WTTW News invites you to Black Voices: A WTTW News Community Conversation, a virtual event on Monday, August 29 at 8:00 pm. The distribution of educational resources throughout Chicago has been top of mind amid the pandemic.

In 2013, former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public School officials closed fifty schools, primarily on the South and West sides, combating a deficit in the city’s budget, which left more than 11,000 students displaced. The effects of these closures are still being felt across the city, including decreased funding to some South and West side schools under the Student Based Budgeting Model, and CPS’ steady decline in enrollment.

Whether it’s funding, after-school programming, or number of teachers in a classroom, parents and advocates have been pushing for more investment in South and West side schools to create educational equity.

As the 2022-2023 school year is underway for most students, Chicago Tonight co-anchor and Chicago Tonight: Black Voices host Brandis Friedman will moderate a conversation focusing on the outlook for the new school year and actions being taken to address present day disparities. Friedman will be joined by panelists: Tanesha Peeples, Founder and President of The Roots Initiative; Jennifer Johnson with Chicago Teachers Union; Dr. Janice Jackson, CEO of Hope Chicago, educator and former CEO of CPS; and Maria Owens, Parent Leadership Team leader for Kids First Chicago.

Lead support for CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES is provided by Fifth Third Bank. Additional support is provided by Gertrude Dyane and James H. Wooten, Jr.; Allstate; The Chicago Community Trust; The Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; The Field Foundation of Illinois; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Julian Grace Foundation; and Nicholas Antoine.