>>> AS MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON CLOSES OUT HIS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE CHICAGOANS ARE WATCHING THIS NEW AIR UNFOLD.

PUBLIC SAFETY, COST OF LIVING, JOB RII DUTIES, SCHOOLS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TOP THE LONG LIST OF ISSUES THEY HOPE TO SEE THE MAYOR ADDRESS.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE AS JACKSON FLOORS , ANTONIO SANTOS, AND NORMAL RIOS, I WANT TO WELCOME ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR ALL THREE OF YOU.

I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, JACKSON.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT MAYOR JOHNSON NEEDS TO ADDRESSES?

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS THAT ARE LIMITING .

THIS IS A TRIPLE -- WHICH ULTIMATELY AFFECTS THE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT IS AN ECOSYSTEM.

I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE INCLUSION AND THIS IS THE PATHWAY FOR CHANGE AND ALL DIFFERENT FACETS OF THIS INDUSTRY .

>> WE WILL TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES AND ALL LATER ON.

>> I AGREE THAT SYSTEMIC ISSUES ARE THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING.

WE THINK OF COST-OF-LIVING, INFLATION, -- ARE DEFINITELY TOP PRIORITY.

>> I THINK IT IS A LOT OF THINGS, RIGHT?

SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FACING.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE LACKING FUNDING.

SO, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A LONG TIME.

I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED.

>> JACKSON, LET'S TALK BUSINESS.

YOU ARE ALSO A COFOUNDER OF A NONPROFIT THAT SUPPORTS BALL BUSINESSES.

WHAT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO IN THE SHORT TERM.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT THE LAST TIME .

>> THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT?

SO, IN THE SHORT TERM, IT IS STILL GOING TO BE ABOUT ALIGNING HIMSELF AND CREATING A TEAM THAT'S GOING TO CARRY OUT THE ACTION, RIGHT?

HE SAID A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK IN THE PRESS AND THE LEADING UP TO INNOVATION.

HE HAS DONE A LOT TO PROVE IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT ACTION.

THE REALITY IS IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COLLECTIVE WORK.

BETWEEN COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE OUT WHATEVER INITIATIVES ARE AT THE TOP OF MINE.

>> YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN HELPING OUT AND RECENTLY ARRIVED MIGRANTS TO CHICAGO.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM THE NEW MAYOR?

>> I THINK THAT OUR RESPONSE TO THE NEW ARRIVALS AND MIGRANTS HAS BEEN A LITTLE SLOW.

WE SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL TRICKLING IN TO THE CULTURAL CENTER.

LAST WEEK WE HAD 14 PEOPLE COME IN LOOKING FOR HOUSING, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT.

THEY HAVEN'T COME TO FRUITION QUICK ENOUGH.

IF WE ARE GOING TO CALL THE CRISIS, WE NEED CRISIS MANAGEMENT.

WE NEED IMMEDIATE NEEDS MET .

HOUSING, FOOD, SAFETY.

>> DO YOU THINK THE ADMINISTRATION WILL TAKE CARE OF IT?

>> WE HOPE THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

IF THEY DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT, WE CERTAINLY WILL VOCALIZE THE NEEDS THAT WE ARE SEEING AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED .

>> NORMA, LOGAN SQUARE HAS HAD SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT IN RECENT YEARS.

WHAT CAN RESEARCH DO TO IMPROVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE AND ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY AS WELL?

>> THANK YOU.

WE BROUGHT UP A LOT OF INITIATIVES AND WE JUST NEED TO SEE CONTINUED SUPPORT.

THAT 606 ORDINANCE NEEDS TO STAY IN PLACE.

WE NEED TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ARE BUILT WITH EVERY DEVELOPMENT.

THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP.

WE NEED SOMEONE TO CHAMPION THOSE NEW INITIATIVES OR THOSE DIFFERENT WAYS OF HELPING OUR FAMILY.

HAVE A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO HELP PEOPLE BUY AFFORDABLE HOMES.

IT MEANS CONTINUED SUPPORT, RIGHT?

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND FIND NEW SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BETTER THAN THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE THAT ARE KEEPING THAT SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION AND ROOTED IN RACISM.

IT KEEPS US IN THE SAME STAGNANT POSITION.

>> WHAT'S THE FEELING -- WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION?

>> I THINK WE ARE ALL REALLY HOPEFUL.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

AND THAT OUR WORK IS GOING TO BE AMPLIFIED.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN THE ADMINISTRATION.

25 YEARS AGO WE STARTED THE PARENT PROGRAM IN LOGAN SQUARE.

NOW IT IS IN APPROXIMATELY ONE OF EVERY SCHOOLS.

I KNOW THAT BRANDON JOHNSON CAN UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF ENGAGEMENT PETTER.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO AMPLIFIES THOSE PROGRAMS.

>> THE SMALL BUSINESSES OR OWNERS, RATHER, THINK THIS WILL BE AN ADMINISTRATION THAT WILL BE WILLING TO WORK WITH -- OR ENTERPRISE.

>> I THINK IT IS A MIXED BAG RIGHT NOW.

COMING OFF OF THE LAST WAVE OF THE ADMINISTRATION , EMPTY PROMISES, NOT A LOT OF FULFILLMENT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PROMISE A LOT.

BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LEAN INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN WITH THE MAYOR ELECT FOR COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLES AND IT WAS BUSINESS OWNERS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

COMMUNITY LEADERS, OWNERS, AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE BUT IT WAS EVEN BETTER TO SEE PEOPLE THAT DON'T NORMALLY GET THE CHANCE TO HAVE THAT PART -- TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE MOST MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS?

JOHNSON SAID HE IS PLANNING ON REOPENING MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK IT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

IT WAS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE WHEN THEY CLOSE THESE CLINICS.

THAT IS ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE JOHNSON'S PLANS TO EXPAND.

A FEW CLINICS FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS NOT ENOUGH.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE IN SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS AND WE ADDRESS WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY BECOME ISSUES THAT LEAD TO MORE POLICING.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION TO DO ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY?

>> I GENUINELY FEEL THAT THIS IS ABOUT US EMBRACING COMMUNITY CARE, RIGHT?

THEY'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.

THE KEY IS TO EMBRACE OUR YOUTH, OFFER THEM MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

OFFER THEM WORK EMPLOYMENTS.

OFFER OUR SCHOOLS.

MAKE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO EMBRACE THE FAMILY AS A WHOLE AND GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ULTIMATELY NEED.

>> RIGHT.

NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CPS.

JOHNSON HAS SOME EXPERIENCE THERE.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BETTER THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO AS A LEADER IS LOOK AT -- , RIGHT?

ULTIMATELY IT IS WHO IS HOLDING HIM ACCOUNTABLE.

BUT ALSO HELP SHAPE WHAT THE FUTURE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT [ INAUDIBLE ].

HE IS ALSO FATHER.

EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST 10 YEARS IS NOT WORKING.

>> ANTONIO, WE ARE VERY SHORT ON TIME BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE NEW MAYOR IF HE WAS SITTING HERE WITH US RIGHT NOW?

>> I WOULD CONGRATULATE THE NEW MAYOR AND TELL HIM THAT CHICAGO IS AT A POINT OF DIRE NEED.

THINGS AREN'T WORKING THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN.

IT IS TIME FOR RADICAL CHANGE IN THE FORM OF INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DIVESTED FOR DECADES.

KEEP HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND MOVE