"CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... [♪♪♪] [♪♪♪] >> WNG FER GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES".

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH US.

TONIGHT A P BLACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES A CROSSOVER CONVERSATION A BATTLE OVER ABORTION RIGHTS AND WHAT IS NEXT AFTER THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE VS. WADE.

AND A PLAY HITS IN THE STAGE IN CHICAGO.

A SOUTH SIDE PROGRAM CHOOSING REHABILITATION OVER PRISON SENTENCES.

AND MASKS AND IDENTITIES ARE AT THE HEART OF AN ART SHOW CURATED BY CHICAGO RAPPER VIC MENSA.

>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT, THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE VS. WADE HAS LED TO PROTESTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.

OUTRAGE ON ONE, CELEBRATION ON THE OTHER.

WITH ABORTION REGULATION NOW UP TO STATE LAWMAKERS, ABORTION BANS ARE IN PLACE OR SET TO TAKE EFFECT IN ROUGHLY HALF THE UNITED STATES WITH MANY WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

JOINING US NOW AS PART OF A SPECIAL CROSSOVER WITH "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES", ARE STEVEN RAMIREZ A LAW PROFESSOR AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO.

LINDA XOCHITL TORTOLERO PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCION.

FELICIA DAVIS BLAKLEY PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF THE CHICAGO FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN.

AND NOAH SMITH DRELICH AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW AT IIT CHICAGO KENT COLLEGE OF LAW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

FELICIA DAVIS BLAKLEY LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE AS SOMEONE WHO RUNS A FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN AND WOMEN'S ISSUES WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND AS FAR AS THE IMPACT ON THE GROUPS THAT YOU SEEK TO ASSIST?

>> THIS IS -- THERE IS A LOT.

LET ME SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING SERVICES, THAT'S TOP OF MIND.

MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS.

WE DO STILL IN ILLINOIS AND I KNOW OUR ORGANIZATION CHICAGO FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN IS WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR WOMEN SEEKING REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES IN CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS.

BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GO UP.

AND THEN BEYOND THAT, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN PROTECT SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNALED KIND OF IN THE DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT.

>> LINDA XOCHITL TORTOLERO, WHAT ARE YOU THINK BEING AS FAR AS THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DECISION ON WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, ESPECIALLY?

>> WE KNOW THIS DECISION WILL DIRECTLY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT WOMEN OF COLOR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

IN ILLINOIS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A GREAT LAW THAT PROTECTS OUR RIGHTS, WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT THAT ACCESS IS AVAILABLE TO WOMEN WHO ARE LOW INCOME, WHO MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS TO ACCESS TO ABORTION OR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE WELL-INFORMED AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE COUSINS, SISTERS, REACHING OUT FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY SEEKING ACCESS AND WE WANT TO BE A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THEM AS WELL.

>> STEVEN RAMIREZ PRESIDENT BIDEN IS CALLING ON CONGRESS TO CODIFY ROE VS. WADE EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS?

>> I THINK IT MEANS THAT CONGRESS WOULD PASS A LAW THAT WOULD PROVIDE MANY OF THE SAME PROTECTIONS THAT THE SUPREME COURT PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED AS BEING CONSTITUTIONAL VIA ROE VS. WADE.

WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD STAND UP AGAINST THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT, I THINK IS ANYBODY'S QUESTION.

BUT IT WOULD AT LEAST GO A LONG WAY TO REINSTATING A LOT OF WHAT WAS PROTECTED UNDER ROE AND AND IS NOT PROTECTED ANYMORE.

>> PROFESSOR RAMIREZ, IN HIS OPINION CLARENCE THOMAS SAID THE QUOTE QUOTE SHOULD REVISIT THE GNAWED [AUDIO INTERRUPTION] RIGHTS THAT JUSTICE THOMAS NAMED COULD THEY BE IN JEOPARDY?

>> THE REASON THE MAJORITY OPINION IS THAT ONLY ENUMBER RATED RIGHTS, DEEPLY ROOTED IN HISTORY ARE RIGHTS WORTH OF PROTECTION WHICH APPLIES DIRECTLY INTO THE FACE OF THE 9TH AMENDMENT WHAT STATES CLEARLY THE FACT THAT A RIGHT IS NOT ENUMERATED CANNOT BE CONSTRUED TO DENY OR DISPARAGE THAT RIGHT.

IT IS A WHITE SUPREMACIST APPROACH, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO FREEZE RIGHTS BACK TO 1868 OR 1789, YOU KNOW, RIGHTS THE ORIGINAL RIGHT HOLDERS WERE ALL WHITE MALES.

WHITE MALE PROPERTY HOLDERS.

IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY SKEWED IN FAVOR OF WHITE MALES.

AND I THINK ANYTHING THAT IS NOT ENUMERATED IS NOW AT RISK, INCLUDING THE RIGHT IRONICALLY TO TRAVEL WHICH JUSTICE KAVANAUGH RELIED ON TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT PRIVILEGED PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO TRAVEL FOR ABORTIONS.

BUT YOU KNOW THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL ITSELF IS AN IMPLIED RIGHT.

THE OPINION SUFFERS FROM MANY GRAVE INTERNAL INCONSISTENCIES AND THAT IS ONE OF THEM.

>> LINDA, YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN LAW.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

ARE MORE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS IS IT POSSIBLE THAT OTHERS COULD BE REVOKED?

>> I THINK IT'S VERY WORRISOME.

WHEN I GOT WORD ABOUT JUSTICE THOMAS' OPINION, I WAS FLOORED.

BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN.

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO ARE IN SAME SEX RELATIONS.

I AM AFRAID OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO FRIENDS ALSO IN MULTIRACIAL MARRIAGES.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT WE FORGET ABOUT IS THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN A LEADER IN SO MANY WAYS IN EXPANDING FREEDOM, UNDERSTANDING WHAT JUSTICE COULD BE FOR PEOPLE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN SAY THAT AS WELL AS WE USED TO.

I'M ALSO KIND OF DISMAYED THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE WORLD, WOMEN'S RIGHTS THE RIGHTS OF REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE HAVE BEEN LIFTED AND PROTECTED SOMETIMES CODIFIED BUT WE HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THAT.

THAT IS A NOT ONLY HARMFUL DECISION BUT HARMS THE UNITED STATES AS A GLOBAL LEADER FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

>> FELICIA DAVIS BLAKLEY, A STUDY LOOKING THAT ABORTION BANS ON INFANT MORTALITY, SAYING DEATHS WOULD JUMP...

IF THE U.S.

BANNED ABORTION OUT RIGHT NATIONWIDE, THOSE FIGURES DON'T INCLUDE MORTALITY DUE TO UNSAFE OR ATTEMPTED ABORTIONS.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TOW THIS AND ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT MORE PREGNANCY AND ABORTION RELATED DEATHS?

>> I AM, I'M VERY CONCERNED.

THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, THE PAST TWO YEARS, AS THE PANDEMIC HAS GONE ON, HAS BEEN REALLY UNWIELDING.

BLACK WOMEN SEEM TO FACE THE HIGHEST RISKS.

AND A THIRD OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND NEW MOTHERS WHO DIED IN 2020 WERE BLACK WOMEN EVEN THOUGH WE MAKEUP 13% OF THE POPULATION.

AND THE STUDY SHOWED THAT THE MORTALITY RATE FOR HISPANIC WOMEN IS ALSO GOING UP AS WELL WHICH HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY LOW.

BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE PROBLEMATIC.

BUT THAT IS ASSUMING THAT WOMEN ARE FORCED TO CARRY BABIES TO TERM.

WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER COMPLICATIONS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN BIRTH.

ETOPIC PREGNANCIES AND THINGS ARE EQUALLY DEADLY THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLAWED IN OTHER STATES.

I SAW NEWS COMING OUT OF MISSOURI ABOUT SOME DOCTORS WAITING FOR WOMEN TO BASICALLY BE NEAR DEATH AND BEFORE THEY INTERVENE OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE DEEMED AN ABORTION.

THIS IS AN OUT RIGHT ATTACK ON WOMEN.

IT IS AN ATTACK ON WOMEN'S HEALTH.

AND WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN THE WHOLE ANOTHER LAYER OF ATTEMPTED -- ATTEMPTED ILLEGAL ABORTIONS.

AND THERE WAS A TIME IN CHICAGO WHERE COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL HAD A SEPTIC ABORTION WING, A WHOLE WING AND MANY OF THE WOMEN WERE BEYOND TREATMENT.

WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO A TIME WHERE HOSPITALS WILL HAVE WINGS DEDICATED TO TREATING WOMEN FROM AND PREGNANT PEOPLE FROM FAILED ABORTIONS AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.

>> LINDA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHAT ARE POTENTIAL HEALTH RAMIFICATION INDICATIONS OF LIMITING ABORTION AACCESS?

>> FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GOING TO SEE WOMEN, ONE, GOING TO DRASTIC MEASURES.

AND FELICIA DESCRIBED THOSE RAMIFICATIONS.

I WORRY ALSO THAT THERE WILL BE RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN SUFFER BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WOMEN ARE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SO THAT MAYBE THEY CAN TRAVEL.

WE KNOW THAT MANY WOMEN CANNOT AFFORD TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE.

STEVEN SAID WAS TRUE IF THERE IS A DECISION BY A FAMILY TO RECEIVE THAT AND THERE ARE FUNDS TO DO THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW ILLINOIS CAN SAY WE ARE GOING TO BE A ABLE TO SUPPORT OUT OF STATE WHEN THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO COME CAN SEEK THE ABORTIONS AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

ALSO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ABORTION AS ONE PART OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

CONTRACEPTION, UNDERSTANDING OUR BODIES.

MAKING SURE THAT WOMEN RECEIVE GYNECOLOGICAL CARE.

ALL OF THAT IS AT JEOPARDY WHEN WE START TAKING APART OUR RIGHTS AS WOMEN AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

>> THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

AND WHERE WE HAVE TO LEAVE T THIS IS A SPECIAL CROSSOVER CONVERSATION WITH "CHICAGO TONIGHT: LATINO VOICES".

THANKS TO STEVEN RAMIREZ, FELICIA DAVIS BLAKLEY, LINDA XOCHITL TORTOLERO AND NOAH SMITH DRELICH.

A NEW PLAY ABOUT ABORTION BY CHICAGO JOURNALIST, NATALIE MOORE.

SNOOP AS THE ISSUE OF ABORTION RIGHTS TAKES THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT A NEW PLAY IN CHICAGO OFFERS AN INDEPTH LOOK AT ABORTION AND A PERSON'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

THE BOOK TURNED PLAY CALLED "THE BILLBOARD" VISITS A BLACK WOMEN'S CLINIC IN ENGLEWOOD AT THE CENTER OF POLITICAL RIGHTS FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

THE PLAY WAS WRITTEN BY WBEZ REPORTER NATALIE MOORE WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES".

GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT "THE BILLBOARD" IS ABOUT WHAT CAN VIEWERS EXPECT?

>> THERE ARE TWO BILLBOARDS.

ONE IS AN ANTIABORTION BILLBOARD THAT LIKENS ABORTION TO GENOCIDE AND SAYS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE FOR A BLACK CHILD IS A MOTHER'S WOMB AND PUT UP BY SOMEBODY RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL IN THE ENGLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND A FICTIONAL BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH CLINIC PUTS UP A BILLBOARD AND SAYS BLACK WOMEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND ON THAT BILLBOARD IS A PICTURE OF THREE SMILING BLACK WOMEN.

THIS HASN'T BEEN A DEPICTION OF ABORTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN.

AND SO THAT BILLBOARD BECOMES CONTROVERSIAL AND YOU HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL RACE AND THAT IS WHERE THE DRAMA UNFOLDS.

>> AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT IT WAS THAT YOU SAW WHAT WAS IT THAT INSPIRED THIS PLAY FOR YOU?

>> IN 2011 I COVERED ONE OF THESE BLACK PRO-LIFE GROUPS NATIONAL GROUP THAT PUT UP AN ANTIABORTION BILLBOARD AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE AND THAT SAID EVERY 21 MINUTES A POTENTIAL LEADER IS ABORTED AND HAD OBAMA'S PICTURE ON IT.

IN 2018 THAT SAME GUY PUT UP A BILLBOARD IN DALLAS AND A BLACK WOMAN HEALTH GROUP IN DALLAS PUT UP ITS OWN SELF CARE BILLBOARD.

MY PLAY IS NOT A HISTORICAL REENACTMENT.

IT'S VERY MUCH A CHICAGO-CENTERED NEIGHBORHOOD-CENTERED PLAY.

AND AS I SAID IN A CITY COUNCIL RACE.

YOU HAVE THE INCUMBENT WHO WANTS TO KEEP HER JOB.

THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE CLINIC WHO IS THE VOICE OF CAUTION AND REASON.

AND THEN 19-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM ASSISTANT WHO IS THE SOCIAL MEDIA MAIDEN.

THERE'S LOTS OF MULTIMEDIA IN THE PLAY.

LOTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

BECAUSE THAT IS HOW SOME OF THE DEBATE COMES THROUGH.

>> AND, OF COURSE, THAT BILLBOARD IN DALLAS, THAT YOU MENTIONED IN THE PLAY, YOU SAW THAT IN DALLAS ONCE UPON A TIME AND OF COURSE, DECIDED ONSETTING YOUR OWN STORY AT THIS BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH CLINIC IN ENGLEWOOD.

WHY HIGHLIGHT ENGLEWOOD AND BLACK WOMEN SPECIFICALLY?

>> WELL, I WANTED TO ADDRESS PATRIARCHY AND HAVE A INTERRACIAL CONVERSATION ABOUT ABORTION.

AND WITH ENGLEWOOD, I THINK I COULD PICK ANY SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT PART OF THE THEME HERE IS WHO GETS TO SPEAK FOR COMMUNITY.

AND SO YOU HAVE DUELING VISIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN DISINVESTED FOR SO LONG AND THAT BECOMES A BOILING POINT ALSO IN THE PLAY.

>> AND AS YOU ARE SPEAKING WE ARE LOOKING AT PHOTOS OF THE PRODUCTION AT THE 16TH STREET THEATRE.

YOU BEGAN RIGHT "THE BILLBOARD" IN 2018, FOUR YEARS LATER ABORTION RIGHTS IS FRONT AND CENTER IN THE U.S. AFTER THE SUPREME COURT VOTED TO OVERTURN ROE VS. WADE HOW DO YOU THINK THE PLAY RESONATES WITH PEOPLE NOW AS ABORTION BANS BEGIN TO TAKE EFFECT NATIONWIDE?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO HIT DEEPER PLAYS IN GENERAL HAVE A CERTAIN MEDIA FEED TO THEM.

AND THE HALLMARK OF THE GENRE.

AND NOW THERE IS AN URGENCY.

BEFORE THE LEAK CAME OUT WITH THE DECISION, THERE WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LACK OF CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAPPENING.

THE DAY AFTER THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE HAS CHANGED AND THAT HAS CONTINUED TO RAMP UP TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THE OVERTURN.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE LEARNING.

THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS WORK KNEW THIS DAY WAS COMING AND LAWMAKERS IN ILLINOIS WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT IS WHY ILLINOIS STARTED PUTTING IN PROTECT SONS IN 2017.

FOR MOST PEOPLE ABORTION WAS SEEN AS A RIGHT THAT WAS THERE AND NOTHING NEEDED TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.

AND THERE'S RENEWED INTEREST.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TIMELY TOPIC BECAUSE THE STATES THAT ARE STARTING TO BAN, THEY HAD THIS IN THE WORKS ALREADY.

THERE WAS GROUND WORK LAID FOR PEOPLE AGAINST ABORTION AND THOSE WHO ARE FOR IT.

>> IN THE PLAY, YOU MAKE IT A POINT TO HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAT MIGHT LEAD SOMEONE TO MAKE DECISION ON ABORTION, FACTORS FROM HEALTH CONCERNS TO FINANCES TO TIMING.

WAS THAT INTENTIONAL TO SHOW THE REASONS SOMEONE MAKES THAT CHOICE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND YOU HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN A PLAY LIKE WE DO IN NEWS STORIES SO EVERYTHING YOU SAY HAS TO BE INTENTIONAL IN MAKING A POINT.

I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THERE IS NO SINGLE ABORTION STORY.

THERE ARE THREE WOMEN WHO HAVE THREE DIFFERENT STORIES.

>> AND WHAT DO YOU WANT VIEWERS OR READERS WHO SHOULD READ THE PLAY WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO TAKEAWAY, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU ARE TRYING TO SEND?

>> I WANT THEM TO LEAVE WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN THEY HAD THAN WHEN THEY ENTERED.

>> IN THE PRODUCTION YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER.

TELL US ABOUT THAT?

>> I DO.

IT SOUNDS LIKE NEPOTISM, I DID NOT CAST MY YOUNGEST STEPDAUGHTER AN ACTRESS AND SHE AUDITIONED AND I WAS SURPRISED WHEN SHE GOT THE PART.

SO SHE PLAYS KAYLA, THE YOUNG PERSON WHO HAS BECOME A FAN FAVORITE BECAUSE OF HER MATURITY IN THE PLAY AND HER INSIGHT.

I WANTED TO HONOR GIRLS IN ENGLEWOOD THAT BLACK GIRL MAGIC DIDN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE.

IT CAN BE SOMEONE WHO IS SMART BUT WHO HASN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY PERHAPS AS SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN HER COHORT.

>> MORE PLAYS FROM NATALIE MOORE IN THE FUTURE?

>> BRANDIS I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS AND COVID AND HOPE PEOPLE THAT SEE IT.

I CANNOT QUITE YET THINK ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT.

>> ONE THING AT A TIME.

I GET IT.

CONGRATS ON THE PLAY AND THE PRODUCTION, NATALIE MOORE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> A NEW PROGRAM FOCUSED ON REHABILITATION INSTEAD OF PUNISHMENT FOR PEOPLE ACCUSED OF NONVIOLENT CRIMES HOLDS THE FIRST GRADUATION CEREMONY.

29 PEOPLE GRADUATED FROM COOK COUNTY'S RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM IN ENGLEWOOD.

LEADERS SAY THE PROGRAM LASTS SIX TO NINE MONTHS AND FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND JOB TRAINING DESIGNED TO ADDRESS NONVIOLENT CRIME AND PREVENT RECIDIVISM.

>> WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOUR GRADUATION, YES, BUT WE'RE HERE ALSO TO LET YOU KNOW WE VALUE YOU.

WE KNOW THE TRAUMA THAT YOU HAD TO OVERCOME IN ORDER TO STEP INTO THIS ROOM TODAY.

WE KNOW THAT YOU HAD TO STAND ERECT AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU DID.

AND REPAIR THE HARM WHAT YOU DID.

AND YOU DID THAT.

AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD THE COURAGE AND THE WHEREWITHAL TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT FOR MONTHS, REPAIRING THE HARM, REPLACING WHAT WAS TAKEN, TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY, APOLOGIZING TO THE COMMUNITY FOR WHAT YOU DID.

AND BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOUR QUOTE-UNQUOTE CHARGES WILL BE DISMISSED AND ULTIMATELY YOUR RECORDS WILL BE EXPUNGED, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AS A CONTRIBUTING CITIZEN NOT AS A CONVICTED FELON.

>> AND THOSE WHO GO THROUGH COMMUNITY COURT ARE EXPECTED TO APOLOGIZE FOR THEIR CRIMES AND COMPLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE.

TO BE ELIGIBLE A DEFENDANT MUST BE 18-26 YEARS OLD, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A NONVIOLENT FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR AND HAVE A NONVIOLENT CRIMINAL HISTORY.

UP NEXT, AN ART SHOW CURATED BY CHICAGO RAPPER, VIC MENSA.

ONE OF CHICAGO'S LEADING ART GALLERIES JOINED FORCES WITH ONE OF THE CITY'S TOP RAPPER.

VIC MENSA.

HE IS THE FOUNDER OF THE HIP-HOP COLLECTIVE SAVE MONEY WHICH INCLUDES CHANCE THE RAPPER.

VIC MENSA CURATED A GALLERY SHOW IN THE WEST LOOP AND THAT IS WHERE MARC VITALI MET HIM.

>> THE DAY BEFORE THE SHOW OPENED AT THE KAVI GUPTA GALLERY, VIC MENSA TOLD US ABOUT HIS CREATIVE JOURNEY.

>> MUSIC IS WHAT HAS TAKEN ME AROUND THE WORLD.

AND IT'S MY PASSION.

BUT I'M ALSO NOT LIMITED TO ANY ONE FORM OF EXPRESSION.

>> HIS LATEST EXPRESSION IS A SHOW CALLED SKIN AND MASKS INSPIRED BY THE INFLUENTIAL 20TH CENTURY THINKER AND AUTHOR OF BLACK SKIN WHITE MASKS.

>> HE'S DISSECTING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF COASTLINALLISM COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND I FELT THAT CONCEPT COULD RELATE WELL TO AN ART SHOW.

>> VIC MENSA INVITED HEBREW BRANTLEY TO CONTRIBUTE WORK.

ANOTHER ARTIST DROPPED IN.

>> FELLOWIOUS.

CHICAGO'S OWN.

THIS IS FELONYIOUS' WORK.

>> IT IS A PORTRAIT OF YOUNG EMMETT TILL AND HIS FATHER SOURCED FROM OLD PHOTOGRAPHS.

OTHER WORKS CHOSEN REFLECT HIS INTEREST IN GETTING MORE REPRESENTATION ON GALLERY WALLS.

>> A LOT OF HIS IDEOLOGY ALIGNS WITH THE GALLERY'S IDEOLOGY IS MAKING THINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND REACHING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND INDIVIDUAL VISIONS ARE AMPLIFIED.

[♪♪♪] >> MENSA'S VOICE WAS AMPLIFIED WHEN HE WAS A TEACHER PERFORMING WITH A BAND CALLED KIDS THESE DAYS.

MORE RECENTLY, THE HYDE PARK NATIVE COLLABORATED WITH CHANCE THE HAPPEN RAPPER AND STARTED A FOUNDATION, SAVE MONEY SAVE LIFE AND HELPS PEOPLE TO CHICAGO AND THE PEOPLE OF GUANA IN WEST AFRICA.

>> WE FOUNDED THE ORGANIZATION AS A VESSEL TO RESPOND CREATIVELY TO THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE PEOPLE.

THE GALLERY HAS BEEN SO GRACIOUS TO DONATE THEIR PERCENTAGE FROM THE SHOW TO SMSL FOR THE FORMATION OF AN ART PROGRAM IN GHANA.

I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINGS IN GHANA.

HALF OF MY FAMILY LIVES THERE.

[♪♪♪] >> MY UNCLE IN GHANA WAS A LEGENDARY HIGHLIGHT MUSICIAN THE GROUP IS CALLED THE OKUKUSEKU INTERNATIONAL BAND OF GHANA.

I GOT MUSIC IN MY BLOOD AND ART IN MY BLOOD.

QUOTE BY JAMES BALDWIN MOVES ME.

AND THAT IS KNOW FROM WHENCE YOU CAME THAT WAY THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS TO WHERE YOU CAN GO.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE ETHOS OF WHAT WE'RE CREATING IN GHANA RIGHT NOW.

>> WE WORK WITH CURATORS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF OCCUPIED ART SPACE, THE ART WORLD, THE ECOSYSTEM IT'S BEEN REFRESHING TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO EXISTS OUTSIDE OF THAT NARRATIVE.

>> I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKEAWAY THE YOUTH HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.

>> WE HAVE IDEAS ABOUT IMAGINATION, ABOUT THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE INFLUENCED BY THE BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE PAST.

THAT IN THIS MOMENT OF YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE A CULMINATION OF SOCIETY'S ILLS AND AMERICA'S MELTING POT OF WRONGDOING COMING TO A BOIL, THAT IT'S ART AND IT'S POETRY AND IT'S FILM THAT WILL BE CARRYING THE BASTIEN OF REVOLUTION.

AND WILL BE THE ONES IMAGINING AND DREAMING OF SOLUTIONS.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" THIS IS MARC VITALI.

>> VIC MENSA'S SHOW IS CALLED SKIN AND MASKS AND IT JUST OPENED AT KAVI GUPTA GALLERY.

THEY HAVE SPACES IN TOWN AND THIS EXHIBITION IS IN THE WEST LOOP LOCATION.

CAN YOU FIND OUT MORE ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT KNOW YOU CAN CATCH BLACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES ON SUNDAYS BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M. AND JOIN ME NEXT WEEK AT 7:00 P.M. ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

THANKS FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY.

GOOD NIGHT.