>>> PREPPING MORE MILLENNIALS FREE FEATURE IN CIVIC LEADERSHIP IS THE MISSION OF A LOCAL ORGANIZATION.

THEY STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED AN IMPACT ON CHICAGO POLITICS.

THIS IS A COFOUNDER OF THE ORGANIZATION.

IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF A CONSULTING AGENCY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START THIS PROGRAM?

>> I WAS WITH FRIENDS TALKING ABOUT THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN OUR GENERATION.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IN PAST GENERATIONS, EACH STEP OF THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SECTOR AND WE WERE MISSING THAT.

I SPOKE WITH THE FORMER TREASURER WHO SAID THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND JESSE JACKSON JUNIOR.

AND THEN, IT'S GET TO GENERATION.

>> IT IS NOT JUST FOR THOSE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

IT IS THOSE WHO WANT TO SERVE AND OTHER PUBLIC CAPACITIES THROUGH APPOINTMENTS.

>> FOR THE HOLE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTOR.

WE SEEK OUT EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD.

SO ANYBODY FROM A PRESIDENT OF A MUSEUM TO A LAWYER.

AND WE GOT TOGETHER FOR A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, AND SIX COURSES BY OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL.

THE ADVISORY BOARD IS AMAZING.

>> WHAT KIND OF TRAINING WILL SOMEONE RECEIVE?

I COULD TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAD KENT BENNETT COME IN AND TOLD -- >> HE WORKED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA AND RECENTLY CUT NOW, HE'S THE RETIRED FATHER OF A COOL PERSON.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ORGANIZING SIDE AND EACH STEP ALONG THE WAY.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS WE HAD TRAINING SESSIONS ABOUT ACTUAL CAMPAIGNS.

HOW TO CREATE A CAMPAIGN BUDGET.

HE CAME IN AND TAUGHT YOUNG PEOPLE HOW TO DO THAT.

JASON LEE TAUGHT US ABOUT HOW TO CREATE A FIELD PLAN.

IT'S VERY TALENTED PEOPLE OF OUR GENERATION PASSING ON WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED.

>> MANY HAVE COME OUT OF THE PROGRAM.

THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNITED WORKING FAMILIES , AND WHAT DO CREDIT THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM?

>> THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY ACCOMPLISHED, BUT BEFORE THEY CAME IT BROUGHT US ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY.

THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF SPACES IN OUR SECTOR ARE YOUNG, BLACK PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE, THE VULNERABLE, SHARE WHAT WE ARE TRULY FEELING AND NOT FEEL AS IF THERE IS SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER.

AS BLACK PEOPLE ARE OPINIONS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

WHEN YOU GET US IN ONE ROOM, COULD HAVE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS AND SOCIALISTS.

AND EVERYBODY BEING ABLE TO TALK IT OUT ABOUT OUR GOALS FOR LACK LIBERATION IS POSSIBLE.

>> YOU FOCUS ON MILLENNIALS BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT IS THE AGE GROUP THAT IS MOST READY FOR THIS.

>> I THINK IT WAS THE GAP WE EXPERIENCED FOR WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING, THEY WANTED TO PASS ON WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND WE WERE THE NEXT GROUP.

WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE JACKIE GRIMSHAW CHAIRED THE PROGRAM.

MILLENNIALS GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN US IN H. WE ARE THE ONES INFLUENCING THIS NEXT CHANGE.

>> WHAT CHALLENGES WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAD TO OVERCOME?

>> JUST BEING ABLE TO BE -- YOUR EXPERTISE IS ALWAYS QUESTIONED.

HAVING A GROUP THAT YOU CAN LEAN ON THAT CAN REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE THE EXPERT AND SPEAK FROM YOUR CHEST IS HOPEFUL.

>> WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THIS SPACE SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK MILLENNIALS?

>> FOR EXAMPLE, MOST RECENTLY, RONNIE MOSTLY RAN FOR ALDERMAN AND WHEN HE HE NEEDED SUPPORT, HE COULD LEAN ON THE GROUP THAT HE KNEW.

AND WORKED WITH PEOPLE IN THE CANNABIS SECTOR.

SO THEY HELPED HIM GET THROUGH HIS ELECTION, AND NOW HE'S IN ALDERMAN.

>> WHAT IS NEXT?

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP THIS GOING?

>> WE HAVE A CLASS RIGHT NOW AND ALL THE APPLICATIONS WERE DUE BY WEDNESDAY.

SO NOW THE BOARD IS REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS.

WE TRY NOT TO DO THIS DURING ELECTION CYCLES BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE A PART OF THAT.

SO MAYBE ANOTHER YEAR FROM NOW WE WILL DO ANOTHER CLASS AND MAYBE WE WILL INVITE PEOPLE FROM GEN Z.

>> HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN YOU TAKE?

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 30 AND THEY RANGE FROM THE HEAD OF A MUSEUM TO ONE OF OUR STRONGEST ACTIVISTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT IS ABOUT BEING AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD.

30 PEOPLE LET'S