>>> HEY THERE, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES."

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT ILLINOIS IS THE WORST STATE IN THE NATION FOR RACIAL WEALTH EQUITY ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY.

WE DIG INTO THE WHY AND PROPOSAL FOR HOW TO FIX IT.

>>> REVEREND JESSE JACKSON'S ERA AS HEAD OF THE SEVERAL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION HE CREATED IS COMING TO AN END.

RENAULT ROBINSON, WE HEAR ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AS AN OFFICER AND ORGANIZER.

HE HAS DIED.

>>> HOW ONE PROGRAM IS HELPING GIRLS WITH PTSD, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

>>> AUDITION FOR THE CHICAGO FEST IS AROUND THE CORNER.

FIND OUT HOW YOUNG PERFORMERS CAN TRY OUT FOR A SHOT AT THE BIG STAGE.

>> WE ALL HAVE OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD.

WHY NOT MAKE YOUR PLACE HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE.

>>> AND POLICE OFFICER AND ORGANIZER KENNETH GRIFFIN OFFERS THE LAST WORD ON PLANTING RESOURCES AND GROWING SUPPORT FOR YOUTH IN HIS COMMUNITY.

ALL THAT IS COMING UP.

>>> OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT, WHAT'S BEHIND THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP?

WE'LL EXPLORE THAT ISSUE RIGHT AFTER THIS.

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

>> AT THE THIRD, WE BELIEVE WHEN DIVERSE VOICES ARE HEARD AND EMPOWERED, COMMUNITIES ARE MADE STRONGER AND THE FUTURE HOLDS GREATER PROMISE FOR ALL.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES."

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>> IN RECENT DECADES CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS HAVE LOST A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEIR BLACK POPULATION AND WHILE A NUMBER OF ISSUES HAVE BEEN CITED AS REASONS FOR BLACK FAMILIES TO LEAVE ILLINOIS, A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS FINANCIAL EQUITY MIGHT ALSO BE A CONSIDERATION.

NOW THE STUDY BY CONSUMER FINANCE WEBSITE WALLETHUB RANKED ILLINOIS THE WORST STATE IN THE NATION FOR FINANCIAL RACIAL EQUITY USING DATA ON EMPLOYMENT LEVELS, INCOME, SHARE OF EXECUTIVES AND HOUSING TO MAKE ITS ASSESSMENT.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT HOW ILLINOIS GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT LIST AND WHAT MIGHT HELP ADDRESS IT ARE AUDREY WILSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SHRIVER CENTER ON POVERTY LAW, DAMON JONES, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY, AND LINCOLN CHANDLER, SENIOR ADVISER OF THE CORPORATE COALITION OF CHICAGO.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AUDREY, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP IN ILLINOIS, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO OTHER STATES?

>> WELL, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO ILLINOIS.

OBVIOUSLY THE STUDY IS TALKING ABOUT THE UNIQUE IMPACT IT'S HAD IN CHICAGO, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP IS SOMETHING THAT IS TALKING ABOUT 400 YEARS OF ECONOMIC DISINVESTMENT AND SUBJUGATION, RACIALLY MOTIVATED POLICIES THAT DID NOT END WITH SLAVERY.

THEY DID NOT EVEN END WITH THE ENDING OF JIM CROW, WHICH WAS IN THE MID-1960s.

THEY STILL EXIST TODAY IN PRACTICE AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE STILL SUFFERING.

SO WE'RE SEEING THE REMNANTS OF RACIAL RED LINING AND NOT BEING ALLOWED TO GET ACCESS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP AND LOANS, BUT NOW EVEN SUFFERING COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU ARE STILL SEEING A LACK OF ECONOMIC INVESTMENT.

YOU'RE SEEING SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF HEALTH.

SO YOUR ZIP CODE IS BASICALLY DETERMINING YOUR HEALTH OUTCOME AND EDUCATION OUTCOME AND THAT IS CONTINUING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW.

>> DAMON, WE JUST HEARD AUDREY LIST A NUMBER OF FACTORS, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A CAVEAT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR STUDY.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THIS STUDY ISN'T REALLY TELLING US ABOUT THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP IN ILLINOIS.

>> IT'S JUST THAT WE DON'T HAVE DATA SPECIFIC TO ILLINOIS FOR WEALTH IN PARTICULAR.

WE HAVE DATA FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE HUGE WEALTH GAPS.

THE MEDIAN WEALTH OF A WHITE HOUSEHOLD IS ABOUT TEN TIMES AS MUCH AS A BLACK HOUSEHOLD ON AVERAGE.

IT'S ABOUT EIGHT TIMES AS LARGE AND SO WE CAN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY IN THIS REGION WHAT THE WEALTH GAP IS, BUT THOSE OTHER MEASURES ARE ALSO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RELATED.

SO IT'S PROBABLY THE CASE THAT THE WEALTH GAP IS LARGER HERE.

WE PROBABLY WOULD DO BETTER TO COLLECT THAT DATA AND, YOU KNOW, BE BETTER TO ASSESS THAT.

>> LINCOLN, WHAT ROLE WOULD YOU SAY CORPORATIONS HAVE IN ADDRESSING THE GAP?

>> SURE.

IN MY VIEW CORPORATIONS DO A LOT OF THE HIRING.

THEY DO A LOT OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

SO IT SEEMS IMPLAUSIBLE TO THINK WE CAN CLOSE THIS GAP WITHOUT OUR CORPORATIONS TAKING THE LEAD AND REALLY BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE DETERMINE DERTERMINATORS OF OUR WEALTH.

>> WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK CORPORATIONS PLAY IN CLOSING THAT GAP?

>> IF JOBS ARE A FACTOR, ABOUT 90% OF THE HIRING DONE IS BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

IF IT'S ABOUT PRIVATE INVESTMENT, THE BULK OF THAT COMES AGAIN FROM PRIVATE DOLLARS VERSUS PUBLIC DOLLARS.

EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO PROCUREMENT, THE SAME, I'D SAY SOMETHING LIKE $1 TRILLION IS THE NUMBER IN MY HEAD ABOUT WHAT COMPANIES SPEND, BUT A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS SPENT WITH BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.

SO ACROSS THE BOARD I THINK CORPORATIONS DEFINITELY HAVE A ROLE THEY CAN PLAY.

>> LET'S GO BACK TO YOU, AUDREY.

WHAT ROLE WOULD YOU SAY GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PLAY IN HELPING BRIDGE THAT GAP?

>> ALL THESE INSTITUTIONS CONTRIBUTED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE IS, OR FORM TO THE GAPS WE SEE TODAY THAT PERSIST.

SO WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BANKS, TALKING ABOUT CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT SANCTIONS, DISCRIMINATION, WHICH HAS KEPT PEOPLE SUBJUGATED FINANCIALLY, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS IS RESPONSIBLE.

WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN COMMUNITIES, IN EDUCATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN CHICAGO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, THAT WHERE ONE LIVES SHOULD NOT DICTATE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THEY HAVE, NOR SHOULD IT DICTATE THE QUALITY OF HEALTH OPTIONS.

SO TO BE ABLE TO DISENTANGLE THESE SORTS OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITIES AT PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOST DISADVANTAGED SEPARATE AND APART FROM OUR USUAL SCHEMES IS OF PROPERTY TAX AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DISADVANTAGES, BUT, DAMON, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE SETBACKS AND HOW IT IS HARDER FOR BLACK FOLKS TO KIND OF RECOVER FROM THOSE SETBACKS AS OPPOSED TO OTHER GROUPS?

>> WEALTH IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT COMPOUNDS OVER YOUR LIFETIME.

THE LESS WEALTH YOU START WITH, THE HARDER IT IS TO GROW THAT WEALTH AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU BASS IT ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

THOSE GAPS WILL JUST GROW OVER GENERATIONS.

YOU SEE A LOT OF STUDIES IN CHICAGO, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT FIND THAT BLACK HOUSEHOLDS HAVE TO DO -- THEY INHERIT LESS FROM THEIR PARENTS.

THEY GET LESS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL AND FOR BUYING THEIR FIRST HOME AND THEN THEY ALSO ARE USUALLY SUPPORTING OUR FAMILY MEMBERS MORE.

ALL THOSE THINGS MAKE IT HARDER TO SAVE UP AND BUILD YOUR OWN WEALTH AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION, THEY END UP WITH MORE DEBT THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS AS WELL.

ALL OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE HEADWINDS WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD WEALTH.

>> LINCOLN, JUMPING BACK TO YOU, YOU WORKED WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HELPING CLOSE BRIDGE THAT GAP AND YOU MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF JOB PLACEMENT, BUT CONTINUING HIS POINT ABOUT THE LONG TERM IMPACTS, HOW DOES JOB PLACEMENT AND LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITIES, LONG TERM OPPORTUNITY IT PROVIDES, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT THINKING LONG TERM ROOM FOR GROWTH?

>> SURE.

WHEN I SAY JOBS, I THINK THE STATUS QUO THINKING IS SUMMER JOB PROGRAMS AND ADD-ONS TO THE WAY OF DOING THINGS.

A LOT OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN THE COALITION IS BUSINESS UNUSUAL, REALLY RADICALLY RETHINKING THE WAY WE HIRE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF FAIR CHANCE HIRING CALLED SECOND CHANCE.

IT'S REALLY FAIR CHANCE HIRING BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THERE ISN'T A FIRST CHANCE, BUT IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE BARRIERS THAT PERSIST BUT ARE FIXABLE, BUT IT REQUIRES REAL SUSTAINED EFFORT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING BEYOND A ONE-TIME THING OR A FUNDED PILOT, SOMETHING THAT REALLY RADICALLY RETHINKS THE WAY WE HIRE.

>> WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO QUICKLY ADDRESS THE IDEA OF REPARATIONS.

I THINK EVERYONE HERE HAS DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON THE ROLE THAT CAN PLAY CLOSING THAT GAP.

AUDREY, LET'S START WITH YOU.

DO YOU SEE REPARATIONS AS A LONG TERM SOLUTION AND, IF NOT, WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT TO BE?

>> IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE SYSTEM THAT STILL EXISTS TODAY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GIVING TO ANVIL, AN INDIVIDUAL, IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT FIXING THE SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF SLAVERY, REPARATIONS REALLY ARE MEANINGLESS.

THAT'S THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE HAVE TO THINK OF REPAIRING MORE IN TERMS OF INVESTMENTS AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BE ON THE PATHWAY TO RECOVER WHAT THEY HAVE LOST OVER GENERATIONS.

>> I WOULD SAY YOU DO WANT TO FIX THE SYSTEMS, ABSOLUTELY, AND WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE THIS REDRESS AND CLOSURE.

SO FOR LIKE MY FATHER, HE WAS BORN IN 1945 IN NORTH CAROLINA.

THE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS ARE NOT GOING TO AFFECT HIM AND REPARATIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT CAN GIVE THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD TO ENDURE RACISM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES SOME CLOSURE OR SOME REDRESS FOR WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.

SO I DON'T SEE THEM AS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AND I AGREE.

WE WANT TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO MAKE SOME PEOPLE WHOLE WHO HAVE LIVED THEIR LIVES AND BEEN AFFECTED BY RACISM.

>> LINCOLN, I'M SORRY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT I THINK YOUR POINT ON LONG TERM JOB PLACEMENT KIND OF SPEAKS TO THAT POINT A LITTLE BIT.

THANKS TO AUDREY WILSON, DAMON JONES AND LINCOLN CHANDLER.

>>> CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER REVEREND JESSE JACKSON SR. IS STEPPING DOWN FROM THE RAINBOW COALITION THAT HE CREATED IN 1976.

IT CAME FROM OPERATION PUSH WHICH HE FOUNDED IN 1971 TO ADVANCE BLACK EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC POWER IN CHICAGO AND THE RAINBOW PUSH COALITION, A NATIONAL INITIATIVE ON WORKED FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS, VOTING RIGHTS AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

THE 81-YEAR-OLD JACKSON WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE HANDED OVER THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF RAINBOW PUSH NEXT YEAR.

HE'S EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE A SUCCESSOR AT THIS YEAR'S RAINBOW PUSH CONVENTION.

>>> YOUNG PERFORMERS AND ARTISTS, YOUR SHOT AT THE STAGE COULD BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

THE CHICAGO PARKS DISTRICT IS ASKING THE CITY'S YOUTH PERFORMERS TO TRY OUT FOR ITS EIGHTH ANNUAL FEST WHERE SINGERS, RAPPERS, DANCERS AND POETS AGES 14 TO 24 CAN SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT.

THE PARK DISTRICT SAYS IT WANTS TO SEE ALL OF CHICAGO'S TEEN ARTISTS SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT.

>> WE'RE CURRENTLY GETTING READY FOR OUR EIGHTH ANNUAL TIP FEST WHICH WILL BE HELD AT UNION PARK SEPTEMBER 30th WHERE STUDENTS AND TEENS FROM EVERYWHERE ARE ABLE TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT, WHETHER YOU ARE A POET OR IN A BAND OR YOU'RE A SINGER OR RAPPER OR YOU'RE JUST IN THE ARTS IN GENERAL, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AUDITION IN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, TWICE THIS SUMMER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVAL.

THERE'S ONE CURRENTLY THIS WEEKEND ON JULY 15th AND A SECOND ONE WILL BE AUGUST 25th.

THE FEST IS LIKE A REAL LOLLAPALOOZA FOR TEENS ESSENTIALLY.

YOU COME, IN GET YOUR TICKET, WALKING THROUGH.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT ACTIVATIONS THERE, THINGS THEY CAN INTERACT AND PARTICIPATE IN WHILE AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE WATCHING THE FESTIVAL, PEOPLE PERFORMING ON STAGE.

THEY ARE RAPPERS, SINGERS.

THEY ARE POETS.

THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIVATIONS FOR THEM WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO SHOWCASE THEIR ARTISTIC TALENT.

I THINK AFTER THE PANDEMIC THEY HAVE TO REBUILD AND REBRAND EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY NOW MAY HAVE NEW TALENT.

I'M EAGER TO SEE WHAT WE'RE OFFERING.

THE NEXT CELEBRITY RAPPER, SINGER ARTIST, WHOEVER, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.

IT'S CHICAGO.

THEY WANT TO COME HERE.

THEY WANT TO SEE YOU.

>> YOU'LL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO SIGN UP FOR AUDITIONS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> NOW WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>>> TEEN GIRLS ARE IN CRISIS ACCORDING TO RESEARCH THAT FOUND NEARLY 40% OF GIRLS STUDIED IN CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING SIGNS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, BUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO'S EDUCATION LAB SAYS THERE'S A SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM THAT'S HELPING AND THEIR STUDY FOUND THAT PARTICIPATION IN YOUTH GUIDANCES WORKING ON WOMANHOOD OR W.O.W.

PROGRAM LED TO A 22% DECREASE IN PTSD SYMPTOMS SEVERITY AND A 38% DECREASE IN AT-RISK LEVELS OF PTSD.

THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE W.O.W.

PROGRAM DECREASED ANXIETY ABOUT 10% AND REDUCED DEPRESSION AROUND 14%.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT W.O.W.

ARE MONICA BOTT, SENIOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO EDUCATION LAB, AND NGOSI HARRIS, DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT AT W.O.W.

LADIES, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

LET'S KIND OF GET AN IDEA WHAT ARE THESE PTSD SYMPTOMS THAT OUR YOUNG GIRLS ARE EXPERIENCING?

>> WELL, IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH JUST WHEN THEY ARE IN THE SCHOOLS, WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE JUST DEALING WITH HYPER VIGILANCE.

THEY'RE JUST REALLY AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND THEY'RE ALWAYS IN THAT FIGHT, FLIGHT OR FREEZE MODE AND FOR SOME OF OUR GIRLS IT'S THE FAWN MODE WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO PEOPLE PLEASE, TRYING TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO SURVIVE, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYONE.

MOST OF THEM ARE INTERNALIZERS WHERE THEY'RE HOLDING IT IN.

THEY AREN'T TALKING ABOUT IT.

THERE'S NO ONE ASKING THEM DIRECTLY ABOUT IT, SO THEY AREN'T TALKING ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE JUST SHOWING UP IN THE SCHOOLS AND A LOT OF TIMES THE SCHOOLS ARE EITHER SAYING OH, SHE'S FINE.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S GETTING GOOD GRADES.

SHE'S SHOWING UP.

EVERYTHING'S OKAY, BUT I'VE ALWAYS SEEN THEM AS THEY'RE TICKING TIME BOMBS.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE JUST BARELY HANGING ON AND IF THAT ONE MORE STRESSOR COMES ON, THEY EXPLODE AND THEY EXPLODE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, SELF-HARMING.

THEY ARE BEING AGGRESSIVE WITH EACH OTHER, WITH THEMSELVES OR THEY'RE ACTING OUT SEXUALLY WHERE THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO GET SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

SO THEY ARE PEOPLE PLEASING.

ALL OF THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S SO DIVERSE, BECAUSE IT'S SO DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY OUR BOYS AND OUR YOUNG MEN ARE SHOWING UP, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO AND THEY'RE IGNORING.

THEY HAVE BEEN IGNORING.

WHEN BAM CAME TO BE, OUR SCHOOLS WERE SAYING WHAT ABOUT OUR GIRLS?

FOR W.O.W.

WE CAME TOGETHER, THE CLINICIANS WORKING AT YOUTH GUIDANCE, AND THEY PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO THAT CALL AND TO REALLY SEE THEM AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED AND HOW TO SUPPORT THEM.

>> MONICA, LET'S TALK ABOUT W.O.W.

AND WHAT THE GIRLS ARE EXPERIENCING IN THAT PROGRAM AND SOME OF THE RESOURCES HELPING THEM.

>> SURE.

WE PARTNERED WITH YOUTH GUIDANCE.

FOR OVER TEN YEARS WE DID A STUDY OF THE BECOMING A MAN PROGRAM FOR YOUNG BOYS AND IN 2017 WHEN THE CITY OF CHICAGO EXPANDED 750 ADDITIONAL SPOTS FOR YOUNG GIRLS, WE PARTNERED WITH YOUTH GUIDANCE, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO TO SET UP A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WORKING ON WOMANHOOD PROGRAM THAT IS -- ONE, IS IT HELPFUL TO GIRLS TO THE SAME LEVEL THAT WE KNOW IN MEDICINE?

WE IDENTIFIED TEN PARTNER SCHOOLS.

WE IDENTIFIED NINTH TO 11th GRADE GIRLS.

ALMOST 95% OF THEM IN THOSE SCHOOLS, SO THIS IS 3,800 GIRLS AND WE DID A BASELINE SURVEY IN THE FALL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE EXPERIENCES WERE.

ON A LEVEL OF TRAUMA EXPOSURE WHERE WE ASKED ABOUT WITNESSES COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, WITNESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WITNESSING ACT LIKE WAR, NATURAL DISASTERS, THERE WERE TEN QUESTIONS AND GIRLS ON AVERAGE -- THESE ARE 15, 16-YEAR-OLD GIRLS -- SAID YES TO TWO ON AVERAGE AND THESE ARE QUESTIONS THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD PROBABLY SAY NO TO ALL TEN.

SO YOU SEE THAT THIS SORT OF EXTERNAL TRAUMA EXPOSURE IS REALLY HIGH AND THOSE STRESSORS ARE HIGH AND YET THERE'S A TON OF RESILIENCE.

THE GIRLS IN OUR STUDY HAD A B AVERAGE.

THEY'RE COMING TO SCHOOL ALL THE TIME, BUT WHEN WE DID THE BASELINE SURVEY OF ABOUT 370 GIRLS, WE SAW THESE RATES OF 38% OF PROBABLE PTSD OR MODERATE TRAUMA-RELATED DISTRESS, WHICH ARE TWICE THAT OF RETURNING AFGHANI AND IRAQI WAR VETERANS ON THE SAME EXACT MEASURE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT INTERNALIZING BEHAVES ARE REALLY STRONG.

THE W.O.W.

CURRICULUM HAS COMPONENTS THAT FOCUS ON HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-EFFICACY, LEADERSHIP AND WHEN WE DID A FOLLOW-UP SURVEY IN THE SPRING, WE COMPARED GIRLS OFFERED THE W.O.W.

PROGRAMMING COMPARED TO ALL THE OTHER STATUS QUO SERVICES THE SCHOOL HAD USING A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL DESIGN.

WE SAW REDUCTIONS IN PTSD, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

TO ME THAT TELLS US WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP REPORTING ON WHAT THE CRISIS IS, BUT WE HAVE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE HOMEGROWN IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AT MODERATE SCALE BY CLINICIANS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REALLY PROVIDE GIRLS WITH SUPPORTS TO HELP THEM WITH NOT ONLY SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS, BUT ALSO IN THE LONG TERM POTENTIALLY FROM OTHER BEHAVIORS THAT THEY'RE SHOWING IN THESE EXTERNALIZING WAYS.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE SEEN ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE?

WHAT ARE THEY RESPONDING TO?

>> THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COUNSELORS, WITH OTHERS, SHARE HOW THEY'RE EXPERIENCING.

THEY GET SOMEONE TO TELL THEM HOWEVER YOU OWN YOUR NARRATIVE IS HOW YOU OWN YOUR NARRATIVE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIT IN A BOX.

YOU CAN JUST BE YOU AND YOU'RE SAFE.

YOU'RE SUPPORTED AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THOSE EXPERIENCES, RELATIONSHIPS, THEY MART AND THEY IMPACT.

IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CLINICIANS.

SO WE'RE DOING THE NARRATIVE THERAPY.

WE'RE DOING THE ACCEPTANCE THERAPY, BUT IT REALLY IS AT THAT START IS CREATING THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENT WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BEING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TALKING DOWN, BUT THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH AND THEY'RE GOING ALONGSIDE THAT REALLY MATTER THE MOST.

FOR ME THAT'S LIKE THAT KEY INGREDIENT IS WHY WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ON THE HIRING AND HOW ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR WOMANHOOD STAYING IN THE JOURNEY BECAUSE YOU DON'T ARRIVE ANYWHERE?

>> YEAH.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

I'M SO SORRY.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

>>> RENAULT ROBINSON DIED JULY 8th AT 80 YEARS OLD AND WHEN HE BECAME A CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER IN 1964, HE WAS ONE OF VERY FEW BLACK POLICE OFFICERS ON THE FORCE ON.

HE AND OFFICER EDWARD BUZZ PALMER CO-FOUNDED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PATROLMEN'S LEAGUE WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE FORCE AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS WELL AS EASING RACIAL TENSIONS AMONG OFFICERS THEMSELVES.

HIS ORGANIZING MADE HIM THE SUBJECT OF HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION BY OTHER OFFICERS LEADING TO A FEDERAL PROBE AND LAWSUIT THAT FOUND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID INDEED ENGAGE IN DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

HERE ROBINSON RECALLS SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCE IN A 1978 INTERVIEW.

>> THEY TRIED THE BEST TO DRUM US OFF THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN TRIED TO -- FAILING TO DO THAT, TRIED TO GIVE THE ORGANIZATION A BAD NAME IN THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

>> WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

NAME A FEW OF THE THINGS.

>> WELL, WE GOT TRANSFERRED FROM THE UNITS THAT MYSELF AND MY PARTNER WORKED IN.

ONE WAS SENT TO ONE END OF THE CITY.

I WAS SENT TO THE OTHER.

WE WERE GIVEN THE WORST ASSIGNMENTS THAT NO ONE ELSE WANTED AND IT GOT TO THE POINT YOU COULDN'T BREATHE WITHOUT VIOLATING A RULE.

IT WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE.

IT WAS A SITUATION WHERE THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT UNTENABLE BECAUSE EVERY TIME THE ORGANIZATION TOOK A STAND ON A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, ANYTHING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID TO RETHOUGHT THAT WAS WORKING TOWARDS DISADVANTAGE, WE'D MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT IT.

EVERY TIME WE MADE A STATEMENT THEY RETALIATED WITH SOME FORM OF HARASSMENT OR PUNISHMENT.

>> RENAULT ROBINSON IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE ANNETTE OF 60 YEARS, FOUR SONS, FOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM STILL LIVE IN CHICAGO.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHICAGO'S BLACK COMMUNITIES AND ITS POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN STRAINED FOR MUCH OF THE CITY'S HISTORY.

NOW KENNETH GRIFFIN, A CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER AND FOUNDER OF THE NONPROFIT NO MATTER WHAT, SAYS CHANGING WILL REQUIRE MORE AND BETTER INTERACTION BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITIES.

HE SAYS IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CRITICAL TO HELPING YOUTH THRIVE.

HERE GRIFFIN GIVES THE LAST WORD ON HOW HE SAYS PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE NEED TO SHOW UP TO GIVE CHICAGO'S YOUNG PEOPLE THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY DESERVE.

>> I'M KENNETH GRIFFIN.

I'M THE FOUNDER OFF IN MATTER WHAT.

I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO AND I RECOGNIZED A LOT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GO THROUGH STUFF THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BUT HAVE A WILL TO SUCCEED, SO NO MATTER WHAT WE INVEST IN THE YOUTH THROUGH JOB TRAINING, MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALING, INVESTORSHIP AND SHOW THEM NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, YOU CAN MAKE IT.

WHEN I WAS A KID, THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE POLICE.

MOST OF THE TIMES I EVER CAME ACROSS THE POLICE WAS NEGATIVE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S WHAT'S MISSING BETWEEN A LOT OF IT IS JUST A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND THE IGNORANCE FROM EACH SIDE.

I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT OUR KIDS AREN'T BAD.

THEY JUST HAVEN'T MET THE RIGHT PEOPLE YET.

AS A POLICE OFFICER, I HAVE TO BRIDGE THE GAP.

I HAVE TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HEY, I'M A POLICE OFFICER, BUT I LOVE YOU.

SO I TRY TO MAKE EVERY INTERACTION I HAVE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AN AMAZING INTERACTION.

ON JUNETEENTH THE BUILDING WAS GETTED TO US BY THE COOK COUNTY LAND BANK FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO YOUTH PROGRAMMING OUT OF.

ALTHOUGH I'M A POLICE OFFICER, I WENT TO SCHOOL TO BE A CHEF.

ON THE VERY TOP FLOOR OF THE BUILDING WE'LL TURN INTO A FULL KITCHEN WHERE KIDS CAN COME AND LEARN DIFFERENT CULINARY PROGRAMS.

WE ARE GOING TO PUT A FIRST RESPONDERS ROOM IN THERE BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SOMETIMES NEED A BREAK.

WHEN THEY'RE GOING ON BREAKS, THEY CAN COME HERE AND RELAX.

THEY CAN INTERACT WITH THE KIDS BECAUSE WE TRULY BELIEVE IN ORDER TO DO BETTER IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THINGS TO BE BETTER IN THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY HAS TO COME TOGETHER.

WE'RE GOING TO TURN THE BASEMENT INTO AN ART CENTER BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE YOUNG PEOPLE LOVE ART.

LAST YEAR WE UNFORTUNATELY LOST A WHOLE FOODS.

WHEN THAT CLOSED, WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY CAN GET THEIR PRODUCE AND TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, WATERMELON, ANYTHING WE CAN GROW OUT HERE IN THE GARDEN, WE'LL GROW IT FOR YOU.

YOU SHOW ME A KID THAT TERRORIZES THE COMMUNITY AND I'LL TAKE THAT SAME KID AND SHOW YOU HOW THE COMMUNITY TERRORIZED HIM WITH LACK OF RESOURCES.

TO BE ABLE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM THE EXPOSURE THEY NEED TO SEE THE WORLD AND DO THINGS THEY DON'T GET TO USUALLY DO, IT'S VERY FULFILLING.

SHOW LOVE TO ONE KID AND THAT KID WILL PASS IT ON TO ANOTHER KID.

THAT'S HOW WE CREATE A CHAIN OF LOVE.

WE ALL HAVE A PLACE IN THE WORLD.

WHY NOT MAKE YOUR PLACE HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE?

AT THE END OF THE DAY THE COMMUNITY IS MADE UP OF MANY PEOPLE AND OCCUPATIONS.

LET'S BRING IT ALL TOGETHER FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SO WE CAN HEAL OUR COMMUNITY.

>> GRIFFIN IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH SKILLS THEY CAN SHARE WITH THE TEENS AS THEY REHAB THEIR BUILDING TO JOIN THE MISSION.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES," I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>> CLOSED CAPTIONING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A. CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES, A PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM PLEASED TO GIVE BACK TO THE