Thank you all for being here today.
I'm grateful that we have some incredible youth leaders that you will hear from today.
Ms. Sanaa Battle, James Robinson, Jaquez Thomas.
We're also joined by my Deputy Mayor of Education, Youth and Human Services, Kahari Humphreys.
Today you are going to hear directly from our city's youth leaders.
You're going to learn about the work that they are doing to build a safer Chicago.
We know that city government alone cannot resolve violence.
We need partnerships from all communities.
Every single community that represents this incredible city
have to play a part in building a safer Chicago.
And that includes our young people.
It's critical that youth voices and their perspectives are part of the conversation.
Community safety cannot happen without their voices.
For a long time in our city, youth were talked about in these conversations, sometimes in a pejorative way.
But now my administration is charting a new path.
rather than just simply talking about our young people.
We are talking to them and with them.
And by working with youth leaders and listening to their voices,
we can ensure that young people are able to enjoy downtown
and all of our city's neighborhoods safely
while contributing to safer environments across the city.
I'm honored and grateful for their partnership and the mission to build safer communities.
My administration looks forward to further investing in youth programming and fostering youth leaders as a part of my overall commitment to community safety.
I know that our young leaders have prepared a great presentation for you today, and I don't want to belabor this moment.
So without further ado, let me pass it to our Deputy Mayor Humphreys.
Good morning.
Good morning.
It's my pleasure this morning not to talk about youth or present about youth,
but to actually it's my honor to be able to introduce young people for you to hear from themselves.
So first, you'll hear from Sanaa Battle, from Think Outside the Block.
It is an organization funded by the Department of Family and Support Services to administer safe space programs.
In addition, you will hear from James Robinson of Good Kids Mac City.
He is a peacekeeper and is a part of the Peacekeeper Pilot.
And then lastly, you will hear from Jacquez Thomas.
He's currently a second year of Mayor's Youth Commissioner.
So without further ado, I'm going to pass it over to Sanaa Battle.
Good morning, Gallywine.
Good morning.
Good morning, Mayor Johnson, and thank you for this opportunity.
Of course.
My name is Sanaa Battle.
I'm a teenager from Chicago, a teen mom, yes, but more importantly,
a young black woman determined to build a life that matters.
I am a part of the Safe Spaces for Youth program,
funded by the Department of Family and Support Services.
Funded in 2023, Safe Spaces hires local youth, including myself, to plan fun events for other youth in the community.
In 2025, over 200 Chicago youth, ages 16 to 24, would be employed to plan over 100 events for teens in their community.
When asked why did I join Think Outside the Block, I would always say to make money.
But what came after was way more valuable than any check.
Think Outside the Block became more than just a job.
They became a family, not only the staff, my youth co-workers, even the people within my community.
The bonds, connection, love, and dedication bringing back a greater Inglewood
worked by youth my age of all different backgrounds and all different stories.
I will forever be grateful for the opportunities, the love and support they poured into me,
but not only me, countless of other youth in my community.
The importance of the work we are doing together as one is not only just creating safe spaces in Inglewood, but it provides results.
Imagine and think I sat the block, didn't exist.
All the teens who were looked at as troublemakers and defiant, the teens with backgrounds and charges that were placed upon them to prevent them from having a job.
The teens such as myself who needed someone, something to look into them and give them an opportunity to actually become something.
Since joining Think Outside the Block, I've always witnessed miracles in my streets.
Countless waves that safe spaces left in an impact in the streets of Chicago.
Think Outside the Block created a system so that people don't see black and brown kids as threats before even seeing them as children.
A system that is alive, thriving in our schools, our streets, and in our government.
I am honored to be in front of all of you today, to return a favor to speak life into my organization and my community.
Because all the things that aren't seen doesn't mean it isn't.
All the good things that aren't being seen doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Thank you.
Now you will hear from James from Good Kids and Mad City.
Good morning to everybody.
Good morning.
My name is James Robertson.
I'm 21 years old, and I'm a youth organizer with Good Kids Mad City.
I've been with Good Kids Mad City since I was 15 years old.
I got involved with Good Kids Mad City, playing basketball, and doing work in the community.
We were doing a lot of giving back to the communities from Austin to Bronzeville,
and it opened my eyes that it was more to life.
GKMC helped keep me out the streets and helped me feed my family as much as I can.
I like working in safe spaces because it gives people the chance to be themselves without anybody judging them.
The youth I represent is kids from High Park High School.
I get a chance to do circles with them and help build those relationships that need to be built.
The main reason these peacekeeper jobs and youth jobs are important is because students need restorative justice trainings and opportunities to work.
These jobs can keep a lot of youth out the streets, and that's why I'm working so hard, because it kept me out these streets.
Good Kids Mad City have partnered up with the Mayor's Office and Department of Family Support Services
to create 150 peacekeeper jobs in the summer, and 60 all-year-round jobs,
which includes 60 hours of peacekeeping trainings covering communication, conflict resolution, and de-escalation.
Two, finish financial literacy classes, and third, we'll work with theater host sites to do peace-building projects in the community.
The summer jobs are important, but they are just one piece of the puzzle.
In order to decrease violence and give youth a better life and make Chicago better,
and make Chicago better.
We need the Peace Book Pass, which lays out a game plan
for how we can invest in our youth to reduce violence.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Thank you.
My name is Jaco S. Thomas.
I'm 20 years old, born and raised right here in Chicago,
and I'm currently a political science student at UIC.
I grew up without my father
and without many positive male role models.
For a while, I found myself going on the wrong path,
just trying to figure out life the best way I could.
But everything changed when I met my first mentor.
He didn't just gag me, he believed in me.
And because of that, I started believing in myself.
That's what inspired me to give back.
I started organizing back-to-school bashes, Thanksgiving giveaways.
And this summer, I'm watching my non-profit Chicago Amazing Stars
to pull into young people the same way it's so important to me.
Because sometimes, all it takes is one person to change the direction of a life.
Next slide. Thank you.
Today, I served as a youth commissioner for Mayor Brandon Johnson, and I co-chair the community directing group.
For the past two years, I helped lead conversations around youth safety, not from a policy book, but from lived experience,
because I knew what it feels like to grow without support, having for belonging in the wrong places.
Through the Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative, I had the opportunity to serve with the youth safety and engagement intern,
where I made sure young voices were not just heard, they were centered.
I also helped lead a citywide youth survey on curfew, public safety, and safe spaces
because the decisions about us always include us.
And I'm not the only one doing this work.
Yes, yesterday we hosted the Youth Table Talk, an event created for youth by youth.
Now, just real quick, this event was important because this is my second,
well, third youth talk that I attended yesterday.
However, the first two was hosted and organized by seasoned citizens.
Sorry.
But the event yesterday was organized for the youth by the youth.
And it was important to hear the youth input.
Yeah.
Thank you.
And we've partnered with other organizations to talk about what safety really looks like for us,
how we can take the lead in creating and protecting our own safe places.
For any young person listening, if you're a teen at ages of 14 and 19,
the Mayor's Youth Commission is now accepting applications through June 22nd.
If you ever wanted to speak up for your community or help shape, change this city, this is your moment.
Step into it.
And mark your candidates.
On July 26th, the Youth Commission will host its annual youth summit.
This year's theme is Uniting Youth Futures, a youth-led summit built to aspire, connect, and empower.
Every time I walk into a room, I carry more than just my story or ideas.
I carry the voices of young people across Chicago who are ready to lead all they need is a chance.
I started out as a young person searching for hope.
Now I work every day to be that hope for someone else.
Because if we want safer neighborhoods, stronger youth, and a better future for Chicago,
it starts with showing up for young people before the streets do.
And it also means changing the narrative.
We need the media to stop describing us like we're dangerous or wild.
We're not to plow them with a solution.
I may be one voice today, but I speak for thousands of young people across this city who are ready to rise.
So let's get them that platform.
Let's get them that mic.
Let's get them the chance.
Thank you.
Do any seasoned citizens have questions for the young people?
And then otherwise we'll transition.
Mariah, you want to ask a question?
I would say I really don't know much about curfews because I wasn't one of those teens who would be outside for real.
Like, I wasn't raised for that.
But one thing I would say is that I wouldn't think that it would because some people home, we're trying to escape home.
You know, teens try to escape home.
So I feel like a curfew, it might be a little bit because while you're trying to keep someone in the house,
They could be with a safe spaces organization, with a staff, with your coworkers or something, you know.
Like, I think, yeah.
Do you think that curfews work to help teens make better decisions?
Because the city council right now is considering a proposal that would allow police to issue curfews anytime, anywhere to help prevent teen takeovers.
um how i really feel about that i just feel like if we if we if the city allow us to give kids
something to do so they won't have to do teen takeovers maybe that's the answer maybe maybe
maybe we we create programmers and give them jobs so we can send peacekeepers to those events to
keep the violence down and stuff like that so i just really feel like we should focus more on
giving them things to do in the summertime and stuff like that to keep them busy to where they
don't have to feel like they got a plan to take over to have fun. What I would say is so when I
was the youth safety and engagement intern we did a citywide survey on curfew and what I can say is
this young people don't necessarily disagree with the curfew they just don't like the idea of being
over police because it makes them feel uncomfortable. I would say I love being
interacting with the police, especially when they're my color, especially when
they look like me. Not saying there's nothing wrong with any other address, but
I love being interacting with my, with the police. One thing I can say is that
they don't lead us astray, the ones that I know. They don't, they make me feel
comfortable. They make me want to be in my community, but I feel like sometimes
we are a stereotype and that
That's where the confusion comes from with teams doing things out of order and stuff.
Like James said, as long as we have something to do, it wouldn't be cause for the police to have to come and escort us out of certain places or, you know, curfews and stuff.
So, yeah.
Yeah, absolutely.
So what I would say is, like, I agree with her.
Like, I'm okay with being approached by the police.
But if you was to ask me, who knows, like five years or so ago, I probably would say that, you know, I wouldn't like the police, you know, or something like that.
But I do. I really like the community policing office. I got to give a district a shout out.
I love what they're doing with the CAPS office as well.
But when we talk about, like, downtown, I think it's important to know why young people are even going downtown in the first place.
Me, I grew up in Parkway Gardens. That's an area that's pretty much, you know, underserved and underfunded.
And so we go downtown because downtown things are offered that our communities and neighborhoods don't have to offer.
And like for me, my example for me is like we don't even have a movie theater.
And so we would go downtown to go see the movies and things like that as well.
Yeah, I just wanted to know how do you feel when you're approached by police when you're hanging out with your friends,
either downtown or, you know, in your neighborhood?
I don't really got a problem with the police, but it just be like, you know, being a young black man,
Coming from Chicago and coming from where I come from, it's just, like, the police don't know I'll be in rooms with the mayor.
Like, they just see a young black man, you know what I'm saying?
So they used to finding guns and, you know, stuff like that.
So more so when they run into me, they be trying to find a gun.
But, like, what do I need a gun for?
I'm cooling.
You got the mayor.
I got the mayor.
And that's what I be saying.
They don't know that, like, you feel me?
And so it just be like, you know, I'm just trying to get back to my community and keep the youth safe and, you know, stuff like that.
What do you think of the role to get some of these to be doing and not to perpetuate some of what you call the stereotyping of the problem?
I just feel like as a team and what they should be more focused on is handling responsibilities as such as making sure they got IDs and bank accounts.
So when we do apply these jobs, they can be the first ones to grab hold of these jobs and be the leaders to take accountability to do these jobs.
That's why I'm doing it, so they can look at me and be like, oh, yeah, I come from where he come from.
I want to do what he's doing, so let me see what helping my community will do for me if he's doing it.
As a youth worker, I would like to say that my responsibility is to influence.
My organization, that's why we are making a change.
We do things to connect the blocks.
We do things to show we are influenced to show the other youth to come out and to be a part of what we're doing.
It's a mission to bring others in, to let them know that you don't got to do this.
You can come over here.
You can do it the right way.
You can have fun.
You don't have to worry about the police.
You know what I'm saying?
And so I would say that as my job, it is my job to influence and to let the next kid know that there's way more out here than what is projected.
I'm here to show you guys that Chicago is way more than what it's projected to be.
That's a really great question.
And, you know, for me, when I go into rooms and I speak or something like that, people always tell me, like, dang, there's not a lot of young people doing that.
And that's like the narrative that I'm trying to change.
And so I say that's a great question, though, because, you know, I always say that, you know, I'm probably Brandon Johnson's biggest advocate when it comes to youth.
And that's why I tell him he should take time.
Why is this busy schedule?
It's a lunch or something.
But, you know, I say that because when I'm out in the community,
some of the things that I'm always emphasizing is the fact that, you know,
young people, we say that we, you know, want jobs and want to get paid.
So I always bring up the fact that, hey, a platform in Chicago, you know,
just last year under Mayor Johnson's administration,
it was able to hire, you know, close to 28,000 young people.
And this year, this summer alone, we're doing 29,000.
And so I tell the young people to take advantage of those opportunities.
I also emphasize the fact that we please apply for the Mayor Youth Commission, which is why,
again, young people that are listening, if you're between the ages of 14 and 19,
Please apply for the Mayor's Truth Commission.
Application is closed on June 22nd.
You are also paid for your time.
You meet once a month with different policy makers.
You get to be a part of opportunities like this
where you are right next to the mayor, you know, speaking.
And so it's things like that that I do to try to change the narrative
because, you know, there is more to Chicago and this world
than the negative things that surround us.
All right.
We're going to – Melody, you want one more?
Otherwise, we're going to transition.
I'm curious, how do you come up with the ideas for them
I think a lot of these might go into these thinking, oh, it's not going to be that fun.
There's not going to be things that I like to do.
I'm curious, how do you make these events for, like, how do you get the ideas for them?
And I'm curious how many people have been coming.
Okay.
So for Think I Set the Block, how we get people to come, it's like I said, it's an influence thing.
You have to influence the youth to want to come.
You have to make them want to come.
So I would say, for one, like he said, people want to come downtown because downtown has things that Inglewood don't have.
So what we're doing is we're bringing outlet into Inglewood.
We're creating those safe spaces in Inglewood.
And to make them fun, I won't lie, we be ourselves.
Think Outside the Block is a place where you can be yourself.
Sometimes when we come downtown, we can't because, like I said, we're stereotyped and they think one thing.
But when I think outside the block, we're showing people that you can come here, you can be yourself, you can relax, you can let your hair loose, you can show your true colors.
And how do we get people to come?
Or how do you come up with the ideas?
Or how do we come up with the ideas?
It's like a circle.
It's a group thing.
It's not just one voice.
It's all our voices together.
So we're listening to what the youth want to do.
We have conversations.
We connect the blocks.
We connect with everybody in the community.
So it's not just for the youth, but, like, even though the youth is doing it, it's for everyone.
So you've got to communicate with your community.
You've got to canvas.
You've got to put yourself out there.
You have to connect with them, like I said, the connections, the bonds.
So I would say that's how we move forward and plan our events.
And then once the event is out there, people actually do come.
And then once they come and they have a good time, it's like, dang, when the next event is coming?
How can I be involved?
Like, it's all about the connections and what you do, how you put yourself out there.
Can I come to the 90s party?
I know some about the 90s.
All right, let's thank our young people for their leadership.
Thank you, guys.
All right, we're going to transition now.
Thank you, folks.
Mayor, good morning.
Good morning.
I want to get your comments on the Department of Justice investigation that we learned about yesterday.
You've had your back and forths with the president over the months, and I'm wondering if you could have forecasted this to be a focal point of his Department of Justice and what your initial reaction was to the investigation.
Well, I'm not surprised, right?
I mean, this administration has, you know, obviously has demonstrated a great deal of animus and disdain towards what is sensible about our country.
and that's the diversity of our country.
And I'm very proud of the fact that we have one of the most,
if not the most diverse administration in the history of Chicago.
You know, what's clear is that not only does the Trump administration
not respect the rule of law or what's sensible about our society,
you would be hard-pressed to find.
qualified individuals who are in his administration.
You know, as my administration reflects the country, reflects the city,
his administration reflects the country club.
And that is the biggest difference between what we're doing in Chicago
and what is coming from the federal government.
We're going to remain firm and steadfast in our commitment to ensure that
the incredible, diverse talent that we have within our administration
that continues to lead us towards the safest, most affordable big city in America.
We're not going to shy away or apologize for who we are.
Were you surprised?
No. No.
Look, it's clear that this administration does not respect the rule of law.
It's also clear that, you know, this administration is more interested in creating, you know, division within our country
While we are being inclusive, I'm proud of the fact that we have individuals that have legal backgrounds, operational backgrounds, education backgrounds.
I mean, when I think about, again, just the diversity of my administration, we're working hard every day to make sure that the values of my administration reflect the uniqueness of the city of Chicago.
And we're doing that.
And that's what the people of this country, that's what they really want.
This divisive tactic that this administration is just dead set on engaging in, I'm confident that the goodwill of people, everyday people who are approaching me about how we can create more opportunities for young people, right, approaching me about how we build more affordable homes.
You know, again, April, the fewest amount of homicides since 1962, as violence continues to go down and our investments continue to go up,
that's what everyday working people in this city are concerned with,
and that's what I'm concerned with, and that's what I'm addressing.
Final question.
Does it feel retaliatory?
And secondly, do you have any sense of how much this could cost the city of Chicago
to sort of handle it, to defend it, to respond, man hours, et cetera?
I mean, the cost if we don't defend our democracy could be quite severe.
Here's what my approach has always been.
It's about making sure that the city moves in the direction that benefits the wholeness of our city.
Now, look, no one is going to argue, not here in Chicago, that we have lacked fairness and equity in this city.
That's evident by the numbers tell us that.
And it's not just with contracting and opportunities to do business with the city.
is the fact that, again, there was a report that was released,
the Urban League of Chicago was leading solutions around closing the economic gap between neighborhoods,
where, again, the average cumulative wealth of a black family in Chicago was zero dollars.
I would imagine that no matter who you are, that you would recognize that that's a problem.
And if we're talking about how we build safe communities,
If Austin isn't safe, then then Streeterville can't be safe. Right. And so we have to make sure that we're not falling victim to the tyranny that's coming from the federal government.
We're uniting people. All of the city of Chicago is surrounded by the love and the aspirations that are coming from my administration.
Look, I take a great deal of pride and humility that I was elected just two years ago to respond to decades of disinvestment, that they trust a working-class individual to bring people together.
And so when we're investing in our public schools, that investment is for all of our neighborhoods across the city.
When crime is going down, that affects all of us in this city.
When we're building more affordable homes, that's affecting all of us in this city, and that's what this moment is about.
And we're not going to be intimidated and struck by fear because we're showing up in our best form, and that's who we are as a city, a city of raw shoulders.
We stand shoulder to shoulder.
We stand elbow to elbow to make sure that we can build the safest, most affordable big city in America.
Hi, Mayor.
How are you today?
I'm doing terrific.
Good.
I want to pivot back to curfews for a second.
Before, you previously have said you do not support curfews or you have some opposition to it.
So I wonder, with this revised curfew ordinance, where you stand on it?
And just, like, what would your reaction be should it pass out of committee today?
Well, my position is that I do not support lowering the curfew because there's no evidence.
that lowering curfews prevents violence from happening, right?
And so every study has substantiated that as well.
Here's my position.
The city council moves forward with an ordinance that gives my administration and the police department the ability to implement a curfew.
Look, I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm not concerned about the constitutionality around it.
Here's what my ultimate goal is, is to prevent them from happening, these large gatherings.
And the work that we have done has done that in large part.
One is one too many.
But my main priority and focus is making sure that we don't just simply figure out how to prevent these gatherings from happening,
but that we're working together collectively to provide safe spaces for young people to have an experience in Chicago
that they should be able to enjoy. It's their right.
You heard directly from our young people today, they want to be in safe spaces where they can be themselves.
That's what my mission has been.
If we don't give young people real activity, we don't help them find their purpose,
we're just going to find ourselves in a tailspin.
This is about not just prevention, but this is also about the investments,
and that's why I'm very much focused on giving youth voices power,
but also that we're responding with resources as well.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
You campaigned on a promise to ban no-knock warrants being served by the Chicago Police Department.
The police department is about to finalize a policy that would not ban no-knock warrants
and would also allow Chicago police officers in extreme circumstances to point weapons at children.
Is that policy acceptable to you?
Well, we're still having conversations with aldermanic leaders as well as organizers,
and particularly Ms. Anjanette Young, around what an ordinance would look like
that would ultimately prevent what happened to her from ever happening again.
My position is still very clear.
I do believe that we have to have significant shift in policy to ensure we have maximum security for our residents.
And, look, the work that we're doing to lower violence and crime in the city of Chicago is obviously showing up for all of Chicago,
and we'll continue to have these conversations and continue to go through our paces of negotiations
to ensure that what happened to Ms. Anjanette Young doesn't happen again
or to other families that have experienced these type of encounters.
Since the botched raid on Anjanette Young's house,
the number of residential search warrants served by the Chicago Police Department has decreased by 85 percent.
Is that an indication, do you think, that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of search warrants
that did not need to be served that were served and primarily impacted black Chicagoans based on the data?
I've always said from the very beginning that we have to have constitutional policing
and move with some expediency around responding to the consent decree.
I appreciate the leadership that Superintendent Snelling has brought to the police department
with better training, but also looking at particular policies and procedures
that are either antiquated or perhaps some semblance of racial profiling.
We're a different city now.
We're transforming this city in a way that I believe that those who have fought to get us to this point have always longed for.
It's our generation's time, all of us, to have stronger and safer communities,
but also to ensure that we don't have the type of policing that has led to the unprecedented amount of settlements that we've had to deal with.
So this is really more of a reflection of the values that I ran on to ensure that we have a police department that the people of Chicago can trust.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
The city has spent time and resources on dozens of plea deals or trials that the city has lost to prosecute protesters arrested during the DNC for municipal code violations,
like failing to disperse, that carry no jail time.
In one trial and his verdict, the judge said the city has not provided, even by the low, low, low burden of more likely than not,
that a defendant could hear proper dispersal orders from CPD and found the defendant not guilty.
Does that give you confidence in the police department to adequately notify teens
as the city council considers the curfew proposal of curfews and dispersals?
Look, the most important thing that we have to keep in mind is that we want to prevent violence in the city of Chicago.
That is what the motivation is.
You know, as far as.
You know, how the city has practiced over years and how it approaches certain aspects of arrest.
There's no secret here that we're working to sharpen and to, you know, clear matters up so that we're not wasting time or money.
As far as my confidence in our ability to work collectively together to ensure that our teams have activity
and that we're working to prevent violence from happening, of course I'm going to remain confident.
And do I have concerns? Of course I do.
But the historic nature of what we're confronting is going to take all of us collectively
to ensure that we are addressing and approaching this matter in the fullness of all of the experiences
that people of Chicago have had.
So, yes, confidence, and we still move with caution as well as with some level of accountability.
And can you comment on the city continuing to pursue prosecutions for these municipal code violations?
Why does the city feel it's important to pursue those?
Well, look, these have been practices, you know, over time, and we're going to continue to review those practices.
Can we keep going just because there's a lot of people here?
Go to Craig.
Yeah, and then we'll come to Taman.
Hello, Mayor.
Hello.
So first I want to ask, with regards to the young people, does the city have enough resources to make sure that there are alternatives and safe places for the young people who may need them?
Well, we've invested, my administration, I've invested millions of dollars into our young people.
And, you know, our budget director could go to some precise examples if that pleases you.
But whether it's, again, for youth employment, whether it's for a youth commission,
whether it's supporting our community-based organization so that they can provide activity for young people,
whether it's investing in our public education system, these resources are significant.
If you're asking me if we need more resources, the answer is absolutely yes, right?
I mean, look, we have an opportunity to hire 29,000 young people.
Our deputy mayor, Humphreys, could tell you this.
Last year we had 50,000 young people apply.
So the demand is certainly there.
We do need more resources.
Did you want to say anything about your director?
I mean, the mayor is absolutely correct.
I mean, you know, not only is it city resources that are supporting youth opportunities,
you know, other types of programming throughout the city, but it's also federal funding.
It's also state funding.
And so that's a critical, you know, piece of the puzzle that is under threat right now.
And so, you know, it behooves, you know, those in our communities, in the city of Chicago,
throughout the state of Illinois, and cities across the country to recognize, you know,
the very real threat that's coming from the federal government in undermining our ability
to keep our community safe, to engage our youth,
to ensure that people have the resources they need to live their day-to-day lives the best that they can.
Thank you.
And how close are you to making a decision on both the CTA and the Board of Education or a superintendent?
Yeah, so, look, I made this clear from the very beginning, particularly with our public schools,
we're going to transform our schools in the city of Chicago
and we're going to make it work for all of the city
having a leader that reflects the values that I ran on
making sure that our class sizes are managed
making sure that we have support, social emotional support
libraries, librarians, all the things that I ran on
and that was secured in this latest teacher's contract
as far as a leader, again someone who understands that value
Now, there's a process that the Board of Education is going through, and I respect that process as they accept applicants.
You know, ultimately, you know, I'm going to have some recommendation of what the best leader looks like
and what the best leader reflects in terms of our values.
And I do appreciate the hard work that the Board of Education is going through right now.
And CTA.
Oh, yes.
And with CTA, look, the same thing.
We're doing really good work in Springfield right now to ensure that our city receives its...
You know, fair, equitable distribution of resources.
You know, our ridership is up 300 million riders last year.
We're hiring more people.
We're working to make it a safer space.
That person or persons that, you know, we put forward for the board to be able to reflect on,
again, someone who understands the value of our public transportation system,
someone who understands the, who has the strength and the capability of running a large system,
But someone who also has a deeper personal connection to our transportation system,
those are high qualities that I do value, and within the next few weeks or so,
I'm pretty confident that we'll have that person.
Speaking of CTA, while John Roberson is sitting next to you, let's talk about education.
Let's go back to that since we're on it.
CEO Martinez presented a budget last week that puts the CPS deficit at $229 million,
but he assumed an additional $300 million would come from either Springfield or the city.
So the CEO basically presented a budget that was $500 million short.
How should the board make up the difference?
And Martinez thinks that the schools can tap the TIF well again.
Is that something you would support?
Well, let's just go back to what your initial statement indicated, that the CEO presented a budget with making assumptions.
It's the same budget that he presented last year.
It's the most irresponsible budget presentation that an executive can ever present.
It's just irresponsible.
It's why we're in this predicament right now.
It just lacked vision.
It was just a derelict failure.
quite frankly, of his duty.
So what the board will be tasked with is working with my office,
working with our labor partners,
but also working with our partners in Springfield
around how we can have a sustainable school district
that reflects the values of all of the residents of this city.
When I presented a budget, I didn't present a budget
with the expectation of other entities necessarily, right?
You actually have to be able to have some sort of proof positive.
And that's just unfortunate to present a budget with that assumption.
So we're going to work hand in hand with the board members
as well as our partners in labor and the state
to find a pathway that's reasonable
that ensures that our schools are not harmed.
back to the doj investigation you know one thing people say about you is wherever you go you sound
like you're talking to your base you all which would basically be the black church right in this
environment where washington is scrutinizing chicago do you agree or regret that it always
sounds like you're talking to black voters and so sometimes your message gets lost in translation for
a broader audience yeah so i've talked about having the lowest amount of homicides in april
the lowest amount since 1962 that speaks to the entire city of chicago
robberies being down that's all of chicago building affordable homes that's all of chicago
You know, our mental and behavioral health support services for our care program, the expansion of mental and behavioral health, it's all of Chicago.
When I talk about building affordable homes and building homes downtown, you can make an assumption that I'm only talking about one particular race as well.
We know who concentrates in that particular part of the city.
So, look, it sounds like to me that people tune in to what they want to tune in to.
Because the fact of the matter is that I've shown up for this entire city.
When we put a billion dollars in our public school system, we don't cherry pick.
Now, that benefits all of our children.
There's going to be class sizes that are going to be smaller in every section of the city.
We're building it for green social housing.
You know, some folks felt that it didn't concentrate enough in black Chicago, right?
You know, when we're talking about, you know, a Bears stadium,
that's the benefit with these economic opportunities for all of Chicago.
You know, when Beyonce hits me up and she wants to come to Chicago,
she's going to perform for everybody.
So, you know, this notion that somehow what it sounds like, let's just look at the facts.
we have the most diverse administration in the history of this city
we've invested so much in environmental justice
everybody cares about that
and so
I'll just end with this. Why wouldn't I speak to black Chicago? Why wouldn't I?
Black Chicago and black people in America have borne the brunt of the type of policies and the maneuvering and the humiliating tactics that are coming from the federal government right now.
It's not a secret. Who is going to be mad at the fact that we have to prioritize spaces in the city that have been harmed the most?
Everybody agrees with that.
Now, and if you don't agree with that, then that's a prerogative that they'll get to own.
But, you know, we don't have to apologize for being concerned about the residents of this city
who have borne the brunt of school closures.
Think about unemployment in this city where it is mostly concentrated.
Think about violence where it's mostly concentrated.
It would be shameful if I were to repeat the sins of those who have been in this position before, because they did not speak enough to black Chicago.
It's why the conditions have worsened.
And under my watch and under my administration, we're going to make those critical investments to ensure that every single person in the city of Chicago benefits from my administration.
And we know that a rising tide will lift all boats.
Hey, Mayor. So today in zoning committee, the ANI project just north of Bally's, it's been stalled for a year.
It's coming up for a vote. They do not have a labor peace agreement with SEIU.
That's why it's not gotten a vote for a year. Do you think it should be approved before they have a LPA with SEIU?
Well, look, I will say this, you know, as the most pro-worker city in America, of course, labor peace has to be the priority.
You know, I understand that there are many different dynamics and elements that are being bantered about right now, but labor peace is important to me.
Would you do you think without that it should get voted down in either committee or city council tomorrow?
My preference is that there's labor peace before anything moves in this city.
And then separately, you know, obviously the Bears, you met with Kevin Warren last week.
You said he's moving on.
Can you share more of what your reaction was to that last week,
and are you disappointed that we've reached this point?
Well, I will say there's a long way to go still,
and there's ample evidence that my desire is for the Bears to stay in the city of Chicago.
There are certain things that are beyond my control.
What they are looking for in terms of state support from a particular revenue source that is only designed to build stadiums,
that's something that the Bears have to continue to work hard to make that case.
That's been my position from the very beginning.
The Bears do have a level of responsibility to make the case in Springfield.
Look, if Springfield doesn't have an appetite, that's something that, you know, the Bears, you know, have to consider.
And though there's, again, a long way to go, there's no person in politics in this state
that has worked as hard as I have to help support the Bears' effort to stay in Chicago.
And the state of Illinois has a responsibility and a role to play.
And, you know, the Bears have to, like they made the case with me,
they have to make the case with the state of Illinois in order for a package to make sense for them.
Hi.
I'm sure that you're going to. Oh, there it is there. OK, I'm circling back on curfew.
I'm sure your administration has heard some of the same concerns that we have heard from youth that, yes,
they are concerned about this idea of a snap curfew, but also going downtown.
There are a lot of public and private spaces that have early curfews, such as 6 p.m., 8 p.m.
Some of those being Navy Pier, Maggie Daly Park, Millennium Park.
The administration has the power, whether it's through specific policy initiatives or collaborating with the other powers that be to change that.
Is that something that your administration is actively pursuing, and if not, why?
Well, I'm always open to having conversations and collaborating.
Here's what my focus has been primarily, has been to make sure that we prevent these large gatherings from taking place so that we can keep people safe.
That's what my main priority has been, and the type of curfew enactment that was initially proposed where it was only concentrated in one particular neighborhood, I spoke very candidly about my opposition against that forum because there's just no evidence that it works.
Look, I know that there are many different machinations of spaces within the downtown limits.
Anyone who wants to have a robust conversation about those spaces, I'm open to it.
You've said in the past that you're not for curfews at Millennium Park,
especially it's against your administration's prerogative.
I'm curious, are we going to see changes to that?
It's something that youth have consistently said.
We want to be able to go to the special events at Millennium Park,
but I don't have anyone that's 21 years or older to take me.
Look, I know that there are a number of people who have raised that,
and as I've said, I'm open to those conversations.
As I say, please don't make Craig fall.
Somebody would have to come help me get up.
He's fallen and he can't get up.
Mayor, if we can go back to the DOJ thing.
How would you say that race factors into your hiring decisions as you're trying to build your administration?
Well, look, I do believe that there is a tremendous amount of value to make sure that we have qualified, talented people who work in government.
You know, I feel blessed that, you know, our budget director, who just happens to have a JD, right,
I mean, it's pretty fascinating.
I mean, it's not a requirement of the job, but she brings that element.
You know, when I think about someone like Angela Tovar, who is, you know, leading up our, you know, environmental department, you know, her skill set and her reputation around the globe is just absolutely, it's just amazing, quite frankly.
What I look for, I look for people who are competent, right, people who are collaborative and people who are compassionate.
You know, is there a value to make sure that people who are closest to neighborhoods bring that level of expertise?
There's value in that.
Of course there's value in diversity, and we should never shy away from that.
You know, unfortunately, I believe the reason why we've had so many ailments that we've had to address
is because there's been a hyperconcentration of a particular group or gender that has dominated politics, right?
Once upon a time, I think mayoral administrations were probably 70 percent white.
Now, when I think about what's happened at the federal level, let's just focus there for a second.
One black person in his entire administration.
Now, I don't know if this is a correlation, but only having one black person in his administration and individuals that I would question their qualifications, you know, you're running up major departments and your background is wrestling.
I mean, and maybe there's something valuable there, but we're not seeing it, right?
So as the Trump administration moves away from diversity, you're seeing more chaos.
As my administration embraces diversity, you know, you're seeing us build the safest, most affordable city in America.
So, look, I look at a variety of things, you know, and to have an administration that reflects not just the values of our city,
but it shows up even in their backgrounds, I think that there's value to that.
And I'm very proud of the fact that we're a growing administration that reflects the city of Chicago.
Your administration was getting beat up, and prior administrations too, for that matter, over crime.
And now the crime is going down.
Do you see this as the Trump administration looking for some other reason to, you know, take a shot at Chicago?
Look, when you are the world champion of the world, there's going to be multiple reasons why people are going to want to battle you.
That just comes with the terrible.
When you're the greatest freaking city in the world, there are going to be individuals who are going to want to challenge that, right?
Look, my focus is, again, building the safest, most affordable big city in America.
And we're not patting ourselves on the back.
I mean, we're working hard every single day.
There's a lot more work for us to do.
And, again, as I said earlier, people elected me two years ago, and I'm humbled by this, to address all of the historic wrongs that we've had to face,
whether it's environmental justice, housing, education, business and economic development, diversity and contracts.
And people want me to address all of it.
And that, to me, shows that there's a level of confidence that what we did before, we're rejecting and we can't go backwards.
We have to move forward.
So, like, you know, the Trump administration showing animus towards a working class city, it just makes sense because of who he's aligned with.
He's aligned with the ultra rich.
It's the same group of people who have formed a $10 million PAC against my administration.
And they're trying to intimidate working people, and I'm not going to stand for that, right?
And it is this generation's turn and responsibility to make sure that we transform government.
It is our moment, and we're going to take full advantage of this moment to ensure that posterity will be able to look back in this moment
and say thank you to all of us who stood firm in the midst of tremendous adversity to ensure that we have an inclusive society that works for everyone.
Could the DOJ find any discriminatory practices in how people are hired?
You know, again, the approach is an approach that speaks to competency.
That's it.
This would be unprecedented, but if you just look at the way that Trump's administration is reflective or reflecting right now,
Well, I'm calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the Trump's administration and its discriminatory practices and their hiring.
Good morning.
Let's circle back to Bear Stadium.
Is the city still actively engaged with the Chicago Bears in negotiations over a lakefront or a Michael Reese site?
Well, we have not closed the door on it.
You know, as I said to the other questions, my administration will always remain open to having conversations.
We had a conversation a week or so ago about the Bears not getting the support that they needed from the state of Illinois.
And it has placed them in a position where they have to figure out how to move forward.
But my door will never close to this.
I want the Bears to stay in Chicago.
And just one Pope Leo question.
Have you officially extended an invitation for him to come visit the city?
And do you plan to do so?
I will.
You know, I had a good conversation with the Cardinal.
And first of all, I just think I am still elated, right, that the Pope is from Chicago.
And it's one of those things where, you know, in his official capacity, it's good to have, you know, a Pope who's from Chicago.
Because now, officially, if you put ketchup on a hot dog, it would be a cardinal sin.
All right.
Thank you all.
I've been waiting to use that.
I tried it with my son.
He told me not to.
Mayor Johnson, please turn the mic on. Thank you.
Real Chicagoans woke up this morning relieved that the Department of Justice is finally investigating your race hustle.
As someone who grew up on the south side of Chicago, I've heard a lot of race hustlers in my life, trust me.
But they were usually marching around outside of City Hall, which is what makes this so embarrassing and dangerous, very, very dangerous to the city of Chicago.
Okay, we need that question.
I'm more than happy to ask this question.
It's long overdue.
For over a year, real Chicagoans, white and black, have been telling me that your black power rhetoric is bringing the city backwards from a place that it had overcome.
You want the question?
Please.
Real Chicagoans want to know, why are you a racist?
Well, you know, first of all, I reject the idea and the premise that somehow that that's an actual legitimate question.
You want to bet?
All right, we're going to go to the next one.
Alice?
The next question, my follow-up question is, a businessman, Robert Gomez, had his Riverfront restaurant license yanked.
You said that the reason you hire black people is because they're the most generous race on the planet.
His Riverfront restaurant license was yanked and given to a black restaurateur.
That seems to, that has, once again, reinforced the belief among real Chicagoans, white and black and Mexican, that you are a racist.
What do you say to those people?
Again, I reject the premise that somehow that your question has any legitimacy.
Thank you for your time, sir.
Thank you. We'll go to Alice.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
Looking more broadly, the Trump administration has increasingly been citing the Civil Rights Act to investigate whether white people are being discriminated against, including in this latest DOJ probe.
What do you make of this legal interpretation, and does it being used against Chicago concern you?
Well, again, the diversity that the city of Chicago represents is something that reflects, quite frankly, the soul of America.
We are the quintessential example of...
of what it means to be a global city, and it's a proud legacy.
You know, how this president is using his power or attempting to use his power is using it to divide people.
Look, I'm not going to stand for it.
Look, I get it. It's a conversation that people get provocated by.
But the fact of the matter is, as I continue to work in collaboration to build the safest, most affordable big city in America, that's what my focus is on.
You know, I can't control, you know, the tyrannical proclivities of this administration.
I just try not to get distracted by that.
And I don't want the people of Chicago to get distracted by it either.
Think about what we're building in our city.
where we've seen the occupancy rate increase downtown,
that $20 billion of tourism that is moving through our coffers,
that population growth continues to happen.
We're creating safer spaces for our young people.
Now, look, I'm not saying that everything is perfect.
What I'm saying is that we're moving in the right direction,
the safest, most affordable big city in America.
That's, people made a decision two years ago around who is going to work the hardest to keep us safe.
And I made a commitment that I would work harder than anyone.
Homicides are down.
Shootings are down.
Carjackings are down.
Robberies are down.
Investments continue to go up.
$11 billion in new investments last year.
$8 billion so far this year.
The process through planning, the planning commission, where we're moving the business activity through the city of Chicago much faster, 178-something days down to 78 days.
With our budget director, we put together a working group to respond to the financial challenges that people are experiencing all over the country.
We had our first gathering on Saturday.
Every single representative was there, labor, business, community.
You know, people like I won't name all the names, but the people there that recognize that it's going to take all of us.
It is this generation's opportunity in turn to come together collectively to transform our city.
And that's exactly what we're doing. And have you reached out to state lawmakers who represent Chicago about the Bears?
And do you get the sense that they're adamant about wanting to keep the team in the city?
Well, look, I have to take people at their word. Right.
I mean, you know, I've had multiple conversations over the last couple of years, you know, around this stadium.
And, again, our team worked hard to do our part to put the Bears in the best possible position to stay at the lakefront.
That's what they want.
That's what I want.
I know that there are people in the General Assembly who want the same thing.
The question is, you know, will the state use the dollars that are designed for stadiums to be built?
Will they use those dollars?
That's a decision that they'll have to make, and if they're not committed to doing that,
then the Bears obviously will have to make other considerations.
The door remains open, and, you know, there's a long way to go still here,
but I trust that the Bears are going to continue to have conversations with members of the General Assembly
as well as the governor to make their case around how the state of Illinois can help support the collective effort
to keep the Bears in Chicago.
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
I just want to make sure I'm clear.
Are you not clear what my position is?
No, do you plan to more actively lobby?
I mean, I've done everything that I possibly could do.
I've done my part.
You know, at this point, if the state of Illinois wants to keep the Bears in the city of Chicago,
the football is in their – hold on.
The ball is on the side of the field.
You get the point.
All right, I try.
There's my stand-up routine just ended there.
Yeah, I know.
Oh, good one.
You hear that correct?
He said, I fumbled that one.
That's good.
All right.
Well, good morning.
Would you be open to any deal that would allow the Bears to break their soldier field lease?
That hasn't come up.
It hasn't come up.
It's a good question.
And this might be for the budget director as well here,
but another $62 million in police misconduct settlements moved forward in the Finance Committee yesterday.
How big of an issue is the overspending and the generally massive spending on police misconduct settlements?
How big of an issue is that?
Just before our project director weighs in, let me just say I think there's a great deal of frustration that because of
and failures that we're dealing with just a backload of cases.
We don't have control over those level of backloads of cases.
It is a frustrating element that, you know, my administration, just like every other issue that we've had to respond to,
where people have kicked the can down the road and we're not doing that.
And we're literally working to pick – these bad analogies are just going to get worse.
Pick the can.
I don't even know how to use that analogy.
But the point is we're not going to kick the can down the road anymore.
So, you know, as far as that level of frustration, that's something that all of city council, as well as me and many other people in this city, that we had brutality that existed.
It was ignored when people came forward.
It was covered up.
I mean, we can go down multiple cases, whether it's the shooting of a 17-year-old black boy multiple times, 16 shots, and somehow it never made it to the light of day.
There are multiple cases in which police brutality occurred, 80s and the 90s, that we are dealing with today.
Annette?
Obviously, it's frustrating, right?
So we're not only dealing with legacy old cases, but we're also dealing with the backlog due to the closing of courts during the pandemic.
So all of that is converging at the same time.
And the mayor's right.
We're not kicking the can down the road.
We are, you know, dealing with the situation in the hand that we've been dealt.
I think one of the things to look at is how are we emerging from these legacy cases?
Are we implementing constitutional policing?
Are we seeing less cases being brought against the city of Chicago based on the conduct that police officers are currently performing?
And so I think, you know, we have no ability but to deal with the situation that, you know, we've been handed as it relates to legacy cases.
And we're not the only city that's dealing with this.
I think, you know, the city of Los Angeles just came out with their budget not too long ago,
and they named the skyrocketing cost of settlements and judgments as one of the drivers of their billion-dollar budget deficit as well.
This is happening across the country, and I think it behooves administrations that are currently in place
to put policies and practices to ensure that we are not infringing upon the rights of everyday citizens.
Good morning, Mayor.
Good morning.
So you mentioned that part of the strategy to keep Chicago safe during the summer is working with youth groups in the communities,
and I would like to know which groups are you working with in the Latino communities, such as Little Village or Back of the Yards?
Yeah, it's a great question.
So it's not just about youth group organizations.
It's really about the full force of government.
It's about our business community, the philanthropic, you know, community.
And so there are a number of organizations that, you know, we are working with, particularly around CVI.
And, you know, many of these organizations touch multiple communities, like Little Village.
But as far as some of the specific communities, I don't know, Kihari, do you have those?
and we can make sure you get those organizations.
Yes, in Little Village, we're working with T98, which is the Alliance 98.
They are the funded organization that provides safe spaces, opportunities, and Little Village.
Last question.
Is that all? Okay.
I apologize, Mayor. I had to step out briefly.
So if I'm asking you a question you've already answered, I apologize.
It's okay.
In hindsight, given this DOJ probe,
The rhetoric used to tout the diversity in your administration, would you change anything that you said in light of perhaps Asian-Americans, Native Americans, or Latino Americans who might not feel reflected in the black leadership positions that you talked about?
Given the criticism, is there anything in your rhetoric that you would change in hindsight?
So that's a great question.
So just think about the question that was just asked by your colleague.
She specifically asked about Latino representation, and so we gave a specific response to Latino representation.
Is there a specific question that was asked about black contracts in particular?
Look, I get those questions all the time, you all.
I do.
People ask me about LGBTQ plus representation.
They ask me about women representation.
Can I just be absolutely honest here?
I know I do this every single press availability.
I'm going to make my communications director cringe.
This is a quintessential example of the type of divisiveness that this president wants us to have.
Do you know how many times I've spoken of the diversity of my administration?
So.
I'm going to say Christina Pacione Zayas, Beatrice Ponce de Leon, Cynthia Soto, Angela Tovar,
Commissioner Andrade, Commissioner Capofalli, Executive Director Frank Velez,
Chancellor Salgado, CEO and General Superintendent Ramirez Rosa.
Is that offensive?
Not at all.
Not at all, right?
So what I'm just simply saying is, but is that offensive?
though, that I just mentioned leaders within my administration that all are part of the
Latin A community. Why would that be offensive to anyone? When we have seven, eight percent
Asian Americans, do you know what the representation of Asian Americans were in administrations
prior? You don't know, do you? Not off the top of my head. No, I don't. No one has ever
asked. But we still made it a purpose to make sure that there was good representation.
Look, the city of Chicago has suffered from a great deal of pain because of the political and the racial dividing lines that have existed in this city for a long time.
I'm going to break those lines.
I am.
I'm going to show up for the Latino community.
We're going to show up for Asian Americans.
We're going to show up for black folks in this city.
We're going to show up for the LGBTQ plus community.
Any group that has been marginalized and have suffered under tyranny and oppression, we're going to show up for them.
We're not going to be intimidated by the tyranny that's coming from the federal government.
The diversity of our city is our strength.
And so when people ask me specific questions about their particular communities,
they're going to want to know that there's some assurance within my administration that I'm going to show up for that particular community.
And do you know why they ask those questions?
Because other administrations have failed.
And I'm giving people some confidence that I'm not going to ignore any particular group, especially groups that have been marginalized.
And so, of course, the president wants to highlight the fact that I mentioned those names.
So guess what? I hope that he listened when I said Capofale, Ponce de Leon, Velez.
Those are powerful surnames just like Johnson, Williams, and Jenkins.
That's the celebration of who we are as a city.
And I'm not going to be intimidated or allow the failures of the past to dictate how we move forward.
This is this generation's opportunity to get something right.
And so when Cesar Chavez and when Reverend Jackson were fighting collectively to ensure that brown and black people can be empowered,
and they got us as far as they could get us,
now it's going to take a collective response from all of us to ensure that no one is left behind in this city.
And that's why I'm very grateful that I'm in a position to build the safest, most affordable big city in America.
And regardless of your surname, you get to find sainty here in this beloved city.
Thank you all for your time.
Thank you all.
Thank you all.
Don't steal my joke.