATIONS SO FAR.JOINING US FOR MORE ARE PETER BRAITHWAITE EVANSTON'S RESTORATIVE HOUSING PROGRAM CHAIR AND ROBIN RUE SIMMONS A FORMER COUNCILMEMBER WHO LED THE EFFORT TO GRADE THE INITIATIVE.

SHE STILL SITS ON THE REPARATIONS COMMITTEE.

PETER AND ROBIN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

ROBIN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHY REPARATIONS IN THE FORM OF HOUSING BENEFITS?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS THAT WAS INFORMED OUR BLACK COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND IN 2019 WE WEIGHED IN ON WHAT PRIORITIES AND REMEDIES WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS A COMMUNITY FOR REPARATIONS.

AS A CONSENSUS WE IT UP PRIORITIZING HOUSING.

THERE WERE DOZENS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT OUR CASE FOR REPARATIONS IN EVANSTON WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY'S WEBSITE IS LARGELY FOUND IN OUR HOUSING LAW, ZONING POLICY AND HOUSING POLICY THAT WERE ANTI-BLACK AND DISCRIMINATING STRIPPED AWAY WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY FROM LACKED RESIDENTS BETWEEN 1919 AND 1959 BEFORE FAIR HOUSING WAS PASSED.

WE CAN BEGIN TO MEASURE THE DAMAGE AND PHYSICALLY STILL SEE RACIAL SEGREGATION IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOUSING WILL PROVIDE WEALTH BUILDING.

FAMILIES BUILD WEALTH THROUGH HOUSING EQUITY NO MATTER THEIR RACE.

>> AND, PETER BRAITHWAITE WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP FOR THE 16 RESIDENTS IN THEIR ANCESTOR CATEGORIES?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

SINCE WE HAVE MET WE BEEN NOTIFYING ALL OF OUR ANCESTORS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATIONS.

THE NEXT STEP AFTER THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO THE VERIFICATIONS.

ANY OF THE ANCESTORS BECAUSE IT WAS AN ONLINE PROCESS WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE FACT THAT FAMILY MEMBERS, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HELP TO UPLOAD THEIR INFORMATION.

WE WANT TO QUALIFY AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE THROUGH A SIMPLE PROCESS.

THE NEXT STEP IS THAT WE WANT THEM TO ACCEPT THE FIRST REPAIR.

THEY WILL HAVE THREE OPTIONS AND THE ABILITY TO DO HOME REPAIR WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE POPULAR ONE AND IN ADDITION TO THAT IT CAN USE THE FUNDS TO PAY DOWN THEIR MORTGAGE AND FOR THOSE THAT CHOOSE THEY CAN ALSO USE IT TOWARDS PURCHASING A HOME.

>> WHITE A RANDOM SELECTION FOR THE FIRST GROUP OF 16 AND WHY 16, COUNCILMEMBER PETER BRAITHWAITE, ACT II YOU.

>> RATE QUESTION.

THERE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE WANTED A FAIR TRANSPARENT PROCESS THAT DIDN'T PENALIZE SOMEONE FOR WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATION.

IT'S A GOOD THING TO SOME COMMITTEES.

IT WAS IN PLAIN SIGHT.

HE DID NOT USE ANYTHING THAT WAS COMPUTER-GENERATED AND WE FELT THAT IT WOULD BE PART OF A FAIR PROCESS.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

>> THIS HAS BEEN A TWO-YEAR PROCESS SINCE THE EVANSTON CITY COUNCIL DECIDED TO ADOPT THE REPARATION FUND AND SUB MITTY BACK IN 2019.

AS YOU REFLECT ON THAT JOURNEY DURING LAST WEEK'S NAME DRAWING, HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

NEXT WE ARE PRIORITIZING OUR RESIDENTS THAT SUFFERED DIRECT HARM.

BLACK RESIDENTS THAT LIVED IN EVANSTON BETWEEN 1919 AND 1969.

AND SUFFERED FROM SCRIMMAGE AND ZONING LAWS THAT STRIPPED AWAY WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY.

>> ROBIN, IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT OR YOU.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SEE THIS INITIATIVE THAT YOU ADVOCATED FOR COME TO FRUITION?

>> I AM ENCOURAGED IN THIS BOLD STEP THAT WE HAVE TAKEN AS A CITY THAT WE CAN BUILD ON THIS KNOWING THAT WE HAVE MORE WORK AHEAD OF US THEN WE HAVE COMPLETED BUT WE HAVE NOW SET A STANDARD.

THERE IS A PRECEDENT, A MOTTO IN EXAMPLES TO INCREASE T AND IF IT TO COLLABORATE WITH MORE PARTNERS AND INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE REPAIRS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND IT FEELS GOOD THAT OUR CITY HAS INSPIRED THE NATION TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT REPARATIONS FROM MUNICIPALITIES AND STATES AND STATE HARM.

>> COUNCILMEMBER PETER BRAITHWAITE SOME PEOPLE PUT ASIDE THIS PLAN SAYING REPARATIONS SHOULD COME IN THE FORM OF DIRECT CASH PAYMENTS INSTEAD OF BEING PAID TO THE BANK FOR FINANCING WHAT IS NEEDED FOR HOMES.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

>> I WILL DEFER ACT II WHAT WE SAID.

A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD AND RECEIVED FROM OUR RESIDENTS, IT WAS ALL AROUND HOUSING.

WE REALIZE THAT SO MUCH OF THE FEDERAL HARM WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, IT TOOK LACE IN TERMS OF TWO THINGS THAT YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.

THE G.I.

BILL THAT GUARANTEED EDUCATION AS WELL AS FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM.

LOOK AT PAST LEGISLATION WHERE WE SAW SPECIFIC HARM WHEN IT CAME TO THE BLACK COMMUNITIES AND WE SAW ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ONLY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT THE WORK FROM SIMMONS AND ROBINSON WHO IS OUR LOCAL BLACK HISTORIAN THAT IS HOW WE WERE ABLE TO FIND AND IMPROVE THE HARM COMMITTED BY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES.

IT MADE SENSE AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.

>> I DID WANT TO ASK OTHER QUESTIONS WHAT KIND OF FORM OF REPARATIONS COULD THERE BE DION HOUSING ASSISTANCE?

>> WE LOOK AT THE FULL REPAIR INCLUDING CESSATION.

ONE THING WE WANT TO DO IS ADDRESS THE POLICIES THAT STILL HAVE RACISM BAKED IN IT.

IT'S NOT EVEN A FORM OF COMPENSATION IS JUST GUARANTEED OF NON-REPETITION.

SATISFACTION WHICH IS WHAT WE SEE MOST OF ALL.

MONUMENTS AND STREET NAMING AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT ARTS HONORING OUR HISTORY AS WELL AS RESTITUTION AND COMPENSATION.

THAT IS WHAT IS BROUGHT UP MOST BUT IT CAN BE IN THE FORM OF BUSINESS.

THAT'S IN RESOLUTION 126 R 19 INITIATIVES AS WELL.

OUR RESIDENTS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE RE-TUITION AND BUSINESS GRANTS AND ACCESS TO TRAUMA CARE AND HEALTHCARE ACCESS.

THE LIST WENT ON AND ON.

OUR HOPE IS THAT WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE GOVERNMENT ALONE BUT WERE LOOKING AT INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE CITY IN THIS NATION FOR THEM TO BE PART OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, EDUCATION SYSTEM, BY THE IS A SYSTEMS AND INDUSTRIES THAT WERE ANTI- BLACK AND HARMS BLACK COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS.

>> ANTS, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS BUT YOUR FIRST OFFERING REPARATIONS TO THE PEOPLE YOU CALL THE ANCESTORS.

DO YOU FEEL PRESSURE TO GET THIS RIGHT?

>> YES.

WE DO.

BASED ON HISTORIC HARM TO OUR PEOPLE AS WELL AS IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SUBSET OF GROUP THIS PAST NOVEMBER THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, NOVEMBER FIFTH, WE ACTUALLY LOST THREE ANCESTORS DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

I CAN TELL YOU MYSELF, I TALKED TO AMBASSADOR SIMMONS AS WELL AS OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS WE TAKE THIS WORK SERIOUSLY.

WE LABEL IT AS BEING SACRED AND WE DO WORK WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.

>> IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENTS ARE KEEPING AND I ON IT WELL ELITE AS WELL.I THINK YOU PETER BRAITHWAITE AND FORMER COUNCILMEMBER ROBIN RUE SIMMONS FOR JOINING US.

>>> EMMETT TILL.

[CRYING] HAS ALLOWED THE APARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO RE-EXAMINE THE CASES OF ONE OF 50 BLACK AMERICANS KILLED IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.

IT IS AN INITIATIVE ENTITLED UNRESOLVED.

SOME FINDINGS ARE ON DISPLAY IN EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM.

OUR CORRESPONDENT ANGEL IDOWU INTRODUCES US TO THE SON OF ONE OF THOSE BLACK AMERICANS WHO WAS KILLED AND HOW THE NEW EXHIBIT IS HELPING HIM BRING CLOSURE FOR HIS FAMILY ONCE AND FOR ALL.

[MUSIC] MORE THAN 150 NAMES OF PEOPLE KILLED DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT STANDS ON DISPLAY IN A SPECIAL EXHIBIT AT THIS MUSEUM.

THEIR LIVES WERE CUT SHORT AT THE HANDS OF RACE RELATED KILLINGS MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO BUT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THEIR DEATH LIVES ON.

THIS INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT IS THROUGH THE UNRESOLVED ADD SKY WALKING THROUGH EVERYONE'S STORY.

>> MORE THAN 100 CASES WERE INITIALLY REOPENED UNDER THE TILL ACTS.

>> ALLOWS VISITORS TO SCAN A QR CODE THAT IS NEXT TO EACH NAME AND THAT'S WHERE THE STORY BEGINS.

>> SAY HIS NAME TO BEGIN HIS STORY.

>> ONE OF THESE STORIES IS THAT OF ROMAN DUCKSWORTH A POLICE OFFICER KILLED AT 15 YEARS OLD.

HIS SON, CORDERO DUCKSWORTH WHO CURRENTLY RESIDES IN JULIET DID NOT LEARN OF HIS FATHER'S DEATH UNTIL HE WAS AN ADULT.

HE RECEIVED A LETTER OF HIS FATHER BEING A CIVIL RIGHTS MARTYR.

>> IT WAS A STATE OF SHOCK FOR ME BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED OR WHY MY FATHER WASN'T AROUND UNTIL MY WIFE SHOWED ME THE LETTER.

I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I FELT BETRAYED BUT AT THE SAME TIME I UNDERSTOOD.

>> HE SAID HIS MOTHER NEVER WANTED HIM OR HIS SIBLINGS GROWING UP HAVING HATE OR RESENTMENT TOWARDS WHITE PEOPLE SO SHE NEVER TOLD THEM.

>> IN ORDER FOR HER TO TEACH US WHAT SHE WANTED US TO KNOW SHE HAD TO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE.

>> 'SMOTHER WOULD GO ON TO PROTEST WITH ALL SIX OF HER CHILDREN BY WALKING THROUGH THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE TOWN STORE AND SET UP THROUGH THE BACK.

WHEN I ASKED CORDERO DUCKSWORTH IF HIS MOTHER TRULY MOURNED THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER, HE RECALLED THAT MOMENT IN TIME.

>> HER HEALING PROCESS WAS DURING THE TIME WHERE WE WERE STILL DOWN THERE IT SHE WAS DOING THE THINGS SHE WAS DOING TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT I AM NOT AFRAID.

THIS IS WHAT THESE PEOPLE DID TO ME AND MY FAMILY.

>> HER HEALING PROCESS DID COME WITH HELP ALONG THE WAY.

>> MEGA EVERS WAS HER COUNSEL FOR THE WHOLE INCIDENT IN MARTIN LUTHER KING SEND HIM THERE BECAUSE MARTIN LUTHER KING COULD NOT COME SO HE SENT HER THERE TO HELP HER SINCE HE LIVES THERE ANYWAY.

>> ROMAN DUCKSWORTH'S CASE HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE 2010.

BECAUSE OF THE LACKED OF RELEVANT STATUTES.

NONETHELESS, CORDERO IS STILL ON A MISSION.

>> THE ONE THING THAT I WANT IS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR EVEN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS NOT A JUSTIFIED KILLING.

IF I CAN GET THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE ME AND MY FAMILY FEEL THAT MUCH BETTER AND I WISH I COULD HAVE GOTTEN IT DONE BEFORE SHE DIED.

I DID WHAT I SAID TO MY MOTHER THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY TO DO.

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

>> A FULL PODCAST EPISODE FEATURING THE LIFE OF ROMAN DUCKSWORTH AND CORDERO'S MISSION TO RESOLVE HIS FATHER'S CASE IS ON OUR WEBSITE.

THE INSULATION IS SCHEDULED TO REMAIN AT THE MUSEUM THROUGH THE END OF MARCH.

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

FROM HARRY POTTER TO THE HOBBIT THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF FANTASY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS BUT WE DON'T OFTEN SEE BLACK CHARACTERS IN THOSE STORIES.

THAT'S WHY CHICAGOAN ZETTA ELLIOTT CREATED A FITNESS E-SERIES "DRAGONS IN A BAG" TO SEE BLACK CHILDREN TO SEE THEMSELVES INSIDE THE PAGES.

NO ONE WAS JUST RELEASED CALLED "THE WITCH'S APPRENTICE".

AUTHOR ZETTA ELLIOTT JOINS US NOW.

WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ZETTA WHY DID YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK IN THE FITNESS E-SERIES A GENRE SPECIFICALLY?

>> I GREW UP READING FANTASY FICTION.

I LOVE BOOKS LIKE THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE ROAR DROVE BUT THERE WERE NO BLACK GIRLS THERE AND I REMEMBER HOW IT FELT TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE STORIES THAT I LOVED HER LIKE LOVING A BOOK AND REALIZING THAT IT DOESN'T LOVE YOU BACK.

I SPENT A LONG TIME TRYING TO DE-COLONIZE MY IMAGINATION AND EXCEPT THAT MAGIC CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE ANYWHERE AND I FELT AS IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO AS A WRITER TO PREVENT FUTURE GENERATIONS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PAIN OF THAT EXCLUSION THEN THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.

>> WHY THE EMPHASIS ON WITCHES AND MAGIC IN YOUR WRITING?

>>.

[LAUGHTER] I HAVE A THEORY THAT WHAT I AM DOING IS AFRO URBAN MAGIC.

SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE AUTHORS HERE IN CHICAGO LIKE RITA BARON ARE REACHING BACK TO AFRICA, DRAWING ON AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT GESTURE AND IMPORTANT MOVE BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING NECESSARILY THAT I WOULD BE TOO GOOD AT.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THAT MEMORY OF RUPTURE CAUSED BY THE HISTORY OF ENSLAVEMENT AND I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH, UNFORTUNATELY, ABOUT THAT MYTHOLOGY I HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH WHICH I COULD DO BUT I THOUGHT, WHAT IF I TOOK THE EXISTING CONVENTION BECAUSE WHEN KIDS THINK ABOUT MAGIC THEY THINK ABOUT WITCHES AND WIZARDS THAT THEY THINK ABOUT A WITCH AS BEING SOMEONE WHO HAS GREEN SKIN AND A POINTY BLACK HAT AND RIDES AROUND ON A BROOM AND THEY HAVE A VISION OF A WIZARD WHO HAS A LONG WHITE BEARD.

THEY ARE BASICALLY DRAWING ON EUROPEAN CONVENTIONS AND FOLKLORE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT CHILDREN REALIZE THAT EVERY CULTURE HAS ITS OWN MAGICAL TRADITIONS.

I AM TRYING TO BLEND AFRICAN-AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY.

I WANT MY STORY TO BE SET IN THE CITY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A CASTLE IN ENGLAND.

YOU CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE TO BE A BRITISH CHILD.

MAGIC HAPPENS TO EVERYONE.

>> YOUR CHARACTER JACKSON IN "THE WITCH'S APPRENTICE", TELL US WHAT HE IS LIKE.

>> JACKSON HAS A LITTLE BIT OF ME AND HIM.

ALL MY CHARACTERS DO.

HE IS NINE YEARS OLD AND HE UNFORTUNATELY LOST FATHER IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND HE IS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER AND SHE HAS TO GO TO COURT TO FIGHT EVEN ACTION CAUSED BY GENTRIFICATION IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO HE IS LEFT IN THE CARE OF HIS MOM AND ELDERLY BLACK WOMAN WHO IS A WITCH.

HE HAS TO PROVE TO HER THAT HE IS ELIGIBLE TO BE HER APPRENTICE.

HE RECOGNIZES THE STAMPS ON THE BOX OF OUR KITCHEN TABLE THAT COME FROM MADAGASCAR.

HE GETS CURIOUS AND WANTS TO KNOW WHAT CAME TO HER FROM MADAGASCAR AND HE FINDS THAT IT'S THREE BABY DRAGONS THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO THE REALM OF MAGIC.

AND HIS CHOICE IS CAN HE HELP HER GET THE DRAGONS THERE AND THAT'S A START OF THE ADVENTURE.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY DON'T GIVE IT ALL AWAY WE SHOULD READ THE BOOK IF WE WANT TO KNOW MORE.

AND IT'S FANTASY BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF A BLACK HISTORY LESSON.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO WORK THAT IN AS WELL?

>> EVIDENTLY.

I THINK FANTASY, AGAIN, DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN ESCAPE.

SOME PEOPLE READ BOOKS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THEIR EVERYDAY REALITY BUT FOR ME, FANTASY IS A WAY TO HAVE A DEEPER ENGAGEMENT WITH REALITY.

I WRITE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I LIVE IN.

THE FIRST TWO BOOKS WERE SET IN BROOKLYN WITHIN A MOVE TO CHICAGO IN THE SOUTH SIDE AND I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I THINK FANTASY CAN BE A WAY OF DOING US A FRESH EYE LOOKING AT THE WORLD.

I HOPE KIDS WALK AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SAY HEY JACKSON PARKER, THAT'S WHERE JACK'S TOOK HIS OWN PHOENIX AND THE FORUM AND BROWNSVILLE WHICH IS A HISTORIC PLACE OF MEETING FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS SO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME AS AN IMMIGRANTS, I SEE THE CITY, THE COUNTRY REFRESH EYES AND I HOPE THAT I CAN DO THE SAME FOR KIDS IN THE CITY.

>> YOU JUST SAID IT BUT KIDS IN THE CITY, WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

>> FANTASY IS FOR EVERYONE.

I AM LUCKY THAT "DRAGONS IN A BAG" WAS SELECTED AS A GLOBAL READ ALOUD.

IT IS FUN AS A READ ALOUD FOR FAMILIES OR KIDS IN THEIR CLASS.

I HAVE SENT IT TO KIDS IN ALASKA, IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC.

FANTASY FICTION IS FOR EVERYONE.

INCLUSIVE FANTASY FICTION OPEN SUB DOOR AND MAKES EVERYONE FEEL WELCOME.

I ALSO HOPE TO REACH RELUCTANT READERS.

WHEN YOU NEVER GET TO SEE YOURSELF REFLECTED IN THE PAGES OF A BOOK YOU NEVER GET TO BE THE HERO HAVING A MAGICAL ADVENTURE SECOND TO MINISTER INTEREST IN READING.

WHEN I HEAR ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND PROBLEMS IN LITERACY I THINK WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU OFFERING THEM?

BECAUSE THE BLACK BOYS THAT I KNOW LOVE TO READ ESPECIALLY BEING THE STAR OF THE STORY.

>> ALL RIGHT, ZETTA ELLIOTT, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT A NEW INCLUSIVE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY.

>> BEER IS INTENDED TO BE FOR EVERYONE OF DRINKING AGE, OF COURSE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS MADE BY EVERYONE.

THE CRAFT.

INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY DOMINATED BY MEN.

EIGHT 2020 QUESTION FOUND BREWERS NATIONWIDE FOUND 93 PERCENT OF ELITE BREWERY OWNERS ARE WHITE AND 76 ARE MEN.

THE LUCK OF DIVERSITY IS A NEW INSPIRATION OF A NEW SCHOLARSHIP IN ILLINOIS.

>> CRAFT BEER HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT MESSAGE IS PUSH FORWARD.

>> JAY WESTBROOK IS THE WINNER OF DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP CREATED BY THE ILLINOIS CRAFT BREWERS GUILD PEERED THE GOAL IS TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE INDUSTRY BY GIVING UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL TRAINING.

>> DRINKING BEER TOGETHER IS A WAY TO SHARE A SENSORY EXPERIENCE TO RAKE LIQUID READ TOGETHER.

WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE COMMUNITY THAT CRAFT BEER HAS NURTURED WHETHER IT IS AT A BEER FEST OR TAP ROOM OR ON PRODUCTION FLOORS IT WAS CLEAR TO US THAT THERE WAS A DISTINCT LACQUER OF DIVERSITY.

>> THE SCHOLARSHIP IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY A BREWING SCHOOL IN CHICAGO.

IT COVERS AN INTERMEDIATE COURSE A VALUE OF TWO OR THOUSAND DOLLARS.

WESTBROOK HAS BEEN BREWING HIS OWN BEER FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND HOPES THE TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE WILL TAKE HIS PASSION TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

>> I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE AND FASCINATION FOR CRAFT BEER BUT ONCE I GOT INTO THE SERVICE INDUSTRY I BECAME MORE FASCINATED WITH HOW IT WAS MADE AND CREATED.

>> WEST HAS CREATED FOR BEER SO FAR INCLUDING 83 HONEY ALE WHICH YOU CAN FIND AT HAYMARKET PUB AND BREWERY IN WESTTOWN.

>> THIS IS A TAP HIT TO HAROLD WASHINGTON BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR OF CHICAGO.

IT IS ALSO A HAT TIP TO HAROLD BANKS WHO HAD A GREAT YEAR AS A WHITE SOX.

IT'S ALSO A HAT TIP TO CHICAGO INSTITUTION IN HAROLD'S CHICKEN.

>> IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HERE FOR WESTBROOK AND HE ALSO WANTS TO INSPIRE OTHER BEER MAKERS OF COLOR AND TELL A STORY OF EACH CREATION.

>> MY SUMMER OF 54 PROJECT WITH A BASEBALL HISTORIAN TOLD THE STORY OF A FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN TWO PLAYERS.

>> THAT MISSION TO EDUCATE AND AFFECT CHANGE IS A BIG PART OF WHY THE ILLINOIS CRAFT BREWERS GUILD CHOSE WESTBROOK.

>> HE HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT HOW HE REALLY WANTS TO BE A BEACON OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND HE WANTS TO USE CRAFT BEER TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> I AM VERY MUCH A PURPOSE DRIVEN BREWERS SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A PHILANTHROPIC ASPECT OF THE BEER AND I AM ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE CITY I AM FROM AND I WANT TO TELL STORIES ABOUT MY CITY THROUGH CRAFT BEER.

THE EASIEST WAY TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION IS TO PUT A PROPER DRINK IN THEIR HANDS.

>> HIS 83 HONEY CAN BE FOUND AT MOST CHICAGO AREA NEEDS LOCATIONS AND LIQUOR STORES.

THE WTTW.com/NEWS FIVE SAYS THEY HOPE TO AWARD A NEW DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP ANNUALLY.

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.com/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS INCLUDING NEW CDC STUDIES ON BOOSTER SHOTS AND THE OMICRON VARIANT.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT KNOW THAT YOU CAN CATCH CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES AT 10 PM AND JOIN PARIS SCHUTZ AND ME AT 7:00 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT.

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

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.