>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" BLACK VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... [♪♪♪] >> WE BELIEVE WHEN DIVERSE VOICES ARE HEARD AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES ARE MADE STRONGER AND THE FUTURE HOLDS GREATER PROMISE FOR ALL.

WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES", TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND HE WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT, THE DEBATE OVER GUN REFORM FRONT AND CENTER AS THE NATION HEALS FROM MULTIPLE MASS SHOOTINGS.

HOW SURVIVORS ARE RALLYING TO RAISE AWARENESS AND THE LATEST ON PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS.

AN ILLINOIS COMMISSION TAKING ON HATE CRIMES.

WHY SO MANY GO UNREPORTED AND WHAT IS BEING DONE TO CHANGE THAT.

>> I STARTED ROCK FOR MY INDIVIDUALS, ROQ INNOVATION FOR MY KIDS.

>> AND A CHICAGO ENTREPRENEUR WITH A PASSION FOR PROBLEM SOLVING SHE SHARES HER JOURNEY AND WHAT LANDED HER ON SHARK TANK.

FIRST OFF TONIGHT... JUST AS PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS WRAPPING UP HIS ADDRESS TO THE NATION ON GUN VIOLENCE THIS WEEK, THE 9-1-1 CALLS BEGAN COMING IN IN IOWA WHERE A GUNMAN KILLED TWO PEOPLE AT A CHURCH BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF.

THIS FOLLOWS A SERIES IN RECENT WEEKS A GROCERY STORE IN BUFFALO NEW YORK, AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN UVALDE, TEXAS AND A MEDICAL CENTER IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA N CHICAGO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WAS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT WITH 47 PEOPLE SHOT INCLUDING NINE FATALLY.

AS GUN VIOLENCE SPIKES NATIONWIDE, ACTIVISTS ARE WEARING ORANGE TO HONOR SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE AND RAISE AWARENESS.

WEAR ORANGE WEEKEND WAS INSPIRED BY HADIYA PENDLETON THE 15-YEAR-OLD WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN A SOUTH SIDE PARK IN 2013.

11 YEARS LATER THEIR MOTHER, CLEOPATRA COWLEY REFLECTS ON HER DAUGHTER'S LIFE AND IMPACT.

>> WELL, LAST WEEKEND IS ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING THE ISSUES OF GUN VIOLENCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THERE ARE INITIALLY STARTING AFTER THE DEATH OF MY DAUGHTER HADIYA PENDLETON, SHE WAS MURDERED IN CHICAGO AND SO HER FRIENDS GOT TOGETHER AND BEING AS YOUNG AS THEY WERE SELECTED ORANGE AS A BRIGHT COLOR IS A SYMBOL TO HUNTERS NOT TO SHOOT.

IT'S SAYING DON'T SHOOT US.

OUR PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN TO CELEBRATE LIFE BECAUSE I APPRECIATE THE 15 YEARS I HAD WITH HER I WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT.

AND THE THINGS I APPRECIATE ABOUT HER SO MUCH IS WHAT GIVES ME JOY AROUND THIS TIME.

AND I CRY.

BUT THE ABILITY TO SMILE AND FOR MY SON TO DO THIS THING HE DOES AT THE THOUGHT OF WHEN I BECAME A MOM SHE WAS MY FIRSTBORN.

WHAT REMEMBERING LIKE THE ANTICIPATION OF HER COMING.

AND YOU KNOW?

LIKE I WOULDN'T CHANGE THAT FOR THE WORLD.

IF WE FOCUS MORE ON IN THAT SPACE WE CAN COMBAT THIS TRAUMA AND GRIEF WE'RE DEALING WITH.

SO HEAVILY.

>> MANY SURVIVORS OF GUN RELATED VIOLENCE AND SUPPORTERS OF THE WEAR ORANGE CAMPAIGN BELIEVE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO SAVING LIVES IS STRIBTER GUN LAWS AND MANY ADVOCATES ARE OPPOSED.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS RECENT GUN REFORM EFFORTS ARE VALERIE BURGES THE CO-CHAPTER LEAGUE FOR MOMS DEMAND ACTION IN ILLINOIS.

AND RHONDA EZELL CHICAGO GUNS MATTER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

VALERIE BURGES LET'S START WITH YOU PLEASE.

MOMS DEMAND ACTION YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT FOR ADVOCATING FOR STRICTER GUN LAWS HOW DO RECENT SHOOTINGS AFFECT THE WORK YOU DO ON THIS?

>> WELL, THE RECENT SHOOTINGS HAVE GALVANIZED OUR MOMENT.

IN THE PAST TWO-AND-A-HALF WEEKS WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SIGNED UP WITH MOMS TO VOLUNTEER TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCE THE GUN VIOLENCE THAT OCCURS NOT JUST IN THIS COUNTRY BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> RHONDA EZELL, CHICAGO GUNS MATTER YOU DESCRIBE THE ORGANIZATION AS BEING MADE UP OF PRO GUN ADVOCATES FOR YOU WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PRO GUN?

>> IT MEANS BEING ABLE TO FREELY PROTECT OURSELF, EXERCISE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

WE HAVE A RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE AND WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN SAFETY.

WHEN WE SAY WE'RE PRO GUN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON FIREARM SAFETY.

EDUCATE THEM WHO WE ARE, THE CASES WE FOUGHT AND WON AND HOW TO GO ABOUT EXERCISING THE RIGHT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

WE ARE HERE TO GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION.

>> VALERIE, A GUN REFORM PACKAGE THAT GUNS ARE CALLING PROTECTING OUR KIDS ACT IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE HOUSE.

IT WOULD RAISE THE AGE TO BUY CERTAIN AUTOMATIC RIFLES FROM 18 TO 21.

BAN HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES.

CRACKDOWN ON GUN TRAFFICKING AND REQUIRE SAFE STORAGE OF FIREARMS.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT STEP?

ARE THERE OTHER MEASURES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE?

>> I'M NOT SURE IF IF IT'S THE RIGHT STEP TO RIGHT ALL OF THE WRONGS IN TERMS OF THE VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BUT IT IS MOST CERTAINLY A GOOD FIRST STEP.

THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS THAT GO GUN VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITIES NOT JUST THE [INAUDIBLE] OR BUT THE EVERYDAY GUN VIOLENCE THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I THINK IT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP.

I'M SURE THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER MEASURES THAT COULD COME LATELER.

BUT FOR THE MOMENT IT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP.

>> RHONDA, CALLS ARE GROWING FOR A NATIONWIDE BAN ON AR-15 STYLE WEAPONS, THE U.S. DID HAVE A FEDERAL ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN FROM 1994-2004 WHICH INCLUDED SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLES AND THERE IS DATA THE BAN WAS EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING MASS SHOOTINGS INCLUDING A STUDY THAT FOUND IT LIKELY PREVENTED AS MANY AS 11 MASS SHOOTINGS.

IF A BAN COULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MASS SHOOTINGS IN THIS COUNTRY, WHY NOT HAVE ONE?

>> FIREARMS IS NOT GOING TO STOP AN INDIVIDUAL FROM CHOOSING TO COMMIT VIOLENCE.

THESE PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY ILL AND PLANNING THE ATTACKS IN ADVANCE AND MAKING THE DECISIONS TO GO OUT AND COMMIT HEINOUS CRIMES.

I DON'T THINK THE BLAME SHOULD BE PLACED ON A FIREARM.

USING THE TERM GUN VIOLENCE IS PLACING THE BLAME ON THE TOOL INSTEAD OF HOLDING THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

IN 1990 WE HAD THE SAFE SCHOOL ZONES ACT AND YET IT DID NOT PREVENT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AS WE CAN SEE HOW MANY HAVE WE HAD SINCE THEN 32 YEARS AGO?

>> BANNING AR-15S IS NOT THE ANSWER.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR REACTION TO SOME OF THE OTHER MEASURES THAT HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE WORKING ON THAT I NAMED WITH REGARDS TO BANNING HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES, REQUIRING SAFE STOTTERRAGE.

DO YOU THINK ANY OF THOSE MEASURES ARE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN HARDENING THE SCHOOLS.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO START WITH PROTECTING THE CHILDREN AND KEEPING THEM SAFE IN THOSE BUILDINGS HOW DO YOU THINK PUTTING LEGISLATION ON THE BOOKS WILL PREVENT ANOTHER SCHOOL ATTACK?

CRIMINALS BREAK LAWS EVERYDAY.

WE SEE IT EACH AND EVERYDAY.

THESE ARE FEEL GOOD MEASURES.

JUST TO SAY THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE.

WE WANT TO BE SAFE.

I DISAGREE WITH THE NOTION OF MORE LEGISLATION.

THOSE LAWS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT FORTH ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND THEY KNOW IT.

SO THEY ARE JUST THROWING THINGS OUT THERE TO SEE WHAT STICKS.

>> THE PRESIDENT DID ADDRESS THIS ON THURSDAY EVENING.

TOUCHING ON THIS AND BANNING AR-15 STYLE RIFLES.

HERE HE IS.

>> WE NEED TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES.

IF WE CAN'T BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS THEN WE SHOULD RAISE THE AGE TO PURCHASE THEM FROM 18 TO 21.

>> VALERIE, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT'S TAKEN FOR LAWMAKERS TO SORT OF COALESCE ON THIS AND PASS GUN REFORM LEGISLATION?

>> WELL, MY REACTION IS TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING DURING THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE FAILED TO TAKE ANY KIND OF ACTION.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ILLINOIS MOMS DEMAND ACTION AND ON BEHALF OF EVERY CHILD FOR GUN SAFETY WE ARE NOT ANTIGUNS WE ARE ANTIGUN VIOLENCE.

AND IT'S NOT GUN CONTROL.

IT'S GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

THAT IS OUR TARGET.

THAT IS OUR GOAL.

TO STOP SENSELESS SHOOTINGS.

YES, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP AN INDIVIDUAL FROM COMMITTING A MASS SHOOTING.

BUT WE SHOULDN'T MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO DO SO EITHER.

>> ARE YOU HOPEFUL VALERIE THAT LAWMAKERS WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO A COMPROMISE THIS TIME AROUND?

>> I'M HOPEFUL.

I'M NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT.

WE HAD SANDY HOOK ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO, AND NOTHING CAME AFTER SANDY HOOK AND THOSE WERE BABIES AS WELL JUST LIKE THE BABIES THAT WERE SHOT AND KILLED IN UVALDE.

SO I'M HOPEFUL.

I HOPE WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MOMS DEMANDING ACTION IS DOING TO GET THE EAR OF LAWMAKERS?

>> WE ARE CONTACTING SENATORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ASKING THEM TO TAKE ACTION.

ASKING THEM TO STOP WILL BE LOOKING AWAY AND ASKING THEM TO START DOING SOMETHING.

THEY SAY THEY ARE REPRESENTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHEN THERE HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WHO THEY ARE SERVING WANT THEM TO TAKE ACTION THEY WANT THEM TO HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS.

THEY WANT THEM TO DO LAWS AND WANT THEM TO ENACT SAFE GUN STORAGE.

WE ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THAT.

WE ARE NOT AGAINST ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

WE JUST TRYING TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.

>> RHONDA, IF NOT RAMPING UP GUN CONTROL LAWS WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE DONE TO DECREASE VIOLENCE?

>> FIRST WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA.

THESE PEOPLE ARE MENTALLY ILL.

IT STARTS AT HOME.

THEY NEED HELP AND IT NEEDS TO BE SEEN IN THE EARLY STAGE.

NUMBER TWO: STOP PLAYING POLITICS UTILIZING THE SECOND AMENDMENT AS A POLITICAL PAWN.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE CHANGE, SIT DOWN AND COME TO REAL SOLUTIONS AND NOT JUST THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO HELP YOUR SIDE OF WHATEVER YOU SUPPORT.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNOW THAT PUTTING LAWS ON THE BOOKS ISN'T GOING TO PREVENT THE NEXT SHOOTING, THE NEXT MASS SHOOTING OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF SHOOTING.

WE HAVE TO HOLD CRIMINALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

>> THANKS VALERIE BURGES AND RHONDA EZELL FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> UP NEXT A REVIVED COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT HATE CRIMES ACROSS THE STATE WE SPEAK WITH TWO OF ITS MEMBERS RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> AS HATE CRIME INCIDENTS RISE NATIONWIDE, ILLINOIS HAS REVIVED A COMMISSION FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THEM HERE AT HOME.

ACCORDING TO THE F.B.I.

'S LATEST ANNUAL REPORT, THERE WERE MORE THAN 8200 HATE CRIME INCIDENTS IN THE U.S.

IN 2020.

THAT IS UP FROM 7300 IN 2019 WHEN THE COUNTRY EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HATE CRIMES SINCE 2008.

NOW, THE ILLINOIS COMMISSION ON DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES IS SET TO EXAMINE HOW TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS HATE CRIMES ACROSS THE STATE.

JOINING US WITH MORE ARE JIM BENNETT, CHAIR OF THE ILLINOIS COMMISSION ON DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES.

HE SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

AND MITCHELL DAVIS WHO IS THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES COMMISSION.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

JIM BENNETT LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE, EXPLAIN WHAT THE COMMISSION'S PURPOSE AND GOALS ARE?

>> THE COMMISSION'S PURPOSE IS REALLY AS A CONVENER TO PULL ALL THE PLAYERS TOGETHER THAT CAN ADDRESS HATE CRIMES.

AND OUR PURPOSE IS REALLY MULTIPURPOSE.

ONE IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING AN ACCURATE COUNTING.

MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT US.

AND ALSO KNOW HOW TO REPORT A HATE CRIME WHEN IT HAPPENS.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY, TO STOP HATE BEFORE IT HAPPEN AND TO TRY TO KEEP THESE INCIDENTS DOWN AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

>> JIM, WHAT EXACTLY IS A HATE CRIME?

HOW IS IT DEFINED?

>> A HATE CRIME IS NOT ANGER OR DISLIKE.

IT'S A SPECIFIC GROUP OF CRIMES LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, AN ASSAULT AGAINST SOMEONE BASED ON A BIAS OR PREJUDICE.

SO AND USUALLY THAT IS SURROUNDING A PROTECTIVE CLASS THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE STATUTE.

>> ONE OF THE COMMISSION'S GOALS FOR 2021 WAS RESEARCHING EXISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING STANDARDS AND PROGRAMS TO RECOGNIZE A HATE CRIME AND PURSUE IT AS SUCH.

CHIEF DAVIS WHAT ROLE DOES LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAY IN IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING HATE CRIMES?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU JUST SAID THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL THING ISING WITH ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN THAT IT IS IDENTIFIED AS A HATE CRIME AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT IS AN ENHANCEMENT.

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC WHEN THINGS DO HAPPEN ACTUALLY FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

>> JIM, AS YOUR REPORT NOTES, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ESTIMATES THE TRUE NUMBER OF HATE CRIMES IS ACTUALLY MORE THAN WHAT IS COUNTED BY THE F.B.I.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS HATE CRIMES GO UNREPORTED?

>> I THINK THERE IS A VARIETY OF REASONS.

I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REPORT THEM OR DON'T KNOW THEY SHOULD REPORT THEM.

THEY MAY FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING CERTAINLY WITH SOME GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT THEY FEEL IT'S SOMETHING THEY SHOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT WHICH IS NOT THE CASE.

I THINK THERE'S TRAINING IS A PIECE OF IT.

YOU KNOW WE NEED TO LET OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OF WHY CRIMES TOOK PLACE.

AND THAT IS A BIT OF A HARDER QUESTION IN DETERMINING A MOTIVE FOR SOMEONE.

AND MAYBE IT COULD BE BUREAUCRACY.

IF SOMETHING IS HAPPENING A CRIME HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THE POLICE ARE RESPONDING THEY MAY FEEL THAT THE TIME CONSUMPTION OF TRYING TO GET THE REPORT OUT TO GO THROUGH THE EXTRA STEPS OF GETTING THIS REPORT SECOND CUMBERSOME.

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT.

AND I WOULD SAY FOR CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY WE HAVE ALL OF THESE HATE CRIMES HAPPENING.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO REPORT THE HATE CRIMES AND STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SO WE ARE GETTING AN ACCURATE COUNT AND NOT ONLY IT'S HAPPENING BUT WHO IT'S HAPPENING TO.

>> AS YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ARE HATE CRIMES SOMETIMES MISSED?

AND IF SO WHY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL REASON IN OUR PART OUR PROFESSION IS PEOPLE NOT HAVING KNOWLEDGE WHAT DEFINES A HATE CRIME.

AS JIM JUST SAID, IT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION AND ADDITIONAL EFFORT.

WHEN THE LEADERSHIP WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO MAKE SURE FIRST AND FOREMOST THEIR MEMBERS ARE TRAINED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY HATE CRIMES AND THEN REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCEEDING WITH HATE CRIME INVESTIGATIONS.

AND NOT JUST LETTING THEM GO FORWARD AS A NORMAL BATTERY OR A CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY THAT WE PLACE THE LABEL AS IT IS APPROPRIATELY SUPPOSED TO BE PLACED ON SPECIFIC CRIMES.

>> CHAIRMAN BENNETT, KWAME RAOUL FILED A STATE'S FIRST CIVIL HATE CRIME LAWSUIT AGAINST A MOTHER AND SON PAIR FOR HARASSING A BLACK NEIGHBOR BY HANGING A PAINTED BLACK DUMMY RESEMBLING THE PLAINTIFF FROM THE NOOSE ON THE TREE FACING HIS HOUSE?

>> I COMMEND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR TAKING THIS CASE ON.

THE LAW WENT IN PLACE IN 2018.

THIS IS THE FIRST CASE THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS TAKEN UP.

THEY ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS COMMISSION.

AMY MEEK WHO HEADS THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION SERVES ON OUR HATE CRIMES COMMISSION.

IT IS A CIVIL PATH SO WE ALSO WANT TO PURSUE THESE CASES IN THE CRIMINAL SIDE AS WELL.

I DO EXPECT IT TO INCREASE.

AND THE AG'S OFFICE IS SITTING ON THIS COMMISSION.

AND INFORMING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

I WAS THANKFUL TO SEE THAT.

IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY UGLY INCIDENT INTO RESPOND TO IT FROM THE AG'S OFFICE IS FANTASTIC.

I COMMEND THEM.

>> REMIND US THE PURPOSE OF A CIVIL LAWSUIT THAT CAN BE BROUGHT LIKE THAT AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE EVENT THAT THE PERSON THE DEFENDANT IS FOUND TO BE AT FAULT?

>> PERSONAL DAMAGES CAN BE RECOVERED.

AND SO THE PERSON CAN BE HELD FINANCIALLY AND PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME THAT WAS COMMITTED.

>> CHIEF DAVIS, WHAT MORE CAN POLICE OFFICERS DO TO INSURE THAT HATE CRIMES GET REPORTED, THAT POTENTIAL VICTIMS FEEL COMFORTABLE REPORTING TO THE POLICE?

>> SO, FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT WE CARE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WE CARE.

AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH HATE CRIMES RIGHT NOW, IS WHAT HAPPENED QUITE OFTEN IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DEVELOPED A CULTURE OF ACCEPTING THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T BE THAT THEY ARE.

AND I WILL SPEAK FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR QUITE OFTEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE OVERPOLICED.

AND THE MEMBERS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE QUITE OFTEN JUST BECOMES A WAY OF LIFE.

IT IS A WAY OF LIFE AND I'M GOING TO GET PULLED OUT OF THE CAR.

AND IT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THAT ALSO IS NOW BEING RELATED TO HATE CRIMES AND THAT AS JIM SAID EARLIER, PEOPLE EXPECT IT.

THAT IS THE WAY IT IS.

NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF I TELL SOMEBODY SO FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE FIRST AS I MENTIONED WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT WE CARE AND THAT WE CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THOSE BEING VICTIMIZED FROM HATE CRIMES AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AS JIM SAID, THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THESE HATE CRIMES AND NOT FEEL VICTIMIZED AGAIN IN DOING SO.

>> CERTAINLY THE COMMISSION HAS ITS WORK CUT OUT FOR IT.

THANKS TO CHAIRMAN JIM BENNETT AND POLICE CHIEF MITCHELL DAVIS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, A CHICAGO ENTREPRENEUR TAKES HER UNIQUE PRODUCT LINE TO SHARK TANK.

>> A CHICAGO ENTREPRENEUR WITH A PASSION FOR CREATION IS GROWING HER BUSINESS ONE INVENTION AT A TIME.

RAQUEL GRAHAM THE FOUNDER OF ROQ INNOVATION STARTED HER COMPANY IN 2014 AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN DEVELOPING PRODUCTS DESIGNED TO AS SHE PUTS IT, MAKE LIFE EASIER.

AND AFTER BECOMING ONE OF A FEW BLACK-OWNED CHICAGO COMPANIES TO APPEAR ON SHARK TANK THIS YEAR, BUSINESS HAS BEEN BOOMING.

>> I STARTED ROQ INNOVATION FOR MY KIDS ACTUALLY.

>> FOR RAQUEL GRAHAM, BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR STARTED OUT WITH A PROBLEM MOST MOMS CAN RELATE TO: GETTING HER KIDS TO DRESS WARM FOR THE WINTER.

>> DURING THE POLAR VORTEX WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER SIX YEARS AGO THEY WOULD NOT WEAR SCARVES THEY DECIDED THEY WERE BULKY AND ITCHY AND THE POLAR VORTEX IT WAS SO COLD YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERY BIT OF YOUR SKIN COVERED.

I WENT ON-LINE TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE AND THERE WAS NOTHING.

>> ROQ INNOVATION WAS BORN WITH HER FIRST PRODUCT NECKS.

THEN CAME GRAHAM'S SECOND PRODUCTS HEADLIGHTS BEANIE INSPIRED BY A LOVE FOR RUNNING AT NIGHT.

WHAT STARTED OUT AS A FIX TO A PROBLEM IS A BOOMING BUSINESS OPERATING OUT OF THIS WEST TOWN WAREHOUSE.

>> ALL OF MY PRODUCTS COME FROM MY LIFE.

I DON'T HE ATHINK OF PRODUCTS OUT OF THE BLUE.

IT'S USUALLY I'M DOING SOMETHING IN MY EVERYDAY AND THERE IS A FRUSTRATION AND I LOOK TO SEE IF THERE IS A PRODUCT OUT THERE, IF THERE IS NO PRODUCT THEN I MAKE IT.

>> THAT INNOVATION THAT PUT HER COMPANY ON THE MAP.

APPEARING ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA AND RECENTLY SHARK TANK.

>> I'M RAQUEL GRAHAM AND I'M COMING TO YOU FROM CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

>> WHEN YOU ARE IN THE TANK IT'S ALL A BLUR.

HONESTLY, AS YOU CAN TELL THERE'S LIKE SO MANY QUESTIONS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

BUT, YES, THEY WERE ALL REALLY RECEPTIVE.

AND IT FELT GREAT.

>> GRAHAM WALKED OUT OF THE TANK WITH A DEAL FROM TWO SHARKS.

SHE CAN'T SHARE THE SPECIFICS OF THAT PARTNERSHIP BUT SHE CAN SAY HER APPEARANCE ON SHARK TANK HAS BEEN A GAME-CHANGER INTEREST THE EXPOSURE OF SHARK TANK.

YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.

>> ALONG WITH EXPOSURE, THE SHARK TANK DEAL GIVES GRAHAM THE FUNDING BLACK AND BROWN ENTREPRENEURS OFTEN STRUGGLE TO LAND.

A 2021 ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL RESERVE DATA BY NERDWALLET FOUND 80% OF WHITE BUSINESS OWNERS RECEIVE A PERCENTAGE OF THE FUNDING THEY REQUEST FROM A BANK COMPARED TO 66% OF BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS.

>> ENTREPRENEURS IN GENERAL IT'S HARD TO GET FUNDING TO BE A BLACK FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR IT IS CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE.

SO IN ORDER FOR ME TO GROW MY BUSINESS, I BOOTSTRAPPED.

I GOT FUNDING FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

AND NOW AT THIS STAGE I'M ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM BANKS AND THERE ARE A LOT OF INVESTORS THAT ARE INTERESTED.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR STARTING OUT, YOU NEED THE MONEY AT A LOWER LEVEL.

IN THE BEGINNING.

>> GRAHAM SAYS SHE EXPECTS TO LAUNCH THREE NEW PRODUCTS THIS YEAR INCLUDING A YEAR-ROUND VERSION OF HEADLIGHTS THAT CAN BE WORN IN COLD AND WARM WEATHER.

>> WE ARE GROWING TREMENDOUSLY.

AND NOW I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK IN THE LAB BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY PRODUCTS THAT THE I WANT TO LAUNCH.

SO I'M IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT NOW.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO BE EXPANDING, SCALING, WITH ANOTHER PRODUCTS.

>> ONE THING GRAHAM CAN QUARANTINE IS ALL HER PRODUCT ALSO MAINTAIN HER MISSION TO MAKE LIFE A LITTLE EASIER.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT MY PRODUCTS IT'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF BIOGRAPHY ATTACHED TO IT BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN MY LIFE THAT MADE ME CREATE THIS.

>> AND GRAHAM SAYS YOU CAN EXPECT THAT FIRST ROUND OF NEW PRODUCTS SOMETIME IN JULY.

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

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

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

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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