>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES".

I AM IN TOLEDO.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING A PART OF THE WEEKEND WITH US.

EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE HASHTAG OSCAR SO WHITE TRENDED WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE DIVERSITY PROBLEM.

GET TO KNOW FATHER AUGUSTUS COLTON, THE FIRST BLACK PRIEST TO BE CANONIZED AS A SAINT.

>>> THE HOUSE MAKE MAKES PRESERVATION CHICAGO'S LIST OF MOST ENDANGERED BUILDINGS.

>>> IN OUR NEXT BLACK VOICES BOOK CLUB SEGMENT KINA NORIS USES BOOKS TO SHOW HOW CHICAGO SHAPES ITS FAMILY AND REINTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL ARTIST CREATING MOSAICS.

OF THAT COMING UP.

>>> OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT, IT IS KNOWN THAT HOLLYWOOD HAS A BIG NIGHT.

A LOOK AT HOW FAR THE OSCARS HAVE COME IN ADDRESSING BLACK REPRESENTATION RIGHT AFTER THIS.

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

>>> THIS WEEKEND ACADEMY AWARDS WILL SEE HISTORIC ASIAN REPRESENTATION, BUT THE OSCARS ARE STILL UNDER FIRE FOR A LACK OF REPRESENTATION AND IT COMES EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE HASHTAG OSCAR SO WHITE LED TO A RECKONING FOR THE ACADEMY.

DESPITE SOME CHANGES, NO BLACK DIRECTOR HAS EVER WON BEST DIRECTOR AND NO BLACK WOMAN HAS EVER RECEIVED A DIRECT THE NOMINATION.

NOW THIS YEAR THE HISTORICAL ACTION ADVENTURE FILM, THE WOMAN KING, STARRING VIOLA DAVIS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FILM THAT MIGHT FINALLY BREAK THAT BEST DIRECTOR BARRIER.

>> THEY ARE HERE FOR YOU.

>> THEY DO NOT KNOW EVIL IS COMING.

>> THEY KNOW YOU WILL PROTECT THEM.

>> I WISH TO SPEAK TO THE KING.

>> TELL HIM I WILL WAIT.

>> JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS YEAR'S OSCAR NOMINATIONS ARE ROBERT DANIELS, AND THE DIRECTOR AND PAUL FILMMAKING PROFESSOR, RACHEL BASS.

LET'S START WITH YOU, RACHEL.

THE WOMAN KING, THE CRITICAL SUCCESS, NO OSCAR NOMINATION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL I THINK IT IS TELLING THAT THE WOMAN KING WAS NOT NOMINATED FOR A SINGLE CATEGORY AND BY ALL LOOKS IT DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.

IT WAS A $50 MILLION BUDGET FILM.

IT WAS A BOX OFFICE SUCCESS.

ENTIRELY LACK LEAD FEMALE CAST, BLACK DIRECTOR, AND SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW COULD THE ACADEMY NOT RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN OTHER FILMS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ACTION-ADVENTURE CATEGORY HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN NOMINATED?

>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT ZERO NOMINATIONS?

>> YOU KNOW, THERE IS A PART OF ME THAT IS SURPRISED BY IT AND KNOWING THE HISTORICAL BARRIERS BEHIND BLACK DIRECTORS AND FILMMAKERS, BLACK STORIES BEING HONORED.

AND SO WHEN THE NOMINATIONS DROPPED AND I SAW THE WOMAN KING WAS NOT NOMINATED, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE IT TOTALLY BLANK.

I WAS NOT SHOCKED IT UNDERPERFORMED BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN THE STORY BEFORE.

ESPECIALLY SINCE 2015 WITH OSCARS SO WHITE.

>> WE KNOW THAT THE ACADEMY HAS MADE SOME CHANGES TO INCREASE DIVERSITY AMONG ITS MEMBERSHIP.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE ENOUGH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE?

>> I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PROGRESS WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT KNEE-JERK REACTIONS AND LONG-TERM DEEP SYSTEMIC CHANGE.

SO 2015 WAS THE FIRST OF TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF CONSECUTIVE ALL WHITE ACTOR NOMINEES.

AND HISTORICALLY WHITE MEN HAVE DOMINATED IN THE BEST DIRECTOR CATEGORIES.

SO THEN AFTER 2016 WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF A KNEE-JERK REACTION FROM THE ACADEMY WHEN MOONLIGHT ONE BEST PICTURE.

YOU HAD BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR AND SO THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE REPRESENTATION.

I WILL ADD ABOUT IN THE BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR AND ACTRESS CATEGORIES, THOSE TEND TO BE THE MOST DIVERSE CATEGORIES AS OPPOSED TO THE LEAD ACTOR CATEGORIES.

SO AFTER THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE WINDS BUT NOW THAT WE ARE BACK TO MOSTLY ALL-WHITE LEADING ACTRESS CATEGORY AND ALL WHITE ACTOR CATEGORY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DANIEL QUAN, AND ALL WHITE MALE DIRECTOR LINEUP , THE QUESTION IS, WAS 2017 A FLUKE, OR WERE THOSE CONSIDERED HANDOUTS, OR WAS THERE LASTING DEEP SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND AT THIS POINT NOW, GIVEN YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY A MILESTONE IN ASIAN REPRESENTATION, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IS THE DEFAULT GOING BACK TO MOST WHITE FILMMAKERS ESPECIALLY BEHIND THE CAMERA.

>> SO RACHEL TALKED ABOUT A FLUKE OR A HANDOUT OR OTHER WAYS THAT BLACK ACTORS AND DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN SNUBBED.

IT HAS LED TO CONVERSATION ABOUT LOOKING AT OTHER SPACES IN HOLLYWOOD WHERE WE CAN CRITICIZE THE ISSUE AND LOOK AT CHANGES.

WHERE ELSE DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING?

>> YEAH.

YOU THINK OF WHAT OSCAR SO WHITE TRIED TO BE IN THE PROBLEM WAS IT WAS OSCAR SO WHITE INSTEAD OF THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM BEING SO WHITE.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIRECTOR OF AMERICA, EVERY YEAR THEY DO THE FIVE WINNERS AND FIVE NOMINEES AND TYPICALLY THE FIVE NOMINEES ARE THE FIVE NOMINEES THAT SHOW UP AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NEVER NOMINATED A BLACK WOMAN AS BEST DIRECTOR IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY.

IN THE SO WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE ALREADY FAILING WITH A PRECURSOR TO EVEN GET TO THE ACADEMY AWARDS THEN WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST THE ACADEMY AWARDS IN THE SPACE THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE FOR THINGS TO CHANGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

SO I THINK FROM THE TOP DOWN, FROM PRECURSORS LIKE TGA AND GOLDEN GLOVES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CRITICS GROUPS AND ESPECIALLY AT THE LEVEL WHERE STUDIOS ARE DECIDING WHAT FILMS GET TO THE PROPER BUDGET THAT IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO COMPETE FOR AN ACADEMY AWARD, AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF ONE COMPONENT OF IT.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE WORK ONLINE, THIS KIND OF HOT POTATO CONCEPT OF MAYBE FILMMAKERS ARE NOT FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT TO RECEIVE AN OSCAR NOT, SO THEY DON'T DO THE WORK REQUIRED VERSUS MAYBE LIKE THE ACADEMY IS NOT EVEN LOOKING AT CERTAIN FILMS.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY ?

>> I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO STOP TREATING THE OSCARS AS ABOUT TALENT AND STORYTELLING.

I THINK THAT IS PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.

THIS IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT ACCESS AND POWERPOINT SO TO ME IT IS A NONISSUE WHETHER YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY BUT DON'T YOU THINK THE BEST PICTURE, THEIR GREAT MOVIES AND WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, I LOVED MANY OF THE MOVIES THAT ARE IN THE LINEUP.

IT IS NOT ABOUT TALENT, BUT WHAT GINA WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE LION WAS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT DID EVERYTHING RIGHT $.50 MILLION BUDGET FOR A FEMALE LEAD ACTION-ADVENTURE WAS VIRTUALLY ALMOST UNHEARD OF.

SO IT IS ABOUT POWER AND ACCESS AND WHY SOMEONE LIKE ANDREA ROSEBORO WHO WAS NOMINATED AND THE LEADING ACTRESS CATEGORY FOR A BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE I WOULD SAY BUT WHAT THE RULES OF THE GAME ARE, SO IN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION AND IN TALKING ABOUT THAT CRAZY EIGHT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK WE HAVE TO STOP MOVING AWAY FROM THIS IS GREAT CINEMA AND THIS IS GREAT STORYTELLING AND MAYBE IN LIKE TWO DECADES ONCE THINGS HAVE EQUAL THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS DEEPER OVERHAUL OF POWER AND ACCESS AND HOW TO FUND MORE MOVIES SO THAT THE ROLES ARE WRITTEN FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO BE ABLE TO BE NOMINATED.

>> SO WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DIRECTORS BUT WE HAVE NOT EVEN TALKED ABOUT SUPPORTING ACTRESSES, SO ANGELA BASSETT DID RECEIVE A NOMINATION FOR HER SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE AND HERE IS A CLIP.

>> WE MOURN THE LOSS OF ARCING, BUT DO NOT THINK FOR A SECOND THAT WE HAVE LOST OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR RESOURCES.

WE ARE OF THE ONGOING EFFORTS TO FIND OUTSIDE .

AND WISH THE BEST .

>> SO WE SEE PAXLOVID FOREVER AND WE KNOW BLACK WOMEN HAVE -- ACTRESS THAT NEVER -- WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CHANGE IN THE LONG RUN?

WE HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

>> YOU, SO A BLACK WOMAN HAS NOT ONE BEST ACTRESS OR THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE, HALLE BERRY FOR MONSTERS BALL.

WE THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, AFFECT CHANGE AND TRY TO GET MORE ACTORS IN THERE, I THINK THAT PARTICULARLY RACHEL MENTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO GET MORE ROLES BASICALLY.

I MEAN, THERE ARE ROLES THAT EXIST AND THAT CERTAINLY HELPS BUT THERE JUST IS NOT ENOUGH BEING PRODUCED MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC RESTRICTION UPON WHAT MOVIES GET MADE AND WHAT MOVIES DON'T GET MADE.

AND THEN EVEN WHEN THEY ARE MADE, WHAT MOVIES GET PUT IN FRONT OF VIEWERS AND AWARDS BODIES.

SO IT IS REALLY JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY.

>> I'M SO SORRY, WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

YOU HAVE HAD A LOT OF GREAT FAULTS BUT WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

I THINK TREVOR DANIELS AND RACHEL BASS.

>>> THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST IS ON THE ROAD TO SAINTHOOD.

IS JOURNEY FROM ENSLAVED CHILD TO PRIEST IS THE SUBJECT OF A SERIES OF EVENTS AT THE HERITAGE CENTER.

BISHOP JOSEPH PERRY WHO IS LEADING THE CAUSE SAYS THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MAN AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS GOOD FATHER GUSTS.

>> WE ARE AT SAINT ELIZABETH'S CHURCH WHICH IS NOW THE TILTON HERITAGE CENTER.

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRIEST ¿ CHICAGO.

ARE REALLY THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRIEST TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES ANYWHERE.

HE WAS A FORMER SLAVE.

HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI DURING THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR.

IT IS A FIVE-PART SERIES THAT DELVES INTO THE LIFE IN THE BACKGROUND COMING FROM THE 19th CENTURY AND LOOKING INTO HIS VIRTUES THAT FORMED A DOSSIER FOR HIS CANONIZATION AS A SAINT WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

TWO SPREAD THE STORY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE ACQUAINTED WITH HIM AND WHY HE IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN OUR HISTORY NOT ONLY IN THE PAST BUT CARRYING A MESSAGE FOR THE PRESENT.

GIVEN THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

RACISM TODAY STILL -- HE GIVES US EXAMPLES OF HOW WE HANDLE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND WALKING THE GAUNTLET OF UPS AND DOWNS AND SORROWS AND JOYS OF LIFE HE DID IT HEROICALLY AS A CHRISTIAN AND PROVED HIMSELF A CHRISTIAN AND ALL OF THAT AND HE WAS OPEN TO EVERYBODY, WHITE AND BLACK.

OUR PREVIOUS ARCHBISHOP, CARDINAL GEORGE BACK IN 2010, IT WAS THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY WHICH CAME OUT AND ABOUT 1973.

IT WAS TITLED FROM SLAVE TO PRIEST AND HE WAS SO TOUCHED BY THE STORY HE REMARKED TO ME ONE DAY THAT HE WAS GOING TO ASK THE VATICAN IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER NAMING HIM A SAINT AND THAT IS HOW IT STARTED.

I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT HIM AND FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND EVEN ELDERLY PEOPLE, HE'S A GREAT HUMAN BEING, A GREAT CHRISTIAN AND SOMEONE WHO HAS A MESSAGE THAT STILL TOUCHES THE WORLD AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CATHOLIC COMMUNITY >> THERE ARE FOUR EVENTS UPCOMI WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> UP NEXT, THE LATEST SELECTION IN OUR BLACK VOICES BOOK CLUB.

MONTHS AND YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> UP NEXT, THE LATEST SELECTION IN OUR BLACK VOICES BOOK CLUB.

>>> FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS AND MEN, CHICAGO CAN BE A CRADLE IN THE CRUCIBLE.

A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN ENCOUNTER ENDLESS INSPIRATION AND ENDLESS DESPAIR.

IN OUR NEXT BOOK CLUB SELECTION, SHY BOY, NATIVE SON IN THE CHICAGO RECKONINGS, AUTHOR KEENAN NORIS MOVED BACK AND FORTH IN TIME DRAWING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE EXPERIENCES OF LITERARY GIANTS AND THOSE OF HIS OWN FATHER AS A YOUNG BLACK MAN IN CHICAGO.

JOINING US NOW IS THE BOOKS AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR KEENAN NORIS.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, I AM DOING WELL.

>> LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT.

OKAY, SO YOU QUOTE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AUTHORS IN YOUR BOOK THAT WE WILL GET BACK TO LATER.

FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS AND RICHARD WRIGHT.

BUT YOU NEVER SEEM TO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE VISIT CHICAGO, IS THAT HAVE NEV MADE CHICAGO MY HOME.

MY FATHER WAS FROM CHICAGO AND GREW UP IN CHICAGO AND LEFT IN HIS LATE TEENS TO COME TO CALIFORNIA AND WENT TO COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA AND SETTLE DOWN HERE.

SO I WAS RAISED IN CALIFORNIA.

AND LIKE MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE STAYED PUT.

SO BUT >> YEAH.

YEAH.

I MEAN I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THAT I WANT TO RESPOND IN TWO WAYS TO YOUR QUESTION.

ONE, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I WAS DRAWN TO WRITE ABOUT CHICAGO.

BECAUSE OF MY FATHER'S STORIES IN MY FATHER'S IMPACT ON ME AND THE STORIES MY FATHER TOLD ABOUT GROWING UP IN CHICAGO AND MY FASCINATION WITH THE GREAT MIGRATION .

I CAME TO SEE CHICAGO , I CAME TO UNDERSTAND CHICAGO AS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE HISTORY OF BLACK AMERICA AND OUR LARGER AMERICAN NARRATIVE SO CHICAGO HAS ALWAYS HELD AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR ME SORT OF ON THAT LEVEL.

>> HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT, SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF.

>> WELL, YEAH.

I WOULD ALSO SAY YOU KNOW, THAT YOU KNOW, WRITERS OFTEN TIMES WRITE ABOUT PLACES THEY HAVE NOT LIVED.

I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD NOT WRITE ABOUT A PLACE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO OR HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OF, BUT THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

>> SO YOU REFER TO RICHARD WRIGHT A LOT IN >> YEAH, SO MY FATHER GAVE ME A NUMBER OF BOOKS TO .

WHEN I WAS 13 AND GAVE ME GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN AND SAID I WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT WHO I AM AND NATIVE SON WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD AND SAID YOU WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT WHERE I AM FROM.

SO RICHARD WRIGHT'S NATIVE SON AND THEN BLACK BOY AND THE MEMOIR, THE FULL TITLE OF WHICH IS ACTUALLY AMERICAN HUNGER .

THOSE TWO BOOKS WHICH MY FATHER GAVE ME IN THIS PREPARATORY YOU KNOW, AT HOME AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE COURSE THAT I GREW UP WITH , IT BECAME DEFINITIONAL FOR ME, THOSE BOOKS DID AND THEY HELPED ILLUSTRATE FOR ME SOME TRUTH AND REALITIES ABOUT CHICAGO IN THE MID-20TH CENTURY AND SOME REALITIES OF THE GREAT MIGRATION WHICH MY FATHER'S FAMILY AND MY FATHER HIMSELF WAS A PART OF.

AND REALLY BECAME CENTRAL TO MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW WE BECAME A PRIMARILY URBAN PEOPLE BY THE WORK ON THE WEST COAST AND IN THE NORTH LIKE FOLKS IN CHICAGO AND NEW YORK AND DETROIT SO FORTH.

EVEN DOWN SOUTH.

>> SO WE HAVE ABOUT ONE MINUTE LEFT HERE.

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FINAL THOUGHTS AND WHAT YOU HOPE PEOPLE WILL GET OUT OF THIS BOOK AND IN UNDERSTANDING CHICAGO BETTER.

>> YEAH.

WELL, I HOPE THEY TAKE A NUMBER OF THINGS AWAY FROM THE BOOK.

ONE, I THINK THAT MY FAMILY STORY AND ALSO RICHARD WRIGHT'S STORY ILLUSTRATES SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT WITH THE HISTORY OF EARLY TO MID 20th CENTURY CHICAGO BLACK HISTORY AND HOW IT WAS SHAPED BY THE GREAT MIGRATION.

I ALSO THINK THAT WHEN I REVISIT FRANK MARSHALL DAVIS IS STORY THAT SHEDS LIGHT ON A FIGURE WHO WAS MALIGNED UNFAIRLY POLITICALLY AND FINALLY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE TERM IS IMPORTANT IN THE MEDIA PORTRAYALS ARE OFTEN INACCURATE AND UNFAIR OF CHICAGO TODAY.

>> OUR THANKS TO KEENAN NORIS AND AGAIN THE BOOK IS CALLED SHY BOY, NATIVE SONS AND A CHICAGO RECKONING.

YOU CAN .

EXCERPTS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> IT IS AN ANNUAL REPORT AIMED AT HIGHLIGHTING HISTORIC CHICAGO BUILDINGS THAT ARE MOST IN DANGER OF DEMOLITION.

THE CHICAGO SEVEN MOST ENDANGERED LIST WAS CREATED TO SOUND THE ALARM AND RALLY SUPPORT FOR SUCH BUILDINGS.

IT IS NOW IN ITS 20th YEAR AND CRACKING THIS YEAR'S LIST WAS A MODEST THREE-STORY BUILDING IN THE WEST LOOP THAT WAS ONCE THE HOTTEST DANCE CLUB IN TOWN.

HERE IS WARD MILLER.

>> THIS IS WHERE FRANKIE KNUCKLES STARTED HIS CAREER SPINNING RECORDS AND IT WAS A VERY POPULAR PLACE IN THE 70s AND 80s WAREHOUSE MUSIC WAS ESSENTIALLY BORN IF YOU WILL.

WE FIND THIS TO BE AN IMPORTANT BUILDING THAT IS MODEST.

YOU CAN SEE IT IS JUST A COUPLE STORIES TALL.

IT IS IN THE WEST LOOP AND IT IS FOR SALE.

IT IS ALSO NEXT TO A LARGER SITE THAT HAS A SMALL RESTAURANT IN IT.

HOUSE IN MUSIC IS SO INFLUENTIAL IN THE WORLD.

COMING FROM THE ACTUAL BUILDING.

SO TELL US AGAIN, YOU PUT THIS LIST OUT FOR 20 YEARS.

ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE BUILDINGS YOU HAVE SAVED?

>> OH MY GOSH, YES.

COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL.

THE OLD MAIN POST OFFICE.

NUMEROUS RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS AND CHURCHES AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE THE FORCE THAT GOT THE EMMETT TILL HOUSE LANDMARK.

IT WAS A FLAT WITH VACANT LOTS TO THE NORTH THAT WERE ABANDONED AND THIS WAS LIKE WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE IT FOR A LONG TIME.

>> YOU CAN FIND PRESERVATION CHICAGO'S FULL LIST OF MOST ENDANGERED BUILDINGS ON OUR WEBSITE .

>>> HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ARE THE FOCUS OF A LOCAL ARTIST CREATING PORTRAITS OF HER INNER CHILD.

WE TALKED MORE ABOUT HER BEREFT MOSAICS.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> TYPICALLY MISTAKES ARE MADE OF COLORFUL BROKEN PIECES OF TILE, STONE OR GLASS, BUT NOT FOR HER.

>> I STARTED WITH WOODEN BEADS AND I WAS LIKE I NEED MORE COLOR AND THEN I WAS THINKING HAIR AND THAT GAVE ME ALL THE COLOR I NEEDED AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

IT KEPT GOING AND GOING.

>> Reporter: IT WAS HER PIECE TITLED PICTURE DAY THAT LED HER TO WORK ON IT.

>> IT SPEAKS TO CHILDHOOD JOYS.

I HEAR THEM.

EDGE CONTROL, ROLLERS, EVERY ACCESSORY USED TO HOLD SOME TYPE OF MEMORY FOR ME AND IT IS COMFORTING.

I DON'T THINK I APPRECIATED IT AS MUCH BEFORE BUT ME TURNING IT INTO ART HAS GIVEN ME A GREATER APPRECIATION BECAUSE I DID NOT REALIZE LIKE HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO MY CHILDHOOD.

ACCESSORIES MAKE THIS WOMAN, BUT IT SHOWS THE EVOLUTION OF THE BLACK GIRL FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESCENCE INTO WOMANHOOD.

>> COCOA BUTTER AND EVERY BOBBY PIN IN BETWEEN.

IT NOT ONLY REFLECTS HER GROWTH AS A WOMAN, BUT THE SACRIFICES IT TOOK TO GET HER THERE.

>> I LEFT MY JOB JUNE OF 22 AND DECIDED TO PURSUE ARTFUL TIME.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO THE ART.

I WAS FEELING LIKE I NEEDED TO GIVE IT MY ALL TO DO WELL.

I WAS ALREADY STILL DOING LOCAL SHOWS AND SELLING WORK BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND I WAS NEVER GOING TO BE OKAY WITH GETTING WHATEVER IS LEFT OVER AFTER EVERYTHING ELSE SO I'M LIKE OKAY, I HAVE TO GIVE THIS THING MY ALL AT ONE POINT IN MY LIFE.

>> Reporter: FROM A SKETCH TO A COMPLETED MOSAIC, EACH PIECE TAKES AROUND TWO WEEKS TO COMPLETE.

SHE SAYS HER FUTURE FOCUS REMAINS ROOTED IN HER PASSION WHILE HOPEFULLY INSPIRING HER SONS GENERATION.

>> I THINK ART HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SPARK THE MINDS OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORLD CHANGERS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY SHOW THEM AND GUIDE THEM AND LEAVE A BLUEPRINT BUT ALSO THAT WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE FEEL EMPOWERED AND TO FIND A LIGHT WITHIN THEMSELVES WHETHER IN ART OR NOT BUT THEY CAN BE SPARKED WITH AN IDEA AND I THINK THAT IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT CHANGES THE WORLD.

>> SHE SAYS SHE IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHE CAN SHIP HER MOSAICS WITH THE BARRETTES REMAINING INTACT.

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

FOR THIS WEEKEND.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES", I AM ANGEL IDOWU.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING A PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

GOOD NIGHT.