HELLO AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THIS CONTRACT IS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION AND IT WILL COST MONEY.

CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT STACY DAVIS, GATES TALKS NEW UNION CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

YOUR WORLD, A PERSON WHO WORKS WITH THEIR 49 COLLEAGUES TO SET POLICY ON BIG CITYWIDE ISSUES.

AND WHAT DOES AN ALDERPERSON WBTW NEWS EXPLAINS.

AND CHICAGO'S COUNTRY MUSIC IS TAKING OVER THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE THIS PRIDE MONTH.

AND NOW TO SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

A VICTORY TODAY FOR ADVOCATES OF EARLY CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION.

I AM TRULY VERY PROUD TO USHER IN THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE IN ILLINOIS.

AS WE CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, OUR FIRST-EVER UNIFIED STATE AGENCY DEDICATED SUPPORTING ILLINOIS'S YOUNGEST CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.

THE NEW DEPARTMENT WILL CONSOLIDATE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS CURRENTLY OPERATED BY 3 DIFFERENT STATE AGENCIES, PLACING THEM ALL UNDER THIS NEW ONE.

THE PLAN WILL BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED IN 2026.

13 FAMILIES LIVING WITH HIV WILL HAVE A NEW HOME IN THE ENGLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HELP FROM CHICAGO, HOUSE AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY.

CHICAGO HAS EXTENDED A LIFELINE TO CHILDREN.

THEY PROVIDED NOT JUST AN APARTMENT BUT COMPREHENSIVE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES.

THAT ALLOWED ME TO REGAIN MY INDEPENDENCE AND REBUILD MY LIFE.

STANDING HERE TODAY AS THE DIRECT THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.

I AM LIVING PROOF.

I AM LIVING PROOF OF THE TRANSFER MADE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER UP SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JULIANA STRATTON JOIN THE ORGANIZATION TO CUT THE RIBBON ON ENGLEWOOD FAMILY HOMES IN A COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUES TO SEE A DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH RATE OF NEW HIV INFECTIONS.

THE SITE WILL ALSO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS ACCESS TO HIV TESTING AND CRUCIAL CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

THE OFFICE SPACE WILL ALSO HOST A HOUSING TEAM THAT MANAGES NEARLY 500 UNITS OF SCATTERED SITE AND RESIDENTIAL HOUSING FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH HIV AND HOMELESSNESS.

THE FAMILY OF A CHICAGO WOMAN SAYS SHE'S DISAPPEARED FROM A YOGA RETREAT IN THE BAHAMAS.

THEY SAY 41 YEAR-OLD TAYLOR CASEY WAS LAST SEEN AT THE 7 ROSTRUM YOGA RETREAT ON PARADISE ISLAND ON JUNE.

19TH.

THE ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE TO SHOOTING MISSING PERSONS POSTER 2 DAYS LATER.

HER MOTHER SAYS SHE BELIEVES CASEY IS IN DANGER BECAUSE SHE WENT TO THE RETREAT TO FULFILL A LIFELONG DREAM OF DEEPENING HER PRACTICE AND THEN SHARING IT WITH OTHERS UPON HER RETURN, HER MOTHER, COLLETTE SEYMOUR AND OTHERS ARE HEADING TO THE BAHAMAS TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

UP NEXT, ONE ON ONE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION.

CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS FAMILY.

THE GYM AND K MAYBE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS EXPIRES IN JUST 5 DAYS.

THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION WANTS RAISES IN THE NEW CONTRACT ALONG WITH ADVANCES ON OTHER ISSUES FROM HOMELESSNESS TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

BUT THOSE DEMANDS ARE BEING MADE AS THE DISTRICT FACES A NEARLY 400 MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT FOR THE COMING YEAR AND APPARENTLY LITTLE APPETITE IN SPRINGFIELD TO FIND MORE MONEY FOR CHICAGO SCHOOLS.

JOINING US NOW TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS IS STACY DAVIS.

GATES, OF COURSE, PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION.

WELCOME BACK.

STACEY, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

SO CURRENT TEACHERS CONTRACT, AS WE SAID, IT EXPIRES IN JUST A FEW DAYS.

TYPICALLY YOU PROBABLY A BIT FARTHER ALONG IN THE PROCESS BY NOW.

BEFORE WE GET TO THAT EXPIRATION DATE.

BUT HOW WOULD YOU SAY THINGS ARE GOING SO FAR?

AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT THIS TIME AROUND?

BECAUSE WE ALL RECALL WHAT HAPPENED?

LAST CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, RIGHT?

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE WOULD BE FURTHER ALONG AND TRYING TO MOVE THE DISTRICT TO A PLACE OF NEGOTIATION.

WE DO BELIEVE WE ARE IN A NEGOTIATION PHASE RIGHT NOW AND IT IS STILL A LITTLE THE CADENCE, THE VOICE THAT YOU DON'T HEAR FROM THE CTU IS ONE THAT IS CONFRONTATIONAL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MAYOR BEING CONFRONTATIONAL WITH US.

IN FACT, WE HAVE THE OPPOSITE.

WE HAVE A MAYOR WHOSE ENCOURAGE BOTH SIDES TO WORK TOGETHER TO FOMENT THIS TRANSFORMATION.

HE IS LEADING IN OUR CITY COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, CPS AND CTU WILL HELP THE FIRST EVER PUBLIC BARGAINING A SESSION.

WHY DID YOU ALL FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE DONE PUBLICLY?

LOOK, WE WANTED WE WANTED TO DO THIS SINCE 2012.

THIS HAS BEEN A BATTLE CRY OF OUR UNION SINCE KAREN LEWIS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF OUR UNION.

THEN AGAIN, WHEN JESSE SHARKEY LET US WHICH CHANGES THAT WE HAVE A MAYOR WHO'S WILLING TO PUT NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FRONT STREET, THE MAIN STREET, THE FRONT YARD OF OUR CITY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS CHICAGOANS GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH ACTUAL CUT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS.

AND WHAT YOU SEE IN HERE IN OPEN BARGAINING IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE IN AND NEGOTIATIONS ALWAYS FOCUS OF THE MOST RECENT SESSION WAS ON CREATING GREEN AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS.

LOT OF FOLKS CAN PROBABLY GET BEHIND BUT WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE WHEN PUBLIC BARGAINING AND WE KNOW IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THOSE LITTLE DETAILS.

THAT IS VERY HARD FOR THE 2 SIDES TO MEET IN LINE WILL I BELIEVE.

ONE IN 4 CHICAGOANS ARE SCHOOL AGE BECAUSE I BELIEVE ONE IN 4 CHICAGOANS ARE SCHOOL AGE.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THIS CONTRACT TO SHOW TRANSFORMATION.

WE HAVE TO SET A BENCHMARK THAT EVERY CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN HAVE ART MUSIC, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, A LIBRARIAN, THE LIBRARY IN EVERY SCHOOL SPORTS THAT ENCOMPASS ALL SEASONS IN THE SCHOOL A YEAR.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE THINK FAMILIES CAN GET BEHIND.

AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CERTAINLY THINK OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GET IT'S BEEN REPORTED THAT SEE TO USE ASKING FOR A 9% PAY INCREASE THIS TIME AND IN AN INTERVIEW HERE ON CHICAGO TONIGHT, LAST WEEK, CPS CHIEF PEDRO MARTINEZ NOTED THAT HE'S PROUD OF THE CURRENT PAY SCALE FOR CPS TEACHERS.

HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HE SAID.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAY SCHEDULES FOR TEACHERS IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGH STARTING SALARIES.

AVERAGE TEACHER SALARIES OVER $100,000.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR STAFF AND TEACHERS THAT I'VE SEEN BENEFITS OF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LESS TEACHER TURNOVER.

WE DON'T HAVE A SHORTAGE.

IS THAT OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE?

MARTINEZ ALSO SAYS THAT HE PRIORITIZES PROTECTING SUPPORTS FOR TEACHERS AS WELL AS STUDENTS AS WELL AS PROTECTING ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING REACTION THOUGHT, WELL, IF HE WAS INTERESTED IN PARTAKING SUPPORT STAND, OUR TEACHERS ASSISTANCE WOULD BE MADE WHOLE.

RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE IN A BIT OF A TENSION NEGOTIATION WITH THE DISTRICT OVER THE TEACHER ASSISTANCE THAT WERE LAID OFF.

THAT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THAT IS SUPPORT PERSONIFIED IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

AND, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THIS THING ABOUT FEELING GOOD ABOUT HAVING A LOWER TEACHER SHORTAGE.

STILL DOES THE TEACHER SHORTAGE AND SO I'M DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT SHORTAGE MEANS THAT HE'S GOING TO ACTIVELY RECRUIT BLACK TEACHERS WITH US.

WE GO TO HBCU NEWS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING SOME OF THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST TALENT BACK TO CHICAGO.

SO BLACK CHILDREN CAN SEE BLACK TEACHERS.

HE WOULD ALSO WORK WITH US AND PROGRAMMING THAT HELPS TO SUPPORT OUR NEWISH TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM SO HE CAN NOT ONLY SAY THAT ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

HE CAN ACTUALLY AGREE TO THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUAL PROPOSALS IN OUR CONTRACT.

SO LET'S GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE YOU'VE WRITTEN THAT PEDRO MARTINEZ IS, QUOTE, RESORTING TO BUSINESS AS USUAL IN WHAT WAY?

WELL, IN THE HOW CAN YOU ONE INTERVIEW THAT SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS IS IMPORTANT.

WELL, HAVING A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE OVERSIZE CLASSROOMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WORK IN THAT ANYMORE AND HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED.

LET OUR UNION IS 80% FEMALE.

OUR TEACHERS ASSISTANTS ARE OVER 80% BLACK AND BROWN AND MANY OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

IT IS OUR TEACHERS ASSISTANTS WHO ARE WELCOMING OUR NEWCOMERS, WHO SPEAK A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.

WE NEED THEM AS ANCHORS INTO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT HE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THERE THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LAID OFF THE TAS AND OR TEACHERS, ARE THEY NOT ABLE TO BE REHIRED AT SOME OF THE DISTRICT HIRING FAIRS IN POSITION TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS ARE HIRED AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS?

WELL, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT TRANSFORMATION.

AND THAT'S THE THING ABOUT THE MOMENT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

BRAND IS THAT BUSINESS AS USUAL TO DISRUPT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, SEND PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND HOPE THAT THEY RE SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.

WHAT WE WANT IS STABILITY FROM YEAR TO YEAR TO YEAR.

WE WANT TO BUILD A LEGACY OF SUCCESS AND STABILITY.

TAKE OUT THE VARIABILITY THAT YOU HAVE AND COMMUNITY SOUTH OF ROOSEVELT MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RICH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES IN WAYS IN WHICH THEIR STABILITY.

THERE'S A BIG MARK OF WHAT ALL FAMILIES CAN EXPECT TO HAVE AT ANY CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL.

SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO RECKON WITH IS THE MAYOR, THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS KNOWN TO BE AN ALLY OF CTU BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE.

OBVIOUSLY HE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY, BUT HE'S HE'S BEEN A FRIEND TO SEE TO YOU.

AND IF HE IS MAINTAINING CPS CEO PEDRO MARTINEZ IN HIS POSITION WHY SHOULDN'T WE BE SEEING MORE AND NICKEL RELATIONSHIP OR WHY ARE WE SEEING MORE AMICABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PICTURE?

IT DOESN'T SEEM TO YOU.

WELL, LOOK, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DEFINE AMICABLE.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THIS DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGED TO DO DIFFERENT DO DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.

THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO SIT AT A TABLE WITH WOMEN WHO ARE DOING THE WORK IN THAT BUILDING AND ACTUALLY SHIFT PRIORITIES.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT NEW MODALITIES IN NEW METHODOLOGIES AND WAYS IN WHICH TO STAFF THIS SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

BUT EVEN MORE SO WAYS IN WHICH THEY ENRICH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY WITH LIBRARIANS WITH SOCIAL WORKERS, WITH COUNSELORS, WITH COMMISSIONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THERE CURRENTLY, WE NEED A BASELINE AND YOU CAN GO TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT ZIP CODES AND GET SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH A BENCHMARK AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS EXPRESSING RIGHT NOW IS OUR DISTRICT IS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE DONE ALREADY WE'RE SAYING IS THAT CHICAGO CHOSE SOMEONE KNEW THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE PA DALLAS.

THEY CHOSE A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER AND THEN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER BELIEVES A SMALLER CLASS SIZES.

AND BECAUSE CHICAGO CHOSE THAT, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD.

YOU'VE JOKES THAT THE CONTRACT IS GOING TO COST 50, WHAT 1 BILLION?

50 BILLION DOLLARS AND $0.03 ON THE UNION MEMBERS, OF COURSE, HAVE LOBBIED SPRINGFIELD TO FULLY FUND CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE KNOW THAT THEY CREATED A RAMP FOR THE EVIDENCE BASE FUNDING FORMULA.

IT'S WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

BUT ON TOP OF THAT RAMP YET.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PROBABLY NOT THAT MUCH SUPPORT RIGHT NOW IN SPRINGFIELD FOR GIVING CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MORE MONEY.

HOW DO YOU ALL RESPOND TO THE AND STATE LAWMAKERS THAT IS THE CASE THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO GIVE MORE MONEY TO CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE DON'T THINK THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD ONLY BE GIVING MONEY TO THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

LISTEN, BUDGET CRUNCH THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO FILL ACROSS THE STATE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST BE IN CHICAGO.

SO WHAT ARE STATE LEGISLATORS AND OUR GOVERNOR HAD TO COME TO TERMS WITH IS THIS IDEA FIGURING OUT HOW TO MAKE ENDS MEET AT THE SAME TIME FOMENTING TRANSFORMATION IN THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE LARGEST CITY IN THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

THEY HAVE DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULLY FUNDED AND THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESERVE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

BUT I WANT TO ASK, OF COURSE, CHICAGO'S FIRST SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER.

47 CANDIDATES VYING FOR 10 SEATS.

HOW IS TO SUPPORTING THESE ELECTIONS?

ARE YOU MONEY TO ANY CANDIDATES FOOT SOLDIERS?

ARE YOU SUPPORTING ANY INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES OUT LOUD?

WELL, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCESS IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT A CHICAGO AND OUR MEMBERS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

SO THOSE DETAILS ARE FORTHCOMING.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE.

THEY'RE VERY EXCITED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THEY'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE SAME COMMUNITIES AS THEY RESIDE AND TO NOT GO INDOORS AND TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE.

THEY DESERVE A FULLY FUNDED EDUCATION.

THEY DESERVE JOY IN THEIR SCHOOL DAY.

THEY DESERVE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SAFE AND PROTECTIVE TO EVERYONE.

AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE DEMOCRACY THAT CHICAGO IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE IN NOVEMBER.

ALL RIGHT.

LOOK FOR TO HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT THIS CONTRACT AND THAT COMES TOGETHER, STACY.

AND OF COURSE, LATER ON WHEN THE BOARD IS IMPLEMENTED.

STACY DAVIS GATES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

YESTERDAY FORMER CHICAGO ALDERMAN ED BURKE WAS SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IN PRISON AND FINED 2 MILLION DOLLARS AFTER BEING CONVICTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES.

HE JOINS DOZENS OF PREVIOUS ALDER.

PEOPLE WHO'VE ALSO ENDED UP IN PRISON.

CERTAINLY NOT ALL ALL THE PEOPLE ARE CROOKS, BUT JUST WHAT DOES AN ALDERPERSON DO?

SHARON TELLS US IN THE LATEST EDITION OF WT TW NEWS EXPLAINS.

EVERY 4 YEARS.

RESIDENTS OF CHICAGO'S 50 WARDS PICK THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS OLDER PEOPLE.

THEY ARE BETWEEN 115 AND $150,000 A YEAR, NOT TOO SHABBY FOR A JOB THAT COMES WITH INSTANT SAYING AND ALLOWS FOR NEARLY UNLIMITED SIDE BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES AN ALDERPERSON DO?

THEIR OFFICIAL JOB CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 2 BIG BUCKETS, CITYWIDE DUTIES AND WARD SERVICES.

YOUR WORLD, A PERSON WORKS WITH THEIR 49 COLLEAGUES TO SET POLICY ON BIG CITYWIDE ISSUES LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION.

THEY ALSO DECIDE WHETHER TO RAISE OR LOWER TAXES AND HOW TO SPEND THOSE BOX BY PASSING A BUDGET WHICH THEY NEGOTIATE.

THE MAYOR WHO ISN'T A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PRESIDES OVER ITS MEETINGS.

THE MAYOR GETS TO PICK WHO SERVES AS CHAIRS.

THE CITY COUNCIL'S NEARLY 2 DOZEN COMMITTEES.

THOSE OLDER PEOPLE, REAL POWER AND GET TO DECIDE WHICH ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS GET A PIECE OF THE CITY HALL SPOTLIGHT AND STAND A CHANCE OF BECOMING LAW.

LIFE OUTSIDE CITY HALL CAN BE MUCH LESS GLAMOROUS.

OTHER PEOPLE ARE IN CHARGE OF PROVIDING DIRECT CITY SERVICES NEARLY 50,000 PEOPLE IN THEIR THAT THE POPULATION OF A WELL SIZE SUBURBS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, THOSE 50,000 CHICAGOANS WANT THAT POTHOLE FILLED NOW AND A NEW GARBAGE CART NOW AND THEY WANT THAT TREE IN THE PARK WEIGHT ROOM GUEST NOW.

BUT IN RETURN FOR DEALING WITH THE NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.

OLDER PEOPLE ARE FREE TO FUNCTION LIKE MANY MAYORS OF THEIR SMALL PART OF THE CITY AND ARE DECADES OLD TRADITION KNOWN AS ALDERMAN RIGHT, FUELED BY THE DIFFERENT TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

EACH ALL THE PERSON GETS TO DECIDE MUCH OF WHAT SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN THEIR WARD.

THAT MEANS IF, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WANT NEED SUPER NICE SPECIALTY CAPPING YOU BEST, GET THE THE PERSON ON BOARD BEFORE YOU SLEPT.

THE FIRST PUT PAINT ON THE WALLS.

WHILE MANY OLDER PEOPLE ARE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.

MORE THAN US U.S. LEFT THAT NEARLY UNCHECKED POWER GO TO THEIR HEADS AND ENDED UP BECOMING THE MANY MAYOR OF A MUCH SMALLER PIECE OF REAL ESTATE, A PRISON AND IF YOU THINK IT'S HARD TO GET THAT PART ROLE THAT PERSON'S BUSY SERVING THE COMMUNITY.

YOU'LL FIND THAT IT'S A LOT HARDER WHEN THEY'RE SERVING TIME.

YOU CAN CATCH MORE OF OUR AWARD-WINNING DIGITAL SERIES.

W T TW NEWS EXPLAINS ON OUR WEBSITE.

THERE IS A COUNTRY MUSIC MOVEMENT THAT IS GETTING LOUDER WITH CHICAGO LEADING THE BAND, THE COWBOY BOOT WHERE IN SOUTHERN DRAWL HAVEN'T SWING IN THE SWING.

AND JOHN ROWE HAS BIG ROOTS IN THE WINDY CITY AND THIS PRIDE MONTH IS PROVING IT ALSO HAS A DEEP CONNECTION WITH THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

JOINING US NOW, OUR ALEXA STEIN, AN ORGANIZER AT SOCIAL CLUB, RACHEL GORDON, GERMAN JOURNALISM PROFESSOR AT NORTHWESTERN AND MEMBER OF HASHTAG COUNTRY BAND WAGON.

IRIS MARLOW, A LOCAL OUT COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST AND ANDREW SAW A CHICAGO BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER AND COUNTRY CROONER.

WELCOME, EVERYBODY.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE SEGMENT.

AS YOU CAN ALEXA'S, LET'S START WITH YOU.

YOU'RE THE FOUNDER OF SOCIAL CLUB.

YOU HELP ORGANIZE SWAPPING BOOTS IS A POPULAR TO STEP NIGHT FOR CHICAGO'S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.

WHAT IS IT?

HOW DID IT START?

SO SWAPPING IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME EVERY TIME PEOPLE COME.

THEY HAVE A LITTLE HOUR-LONG TO SUP LESSON WITH BILLINGSLEY AND OR WHO ARE AMAZING MUSICIANS THEMSELVES.

AND THEN WE GET THE BAND GOING AND THERE'S COVERS OF COUNTRY SONGS AND THEN PEOPLE START DANCING ACTUALLY, ANDREW AND ROCHELLE HAVE BOTH BEEN PERFORMERS.

YEAH, IT JUST IT GOT WHEN LOCAL UNIVERSE AND DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO COLLABORATE WE HAD A CONVERSATION.

2 STEP CAME UP AS A AN EVENT POSSIBILITY AND I WAS LIKE YEAH.

YOU MENTIONED PURCELL.

YOUR BAND OF COUNTRY BAND WAGON AND HAS PLAYED AT SWAP AND BOOTS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT LIKE THIS IS SO POPULAR IN A CITY LIKE CHICAGO?

ONE THING THAT I HAVE DISCOVERED IS THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS IN CHICAGO GREW UP IN A PLACE WHERE COUNTRY MUSIC WAS ALL AROUND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY MIND THE SOUND OF IT.

EVEN LIKE THE SOUND OF IT.

THEY JUST DON'T LIKE THE SLICE THAT GETS PAID PLAYED ON COUNTRY RADIO WHEN I MEAN, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PANTS STARTING THIS FAN FOR ABOUT A YEAR TO OTHER LGBTQ PEOPLE.

IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY TIMES WHEN I SAID I WAS WORKING ON THAT PROJECT, THE RESPONSE F YEAH.

AND I THINK YOU KNOW IT IT.

THERE'S LIKE THIS IS A GREAT CITY.

TOLERANT CITY, INCLUSIVE CITY TO LIVE IN.

AND THIS IS A REALLY FUN EVENT WHERE YOU CAN HANG WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND I CAN TELL YOU AS SOMEONE WHO'S PLAYED ON STAGE AND LOOKED DOWN, IT IS SO DELIGHTFUL TO SEE ALL EVERY FLAVOR OF HUMAN BEING CAN IMAGINE DANCING WITH EVERY OTHER FLAVOR OF HUMAN BEING ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

IT'S MUCH FUN.

INJURIES LIKE SAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON IN MANY COUNTRY WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE DRAW THAT FOLKS HAVE TO COUNTRY MUSIC?

DRAW WELL, THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD REMARK ON IS THAT I HAVE.

BEEN SURPRISED EVERYWHERE I'VE GONE.

THERE IS A DROP AND A LARGE SOLD OUT SHOWS WHERE EVER I BEEN AND IT SOLD OUT BECAUSE MY NAME IS ON THE BILL AND SOLD OUT BECAUSE QUICK COUNTRY IS ON THE BILL.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF IDEAS.

US AND RACHEL KIND OF SPOKE ON I THINK YOU KNOW, GENDER ROLES ARE SUCH A BIG PART OF COUNTRY MUSIC IN ITS HISTORY.

THAT PEOPLE.

WE LIKE TO MESS WITH THAT.

IT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE FINAL FRONTIERS TO DO SO IN THE MUSIC WORLD.

COUNTRY MUSIC, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST REPUTATION.

AS RACHEL SAID WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AT LEAST IN THE MAINSTREAM, TYPICALLY DYNAMIC DOMINATED BY CISGENDER HETEROSEXUAL WHITE MEN.

LAST YEAR.

WE SAW HOW JASON TRIED THAT A SMALL TOWN CAUSED A BUNCH OF CONTROVERSY HAVE YET TURNED UP, YOU KNOW, DOWN NATIONALIST RHETORIC, IRIS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU RECONCILE YOUR LOVE FOR A GENRE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACCEPTING OF YOUR IDENTITY?

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTIONS.

SO I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN LESS THAN 1000 PEOPLE AND GROWING UP.

THERE WAS A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REPRESENTATION.

SO MEAN, SO MUCH TO ME TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT HAS TWISTED THAT NARRATIVE BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES OF COUNTRY MUSIC.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IT.

BUT THERE'S A HUGE VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BRINGING NEW NARRATIVES TO THE FRONT AND BRING NEW SOUNDS AND MAKING A SPACE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG BEFORE.

SO, YEAH, IT IS REALLY SPECIAL TO BE FROM A SMALL TOWN THAT HAS THAT INTO BIG CITY WHERE THAT'S NOT REALLY PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT MESSAGE AT ALL.

AND WE CAN MAKE NEW ONES MAKE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOMED.

AND I TALK ABOUT 2.

I DISCOVERED THAT THE SPACE EVEN EXIST BECAUSE BECAME A FAN MANAGERS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

I NOTICE THAT THERE WAS THIS THING CALLED THE COSMIC COUNTRY SHOW.

AND I CAME REALIZE THAT COSMIC PEOPLE'S CLEAR AND INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT, YOU COUNTRY MUSIC WAS JUST AN ANDREW THING.

AND THEN I DISCOVERED THERE'S THIS HUGE COMMUNITY THAT REVOLVES AROUND ANDREW.

AND THAT ALSO IS IN THE SPACE AND I WAS JUST A CHICAGO THING.

AND THEN I DISCOVERED NO, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY I SAID I STRETCH HASHTAG OR COUNTRY ON INSTAGRAM AND FOUND THIS AMAZING DEEP DIVE OF STAFF.

AND I KNOW MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY ARTISTS IN A SPACE THAT ARE MAKING GREAT MUSIC WHO ARE GENDER OR SEXUALITY NONCONFORMING EVERYTHING, GREAT MUSIC, NOT USUALLY DEALING WITH THE SAME SUBJECT MATTER THAT COUNTRY RADIO DEAL.

SO WHAT I WANT HEAR SOME OF THAT MUSIC BECAUSE FROM ANDREW YOUR THROWBACK TO SOME OF THE EARLIER A CLASSIC COUNTRY.

SOUNDS LIKE PATSY CLINE LORETTA LYNNE.

SO HERE IS A CLIP OF YOU COVERING LINDA RONSTADT, BLUE BAYOU.

E. WE TALKED ABOUT SORT DISRUPTING GENRE.

HOW WOULD YOU SAY YOUR ARTISTRY?

DOES THAT SUBVERTS THE NORMS?

WHAT CLEAR?

OUR DOESN'T SUPPORT THE HOW I TRY IS I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CRY.

100 MUSIC DO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT I ESPECIALLY FOCUS ON MEN.

WHAT I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

I THINK IT DOES.

I THINK IT IRA, SIMILAR QUESTION TO YOU.

HOW DO BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO GET TO MORE.

AND BUT HOW DO HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE TO SORT OF THIS CULTURAL SHIFT THAT WE'RE SEEING IT WITH OTHER, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER ARTISTS AS WELL LIKE BRANDI CARLILE AND OTHERS.

SO I LIKE TO MILAM HORROR FILMS AND KIND OF LIKE SCARY MOVIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHICH PEOPLE LOVE CORE AND SCARY MOVIES AND I WANT TO INTERTWINE THAT WITH PART OF MY HISTORY MY PAST.

AND THAT'S COUNTRY MUSIC.

SO THAT'S ALSO QUEERNESS AS WELL.

SO THAT'S MIXING ALL THAT TOGETHER IN MY OWN KIND OF VERSION OF WHAT COUNTRY MUSIC IS TO MAKE ALL HAPPEN.

ALEXIS, WHAT YOU GET US OUT HERE.

WE'VE GOT A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

BUT YOU CREATED SOCIAL CLUB BECAUSE YOU SAW NEED FOR A COMMUNITY IN CHICAGO FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT'S NEXT?

WELL, THERE ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS ON THE HORIZON AND RING ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING VERY EXCITING TOGETHER THIS A CLEAR AMERICANA FESTIVAL.

SO STAY TUNED FOR WHAT IS WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

MY THANKS TO ALL OF THE ALEXA STEIN, IRIS MARLOW, RACHEL GORDON, ANDREW SAW THINGS EVERYBODY AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS TUESDAY NIGHT AND YOU CAN GET CHICAGO TONIGHT STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OUR WEBSITE W T TW DOT COM SLASH NEWS.

YOU CAN ALSO GET THE SHOW VIA PODCAST AND THE PBS VIDEO APP AND JOIN US TOMORROW AT 5, 30 10 FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, BLACK VOICES PLANS TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY.

AND ONE MAN'S MISSION TO GET EVERYONE RUNNING WITH HIS RUN FOR ALL OF US HERE IN CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

CAPTIONED MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFF AND CLIFFORD WHICH IS PROUD TO HONOR FOUNDER AND SENIOR PARTNER, ROBERT NAMED FORBES