Chicago Politics

DSS Labor Program Training Celebration 6.26.26

Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the DSS Labor Program Training Celebration.

Transcript

0:07 I want you all to have a great rest of your day and a great rest of your week and journey, okay? So without any further ado, like I said, I want to congratulate you all. I want you to have a great rest of your day, a great weekend, but I do want to bring up LaTosha from your local 10-01. um are you guys you guys all right so i'm excited for my opportunity to take the opportunity to

1:04 work for the city of chicago and to also first i would like to thank the training center and your trainees your um instructors i'm sorry i would like to thank them and that you guys had a bunch of questions, so after everything is said, it's answered. The person that came in and started the

1:38 program, so they kind of like paved the way for you guys to be here, and I'm also getting a earful related, and some of your friends have done the program, so that is really great. The opportunity for you guys to work this program is phenomenal, because this is a path for your future this is your purpose you're walking into which is great okay

2:11 congratulate each and every one of you guys

5:00 take the job. I was a laborer 26 years ago. I started working when I was 18 too. Easier to hear from them. So we brought them here because we felt it was important that if you had any questions, you could hear it from your peers. Versus a guy standing up there going, 40 years ago I used to do this stuff. So that's why we thought it was important. So take the time to introduce yourself to get to know them, cough them, pull the guys in there, ladies, cough these people.

5:35 That introduction, thanks to Latasha, to Lyona, and all who have made this incredible investment possible. Thank you to our Chicago public schools. Look, I won't lecture you, I just want to say congratulations to all of you and to express how proud I am.

6:09 You know, as a former public school teacher, taught middle school, 7th and 8th grade at Gender Academy at Cabrini-Green, and then I taught at Westinghouse right here on the west side of Chicago, every single day my students would come into the classroom and as a social studies teacher and reading teacher, we would have these discussions about our future. It was teaching in our public schools that really challenged me to really become more actively involved with politics, because I saw too often young, bright students who did not see their purpose or did not have enough opportunities to explore their purpose.

6:50 I became mayor of Chicago to make sure that every single young person in this city who wants to work could have access to a good-paying job. Because I want you to not just have access to a good-paying job, I want you to be able to experience and see your future in this city that raised you. That's why I'm committed to these type of initiatives, and when Commissioner Stoller came to me, I wanted to jump on this immediately. because our city cannot be the greatest city in the world

7:20 if our young people don't feel loved, seen, and respected and do not have the opportunities, especially families that are being raised on the west, southwest, northwest sides of our city. So I congratulate you all, take full advantage of it. The last thing that I'll say is working can be hard because I know that there are other family members that are counting on you. I know what that's like being raised in a household. It was 10 of us. I was the middle child. Everything didn't always work. So from orange extension cords to make sure that our lights were on by using our neighbor's electricity, coming home and the water's not on, life can be difficult.

8:01 But I'm living proof that if you stick at it, take classes. I had to do it as well. Work and take classes at night. Whatever you have to do to be able to fulfill your purpose and promise, know that we are creating these opportunities so that you can succeed. So I'm looking forward to signing y'all checks, because I signed your checks, right? I'm looking forward to signing you all's checks. I'm looking forward to seeing you all grow and build. And as Commissioner Stallard said, you all are the next generation, really the present generation of leaders, not just as workers, but as members of our collective community.

8:38 So thank you all. God bless you. Congratulations. When you get that first check, somebody needs to invite me over to y'all crib so that y'all can, you know, y'all got real quiet there. I can just, you know, brought me over for dinner or something, anything. You want to, you know, be the God parent of my children because they're young. But listen, young people are looking up to you all. You are great examples. So, again, all the best. Congratulations. God bless you. And God bless the greatest city in the world, Chicago.

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