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

I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN .

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON TONIGHT'S SHOW, HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK CHICAGOANS ARE UP 50% THIS YEAR.

WE TALK ABOUT HATE CRIME REPORTING AND HOW THE CITY CAN BETTER SUPPORT VICTIMS.

>>> THE RIGHT TO VOTE, EVEN WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD, A FOLLOW-UP TO OUR PERMANENT PUNISHMENT SERIES, EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE LEGAL SYSTEM KNOW WHAT RIGHTS THEY STILL HAVE.

>>> SUPREME COURT TAKES UP TWO CASES ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, WE BREAKDOWN THE ARGUMENTS.

>> THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR CREATIVITY, THEIR PASSIONS, THEIR DESIRES ARE AS IMPORTANT AS ANYONE ELSE'S.

>>> AN ORGANIZATION ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS USING ART THERAPY FOR STUDENTS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

ALL THAT COMING UP, BUT OUR FIRST TONIGHT, CHICAGO'S RISE IN HATE CRIMES.

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

>> AT FIFTH THIRD, WE BELIEVE WHEN VOICES ARE EMPOWERED -- WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" BLACK VOICES.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>>> HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK CHICAGOANS UP 50% SO FAR THIS YEAR.

CHICAGO HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONER NANCY -- SAYS THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY TARGETED GROUPS OF HATE CRIMES.

THE AGENCY SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED REPORTS OF 16 HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK CHICAGOANS AS OF LAST MONTH, WHILE THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED 27 ANTIBLACK HATE CRIME REPORTS THIS YEAR ALONE.

JOINING US NOW ARE JERMAINE BELL, PROFESSOR OF LAW AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO SCHOOL OF LAW, AND KAREN FRIEDMAN-WILSON, CEO OF -- URBAN LEAGUE.

X FOR JOINING US.

JERMAINE BELL, LET'S START WITH YOU.

REMIND US FIRST, WHAT CONSTITUTES A HATE CRIME?

WHO MAKES THAT DETERMINATION?

>> A HATE CRIME IS A CRIME MOTIVATED BY BIAS ON THE BASIS OF RACE, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION -- IT DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC LAW CONTAINING THE CATEGORY.

AGAIN, THESE ARE CATEGORIES, NOT INDIVIDUALS.

SO, A HATE CRIME IS A CRIME MOTIVATED BY BIAS RELATED TO MEMBERSHIP IN A PARTICULAR CATEGORY, AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO DETERMINE WHETHER A GIVEN CRIME IS A HATE CRIME ARE THE PROSECUTORS WHO PROSECUTE HATE CRIMES.

>> WE SAID THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS RECEIVED REPORTS OF 16 HATE CRIMES AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE THIS YEAR, AND CPD RECEIVED 27 REPORTS, AN INCREASE OVER PREVIOUS YEARS.

JANINE, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?

>> I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE REALLY LOW.

IN A CITY THE SIZE OF CHICAGO, YOU SHOULD HAVE MANY MORE -- ONE WOULD EXPECT, MANY MORE REPORTS OF HATE CRIMES.

SO, I THINK THERE ARE HATE CRIMES THAT ARE NOT BEING REPORTED.

>> KAREN FRIEDMAN-WILSON, I SEE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THESE NUMBERS 2 >> I AGREE WITH THE PROFESSOR.

I THINK THAT IS LOW REPORTING.

I BELIEVE WE MAY NOT BE AS AWARE OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION AS ONE MIGHT THINK, AND THAT THEY JUST HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT HATE CRIMES.

>> AND OF COURSE, THE COMMISSION REPORTS THAT BLACKS ARE ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY TARGETED GROUPS.

KAREN FREEMAN-WILSON, BACK TO YOU.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS IN A CITY LIKE CHICAGO?

>> I THINK THAT YOU SEE THAT INCIDENTS OF HATE CRIMES AMONG BLACK PEOPLE OR AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE IS A GENERAL ATMOSPHERE OF NOT -- OF BIAS AGAINST DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

IN THIS INSTANCE, BLACK PEOPLE.

BUT THERE IS AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY CAN SAY WHATEVER TO WHOMEVER , AND THAT THEY CAN , IN FACT, EXPRESS HATEFUL OPINIONS , AND THAT THEY CAN DO IT OUT LOUD.

>> JANINE BELL, WHY DO YOU HATE CRIMES GO UNREPORTED OR UNDERREPORTED?

>> INDIVIDUALS MAY FEAR THE POLICE .

THEY MAY MISS TRUST THE POLICE.

IF THE POLICE ARE NOT SHOWING THEMSELVES AS OPEN TO THE INVESTIGATION OF HATE CRIMES AND CATCHING PERPETRATORS AS IN OTHER CONTEXTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT SHOW THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO HELP VICTIMS , INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TARGETED BY HATE CRIMES, THEN THERE IS LITTLE IMPETUS TO REPORT.

>> AND KAREN, OF COURSE, THE POLICE MISS TRUST FACTOR, JANINE BROUGHT THAT UP.

PEOPLE -- GOING TO THESE.

WHAT SHOULD THE CITY BE DOING TO BETTER SUPPORT BLACK CHICAGOANS, OR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF HATE CRIMES?

>> POLICE-COMMUNITY TRUST IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE.

I THINK TO GET PEOPLE TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE, YOU REALLY NEED TO LET THEM KNOW FIRST, WHAT A HATE CRIME IS, SECOND, WHERE THEY CAN GO, AND TO PUBLICIZE IT HIGHLY IN PLACES LIKE CHURCHES AND OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP, LIKE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CHICAGO URBAN LEAGUE, SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE A RESOURCE.

I THINK THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS.

YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SAY ANYTHING TO YOU AND -- HATE SPEECH, AND NOT REPORT IT.

>> JANINE BELL, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER HATE CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM IN PLACE?

>> IN EVERY DISTRICT, IN EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WOULD BE AN INDIVIDUAL OFFICER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF HATE CRIME.

THERE WOULD BE OUTREACH TO DIFFERENT VICTIMS ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT NEW THAT YOU CONTACT THIS PARTICULAR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU CONTACT THE VICE UNIT, AND THE POLICE OVERALL.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TARGETED BY HATE CRIMES.

>> AT THAT POINT, HOW WOULD COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BETTER SUPPORT REPORTING HATE CRIMES?

>> THEY COULD MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE A FIRST STEP.

>> KAREN, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF HATE CRIMES GOING UNREPORTED?

>> I THINK THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNREPORTED HATE CRIMES IS THAT YOU SEE MORE HATE CRIMES, MORE HATE SPEECH, MORE ACTIONS AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT , AND YOU HAVE MORE VICTIMIZATION.

>> SO, THERE ARE CONCERNS EXPRESSED, OR THERE WERE CONCERNS EXPRESSED, DURING THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET COMMITTEE, DURING WHICH THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS SHARED THESE HATE CRIME NUMBERS.

THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT WILL GO UP, AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

KAREN, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ELECTION PLAYS IN THIS?

>> I THINK THE POLITICAL CLIMATE HAS DRIVEN THE INCREASE IN HATE SPEECH .

POLITICAL SPEECH CAN SOMETIMES BE LACED WITH HATE.

WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN IT DURING THIS RECENT GOVERNOR'S RACE.

THERE HAVE BEEN STATEMENTS JUST ABOUT CHICAGO , AND IT IS LARGELY DRIVEN, I WOULD ARGUE, BY RACE.

SO, AS WE GET INTO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AS WE CONTINUE, WE WILL SEE MORE HATE SPEECH.

>> SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY UNFORTUNATE, BUT SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, GOING FORWARD THESE NEXT TWO MONTHS AND THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS AS WE APPROACH THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

JANINE BELL, KAREN FREEMAN-WILSON, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> THE GENERAL ELECTION IS JUST DAYS AWAY, AND ALREADY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN CHICAGO HAVE VOTED EARLY OR BY MAIL.

ACROSS THE STATE, THERE IS A POPULATION OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND GAINED IT BACK.

SOME OF THEM ARE NOT AWARE OF IT.

-- PATCHWORK OF STATE LAWS IN THE U.S. MIGHT MAKE IT CONFUSING FOR ANYONE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD TO KNOW WHETHER THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THEIR STATE.

IN THIS FOLLOW-UP TO OUR SERIES "PERMANENT PUNISHMENT", HOW ADVOCATES ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS KNOW THEIR RIGHTS IN ILLINOIS.

>> BUILD A NETWORK OF POWER, UNDERSTAND?

BECAUSE THEY CHANGE -- >> WHEN I WAS IN PRISON -- COULD NOT VOTE.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT RETURNS TO YOU WHEN YOU BECAME A CITIZEN AGAIN FOR THEY DO A GREAT JOB MAKING YOU NOT REALIZE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, I WAS SHOCKED.

IT IS ONE OF THOSE RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE MOMENT YOU CATCH A FELONY.

>> KNOWING THEY HAVE THAT IN THEIR BACKGROUND -- >> IN ILLINOIS, IT IS PRETTY CUT AND DRY.

WHILE YOU ARE IN PRISON , YOU CANNOT VOTE.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU GET OUT -- YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE IS RESTORED.

YOU JUST HAVE TO REREGISTER.

>> THOUGHT I COULD NOT VOTE, HAVE A FELONY COMMISSION, YOU TELL THEM THEY CAN, THEIR EYES GET BIG.

>> THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAD A FELONY IN, LIKE, 1986.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN OUT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE SINCE THEN.

>> IT IS A FORM OF VOTER SUPPRESSION, OR AT LEAST I THINK IT IS.

>> -- A PLACE LIKE THE COOK COUNTY JAIL -- TALK ABOUT RACIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL DISPARITIES -- 70% OF THAT JAIL POPULATION IS BLACK PEOPLE.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN SO MUCH OF THAT PRISON IS BLACK, WENT BLACK PEOPLE REPRESENT 30% OF THE POPULATION OF THE STATE?

DISPARATE IMPACT ON OUR CHIEF REPRESENTATION IN THE CITIZENSHIP.

>> HUGE, YOU HAVE ROUGHLY 6000 PEOPLE INCARCERATED, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THERE ARE WAITING FOR TRIAL.

>> CHICAGO VOTE, WE COME HERE EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

>> JAIL IS PRETRIAL, THAT IS WHILE YOU ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT.

YOU ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, SUPPOSEDLY.

WELCOME, WELCOME.

TAKE A SEAT, ANY SEAT.

>> THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

THEY ARE WAITING FOR TRIAL INSIDE COUNTY JAIL.

>> I NEED YOU TO SIGN IT THERE, AND PUT THE DATE.

PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I DID NOT KNOW I HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

THEN, THEY SAY FOR WHAT?

WHAT ARE YOU VOTING ON?

JUDGES.

STATE ATTORNEYS, STATE LAWMAKERS.

THE COOK COUNTY SHERIFF.

THESE ARE INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL ELECTIONS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY DETAINED PRETRIAL.

THERE WAS A REALIZATION THAT THESE FOLKS NEEDED ACCESS -- SAME-DAY VOTER REGISTRATION.

>> SO, IN 2019, THE COUNTY JAIL BECAME A POLLING LOCATION, THE FIRST JAIL IN THE COUNTRY TO BE NAMED SUCH.

>> BEING ABLE TO VOTE IS ONE OF THE CLEAREST WAYS, EASIEST TO IDENTIFY -- WE KNOW THAT WE BELONG.

FOR EXAMPLE, TO THIS COUNTRY, TO THIS -- THANK YOU, IN ILLINOIS, PEOPLE ON PROBATION AND PAROLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

BUT CURRENTLY, PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

>> THE RACIAL BIAS YOU SEE IN OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM IS REFLECTED IN AND AMPLIFIED BY FELONY DISENFRANCHISEMENT LAWS.

>> WHEN YOU HELP PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, IT EMPOWERS THEM.

IT MAKES THEM WANT TO BE MORE ENGAGED IN THEIR CIVIC DUTY , AND MAKES THEM WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING AS CITIZENS.

>> THE POWER IS THE VOICE, THE POWER IS THE NUMBERS, THE POWER IS THE PEOPLE.

KNOWING THAT, WE CAN CHANGE LEGISLATION BY APPOINTING THE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT OUR VALUES, OUR MORALS, OUR GOALS, AND REALLY WANT TO HELP US.

WE BECOME AWARE WE HAVE POWER IN VOTING.

SO, THE ABILITY TO SWAY ELECTIONS IS POWER.

>> THE GROUP CHICAGO VOTE SAYS IT IS ADVOCATING SENATE BILL 8.8, WHICH WOULD RESTORE VOTING RIGHTS TO PEOPLE DURING INCARCERATION IN ILLINOIS.

THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION SHOWED ONLY TWO OTHER STATES HAVE DONE THAT, MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

>>> UP NEXT, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS.

>>> SUPREME COURT JUSTICES ARE HEARING ARGUMENTS ON TWO CASES ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

ONE DEALS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, THE OTHER, HARVARD.

THE COURT 'S CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONGOING USE OF RACE IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, SIGNALING THE HEIGHT COURT COULD RULE THAT RACE CANNOT BE USED IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS.

-- A PORTION OF HIS CONVERSATION WITH LITIGATOR, ALAN KING AND NORTHWESTERN LAW PROFESSOR PAUL DOUBTER.

THEY START WITH A SUMMARY OF THE TWO CASES.

>> TWO INDEPENDENT CHALLENGES OF -- REALLY ORGANIZATION TO CHALLENGE THE USE OF RACE AS PART OF A HOLISTIC EVALUATION OF STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION PURPOSES.

SO, THE NORTH CAROLINA ONE IS UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

THE HARVARD ONE IS UNDER A FEDERAL STATUTE PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION.

>> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE CASE, BUT JUSTICE COULD TONYA BROWN JACKSON -- HARVARD.

SHE HAS RECUSED HERSELF FROM THE HARVARD CASE BUT IS ON THE NORTH CAROLINA CASE.

NOW, THE ARGUMENTS THE PLAINTIFFS ARE MAKING, HERE -- AND THE DEFENSE THE GOVERNMENT IS MAKING?

>> WELL, YEAH.

I THINK, BASICALLY, THE ONE ARGUMENT IS THAT THERE IS NO LONGER -- FOR CONSIDERING THE ISSUE OF RACE AMONG FACTORS , SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE RECENT ATTACKS ON THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

I OBVIOUSLY THINK THERE IS STILL A NEED TO CONSIDER RACE , BOTH FROM THE NOTION OF REALLY -- THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT EXPERIENCE -- MORE ABOUT THAT BUT I THINK -- QUESTION, WHAT THE OTHER SIDE IS ARGUING -- AS TO THE ENRICHMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

>> IT HAS BEEN -- FOR SEVERAL DECADES, ESTABLISHED BY THE SUPREME COURT.

LIKE IN THE DOBBS CASE, IT IS OVERTURNING ANOTHER MAJOR PRECEDENT -- THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, DEFENDING THIS CASE, ARGUED THERE COULD BE PROFOUND CONSEQUENCES -- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

WHAT DO THOSE CONSEQUENCES BE?

>> WHAT -- UNDERSTAND IS THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE COMING INTO COLLEGE FROM BACKGROUNDS WHERE -- THE FACT OF OUR RACIAL INJUSTICE IN SOCIETY IS VERY PRESENT.

THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE WAY STUDENTS OF COLOR ARE OFTEN EDUCATED UNDER REGIMES WHERE, BECAUSE OF THE DISPARATE INCOMES BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT, THINGS LIKE THE AVAILABILITY OF AP CLASSES, THE EFFECT OF UNFAIR ALLOCATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD -- ALL THESE FACTORS CAUSE STUDENTS OF COLOR MANY TIMES TO NOT HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL RECORD OF STUDENTS FROM MORE PRIVILEGED ENVIRONMENTS.

SO, WITHOUT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, EVEN TO CAPTURE THE TRUE ABILITY OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT STARTED OUT -- THINK ABOUT -- VERSUS ENGLEWOOD, RIGHT?

WITHOUT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, REALLY, THE SCHOOL -- CAPACITY TO FIND THAT TALENT.

>> ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT, I CAN CERTAINLY -- THIS POINT -- THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE AMERICA HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ENGAGED ON THE ISSUE OF DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

THOSE COMPANIES ARE OUT THERE, SETTING, IN MANY CASES, VERY AGGRESSIVE GOALS, COMPANIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE PIPELINE FOR QUALIFIED, OUTSTANDING, DIVERSE TALENTS IS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

IF THIS GETS OVERTURNED, YOU ARE GOING TO RUN INTO A CONFLICT OF THOSE TWO SOCIETAL VALUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.

>> NEVERTHELESS, PAUL, IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE QUESTIONING FROM THE CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES, THEY ARE VERY SKEPTICAL OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND ITS IMPACT OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES.

WOULD THAT BE KIND OF A TELL -- THIS FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE OVERTURNED.

>> THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE SIX VOTES ON THE COURT THAT ARE ALL VERY CONSERVATIVE.

I THINK IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY, AT LEAST IN THE NORTH CAROLINA CASE.

ONE QUESTION YOU HAVE TO ASK AS A MATTER OF LAW IS, WHY ARE THE SAME ARGUMENTS PRESENT IN THE NORTH CAROLINA CASE AND THE HARVARD CASE?

THE HARVARD CASE IS UNDER A FEDERAL ANTIDISCRIMINATION STATUTE, BUT WE KNOW FROM A LOT OF OTHER FEDERAL AND DISSEMINATION STATUTES LIKE TITLE VII, THE EMPLOYMENT SECTION, THAT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS PERMITTED UNDER THOSE.

SO, ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE COURT IS, WHY WOULD YOU DECIDE A CONSTITUTIONAL CASE AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND A STATUTORY CASE AGAINST HARVARD THE SAME?

THEY ARE A DIFFERENT STANDARD.

>> TWO DIFFERENT CASES.

JUSTICE BROWN JACKSON BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING ARGUMENT -- LIKE VETERAN STATUS, OR PARENTAL STATUS BE A FACTOR AS WELL.

IS THAT A COMPELLING ARGUMENT?

>> I THINK IT IS.

PEOPLE TRY TO ISOLATE AND SINGLE OUT THE ISSUE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, BUT THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE PLUS FACTORS, IF YOU WILL, IN THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, LEGACY GENERALLY GIVES YOU A POINT, AS THE JUSTICE WILL SAY TODAY , VETERAN STATUS , INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES -- >> AGAIN, THAT WAS PARIS SCHUTZ WITH NORTHWESTERN LAW -- AND LITIGATOR ALAN KANE.

TO WATCH THEIR FULL CONVERSATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

>>> WE FIRST INTRODUCED YOU TO -- AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WITH THEIR ART THERAPY MODEL HELPING COMMUNITIES PROCESS LIFE EXPERIENCES.

THEN, THEY CONTINUED THAT MODEL WITH -- FORMER AND CURRENTLY INCARCERATED YOUTH.

OUR CORRESPONDENT -- TAKES US BACK, THIS TIME WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO ONE OF THEIR NEWER PROGRAMS.

MAC JUSTICE, THAT IS THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM CREATED BY SKY ART TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE -- YOUTH -- JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

INSTEAD OF TALK THERAPY, THEY ARE UTILIZING ART THERAPY.

>> OVER THERAPY IS THE TERM WE USE, WHERE THEY HAD TO TELL THEIR TRAUMA STORY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO REVERSE THAT A LITTLE -- INSTEAD OF EXPECTING THEM TO RECOUNT THEIR TRAUMA, WE ACTUALLY INVITE THEM TO EXPRESS THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> PROGRAM DIRECTOR -- VAN HOUTMAN -- SAYS IT IS IN -- THAT BEGAN RIGHT AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THEY ARE ABLE TO VISIT THREE DIFFERENT FACILITIES ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO PRACTICE THIS MODEL.

>> OVER CRIMINALIZE FROM THE TIME THEY ARE BORN -- THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE NURTURING -- FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS -- POORLY FUNDED EDUCATION -- WE START TRYING TO GET THEM TO THINK -- I CANNOT THIS, DON'T KNOW HOW -- THAT IS WHAT WE TELL THEM DO WHATEVER YOU CAN, MAKE LINES, MAKE MARKS, MAKE COLORS.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER DRAWN CAN MAKE MARKINGS.

WE LET THEM START THEIR -- LET US HELP THEM COVER THOSE THINGS UP, THEN EVENTUALLY, THEY GAIN SKILLS, JUST DRAWING , ABSTRACTING -- THEY LEARN ART SKILLS THAT ARE MORE ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING, ABOUT WHY WE ARE MAKING WHAT WE ARE MAKING.

>> -- PARTICIPATING MEMBERS CURRENTLY RESIDE -- BEFORE ENTERING THE PROGRAM, HE ONLY SAW DRAWING AS SOMETHING TO DO WHEN BORED.

>> AT FIRST I DID NOT LOOK AT IT -- [ INAUDIBLE ] BUT NOW, I CAN CLEAR MY MIND [ INAUDIBLE ] ON WHAT I WANT TO DRAW.

>> WE HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE AS AN ARTIST.

THE COLLABORATIVE PIECES [ INAUDIBLE ] FEEL LIKE THEY CANNOT RELY ON ANYBODY, THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF VALUE.

SO, IN WORKING TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH US, IT HELPS REWORK THAT POWER DYNAMIC A LITTLE.

>> 21-YEAR-OLD ADAM MARTINEZ JOINED THE PROGRAM AT 18.

HE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS -- WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB.

WHILE HE DOES NOT MAKE ART AS MUCH ANYMORE, HE SAYS THE LESSONS HE LEARNED IN THE PROGRAM STILL HAVE IMPACT ON HIM.

>> I DO FIND IT THERAPEUTIC.

DRAWING OR PAINTING -- [ INAUDIBLE ], YOU KNOW?

OUT OF MY HEAD.

[ INAUDIBLE ] JUST LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ] THE SAME FACES , THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE START GETTING INTO TROUBLE.

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE GOT SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

[ INAUDIBLE ] BEST BEHAVIOR SO YOU GET TO GO TO THE PROGRAM.

>> ALL THEIR WORK IS ON DISPLAY IN A THREE-PART EXHIBITION TITLED [ INAUDIBLE ] TEACHERS BY THE YOUTH PROGRAM -- AS WELL AS -- ARTIST.

>> ESPECIALLY AS A JUVENILE, YOU KNOW [ INAUDIBLE ] AFTER SOMETIME, YOU JUST REALIZE [ INAUDIBLE ] WHO YOU GREW UP AROUND [ INAUDIBLE ] SOME PEOPLE GROW OUT OF THAT, THOUGH.

>> CREATING ACCESS, THOSE FOLKS, WE CALL THEM CONTEMPORARY ART VIEWING FOLKS.

THAT AUDIENCE WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE UNDERSTANDING OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT INCARCERATION.

PUTTING -- YOUTH ALONGSIDE THE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, WE ARE PLACING THE SAME VALUE ON IT AS THE WORK BY THESE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS.

I THINK CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS -- >> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" BLACK VOICES, I AM ANGEL ITO.

>> VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO SEE THE EXHIBITION AT ONE OF ITS THREE LOCATIONS.

THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEKEND.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, NEWS.WTTW.COM.

THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT'S PROPOSED SPENDING PLAN FOR 2023 -- ON MONDAY.

AND WITH ELECTION DAY JUST AROUND THE CORNER, ONTO THE, CHECK OUT OUR WTTW VOTER GUIDE, HERE FROM THE CANDIDATES IN THEIR OWN WORD WHY THEY WANT YOUR VOTE.

THAT IS AT WTTW.COM/VOTER GUIDE.

-- SUNDAYS, BEGINNING AT 10 P.M., AND -- AT 7:00 ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

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

THANKS FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.